Reuters World News Summary

The central European country is a NATO and EU member state, and the expulsions and allegations have triggered its biggest row with Russia since the end of the communist era in 1989. France to impose 10-day quarantine for travellers coming from Brazil France will order a strict 10-day quarantine for all travellers coming from Brazil starting April 24, the prime minister's office said on Saturday, in a bid to prevent the spread of a coronavirus variant first found in the South American county.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Chad's Deby takes early election lead, partial results show

Chad President Idriss Deby has taken a strong early lead and appeared poised to extend his three-decade rule, partial provisional results of the April 11 presidential election released by the election commission showed. Deby has won a majority in all but one of the 51 departments announced so far, and secured a plurality in the other, with 61 departments remaining, according to the Independent National Election Commission (CENI).

IAEA confirms Iran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity

Iran has started the process of enriching uranium to 60% fissile purity at an above-ground nuclear plant at Natanz, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Saturday, confirming earlier statements by Iranian officials. The move has complicated talks aimed at reviving Iran's nuclear deal with major powers as it is a big step towards producing weapons-grade uranium.

Czech minister says Russia row could influence nuclear station tender

The Czech Republic's security row with Russia could influence a decision on whether Russia is invited to bid on building a new unit at the Dukovany nuclear power plant, Industry Minister Karel Havlicek told Reuters on Saturday. The Czech Republic is expelling 18 Russian diplomats over suspicions that Russian intelligence services were involved in an ammunition depot explosion in 2014.

Czechs expel 18 Russian envoys, accuse Moscow over ammunition depot blast

The Czech Republic is expelling 18 Russian diplomats over suspicions that Russian intelligence services were involved in an ammunition depot explosion in 2014, its government said on Saturday. The central European country is a NATO and EU member state, and the expulsions and allegations have triggered its biggest row with Russia since the end of the communist era in 1989.

France to impose 10-day quarantine for travellers coming from Brazil

France will order a strict 10-day quarantine for all travellers coming from Brazil starting April 24, the prime minister's office said on Saturday, in a bid to prevent the spread of a coronavirus variant first found in the South American county. France decided this week to suspend all flights to and from Brazil. The measure will be extended until April 23, the prime minister's office said in the same statement.

Russia and Belarus detain two Lukashenko critics, one a dual US citizen

Russia's FSB security service said on Saturday that it had detained two Belarusian citizens in Russia for what it said was an attempted coup and assassination attempt against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Working in cooperation with the Belarusian KGB, Russia's FSB detained Yuri Zyankevich, a lawyer who has dual citizenship of the United States and Belarus, and Belarusian political analyst Alexander Feduta, the FSB said in a statement.

Queen Elizabeth stands alone as Philip is laid to rest; William and Harry talk

Queen Elizabeth bade farewell to Prince Philip at a funeral on Saturday that celebrated his seven decades of service and gave grandsons William and Harry the chance to talk in public for the first time since claims of racism threw the family into crisis. Elizabeth, dressed in black and in a white trimmed black face mask, stood alone, head bowed as her husband of 73 years was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel in a service attended by senior royals including heir Prince Charles.

Venezuelan paper ordered to pay $13 million to official in defamation case

Venezuela's supreme court has awarded $13 million to top socialist party official Diosdado Cabello in a defamation case against a newspaper, but the paper's lawyer said on Saturday the outlet could not afford to pay. Cabello, the second-highest ranking official in the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) after President Nicolas Maduro, sued the El Nacional newspaper in 2015 after it reprinted a Spanish newspaper article asserting U.S. officials were investigating Cabello for alleged ties to drug trafficking.

Russia beefs up warship presence in Black Sea as Ukraine tensions simmer

Two Russian warships transited the Bosphorus en route to the Black Sea on Saturday and 15 smaller vessels completed a transfer to the sea as Moscow beefs up its naval presence at a time of tense relations with the West and Ukraine. The reinforcement coincides with a huge build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine, something Moscow calls a temporary defensive exercise, and follows an escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces.

Canadian police refuse provincial order to make random stops amid COVID-19 surge

Police in cities across Ontario, Canada's most populous province, on Saturday refused to make random stops greenlighted by the provincial government seeking to impose a stay-at-home order amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Toronto, the country's largest city, Ottawa, Hamilton, Windsor and at least 19 other municipal police forces said they would not conduct random vehicle or individual stops though they had been given the power to do so.