Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. China does not seem to understand independence of Canada's judiciary: Trudeau

China does not appear to understand that Canada's judiciary is independent, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday, taking a rare public swipe at Beijing at a time when bilateral ties are poor. China says Canada must free Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is fighting extradition to the United States. She was arrested in the province of British Columbia in December 2018. China set to impose new Hong Kong security law, Trump warns of strong U.S. reaction

China is set to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong after last year's pro-democracy unrest, a Chinese official said on Thursday, drawing a warning from President Donald Trump that Washington would react "very strongly" against the attempt to gain more control over the former British colony. The U.S. State Department also warned China, saying a high-degree of autonomy and respect for human rights were key to preserving the territory's special status in U.S. law, which has helped it maintain its position as a world financial centre. Palestinians shun CIA after declaring end to security coordination with U.S. and Israel

The Palestinians have suspended contacts with the CIA after announcing an end to security coordination with Israel and the United States in protest at Israeli proposals to annex territory in the West Bank, a Palestinian official said on Thursday. Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said Washington had been told of the move after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday his administration was no longer committed to agreements with Israel and the United States, including on security coordination. Brazil suffers record 1,188 daily coronavirus deaths

Brazil registered a record of 1,188 daily coronavirus deaths on Thursday, with more than 20,000 total fatalities from the coronavirus outbreak, the Health Ministry said. Brazil now has 310,087 confirmed cases, the ministry said, just a few thousand fewer than world No. 2 hot spot Russia, which trails the United States. U.S. does not expect to pull out of New START accord: official

The United States does not expect to pull out of the New START accord with Russia and will enter into good-faith negotiations with Moscow, a top U.S. official said on Thursday. Asked if the White House would be pulling out of new START treaty, Robert O'Brien, the White House national security adviser, said in an interview with Fox News Channel: "No I don't think so. ... We are going to enter into good faith negotiations with the Russians on nuclear arms control." UK PM Johnson orders for plans to end reliance on Chinese imports: The Times

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has instructed civil servants to make plans to end UK's reliance on China for vital medical supplies and other strategic imports in light of the coronavirus outbreak, The Times newspaper reported on Friday https://bit.ly/2AIukv1. The plans, which have been code named 'Project Defend', include identifying Britain's main economic vulnerabilities to potentially hostile foreign governments as part of a broader new approach to national security, the newspaper reported, adding that the efforts are being led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. U.S. pulls out of Open Skies treaty, Trump's latest treaty withdrawal

The United States said on Thursday it will withdraw from the 35-nation Open Skies treaty allowing unarmed surveillance flights over member countries, the Trump administration's latest move to pull the country out of a major global treaty. The administration said Russia has repeatedly violated the pact's terms. Senior officials said the pullout will formally take place in six months, but President Donald Trump held out the possibility that Russia could come into compliance. As hunger spreads under lockdown, Guatemalans and Salvadorans raise white flag

Strict coronavirus lockdowns in Guatemala and El Salvador have so battered local economies that hundreds of families are flying white flags outside their homes or waving them in the street: not in surrender, but to seek food and assistance. After 50 days of lockdown that has snuffed out their livelihoods, Ana Orellana and three neighbors put up a white flag and a sign asking for food on the graffiti-scrawled concrete boarding house they share in central San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. Brazil suffers record daily coronavirus death toll, soon to be world No. 2

Brazil suffered a record of 1,188 daily coronavirus deaths on Thursday and is fast approaching Russia to become the world's No. 2 COVID-19 hot spot behind the United States. Brazil also passed 20,000 deaths on Thursday and has 310,087 confirmed cases, up over 18,500 in a single day, according to Health Ministry data. The true numbers are likely higher but Brazil has not carried out widespread testing, the ministry said. Judgment on key aspect of Huawei CFO's extradition trial in Canada due next Wednesday

A decision on a key legal aspect of the trial over whether Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou can be extradited to the United States from Canada will be announced next Wednesday, the British Columbia Supreme Court said on Thursday. Meng was arrested in December 2018 at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the United States on charges of bank fraud, and is accused of misleading HSBC about a Huawei Technologies Co Ltd-owned company's dealings with Iran.