Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

US widens sanctions on Iran but withholds more punishing options

The U.S. on Monday unveiled an expansion of sanctions that it said would cut off Iran's economic lifeline but stopped short of the most punishing measures, instead putting the world on notice to cease doing business with the Islamic Republic. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said other countries would need to sever business ties with Iran or risk being ​forced out of the dollar-based financial system.

Trump administration plans to revoke visas of foreigners seeking asylum

President Donald Trump's administration said on Monday it planned to revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the U.S., marking its latest step in ​a sweeping immigration crackdown. A State Department spokesman said it was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security "to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming ‌to be short-term visitors, but ​then file for asylum to stay here permanently."

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.

Seoul says South Korea and US vow close cooperation on North Korea

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Monday, and Seoul said they agreed to maintain close communication and cooperation on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. The U.S. State Department issued only a brief statement on the phone call, which comes at a period ‌of tension between the allies. President Donald Trump recently announced a scaling back of joint military exercises and praised nuclear-armed North Korea, while saying that Seoul had not helped his efforts to try to denuclearize Iran.

Two U.N. peacekeepers from Ethiopia killed in South Sudan ambush

Two U.N. peacekeepers from Ethiopia were killed and seven other people injured in an ambush on Monday in South Sudan's Jonglei State, bringing to nine the number of peacekeepers killed in the line of duty worldwide this year, the United Nations said. Among the injured were three U.N. peacekeepers, two police officers from South Sudan and two civilian staff members, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a press briefing.

US Supreme Court hands a win to Trump over mail-in ballot restrictions

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday lifted a judicial decision blocking President Donald Trump's administration from implementing his executive order to restrict the use of mail-in ballots ahead of the November midterm elections that will decide control of Congress — though another remains. The justices granted a Justice Department emergency request to put on hold an injunction that Boston-based U.S. Judge Indira Talwani imposed in June preventing the Republican president from proceeding with his directive in a coalition of 23 mostly Democratic-governed states and Washington, D.C. that had sued to stop it.

Haiti gang raid leaves 47 dead, as residents demand stronger protections

At least 47 people were killed and 22 more injured in an overnight gang raid ‌on a neighborhood overlooking Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, the U.N. said on Monday, prompting anger over the lack of protection from repeated deadly attacks. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti said estimates could still change.

Israel's Netanyahu says Iran tried to kill one of his sons

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Iran had tried to kill one of his sons, but gave no details about when the alleged plot took place, which son was targeted or how close it came to being carried out. Netanyahu's allegation underscores the heightened tensions since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in February, during which Supreme Leader Ayatollah ‌Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders were killed.

US military says it struck vessel in Eastern Pacific, killing two

The U.S. military said on Monday two people had been killed in a strike it launched on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific over the weekend, the latest in a series of similar attacks that Washington says target "narco-terrorists" but human rights groups say amount to extrajudicial killings. FURTHER DETAILS:

As US border reopens to Mexican cattle, concerns persist over screwworm spread

Mexico is bolstering its screwworm containment campaign in northern border states where recent cases have been detected, heightening scrutiny of livestock exports as cross-border trade resumed on Monday under a phased U.S. reopening. The reopening marks the first easing of a U.S. ban imposed more than a year ago to keep out the flesh-eating pest, as imports resumed initially through Arizona.

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.

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.

US threatens countries doing business with Iran, but holds off on penalties for now

President Donald Trump's administration on Monday warned countries to cut their business ties with Iran or face secondary sanctions as part of what it billed as an "economic D-Day," but the Treasury Department stopped short of actually imposing penalties. As the war with Iran nears its six-month mark, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. was launching an "economic onslaught" against Iran's financial connections around the globe.

Trump threatens 50% tariffs on all cars and trucks from Canada amid trade fight

President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to raise U.S. tariffs on all cars, trucks and automotive parts from Canada to 50% starting January 1, 2027, escalating a trade fight after negotiations collapsed last week. The trade deal on the table would have cut the top-line tariff ⁠rate on Canadian cars and light-duty trucks from 25% to 15% and the tariffs on aluminum and steel from 50% to 25%, but the deal fell apart on Friday over a number of points of contention, including whether the U.S. tariff relief would have applied to medium- or heavy-duty trucks.

UK, Ukraine sign AI defence partnership linked to battlefield technology

Britain said on Monday it had signed a partnership with Ukraine to jointly develop artificial intelligence tools for defence and security, giving British researchers access to a Ukrainian battlefield data platform used to train military AI systems. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed the agreement in Kyiv, making Britain the first international partner to access Ukraine's Avengers AI Labs, a government statement said.

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

An armed group has 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 last week. 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.

France, Saudi Arabia agree on €6 billion Dragon Ball Z theme park project near Paris

France and Saudi Arabia have agreed to build a €6 billion ($7 billion) manga-themed amusement park near Paris, ⁠the Elysee Palace said on Monday during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the French capital. The project, inspired by the world of the hit Japanese manga and anime franchise Dragon Ball Z, will be built near Cergy-Pontoise, northwest of Paris, and is expected to create around 22,000 jobs, the Elysee said.

Trump administration moves to impose more than $100,000 fee for H-1B worker visas

President Donald Trump's administration on Monday released a proposed regulation to codify an unprecedented fee of more than $100,000 on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers that has been blocked by the courts. The fee, first temporarily imposed by Trump last year, dramatically raises the cost of visas that are heavily relied on in the tech, education and research sectors.

US cancels joint marine drills with South Korea over Iran war-related force constraints

The United States cancelled a joint amphibious landing ⁠drill scheduled for ​next month with South Korea, Seoul's Marine Corps said on Monday, after Washington cited constraints on the availability of U.S. forces due to the war in Iran. The U.S. Marine Corps formally notified its South Korean counterpart in June that force availability would be constrained for the division-level exercise, known as Ssangyong, a South Korean Marine Corps spokesperson told a press briefing.

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.

Britain, France pledge stronger support as Ukraine marks Independence Day

The leaders of Britain and France pledged to provide Ukraine with stronger military support — including access to classified technology and faster deliveries of air defence missiles — at a meeting of allies to mark Kyiv's independence day celebrations. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in Kyiv on his first foreign visit since taking office last month, urged the gathering of the "Coalition of the ⁠Willing" to "do everything we can" to bolster Ukraine's defences against Russian air strikes.

Trump's approval holds at record low as US support for Iran war falls, Reuters Ipsos poll finds

U.S. public approval of the war with Iran fell to its lowest level since the conflict's early days, helping to hold President Donald Trump's popularity at a record low, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday. The four-day poll showed just 31% of Americans support U.S. military action against Iran, down from 37% in a March Reuters/Ipsos poll and 34% earlier this month. The decline was driven by fewer self-identified Republicans backing the conflict. ⁠Some 69% of Republican respondents support the war, compared with 77% in March.

Venice adds Gaza documentary by Oscar-winning team to main competition

A documentary examining Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza was added to ⁠the Venice Film Festival line-up on Monday, the second year running that a highly charged work about the conflict has competed for the prestigious Golden Lion. Festival organisers said "NAZA", directed by the Israeli duo Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, will join the main programme for the September 2 to 12 event — the only documentary among this year's 21 contenders.

Israeli fire kills two young children in Gaza, medics say

Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed two young children and at least two other Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Monday, health officials in the territory said. Medics and relatives said 10-year-old Amal Abu Khater was hit by a bullet in her back while she was eating inside her family's tent in the enclave's southern city of Khan Younis. The fire came from Israeli forces to the east, they added.

US removes Syria from terrorism sponsor list, lifting major investment obstacle

The United States removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, lifting what Damascus says ‌was the last major impediment to investing in the country as Washington deepens ties to the new Syrian government. The removal, posted ‌on the U.S. Treasury's website, took effect after a 45-day congressional review period triggered when Trump formally notified Congress on July 8 of his intention to rescind the designation.

Explainer-What are Iran's options to escalate further in face of US economic threats?

U.S. threats to impose "the toughest sanctions in history" to force Iran to buckle to its demands ​after nearly six months of war have raised the prospect of a new round of escalation in the Gulf. How could Iran respond to the economic pressure?