ISIL has claimed responsibility for the gun attack on an Istanbul nightclub which killed 39 people on Sunday. The group made the claim in a statement on Monday although the identity of the actual gunman remains a mystery. Turkish authorities say they are now close to identifying the gunman though, and Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus says they now have fingerprints of the assailant as well. So far, 12 people have been arrested in connection to the attack. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a message of condolences to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the shooting.

Thirty-nine people died and 86 others were injured on Monday in a wave of bomb attacks targeting crowded areas in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, mainly in predominantly Shiite neighborhoods, an Interior Ministry source said. Another 20 people were also killed in separate attacks that took place throughout the city on the same day. ISIL claimed direct responsibility for the deadliest incident, a car bomb blast that killed 35. The attacks come as Iraqi security forces are in the middle of a major offensive against the ISIL stronghold of Mosul. 

Regulations to combat terrorism in border areas of Tibet have been updated and expanded to cover land ports, trade zones and scenic spots. These areas have witnessed increased criminal activity including illegal migration and terrorism, according to the deputy head of the Tibet border police. The new regulations set forth responsibilities for governments at all levels in Tibet, including the requirement for “more efforts by grass-roots governments to share responsibilities with the border police to regulate the border," Penpa Lhamo, deputy head of the Contemporary Studies Institute of the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences, explained to the Global Times newspaper. 

Chinese mainland issues messages of warning and opportunity to Taiwan’s leader

The Chinese mainland’s Taiwan affairs chief issued a New Year greeting that offered both good news and a warning to Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen. Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the Chinese mainland will share investment and development opportunities with Taiwan while at the same time firmly opposing any activities that encourage Taiwan independence. Zhang’s remarks come just ahead of Tsai’s trip to Latin America and after her controversial phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump.

A 17-hour riot which started on Sunday in a prison in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has left 60 dead, according to officials. The state public security secretary, Sergio Fontes, said the riot was a result of clashes between rival drug gangs both inside and outside the prison fighting for control over drug trafficking. Fontes said it was “the biggest massacre” ever in a prison in the state, with many of the dead being decapitated. Twelve guards were held hostage but all were eventually released unharmed. 

China has launched its first freight train from Yiwu in east China’s Zhejiang Province to London, according to the China Railway Corporation. The journey is expected to take 18 days as the train travels around 12,000 kilometers. The UK will be the train’s final destination after stopping in countries along the way including Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France. The new route is part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative which involves the building of better infrastructure and trade routes across Asia, Europe and Africa. 

Israeli police have questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for three hours as part of an inquiry into corruption allegations. The police conducted the interview at Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem on Monday, quizzing him over allegations that he received gifts or “favors” from businessmen, acts which would breach rules governing the conduct of civil servants. Netanyahu has denied the claims, describing them as “hot air.”

Brazilian international football star Oscar has arrived in China to a “hero’s welcome” following his record signing by Chinese team Shanghai SIPG, according to international media. The 25-year-old was given flowers and a scarf as he walked through Shanghai's Pudong Airport full of adoring fans. The former Chelsea player will earn more than 500,000 US dollars per week during his four-year contract with Shanghai SIPG. Oscar’s transfer is the most expensive deal in the Chinese Super League’s history.