Reuters World News Summary

09/17/2016 19:54

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

False alarm leads to major police operation in central Paris

Parts of central Paris were cordoned off on Saturday after a false alarm triggered a major security operation, French police said. French government security alert app - SAIP - warned citizens that a police operation was under way in Saint-Leu church in the busy shopping district of Chatelet and advised people to stay away.

Pro-Putin party seen winning even greater sway in Russia's parliament

The ruling United Russia party is expected to win even greater dominance over Russia's lower house in a parliamentary election on Sunday, showing that support for President Vladimir Putin is holding up despite sanctions and a deep economic slowdown. The election for the Duma, or lower house, is being seen as a dry run for Putin's expected presidential campaign in 2018.

Venezuela summit draws few leaders in blow to Maduro

Only a handful of leaders have traveled to a meeting of a large Cold War-era bloc in Venezuela this week, in an embarrassment for the crisis-hit socialist government. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has touted the 17th meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement as one that would "be remembered for centuries," as the unpopular leftist seeks to bolster his international legitimacy.

Global fund raises $12.9 billion to fight AIDS, TB and malaria

A global fund has raised over $12.9 billion from international donors as part of a campaign aimed at effectively eradicating AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis by 2030, conference organizers said on Saturday. The Global Fund asked government, faith-based and private-sector partners to raise a total of $13 billion at a donor conference in Montreal to support its activities over the next three years, starting in 2017.

Syria truce 'will not hold out' says senior rebel source

Syria's ceasefire "will not hold out," a senior rebel official in Aleppo warned on Saturday, as air strikes and shelling continued in some places and promised aid deliveries failed to come through. The ceasefire is the result of an agreement between Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with air power, and the United States, which supports some rebel groups, and has cooled fighting since coming into effect last Monday.

Canada's Trudeau sees potential for stronger ties with China

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking days after a Canadian man was released from prison in China, said on Saturday there was "tremendous potential" for stronger and more stable ties with the Asian country. Trudeau won a diplomatic coup last week after China deported Kevin Garratt, who had been detained for two years on allegations of spying. The release came shortly after Trudeau's official visit to China earlier this month and ahead of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's arrival in Canada next week.

Colombia's FARC will fight on as political party, rebel leader says

Colombia's Marxist FARC rebels will continue their fight for social justice under a peace deal with the government, its top commander said on Saturday at the opening of the group's final congress as an armed group. Representatives from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are expected to ratify the recently agreed accord at its tenth congress this week, the first ever open to the media.

Central African Republic rebels kill 26 villagers: presidential spokesman

Rebels have killed 26 villagers in Central African Republic, a spokesman for the presidency said on Saturday, the worst bloodshed in recent months in a country trying to draw a line under years of religious violence and political turmoil. Albert Mokpeme said the killings took place in the village of Ndomete, not far from the town of Kaga-Bandoro, about 350 km (220 miles) north of the capital Bangui. He blamed fighters from the former Seleka rebel coalition.

Aid budgets under pressure as funds stretched to cope with refugees, say campaigners

Governments are failing to meet the world's massive humanitarian challenges because aid budgets in many countries are being stretched to cover the refugee crisis, a leading anti-poverty group said on Sunday. Goals such as tackling disease and ending extreme poverty by 2030 may slip down the agenda as donor governments shift funds away from long-term development aid, The ONE Campaign said.

Merkel faces setback in Berlin vote due to migrant fears

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives look set to suffer a second electoral blow in two weeks in a Berlin city vote on Sunday as a growing number of voters are expected to express their unease with her refugee-friendly policy. The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to profit from a popular backlash over Merkel's decision a year ago to keep German borders open for refugees and the party could enter its tenth regional assembly out of Germany's 16 states.

09/17/2016 19:54