Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. UK lawmakers appeal to Labour's Corbyn to back second Brexit vote

A group of British lawmakers appealed to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Thursday to back a second referendum on Brexit, saying they did not have enough support in parliament to persuade the government to stage such a vote. Parliament is in deadlock over Britain's departure from the European Union after resoundingly rejecting Prime Minister Theresa May's plan last week, throwing up several outcomes, including leaving without a deal or a second referendum. As world looks on, Venezuela's Guaido to keep up pressure on Maduro

Venezuela's opposition will on Thursday seek to maintain pressure on isolated President Nicolas Maduro after congress chief Juan Guaido swore himself in as interim head of state with the support of nations around the region. Guaido won diplomatic backing from the United States, Canada and right-leaning Latin American governments on Wednesday after declaring himself leader before ebullient supporters who thronged the streets of Caracas in hopes of change. Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond arrested

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has been arrested, a source told Reuters on Thursday. "We can confirm a 64-year-old man has been arrested and charged and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal. Proceedings are now live under the contempt of court act," said Police Scotland when asked about the reports. Exclusive: Aid curbs in Myanmar's Rakhine impact 'at least 50,000 people' - U.N.

New government curbs on aid activities in Myanmar's western Rakhine State "are affecting at least 50,000 people", the United Nations has said in an internal note, highlighting the growing impact of recent fighting on the civilian population. The Rakhine State government this month blocked non-governmental organizations and U.N. agencies from traveling to rural areas in five townships in northern and central parts of the state affected by conflict. Turkey says has capacity to create 'safe zone' in Syria alone

Turkey has the capacity to create a "safe zone" in Syria on its own but will not exclude the United States, Russia or others if they want to cooperate, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday. After U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said he and Trump had discussed Turkey setting up a 20-mile-deep safe zone in Syria along the border. From Italy and within, Macron assailed by political foes

Populists and the far-right in Italy and France are mounting a multi-pronged assault on President Emmanuel Macron, hoping to unsettle his centrist, pro-Europe agenda ahead of European Parliament elections in May, while also shoring up their own bases. Italy's two deputy prime ministers, Matteo Salvini of the right-wing League and Luigi Di Maio of the populist, anti-establishment 5-Star movement, have sought to rile Macron on a host of inflammatory issues. Syria's Assad suspends special visas for EU diplomats

The European Commission said on Thursday that Syria's President Bashar al-Assad had suspended special visas for European Union diplomats to Damascus, confirming a Reuters report earlier this week. "The Bashar al-Assad regime has suspended multiply entry visas," a spokeswoman told a regular Commission briefing. "We are continuing as the EU ... to do whatever we can to avoid it having an impact on the important work we are doing on the ground." EU steps up legal procedure against Hungary for criminalizing support for migrants

The European Commission said on Thursday it was intensifying its legal procedure against Hungary over Budapest's criminalizing of support for migrants, moving the case closer to a possible ruling by the European Court of Justice. "The European Commission has today decided to send a reasoned opinion to Hungary concerning legislation that criminalizes activities that support asylum and residence applications and further restricts the right to request asylum," the EU executive said in a statement. Extended U.S.-Taliban peace talks raise Afghan hopes

Talks between U.S. and Taliban officials in Qatar entered a fourth day on Thursday, with the two sides trying to establish a mechanism for a ceasefire in the 17-year Afghan war and open dialogue between the insurgents and the Afghan government. U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's meeting with Taliban representatives was originally slated to run over two days, and its unexpected extension was a positive sign, according to two senior Taliban leaders in Afghanistan who have been kept informed of the progress made in Qatar. China detains Australian on suspicion of endangering security

Chinese authorities are holding an Australian writer, who used to be a Chinese citizen, on suspicion of endangering state security, China said on Thursday, and his lawyer said he was suspected of espionage. Australian officials said Yang Hengjun was detained shortly after he flew in to the southern city of Guangzhou from New York last week, but it did not believe his detention was the result of rising tension between China and the West.

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