Reuters World News Summary

The decision to bar women was announced on Tuesday evening in a letter to universities from the higher education ministry, drawing condemnation from foreign governments and the United Nations. Explainer-What is the Patriot missile defense system? Ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Washington on Wednesday, the Biden administration said it would provide another $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including the Patriot air defense system that the Ukrainian leader has said his country urgently needs to fend off Russian attacks.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Alongside Zelenskiy, Biden urges solidarity on Ukraine to continue in 2023

President Joe Biden stood with Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House on Wednesday during the Ukrainian leader's first wartime visit to urge Americans and the world to keep backing Kyiv in 2023, when congressional approval for aid will be harder. The United States has sent about $50 billion in assistance to Kyiv as Europe's biggest land conflict since World War Two drags on, killing tens of thousands of people, driving millions from their homes and reducing cities to ruins.

Female students turned away from Afghan universities after Taliban ban

Female university students in Afghanistan were turned away from campuses on Wednesday after the Taliban-run administration said women would be suspended from tertiary education. The decision to bar women was announced on Tuesday evening in a letter to universities from the higher education ministry, drawing condemnation from foreign governments and the United Nations.

Explainer-What is the Patriot missile defense system?

Ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Washington on Wednesday, the Biden administration said it would provide another $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including the Patriot air defense system that the Ukrainian leader has said his country urgently needs to fend off Russian attacks. Here's what you need to know about the Patriot:

Zelenskiy says U.S. Patriot system will be crucial part of Ukraine's defenses

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday said a U.S. promise to provide the Patriot surface-to-air missile defense system was an important step in creating an effective air shield. "This is the only way that we can deprive the terrorist state of its main instrument of terror - the possibility to hit our cities, our energy," Zelenskiy told a White House news conference, standing next to U.S. President Joe Biden.

U.S. slaps sanctions on Iran officials over protest crackdown

The United States imposed sanctions on Iranian officials on Wednesday, including the prosecutor general and key military officials, stepping up pressure on Tehran over its crackdown on protests. The move is the latest Washington response to the Iranian crackdown on unrest after the death of young Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in September.

Zelenskiy says peace with Russia means no compromises on sovereignty, territory

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday said that a "just peace" with Russia means no compromises on his country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but questioned if there could be such a peace for parents who have lost their children. Appearing at a White House news conference with U.S. President Joe Biden midway through a brief visit, Zelenskiy reaffirmed in personal terms his conditions for any settlement to the war ignited by Russia's invasion nearly 10 months ago.

Hearses queue at Beijing crematorium, even as China reports no new COVID deaths

Dozens of hearses queued outside a Beijing crematorium on Wednesday, even as China reported no new COVID-19 deaths in its growing outbreak, sparking criticism of its virus accounting as the capital braces for a surge of cases. After widespread protests, the country of 1.4 billion people this month began dismantling its unpopular "zero-COVID" lockdown and testing regime, which largely kept the virus under control for three years though at great economic and psychological cost.

UN council demands end to Myanmar violence in first resolution in decades

The U.N. Security Council adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years on Wednesday to demand an end to violence and urge the military junta to release all political prisoners, including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar has been in crisis since the army took power from Suu Kyi's elected government on Feb. 1, 2021, detaining her and other officials and responding to pro-democracy protests and dissent with lethal force.

For Biden and Zelenskiy, U.S. visit highlights trust after friction

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington on Wednesday marks a high point in ties between Ukraine and its most important ally, putting the spotlight on a relationship strengthened by Russia's invasion, but not without some friction along the way. The visit, which is Zelenskiy's first trip outside of Ukraine since the war started, will also underscore the trust between the two countries with a White House meeting, a visit to Congress and a focus on more weapons for Kyiv.

Israel's Netanyahu says he has secured deal to form new government

Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Wednesday he had secured a deal to form a new government after weeks of unexpectedly tough negotiations with religious and far-right coalition partners. "I have managed (to form a government)," Netanyahu said on Twitter, minutes before a midnight deadline set by President Isaac Herzog. A Herzog spokesperson confirmed that Netanyahu's statement had been received.