Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Mediator Pakistan to hold talks in Iran on US 'economic D-Day'

Pakistan's army chief was visiting Tehran on a mediating mission on Monday as the United States prepared to roll out "the greatest financial offensive ever" targeting Iran's trade partners. Iran dismissed the U.S. threat, vowing to shut down all oil exports from the Gulf "if the economic war continues". It issued a new warning to ​shipping not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its permission, listing 45 ships it said had violated its rules and threatening retaliation for any ship-to-ship transfers with them.

German billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuehne dies at age 89

German investor Klaus-Michael Kuehne, the controlling shareholder of Swiss logistics ​group Kuehne + Nagel, has died aged 89, the company said on Monday. Kuehne, the grandson of company co-founder August Kuehne, also held major stakes in German groups Lufthansa, Hapag-Lloyd and chemicals ‌trade group Brenntag as well ​as bus and train services operator Flix.

Indonesia says death toll from August 15 earthquake reaches 100

The death toll from an earthquake that hit eastern Indonesia reached 100 on Monday, the disaster agency chief said, as relief operations continued for a 10th day. The 7.7-magnitude quake shook the province of East Nusa Tenggara on August 15, followed by thousands of aftershocks, damaging more than 73,000 homes and forcing the evacuation of about 180,000 people.

Tunisian hospital receives 19 bodies after migrant boat sinks

A hospital in the southern Tunisian city of Ben Guerdane has received at least 19 bodies of migrants recovered from the sea over the past two days, the head of a migrant rights group said on Monday, following the sinking of a boat at the weekend. The sinking of the migrant boat, which carried seven members of the same family, sparked a wave of grief and anger triggering violent protests in the city ‌on Sunday night.

French far-left leader Melenchon seen reaching presidential runoff, poll shows

French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is seen as the most likely rival to far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in next year's presidential run-off, a Monday poll showed, underlining a deeply polarised electorate as Emmanuel Macron's presidency draws to a close. Melenchon, the candidate of the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, is seen reaching a run-off in at least three of the five scenarios polled, while he tied for second place in a fourth scenario. Le Pen is seen beating him easily in a run-off.

Ceasefire monitors deploy in eastern Congo under Qatari peace deal

A mission to observe implementation of a ceasefire between Congolese forces and Rwandan-backed rebels began on Monday in eastern Congo, the first field deployment under a monitoring mechanism established by a Qatari-mediated peace deal signed last year. The deployment of the mission is the latest sign of incremental progress under the Qatar-mediated talks, which began last year after AFC/M23 staged a lightning offensive in eastern Congo, seizing the region's two largest cities.

Lula, Flavio Bolsonaro neck and neck ahead of Brazil election, Nexus poll shows

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro are in a technical tie in a potential runoff ahead of October's presidential election, a Nexus poll commissioned by ‌lender BTG Pactual showed on Monday. In a simulated second-round runoff, Lula would receive 46% of voter support compared with 45% for Bolsonaro.

Analysis-Trump's Kim gambit deepens doubts over US reliability at a key moment for Asia

Donald Trump's olive branch to North Korea's Kim Jong Un at the expense of a long-standing ally comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. security ties in Asia, as partners from Japan to India reassess how much they can rely on Washington. The U.S. president's abrupt decision to cut back military drills with South Korea last week, which he described as hostile to Pyongyang, ‌has reinforced fears that Trump's unpredictability could strain alliances that have long maintained peace in the region, government officials and security experts said.

North Korea preparing further Russia troop deployments, no sign move imminent, Seoul says

South Korea's Defence Ministry said North Korea was continuing preparations for an additional troop deployment to Russia, but had detected no signs that such a deployment was imminent, according to a South Korean lawmaker's office. The assessment came after North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, last week denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's claim that Pyongyang planned to send up to 50,000 more troops to Russia to fight for its ally.

Iran threatens 45 tankers with fines, confiscation in Hormuz escalation

Iran said it had blacklisted 45 tankers that had broken its rules for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and would take action against any vessels transferring loads with them, escalating its threats over the key waterway six months into the war. The named vessels could be fined, detained and have their cargoes confiscated, according to an X post late on Sunday from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a new body set up by Iran to manage the strait.

U.S. Treasury to broaden scope of secondary sanctions on Iran, source says

The U.S. Treasury is expected to broaden the scope of secondary sanctions it can impose on entities and countries that maintain business ties with Iran as the Trump administration seeks on Monday to increase economic pressure on Tehran, a source familiar with the plans told Reuters. The action is aimed at giving a final ⁠warning to countries to sever their business ​ties with Iran in an effort to force an end to the nearly six-month conflict that has bottled up the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf energy exports, said ⁠the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

Arson and bomb attacks hit Thailand's deep south, authorities say

Suspected insurgents set fire to government buildings, shops, cars and utility poles in more than 70 locations across four of Thailand's southernmost provinces over the weekend, injuring at least three people in a coordinated series of arson attacks, authorities said. More than 7,800 people have been killed in provinces bordering Malaysia since 2004, when the latest round of a long-running insurgency led mainly by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) flared.

Video appears to show 600 people abducted in Nigeria mosque attack, residents say

An armed group posted a video showing what residents said were about 600 women, children and older people abducted ⁠in an attack on a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State. The video, posted on Sunday on Facebook and WhatsApp, showed large groups of people seated in a forested area surrounded by armed men. Several children could be heard crying in the background.

US proposes upping H-1B visa fee to more than $100,000

U.S. Homeland Security Department plans to increase H-1B visa fee to $103,265, according to a notice posted in the Federal Register on Monday.

China's Xi likely to visit India with big delegation for first time in seven years

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend next month's BRICS summit in New Delhi with a large delegation, three sources said, in what would be his first visit in seven ​years and a fresh sign of a thaw between the rivals. India is hosting the September 12 to 13 summit, where Xi's presence would be watched less for the BRICS agenda than for what it signals about Beijing and New Delhi's efforts to stabilise relations after deadly border clashes in 2020.

Ukraine wants peace but won't give in, Zelenskiy says on Independence Day

Ukraine wants peace but will not just give in to Russia at any price, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a defiant speech on Monday as foreign leaders gathered in Kyiv to ⁠mark its Independence Day celebrations. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and European Council President Antonio Costa were among the foreign dignitaries present for celebrations of the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's break from the Soviet Union.

For Republicans, Dallas convention is both rally and rescue mission

President Donald Trump's Republican Party is increasingly viewing its first-of-a-kind midterm convention in Dallas next month as crucial to regaining momentum at a time when opinion polls show voter frustration over the economy and the Iran war, according to party officials, donors and convention planners. When Republicans announced the convention earlier this year, some strategists dismissed it as a distraction as campaigns entered the final stretch. They questioned the need for a national gathering with no official party business.

Pro-presidential party in Kazakhstan won 71% of votes in weekend election, electoral commission says

Adilet, a ⁠newly-formed ​pro-government party in Kazakhstan, has won just over 71% of the vote in a parliamentary election held on Sunday, the electoral commission said on Monday, in a result likely to consolidate President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's power. Adilet was founded in the Central Asian country earlier this year and is led by top aides to Tokayev. Shortly after its founding, it incorporated the previous ruling party, Amanat.

China says Middle East at critical point, calls for cooling tensions and dialogue

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday the situation in the Middle East and Gulf region had again reached a critical juncture and urged parties involved to return to dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible. Wang made the remarks in a meeting with Foreign Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in Beijing, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

Museum heists have turned more violent, with thieves hired on social media, Europol says

Art thieves in Europe are committing more violent robberies focusing on gold and jewels, and specialist gangs have been replaced by ad-hoc opportunists recruited through social media, Europol said on Monday. The heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris in October last year was a prime example of these shifts, Europol said, as the thieves threatened guards and visitors, and stole €88 ⁠million worth of jewels such as Empress Eugenie's tiara.

Typhoon Narra wreaks havoc in China, Vietnam as rains lead to floods

Floods and landslides triggered by Typhoon Narra battered northern Vietnam and China's southern region of Guangxi, as accompanying heavy rains damaged infrastructure and crops. Rising floodwaters prompted China to relocate about 54,000 people, including 8,087 moved to emergency shelters, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Zambia closes courts on last day to file election challenge

Zambian authorities closed the country's top courts on Monday, blocking access to the premises on the last day that the opposition could file a challenge to ⁠this month's disputed election. A memorandum from the chief administrator of the judiciary, which was seen by Reuters, said that "for security reasons, all members of staff are advised not to report ⁠for work today".

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.

AfD turns 'Vespa of East Germany' into election campaign vehicle

The sound of thousands of engines filled the festival grounds of the medieval German village of Quedlinburg on Sunday as Ulrich Siegmund, the far-right AfD's charismatic candidate in a key vote next month, led out a motorcade atop a blue moped. Nearly 5,000 people turned out for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) campaign event-cum-motorcycle show ahead of elections in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt ‌on September 6, in which it could become the first far-right party to take power at a state level ‌since the Nazi era.

Zelenskiy says Russia is 'not ready' for ceasefire on grain ships

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia was "not ready" for a ceasefire on attacks on ships in the Black Sea carrying agricultural produce, as Moscow wants to extend any deal to cover attacks on Russian refineries and pipelines. Moscow and Kyiv, ​major players in global agriculture markets, have accused each other of intensified attacks on vessels used for food exports during Russia's war in Ukraine.