Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Ex-security chief arrested as Kazakhstan presses crackdown on unrest

Kazakhstan's former intelligence chief has been arrested on suspicion of treason, the state security agency said on Saturday, as the former Soviet republic cracks down on a wave of unrest and starts to assign blame. The detention of Karim Massimov was announced by the National Security Committee which he headed until he was fired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday after violent protests swept across the Central Asian nation.

Six dead, 20 missing after rock face collapse at Brazilian waterfall

At least six people died and nine were seriously injured when a wall of rock collapsed on top of motor boats below a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, the local fire department said. A tower of rocks suddenly broke away from the canyon wall and came crashing down on several leisure boats, sending out a huge wave over the lake at Capitolio, in Minas Gerais state.

UK still ready to trigger Article 16 in EU-N.Ireland row, Truss says

The United Kingdom is ready to take unilateral action that would suspend custom checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland, foreign minister Liz Truss said on Saturday ahead of talks with the European Union. Truss is due to hold talks with EU Vice President Maros Sefcovic next week to resolve disagreements over post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom which shares a land border with EU member Ireland.

Iran imposes sanctions on Americans over 2020 killing of top general

Iran on Saturday imposed sanctions on dozens more Americans, many of them from the U.S. military, over the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the 51 Americans had been targeted for what it called "terrorism" and human rights violations. The step lets Iranian authorities seize any assets they hold in Iran, but the apparent absence of such assets means it will likely be symbolic.

Russia reacts furiously to Blinken jibe over troops in Kazakhstan

Russia responded angrily on Saturday to a comment by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Kazakhstan might have a hard time getting rid of Russian troops, saying he should reflect instead on U.S. military meddling around the world. Blinken on Friday challenged Russia's justification for sending forces into Kazakhstan https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/kazakhstan-detains-ex-security-chief-crisis-convulses-nation-2022-01-08 after days of violent unrest in the Central Asian country.

U.S. open to talks with Russia on exercises, missile deployments -official

The United States and allies are prepared to discuss with Russia in talks about Ukraine the possibility of each side restricting military exercises and missile deployments in the region, a senior U.S. administration official said on Saturday. With crucial talks set to start on Monday in Geneva, the senior Biden administration official said the United States is not willing to discuss limits on U.S. troop deployments or the U.S. force posture in NATO countries in the region.

Exclusive-Baby lost in chaos of Afghanistan airlift found, returned to family after long ordeal

An infant boy handed in desperation to a soldier across an airport wall in the chaos of the American evacuation of Afghanistan has been found and was reunited with his relatives in Kabul on Saturday. The baby, Sohail Ahmadi, was just two months old when he went missing on Aug. 19 as thousands of people rushed to leave Afghanistan as it fell to the Taliban.

U.N. launches Sudanese talks push to end post-coup crisis

The United Nations said on Saturday it would invite Sudanese military leaders, political parties and other groups to take part in discussions aimed at ending a crisis unleashed by a coup in October. U.N. mediation in the weeks after the coup succeeded in reinstating Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, but his resignation https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudans-political-transition-balance-2022-01-03 last week deepened uncertainty around Sudan's political future and a transition towards elections scheduled for 2023.

Saudi-led coalition says Houthi actions turn Yemen ports into legitimate targets

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen believes the use by Houthi forces of two ports as military bases would turn them into legitimate military targets, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said on Saturday. The ports of Hodeidah and Salif are controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-led coalition has said the Houthis use them as launching points for military and marine operations.

Aid workers say Ethiopia air strike in northwest Tigray killed 56 people

An air strike in Ethiopia's Tigray region killed 56 people and injured 30, including children, in a camp for displaced people, two aid workers told Reuters on Saturday, citing local authorities and eyewitness accounts. Military spokesman Colonel Getnet Adane and government spokesman Legesse Tulu did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's spokeswoman Billene Seyoum did not respond to a request for comment.

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