Reuters World News Summary


Reuters | Updated: 14-02-2019 05:25 IST | Created: 14-02-2019 05:25 IST
Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. U.S. meeting on Middle East brings together Israel, Gulf Arab states

A U.S.-sponsored Middle East conference aimed at building a coalition against what Washington sees as the threat posed by Iran also produced signs of a warming of ties between Israel and some Arab countries on Wednesday. Foreign ministers and other officials from more than 60 countries were gathering for the conference in Warsaw, which was starting on Wednesday evening and whose agenda included Iran, conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Israeli-Palestinian peace. More time needed, Britain's May returns to parliament for Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May returns to parliament on Thursday to seek renewed backing for her plan to renegotiate her Brexit deal with Brussels, just weeks before the March 29 leave date and amid warnings over the risk of a disorderly exit. While Thursday's vote is symbolic, it could again become the focus for increasing frustration in parliament over her strategy to leave the European Union, with many accusing May of running down the clock. Venezuela opposition takes steps to seize oil revenue as Maduro issues threat

Venezuela's opposition-controlled congress named new temporary boards of directors to state-oil firm PDVSA on Wednesday, in an effort to wrest the OPEC nation's oil revenue from increasingly isolated President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro lashed out at the congress leader, Juan Guaido, saying in an interview that he would face the courts "sooner or later" for violating the constitution, after Guaido invoked constitutional provisions last month to assume an interim presidency. U.S. senators to try again to pass Russia sanctions bill

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill on Wednesday that would impose stiff new sanctions on Russia over its meddling in U.S. elections and aggression against Ukraine, the latest congressional effort to push President Donald Trump to ratchet up Washington's response to Moscow. It was introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, as well as other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is a tougher version of legislation - dubbed the "sanctions bill from hell" by Graham - the two lawmakers backed last year but which failed to pass. 'This hurts': On El Chapo's home turf, some lament Mexican drug lord's conviction

News of the conviction of Mexico's legendary crime boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman traveled quickly on Tuesday to his rugged home state, where people said they felt pain for a man some described as a fallen folk hero and community benefactor. Guzman was found guilty of smuggling tonnes of drugs into the United States over a decades-long career built on deadly intimidation and bloody turf wars as he moved illicit shipments across continents at lightning speed. Russia moves to mask its soldiers' digital trail

Russia is moving to ban its soldiers from sharing information on the internet, a step that follows the use of social media posts by investigative journalists to shine a light on Moscow's clandestine role in foreign conflicts. Draft legislation proposes banning servicemen and reserve troops from posting anything online that would allow outsiders to glean their whereabouts or role in the military. Delay Brexit, 40 former diplomats tell PM May: The Times

More than 40 former British ambassadors have called on Prime Minister Theresa May to extend Britain's stay in the European Union, The Times reported on Wednesday. The diplomats said it would be best to delay Brexit in order to clarify the terms of the future relationship between Britain and the EU or allow for a second referendum, the Times said, citing a statement sent to it. Suicide bomber kills 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards

A suicide bomber killed 27 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday, state media said, in a southeastern region where security forces are facing a rise in attacks by militants from the country's Sunni Muslim minority. The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, claimed responsibility for the attack, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. German arrest is first big catch for Syria investigators

Germany's arrest of a high-ranking Syrian suspected of crimes against humanity marks the first big success for a team of investigators who smuggled out a vast trove of incriminating evidence early in the war, one of its members said on Wednesday. German prosecutors said on Wednesday the man, identified as Anwar R., and one other Syrian citizen had been arrested on suspicion of crimes including torture of prisoners during their work for Syria's intelligence service. A third arrest was made in France. Former U.S. Air Force officer faces spy charges after defecting to Iran

U.S. authorities on Wednesday charged former Air Force intelligence officer Monica Witt with helping Iran launch a cyber-spying operation that targeted her former colleagues after she defected from the United States. The U.S. Justice Department said Witt, 39, assembled dossiers on eight U.S. military intelligence agents she had worked with for Iranian hackers, who then used Facebook and e-mail to try to install spyware on their computers.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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