Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
Germany's SPD eyes state vote win after Merkel party crisis
A leadership crisis in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party could help her Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners and the Greens in a state vote on Sunday, the first electoral test since her protegee gave up ambitions for the top job. Polls suggest the SPD will remain the biggest party in the election in the northern port of Hamburg, allowing them to continue their coalition with the resurgent Greens - set to see the biggest gains.
Norway rejects Moscow's claim it violated Svalbard Treaty
Norway has rejected Russian accusations of violating the terms of an international treaty regulating activities on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, as a diplomatic spat over Russian operations there escalated. Russia complained earlier in February that Oslo-imposed rules were restricting activities of Russian organizations there, calling for bilateral consultations, and on Thursday accused Norway of violating the Svalbard Treaty.
Iran holds election, hardliners set to dominate with turnout key
Iranians voted on Friday in a parliamentary election likely to help hardline loyalists of the supreme leader tighten their grip on power as the country faces mounting U.S. pressure over its nuclear program and growing discontent at home. State television said voting would run for 10 hours, but could be extended depending on turnout, which is seen as a critical test of the popularity of the clerical establishment after most moderates and leading conservative candidates were barred from running.
Assange's fate hangs in balance as UK court considers U.S. extradition bid
Almost a decade after his WikiLeaks website enraged Washington by leaking secret U.S. documents, a London court will begin hearings on Monday to decide whether Julian Assange should be extradited to the United States. A hero to admirers who say he has exposed abuses of power, Assange is cast by critics as a dangerous enemy of the state who has undermined Western security. He says the extradition is politically motivated by those embarrassed by his revelations.
Germany reopens hate speech, gun law debates after shisha bar killings
Germany's government faced calls to toughen gun ownership laws and step up efforts to track far-right sympathizers after the suspect in one of its worst mass shootings since World War Two was found to have published a racist manifesto. The 43-year-old presumed killer of nine people in two shisha bars in the southwestern town of Hanau late on Wednesday had posted the document, espousing conspiracy theories and deeply racist views, online.
Jail cases add to China coronavirus tally as SKorea infections double
The new coronavirus has infected about 500 people in China's prisons, almost half outside the province at the centre of the epidemic, authorities said on Friday, while South Korea reported 100 new cases that doubled its infections. The overall increase in new cases in China was relatively small, but changes in how it defines them have raised questions about the accuracy of its daily tallies - and the 234 infections among prisoners outside Hubei ended 16 straight days of declines in new mainland cases excluding that province.
Woman admits plotting to bomb St. Paul's cathedral in London
A woman has pleaded guilty to two terrorism offences, including scoping out St Paul's cathedral in London as a possible bomb target, police said on Friday. Safiyya Shaikh, 36, of Hayes, west London, has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the Old Bailey on May 11.
Re-arrested Turkish businessman accuses Erdogan of intervening in case
Prominent Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, re-arrested this week hours after being acquitted over his role in nationwide 2013 protests, said on Friday President Tayyip Erdogan had intervened to prevent his release from prison. Businessman Kavala was among nine people acquitted on Tuesday of charges related to the Gezi Park unrest seven years ago. He was then re-arrested and sent back to jail over charges related to a failed 2016 military coup.
Kazakh poachers sentenced to life for murdering ranger
A Kazakh court on Friday sentenced three poachers to life in prison for murdering a state ranger who attempted to stop them from hunting endangered saiga antelope, a case that drew the attention of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The court said the three men had assaulted two state rangers who pursued them in January 2019, one of whom then died from his wounds, the local news website Tengrinews.kz reported.
U.S, Taliban say they will sign agreement on Feb 29 following violence cut pact
The United States and the Taliban will sign an agreement on Feb. 29 at the end of a week long period of violence reduction in Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Taliban said on Friday. Afghan, international and Taliban forces will observe the reduced violence period beginning at midnight (1930 GMT), an Afghan official and Taliban leaders said earlier.
