World News Roundup: Half of Israelis support West Bank; The COVID-19 death toll among nurses doubled and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

French court orders Rwanda genocide suspect be tried at U.N. tribunal

A French court on Wednesday ordered the Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga be handed over to a United Nations tribunal for trial. U.N. prosecutors accuse Kabuga of bankrolling and arming ethnic Hutu militias that killed 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda during a 100-day period in 1994. He is indicted for genocide and incitement to commit genocide, among other charges.

'No justice, no peace': Thousands gather in London after death of Floyd

Thousands of people chanting "no justice, no peace" and "black lives matter" gathered in central London on Wednesday to protest after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Reuters reporters said. Many of the protesters wore red and face masks. Some waved banners with slogans such as: "The UK is not innocent: less racist is still racist" and "Racism is a global issue". Others chanted "George Floyd" and "Black lives matter".

UK COVID-19 death toll surpasses 50,000: Reuters tally

The United Kingdom's COVID-19 death toll surpassed 50,000 on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally of official data sources that highlighted the country's place as one of the worst-hit in the world. New data from Scotland brought the toll to 50,059, a dire milestone for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he tries to ease the stringent coronavirus lockdown.

Exclusive: Flush with corruption cash, Brazilian states step up deforestation fight

Brazilian states are bolstering the fight against the destruction of the Amazon rainforest with millions of dollars from an oil company's corruption settlement that allows them to partially compensate for weakening environmental protections under President Jair Bolsonaro. State environmental agencies will have a one-off windfall that Reuters calculates will total at least 140 million reais ($27 million). The cash, which comes from a massive settlement payment from state-run oil firm Petrobras, will be spent on patrol officers, jeeps, surveillance technology and other outlays to protect the rainforest, officials in all nine Amazon states told Reuters.

Taiwan calls on China to apologize for Tiananmen crackdown, Beijing cries 'nonsense'

Taiwan called on China on Wednesday to apologize for the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing, a call dismissed as "nonsense" by China's foreign ministry. Thursday marks 31 years since Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led unrest in and around the square. Chinese authorities ban any public commemoration of the event on the mainland.

Ukrainian computer game featuring Hitler in Moscow angers Kremlin

The Kremlin on Wednesday accused a Ukrainian computer game developer of glorifying Nazism by producing a game that features Adolf Hitler overseeing a fictional World War Two victory parade in Moscow, a charge the developer rejects. The game, "Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg," invites players to take command of the German army during World War Two and offers different fictional scenarios depending on the outcome.

Tensions simmer in Hong Kong as controversial anthem law back up for debate

Hong Kong lawmakers are set to resume debate on Wednesday over a controversial bill that would make disrespecting China's national anthem a criminal offense, as the city ramps up for fresh protests amid simmering anti-government tensions. An annual vigil to mark the June 4, 1989, anniversary of Chinese troops opening fire on pro-democracy students in and around Tiananmen Square has been canceled for the first time ever due to the coronavirus but activists still plan to rally.

China jibes the U.S. on human rights ahead of June 4 anniversary

Chinese state media has been reveling in days of chaotic protests in the United States and highlighting President Donald Trump's threat to use troops, even as the anniversary looms of its own military crackdown on demonstrators 31 years ago. For days, Chinese media has prominently covered the protests in the aftermath of the Minnesota police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, contrasting it with support from U.S. politicians for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

The COVID-19 death toll among nurses doubled in past month, says nurses group

More than 600 nurses worldwide are known to have died from COVID-19, which has infected an estimated 450,000 healthcare workers, the International Council of Nurses said on Wednesday. The death toll among nurses more than doubled in the past month from 260 on May 6, according to its figures, which are based on data from more than 30 countries.

Half of Israelis support West Bank annexation, poll finds

Half of Israelis support annexing parts of the occupied West Bank, although they are divided over whether to take the step without U.S. support, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday. Some 25 percent of Israelis surveyed by the Israel Democracy Institute think-tank said they want their government to apply sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank even without backing from Israel's closest ally.