Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Queen Elizabeth marks 95th birthday, days after husband's funeral

Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the world's oldest monarch, turns 95 on Wednesday, but there will be no public celebrations of an occasion that comes just days after she bade a sad farewell to her husband of seven decades at his funeral. Prince Philip, whom Elizabeth married in 1947, died on April 9 at the age of 99. The royals paid their final respects to the family's patriarch at his funeral on Saturday at Windsor Castle.

Mexican governor out to seize Tijuana's Prohibition-era golf course

The Tijuana Country Club and its 18-hole golf course, an oasis of swaying palms and manicured lawns in the crowded Mexican border city, is set for a radical makeover as a public park under a government plan to turn it over to the people. Baja California state Governor Jaime Bonilla of the ruling party Morena has proposed to convert the club's 120 acres (50 hectares) into a public recreational space for sports and culture, arguing that it is one of the few green areas in Tijuana that can be redeveloped for that purpose, in a city with few parks.

Much more work needed in Iran nuclear talks despite progress, EU says

Iran and world powers have made headway in talks to save the 2015 nuclear accord, although much more work is needed, a senior European Union official said on Tuesday, with meetings to resume next week after consultations in their respective capitals. "Progress made over the last two weeks," European External Action Service Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora said on Twitter. "But much more hard work needed. Third expert group was created to address sequencing issues."

Blinken to meet virtually with 15 Caribbean foreign ministers

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet virtually on Wednesday with 15 foreign ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), State Department spokesman Ned Price said. "They will discuss a number of issues affecting our region, including climate change and disaster resilience and reinforce the deep bond we share with our Caribbean neighbors," Price said in a regular news briefing on Tuesday, adding that the United States was continuing to support the people of Saint Vincent after the volcanic eruption on the eastern Caribbean island earlier this month.

Egypt's Sunday train accident killed 23, says public prosecutor

Egypt's public prosecutor office on Tuesday said that a train derailing north of Cairo on Sunday had left 23 people dead and 139 injured. The train was heading from Cairo to the Nile Delta city of Mansoura when four carriages derailed at 1:54 p.m. (1154 GMT), about 40 kms (25 miles) north of the capital, Egyptian National Railways said.

Brazil defense minister defends democracy, pledges to adhere to constitution

Brazil's defense minister defended the democratic system on Tuesday, decrying "attempts at institutional destabilization" amid concerns over President Jair Bolsonaro's commitment to constitutional norms ahead of next year's election. Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto, speaking alongside the president at the inauguration ceremony of new Army commander, General Paulo Sergio Nogueira de Oliveira, said the armed forces were committed to upholding the constitution and "prepared and ready to serve national interests."

Sao Paulo Governor Doria wants to run for president in Brazil's 2022 vote

Sao Paulo state Governor Joao Doria will seek to win his PSDB party nomination for the Brazilian presidency in an October primary, he told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday, trying to unseat President Jair Bolsonaro in next year's election. Speaking at the state governor's palace, the centrist Doria said there were two other likely candidates from his party "who deserve respect" - Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite and the former mayor of the northern city of Manaus, Arthur Virgílio.

J&J to cooperate in study of rare clots linked to COVID-19 vaccine, German scientist says

A German scientist studying extremely rare blood clots linked to AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine said on Tuesday Johnson & Johnson has agreed to work with him on the research after similar serious side effects emerged in recipients of its shot. Andreas Greinacher, a transfusion medicine expert at Greifswald University, announced the collaboration after the European Medicines Agency said it would add a label to J&J's vaccine warning of unusual blood clots with low platelet counts. AstraZeneca's shot has a similar warning.

Chad leader Deby, key Western ally, killed in battle -army

Chad's president, Idriss Deby, who ruled his country for more than 30 years and was an important Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in Africa, was killed on Monday in a battle against rebels in the north, authorities said. His son, Mahamat Idriss Deby, was named interim president by a transitional council of military officers, army spokesman Azem Bermendoa Agouna said on state television on Tuesday.

Navalny supporters seek to drown out Putin speech with mass protests

President Vladimir Putin will deliver a state-of-the-nation speech to Russians on Wednesday as supporters of his fiercest critic, Alexei Navalny, plan nationwide protests over his deteriorating health in jail. Putin, who makes a point of never uttering Navalny's name, has said his speech to both houses of parliament will focus on projects to boost economic growth, which has been hit by foreign sanctions, low oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)