Reuters World News Summary

Congo announces end of Ebola outbreak in east, second deadliest on record The second-largest Ebola outbreak on record is over after nearly two years and more than 2,200 deaths, Democratic Republic of Congo said on Thursday, even as a separate flare-up of the virus continued on the other side of the country.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Pope names administrator for Polish diocese hit by abuse allegations

Pope Francis appointed an administrator on Thursday to run the Polish diocese of Kalisz, whose bishop has been accused of shielding priests known to have sexually abused children. The move came little more than a month after Church leaders in Poland announced that they were referring Bishop Edward Janiak to the Vatican for eventual judgement. Malawi opposition claims victory in presidential election re-run

Malawi's opposition alliance claimed victory for its candidate Lazarus Chakwera on Thursday in a re-run of the 2019 presidential election, annulled by courts because of fraud. The vote on Tuesday came to be regarded as a test of the ability of African courts to fight ballot fraud since Malawi's judiciary infuriated President Peter Mutharika in February by overturning the result of last year's vote. Death toll from Mexican quake rises to 10 as residents clear rubble

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck southern Mexico on Tuesday has risen to 10 people, authorities said on Wednesday, as locals began clearing the rubble and assessing the damage from the temblor. The area surrounding the popular Huatulco beach resort in the southern state of Oaxaca was hardest hit by the 7.4 magnitude quake, but the shaking could be felt as far away as Mexico City, where tall buildings swayed and thousands of people raced into the streets. Germany, France shore up political, financial aid to beleaguered WHO

France and Germany expressed political and financial backing for the World Health Organization in its fight against the coronavirus on Thursday, with Berlin saying it would give a record half billion euros in funding and equipment this year. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the agency, criticised by the United States for being slow off the mark in tackling the pandemic, was getting the support it needed and that the talks had been "very productive". Kosovo scraps White House talks with Serbia after leader indicted

Kosovo's prime minister said on Thursday his government would not attend U.S.-mediated talks with Serbia planned for the weekend at the White House after Kosovo's president was formally accused of war crimes. A special prosecutor's office dealing with Kosovo's 1998-99 uprising against Serbian rule said on Wednesday it had indicted Kosovo President Hashim Thaci at a Hague court for alleged crimes including nearly 100 murders. Thai army holds ceremony countering pro-democracy protesters view of history

Thailand's army has joined the debate over history and democracy in the Southeast Asian nation by holding a ceremony on the same day that pro-democracy demonstrations were held at memorials to the 1932 revolution that ended centuries of absolute monarchy. A military statement seen by Reuters on Thursday confirmed that army officials had honoured leaders of a failed 1933 insurrection known as Boworadet Rebellion in a ceremony inside the army headquarters in Bangkok. Pakistan pilot licence irregularities are 'serious lapse': IATA

Irregularities found in pilot licences at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) represent a "serious lapse" in safety controls, global airlines body IATA said on Thursday after the carrier grounded one third of its pilots. "We are following reports from Pakistan regarding fake pilot licences, which are concerning and represent a serious lapse in the licensing and safety oversight by the aviation regulator," an IATA spokesman said, adding that the organisation was seeking more information. Some countries using virus curbs to 'silence critics', ex-leaders warn

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in authoritarian behaviour by governments around the world, posing a growing threat to democracy, hundreds of former prime ministers, presidents, Nobel laureates and lawmakers have warned. The virus was first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has since spread around the world, prompting countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa to step in, many limiting free movement, free speech, public assembly and other civic rights. Congo announces end of Ebola outbreak in east, second deadliest on record

The second-largest Ebola outbreak on record is over after nearly two years and more than 2,200 deaths, Democratic Republic of Congo said on Thursday, even as a separate flare-up of the virus continued on the other side of the country. Despite effective vaccines and treatments that dramatically boosted survival rates, the outbreak dragged on as first responders struggled to gain access to virus hotspots in Congo's restive east. As Israel threatens West Bank annexation, Gazans recall settler withdrawal

Vineyard owner Haidar al-Zahar recalls with joy the day in 2005 when Israel removed its settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip, part of a withdrawal that few Palestinians thought they would ever see. "I felt like a prisoner who suddenly found himself a free man," he said.