The essential news in 8 stories: From protests in Romania to New Year travel rush

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‍US confirms President Trump’s first authorized raid on al-Qaeda "may have killed civilians"

US President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka walk to board Marine One at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 1, 2017 in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens who was killed in Yemen on January 29. /CFP Photo

A US raid in Yemen against an al-Qaeda held position is thought to have killed 23 civilians, including 10 children, according to the rights group Reprieve. The raid was carried out on Saturday and was the first such operation of its kind authorized by President Donald Trump. Initial US military reports said 14 militants and a Navy Seal had died, and three others were injured, but made no mention of civilian casualties. However, US military Central Command have now confirmed that a number of civilians were “likely killed in the midst of a firefight.”

Five confirmed dead in Zhejiang building collapse

Firefighters work to remove rubble after part of a residential building collapsed in Zhejiang Province on February 2, 2017./ CFP Photo

One survivor has been rescued and five have been found dead after a residential building collapsed in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said Thursday night. Part of a five-story residential building in the Dahui village of Wencheng County collapsed at about 8:00 am Thursday local time, burying nine people from two families. The survivor is a 63-year-old woman who was pulled out from the debris at about 10:40 pm local time and rushed to a local hospital for emergency treatment. Three others are thought to still be buried under the rubble, but rescuers say they can find no signs of life.

Chinese travelers make a record 6.15m trips overseas during Spring Festival holiday

Travelers line up in to get on the train in Beijing West Train Station./ CFP Photo

A record 6.15 million trips were made by Chinese mainland tourists to overseas destinations during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, which ended on Thursday, according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), an increase of 7 percent compared with last year's Spring Festival. Meanwhile, China's domestic tourism industry raked in 423.3 billion yuan (61.7 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue during the Lunar New Year holiday. The volume marked a year-on-year increase of 15.9 percent, according to CNTA calculations.

Romanians protest mount against corruption for third day

People wave flags during a protest in front of the government headquarters in Bucharest against controversial decrees to pardon corrupt politicians and decriminalize other offenses on February 1, 2017. /CFP Photo

More than 200,000 Romanians are estimated to have taken part in demonstrations across Romania for the third day in a row against a government decree that decriminalizes a number of corruption offences, which would free dozens of officials currently jailed for corruption. Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu has defended the decree, while President Klaus Iohannis has said he will challenge the decision in the courts. The government has cited the need to ease prison overcrowding as a major reason for pushing through the new rules.

Donald Trump in ‘worst call by far’ with Australian PM over ‘dumb’ refugee deal

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office of the White House, January 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. Also pictured at right, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. /CFP Photo

US President Donald Trump reportedly described a phone call with the Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as his "worst call by far" with a foreign leader on a day that included conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. The disagreement between the two leaders was apparently over a refugee deal negotiated between Australia and the Obama administration in which the US would re-settle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in Australian processing camps in exchange for Australia receiving refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Following the phone call, Trump labeled the deal as “dumb”. Australia and the US have confirmed the resettlement deal remains in place.

China cracks down on golf courses in anti-graft drive

Golfers tee off on a course in Beijing, China./ CFP Photo

China has shut down over a hundred courses nationwide over claims they've become places where officials and businessmen gather to play dirty, according to the Global times. "Just like expensive liquor, cars and mansions, golf has become a tool for businessmen to bribe officials," stated an article in the newspaper affiliated with China's top anti-graft watchdog. China currently has 496 courses in operation.

Insults against slain Chinese police officer lead to arrests

Police officers stand guard at a temple in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province for the the Spring Festival holiday on January, 28, 2017./ CFP Photo

Police have arrested two people for posting insulting messages about a police officer who was killed on duty during Chinese New Year's Eve. Officer Qu Yuquan died in the hospital from injuries after trying to break up a brawl in the city of Harbin on January 27. Experts justified the arrests, arguing that the comments do not fall under the definition of free speech. "Insulting a police officer who died while on duty negatively affects society. [The intention of these posts] was to challenge the authority of police," Wang Sixin, a law expert at Communication University of China, told Global Times.

Indian teen dies after bystanders more interested in filming than helping him

Traffic travels along a road in the Chembur area of Mumbai, India, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017. /CFP Photo

The case of a teenage road traffic accident victim who bled to death because onlookers were more interested in taking pictures and filming the incident on their phones rather than helping him has shocked India. Doctors say the 17-year-old cyclist, who was hit by a bus in the state of Karnataka, could have survived if the bystanders had helped him get to hospital as opposed to simply filming him on their phones.