Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Syria vows to recover Golan as Trump policy shift draws criticism

The Syrian government vowed to take back the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as its allies and enemies alike condemned U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday for moving to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory seized in war. Trump's statement on Thursday marked a dramatic shift in U.S. policy over the status of a disputed area that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East conflict and annexed in 1981 - a move not recognized internationally. China chemical plant blast kills 62; Xi orders probe

An explosion at a pesticide plant in eastern China has killed 62 people, state media said late on Friday, with 34 people critically injured and 28 missing, the latest casualties in a series of industrial accidents that has angered the public. The blast occurred on Thursday at the Chenjiagang Industrial Park in the city of Yancheng, in Jiangsu province, and the fire was finally brought under control at 3 a.m. local time on Friday (1900 GMT), state television said. EU leaders give Britain 'last chance' for orderly Brexit

European Union leaders warned Britain on Friday it had a final opportunity to leave the bloc in an orderly fashion after giving Prime Minister Theresa May two weeks' reprieve until April 12 before Britain could tumble out without a deal. Arriving for a second day of a summit dominated by talks over Britain's departure, Belgium's prime minister said he hoped for a "rational" decision by British lawmakers to back the withdrawal treaty that May concluded with Brussels. Trump says all Islamic State land lost in Syria, SDF says fight continues

Islamic State militants in eastern Syria still held out late on Friday, the U.S.-backed militia besieging them said, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the jihadist group had lost its last scrap of territory. "Heavy fighting continues around mount Baghouz right now to finish off whatever remains of ISIS (Islamic State)," said Mustafa Bali, head of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) media office on Twitter. U.S. lawmaker seeks Boeing whistleblowers, some MAX 737 orders in jeopardy

A U.S. lawmaker on Friday urged current or former Boeing Co and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees to come forward with any information about the certification program for the 737 MAX, which has suffered two fatal crashes in five months. Boeing and the FAA are under global regulatory scrutiny over software and training on the signature aircraft. Boeing risked losing a $6 billion order for the jet on Friday, its first since the world's entire fleet was grounded last week. Trump dangles investment to Caribbean leaders who back Venezuela's Guaido

U.S. President Donald Trump pledged investment in a rare meeting on Friday with five Caribbean leaders who have sided with the United States in backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as head of state, the White House said. Trump met with leaders from the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Saint Lucia at his private club in Palm Beach, Florida. 'No place for hate', mayor says at Utrecht shooting march

Several thousand people carrying red and white flowers, the colors of the flag of Utrecht, walked in quiet solidarity on Friday to honor the victims of a shooting on a tram in the ancient Dutch city. Three people were killed in Monday's incident and five more were wounded - two of whom remain in critical condition. Trump, Germany's Merkel discuss trade, NATO funding, Brexit

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday to discuss a range of issues including trade and NATO funding, the White House and a senior administration official said. The phone call took place shortly after Trump began a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump says he is withdrawing earlier North Korea-related sanctions

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he was ordering the withdrawal of recently announced North Korea-related sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department. "It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury that additional large scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea," Trump said on Twitter. "I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional Sanctions!" New Zealand marks one week since mosque attack with prayers, scarves

New Zealanders prepared for nationwide prayers on Friday to mark one week since a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch killed 50 worshippers. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will lead thousands of mourners expected to gather at a park in front of the Al Noor mosque, where most of the victims died, for a prayer followed by two minutes of silence.