Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

France's Macron and wife file new lawsuit against US podcaster Owens

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have filed a second set of defamation complaints against US right-wing podcaster Candace Owens two weeks after a US court narrowed a first one, she said on X late on Monday. The Macrons had sued Owens and two ​businesses associated with her in July 2025 in a Delaware court over what they called her lie-filled "campaign of global humiliation," including the false claim that France's first lady was born a male

Tankers continue to burn in the Middle East despite ​hopes for de-escalation

Despite market bets on a de-escalation in the Iran war, new evidence has emerged in recent days of strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz ‌and on energy infrastructure ​in the Middle East. On Tuesday, crude prices hit two-month lows after US officials downplayed the need for additional military action against Iran, with analysts noting President Donald Trump's more conciliatory tone since the Republicans' defeat in the November 3 midterm elections.

Home, but not free, Malaysia ex-PM Najib Razak starts house arrest

Malaysia's former premier Najib Razak arrived home on Tuesday to begin serving the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, ending a four-year stint in prison over his role in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. Najib reached his Kuala Lumpur residence late at night in an SUV escorted by prison trucks, police cars and motorcycles, with masked armed guards leaning from open vehicle doors.

US attempts new peace push at first Russia-Ukraine talks in nine months

Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first peace talks since February as US ‌President Donald Trump's envoys launched a new push to end the war in Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the US-brokered meeting as very productive, without giving details.

US House blocks path to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth

The Republican-led US House of Representatives moved on Tuesday to effectively block an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, buying more time for the polarizing Pentagon chief before Democrats take control of Congress next year and possibly try again. The vote on a procedural motion came just hours after Hegseth blasted efforts to impeach him as a farce and delivered a defiant defense of his record at the helm of the Pentagon, winning praise from President Donald Trump.

Latvia, Lithuania warn of threat in airspace near Belarus

People in two of Latvia's regions along the borders of Russia and Belarus were told to take shelter because of an airspace threat, the Latvian army said on Tuesday. Interceptor drone and air defence units were activated, the army said in a statement posted on social media X.

House Democratic leader says lawmakers need answers on Nvidia, wants China chip restrictions

US House of Representatives Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday that Congress needs more answers ‌after reports emerged that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. Jeffries also called for the House to pass an annual defense bill that includes restrictions on chip sales to China that are included in a bill now before the US Senate.

Carney says he will tell Xi that outsiders should not meddle in Canada's affairs

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday he would stress to Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month that China and other countries should not interfere in Canada's internal affairs. Carney said he would meet ‌Xi on the sidelines of an APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18-19.

Israel's parliament sworn in as Eisenkot tries to forge a government

Israel's parliament was sworn in on Tuesday without a new government, after a deadlocked general election stripped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority but left his main rivals with no clear path to power. Lawmakers elected in the October 27 vote took their oaths of office as Gadi Eisenkot, a former general, sought to forge a coalition after Israel's president tasked him on Sunday with forming a government.

Trump says he will hold off on fresh Iran strikes for now

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he plans to hold off on new military strikes against Iran for the time being after appeals from countries in the region, including from Qatar's prime minister in White House talks. Trump, in a Reuters interview and a later appearance in the White House press briefing room, said he plans to keep up a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz for now.

Rubio says no need for major combat operations against Iran given US economic campaign

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that he told G7 allies the US economic sanctions and naval blockade are working so well that President Donald Trump does not need to conduct major combat operations against Iran. Speaking to reporters in Paris after two days of meetings with G7 allies, Rubio repeatedly ⁠pushed back on the assertion that ​not returning to military action would amount to a stalemate or status quo.

US House votes to derail impeachment of Defense Secretary Hegseth

Republicans in the US ⁠House of Representatives banded together on Tuesday to derail an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The chamber voted 211 to 204 in favor of a motion to refer the impeachment charges to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, effectively stopping the effort to impeach Hegseth sponsored by Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie.

Explainer-How would impeaching Pentagon chief Hegseth work?

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be impeached by the House of Representatives this week on charges of abusing his power, including by going to war with Iran without an imminent threat or congressional approval. Hegseth has denied wrongdoing and President Donald Trump has pledged to stand by him.

Vanishing vessels and missing sailors: The Iran war's human cost at sea

V. ⁠Pandiselvi, the mother of Indian sailor Naveen Kumar, has not heard from her son for more than six months yet she still clings to hope he will return, crying as she replays old voice notes. Kumar was one of six crew members assigned to work on two Iran-linked cargo vessels last seen in Iranian waters in May before disappearing. The vessels' fate is still unclear.

UK children's author Walliams named as subject of sexual allegations by media

Two media groups named British comedian and bestselling children's author David Walliams on Tuesday as the high-profile figure who had tried to prevent allegations of sexual misconduct being published by saying he ​would take his own life if they were revealed. The Guardian and ITV News said that Walliams, formerly a judge on music mogul Simon Cowell's "Britain's Got Talent" television show, had sought an injunction against the newspaper and the broadcaster ITN, which produces ITV News.

Trump taps Justice Department lawyer to bolster Republican control of EEOC

President Donald Trump has nominated Matthew Zandi, who was chief of staff to the recently departed head of the US Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, for a seat on the Equal Employment ⁠Opportunity Commission. If confirmed by the US Senate, Zandi would give Republicans a 3-1 edge on the commission, which enforces federal laws banning workplace discrimination and has been central to the Trump administration's efforts to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

Iraq bars plane carrying Iran's soccer team from landing in Basra over US sanctions, officials say

Iraq barred a plane carrying Iran's national soccer team from landing at Basra airport on Tuesday, a decision by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority linked to US sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines, two Basra airport officials said. The plane returned to Iran and landed at Abadan airport, and the team will now travel overland to Basra, an Iranian consulate official in Basra said.

Fire contained at Iran's South Pars gas ⁠platform, Fars ​says

A fire that broke out on a platform at Iran's South Pars gas field, the world's largest offshore natural gas field, was contained on Tuesday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing the deputy oil minister. The cause of the fire was under investigation, with a gas leak or an operational incident among the possible causes, the agency said.

Ukrainian minister says ties with South Korea on the road to improvement after miscues

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha was quoted as saying on Tuesday that relations between his country and South Korea were on the road to recovery after a dispute over North Korean prisoners of war. Sybiha said he had "a good meeting" with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of G7 countries and was pleased that relations were being put right.

Thomas Markle ordered back to jail after cutting off his ankle bracelet

Thomas Markle, an accused child sexual predator and the estranged father of Britain's Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, was ordered back to jail on Tuesday after cutting of an electronic monitoring device he was supposed to wear as a condition of home confinement, federal ⁠prosecutors said. US Magistrate Judge Lindsay Saxe Griffin ordered the 82-year-old father-in-law of Prince Harry returned to federal detention without bond at a hearing in Tampa, Florida, according to the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, where the case against him is pending.

Iran-backed militant helped plot attack on UK's Fairford base from US jail, Justice Department says

A member of an Iran-backed militia plotted to attack the RAF Fairford air base in Britain while detained in the US on criminal charges, the US Justice Department said on Tuesday. Iraqi national Mohammad ⁠Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi attempted to pass coded messages to two other alleged Iran-backed operatives through phone calls to immediate family members from jail in New York, ⁠US prosecutors said.

US Army member arrested in UK for suspected 'espionage' for Russia

A senior US Army soldier was arrested in Britain on suspicion of assisting Russian intelligence, British police said on Tuesday, after the US removed aircraft from British military bases over a separate apparent threat from Iran. FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest of the 41-year-old man related to "allegations of espionage, which is of the utmost concern to the United States and our allies."

Spain’s election contender PP pledges tighter borders, slower climate goals

Spain’s main opposition People’s Party (PP) on Tuesday presented an election manifesto promising to cut taxes, tighten borders, impose stricter conditions on development aid and slow climate timetables ahead of an election on November 29. Here are some of the pledges by the conservative party that opinion polls show ahead of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists, but which would likely ‌need an alliance with the far-right, anti-immigration Vox party to be able to govern:

Pope Leo draws 650,000 ‌in another strong Argentine turnout

Pope Leo drew 650,000 people to an outdoor Mass in Argentina's second city of Cordoba on Tuesday, the second strong turnout on his 12-day South America tour, as pilgrims travelled from across the country for the event. Throngs pressed against barriers at an Argentine ​military airfield as Leo arrived for the Mass in an open-air popemobile. Many waved white-and-yellow Vatican flags and chanted, "We love you, Pope Leo."