World News Roundup: Belarus prosecutor requests 12-year jail term for Nobel winner Byalyatski; Kremlin dismisses claims Putin was involved in MH17 downing and more

The country has forged ahead with its ballistic missile programme, test-launching dozens of advanced missiles last year despite United Nations Security Council resolutions and sanctions. Elon Musk's Neuralink may have illegally transported pathogens, animal advocates say An animal-welfare organization said it plans to ask a U.S. government agency on Thursday to investigate Elon Musk's brain-implant company Neuralink over records it said show potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Belarus prosecutor requests 12-year jail term for Nobel winner Byalyatski

A Belarusian prosecutor asked a Minsk court on Thursday to sentence Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski to 12 years in prison, Byalyatski's human rights organisation said, in a case allies see as political retribution. Byalyatski and three co-defendants, one of whom is abroad, have been charged with financing protests and smuggling money. They also face a fine of more than $73,000, the Viasna human rights organisation said.

Kremlin dismisses claims Putin was involved in MH17 downing

The Kremlin dismissed on Thursday the findings of international prosecutors investigating the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) who said they had found "strong indications" of Russian President Vladimir Putin's involvement in the incident. The prosecutors said on Wednesday at The Hague they had found "strong indications" that Putin had approved the use of Russian BUK missile systems that were used to shoot down the plane over eastern Ukraine in 2014.

How a band of Ukraine civilians helped seal Russia's biggest defeat

Ukrainian intelligence wanted confirmation last autumn that officers of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) overseeing the occupation of Kherson were staying in a small hotel on a back street of the southern port city. The task was assigned to Dollar: the code name for a civilian who had been secretly providing targeting coordinates and information on enemy operations in Kherson and the surrounding region, the operative said.

Plight of homeless deepens as Turkey-Syria earthquake toll passes 17,000

The plight of hundreds of thousands of people left homeless by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria grew more desperate on Thursday, while hopes faded of many more people being found alive amid the ruins of cities. The death toll from Monday's quakes, which struck in the early morning, passed 17,000 on Thursday across both countries.

North Korea shows off largest-ever number of nuclear missiles at nighttime parade

Nuclear-armed North Korea showcased its missile production muscle during a nighttime parade, state media reported on Thursday, displaying more intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) than ever before and hinting at a new solid-fuel weapon. The country has forged ahead with its ballistic missile programme, test-launching dozens of advanced missiles last year despite United Nations Security Council resolutions and sanctions.

Elon Musk's Neuralink may have illegally transported pathogens, animal advocates say

An animal-welfare organization said it plans to ask a U.S. government agency on Thursday to investigate Elon Musk's brain-implant company Neuralink over records it said show potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens. The Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine (PCRM) said in a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which was shared with Reuters, that it has obtained emails and other documents that suggest unsafe packaging and movement of implants removed from the brains of monkeys. These implants may have carried infectious diseases in violation of federal law, PCRM said.

Kremlin says those behind Nord Stream blasts must be punished

The Kremlin said on Thursday the world should know the truth about who sabotaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines and that those responsible should be punished after an investigative journalist said U.S. divers blew them up at the behest of the White House. A sharp drop in pressure on both pipelines was registered on Sept. 26 and seismologists detected explosions, triggering a wave of speculation about sabotage to one of Russia's most important energy corridors.

Zelenskiy wins cheers in Brussels as he seeks weapons, EU membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy received a warm welcome from European leaders and a standing ovation from the European Parliament on Thursday in Brussels, where he sought more weapons to fend off Russia and a quicker path toward EU membership. Addressing a summit of the 27 leaders of EU countries, he called for tighter sanctions on Moscow and punishment for Russian leaders responsible for the attack on Ukraine nearly a year ago.

Fresh risk for Adani as MSCI probes free float of group stocks

India's Adani Group faced fresh concerns on Thursday after financial index provider MSCI said it was reviewing the free float designation of some group company securities. Billionaire Gautam Adani has seen some $110 billion wiped off the value of seven firms in the group he founded after U.S. short seller Hindenburg Research accused the group of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation.

Putin waves a sarcastic goodbye to foreign business departing Russia

President Vladimir Putin waved a sarcastic farewell on Thursday to foreign businesses which have left Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, saying their departure would benefit Russian companies. Speaking to senior officials at a meeting broadcast on state television, Putin said those companies had suffered major losses as a result of exiting a large and lucrative market.

(With inputs from agencies.)