Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S.-led coalition withdrawing equipment from Syria

The U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State added to confusion surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Syria on Friday by declaring that it had started the pullout process but U.S. officials later clarified that only equipment, not troops, had exited the country. U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement last month that he had decided to withdraw the 2,000 U.S. troops there stunned allies who have joined Washington in the battle against Islamic State militants in Syria. Senior U.S. officials were shocked too, among them Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit in protest.

Canada PM chastises China over detention of two citizens

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday chastised China again over the detention of two Canadians and defended his country's arrest of a senior Chinese executive at the request of the United States, which has sparked a diplomatic row between Canada and China. "It is unfortunate that China has arbitrarily and unfairly detained two Canadian citizens," he told reporters in the western Canadian city of Regina in Saskatchewan.

Brits to vote again? Brexit delay creates headache for Europe

Brexit paralysis has prompted talk of a British election or a second referendum but one odd side-effect could be Britons having to cast their votes for an EU parliament they had decided to leave. Britain is scheduled to quit the European Union on March 29, two months before citizens of the other 27 EU states elect a new European Parliament.

Macedonia parliament agrees to change country's name

Macedonia's parliament passed an amendment to the constitution on Friday to rename the country Republic of North Macedonia, in line with an agreement with Greece to put an end to a 27-year-old dispute. The countries struck the deal on the new name in June, but Macedonia will start using it only after the parliament in Athens also ratifies the agreement.

Syria says Israel fired missiles toward Damascus, hit airport warehouse

The Syrian state news agency said Israeli warplanes fired a number of missiles toward the Damascus area on Friday, triggering Syrian air defense that shot down most of them. "The results of the aggression so far were limited to a strike on one of the warehouses at Damascus airport," the SANA news agency cited a military source as saying. The attack took place at 11:15 p.m.(2115 GMT), it said.

U.S. to host Iran-focused global meeting in Poland February 13-14

The United States plans to jointly host a global conference focused on the Middle East, particularly Iran, next month in Poland, the U.S. State Department said on Friday. The meeting will take place in Warsaw on Feb. 13-14, it said in a statement.

France tells Iran to stop ballistic missile work designed for nuclear weapons

France on Friday called on Iran to immediately stop all activities linked to ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons after Tehran said it could put two satellites into orbit in the coming weeks. "France recalls that the Iranian missile program (does) not conform with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231," Foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told reporters in a daily briefing.

Venezuela opposition plans incentives for officers who disavow Maduro

Venezuela's opposition-led congress is considering offering legal incentives to military officers who disavow President Nicolas Maduro and help lead a transition to a new government, according to four legislators and a draft document seen by Reuters. Maduro was sworn in on Thursday for a second term following a disputed 2018 election, triggering a hailstorm of international criticism that his leadership of the country suffering a hyperinflationary collapse is illegitimate.

Saudi teen who fled family leaves Thailand for asylum in Canada

An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family saying she feared for her life has been granted asylum in Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday, as Thai officials confirmed the teen was en route to Toronto. Trudeau said United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had asked Canada to take in Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, who grabbed international attention this week after she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to resist being sent home to her family, which denies any abuse.

Myanmar court rejects appeal by jailed Reuters reporters

A Myanmar court on Friday rejected the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act, saying the defense had not provided sufficient evidence to show they were innocent. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were convicted by a lower court in September in a landmark case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates.