Reuters World News Summary

09/19/2016 19:50

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Congo anti-government march turns violent in capital, 17 dead

Congolese police on Monday clashed with protesters marching against what they claim is a bid by President Joseph Kabila to extend his mandate, killing at least 17 people and prompting a threat of further sanctions from the United States. The protest, attended by thousands, came at a time of growing local and international pressure on Kabila to step down when his term of office legally ends in December.

India mulls response after deadly Kashmir attack it blames on Pakistan

India said on Monday it had the right to respond when and where it chose to a deadly attack on an army base in Kashmir, after blaming Pakistan for the raid that killed 18 soldiers. The assault, in which four gunmen burst into a brigade headquarters in the town of Uri before dawn on Sunday, was among the deadliest in the disputed Himalayan region and has sharply raised tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Putin firms control with big win for Russia's ruling party

Vladimir Putin cemented his supremacy over Russia's political system when his ruling United Russia party took three quarters of the seats in parliament in a weekend election, paving the way for him to run for a fourth term as president. Opposition activists and European observers questioned how free and fair the vote had been, however, although there were no immediate signs the result might spark street protests of the kind which erupted after the last such election in 2011.

Juncker needs no protection from tough questions, EU says

The European Commission said on Monday that Jean-Claude Juncker needed no protection from awkward questions after a video blogger accused a staffer at YouTube of trying to censor her questions to the EU chief executive. Juncker, 61, gave a series of live interviews on YouTube last Thursday to young social media celebrities, including French 'vlogger' Laetitia Birbes, aiming to counter an image of Brussels' bureaucrats as stuffy and out of touch.

U.S., China agree to step up cooperation at U.N. on North Korea

U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed on Monday to step up cooperation in the United Nations Security Council and in law-enforcement channels after North Korea's fifth nuclear test, the White House said. U.N. diplomats say China and the United States have started discussions on a possible U.N. sanctions resolution in response to the test earlier this month, but Beijing has not said directly whether it will support tougher steps against North Korea.

Thousands flee blaze at Greek migrant camp on Lesbos

Thousands of people fled from a fire at a migrant camp on Lesbos on Monday night, a police official on the Greek island said, noting that there had been noticeable tension among residents earlier in the evening, before the blaze started. The fire brigade was investigating the cause of the fire, the official said.

Obama hopes for progress on Mosul by year-end

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday his administration would ask Congress and other countries to "step up" aid for Iraq to help rebuild Mosul after an expected operation in the coming months to dislodge Islamic State militants from the city. Speaking to reporters at the end of a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Obama said he hoped for progress by the end of the year on Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city which fell to the Islamic State group in June 2014.

Air strikes hit aid convoy as Syria says ceasefire over

An aid convoy was hit in Aleppo province, the United Nations said on Monday, as the Syrian military declared that a week-long ceasefire was over. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said the attacks were carried out by either Syrian or Russian aircraft, adding that there had been 35 strikes in and around Aleppo since the truce ended.

On New York mission, Theresa May seeks to shore up UK influence after Brexit

On a mission to shore up British clout after the shock vote to leave the European Union raised questions over the future unity of the West, Prime Minister Theresa May will tell leaders on Tuesday that Britain will not turn away from the world. In her maiden speech to the United Nations General Assembly, May will sketch her views on how to deal with terrorism, mass migration and modern slavery while also calling for modernization of the 71-year-old organization.

North Korea's Kim guides new rocket engine test, calls for satellite launch

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised a ground test of a new rocket engine to launch satellites, the North's state media reported on Tuesday, the latest in a rapid succession of missile-related tests this year by the isolated state. Kim asked that the scientists and engineers make "preparations for launching the satellite as soon as possible on the basis of the successful test," the official KCNA news agency said, indicating the North may soon launch another long-range rocket.

09/19/2016 19:50