World News Roundup: Gridlock in Athens as transport staff strike over labor reform; COVID spreading in rural India and more

Paris, which has led aid efforts to its former colony, has sought to ramp up pressure on Lebanon's squabbling politicians, after failed attempts to rally them to agree a new government and launch reforms to unlock foreign cash. S.Africa's ANC faces power struggle as top official defies suspension A top official in South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) has appealed against his suspension on corruption charges and attempted to suspend President Cyril Ramaphosa in an increasingly open power struggle in the governing party.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Gridlock in Athens as transport staff strike over labor reform

Traffic was gridlocked in parts of Athens and some flights disrupted on Thursday as Greek transport workers joined a 24-hour public sector strike to protest over planned labor legislation. Unions in Greece say they oppose the government labor bill because it restricts employee rights at a time when workers risk job losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. The government says the changes would give workers more flexibility.

COVID spreading in rural India; record daily rises in infections, deaths

Hopes that India's deadly second wave of COVID-19 was about to peak were swept away on Thursday as it posted record daily infections and deaths and as the virus spread from cities to villages across the world's second-most populous nation. India reported a record 412,262 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours and a record 3,980 deaths. COVID-19 infections have now surged past 21 million, with a total death toll of 230,168, health ministry data show.

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong jailed for further 10 months over June 4 assembly

Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong will face an additional 10 months in jail for participating in an unauthorised assembly on June 4 last year to commemorate the 1989 crackdown on protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square. It was the first time the vigil was banned in the global financial hub, with police citing coronavirus restrictions on group gatherings, as they did for all demonstrations last year. This year's protest is expected to face a similar fate.

French envoy visits crisis-hit Lebanon as pressure builds

France's foreign minister carried a message to Lebanese leaders on Thursday that Paris was losing patience with a deadlock in cabinet talks that has worsened the country's economic collapse. Paris, which has led aid efforts to its former colony, has sought to ramp up pressure on Lebanon's squabbling politicians, after failed attempts to rally them to agree a new government and launch reforms to unlock foreign cash.

S.Africa's ANC faces power struggle as top official defies suspension

A top official in South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) has appealed against his suspension on corruption charges and attempted to suspend President Cyril Ramaphosa in an increasingly open power struggle in the governing party. ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule, who has denied the corruption allegations, was suspended on Wednesday by the party once led by late apartheid fighter Nelson Mandela. The move follows an anti-corruption campaign launched by Ramaphosa in 2018 when he took over as state president with promises to crack down hard on widespread graft.

Blinken heads to Ukraine in show of support after Russia troop standoff

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv on Thursday in a show of support after Russia massed troops near Ukraine's eastern border in a standoff that sent alarm bells ringing in Western capitals. Blinken is due to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, mixing solidarity with calls for Ukraine to stick to a path of reforms and fighting corruption.

France sends two patrol boats to Jersey in fishing row with Britain

France despatched two maritime patrol boats to the waters off the British Channel island of Jersey on Thursday, after Britain deployed two of its naval vessels in an escalating row over post-Brexit fishing rights. The European Commission called for calm over the dispute, which on Thursday also saw a protest flotilla of about two dozen French trawlers sail to Jersey's main harbour and demand a meeting with island officials.

Qatar finance minister arrested over alleged embezzlement -statement

Qatar Finance Minister Ali Sherif al-Emadi was arrested for questioning over allegations of embezzlement, abuse of power and crimes related to the public sector, a statement carried by state news agency QNA said on Thursday. An investigation is underway, the statement added.

China condemns G7 statement censuring Beijing, supporting Taiwan

China condemned on Thursday a joint statement by G7 foreign ministers that expressed support for Chinese-claimed Taiwan and cast Beijing as a bully, saying it was a gross interference in China's internal affairs. G7 foreign ministers said in a communique after a London summit that China was guilty of human rights abuses and of using "coercive economic policies", which the G7 would use collective efforts to stop.

Thai student jailed for insulting king gets bail, others denied

A Thai court on Thursday granted bail to student protest leader Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul, who has spent eight weeks in detention on charges of insulting the country's king, even as six fellow leaders remain in jail. Bail conditions require Panusaya, 22, to stay in Thailand, attend court sessions when summoned and refrain from offending the monarchy, Krisadang Nutcharat, one of her lawyers, told Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies.)