Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
Brazil impeachment trial closer to sealing Rousseff's fate
A Senate report found on Tuesday that Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff violated the constitution by manipulating government accounts, moving her drawn-out impeachment trial closer to deciding her fate. The report is expected to be approved by the impeachment committee on Friday and by the full Senate next Tuesday, leading to the final trial phase in which the 81 Senators must reach a verdict at the end of August or first days of September.
Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian chemist Zewail dies
Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian-American chemist Ahmed Zewail, a science and technology advisor to President Barack Obama and the first U.S. science envoy to the Middle East, died on Tuesday in the United States, his spokesman told Egyptian state TV. Zewail, who was 70 and a member of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) faculty, was the sole recipient of the Nobel chemistry prize in 1999 for his pioneering work in femtochemistry, the study of chemical reactions in ultra-short time scales.
Zuma, economy in focus as South Africa holds local elections
South Africa holds local government elections on Wednesday in what looks likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma's scandal-plagued leadership and on an economy forecast to stagnate this year. The African National Congress (ANC) has held sway in the main cities since white-minority rule in Africa's most industrialized country ended 22 years ago. Any defeats could erode the party's support before a general election in 2019.
Colombia destroys 104 cocaine labs in five days
Colombian law enforcement has destroyed 104 cocaine laboratories capable of producing some 100 tonnes of the drug annually, the head of the anti-narcotics police said on Tuesday. The operation, conducted over five days in the country's southeastern jungle region, is part of new government strategy focused on combating drug production as well as the cultivation of coca, the base ingredient of cocaine.
UK lawmakers say Europe's efforts over migration crisis 'lamentable'
European Union attempts to tackle the migration crisis have been a failure, amounting to "too little, too late" with not enough being done to tackle people-smugglers, a committee of British lawmakers said on Wednesday. "Europe's efforts to address this colossal refugee crisis have been lamentable," said Keith Vaz, chairman of the British parliament's Home Affairs Committee.
Pope orders study of women's role in early Church, cheering equality campaigners
Pope Francis has set up a commission to study the role of women deacons in early Christianity, the Vatican said on Tuesday, raising hopes among equality campaigners that women could one day have a far greater say in the Roman Catholic Church. The Church bans women from all but a few decision-making roles and the pope and his predecessors have ruled out allowing them to become priests. But advocates said Francis's move might make it easier for a future pope to study whether to allow that.
Japanese PM Abe to pick hawkish ally for defense in cabinet rejig
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was widely expected to appoint conservative ally Tomomi Inada as defense minister on Wednesday, a move that could upset China and South Korea, while keeping key ministers in their posts in a cabinet rejig. Inada, the ruling party policy chief, shares Abe's goal of revising the post-war, pacifist constitution, which some conservatives consider a humiliating symbol of Japan's World War Two defeat.
Rescuers say toxic gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian helicopter shot down
A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday a helicopter dropped containers of toxic gas overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter had been shot down hours earlier. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al-Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons.
Obama, Singapore leader push Pacific trade deal in state visit
President Barack Obama and Singapore's prime minister on Tuesday made sales pitches for a Pacific Rim trade deal that both U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have derided and that has been stalled in Congress. Aiming to keep alive hopes for a post-election congressional vote in the closing weeks of 2016 in favor of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Obama said its merits would overcome fierce criticism on the campaign trail.
Erdogan says Turkey's coup script was 'written abroad'
President Tayyip Erdogan accused the West of supporting terrorism and standing by coups on Tuesday, questioning Turkey's relationship with the United States and saying the "script" for an abortive putsch last month was "written abroad." In a combative speech at his palace in Ankara, Erdogan said charter schools in the United States were the main source of income for the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who he says masterminded the bloody July 15 putsch.
© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained in this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.
