Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Retired surgeon suspected of abusing up to 349 children stands trial in France

A retired surgeon suspected of raping or sexually abusing as many as 349 children over nearly three decades went on trial behind closed doors in France on Friday in what could be the country's biggest-ever pedophilia scandal. The trial in the western town of Saintes is the first of hundreds of legal complaints against defendant Joel Le Scouarnec to come to court. It is due to run until March 17. In China's coronavirus epicenter, just five new cases

China's Wuhan city, ground zero of the new coronavirus outbreak, reported five new cases on Friday, the second day in a row the tally has been less than 10, while no locally transmitted infections were reported in the rest of the country. Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province, registered the five new cases on Thursday, the National Health Commission said, down from eight cases the previous day. The commission routinely reports new cases the day after the data is collected. South Korea reports more recoveries than coronavirus cases for the first time

South Korea reported more recoveries from the coronavirus than new infections on Friday for the first time since its outbreak emerged in January, as a downward trend in daily cases raised hopes that Asia's biggest epidemic outside China may be slowing. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) recorded 110 new coronavirus cases on Friday compared with 114 a day earlier, taking the national tally to 7,979. The death toll rose by five to 72 as of late Friday. Exclusive - 'How much?': Venezuela opposition received bribe offers to give up congress

In January, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed a major victory: congress lawmakers elected his favored candidate as National Assembly leader, putting the increasingly authoritarian nation's last independent institution within his grasp. Opponents cried foul, accusing the Venezuelan leader of intimidating and attempting to bribe lawmakers to oust Maduro's arch-rival, opposition head Juan Guaido, in the Jan. 5 vote. Canada's Trudeau to be in isolation after wife tests positive for coronavirus

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in isolation for two weeks after his wife, Sophie, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, and the outbreak prompted the province of Ontario to shutter schools to limit the spread. Sophie Gregoire Trudeau recently returned from London and experienced flu-like symptoms, so she was tested for the coronavirus, the prime minister's office said earlier on Thursday. The test came back positive, it said in the evening. WHO officials rethink epidemic messaging amid pandemic debate

The World Health Organization is considering changing the way it classifies and describes international epidemics, amid a protracted public debate over whether to call the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic. Officials at the Geneva-based WHO – who this week described it as a pandemic for the first time - are reviewing how the health agency communicates its risk assessment of disease outbreaks in the future, said two people familiar with the discussions. They said that included use of the term pandemic as well as PHEIC, which stands for public health emergency of international concern. Kenya, Ethiopia confirm their first new coronavirus cases

Kenya and Ethiopia confirmed their first cases of the new coronavirus on Friday, a woman who had returned to Nairobi from the United States and a Japanese national in Addis Ababa. Authorities in Nairobi banned all major public events and said they would restrict foreign travel in the wake of East Africa's first reported case, while the mayor of Addis Ababa urged citizens to avoid close personal contact. Coronavirus hits politicians, sports and showbiz stars as it spreads across globe

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Australia's minister for home affairs and a Chelsea soccer player are among new cases of the coronavirus that has infected almost 135,000 people and killed more than 4,900 worldwide. Governments and central banks readied more emergency measures to tackle the economic impact of the coronavirus on Friday, helping financial markets pare some of their steep losses, while more major events were canceled or postponed. Greece swears in first female president, no handshakes amid coronavirus

Greece's first female president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, was sworn in for a five-year term on Friday at a ceremony scaled down due to the coronavirus outbreak. Sakellaropoulou, 64, an ex-president of the Council of State, Greece's top administrative court, will succeed Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Special Report: Italy and South Korea virus outbreaks reveal disparity in deaths and tactics

In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus. In South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died. As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases. It's impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.