Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Iran says Pakistan's army chief to visit Tehran on Monday

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran on Monday to continue efforts to bring peace and security to the region, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Pakistan has ​taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed at ending the war which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Israel strikes southern Syria; Damascus condemns attack

Israel said it ​targeted a "terrorist" in southern Syria on Saturday in what Syria's foreign ministry said was a drone strike on a civilian vehicle on the outskirts ‌of Damascus in ​a "blatant" violation of its territory. The Syrian foreign ministry said the drone had hit a civilian car on a road near Beit Jinn village in the countryside west of the capital, which caused injuries amongst civilians.

Germany's AfD eyes Saxony-Anhalt win as first step toward federal power

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is banking on a breakthrough in next month's state election to build momentum for a future national victory, the party's co-leader Alice Weidel said on Sunday. "We will form the government in Saxony-Anhalt," Weidel said in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF, referring to the eastern German state that votes on September 6.

Iran says new sanctions threatened by 'desperate' US will fail

Iran's foreign minister dismissed the threat of new U.S. sanctions as a sign of desperation on ‌Sunday and said the expected new measures would fail to defeat Tehran. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is due to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) on Monday, has threatened to impose "the toughest sanctions in history" on Iran.

Australia confirms first H5N1 bird flu case in local mammal

Australia on Sunday confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a mammal, with the deadly virus found in a long-nosed fur seal in South Australia state. Australia has been grappling with rising cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza after it landed in the country in June. The country's first mass seabird deaths from the virus occurred this month, marking an escalation of the outbreak that began after the virus was first detected in migratory seabirds before spreading to native species.

Iran condemns US plans to announce new sanctions

Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China. After nearly six months of war ‌since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, the sides are not firing at each other but also showing no sign of pursuing peace talks.

Peace through strength, Taiwan president says on China battle anniversary

Peace can only be secured through strength and not even an inch of territory can be sacrificed, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday, visiting a sensitive frontline island to mark a key battle with Chinese forces almost seven decades ago. Taiwan has ‌controlled the Kinmen and Matsu islands, which lie just off the Chinese coast, since the Republic of China government fled to Taipei in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. No peace treaty or armistice has ever been signed.

Landslide at Guinea landfill kills 30, government says

A landslide at a landfill in Guinea's capital killed 30 people, the government said on Sunday, after heavy rains overnight prompted the collapse of a massive mound of waste that engulfed nearby tents and shacks. The incident occurred less than a week after the government announced plans to close the site and relocate the waste because of the threat it posed, especially during the ongoing rainy season, which causes landslides and fatal flash floods each year in crowded, underdeveloped cities across parts of West Africa.

Indian rescuers search for 22 people missing after cargo ship sinks

India's coastguard and navy continued search-and-rescue operations off the eastern coast on Sunday after a Panama-flagged bulk carrier carrying 24 crew members sank, with two Chinese nationals rescued, a senior official said. The two Chinese seafarers said the vessel, called the Ocean Winner, had developed a list on Friday and sank within eight minutes, forcing the crew to abandon ship, Shyam Jagannathan, director general of India's Maritime Administration, ⁠told Reuters.

Hungary Paks nuclear plant ​could operate at full capacity by Wednesday, PM Magyar says

Hungary's Paks nuclear plant restarted its reactor 3 late on Saturday and the facility ⁠could be operating at full capacity by Wednesday, a day or two sooner than expected, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Sunday. The 2-gigawatt plant, which produces nearly half of Hungary's electricity, was forced to cut output to just over 10% earlier this month, barely escaping a full shutdown due to a historic drought and record-low water levels on the Danube.

New pro-presidential party wins large majority in Kazakh election, exit polls show

A newly formed pro-government party won a large majority in a snap parliamentary election in Kazakhstan on Sunday, three different exit polls showed, in a result set to cement President Kassym-Jomart ⁠Tokayev's power over the country, a major energy and minerals exporter. The exit polls, which were published on Kazakh state media, showed the Adilet party winning between 70% and 72% of the vote, with a turnout of more than 74%. The exit polls said four small opposition parties also won seats, though they too are widely seen as ultimately loyal to Tokayev.

Canada to retaliate for US tariffs, worsening ties after talks fail

Canada will impose tariffs on some U.S. goods in retaliation for 50% levies ordered by President Donald Trump on Canadian products, Prime Minister Mark ​Carney said on Saturday, after trade talks collapsed between the two neighbors. The "dollar for dollar" tariffs on imports of U.S. steel, electronics and other products, to take effect on September 8, mark a further worsening of relations between the longtime allies and major trading partners.

Norway to give over $9 billion to Ukraine in 2027

Norway plans to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line ⁠with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country's government said in a statement on Sunday. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region are visiting Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

Russian online retailer Ozon warehouse in Orenburg region hit in drone attack, governor says

The governor of Russia's Orenburg region said on Sunday that two industrial facilities were hit by drone debris, including a warehouse owned by Ozon, a major Russian online retailer. Governor Yevgeny Solntsev said that the Russian defence ministry had repelled six drones over the region, adding that ⁠no one ​had been injured. He did not name the second damaged facility.

Eleven bodies recovered after boat carrying migrants sinks off Tunisia

Eleven bodies have been recovered by Tunisia's coastguard after a boat carrying Tunisian migrants sank at the weekend en route to Italy, with three others still unaccounted for, the National Guard said on Sunday. Coastguard, military and civil protection teams, backed by two helicopters, continued to search for the missing.

Wartime election would 'destroy' Ukraine, Zelenskiy says

Holding a wartime election in Ukraine while active fighting with Russia continues would "destroy" the country by splitting Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. His comments, released to reporters on Sunday, were Zelenskiy's first on the subject since ousted former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a wartime poll in a bombshell address last week.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill two people, including 4-year-old boy, medics say

Two Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday killed at least two people, including a four-year-old boy, and wounded seven others, Palestinian health officials said, as Israel warned it would intensify strikes after what ⁠it said were launches of balloons, drones and kites from Gaza toward Israel. One of the strikes hit a building in Zawayda town in the centre of the enclave and followed a warning by the Israeli army for the owners of the property to leave the area, residents said.

Hit by Trump tariffs, Quebec loses appetite for quick separation from Canada

When U.S. President Donald Trump levied 50% tariffs on Canadian steel in June last year, a steel factory ⁠in Canada's mostly French-speaking province of Quebec lost about a third of its orders for bolts and fasteners in less than a week. The factory owner - ⁠The Heico Companies - froze hiring, closed a plant in the region and laid off several dozen people, said David Jeannotte, an operations director, whose own brother lost his job. The cuts were part of 140 layoffs by the company, mainly in Quebec.

Ukrainian drones kill at least 10, hit warehouse of Russian online retailer Ozon

Ukrainian drones killed at least 10 people in attacks against targets across Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, including a warehouse owned by online retailer Ozon and an industrial facility, Russian officials said on Saturday. Russia and Ukraine are both ramping up drone campaigns aiming to cripple each other's economic infrastructure, often striking targets far beyond the war's front lines, as fighting on the battlefield grinds toward the 4-1/2-year mark.

UK's ‌Burnham to visit Ukraine with plan to support long-range missile production

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham ‌will visit Ukraine on Monday on his first overseas trip since taking office, and will announce British support to help Kyiv improve its domestic production of long-range missiles. Burnham will be in Ukraine to co-chair a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, ​a group of countries backing Ukraine, on Monday when he is also due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.