Reuters World News Summary

Mexico's government proposed the two-day talks in Washington to celebrate the July 1 start of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is replacing the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Japan told the United States in response that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would be willing to attend the summit if it were to be held in late August, the sources said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Beijing asks some U.S. media to submit information about their China operations

China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the Chinese government has asked some U.S. media outlets present in the country to submit information about their China operations. Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian named the Associated Press, National Public Radio, CBS and United Press International news agency as companies asked to submit the requested information in writing within seven days. Russians given money as vote that could extend Putin's rule draws to a close

Russia gave families financial windfalls on Wednesday on the final day of a vote on constitutional changes that could allow Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036, a prospect that prompted a small protest by Kremlin critics on Red Square. State exit polls have suggested more than two thirds of voters will back the changes. They have been encouraged to vote with prize draws offering flats and an ad campaign highlighting other amendments with popular appeal. Israeli foreign minister says annexation move unlikely on Wednesday

Israel's foreign minister said an announcement on the proposed annexation of occupied West Bank land was unlikely on Wednesday, the start-date set by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government for discussing such a move. "It seems unlikely to me that this will happen today," Gabi Ashkenazi, a member of the centrist Blue and White party partnered up with Netanyahu's conservative Likud, told Israel's Army Radio. U.S. forces should quit Syria immediately, Iran president say

The illegitimate presence of U.S. forces in Syria should end immediately, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a video conference broadcast on Iranian state TV on Wednesday. Iran would continue its support for Syria's legal government, Rouhani said. Mexican president to hold bilateral Trump talks on July 8

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will hold bilateral talks in Washington with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on July 8 as part of a trip to mark a new North American trade deal, Mexico's foreign minister said on Wednesday. Mexico's government proposed the two-day talks in Washington to celebrate the July 1 start of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is replacing the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Child labour on Ivory Coast cocoa farms rises during pandemic, study finds

Child labour has increased in top grower Ivory Coast's cocoa sector during its coronavirus lockdown, according to a report released on Wednesday by an industry-backed foundation. The percentage of children engaged in labour between mid-March and mid-May rose to 19.4% from 16% in the same period in recent years, according to a survey of over 1,400 households conducted by the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI). Turkey says France ignoring UAE, Egypt violations in Libya

France's policy over Libya is "biased", turning a blind eye to violations of a U.N. arms embargo by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt to the benefit of eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, Turkey's ambassador to Paris said on Wednesday. "The embargo is violated every day from the Egyptian border ... and every day there are flights from the UAE to Libya. Why are questions not being asked?," the envoy Ismail Hakki Musa told a hearing of French senators. Hong Kong police arrest nearly 200 in first protest under new security law

Hong Kong police fired water cannon and tear gas and arrested nearly 200 people on Wednesday as protesters took to the streets in defiance of sweeping security legislation introduced by China that critics say is aimed at snuffing out dissent. Beijing unveiled the details of the much-anticipated law late on Tuesday after weeks of uncertainty, pushing China's freest city and one of the world's most glittering financial hubs on to a more authoritarian path. U.S. tells Japan it hopes for in-person G7 summit in late August, Japanese sources say

The United States has told Japan that it wants to organize an in-person Group of Seven leaders' summit in late August, two Japanese government sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Japan told the United States in response that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would be willing to attend the summit if it were to be held in late August, the sources said. EU, Britain making 'very limited' progress in talks: Merkel

The European Union and Britain have made "very limited" progress in negotiations about their future relationship, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday, adding there was still a possibility that no deal would be agreed. "Progress in talks is, to put it cautiously, very limited," Merkel told parliament during a Q&A session.