Reuters World News Summary

The fire, which had engulfed an area about half the size of Vatican City, was started on Tuesday by farmers burning grass and debris to prepare to sow new crops. Mexico president doubles down on Hitler comparison with Jewish analyst after protest Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday said he was right to compare a prominent Mexican Jewish figure to Adolf Hitler for his political mindset, shrugging off a protest from the country's Jewish community.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia abandons Black Sea outpost of Snake Island in victory for Ukraine

Russian forces abandoned the strategic Black Sea outpost of Snake Island on Thursday in a victory for Ukraine that could loosen the grip of Russia's blockade on Ukrainian ports. Russia said it had decided to withdraw from the outcrop off Ukraine's southwestern coast as a "gesture of goodwill" to show Moscow was not obstructing U.N. attempts to open a humanitarian corridor allowing grains to be shipped from Ukraine.

Ecuador's government, indigenous leaders reach agreement ending protests

Ecuador's government and indigenous groups' leaders on Thursday reached an agreement to end more than two weeks of protests against the social and economic policies of President Guillermo Lasso which left at least eight dead, indigenous leaders said. Protests organized by indigenous organization CONAIE erupted across Ecuador on June 13, with demonstrators' demands including lower fuel prices and limits to further expansion of the mining and oil industries.

Peru's Machu Picchu threatened by wildfire

Peruvian firefighters were fighting to contain a forest fire near the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu on Thursday, as the blaze threatened to close in on the ancient city high in the Andean mountains. The fire, which had engulfed an area about half the size of Vatican City, was started on Tuesday by farmers burning grass and debris to prepare to sow new crops.

Mexico president doubles down on Hitler comparison with Jewish analyst after protest

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday said he was right to compare a prominent Mexican Jewish figure to Adolf Hitler for his political mindset, shrugging off a protest from the country's Jewish community. Lopez Obrador on Wednesday said advertising executive and political analyst Carlos Alazraki, a critic of the president, was "Hitlerian," prompting the Mexican Jewish community to issue a statement rejecting the remarks as "unacceptable."

N.Korea blames 'alien things' near border with S.Korea for COVID outbreak

North Korea claimed on Friday the country's first COVID outbreak began with patients touching "alien things" near the border with South Korea, apparently shifting blame to the neighbour for the wave of infections that hit the isolated country. Announcing its probe results, the North ordered its people to "vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena and balloons in the areas along the demarcation line and borders."

Tunisian president takes most powers in proposed constitution

Tunisia's president published a planned new constitution on Thursday that he will put to a referendum next month, expanding his own powers and limiting the role of parliament in a vote most political parties have already rejected. Kais Saied has ruled by decree since last summer, when he brushed aside the parliament and the democratic 2014 constitution in a step his foes called a coup, moving towards one-man rule and vowing to remake the political system.

China says New Zealand PM's comments on assertiveness "wrong"

China's embassy in New Zealand rebuked New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for comments she made at the NATO summit about Chinese assertiveness, calling them "misguided" and "wrong". Ardern said on Wednesday in Madrid that China has "in recent times also become more assertive and more willing to challenge international rules and norms."

Eight killed in Sudan as protesters rally on uprising anniversary

At least eight protesters were shot dead in Sudan on Thursday, medics said, as large crowds took to the streets despite heavy security and a communications blackout to rally against the military leadership that seized power eight months ago. In central Khartoum, security forces fired tear gas and water cannon in the afternoon as they tried to prevent swelling numbers of protesters from marching towards the presidential palace, witnesses said.

U.S. delegation fails to secure release of Americans in Venezuela visit

A U.S. delegation led by President Joe Biden's chief hostage negotiator ended a visit to Venezuela on Thursday after failing to secure the release of any of the Americans detained there, U.S. officials said. Hostage affairs envoy Roger Carstens was part of a group that met Venezuelan officials this week to press for the handover of prisoners.

Hong Kong deploys massive security as Xi set to swear in new leader

Authorities deployed a massive security force around Hong Kong on Friday as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepared to swear in the city's new leader and attend celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the former British colony's handover to Beijing. Red lanterns and posters declaring a "new era" of stability decorated main roads and walkways close to the harbourfront convention centre where the last colonial governor, Chris Patten, tearfully handed Hong Kong back to China at a rain-drenched ceremony in 1997.