Reuters World News Summary

The war between Russia and Ukraine, the world's third and fourth largest grain exporters respectively, has added to food price inflation and put global food supplies at risk. Russia pushes Ukrainian forces to outskirts of key eastern city Ukrainian forces pulled back to the outskirts of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday in the face of a fierce Russian assault, the regional governor said, another big swing in momentum in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Poll shows Brazil's Lula maintains strong lead in presidential race

Brazil's leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is holding a strong lead against incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro for the October election, a Genial/Quaest poll released on Wednesday showed. Lula has 46% voter support in a first-round vote, a 16-percentage-point lead over his far-right rival, with Bolsonaro two points down from his best showing in April.

Russian army base sees scramble for Ukraine war supplies, some locals and soldiers say

The town of Valuyki in western Russia has become a crucial staging post in the latest phase of Russia’s war over the nearby border in Ukraine. Throughout last month, helicopters buzzed overhead, military vehicles clogged the roads, and soldiers prepared for combat at a huge military base there. It's also a place where soldiers’ relatives and private citizens are working to provide supplies and equipment for troops based near the town to address shortages, including drones, radios and heat-detecting rifle sights, according to six volunteers and three soldiers Reuters spoke to, as well as a review of social media channels volunteers use to coordinate efforts.

Greek court overturns decision on U.S. seizure of Iranian oil cargo - sources

A Greek court on Wednesday overturned an earlier court ruling that allowed the confiscation by the United States of part of a cargo of Iranian oil on an Iranian-flagged tanker off the Greek coast, three sources familiar with the matter said. The incident had led to an angry response by Iran, with Iranian forces last month seizing two Greek tankers in the Gulf after Tehran warned it would take "punitive action" against Athens.

Explosive drone detonates in Iraq's northern city of Erbil

A drone exploded in Iraq's northern city of Erbil on Wednesday injuring three people and damaging several cars, according to a statement by Kurdistan's counter-terrorism service. The explosive drone detonated on Pirmam road in Erbil's outskirts at 9:35 p.m. Iraq time, the statement said.

U.S. unveils new Latin America economic plan at reboot summit dogged by dissent

The Biden administration unveiled a new proposed U.S. economic partnership with Latin America on Wednesday as regional leaders gathered for a summit in Los Angeles whose agenda has been undermined by discord over the guest list. Seeking to counter China’s growing clout in the region, a senior administration official said President Joe Biden is offering neighbors to the south an alternative that calls for increased U.S. engagement, including more investment, strengthening supply lines and building on existing trade deals.

Authority shaken, Boris Johnson pitches new plan for UK economy

Rocked by a major revolt against his leadership this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Thursday promise to rejuvenate a flagging economy and make it easier for young people to buy homes. Johnson will pledge "fiscal firepower" to help ease a worsening cost-of-living crunch for households, in his first policy speech since Monday's vote of confidence in which 41% of his own lawmakers voted against him. Previous Conservative prime ministers who did better in such votes have been subsequently ousted.

Iran expanding nuclear work, switching off cameras amid IAEA censure

Iran has begun further expanding its underground uranium enrichment and said on Wednesday it would switch off two of the U.N. nuclear watchdog's cameras, as the watchdog's 35-nation board overwhelmingly passed a resolution criticising Tehran. Only Russia and China opposed the resolution submitted by the United States, Germany, France and Britain saying the Board of Governors "expresses profound concern" that uranium traces found at three undeclared sites remain unexplained due to insufficient cooperation by Iran. It also calls on Tehran to engage with the watchdog "without delay".

Nicaraguan political prisoners held in 'horrific conditions,' says lawyer

Two former presidential candidates are among more than 180 political prisoners in Nicaragua undergoing "the worst kinds of human rights abuses," their lawyer said Wednesday. One year after Juan Sebastian Chamorro and Felix Maradiaga were arrested ahead of Nicaragua's disputed 2021 election, neither has spoken to their families and both are being held in "horrific conditions," the men's international counsel said in a press conference Wednesday, the anniversary of their arrests.

Turkey struggles to push Russia, Ukraine into grain deal to avert food crisis

Turkish efforts to ease a global food crisis by negotiating safe passage for grain stuck in Black Sea ports met resistance as Ukraine said Russia was imposing unreasonable conditions and the Kremlin said free shipment depended on an end to sanctions. The war between Russia and Ukraine, the world's third and fourth largest grain exporters respectively, has added to food price inflation and put global food supplies at risk.

Russia pushes Ukrainian forces to outskirts of key eastern city

Ukrainian forces pulled back to the outskirts of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday in the face of a fierce Russian assault, the regional governor said, another big swing in momentum in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Russia has concentrated its troops and firepower on the small industrial city in recent weeks to secure the surrounding province on behalf of separatist proxies. Ukraine has vowed to fight there for as long as possible, saying the battle could help shape the war's course.