Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Nations agree on global climate pact rules, but they are seen as weak

Nearly 200 countries overcame political divisions late on Saturday to agree on rules for implementing a landmark global climate deal, but critics say it is not ambitious enough to prevent the dangerous effects of global warming. After two weeks of talks in the Polish city of Katowice, nations finally reached consensus on a more detailed framework for the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit a rise in average world temperatures to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

British government is not planning for second Brexit vote: minister

British education minister Damian Hinds said on Sunday the government was not planning for a second referendum, denying reports that ministers were looking at such a vote to break the deadlock over Brexit. Asked if the government was preparing for a vote, Hinds told Sky News: "No, a second referendum would be divisive. We've had the people's vote, we've had the referendum and now we've got to get on with implementing it."

Nicaragua police beat journalists in crackdown on free press

Nicaraguan police on Saturday beat at least seven journalists with batons, including one of the country's best known editors, in an escalating crackdown on independent media in the aftermath of protests against President Daniel Ortega. Earlier this week police occupied the offices of prominent editor Carlos Fernando Chamorro, along with buildings used by several civil society organizations it had banned.

Brexit pressure rises, but UK government says no to second vote

Britain's government is not preparing for a second referendum on Brexit, ministers said on Sunday, sticking to the script that Prime Minister Theresa May's deal could still pass through parliament with a few changes. May delayed a vote last week on her agreement to leave the European Union because she was set to lose in parliament and has tried to secure "assurances" from the bloc to try to better sell it to skeptical lawmakers. Brussels said last week it was ready to help but warned her that she could not renegotiate the deal.

Wickremesinghe returns as Sri Lanka PM as crisis nears end

Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka's prime minister on Sunday, making a remarkable comeback weeks after being ousted by President Maithripala Sirisena under controversial circumstances. Wickremesinghe's reinstatement, which is expected to end a political crisis that began in late October when he was surprisingly sacked, is an embarrassment for the president.

Israel signals displeasure at Australia's "mistaken" West Jerusalem move

Israel signalled displeasure on Sunday with Australia's recognition of West Jerusalem as its capital, with a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying it was a mistake to gainsay Israeli control over the whole city. The premier, for his part, stayed silent on Canberra's move at a weekly Israeli cabinet meeting that is usually his opportunity to hold forth in public on major diplomatic developments.

After rare misfire, Kremlin set to win regional vote

A Kremlin-backed candidate is on track to be governor of a region on Russia's Pacific coast, initial voting results showed on Sunday, after an election process in which the opposition had threatened the Kremlin's usually tight grip on power. Sunday's vote in Primorsky region, which includes the port city of Vladivostok, was a re-run of a Sept. 16 election in which a Communist Party challenger claimed he was the rightful winner over the Kremlin's nominee.

Turkey says Trump working on extraditing wanted cleric Gulen

U.S. President Donald Trump has told his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan that Washington is working on extraditing a U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating a failed Turkish coup in 2016, Turkey's foreign minister said on Sunday. "In Argentina, Trump told Erdogan they were working on extraditing (Fethullah) Gulen and other people," Mevlut Cavusoglu said, referring to the G20 summit where the leaders met two weeks ago.

North Korea condemns U.S. sanctions, warns denuclearization at risk

North Korea on Sunday condemned the U.S. administration for stepping up sanctions and pressure on the nuclear-armed country, warning of a return to "exchanges of fire" and that disarming Pyongyang could be blocked forever. The North's stinging response came after the United States said on Monday it had introduced sanctions on three North Korean officials, including a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for alleged human rights abuses.

Coal mine accident in southwestern China kills seven: Xinhua

A coal mine accident in China's southwestern city of Chongqing killed seven workers and injured three, state-owned Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. The workers at the Fengchun coal mine under the Chongqing Energy Group were killed in an underground transport accident on Saturday afternoon, Xinhua reported.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)