Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, May 2

Around 70,000 people took to the streets in Paris to call for the withdrawal of a labor reform during the May Day rally, figures released by major French union CGT showed on Sunday.

Across French cities "tens of thousands" of demonstrators voiced their anger over a government draft bill to reform labor code two days ahead of its examination at the National Assembly, CGT said. (EU-France-Labor Day)

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BAGHDAD -- Thousands of followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Sunday started to withdraw from the Green Zone in central Baghdad in honor for a major Shiite ritual and to give time for the political parties to agree on reforms demanded by the protesters.

A statement issued by a committee of Sadr aides, responsible for organizing the protest, said "the masses from a position of strength announces evacuation from the Green Zone." (Iraq-Protests)

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NAIROBI -- The death toll from a building collapse in Kenyan capital Nairobi on Friday night following heavy rains rose to 16 on Sunday. [ According to the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), some 135 people have been rescued from the six-story residential building while 73 others are still missing. (Kenya-Society)

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UNITED NATIONS -- Egypt on Sunday assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for May.

Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, permanent representative of Egypt to the UN, took over the rotating council presidency from his Chinese counterpart Liu Jieyi, who held the council presidency for April. (UN-Security Council-Rotating Presidency) Endi