Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. UK pledges 200 million pounds in aid to help stop second coronavirus wave

Britain said on Sunday it was pledging 200 million pounds ($248 million) to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and charities to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in vulnerable countries and so help prevent a second wave of infections. More than 1.6 million people are reported to have been infected by the novel coronavirus globally and deaths have topped 100,000 according to a Reuters tally. Netanyahu rival Gantz seeks more time to form coalition government

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election rival Benny Gantz asked for additional time on Saturday to try to form a government with the long-time leader, to end more than a year of political deadlock. A 28-day mandate to put together a governing coalition, following an inconclusive March 2 election, expires on April 14. Gantz, an ex-armed forces chief who heads the centrist Blue and White party, asked President Reuven Rivlin for a 14-day extension to the mandate. Spain's overnight coronavirus death toll at 510, lowest in 19 days

Spain's daily coronavirus death toll fell for the third day in a row on Saturday after 510 fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said in a statement, marking the smallest overnight increase since March 23. Total fatalities from the virus rose to 16,353, from 15,843 on Friday, the ministry said, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 161,852 from 157,022. Kremlin warns of huge influx of Moscow patients as coronavirus toll climbs

The Kremlin said on Saturday a "huge influx" of coronavirus patients was beginning to put a strain on hospitals in Moscow as Russia's death toll rose to more than 100. Moscow and many other regions have been in lockdown for nearly two weeks to stem the contagion, but hospitals in the capital are still being pushed to their limit, officials said. Canadian legislators approve wage subsidy as coronavirus spreads

Canadian government and opposition legislators approved a wage subsidy worth C$73 billion ($52 billion) on Saturday to support the ravaged economy, in an emergency sitting in the House of Commons. Opposition parties had agreed prior to the sitting to support the bill. It was expected to also receive Senate approval and royal assent by Canada's Governor General, which is usually a formality. Iran renews coronavirus warning as 'low risk' activities re-start

President Hassan Rouhani urged Iranians to continue to respect measures to guard against the new coronavirus as "low-risk" business activities resumed in most of the country on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. So-called low-risk businesses - including many shops, factories and workshops - resumed operations across the country, with the exception of the capital Tehran, where they will re-open from April 18. North Korea calls for stricter anti-epidemic measures

North Korea called for more strict and thorough countermeasures to ensure the safety of its citizens from the fast spreading coronavirus pandemic at a political bureau meeting of the ruling party's central committee, which was presided over by its leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported on Sunday. The Korean Central News Agency said the widespread virus has created obstacles to the country's effort in its economic construction, though added the country "has been maintaining (a) very stable anti-epidemic situation" thanks to its "strict top-class emergency anti-epidemic measures ... consistency and compulsoriness in the nationwide protective measures." WHO is investigating reports of recovered COVID patients testing positive again

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was looking into reports of some COVID-19 patients testing positive again after initially testing negative for the disease while being considered for discharge. South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a briefing that the virus may have been "reactivated" rather than the patients being re-infected. 'Be messengers of life in a time of death,' pope says on Easter eve

Pope Francis urged people to "not yield to fear" and focused on a "message of hope" as he led an Easter eve Mass in an empty St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday amid the coronavirus pandemic and called for an end to wars. The vigil, which normally takes place in a church packed with about 10,000 people, was attended by only about two dozen, including a few altar servers and a smaller-than-usual choir. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, it was scaled back to eliminate several traditional features, such as the baptism of adult converts and a long procession up the main aisle of Christendom's largest church. Easter isn't cancelled: UK's Queen Elizabeth says coronavirus will not overcome

Britain's Queen Elizabeth said on Saturday that coronavirus "would not overcome us" as she delivered her second rallying message to the nation in a week. The 93-year-old monarch, who is the symbolic head of the Church of England, also stated that "Easter isn't cancelled" in her first ever address to mark the Christian holy day.