Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Azerbaijan pardons French national after EU drops sanctions on Usmanov

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned a French national jailed for espionage on Wednesday, a day after the EU lifted sanctions on Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov following what diplomats said was pressure from Baku. The Frenchman, Martin Ryan, had been serving a 10-year prison sentence in Baku following a spying conviction in March. It was not immediately clear whether he had been released.

AI leaders to ​brief UN amid warnings the technology could slip beyond human control

Executives from OpenAI, Anthropic and Hugging Face will brief the UN Security Council on Wednesday amid warnings increasingly powerful AI technologies could soon improve themselves, slip beyond human control and threaten international security. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Hugging Face co-founder ​Clément Delangue are due to brief the 15-member council during the annual General Assembly gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.

Italy's Colosseum closes after worker dies in accident

Italy's Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli ‌ordered the one-day closure of the ​Colosseum on Wednesday as a mark of respect after a worker was killed overnight in an accident. Andrea Moretti, a 22-year-old technician, died after falling several metres while installing a new lighting system inside the ancient Roman arena.

Dramatic eviction of 87-year-old Madrid tenant spotlights Spain's housing crisis

Police evicted an 87-year-old woman on Wednesday from her Madrid home of more than seven decades despite hundreds of people protesting outside and the government criticising the eviction order, in a dramatic new flashpoint of Spain's housing crisis. After being given just 30 minutes to leave with only essential belongings, Maricarmen Abascal was eventually removed from the building on a stretcher accompanied by social services officials and driven away in an ambulance as supporters chanted "Maricarmen, you're not alone!" and "Murderers!"

International Criminal Court convicts Central African militia leader

Judges at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday convicted a former Seleka militia leader from the Central African Republic of crimes against humanity including torture.

Prosecutors accused Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of running a prison where suspected supporters of then-President Francois Bozize were beaten and tortured. He denied ‌all charges.

Russian military helicopter entered Polish airspace briefly, Polish army says

A Russian military Mi-8 helicopter made a brief incursion into NATO member Poland's airspace from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, the Polish Army Operational Command said on Wednesday. The helicopter spent 42 seconds in Polish airspace and entered to a maximum depth of about 300 metres (328 yards), it said on X.

German state election losses risk snarling Merz's reform agenda

Chancellor Friedrich Merz may have survived the triumph of the far right in this month's state elections in eastern Germany and Berlin but the shock to his coalition could force him to water down his promised reform agenda. Merz took the unusual step of announcing immediately after exit polls showed his conservatives were on course for their worst-ever defeat that he would stay in office to get a raft of reforms to the tax, pensions and health systems through parliament.

Russia pounds Kyiv with drone strikes after Zelenskiy-Trump talks

Russia pounded Kyiv with drone strikes on Wednesday, hitting railway infrastructure, warehouses and fuel stations, just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met US President Donald Trump to discuss peace efforts. At least two people were killed and 22 were injured in the morning attack, according to city authorities, in one of the heaviest strikes since Russia began attacking Kyiv and nearby areas over the summer with faster and high-flying jet drones that are harder to intercept.

Brazil's Lula, Flavio Bolsonaro remain tied in runoff scenario, Atlas poll shows

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro ‌remain statistically tied in a simulated runoff ahead of next month's election, an AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll showed on Wednesday, with the leftist incumbent now holding a narrow lead within the survey's margin of error. In a runoff, Lula would receive 47.7% of voter support, compared with 47.4% for the right-wing lawmaker, the poll said.

Analysis-Catalonia's far-right surge divides independence camp as migration fears grow

Almost a decade after Catalonia's failed independence bid, a growing number of voters are shifting their focus from secession to issues such as immigration and crime, fuelling the rise of the far-right separatist Aliança Catalana. The party, which draws much of its support from working- and middle-class voters in rural areas outside Barcelona, has ‌surged in the polls and now trails only Spain's ruling Socialists ahead of Catalonia's next election in 2028.

Victims of alleged abuse by Slovenian priest urge Pope Leo to expedite Church trial

Five victims of alleged abuse by a prominent priest with Vatican ties urged Pope Leo on Wednesday to press for the conclusion of a nearly year-long Church trial of the cleric, saying a lengthy and secret process was denying them justice. In an open letter ahead of Leo's four-day visit to France, where the pope is hoping to repair the Church's standing after abuse scandals there, victims of Rev. Marko Rupnik said their treatment reflects poorly on the Church's commitment to helping victims.

Explainer-How does New Zealand's electoral system work and does it favour coalitions?

New Zealand 54th parliament sits for its final time this week ahead of a Nov. 7 election. Polls indicate that no one party will emerge as a clear winner with neck-to-neck support for both left and right blocks. The winning group would be decided based on a mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system, which has made coalitions the norm in New Zealand since it was introduced three-decades ago.

Republicans may have gerrymandered their way into a Texas-sized Latino problem

South Texas unfurls in long stretches of highways across flat landscapes dotted with pump jacks, mesquite trees, and gas stations sporting prices that voters swear should not be this high. This territory swung heavily to Donald Trump in 2024 — but may shift again in 2026. From the outskirts of San Antonio, through historic, sprawling ranchlands to the border city of McAllen, Reuters traveled more than 360 miles (580 km) and spoke to more than 30 Latino voters, who shared a similar refrain: as President, Trump had a chance to lower prices across this expanse, where trucks and beef barbacoa are king, and ⁠failed.

Trump's White House media ban faces long ​odds in court, legal experts say

US President Donald Trump’s move to ban several news outlets https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-bans-media-outlets-cnn-msnow-politico-white-house-2026-09-18/ from the White House over his dislike of their coverage likely runs afoul of US legal prohibitions ⁠against viewpoint discrimination by the government, four legal experts told Reuters. Trump’s announcement on Friday that he would ban CNN, MSNOW and Politico for reporting what he deemed “FAKE NEWS” was the latest move by his administration to curtail press access, part of the Republican president’s wider pressure campaign https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trumps-court-setbacks-fail-blunt-his-campaign-against-media-2026-04-29/ against news coverage he dislikes. Trump said on Saturday that he might ban other outlets https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-says-he-might-ban-other-media-outlets-white-house-2026-09-18/ as well.

Trump, Greenland, Denmark sign deal in bid to end Arctic standoff

US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Greenland and Denmark signed an agreement on Tuesday that permits a larger US military presence nL1N45D0X6 on Greenland and may resolve a standoff nL1N45D06G over the strategically located and mineral-rich island. The agreement, signed during Trump's visit to the UN General Assembly in New York, stops short of Trump's demand that the US annex Greenland as a US territory to head off the growing Arctic presence ⁠of Russia and China.

Pakistan tightens security ahead of march planned by Imran Khan's party

Pakistan curbed access on Wednesday to its capital, Islamabad, ahead of a march planned by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, blocking major highways with shipping containers and deploying tens of thousands of security forces. The show of force is the starkest sign in years of how divisions between Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the military-backed government have polarised the South Asian nation of 240 million.

Analysis-China's purges of top military commanders spur questions about war-waging ability

Purges of military leaders may have dented China's war-fighting readiness, but are likely to have strengthened President Xi Jinping's grip on an institution that is a key source of power for the ruling Communist Party, diplomats and analysts say. Regional military attaches and security analysts are watching the crackdown ​closely as China steps up efforts to modernise its military and boosts deployments around Taiwan, as well as hotly disputed parts of the South and East China Seas.

Civil society groups urge Malaysia to stop Rohingya returns

More than 160 civil society organisations released a joint statement on Wednesday urging Malaysia to halt plans to deport Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, citing severe risks of ongoing violence and forced conscription. The groups expressed "grave concerns" over Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's proposal to seek Myanmar junta leader-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing's cooperation to send back Rohingya, a Muslim-minority community long persecuted in Myanmar.

Hope for progress after US, Iran hold first shuttle ⁠talks in months

The first shuttle talks between the United States and Iran for months raised hopes on Wednesday that the adversaries could make some progress towards ending the Middle East war, although neither side spelled out any change in their positions. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner communicated through mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the first such contacts since an interim ceasefire agreement collapsed in July.

Trump meets Venezuela's Rodriguez for first time since Maduro's capture

US President Donald Trump met Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez late on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, their first meeting since American forces captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in a January raid. The pull-aside meeting at a reception Trump hosted came during Rodriguez's first trip to the US since taking office. She is set to address the General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon.

Wife of ⁠US seismologist ​held in China says Trump will ask Xi to free him

The wife of a US expert on North Korean nuclear tests who has been imprisoned in China since late 2024 said on Tuesday the White House has assured her that President Donald Trump will ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to free her husband when the pair meet this week. Yufang Rong said she feared that Beijing planned to try her Chinese-born husband, Youlin Chen, on fabricated espionage charges even though his US-funded research was openly published, used publicly available data and was done in collaboration with Chinese scientists.

US Senate Democrats seek sanctions over Israeli settlements, bill says

A group of US Senate Democrats will introduce legislation on Wednesday to sanction individuals or groups that facilitate Israel's "E1 project," a widely condemned West Bank settlement plan cutting across land the Palestinians seek for a state, according to a copy of the legislation seen by Reuters. The introduction of the bill is the latest sign of growing friction between Democrats in Congress and the Israeli government over its handling of the West Bank, with many in the party — and a few Republicans — calling for curbs on US military aid to Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza.

Ukraine's army seeks to give frontline commanders more authority

Ukrainian staff sergeant Vitalii Tomchyshak believes he knows how to beat Russia on the battlefield: empower frontline leaders such as himself to make critical decisions. Too often, Tomchyshak says, combat ⁠commanders are overruled by senior officers who do not understand the specifics of a battlefield situation.

Pope Leo urges global action to help child migrants

Pope Leo lamented on Wednesday conditions suffered by migrant and refugee children and urged global action to protect young people fleeing their home countries in search of safety. Migrant children "often endure unspeakable suffering, violence, torture, exploitation, and traumatic conditions," the pontiff told thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for his weekly general audience.

Ethiopia's Tigray region government announces it has entered a defensive war

Ethiopia's Tigray regional government said in a statement Wednesday that its fighters have entered a defensive war against federal troops, hours after Tigrayan forces seized ⁠the main airport in the northern region. There was no immediate comment from the federal government.

Death toll from capsized Indonesian ship climbs as search widens for 107 missing

The death toll from a passenger ship that capsized ⁠and sank off Indonesia 10 days ago rose to 28 on Wednesday, officials said, with rescuers expecting to find more bodies as their underwater search widens. The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew and an unknown number of vehicles, when it capsized in bad weather early on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Tigrayan leaders say new war with Ethiopian government has begun, as fighting erupts

Forces from the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray launched a major offensive against the federal government on Wednesday, a senior Ethiopian official said, shattering a four-year-old peace deal and threatening a wider regional conflict. Tigray's leaders said in a statement they had entered a "defensive" war to counter aggression by the federal government.

Taiwan, human rights are 'red lines' for China, ambassador says ahead of Trump, Xi meeting

Taiwan and human rights are "red lines" for China that cannot be crossed, the country's ambassador to the US warned on Wednesday, striking a firm tone ahead of this week's leadership summit in Washington. Chinese President Xi ‌Jinping will visit Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump, as both sides look to bring stability to ties overshadowed ‌by arguments over everything from trade to Taiwan.

Four killed in Gaza in strikes, Israel says it killed a Hamas finance chief

Israeli airstrikes killed at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, local health officials said, and Israel said one of the attacks targeted a Hamas finance chief. Medics said two of the Palestinians, Osama Abu Khater and Mohammad Abu ​Elwan, were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a vehicle in western Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave. Two other people were wounded, they added.