Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Castro era in Cuba to end as Raul confirms he's retiring

Raul Castro confirmed he was handing over the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party to a younger generation at its congress that kicked off on Friday, ending six decades of rule by himself and older brother Fidel. In a speech opening the four-day event, Castro, 89, said the new leadership would be party loyalists with decades of experience working their way up the ranks and were "full of passion and anti-imperialist spirit."

Moscow prosecutor moves to outlaw Kremlin critic Navalny's activist network

State prosecutors in Moscow asked a court on Friday to label jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's anti-corruption group and regional headquarters "extremist" organisations, a move that would ban them and open up activists to long jail terms. The move, if approved, would mark one of the most serious steps taken by authorities yet to target the network of groups set up by the staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin who is on hunger-strike as he serves a two-and-half-year jail term.

Canada's immigration initiative for Hong Kong residents receives over 500 applications early on

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's special immigration initiative for Hong Kong residents received over 500 applications in its first three weeks, a spokesman for Canada's immigration ministry said on Friday. In November, the Canadian government said it would make it easier for Hong Kong youth to study and work in Canada in response to new security rules imposed by China on the former British colony.

Queen Elizabeth and Britain to bid farewell to Prince Philip

Queen Elizabeth will bid a final farewell to Prince Philip, her husband of more than seven decades, at a ceremonial funeral on Saturday, with the nation set to fall silent to mark the passing of a pivotal figure in the British monarchy. While the ceremony will include some of the traditional grandeur of a significant royal event, there will be just 30 mourners inside St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the funeral service because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Eritrea admits presence in Ethiopia's Tigray, tells U.N. withdrawing

Eritrea told the United Nations Security Council on Friday that it has agreed to start withdrawing its troops from Ethiopia's Tigray region, acknowledging publicly for the first time the country's involvement in the conflict. The admission in a letter to the 15-member council - and posted online by Eritrea's Ministry of Information - comes a day after U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock said the world body had not seen any proof that Eritrean soldiers have withdrawn.

U.S. condemns sentencing of tycoon Jimmy Lai, other Hong Kong activists

The United States on Friday condemned the sentencing of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy activists on what it called "politically motivated charges." "Beijing and Hong Kong authorities are targeting Hong Kongers for doing nothing more than exercising protected rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of speech," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Biden says Iranian enrichment to 60% unhelpful, but glad about talks

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called Iran's enrichment of uranium to 60% purity unhelpful but said he is pleased Tehran is still in indirect talks with Washington about both countries resuming compliance with the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. Iran on Friday said it had begun enriching uranium to 60%, its highest level ever and a step closer to the 90% that is weapons grade, at its Natanz plant, where an explosion occurred earlier this week that Tehran blamed on Israel.

Brazil asks women to delay pregnancy over new coronavirus variant fears

Brazil asked women on Friday to delay getting pregnant until the worst of the pandemic passes, saying the virus variant that is devastating the South American country appears to affect expectant mothers more than earlier versions of the coronavirus.

The recommendation comes as Brazil continues to be one of the global epicenters of the pandemic, with more Brazilians dying of the virus each day than anywhere else in the world.

Biden and Japan's Suga project unity against China's assertiveness

President Joe Biden on Friday sought to present a united front with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to counter an increasingly assertive China as the U.S. leader held his first face-to-face White House summit since taking office. Biden hosted Suga for talks that offered the Democratic president, inaugurated in January, a chance to work further on his pledge to revitalize U.S. alliances that frayed under his Republican predecessor Donald Trump.

Russia, retaliating against Washington, asks 10 U.S. diplomats to leave

Russia on Friday asked 10 U.S. diplomats to leave the country in retaliation for Washington's expulsion of the same number of Russian diplomats over alleged malign activity and suggested the U.S. ambassador return home for consultations. The measures, part of a broader retaliatory package, were approved by President Vladimir Putin, as a response to an array of U.S. government sanctions imposed on Moscow a day earlier, including curbs to its sovereign debt market.