Reuters World News Summary

Exclusive: Lebanon's leaders warned in July about explosives at port - documents Lebanese security officials warned the prime minister and president last month that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut's port posed a security risk and could destroy the capital if it exploded, according to documents seen by Reuters and senior security sources.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Bloody clashes in Belarus as West condemns crackdown after election

At least one person died as Belarusian police clashed with protesters on Monday after the opposition accused President Alexander Lukashenko of rigging his re-election victory amid a chorus of criticism from Western leaders. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades and used batons to disperse thousands of people in Minsk in a second night of violence. Protesters set up barricades in several parts of the capital. U.S. State Department says Inspector General found U.S. arms sales to Saudi did not break law: official

A final report by the office of the State Department Acting Inspector General found Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's emergency certification on arms sales to Gulf Arab states including Saudi Arabia last year did not break the law, a senior department official said on Monday. The official's comments - made before the report was made public - came after President Donald Trump abruptly fired then-Inspector General Steve Linick, who was looking into Pompeo's certification, in May. Linick was succeeded by Stephen Akard, who resigned from his post last week after recusing himself from the arms sales investigation. Pompeo says after Lai arrest, unlikely that China will rethink Hong Kong stance

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday slammed China for the arrest of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who he called a "patriot," and said the move indicated that Beijing is unlikely to change its position on the financial hub. Lai's arrest under a sweeping new security law comes amid Beijing's crackdown against pro-democracy opposition in the city and further stokes concerns about media and other freedoms promised when it returned to China in 1997. China imposed the law on Hong Kong on June 30, drawing condemnation from Western countries. Lebanese government quits amid fury over Beirut blast

Lebanon's prime minister announced his government's resignation on Monday, saying a huge explosion that devastated Beirut and triggered public outrage was the result of endemic corruption. The Aug. 4 detonation at a port warehouse of what authorities said was more than 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate killed at least 163 people, injured more than 6,000 and destroyed swathes of the Mediterranean capital, compounding months of political and economic meltdown. Iran nuclear deal at risk as U.N. council prepares to vote on arms embargo

The U.N. Security Council is preparing to vote this week on a U.S. proposal to extend an arms embargo on Iran, a move that some diplomats say is bound to fail and put the fate of a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers further at risk. A last-minute attempt by Britain, France and Germany to broker a compromise with Russia and China on an arms embargo extension appeared unsuccessful so far, diplomats said. Russia and China, allies of Iran, have long-signaled opposition to the U.S. measure. Global coronavirus cases hit 20 million: Reuters tally

Global coronavirus cases pushed past 20 million on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, with the United States, Brazil and India accounting for more than half of all known infections. The respiratory disease has infected at least four times the average number of people struck down with severe influenza illnesses annually, according to the World Health Organization. Rio de Janeiro seeks to roll out mobile app for beachgoers braving pandemic

Sunbathers wanting to visit Rio de Janeiro's famous beaches, despite Brazil's raging COVID-19 epidemic, could soon be able to reserve socially-distant sand space through a mobile app, the city's mayor said on Monday. Rio's beaches currently have a hodgepodge of sanitary restrictions in place. Visitors and cariocas, as local residents are known, can swim and practice individual sports on the sand during the week. But team sports can only be played Monday through Friday. Merchants can sell beverages, but not alcoholic ones. Trump weighs blocking U.S. citizens coming home if coronavirus infection feared

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a measure to block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from returning home if they are suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Reuters. The official said a draft regulation, which has not been finalized and could change, would give the government authorization to block individuals who could “reasonably” be believed to have contracted COVID-19 or other diseases. Exclusive: Lebanon's leaders warned in July about explosives at port - documents

Lebanese security officials warned the prime minister and president last month that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut's port posed a security risk and could destroy the capital if it exploded, according to documents seen by Reuters and senior security sources. Just over two weeks later, the industrial chemicals exploded in a massive blast that obliterated most of the port, killed at least 163 people, injured 6,000 more and destroyed some 6,000 buildings, according to municipal authorities. Explosion targets convoy carrying U.S. military equipment near Iraq-Kuwait crossing

An explosion near the Jraischan border crossing between Iraq and Kuwaiti on Monday evening targeted a convoy carrying equipment for U.S. forces, three Iraqi security forces told Reuters. It was not immediately clear if there were any U.S. troops in the convoy or if anyone had been injured in the explosion, which went off just before 9 p.m. Baghdad time (1800 GMT).