Reuters World News Summary

The delivery of the Leopard tanks to Ukraine could happen anytime once the tanks are repaired, the newspaper reported, citing government sources. U.S. Congress says F-16 sale to Turkey depends on NATO approval The U.S. Congress cannot support the $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey until Ankara ratifies the NATO memberships of Sweden and Finland, a bipartisan group of senators said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Some UN Afghan aid delivered by men only, donors voice alarm

Under pressure from Afghanistan's Taliban administration, the United Nations is delivering some food aid using men only, prompting warnings from donors and humanitarian groups that it could be seen as giving in to an internationally condemned ban on most female aid workers. U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths acknowledged to reporters this week that women are not involved in some food aid activities, which the World Food Programme described as "operational adjustments" to allow it to continue its work, and he said the situation was inadequate.

Explainer-Why U.S. seeks closer security cooperation with the Philippines

The Philippines this week granted the United States greater access to its military bases, amid mounting concern over China's intentions toward self-ruled Taiwan and Beijing's extensive claims in the disputed South China Sea. Here are answers to some questions about the U.S.-Philippines relationship:

Close to 1,000 migrant children separated by Trump yet to be reunited with parents

Nearly 1,000 migrant children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border by the administration of former President Donald Trump have yet to be reunited with their parents despite a two-year effort by President Joe Biden. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Thursday of the 998 children still separated, 148 were in the process of reunification.

Demonstrators in DR Congo demand pope meet sexual abuse victims

Around two dozen activists and sexual abuse victims demonstrated in Democratic Republic of Congo's capital on Thursday across the road from a cathedral where Pope Francis was meeting clergy. They held up placards, including some demanding that the pope meet with clergy abuse victims in the country.

Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States, Pentagon says

A suspected Chinese spy balloon has been flying over the United States for a few days, and senior U.S. officials have advised President Joe Biden against shooting it down for fear the debris could pose a safety threat. The old-fashioned spy-movie-like intelligence collection method recalls lengths to which Beijing and Washington have been willing to go to spy on each other amid increased tensions.

Brazil senator says he attended election conspiracy meeting with Bolsonaro

A Brazilian senator said on Thursday that a close ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro tried to persuade the senator to join a conspiracy to overturn the far-right leader's electoral loss last year. Senator Marcos do Val told a news conference that he had been invited to a meeting on Dec. 9 with then-President Bolsonaro by his associate, former lawmaker Daniel Silveira. At the meeting, Silveira asked the senator to try to get the head of the electoral court to make compromising comments in a taped conversation that could lead to the judge's arrest, Val said.

Germany approves Leopard 1 delivery to Ukraine, in talks with Qatar over Gepards -newspaper

The German government has approved the delivery of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine from industrial stocks and is in talks over purchasing back 15 Gepard tanks from Qatar to send to Kyiv, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Friday. The delivery of the Leopard tanks to Ukraine could happen anytime once the tanks are repaired, the newspaper reported, citing government sources.

U.S. Congress says F-16 sale to Turkey depends on NATO approval

The U.S. Congress cannot support the $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey until Ankara ratifies the NATO memberships of Sweden and Finland, a bipartisan group of senators said on Thursday. Sweden and Finland applied last year to join the trans-Atlantic defense pact after Russia invaded Ukraine, but faced unexpected objections from Turkey and have since sought to win its support.

EU-Ukraine wartime summit to deliver on some issues, disappoint on others

European Union leaders will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Friday, bringing the promise of new sanctions against Russia but disappointing Ukraine's hope for swift membership to the EU. The head of the group's executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived in Kyiv by train on Thursday, a symbolic journey to demonstrate support for Ukraine as the first anniversary of Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of its neighbour approaches.

Children hit by train in Germany, one killed, authorities say

A child was killed and another was seriously injured on Thursday after they were hit by a train along a railway line in the western German town of Recklinghausen, local authorities said. Bild newspaper said the victims were dragged by a freight train for several hundred meters (yards).

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