Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. UK Conservative Party agree leadership election rules to reduce numbers

Britain's governing Conservatives on Tuesday agreed rules for the contest to replace Prime Minister Theresa May as party chief, including measures to eliminate candidates more quickly from a crowded race. May is due to resign as leader of the Conservatives on Friday, but will remain prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a successor is appointed - a process which the party has said should be completed by the end of July. Brazil's Bolsonaro formally recognizes Venezuelan opposition envoy

Brazil's right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro received the diplomatic credentials of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido's envoy to Brazil, formally recognizing her as the ambassador of the neighboring country. Ambassador Maria Teresa Belandria had said on Friday that the Brazilian government withdrew its invitation to present her credentials at the presidential palace. But her spokeswoman told Reuters on Tuesday the government had changed its mind. China's Xi says country has ability and confidence to meet all challenges: Xinhua

China has the conditions, ability and confidence to meet all risks and challenges and its economy is stable and healthy, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian media on Tuesday according to a transcript published by the Xinhua news agency. He also said that China had ample room for maneuver in the macroeconomic policy space, Xinhua said. U.S. seeks Russian support on Iran at key Israel meeting: source

The United States believes Russia may be more amenable than in the past to addressing U.S. and Israeli concerns about Iran's influence, including in Syria, when national security leaders meet in Jerusalem this month, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. The United States announced last week that John Bolton, White House national security adviser, would meet his Israeli and Russian counterparts in Jerusalem in June. But it provided no details about the meeting, which comes at a moment of heightened tension between Washington and Tehran. Effusive Trump promises Britain a 'phenomenal' post-Brexit trade deal

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday promised Britain a "phenomenal" post-Brexit trade deal, dismissed differences over China's Huawei and glossed over other disagreements as he heaped praise on the United States' closest ally. Feted by Queen Elizabeth on the first day of his state visit to Britain, Trump was effusive about the "special relationship" between the two nations, dispelling concerns he might repeat criticism of Britain and outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May. Extradition law is 'final nail' in Hong Kong's coffin: activist

A Hong Kong independence activist said on Tuesday that proposed amendments to the city's legal system that would allow captured fugitives to be sent to China could deal a fatal blow to the territory's judicial independence. Speaking on the 30th anniversary of China's military crackdown on student-led democracy protests in and around Tiananmen Square, Ray Wong urged democratic countries to up the pressure on the Chinese government to respect human rights. Trump defies own party to push ahead with Mexican tariff threat

Defying increasing criticism from within his own party, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would likely go ahead with new tariffs on imports from Mexico to pressure it to clamp down on rising numbers of migrants entering the United States. Trump told a news conference in London he expected to impose 5% tariffs on Mexican imports from Monday, citing the high number of mostly Central American immigrants crossing the U.S. southern border with Mexico. U.S. shared nuclear power info with Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi killed: senator

The Trump administration granted two authorizations to U.S. companies to share sensitive nuclear power information with Saudi Arabia shortly after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October, a U.S. senator who saw details of the approvals said on Tuesday. The timing of the approvals is likely to heap pressure on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump from lawmakers who have become increasingly critical of U.S. support for Saudi Arabia since Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. Former Vatican treasurer appears in court for appeal against abuse convictions

Former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell appeared in an Australian court on Wednesday for an appeal hearing against his convictions for sexually abusing two choir boys in the 1990s. Pell was jailed for six years in March after he was found guilty on five charges of abusing two 13-year-old boys at St Patrick's Cathedral while he was archbishop of Melbourne more than 20 years ago. Trump administration ban on cruises to Cuba creates chaos for U.S. travelers

The Trump administration banned cruises to Cuba under new restrictions on U.S. travel to the Caribbean island imposed on Tuesday to pressure its Communist government to reform and stop supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The tightening of the decades-old U.S. embargo on Cuba will further wound its crippled economy, as well as hurt U.S. travel companies that had built up Cuban business during the brief 2014-2016 detente between the old Cold War foes.

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