Reuters World News Summary

U.S. condemns China's Hong Kong moves, working to 'galvanize' action against abuses The United States on Friday called China's moves to change the Hong Kong electoral system a direct attack on its autonomy and democratic processes and said Washington was working at "galvanizing collective action" against Chinese rights abuses.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Iran's Zarif to offer 'constructive' plan amid hopes of informal nuclear talks

Iran will soon present a "constructive" plan of action, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday, after European sources said Tehran gave positive signs about opening informal talks about its nuclear programme. "As Iran's FM (foreign minister) & chief nuclear negotiator, I will shortly present our constructive concrete plan of action - through proper diplomatic channels," Zarif said on Twitter. At least 20 killed by suicide car bomb near restaurant in Somalia capital

At least 20 people were killed and 30 wounded by a suicide car bomb just outside a restaurant near the port in Somalia's capital Mogadishu late on Friday, an emergency services official said. The blast sent plumes of smoke into the sky and triggered gunfire, witnesses and state-owned media reported. U.S. detained nearly 100,000 migrants at U.S.-Mexico border in February: sources

U.S. border agents detained nearly 100,000 migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in February, according to two people familiar with preliminary figures, the highest arrest total for the month of February since 2006. The figures, which have not been previously reported, show the scope of a growing surge of migrants arriving at the southwest border as U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, seeks to roll back some of the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, a Republican. Brazil working with Biden on climate, Amazon deforestation, says foreign minister

The Brazilian government and the Biden administration are working together on climate change, an area that appeared to be the main hurdle to good relations, Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said on Friday. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro had developed a close alignment with former U.S. President Donald Trump and shared his disdain for climate change issues and international accords. U.N. Security Council urged to act as Myanmar protesters are again met with gunfire

Police in Myanmar on Friday opened fire on protesters against last month's military coup, killing one man, as international condemnation rained down on the junta and the U.N. special envoy on Myanmar urged the Security Council to act. Christine Burgener called on the council for "unified support, action", asking "how much more can we allow the Myanmar military to get away with?", following the deaths of dozens of civilian protesters this week. Pope, starting risky trip, urges Iraq to end violence

Pope Francis began his most risky foreign trip on Friday, flying into Iraq amid the tightest security ever seen for a papal visit to appeal to the country's leaders and people to end militant violence and religious strife. The country has deployed thousands of security personnel to protect him during the visit, which comes after a spate of rocket and suicide bomb attacks and a spike in COVID-19 cases. Saudi-led coalition says it downed six Houthi drones fired at Khamis Mushait

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen said it intercepted six explosive drones fired towards the kingdom on Friday, with the Houthis claiming to have launched attacks into southern Saudi Arabia since dawn. Parts of the destroyed drones fell and injured a 10-year-old boy and also a man who was driving near the Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, Saudi civil defence said. China defence spending gets mild boost amid economic caution

China's 2021 defence spending will rise 6.8% from 2020, up slightly from last year's increase and broadly tracking the government's modest growth forecast, as the world's second-largest economy emerges from the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic. Premier Li Keqiang pledged that efforts to strengthen the People's Liberation Army, which is developing an array of weapons from stealthy fighters to aircraft carriers, would continue apace in the face of what China views as multiple security threats. In Brazil's Amazon, isolated indigenous people welcome COVID vaccine

An army helicopter flew to two isolated indigenous villages in Brazil's Amazon jungle this week with a welcome cargo - coronavirus vaccines. The Hupda communities lined up to get their shots. U.S. condemns China's Hong Kong moves, working to 'galvanize' action against abuses

The United States on Friday called China's moves to change the Hong Kong electoral system a direct attack on its autonomy and democratic processes and said Washington was working at "galvanizing collective action" against Chinese rights abuses. Earlier on Friday, Beijing proposed legislation that would tighten its increasingly authoritarian grip on Hong Kong by making changes to the electoral committee that chooses the city's leader, giving it new power to nominate legislative candidates.

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