Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Current U.S. government is the worst in America's history: Iran president

The current U.S. government is the worst in the history of America, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV on Tuesday. Rouhani also said Iran's upcoming parliamentary elections in February will have an effect on regional and international politics. Jailed Catalan separatist leader predicts new referendum

A Catalan separatist leader briefly released from prison to testify in the region's parliament said on Tuesday he was confident the northeastern Spanish region would eventually vote again on independence. Oriol Junqueras and five other politicians appeared before an investigative committee of the regional parliament, their first time out of prison since being sentenced in October to lengthy terms over a failed 2017 independence bid. China's Xi tells WHO he's confident of slaying 'devil' virus

Chinese President Xi Jinping told the visiting chief of the World Health Organization on Tuesday that he was confident of winning the battle against a "devil" coronavirus that has killed 106 people and spread across the world. A growing number of countries are planning to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan, a central city of 11 million people and epicenter of the outbreak. A chartered plane taking out U.S. consulate staff was set to leave Wuhan on Wednesday, a spokeswoman at the U.S. embassy in Beijing said. Netanyahu formally indicted in court on corruption charges

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was formally indicted in court on Tuesday on corruption charges after he withdrew his request for parliamentary immunity from prosecution. Netanyahyu was in Washington for meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the release of Trump's long-delayed Israel-Palestinian peace plan when Israel's attorney-general filed the charges in a Jerusalem court. Taliban repel Afghan forces' bid to reach U.S. plane crash site

Afghan forces and Taliban fighters clashed in a central region where a U.S. military aircraft crashed, officials said on Tuesday, as the government tried to reach the wreckage site in a Taliban stronghold. On Monday, the U.S. military said an E-11A aircraft crashed in the province of Ghazni, but disputed Taliban claims to have brought it down, without saying how many were aboard or if any had been killed. Canada's fashion industry hopes for royal boost with arrival of Harry and Meghan

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan's move to Canada could boost its C$30.6 billion ($23.3 billion) fashion industry, experts say, by putting the spotlight on local brands. Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, announced this month they were stepping down from their royal roles to protect their privacy and gain financial independence from the monarchy. Australia battles new bushfire threat as smoke cloaks capital

Australian officials warned communities in bushfire-ravaged eastern states to strengthen fire defense on Tuesday amid forecasts of soaring temperatures and strong winds, as one approaching blaze cloaked the capital in thick smoke. Bushfires have killed 33 people and about 1 billion animals since September, while 2,500 homes and an area the size of Greece have been destroyed. Iran MPS call for debate on quitting top nuclear arms treaty

A group of Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday asked parliament to debate a motion for Iran to quit a treaty governing global nuclear arms control, a move apparently aimed at pressuring European powers to salvage Tehran's own 2015 nuclear deal. A report on the assembly's news site ICANA said a minimum number of MPs had signed a request to parliament's managers to arrange a debate on the motion for Iran to take the far-reaching step of leaving the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Missing you already - how Brexit tilts EU political alliances

Britain's exit from the EU is reshaping the balance of power in Europe, removing one of the bloc's two big military powers and one of the top contributors to its budget. Britain has been an outspoken supporter of free trade, close ties with the United States and a tough sanctions policy toward Russia. Here are some issues: DEFENSE, SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Turkish court keeps businessman jailed after lawyers walk out

Defense lawyers walked out of a Turkish courtroom on Tuesday in protest against judges in the case of businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala, who was again remanded as a trial continued over his involvement in 2013 protests. Kavala has been in custody for more than two years, charged with attempting to overthrow the government by organizing and funding protests against then-Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who is now Turkey's president.