Reuters World News Summary

Russian generals brokered the deal late on Tuesday to avert bloody urban warfare after the heaviest bombardment by elite Fourth Division government forces of the rebel core of the city of Deraa in a two-month siege. Israel opposes Biden plan to reopen U.S. Palestinian mission in Jerusalem Israel said on Wednesday that a U.S. plan to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem that has traditionally been a base for diplomatic outreach to Palestinians is a "bad idea" and could destabilise Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's new government.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Migrant arrivals to Spain's Canary Islands double from last year

Spain's sea rescue service on Wednesday rescued around 100 migrants trying to reach the Canary Islands in rickety boats from north or west Africa amid a surge in arrivals that have more than doubled so far this year from 2020 levels. The migrants were rescued off three boats and all appeared to be in good health, a sea rescue service spokesperson said.

Taliban says it has surrounded Afghan resistance fighters, calls for peace

The Taliban has surrounded the only remaining province resisting its rule, a senior leader said on Wednesday, calling on rebels to negotiate a settlement with the group. Since the fall of Kabul on Aug. 15, mountainous Panjshir has been the only province to hold out against the Islamist group, although there has also been fighting in neighbouring Baghlan province between Taliban and local militia forces.

EU says it will not rush into recognising the Taliban

The European Union will need to engage with the Taliban but it will not rush into formally recognising the Islamist militant group as the new rulers of Afghanistan, a senior European Union official said on Wednesday. Gunnar Wiegand, the European Commission's managing director for Asia and the Pacific, also said the EU executive plans to secure funding of 300 million euros both this year and next to pave the way for resettlement of around 30,000 Afghans.

France, Germany urge Iran to return speedily to nuclear deal talks

France and Germany on Wednesday urged Iran to return rapidly to nuclear negotiations, after a break in talks following Iranian elections in June, with Paris demanding an "immediate" restart amid Western concerns over Tehran's expanding atomic work. France's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told his newly-appointed Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian in a telephone call it was urgent for Tehran to return to the talks, Le Drian's ministry said in a statement.

Brazil Supreme Court weighs landmark case on indigenous land rights

Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments for and against a cut-off date for land claims that indigenous people say are vital for their survival, while the government advocated for legal certainty for farmers in the agricultural powerhouse. The top court weighed whether a state government applied an overly narrow interpretation of indigenous rights by only recognizing tribal lands occupied by native communities at the time Brazil's constitution was ratified in 1988.

Russian troops patrol birthplace of Syria uprising after fighting abates

Russian military police on Wednesday began patrolling the last rebel bastion in Syria's southwest under a deal that halted an Iranian-backed government offensive to retake the birthplace of the 2011 popular uprising, military and civilian sources said. Russian generals brokered the deal late on Tuesday to avert bloody urban warfare after the heaviest bombardment by elite Fourth Division government forces of the rebel core of the city of Deraa in a two-month siege.

Israel opposes Biden plan to reopen U.S. Palestinian mission in Jerusalem

Israel said on Wednesday that a U.S. plan to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem that has traditionally been a base for diplomatic outreach to Palestinians is a "bad idea" and could destabilise Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's new government. The prior administration of President Donald Trump signalled support for Israel's claim on Jerusalem as its capital by moving the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv. It later subsumed the consulate, in west Jerusalem, in that mission.

Taliban wrestle with Afghan economy in chaos, humanitarian crisis

Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers struggled to keep the country functioning on Wednesday after the final withdrawal of U.S. forces, with foreign donors alarmed about an impending humanitarian crisis. Two weeks since the Taliban's sweep into Kabul brought a chaotic end to 20 years of warfare, the Islamist militants have yet to name a new government or reveal how they intend to rule.

Indian Kashmir separatist leader dies, troops deployed in Srinagar

Indian Kashmir veteran separatist politician Syed Ali Shah Geelani died on Wednesday night in Srinagar, prompting authorities to deploy troops around the city and shut down the internet as a precautionary measure, police said. He was 91 years old. "Troops are being deployed at sensitive places in Srinagar and other major towns and no vehicular movement is being allowed," a police official said.

Exclusive-Taliban launch charm offensive with Afghan banks amid funding fears

The new, Taliban-appointed head of Afghanistan's central bank has sought to reassure banks the group wants a fully-functioning financial system, but has so far provided little detail on how it will supply funds to sustain it, said four bankers familiar with the matter. The acting central bank governor, Haji Mohammad Idris, met members of the Afghanistan Banks Association and other bankers this week, and told them that the Taliban viewed the banking sector as imperative, said two bankers who attended the meeting.