Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
Sudan protest group calls for strike amid transition stand-off
Sudan's main protest group called on Monday for civil disobedience and a general strike as meetings with the country's military rulers failed to provide any breakthrough on the formation of a joint civilian-military transitional council. As tension between the two sides rose, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) said in a statement that the military had tried to break up a sit-in in the capital Khartoum where protesters are demanding a handover to civilian rule.
Sri Lanka on alert for attacks as archbishop slams poor church security
Sri Lankan security officials have warned that Islamist militants behind Easter Sunday's suicide bombings are planning attacks and could be dressed in uniform, as the archbishop of Colombo complained about insufficient security around churches. The militants were targeting five locations for attacks on Sunday just passed or on Monday, security sources said.
Islamic State airs video purporting to be leader al-Baghdadi
Islamic State's media network on Monday published a threatening video message purporting to come from its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in what would be his first appearance since declaring the jihadists' now-defunct "caliphate" five years ago. In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka were IS's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria.
U.N. chief raises issue of Xinjiang's Uighurs during China visit
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised the plight of Muslims in China's Xinjiang region during a visit to Beijing last week, a U.N. spokesman said on Monday. China has faced growing international condemnation for what it calls re-education and training centers in the remote western region. Activists say they are mass detention camps holding more than 1 million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims.
Specter of extradition law spreads as Hong Kong bookseller flees to Taiwan
A Hong Kong bookseller who was detained by China is seeking refuge in Taiwan, saying his home city will no longer be safe when new laws are enacted allowing extradition to China, which could drive even more emigrations from the financial hub. Lam Wing-kee, 63, worked at a bookshop owned by a publishing company that printed books critical of China's leaders and their private lives. He found himself at the center of a political storm in 2015 when he and five other Hong Kong booksellers were detained by Chinese agents.
Global military spending at new post-Cold War high, fueled by U.S., China: think-tank
Global military expenditure reached its highest level last year since the end of the Cold War, fueled by increased spending in the United States and China, the world's two biggest economies, a leading defense think-tank said on Monday. In its annual report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said overall global military spending in 2018 hit $1.82 trillion, up 2.6 percent on the previous year.
Explainer: Japan emperor abdication rare, but could set precedent
Emperor Akihito, 85, will step down on Tuesday, almost three years after he first publicly hinted he wanted to retire and hand over to his heir, Crown Prince Naruhito. It is the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in two centuries. SHOCKING NEWS
South Sudan hires U.S. lobbyists to help block war crimes court: contract
South Sudan has hired U.S. lobbyists to help it reverse U.S. sanctions and stop the establishment of a court meant to prosecute war crimes, a document showed - a move rights groups said could undermine victims seeking justice. Under the contract, signed on April 2 and published on the U.S. Justice Department website, South Sudan's government agreed to pay California-based Gainful Solutions $3.7 million over two years.
Japanese Emperor Akihito abdicating after three decades on throne
Japanese Emperor Akihito will abdicate on Tuesday in favor of his elder son, ending a three-decade reign during which he sought to ease the painful memories of World War Two and reach out to ordinary people, including the marginalized in society. The abdication, the first by a Japanese monarch in two centuries, will be marked by a brief and relatively simple ceremony in the Imperial Palace's prestigious Matsu no ma, or Hall of Pine. About 300 people will attend and it will be broadcast live on television.
An armed group tried to attack Libya's El Sharara oilfield: engineer
An armed group tried to attack Libya's El Sharara oilfield, the country's biggest, but there was no impact on production, a field engineer said on Monday. The gunmen were stopped outside the field, he said, asking not to be identified.
