World News Roundup: Iran chief negotiator travels to Vienna for talks to save 2015 nuclear pact; Tight-lipped Taliban leaders gather after U.S. says Zawahiri killed and more

Russia's RIA news agency cited emergency services as saying that eleven people have been reported injured in the fire, which the emergencies ministry said in a statement had spread to an area of 35,000 square metres. Pelosi departs Taiwan, capping visit that infuriated China U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday after pledging solidarity and hailing its democracy, leaving a trail of Chinese anger over her brief visit to the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Former Iraqi activists dismayed as powerful groups use protest tactics

Iraqi activists who demonstrated three years ago against powerful parties and militias that run the country have watched with resentment as those same groups now use street protests to exert political pressure on each other, with impunity. They say it makes a mockery of the demonstrations in 2019 which called for the downfall of a political class whose corruption and mismanagement have kept Iraq mired in dysfunction despite its vast oil wealth and relative peace in recent years.

Iran chief negotiator travels to Vienna for talks to save 2015 nuclear pact

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani will travel to Vienna on Wednesday to hold talks for the revival of the 2015 nuclear pact, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said, adding that Tehran is ready to reach a deal that guarantees its rights. "Bagheri Kani will leave Tehran in a few hours ... In this round of talks, which will be held as usual with the coordination of the European Union, ideas presented by different sides will be discussed," said Nasser Kanaani, according to state media.

Tight-lipped Taliban leaders gather after U.S. says Zawahiri killed

Top leaders of Afghanistan's Taliban were holding discussions on Wednesday about how to respond to a U.S. drone strike in Kabul that the United States said killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, three sources in the group said. The United States killed Zawahiri with a missile fired from a drone while he stood on a balcony at his Kabul hideout on Sunday, U.S. officials said, the biggest blow to the militants since Osama bin Laden was shot dead more than a decade ago.

Ukraine's Zelenskiy says first grain ship 'nothing', economy in coma

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy dismissed the importance of the first grain export shipment from his country since Russia invaded, saying it was carrying a fraction of the crop Kyiv must sell to help salvage its shattered economy. His downbeat comments, via video to students in Australia on Wednesday, came as an inspection of the ship was completed in Turkey before it continues to its final destination in Lebanon under a deal aimed at easing a global food crisis.

Peru PM resigns as investigations target President Castillo

Peruvian Prime Minister Anibal Torres suddenly resigned on Wednesday morning, amid widening criminal probes centered on President Pedro Castillo, who has grown increasingly isolated after one year in office. Torres said on Twitter his resignation was due to "personal reasons." A lawyer, Torres was seen as one of Castillo's most loyal allies.

ASEAN to rethink peace plan if Myanmar executes more prisoners - chair

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be forced to reconsider a peace plan agreed with Myanmar if the country's military rulers execute more prisoners, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday. The 10-nation bloc had been pushing for Myanmar to adhere to a five-point peace "consensus" agreed last year and has condemned the recent execution of four democracy activists by the junta.

First shipment of Ukrainian food cleared inspection, says UN

The first shipment of over 26,000 tons of Ukrainian food under a Black Sea export deal was cleared to proceed on Wednesday, towards its final destination in Lebanon, according to the United Nations. A team carried out a three-hour inspection and confirmed the crew and cargo are authorized and were consistent with the information received by the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) before the vessel left Odesa, said a statement from the United Nations Information Service Vienna.

Firefighters tackle blaze at retailer Ozon's warehouse near Moscow

A fire broke out at a warehouse outside Moscow owned by e-commerce firm Ozon, Russia's emergencies ministry said on Wednesday, adding that more than 80 people were working to tackle the blaze and two helicopters had been deployed. Russia's RIA news agency cited emergency services as saying that eleven people have been reported injured in the fire, which the emergencies ministry said in a statement had spread to an area of 35,000 square metres.

Pelosi departs Taiwan, capping visit that infuriated China

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday after pledging solidarity and hailing its democracy, leaving a trail of Chinese anger over her brief visit to the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. Pelosi, whose delegation made an unannounced but closely watched stop in Taiwan late on Tuesday after visits to Singapore and Malaysia, was scheduled to continue her Asian tour with stops in South Korea and Japan.

Pelosi full of praise, support for Taiwan during visit that infuriated China

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday after pledging solidarity and hailing its democracy, leaving a trail of Chinese anger over her brief visit to the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. China demonstrated its outrage over the highest-level U.S. visit to the island in 25 years with a burst of military activity in surrounding waters, summoning the U.S. ambassador in Beijing and halting several agricultural imports from Taiwan.