Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. EU, Turkey in stand-off over funds to tackle new migrant crisis

The European Union is scrambling for a new agreement with Turkey to prevent migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond flooding into the EU. But there is little sign so far that Ankara is ready to accept the terms Brussels is offering. Since Turkey announced on Feb. 28 that it would no longer abide by a 2016 deal to keep refugees on its territory, accusing the EU of falling short on commitments of financial support, some 35,000 migrants have massed on the border with Greece where they have been thrust back by Greek forces. Climate change or coronavirus? 'Pick your evil', protesters say

Protesters at a rally led by climate activist Greta Thunberg on Friday denounced governments for taking urgent action against the coronavirus outbreak but failing to treat global warming as an emergency. Several thousand people braved the rain in Brussels with the 17-year-old Swede, marching through the city that is home to the European Union's main institutions. Exclusive: Guatemala seeks to limit migrants returned under U.S. asylum agreement

Guatemala's new government is trying to limit the number of foreign migrants the United States sends its way under an agreement that makes the Central American nation a buffer zone to reduce U.S. asylum claims. The United States has sent hundreds of Honduran and El Salvadoran asylum seekers to Guatemala under the agreement implemented in November and is now seeking to expand the program. Italy coronavirus deaths near 200 after biggest daily jump

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has risen by 49 to 197, the Civil Protection Agency said on Friday, the largest daily increase in fatalities since the contagion was uncovered two weeks ago. Italy is currently reporting more deaths per day from the virus than any other country in the world and the government this week ordered the closure of schools, universities, cinemas and theaters around the country to try to stem the infections. Migrants are boon for poor Roma villagers on Turkey-Greece border

For members of the Roma minority in the Turkish village of Karaagac on the border with Greece, the arrival of thousands of migrants desperately seeking to cross into the European Union could not have been better news. Poor and living mainly from cultivating their gardens and collecting cardboard and plastics for recycling, Roma families are now looking to cash in catering to the needs of 4,000 migrants now in a makeshift tent camp at the frontier. 'Despicable' - Women seethe over Mexican leader's wobbly response to violence

Mexico's president sells himself as lifelong champion of the rights of women, who he calls "more honest" than men. To stress the point, he made history upon taking office in December 2018 by putting women in half his cabinet posts. But Andrés Manuel López Obrador's prickly reaction to criticism of the government over brutal murders of women in recent weeks has riled feminists and undermined support for him among female voters, helping to fuel protests and calls for a massive walkout next week. Migrant crisis at Greek-Turkish border in second week, EU mulls more aid

The European Union on Friday pleaded with migrants on the Turkish border to stop trying to cross into Greece but dangled the prospect of more aid for Ankara as a standoff between Greek riot police and refugees entered a second week. Tens of thousands of migrants have been trying to get into Greece, an EU member state, since Turkey said on Feb. 28 it would no longer try to keep them on its territory as agreed in 2016 with the EU in return for billions of euros in aid. Islamic State attacks Kabul gathering, killing at least 32

Islamic State gunmen opened fire at a ceremony in Kabul on Friday, killing at least 32 people in the first major attack in the city since the United States reached an agreement with the Afghan Taliban on a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops. A top Afghan political leader, Abdullah Abdullah, was present along with other key political figures and escaped unharmed. U.S. creates new envoy position to counter rising terrorism in Sahel

The United States has created a special envoy for Africa's Sahel region, a State Department spokesman said on Friday, to counter rising violence from groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State which are expanding their foothold. Envoy Peter Pham, started his new role earlier this week, the spokesman said. He has been serving as U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa since November 2018. Coronavirus infects more than 100,000 worldwide, wreaking financial havoc

The number of people infected with the new coronavirus surpassed 100,000 across the world on Friday, as the outbreak reached more countries and economic damage intensified, with business districts beginning to empty and stock markets tumbling. In many affected countries, people were being asked to stay home from work, schools were closed, large gatherings and sports and music events were canceled, stores were cleared of staples like toiletries and water, and face masks became a common sight.