World News Briefs -- May 13, 2020

Reuters: Maternity ward massacre shakes Afghanistan and its peace process

KABUL (Reuters) - After struggling to get pregnant for years, Zainab, 27, gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday morning at a small hospital in the southwestern corner of Kabul. She was overjoyed and named the boy Omid, meaning ‘hope’ in Dari.

At around 10 a.m. (0530 GMT), an hour before she and her family were set to return home to neighbouring Bamiyan province a three-hour drive away, three gunmen disguised as police burst into the hospital’s maternity ward and started shooting.

Zainab, who rushed back from the washroom after hearing the commotion, collapsed as she took in the scene. She spent seven years trying to have a child, waited nine months to meet her son and had just four hours with him before he was killed.

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MIDDLE EAST

Russia, China refuse to participate in UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

Hezbollah leader says Israel turns attention to hitting missile-making sites in Syria.

Virus-hit Iran reopens mosques for holy Ramadan nights.

Coronavirus: Lebanon imposes 'total' shutdown as cases increase.

Palestinian rock-thrower kills Israeli soldier in West Bank: military.

Pompeo visits Israel to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz.

Strict COVID-19 curfew will remain in Saudi Arabia for Eid al-Fitr.

ASIA

Afghan president orders resumption of offensive operations against Taliban. Ashraf Ghani orders troops to resume offensive against Taliban.

Death toll rises to 24 in attack on Afghan maternity hospital.

Outbreak on North Korea's border raises doubts over its virus toll.

Mystery as North Korea seals off major city - 'Could be planning Number One event'.

WHO says it cannot invite Taiwan to upcoming global health meeting.

Chinese state media warns Beijing will resist U.S.-Taiwan collaboration over WHO and coronavirus.

China tells New Zealand to stop 'creating trouble' after Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters backed Taiwan rejoining WHO.

Beijing denounces ‘immoral’ US Senate bill threatening China with sanctions over Covid-19.

Coronavirus: Hong Kong reopening threatens to renew mass protests.

AFRICA

Niger says 75 Boko Haram fighters killed in two operations.

Violence forces 23,000 Nigerians to flee to Niger.

Guinea police open fire on people protesting against lockdown.

Tracking Africa's coronavirus cases.

Coronavirus live news: every African country now affected as Lesotho announces first case.

Coronavirus: Tanzania hospitals overwhelmed - US.

Coronavirus detected in South Sudan camps.

Sudan rejects Ethiopia proposal to sign Nile mega-dam agreement.

Lesotho PM ready to step down but denies killing wife.

EUROPE

Germany says it will end border controls with France, Switzerland and Austria from June 15 as the country seeks to bring back free travel in Europe after coronavirus lockdown.

We will have summer tourist season, promises EU. Global report: EU bid to salvage summer with social distancing in hotels.

Exclusive: Europe nears crisis plan for public stakes in key companies - sources.

Austria's Kurz says still too soon to reopen border with Italy as EU states look to ease Covid-19 travel bans.

British economy shrank a record 5.8% in March, gov't says.

UK-EU trade deal with tariffs impossible in six months, say diplomats.

Merkel cites ‘hard evidence’ she was victim of ‘Russian hackers’, says it doesn’t help mend ties with Moscow.

U.K. high court dismisses 1970s convictions for politician Gerry Adams.

Spain eclipses Germany as top destination for asylum-seekers: report.

AMERICAS

Social distancing flattens coronavirus curve in US, but relax with caution, researchers warn.

U.S. governors seek Washington aid to fight 'red, white and blue' pandemic.

Conservationists sue Trump administration over border wall.

Report: US, Canada to extend travel ban through June 21.

Broadway to stay closed until at least September.

Brazil registers record death rate, marking it as global hotspot for Covid-19. Coronavirus: Brazil records highest daily rise in deaths.

Coronavirus: Crew on virus-hit cruise ship allowed to disembark in Uruguay.

Exclusive: FBI probes Mexican, European firms over Venezuela oil trading - sources.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

NGO report details IS group’s ‘abyss of horror’ in northern Syria.

US special operators will be countering violent extremists for the ‘long haul’.

Is the threat from ISIS really more significant because of COVID-19? (Commentary)

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

OPEC slashes oil demand forecast again, sees biggest hit this quarter.

Wall Street bonuses set to fall by as much as 30% in 2020: report.

Coronavirus: Tesla stand-off eases as officials reach deal.

China-EU summit on investment deal, Covid-19 likely to start next month, sources say.