Reuters World News Summary

Stressing that the important thing now was to prevent situations from spiralling out of control, Stoltenberg urged Russia to be transparent about military activities, to reduce tensions and prevent an escalation. France warns Russia as EU prepares sanctions on Belarus France told Russia on Monday NATO would be prepared to defend the sovereignty of Ukraine, near where NATO says Moscow has been staging a troop buildup, while Western leaders sought to tackle a migrants crisis on the eastern borders of the European Union.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

NATO warns Russia over Ukraine military build-up

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia on Monday that the western military alliance was standing by Ukraine amid a large and unusual concentration of Russian troops on Ukraine's borders. Stressing that the important thing now was to prevent situations from spiralling out of control, Stoltenberg urged Russia to be transparent about military activities, to reduce tensions and prevent an escalation.

France warns Russia as EU prepares sanctions on Belarus

France told Russia on Monday NATO would be prepared to defend the sovereignty of Ukraine, near where NATO says Moscow has been staging a troop buildup, while Western leaders sought to tackle a migrants crisis on the eastern borders of the European Union. The European Union agreed to step up sanctions against Belarus over thousands of migrants stranded in freezing forests on its borders with the EU. Belarus, a close Russian ally, said assertions it had fuelled the crisis were "absurd".

Rescuing American in Myanmar, former New Mexico governor scores again in despot diplomacy

Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson helped free American Danny Fenster from a Myanmar prison on Monday, and the journalist's release was the latest in Richardson's long career of dealing with notorious dictators. The U.S.-diplomat-turned-freelance-fixer, who celebrated this 74th birthday on Monday, posted a photo on Twitter that showed him with his arm around Fenster at the bottom of the steps of a jet that flew them out of the country.

Haiti's streets slowly return to life as gangs ease fuel blockade

Haitian businesses began opening their doors and activities were resuming on the country's streets as the G9 gang coalition eased a blockade on fuel deliveries that caused crippling shortages for nearly a month. The G9 gang federation that controls key parts of western Port-au-Prince over the weekend allowed trucks to access the Varreux fuel terminal, leading to long lines at filling stations.

Explainer-Delta dominates the world, but scientists watch for worrisome offspring

The Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus now accounts for nearly all of the coronavirus infections globally, fueled by unchecked spread of the novel coronavirus in many parts of the world. So far, vaccines are still able to defend against serious disease and death from Delta, but scientists remain on alert. Here is what we know:

UK's Johnson says choice looms between Russian hydrocarbons, backing Ukraine

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday there is a choice coming soon on whether to mainline more Russian hydrocarbons or to back Ukraine, peace and stability, amid rising tensions between Moscow and the West. France and Germany on Monday warned Russia against harming Ukraine's territorial integrity amid a large and unusual concentration of Russian troops on the country's borders.

Russian anti-satellite weapons test 'dangerous and irresponsible' -U.S

An anti-satellite weapons test by Russia against one of its own targets has generated debris that is a risk to astronauts on the International Space Station and other activities in outer space, the U.S. State Department said on Monday. Experts say weapons that shatter satellites pose a space hazard by creating clouds of fragments that can collide with other objects, setting off a chain reaction of projectiles through the Earth's orbit.

U.S. journalist freed in Myanmar, says he was not beaten or starved

American journalist Danny Fenster said he was healthy and happy to be going home after he was freed from prison in Myanmar and flew to Qatar on Monday, following negotiations between former U.S. diplomat Bill Richardson and the ruling military junta. Fenster, 37, the managing editor https://www.reuters.com/world/five-facts-about-danny-fenster-us-journalist-jailed-myanmar-2021-11-12 of independent online magazine Frontier Myanmar, looked frail three days after he was sentenced to 11 years https://reut.rs/3HqVKmY in prison for incitement and violations of laws on immigration and unlawful assembly. He had been detained since May.

N.Korea's Kim visits new city in first public outing in over a month

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a new city being built near the border with China and a sacred mountain revered by his family, state media reported on Tuesday, in his first public appearance in more than a month. The northern alpine town of Samjiyon is being transformed into a massive economic hub, called a "socialist utopia https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa-labour-insight-idUSKCN1Q70HZ " by officials, equipped with new apartments, hotels, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities.

German coalition talks going 'very, very well' says chancellor-in-waiting Scholz

Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Olaf Scholz, who is in talks to form a three-way ruling coalition with the pro-spending Greens and the fiscally more prudent Free Democrats, said on Monday that negotiations were going very well. Speaking at a dinner event organised by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily, Scholz declined comment on any partial results of the talks which have been held secretively in Berlin over the past couple of weeks, with hardly any details emerging.

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