Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. In broadside against China, Trump moves toward ending Hong Kong privileges

President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China, but stopped short of calling an immediate end to privileges that have helped the territory remain a global financial center. In making the announcement, Trump used some of his toughest rhetoric yet against China, saying Beijing had broken its word over Hong Kong's autonomy by moving to impose new national security legislation and the territory no longer warranted U.S. economic privileges. Exclusive: U.S. warns governments, firms against aiding Iran fuel shipments to Venezuela - envoy

Seeking to deter further shipments of Iranian fuel to Venezuela, the Trump administration has quietly warned foreign governments, seaports, shipping companies and insurers that they could face stiff U.S. sanctions if they aid the tanker flotilla, the U.S. envoy on Venezuela told Reuters on Friday. Elliott Abrams, Washington's special representative on Venezuela, said the pressure campaign targeting heavily sanctioned U.S. foes Iran and Venezuela was being waged "to be sure everyone recognizes this would be a very dangerous transaction to assist." Trump cutting U.S. ties with World Health Organization over virus

The United States will end its relationship with the World Health Organization over the body's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday, accusing the U.N. agency of becoming a puppet of China. The move to quit the Geneva-based body, which the United States formally joined in 1948, comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over the coronavirus outbreak. The virus first emerged in China's Wuhan city late last year. U.S. warns of Russian bid for Libya stronghold after warplane delivery

The U.S. military believes a Russian introduction of warplanes into Libya may not tip the balance in its stalemated civil war but could further help Moscow eventually secure a geostrategic stronghold in North Africa, a U.S. general said on Friday. Russian military personnel have delivered 14 MiG 29 and Su-24 fighter jets to the Libyan National Army's Jufra air base, the U.S. military says, despite denials from the LNA and a Russian member of parliament. Brazil reaches 27,878 coronavirus deaths, surpasses Spain

Coronavirus deaths in Brazil reached 27,878, the Health Ministry said on Friday, surpassing Spain to become the fifth ranking nation in the number of dead. In the last 24 hours, Brazil, which now has the second-largest outbreak in the world, registered 1,124 deaths from the virus and 26,928 additional cases of the novel coronavirus. Germany's Merkel rejects Trump invite to attend G7 summit in Washington: Politico

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has refused to accept U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation to attend an envisaged summit of the Group of Seven (G7) in the United States, Politico reported on Friday. "The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G7 summit at the end of June in Washington. As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington," the report quoted German government spokesman Steffen Seibert as saying. Red light: Mexican coronavirus restart hits speed bumps

Mexico faces a sluggish exit from coronavirus lockdown as government guidance on next week's planned easing of restrictions showed on Friday that nearly the entire country was still stuck in the highest red phase of contagion alert. From June 1, the government had planned to start reopening the country from anti-coronavirus measures. Instead, deaths and new infections from the pandemic have scaled new peaks this week, dampening expectations for major changes. Portugal approves third phase of lockdown exit, Lisbon takes it slow

Portugal gave the green light on Friday to the third phase of its lockdown exit, but some restrictions will remain in Lisbon due to localised outbreaks in industrial hubs and outskirts. From June 1, shopping malls, childcare centres, gyms, cinemas, theatres and other cultural venues can reopen across most of the country but with capacity restrictions. Twitter, internet group oppose U.S. rules requiring visitors to disclose social media info

Twitter Inc, Reddit and a group representing major internet firms backed two documentary film groups that have challenged the Trump Administration's 2019 rules requiring nearly all U.S. visitors to disclose social media user information from the prior five years. In court papers filed on Thursday, the social media sites and the Internet Association, representing Facebook, Amazon.com, Alphabet and others, said the rules force foreign nationals "to surrender their anonymity in order to travel to the United States" and "chill a vast quantity of speech and associational activity." International naval operation nets 50 tonnes of cocaine in 45 days

A multilateral naval anti-drug operation confiscated 50 tonnes of cocaine in 45 days, Colombia President Ivan Duque said on Friday. The Orion V operation - which includes 26 countries from the Americas and Europe - took place from the start of April until May 15. Some 150 people were arrested and dozens of watercraft and four airplanes were confiscated.

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