Reuters World News Summary

When compared to the previous year, the 131,448 applications mark an increase of 86.84%, according to the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR). Hezbollah's criticism of Saudi not in Lebanon's interest - PM Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati Monday said criticism of Saudi Arabia by the leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group did not serve the national interest or represent the country's official stance.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Settlement agreement between Epstein and accuser made public in Prince Andrew case

A 2009 settlement agreement between financier Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse, was made public on Monday as part of Giuffre's civil lawsuit against Britain's Prince Andrew. The agreement said Giuffre would be paid $500,000 as part of the deal.

Mexico asylum applications nearly double in 2021, Haitians top list

The number of asylum applications in Mexico nearly doubled in 2021, the head of the country's commission for refugee assistance said on Monday, with most applications being from Haitian and Honduran migrants. When compared to the previous year, the 131,448 applications mark an increase of 86.84%, according to the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR).

Hezbollah's criticism of Saudi not in Lebanon's interest - PM

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati Monday said criticism of Saudi Arabia by the leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group did not serve the national interest or represent the country's official stance. Saudi Arabia and a number of other Gulf Arab states withdrew ambassadors and expelled Lebanese envoys in October and November over what the kingdom later said was arch-foe Hezbollah's dominance of the Lebanese state.

Brazil's Bolsonaro is improving, need for surgery unclear, hospital says

The condition of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is improving, though it is not yet known if he will need surgery for an intestinal blockage, the hospital where he has been admitted said in a Monday evening statement. Bolsonaro walked briefly in a hallway, and he is not presenting signs of fever or abdominal pain, the statement said.

Firefighters battle new blaze at South African parliament, suspect charged with arson

A new blaze broke out on Monday at the complex housing the two chambers of South Africa's national parliament in Cape Town, one day after a devastating fire swept through the buildings. "The fire and rescue service confirms that the fire at parliament has flared up. The void beneath the roof sheeting of the National Assembly is on fire," a spokesman for the city's fire services said on Monday afternoon.

4,400 migrants lost at sea bound for Spain in 2021, double previous year

More than 4,400 migrants, including at least 205 children, were lost at sea trying to reach Spain in 2021, a monitoring group said on Monday - more than double the figure from the previous year and the most since the group began counting in 2018. The group, Walking Borders, or Caminando Fronteras, blamed increasingly dangerous routes, inferior boats and the fear of some vessels to help migrants at sea for the surge in deaths. According to Spanish official statistics, 39,000 undocumented migrants successfully reached Spain by sea or land last year, a similar figure to the previous year.

Canadian court awards C$107 million to families of airliner downed by Iran

A court in Ontario, Canada, has awarded C$107 million ($83.94 million), plus interest, to the families of six people who died when the Iranian Revolutionary Guards downed a Ukraine International Airlines plane near Tehran two years ago. Iran shot down the airliner in January 2020. All 176 people onboard were killed, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.

At least 16 dead amid clashes between armed groups in Colombia's Arauca

At least 16 people have been killed in Colombia's Arauca province amid fighting between illegal armed groups, the country's human rights ombudsman said on Monday, adding that 12 families had been displaced. Fighting broke out over the weekend in Arauca - which sits on the border with Venezuela - as members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) fought with dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), who reject a 2016 peace deal. They were fighting over control of illegal economies such as drug trafficking, Colombia's army said in a statement late on Sunday.

U.S. expands Trump-era border program to San Diego

The United States on Monday expanded to San Diego, California, the Trump-era border program that forces asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S. immigration hearings, in keeping with a federal court order, Biden administration officials told reporters. Democratic President Joe Biden attempted to scrap his Republican predecessor's policy - often referred to as 'Remain in Mexico' - soon after taking office last January.

Iran vows revenge for Soleimani killing if Trump not put on trial

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, speaking on the second anniversary of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani by the United States, said that former U.S. President Donald Trump must face trial for the killing or Tehran would take revenge. Iran and groups allied with it in Iraq and other countries have been holding events to honour Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards. He was killed in Iraq in a drone strike on Jan. 3, 2020, ordered by then President Trump.