Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. A 'suspected explosion' at hydropower station in China's Yunnan province kills 6

A "suspected explosion" at a hydropower station in China's Yunnan province has killed six people and injured five others, the Yunnan government said on Friday. The suspected blast at Sinanjiang hydropower station in Mojiang county of Pu'er city happened at 11:10am local time (0310 GMT) on Friday, the government said in a post on its social media wechat account. Bulgaria to lift travel ban on Australian convicted of murder

Bulgaria will move to lift a ban that prevents an Australian man convicted of murder in 2009 and released on parole from leaving the country, the Interior Ministry said on Friday. The decision comes after Bulgaria's highest appeals court dismissed a request by the former chief prosecutor to review the parole granted to Jock Palfreeman in September. Hong Kong warns removing U.S. special status is a 'double-edged sword'

Hong Kong told the United States to keep out of the debate over national security legislation being imposed by China, and warned that withdrawal of the financial hub's special status under U.S. law could backfire on the U.S. economy. President Donald Trump is due to announce later on Friday his response to the Chinese parliament's advancement this week of security legislation for Hong Kong, which many lawyers, diplomats and investors fear could erode the city's freedoms. City of Moscow revises up its coronavirus death toll for April after criticism

The city of Moscow has issued a revised version of its coronavirus death toll for April after criticism of its initial figures, more than doubling the original tally by using what it said was an alternative counting method. The city initially reported 636 coronavirus-related deaths for April, a figure many times lower than other comparable cities with similar outbreaks. The disparity raised questions among critics, media and the relatives of some of the deceased. Russia to hold talks with Syria about obtaining more facilities, maritime access: Ifax

President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's defence and foreign ministries to hold talks with Syria for Moscow to obtain additional facilities and maritime access in Syria, the Interfax news agency cited a government resolution as saying on Friday. Russia has two permanent military facilities in Syria, an air base in Latakia province used for air strikes against forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad, and a naval facility at Tartus on the Mediterranean. North Korea accuses U.S. of hurting its image with cyber threat warning

North Korea accused the United States of smear tactics on Friday after Washington renewed accusations last month that Pyongyang was responsible for malicious cyber attacks. It was the latest in a series of exchanges underscoring the friction between the two countries after denuclearization talks launched by U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stalled late last year. U.S. Asians, harassed over coronavirus, push back on streets, social media

A spike in harassment of Asian-Americans since the coronavirus pandemic began has led community activists in the United States to fight back - forming street patrols, rallying on social media, and supporting each other online. Asians of varying national backgrounds have suffered a surge of attacks this year, which activists linked to the pandemic's emergence in China. Some said they feared harassment could worsen in a U.S. election year, with U.S.-China tensions ratcheting up over trade, Hong Kong and the coronavirus. Attack on Taiwan an option to stop independence, top China general says

China will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the country's most senior generals said on Friday, in a rhetorical escalation from China aimed at the democratic island Beijing claims as its own. Speaking at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission, left the door open to using force. Spain reports first suspected imported coronavirus cases since March, in travellers from U.S

Two people who travelled from the United States to the Spanish region of Valencia have tested positive for coronavirus, potentially becoming Spain's first imported cases of the virus since travel restrictions were imposed in mid-March. With more than 27,000 deaths and nearly 238,000 confirmed cases of the virus, Spain is among Europe´s worst-hit nations. Russia says Libya ceasefire in tatters, situation deteriorating: agencies

Russia's foreign ministry said on Friday the situation in Libya was continuing to deteriorate and that a ceasefire there was in tatters, the RIA news agency reported. The ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said outside help to players in the conflict had altered the balance of power on the ground in Libya, the Interfax news agency reported.