Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. U.N. suggests Turkey border crossing to deliver aid to Syria's northeast

The United Nations has suggested that the Tal Abiyad border crossing between Syria and Turkey could be used to deliver aid to civilians in northeast Syria after Russia and China blocked the world body from using a crossing point on the Iraqi border to provide help. Last month, the U.N. Security Council allowed a six-year-long cross-border aid operation to continue from two places in Turkey, but dropped crossing points from Iraq and Jordan due to opposition by Russia and China. Council approval was needed because the Syrian government did not consent. Taliban, Afghan forces clash on first day of violence reduction period

Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces clashed in parts of Afghanistan on Saturday, a day after a week-long "reduction in violence" was announced, but the incidents did not spark immediate alarm on either side. If the violence reduction period is observed successfully, the United States and the Taliban will sign an agreement on Feb. 29 that could lead to a pullout of thousands of U.S. troops after nearly two decades in the country. Iran's 'cup of poison'? Hardline win may point to eventual U.S. talks

Anti-Western hardliners are set to sweep Iran's parliamentary elections and appear favorites to clinch the presidency next year, but an economic crisis could force them to engage with the United States despite their tightening grip on power. Tehran has ruled out any talks with Washington unless it lifts crippling sanctions reimposed on Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump exited a 2015 multinational nuclear pact with Iran and demanded a broader deal. Erdogan says to meet Putin, Merkel, Macron on March 5 over Idlib

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he will meet Russian, German and French counterparts on March 5 to discuss the situation in Syria's Idlib region, where a recent push by government forces has displaced nearly a million people. "I expressed our determination on (Idlib) clearly to (Vladimir) Putin yesterday. I also mentioned it to (Angela) Merkel and (Emmanuel) Macron," Erdogan said. "On March 5, we will meet with Putin, Macron and Merkel, and we will talk about these again." New coronavirus cases fall in China, but WHO concerned by global spread

China reported a sharp fall in new deaths and cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, but world health officials warned it was too early to make predictions about the outbreak as new infections continued to rise in other countries. Chinese authorities said the mainland had 397 new confirmed cases on Friday, down from 889 a day earlier. The numbers surged elsewhere, though, with outbreaks worsening in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Lebanon. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd joins Assange supporters in London protest march

Hundreds of people including Roger Waters, co-founder of the Pink Floyd rock group, and designer Vivienne Westwood, marched through central London on Saturday demanding that jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange be released. A London court begins hearings on Monday to decide whether the Australian-born Assange should be extradited to the United States, almost a decade after WikiLeaks enraged Washington by publishing secret U.S. documents. Brazil's Carnival kicks off with political divisions front and center

Brazil's famed Carnival kicked off in earnest on Saturday, as millions of scantily-clad revelers poured into the streets, many of whom took the opportunity to parody or otherwise comment on the nation's deeply polarized politics. Since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, Brazilians have been sharply divided, with supporters crediting the former army captain for a rapid drop in violent crime and an improving economy, while his detractors have denounced what they consider racism, sexism and disrespect for the poor. L'Arche: Investigation reveals abuses committed by founder Vanier

Jean Vanier, the now deceased founder of L'Arche, a not-for-profit organization which helps people with learning difficulties, sexually abused six women in France, the body said on Saturday, citing the conclusions of an investigation. In a letter sent on Saturday to the L'Arche Federation, the leaders of the organization made public the conclusions of the investigation which they had commissioned from an external and independent UK-based body GCPS. IMF chief, Argentina flag path to new debt deal after G20 meet in Riyadh

Argentina on Saturday agreed to start consultations with the International Monetary Fund that could lead to a new financing program, days after the global lender said the country's debt situation had become "unsustainable". Argentine Economy Minister Martin Guzman told IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva that the heavily indebted Latin American country would initiate formal consultations with the IMF that could lay the groundwork for a new program, the Argentine government and the IMF said in separate statements. Far-right torchlight parade in Sofia hit by court ban

Fewer than 200 far-right activists gathered in downtown Sofia on Saturday after the country's top court upheld the city mayor's ban on their annual torchlight procession honoring a Bulgarian general who led a pro-Nazi organization in the 1930s and 1940s. Held every February since 2003, the Lukov March - which attracts right-wing extremists from various parts of Europe and Bulgarian youths - has been repeatedly banned by the Sofia municipality in recent years, but until now the prohibition had been overturned by the Supreme Court.

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