Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. WHO says pandemic 'far from over' as daily cases hit record high

New coronavirus cases had their biggest daily increase ever as the pandemic worsens globally and has yet to peak in central America, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, urging countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus. "More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online briefing. Men accused of helping ex-Nissan boss flee Japan challenge U.S. extradition case

Lawyers for the former Green Beret and son wanted by Japan for helping former Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn flee the country on Monday argued U.S. authorities wrongly arrested them for aiding a crime that they say does not exist in Japan: bail jumping. Lawyers for Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, in a motion asked a federal judge in Boston to quash the U.S. warrants issued last month for their arrests or release them on bail while their extradition case proceeds. Lawyers for UK's Prince Andrew hit back at U.S. authorities over Epstein inquiry

Lawyers for Britain's Prince Andrew on Monday hit back at claims that he was not cooperating with U.S. prosecutors investigating the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting they were seeking publicity rather than his help. U.S. investigators want to interview Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's second son, about his friendship with Epstein - who was found dead in prison last year while awaiting charges of trafficking minors - as part of their inquiry into possible co-conspirators. North Korea says it will sever hotlines with South Korea: KCNA

North Korea said on Tuesday it will sever hotlines with South Korea as the first step toward shutting down all means of contact with Seoul, state news agency KCNA reported. For several days, North Korea has lashed out at South Korea, threatening to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects if the South does not stop defectors from sending leaflets and other material into the North. England launches study of coronavirus spread in schools

Health minister Matt Hancock launched a study to find out the prevalence and spread of the coronavirus among school children and teachers in England on Tuesday to help inform the phased reintroduction of education after a lengthy national lockdown. The decision to gradually re-open schools has divided opinion, with Britain suffering the second-worst international death toll from COVID-19 and ministers warning of the need for caution to prevent a second wave of the virus. Voices from the streets; why protesters are marching the world over

Protesters around the world have taken to the streets in response to events in the United States, where the death in police custody of black man George Floyd has sparked a wave of anti-racism demonstrations. Reuters interviewed five people in five countries about why they had taken to the streets in recent days and what they hoped to achieve. Here is what they said: Erdogan says he and Trump agreed 'some issues' on Libya

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he discussed the conflict in Libya with U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday and that the two leaders agreed on "some issues" related to developments there. Turkey supports the internationally recognised government of Fayez al Serraj, whose forces have in recent weeks driven back an assault on the capital Tripoli by the forces of Khalifa Haftar, backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia. Trump plans to sign bill pressuring China over Uighur Muslim crackdown: source

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to sign legislation calling for sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for oppressing Uighur Muslims, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday without offering a time frame for the signing. The bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate with bipartisan support last month, calls for sanctions against those responsible for repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups in China's Xinjiang province, where the United Nations estimates more than a million Muslims have been detained in camps. U.S. sanctions imposed on Iranian shipping network over proliferation take effect

U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran's shipping network took effect on Monday, months after they were announced in December following accusations of supporting proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement on Monday warned commercial and maritime industries, governments and others that they risked U.S. sanctions if they did business with the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company. U.S., Russia agree on June nuclear arms talks, invite China: U.S. envoy

The United States and Russia have agreed on a time and place for nuclear arms negotiations in June and invited China, U.S. Special Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea wrote on Twitter on Monday. "Today agreed with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov on time and place for nuclear arms negotiations in June. China also invited. Will China show and negotiate in good faith?" Billingslea wrote.