Reuters World News Summary

Yellen said in remarks at a food security session at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that the funding plan would soon be announced by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, a fund created in response to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. Serbia to request permission to deploy its troops in Kosovo The Serbian government will ask the NATO peacekeeper commander to allow the country to send up to 1,000 police and army personnel to Kosovo, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

China pushes vaccines as retreat from 'zero-COVID' turns messy

China raced to vaccinate its most vulnerable people on Thursday in anticipation of waves of COVID-19 infections, with some analysts expecting the death toll to soar after it eased strict controls that had kept the pandemic at bay for three years. The push comes as the World Health Organisation also raised concerns that China's 1.4 billion population was not adequately vaccinated and the United States offered help in dealing with a surge in infections.

Capping rocky 2022, EU agrees more Russia sanctions, funds for Ukraine

European Union leaders wrapped up their last summit of 2022 with an agreement to provide 18 billion euros in financing to Ukraine next year and slap more sanctions on Russia as the EU also prepared to cap natural gas prices and prop up its industry. Poland withdrew last-minute objections to a global minimum corporate tax, unblocking a whole package of linked agreements that includes the loan to Ukraine, invaded by Russia almost 10 months ago.

Libya PM acknowledges govt's role in Lockerbie suspect's transfer

Libya's Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah indirectly acknowledged on Thursday that his administration had been involved in the transfer of a Lockerbie bombing suspect to the United States last week. Dbeibah and his Government of National Unity (GNU) had not yet commented on the detention of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi or his transfer to the United States, which has prompted anger in Libya.

U.S. military to expand training of Ukrainian forces in Germany

The U.S. military announced on Thursday it will expand wartime training in Germany of Ukrainian military personnel fighting Russia's invasion with a focus on joint maneuver and combined arms operations. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said the training of about 500 Ukrainians a month will start in January, building on more than 15,000 Ukrainian forces trained by the United States and its allies since April.

European prosecutor requests immunity lifted from two Greek MEPs

The European chief prosecutor requested on Thursday that the European Parliament lift the immunity from prosecution of two Greek members over suspicions of fraud. The prosecutor's office said in a statement that its request followed a report from EU anti-fraud office OLAF and suspicions of fraud related to the management of parliamentary allowances and, in particular, pay for assistants.

Around 100 people feared trapped in Malaysia landslide -fire department

Around 100 people are feared trapped in a landslide in Malaysia on Friday, the country's fire and rescue department said in a statement. At least 31 people were rescued from the campsite in Selangor state, on the outskirts of capital Kuala Lumpur.

Ukraine general says Russia digging in for long war

A Ukrainian general said on Thursday that Moscow was digging in for a long war and still wanted to conquer the whole of Ukraine, as Russian forces pounded two strategic cities while Kyiv's troops shelled Russian-controlled Donetsk in the east. Both sides have ruled out a Christmas truce and there are currently no talks aimed at ending the nearly 10-month-old conflict, Europe's largest since World War Two.

Thousands protest in Turkey over Istanbul mayor's conviction

Thousands of people rallied in Turkey on Thursday to oppose the conviction and political ban of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, chanting slogans criticising President Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party before elections next year. A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced Imamoglu, a popular rival to Erdogan, to two years and seven months in prison, which like the ban must be confirmed by an appeals court. The verdict drew wide criticism at home and abroad as an abuse of democracy.

Yellen says food security program to boost funding for sustainable agriculture in Africa

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Thursday that a multilateral food security program would soon announce new funding to help build resilient and sustainable agriculture and food systems, particularly in Africa. Yellen said in remarks at a food security session at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that the funding plan would soon be announced by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, a fund created in response to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

Serbia to request permission to deploy its troops in Kosovo

The Serbian government will ask the NATO peacekeeper commander to allow the country to send up to 1,000 police and army personnel to Kosovo, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday. It is the first time Belgrade has requested to deploy troops in Kosovo since a United Nations Security Council resolution ended the 1998 to 1999 war, during which NATO bombed rump-Yugoslavia comprising Serbia and Montenegro to protect Albanian-majority Kosovo.

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