Reuters World News Summary

The U.S. Commerce Department said the two dozen companies played a "role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize the internationally condemned artificial islands in the South China Sea." Argentina daily COVID-19 cases top 10,000 for first time Argentina posted a record daily rise of 10,550 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the health ministry said, taking the total caseload to 370,188 as the South American nation struggles to rein in the spread of infections while trying to ease open its crisis-hit economy.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Pressure mounts to disband Brazil's crack anti-corruption squad

Political pressure is growing in Brazil to disband a high-profile team of anti-corruption prosecutors that has put dozens of former executives and politicians behind bars, despite its strong popular support and hundreds of cases still pending. Prosecutor General Augusto Aras will decide on Sept. 10 whether to renew for another year the mandate of the team, which has repeatedly made headlines over the last six years with its sprawling 'Car Wash' corruption probe. Pompeo discusses Libyan conflict, Iran with UAE counterpart

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the Libyan conflict and countering Iranian regional influence with his Emirati counterpart during a brief visit to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. The visit followed a U.S. brokered-accord this month, which saw the UAE become just the third Arab state to agree to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel. U.S. targets Chinese individuals, companies amid South China Sea dispute

The United States on Wednesday blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and targeted individuals it said were part of construction and military actions in the South China Sea, its first such sanctions move against Beijing over the disputed strategic waterway. The U.S. Commerce Department said the two dozen companies played a "role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize the internationally condemned artificial islands in the South China Sea." Argentina daily COVID-19 cases top 10,000 for first time

Argentina posted a record daily rise of 10,550 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the health ministry said, taking the total caseload to 370,188 as the South American nation struggles to rein in the spread of infections while trying to ease open its crisis-hit economy. The grains producer, which imposed a strict lockdown in March that initially helped slow the spread of the virus, is now fast catching up with other hard-hit countries in the region, including neighbor Chile where new infections have slowed. U.S. troops injured in Russian vehicle collision in Syria, U.S. officials say

U.S. troops in Syria were wounded this week when a Russian military patrol slammed into their vehicle, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, as Washington condemned the incident as a violation of safety protocols agreed with Moscow. Two officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said several U.S. troops suffered concussive symptoms following the incident. Exclusive: France creates reform roadmap for crisis-ridden Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron has created a roadmap for Lebanese politicians outlining political and financial reforms needed to unlock foreign aid and rescue the country from multiple crises including an economic meltdown, according to a document seen by Reuters. The two-page "concept paper" was delivered by the French ambassador to Beirut, a Lebanese political source said. A diplomatic source at Macron's Elysee office said no document has been given to Lebanese parties. A French Foreign Ministry official declined comment. Kremlin says does not want Navalny illness to damage ties with West

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it hoped opposition politician Alexei Navalny's illness would not damage Russia's ties with the West and that it was keen to find out why he fell ill despite declining to open an investigation into the incident. Navalny is in a medically induced coma in a Berlin hospital where he was airlifted on Saturday after collapsing during a flight. The German clinic said its initial medical examination pointed to poisoning, though Russian doctors who had treated Navalny in a Siberian hospital have contradicted that diagnosis. Protesters rounded up in Belarus; Nobel-winning writer due for questioning

Belarusian police have rounded up dozens of protesters heading home from peaceful demonstrations, rights groups said on Wednesday, after days in which the authorities exercised comparative restraint towards mass anti-government rallies. The country's most celebrated writer, Nobel Prize-winner Svetlana Alexievich, was expected to appear for questioning later on Wednesday in a criminal investigation into an opposition council, two of whose leaders were jailed this week. EU trade chief Hogan quits over Ireland COVID-19 'golfgate' controversy

Phil Hogan quit as the EU's Trade Commissioner on Wednesday after days of pressure over allegations he breached COVID-19 guidelines during a trip to his native Ireland, saying it had become clear the controversy was a distraction from his work. The forced exit of a heavyweight from the bloc's executive will be a credibility blow for the team led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for less than a year. New Zealand court to announce sentence for mosque shooter

A gunman who killed 51 Muslim worshippers last year in New Zealand's deadliest shooting will be sentenced on Thursday, after three days of emotionally charged statements from his victims in court. Brenton Tarrant, a white supremacist, told the court in the city of Christchurch on Wednesday that he will not speak ahead of Justice Cameron Mander handing down his sentence, but will instead make a comment through a court-appointed lawyer.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)