Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Mali government says death toll from double attack rises to 38

The death toll from attacks on two army bases in central Mali has risen to 38 from 25, defense minister Dahirou Dembélé said on state television late on Thursday. The double attack, carried out by unidentified assailants, was among the deadliest suffered by Malian forces this year as they struggle to contain militant groups with links to al Qaeda or Islamic State that have set up operations in parts of Mali from where they launch attacks across the Sahel.

Beijing likely to pass on Trump invitation to probe Bidens, China experts say

If China were to act on U.S. President Donald Trump's surprising request on Thursday to start an investigation into Democratic rival Joe Biden and his family, it would be breaking one of its stated rules: do not meddle in another nation's internal politics. Beijing also stands to gain little by helping Trump undermine a political opponent, even in the midst of a bitter trade war that China is eager to end, China experts say.

Hong Kong set to enact emergency laws as it struggles to contain violence

Hong Kong's government is expected to discuss sweeping emergency laws on Friday that would include banning face masks at protests, two sources told Reuters, as the Chinese-ruled territory grapples with an escalating cycle of violence. Authorities have already loosened guidelines on the use of force by police, according to documents seen by Reuters on Thursday, as they struggle to stamp out anti-government protests that have rocked Hong Kong for nearly four months.

Former U.S. Army interpreter from Iraq gets 30 years for dealing fentanyl on dark web

An Iraqi immigrant who worked as a U.S. Army interpreter was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday for dealing the powerful opioid fentanyl over secret online networks, leading to the drug death of a Marine, prosecutors said. Alaa Mohammed Allawi, 30, who pleaded guilty to drug and weapons charges, was also ordered to forfeit his San Antonio, Texas home, a Maserati sportscar, firearms, jewelry, his stake in a California-based coffee franchise and nearly $50,000 in U.S. and crypto-currencies.

Honduran president denies protecting brother caught in U.S. drug probe

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Thursday he had never intervened to protect anybody, after his brother was accused of smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States for years under Hernandez's protection. "Nobody is above the law," Hernandez told a news conference in the Honduran capital. "I've never intervened, nor will I, to protect anybody - not friends, nor fellow party members, nor family members - absolutely nobody."

UK tells EU: over to you now on Brexit

Britain has made a constructive Brexit proposal to the European Union and is now willing to negotiate on the details to get a new exit deal with the bloc, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said on Thursday. "We are focused on getting a deal because we think this is the best way forward," Barclay said. "These are serious proposals and clearly we need to have a negotiation with the EU on taking them forward."

Ecuador declares state of emergency as fuel protesters battle police

Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno declared a state of emergency on Thursday as protesters hurled stones and erected burning barricades after the end of decades-old fuel subsidies as part of a $2 billion government fiscal reform package. Police responded with tear gas in the worst unrest for years in the oil-producing Andean nation.

Death toll climbs, unrest spreads in Iraq in days of protests

Iraqi security forces opened fire on thousands of demonstrators who defied a curfew in Baghdad on Thursday and exchanged fire with gunmen in southern cities, bringing to 27 the death toll from three days of anti-government protests. The protests spread to other cities in predominantly Shi'ite Muslim southern Iraq, where policemen said they increasingly encountered demonstrators carrying weapons.

North Korea says successfully tested new submarine-launched ballistic missile: KCNA

North Korea successfully tested a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Wednesday morning, state news agency KCNA said on Thursday. North Korean leader "Kim Jong Un sent warm congratulations" to those who had carried out the successful test-firing of the new type of SLBM, called Pukguksong-3, KCNA said, indicating that Kim was not at the site.

Brazil police raid Rio hospital to get bullet that killed child: report

Between 10 and 20 Brazilian police officers swept into a hospital in Rio de Janeiro and demanded doctors hand over a bullet that allegedly killed an 8-year-old girl during a police operation, a domestic magazine reported on Thursday. The military police officers raided the Getulio Vargas hospital around dawn on Sept. 21, a Saturday, just hours after Agatha Felix was killed in the city's poor Alemao district. According to bystanders, Felix was shot during a police raid, when a police officer mistakenly shot her while aiming at a motorcyclist. She died later in hospital.