Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Parisians line up to mourn 13 soldiers killed in Mali

Hundreds of Parisians lined the streets of Paris on Monday to pay their respects to 13 French soldiers killed in Mali last week as hearses bearing their flag-draped coffins crossed the heart of the city. The soldiers died when their helicopters collided in the dark as they hunted Islamist militants. It was the biggest loss of French troops in a single day since an attack in Beirut 36 years ago when 58 soldiers died. Hong Kong office workers begin week of lunchtime protests

Hundreds of office workers in Hong Kong's business district gathered on Monday for the first in a week of lunchtime protests backing the pro-democracy movement after its resounding victory in district polls last month in the Chinese-ruled city. A day earlier police again fired tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters as they marched past the city's Kowloon waterfront, after first going to the U.S. consulate on Hong Kong island to show gratitude for Washington's support. Eleven North Korean defectors detained in Vietnam, seek to block deportation: activists

Eleven North Koreans seeking to defect to South Korea have been detained in Vietnam since Nov. 23 and are seeking help to avoid being repatriated, a South Korean activist group said on Monday. The eight women and three men were detained by border guards in northern Vietnam two days after crossing from China, and are being held in the city of Lang Son, the Seoul-based Justice for North Korea said in a statement. Jailed pro-Kurdish leader unwell but not taken to hospital: lawyer

The jailed former head of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party lost consciousness after experiencing chest pains last week but he still has not been taken to a hospital despite such requests, one of his lawyers said on Monday. One of Turkey's best known politicians, Selahattin Demirtas has been in jail for more than three years and faces several cases against him, mainly on terrorism charges. He could be sentenced to 142 years in jail if found guilty in the main case. Suu Kyi’s loyalists rally for Myanmar leader before genocide trial

As Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi prepares to travel to the Netherlands to fight charges of genocide against her country at the International Court of Justice, her supporters have embarked on an impassioned publicity campaign. Suu Kyi's reputation overseas has sunk to its lowest ebb over the treatment of Rohingya Muslims but the Nobel Peace Prize laureate enjoys overwhelming support at home, where her image is undented by accusations of complicity in atrocities. EU pressures Malta over Bank of Valletta 'golden passport' clients

The European Commission has asked Malta to clarify how it intends to address Bank of Valletta's shortcomings over its monitoring of foreign customers who applied to buy Maltese citizenship under a so-called "golden passport" scheme. Malta, with a population of only 420,000, has sought to attract foreign capital with schemes such as the cash for passport program, even though the EU has highlighted the risks of this potentially attracting the proceeds of criminal activities. Under the scheme, people can obtain a Maltese passport by investing in the country. Putin and Xi oversee launch of landmark Russian gas pipeline to China

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday oversaw the launch of a landmark pipeline that will transport natural gas from Siberia to northeast China, an economic and political boost to ties between Moscow and Beijing. The start of gas flows via the Power of Siberia pipeline reflects Moscow's attempts to pivot to the East to try to mitigate pain from Western financial sanctions imposed over its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. China suspends U.S. military visits to Hong Kong, sanctions U.S.-based NGOs

China said on Monday U.S. military ships and aircraft won't be allowed to visit Hong Kong, and also announced sanctions against several U.S. non-government organizations for encouraging protesters to "engage in extremist, violent and criminal acts." The measures were announced by China's Foreign Ministry in response to U.S. legislation passed last week supporting anti-government protesters. It said it had suspended taking requests for U.S. military visits indefinitely, and warned of further action to come. Brazil's climate negotiators in dark on Bolsonaro's aims: sources

Brazil's negotiators already face a tough job at United Nations climate talks, given anger at President Jair Bolsonaro's stance on the Amazon, but it has become doubly difficult as they are in the dark on their own government's aims. The right-wing leader has become a target for environmental lobbyists since Amazon destruction surged to an 11-year high and terrible fires raged in August, with Bolsonaro's policies encouraging deforesters and cowing environmental enforcers. Indians demand swift action against rapists as protests spread after woman's murder

Protests over the alleged rape and murder of a 27-year-old veterinary doctor spread to cities across India on Monday as people demanded tough and swift punishments, including public lynchings, to stop crimes against women. The woman was raped, asphyxiated and her dead body then set alight on Nov 27 on the outskirts of the southern city of Hyderabad, according to police. Four men aged between 20 and 28 years have been arrested in connection with the crime.