Reuters World News Summary

The leaders reiterated "their steadfast resolve to hold Russia to account for widely documented atrocities and war crimes, committed both by its regular armed forces and by its proxies, including mercenary entities," the statement said. Ukraine orders probe into Russian-linked church, says Zelenskiy Ukraine's top security officials have ordered an investigation into the activities of a branch of the Orthodox Church linked historically to Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Spate of letter bombs in Spain targets embassies, high-profile officials

Bomb disposal experts defused a letter bomb at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid on Thursday, the sixth such device sent to high-profile targets in a wave that prompted Spain to step up security and vow not to be deterred from supporting Ukraine. The campaign began with a package sent to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Nov. 24, spurring Madrid to tighten security around public buildings. Since Wednesday, similar devices were also sent to the defence ministry, an air force base, a weapons manufacturer and the Ukrainian embassy - where a security officer was slightly injured.

U.S., France present united front to hold Russia to account on Ukraine

The presidents of the United States and France said they would hold Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine and the European Union reached tentative agreement on Thursday on an oil price cap aimed at starving Moscow of resources. Western powers are trying to rally support for Ukraine, which is reeling from near weekly missile and drone attacks targeting power supply, water and heat in its cities just as winter has set in nine months into Russia's invasion.

Threatening letters received by three Ukrainian diplomatic missions -Interfax

Three Ukrainian diplomatic missions have received threatening letters soaked in red liquid, Interfax Ukraine cited a senior official as saying on Thursday, a day after a letter bomb exploded at the country's embassy in Spain. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the incidents were an attempt to intimidate Ukrainian diplomats, the agency reported.

China set to loosen COVID curbs after week of historic protests

China is set to announce an easing of its COVID-19 quarantine protocols in the coming days and a reduction in mass testing, sources told Reuters, a marked shift in policy after anger over the world's toughest curbs fuelled widespread protests. Cases nationwide remain near record highs but the changes come as some cities have been lifting their lockdowns in recent days, and a top official said the ability of the virus to cause disease was weakening.

Biden, Macron resolve to hold Russia accountable for atrocities, war crimes in Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emanuel Macron pledged to hold Russia accountable for "widely documented atrocities and war crimes" in Ukraine, the two leaders said in a statement issued after their White House meeting. The leaders reiterated "their steadfast resolve to hold Russia to account for widely documented atrocities and war crimes, committed both by its regular armed forces and by its proxies, including mercenary entities," the statement said.

Ukraine orders probe into Russian-linked church, says Zelenskiy

Ukraine's top security officials have ordered an investigation into the activities of a branch of the Orthodox Church linked historically to Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday. Zelenskiy said the probe would look into whether the Moscow branch of the church was entitled to operate at one of Ukraine's most hallowed sites - the Pechersk Lavra complex in Kyiv.

U.S. sanctions Hezbollah's accountants, weapons facilitator

The United States on Thursday sanctioned individuals and companies for allegedly providing financial services to and facilitating weapons procurement for Hezbollah, the U.S. Treasury Department said. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against two individuals and two companies based in Lebanon for providing financial services to Hezbollah, along with an additional individual involved in facilitating weapons procurement for the group, it said in a statement.

Ramaphosa's future in balance over South Africa 'farmgate' scandal

Cyril Ramaphosa's future as South African president hung in the balance on Thursday, as his office said he was exploring options after a report found evidence he may have committed misconduct over a stash of cash stolen from his game farm. The report by a panel of experts appointed by the speaker of parliament centred on allegations that thieves had found millions of dollars of cash stuffed into furniture in the millionaire president's Phala Phala game farm in 2020 and taken it, a theft which only came to light in June.

Analysis-As economy stutters, China's youth seek safety of civil service

As a physics student at the elite Peking University in Beijing, Lynn Lau was expecting big Chinese private sector companies to scour the campus this summer for upcoming talent. But with the world's second-largest economy growing at its slowest rate in decades, many recruiters stayed away this year.

Congolese army says rebels massacred 50 civilians in eastern town

Democratic Republic of Congo's armed forces on Thursday said M23 rebels and their allies killed 50 civilians in a massacre in the eastern town of Kishishe this week, which the M23 denied. Congo's army and the M23, a Tutsi-led militia, have been locked in fighting for months in the country's restive east, with each accusing the other of initiating attacks.