Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S. will not lift sanctions to negotiate with Iran: Trump

The United States will not lift sanctions on Iran in order to negotiate, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted late on Saturday, seemingly in response to a Der Spiegel interview with Iran's foreign minister. "Iranian Foreign Minister says Iran wants to negotiate with The United States, but wants sanctions removed. @FoxNews @OANN No Thanks!" Trump tweeted in English on Saturday and later in Farsi.

Syrian government forces capture towns in advance on rebel-held Idlib

Syrian government forces have taken control of several towns in northwestern Idlib province, a war monitor and Syrian state media reported, amid a renewed push by President Bashar al-Assad to recapture the last rebel stronghold. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Idlib in recent weeks amid stepped up air strikes by Russian and Syrian forces aimed at clearing the opposition from its last redoubt after almost nine years of civil war.

Erdogan says Haftar pursues Libya attacks 'with all his resources'

Eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar is violating Libya's truce and so cannot be expected to respect the ceasefire called between his forces and pro-government troops, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday. Despite efforts by Turkey and Russia, Haftar abandoned talks on a ceasefire in Moscow earlier this month and his blockade of Libyan oilfields overshadowed a summit in Berlin last week aimed at agreeing on a permanent truce.

Oman's foreign minister meets Iran's foreign minister Zarif: Tweet

Oman's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah will meet Iran's Foreign Ninister Javad Zarif in Tehran on Sunday to discuss maritime security in the Hormuz strait, Oman's foreign ministry tweeted. Oman maintains friendly ties with both the United States and Iran and has previously been a go-between for the two countries, which severed diplomatic ties after the 1979 Iranian revolution.

Heavy rains dampen fires in Australia's Queensland state, cause flooding

Australia's bushfire-stricken state of Queensland saw heavy rainfalls on Sunday dampening some of the fires that have razed 2.5 million hectares (1.2 million acres) of land since September, but the wet weather caused major flooding. Some areas received a quarter of the annual average rainfall, according to Reuters' calculations, with the state's Bureau of Meteorology saying coastal areas experienced up to 160 millimeters (6.3 inches) of rain in the 24-hour period to 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Turkey quake rescue winds down after dozens pulled from rubble

A thousands-strong rescue operation to pull survivors from collapsed buildings in eastern Turkey began winding down on Sunday, a day and a half after a powerful earthquake killed dozens. Teams had worked through the night to rescue 45 people from the rubble, the disaster authority said, using drills, mechanical diggers, buckets and bare hands in the search for survivors at three sites in Elazig province.

Iraqi security forces clash with hundreds of protesters in central Baghdad

Iraqi security forces firing teargas and live bullets clashed with hundreds of protesters in central Baghdad on Sunday, a Reuters witness and security sources said, following a push to clear out a sit-in camp in the heart of the capital. At least 14 protesters were injured, the security and medical sources said.

Afghan forces launch air, ground attacks on Taliban, killing 51

Afghan forces used ground attacks and air strikes in multiple operations against the Taliban during the last 24 hours, killing 51 fighters in an escalation that signaled renewed deadlock in peace talks. Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said on Sunday that government forces had conducted 13 ground offensives and 12 air strikes in nine provinces, adding that 51 "terrorists" had been killed, 13 wounded and six arrested.

China scrambles to contain 'strengthening' virus

The ability of the new coronavirus to spread is strengthening and infections could continue to rise, China's National Health Commission said on Sunday, with nearly 2,000 people in China infected and 56 killed by the disease. A handful of cases have been reported outside China, including in Thailand, Australia, the United States and France, with health authorities around the world racing to prevent a pandemic.

Israel approves travel to Saudi under limited circumstances

Israel on Sunday announced that it would permit Israeli citizens to travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time, under certain conditions that include Israeli entrepreneurs seeking investments, in a signal of warming ties. Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, after consulting the country's security establishment, issued a statement saying that Israelis would be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia under two circumstances: for religious reasons on pilgrimage on the haj, or for up to nine days for business reasons such as investment or meetings.