Reuters World News Summary

The invading forces appear close to seizing all of the Luhansk region of Donbas, one of the more modest war goals the Kremlin set after abandoning its assault on Kyiv in the face of Ukrainian resistance. Ukraine aide says any Moscow deal not worth 'broken penny', Zelenskiy says Russia officials powerless Ukrainian presidential adviser and peace talks negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said on Saturday that any agreement with Russia could not be trusted, adding the only way to stop Moscow's invasion was by force.


Reuters | Updated: 29-05-2022 05:25 IST | Created: 29-05-2022 05:25 IST
Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Iranian police fire shots, teargas to disperse protests over building collapse

Iranian police used tear gas and fired shots in the air to disperse another night of protests over a deadly building collapse in the southwestern city of Abadan that officials are blaming on corruption and lax safety, Fars news agency and reports on social media said. Officials in the oil producing region of Khuzestan, where Abadan is located, said the death toll had risen to 29 people, and another 37 were injured in Monday's collapse of the 10-storey residential and commercial building. So far 13 people have been arrested for building violations, they said.

Iran says crew of two seized Greek tankers not detained and are on board

Iran's state maritime body said on Saturday the crew of two Greek tankers seized by its Revolutionary Guards on Friday had not been detained, and were in good health and being cared for on board their vessels. Iranian forces seized two Greek tankers in the Gulf on Friday, shortly after Tehran warned it would take "punitive action" against Athens over the confiscation of Iranian oil by the United States from a tanker held off the Greek coast.

Russia pummels eastern towns in bid to encircle Ukraine forces

Russian forces stepped up their assault on the Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk on Saturday after claiming to have captured the nearby rail hub of Lyman, as Kyiv intensified its calls for longer-range weaponry from the West to help it fight back in the Donbas region. Slow, solid Russian gains in recent days point to a subtle momentum shift in the war, now in its fourth month. The invading forces appear close to seizing all of the Luhansk region of Donbas, one of the more modest war goals the Kremlin set after abandoning its assault on Kyiv in the face of Ukrainian resistance.

Ukraine aide says any Moscow deal not worth 'broken penny', Zelenskiy says Russia officials powerless

Ukrainian presidential adviser and peace talks negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said on Saturday that any agreement with Russia could not be trusted, adding the only way to stop Moscow's invasion was by force. "Any agreement with Russia isn't worth a broken penny," Podolyak wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "Is it possible to negotiate with a country that always lies cynically and propagandistically?"

Pope's July visit to Africa to go ahead despite health issues

Pope Francis is set to make a gruelling trip to two African countries in July despite knee problems that have forced him to use a cane and wheelchair in recent weeks. The Vatican issued a full programme on Saturday for the July 2-7 trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. There had been speculation the pope's visit to Africa might be postponed, as was a trip to Lebanon scheduled for June.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican power who dismissed sexual abuse, dies

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, a controversial Vatican power broker for more than a quarter of a century who was accused of covering up one of the Catholic Church's most notorious sex abusers, has died at the age of 94. Sodano, who had been ill for some time and died on Friday night, was secretary of state under two popes -- John Paul II and Benedict XVI -- holding the number two post in the Vatican hierarchy for 16 years between 1990 and 2006.

First steps in reforming global health emergency rules adopted at WHO meeting - U.S

Countries around the world on Saturday adopted an initial U.S.-led reform of the rules around disease outbreaks, known as the International Health Regulations (IHR), the United States said. The amendments, adopted at the World Health Organization (WHO) assembly, were agreed at a meeting seen as a once-in-a-generation chance for the U.N. health agency to strengthen its role after some 15 million deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Russia shows off Zircon hypersonic cruise missile in test-launch at sea

Russia successfully test-fired a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile over a distance of about 1,000 km (625 miles), the defence ministry said on Saturday. The missile was fired from the Barents Sea and hit a target in the White Sea, it said. Video released by the ministry showed the missile being fired from a ship and blazing into the sky on a steep trajectory.

Shanghai edges towards COVID reopening as Beijing plans to ease curbs

The Chinese metropolis of Shanghai inched further towards a gradual reopening from two months of grinding COVID-19 lockdown, while officials in Beijing prepared to ease curbs in parts of the capital, saying on Saturday its outbreak was under control. Shanghai aims to essentially end its lockdown from Wednesday after relaxing restrictions over the last week.

Major fire sinks superyacht in British marina

Fire ripped through a superyacht in southwest England on Saturday, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky and eventually sinking the vessel after it briefly drifted across its marina. The Environment Agency said the yacht contained about 9 tonnes of diesel, prompting concerns about pollution and forcing local areas and nearby beaches to briefly close.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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