Reuters World News Summary

Some scattered protests took place in Myanmar's big cities on Sunday, a day after the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Indonesia reached a consensus to end the turmoil in Myanmar, but gave no timeline. Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says steps to end military mission launched The commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Army General Scott Miller, on Sunday said an orderly withdrawal of foreign forces and the handing over of military bases and equipment to the Afghan forces had begun.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UK lawmakers call for PM Johnson to publish big pharma lobbying messages

British lawmakers on Monday called on the government to publish all communications with pharmaceutical companies to understand if private lobbying influenced its opposition to a waiver of intellectual property rules for COVID-19 vaccines. The United States and a handful of other big countries, including the United Kingdom, have blocked negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) involving a proposal spearheaded by India and South Africa that now has the support of 100 WTO members.

PM Modi says India shaken by coronavirus 'storm', U.S. to help

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution, saying on Sunday the "storm" of infections had shaken India, as the country set a new global record of the most number of COVID-19 infections in a day. The United States said it will immediately provide raw materials for one of the COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment and protective gear to help India respond. France, Britain and Germany also promised rapid support.

Allies of Russia's Navalny defiant in face of possible extremism charges

Close allies of jailed Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critic, pledged on Sunday to continue their actions despite the prospect of being outlawed under extremism charges. Moscow City Court is expected to rule in a few days on a request from a Moscow prosecutor to officially outlaw the backbone of Navalny's political movement - the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) - on the grounds that it is an extremist group.

Sunken missing Indonesian submarine found broken into pieces

A missing Indonesian submarine has been found, broken into at least three parts, at the bottom of the Bali Sea, army and navy officials said on Sunday, as the president sent condolences to relatives of the 53 crew. Rescuers also found new objects, including a life vest, that they believe belong to those aboard the 44-year old KRI Nanggala-402, which lost contact on Wednesday as it prepared to conduct a torpedo drill.

Myanmar activists deride ASEAN-junta consensus, vow to continue protests

Myanmar's pro-democracy activists sharply criticised an agreement between the country's junta chief and Southeast Asian leaders to end a violent post-coup crisis and vowed on Sunday to continue protesting. Some scattered protests took place in Myanmar's big cities on Sunday, a day after the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Indonesia reached a consensus to end the turmoil in Myanmar, but gave no timeline.

Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says steps to end military mission launched

The commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Army General Scott Miller, on Sunday said an orderly withdrawal of foreign forces and the handing over of military bases and equipment to the Afghan forces had begun. Miller said he was acting on orders based on U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to end America's longest war, deeming the prolonged and intractable battle in Afghanistan no longer aligned with American priorities.

Number of COVID patients in intensive care rises in France

France reported on Sunday a rise in the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) as President Emmanuel Macron's government seeks signs of an end to the nation's third wave of infections. Health ministry data showed there had been a further 145 COVID-19 deaths in hospitals in the last 24 hours, while the number of patients with the virus in ICUs rose to 5,978 from 5,958 the previous day.

Turkey says it will respond in time to 'outrageous' U.S. genocide statement

U.S. President Joe Biden's declaration that massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire constituted genocide is "simply outrageous" and Turkey will respond over coming months, Turkey's presidential spokesman said on Sunday. Biden broke on Saturday with decades of carefully calibrated White House comments over the 1915 killings, delighting Armenia and its diaspora but further straining ties between Washington and Ankara, both members of the NATO military alliance.

For China's property developers, Hong Kong is becoming Shenzhen's backyard

Chinese property developers have turned their sights to Hong Kong's border districts as mainlanders from neighbouring boomtown Shenzhen consider parts of the former British colony as a more affordable long-term housing prospect. The development plans are seen by some as a turning point, with buyers from what was once considered Hong Kong's cheaper industrial hinterland increasingly viewing of the global finance hub as Shenzhen's "backyard".

Palestinians cheer as Israeli barriers come down after Jerusalem Ramadan clashes

Palestinians gathered in celebration outside Jerusalem's Damascus Gate on Sunday night after barriers put up by Israeli police were removed, allowing them access to a square that became the focus of nightly Ramadan clashes. Thousands filled the East Jerusalem plaza late on Sunday, some waving Palestinian flags, after police permitted them access to the tiered entrance to Jerusalem's Old City that is a popular night-time meeting place during the Muslim holy month.