Reuters World News Summary

Witnesses said they had heard at least 12 explosions around 3:20 p.m. local time (1220 GMT) from the Saky air base near Novofedorivka on the west coast of the peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 and used in February as one of the launchpads for its invasion. U.S. probes firm linked with Abramovich over hedge fund investments - NYT U.S. federal authorities are investigating investment advisory firm Concord Management, which oversaw hedge fund investments worth billions of dollars for Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Democrats, Republicans sponsor bill to give thousands of Afghans path to citizenship

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both houses of U.S. Congress to establish a path to American citizenship for thousands of Afghan evacuees admitted to the United States on temporary immigration status, the sponsors announced on Tuesday. The bill also would expand eligibility for Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) beyond Afghans who worked for the U.S. government to those who fought alongside U.S. forces as commandoes and air force personnel, and to women who served in special counterterrorism teams.

Kyiv urges travel ban on Russians as Moscow steps up assault in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine's president called on the West to impose a blanket travel ban on Russians, an idea that has found support among some European states but angered Moscow, which pressed on with a fierce military offensive in eastern Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's idea looked likely to divide the European Union, where differences on how to deal with Moscow have long persisted between some eastern and western members.

Six Tunisians die after a boat carrying illegal migrants capsized - agency

Six illegal migrants died off the coast of Tunisia after a boat carrying 30 Tunisian nationals capsized, news agency TAP reported on Tuesday. The drowned included three women and three children and the boat capsized as it attempted to sail from Tunisia towards Italy, TAP added.

Taiwanese foreign minister says China drills part of a game-plan for invasion

Taiwan's foreign minister said on Tuesday that China was using the military drills it launched in protest against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit as a game-plan to prepare for an invasion of the self-ruled island. Joseph Wu, who offered no time-table for a possible invasion of Taiwan, which is claimed by China as its own, said Taiwan would not be intimidated even as the drills continued with China often breaching the unofficial median line down the Taiwan Strait.

Venezuela seeks to reestablish military relations with Colombia, says minister

Venezuela will seek to reestablish its military ties with neighbor Colombia, the country's defense minister said on Tuesday, after years of conflictive relations between the two nations. Venezuelan General Vladimir Padrino said he had received instructions from President Nicolas Maduro to contact Colombian Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez in order to "reestablish their military relations," according to the Venezuelan defense ministry's Twitter account.

Explainer: Obstacles to overcome before Ukraine grain deal eases global food crisis

Two more grain-carrying ships left Ukraine's Chornomorsk port on Tuesday as part of a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to unblock the country's ports. The agreement, which has created a protected corridor, was designed to alleviate global food shortages, with Ukraine's customers including some of the world's poorest countries, such as Eritrea in Africa.

Brazil's top prosecutor plays down risk of contested election

President Jair Bolsonaro is unlikely to contest the outcome of October's election, Brazil's top public prosecutor said on Tuesday, playing down fears of business leaders, diplomats and politicians about the president's anti-democratic rhetoric. Prosecutor General Augusto Aras told journalists that a refusal to accept electoral defeat would be "an affront to democracy," but added: "I'm not worried about this happening. Brazilian institutions are committed to democracy."

One killed as blasts rock Russia base in Crimea, Kyiv not taking responsibility

One person was killed on Tuesday when a Russian air base near seaside resorts in the annexed Crimean peninsula was rocked by blasts that Moscow said were detonations of stored ammunition, not the result of any attack. Witnesses said they had heard at least 12 explosions around 3:20 p.m. local time (1220 GMT) from the Saky air base near Novofedorivka on the west coast of the peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 and used in February as one of the launchpads for its invasion.

U.S. probes firm linked with Abramovich over hedge fund investments - NYT

U.S. federal authorities are investigating investment advisory firm Concord Management, which oversaw hedge fund investments worth billions of dollars for Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. The investigation, being conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is partly focused on how Abramovich's associates used several offshore shell companies to invest $8 billion in hedge funds and private equity firms, the report added, citing people close to the firm.

Ukraine's Bucha buries bodies of unidentified victims of Russian occupation

Ukrainian authorities held a burial ceremony on Tuesday for 15 bodies found in Bucha four months after Russian forces withdrew from the area. Deputy Mayor Mykhailyna Skoryk told reporters that 14 bodies could not be identified, adding most had gunshot wounds to the head and chest.

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