Reuters World News Summary

Biden, speaking to reporters as he left the White House on a campaign trip to Florida, did not elaborate on his decision, which came after consultations with top advisers at the White House. US needs 'fundamental changes' before UNRWA funding resumes The United States said on Tuesday that the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees needs to make "fundamental changes" before Washington will resume funding that was halted over Israeli accusations that some agency staff took part in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Britain and France to speed up efforts to tackle small boat crossings

British interior minister James Cleverly and his French counterpart Gerald Darmanin on Tuesday agreed to accelerate the deployment of aerial surveillance equipment aimed at reducing the number of migrants crossing to Britain in small boats. In recent years tens of thousands of migrants have sought to reach Britain from France's north coast, making dangerous and sometimes fatal attempts to navigate one of the world's busiest shipping lanes in small rubber dinghies.

Brazil intercepts illegal flight over Indigenous land invaded by gold miners

The Brazilian Air Force said on Tuesday it fired warning shots at a plane and forced it to land for violating a no-fly ban over the Yanomami Indigenous reservation where illegal gold miners have been returning despite federal efforts to keep them away. Two bursts of machine gun fire were fired during the interdiction on Monday to warn the pilot of the unregistered plane - a single-engine Cessna 182 - to change course and land, according to a video released by the Air Force.

Disguised Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinian militants in raid on West Bank hospital

Israeli commandos disguised as medical workers and Muslim women burst into a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday and killed three Palestinian militants, one of them lying paralysed in bed, witnesses and authorities said. The Israeli military said the three militants were killed in a joint undercover operation by the army, Shin Bet security service and border police in the Ibn Sina hospital in Jenin, one of the most volatile cities in the West Bank.

Canada's foreign affairs department hit by data breach

The Canadian government said on Tuesday that its global affairs department suffered a data breach and that there was unauthorized access to personal information of users including employees. Global Affairs Canada (GAC), in a statement, said it activated an unplanned IT outage on Jan. 24 to "address the discovery of malicious cyber activity."

Ukraine's new 100-mile bomb from Boeing is ready, sources say

After successful testing in the U.S., Ukraine will soon receive it first big batch of long-range missiles made by Boeing that promise to extend its range deep into Russian-held territory, according to sources familiar with the matter. They could arrive "on the battlefield" as soon as Wednesday, Politico reported.

Hamas official says it has received new proposal for three-stage truce

Hamas said on Tuesday it had received and was studying a new proposal for a ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza, presented by mediators after talks with Israel, in what appeared to be the most serious peace initiative for months. A senior Hamas official told Reuters the proposal involved a three-stage truce, during which the group would first release remaining civilians among hostages it captured on Oct. 7, then soldiers, and finally the bodies of hostages that were killed.

Ukraine's govt submits amended mobilisation bill to parliament

The Ukrainian government submitted to parliament on Tuesday an amended version of its bill to tighten army mobilisation rules to ensure the country has a sufficient fighting force to pursue its campaign against Russia's invasion.

The highly sensitive reforms were sent back for revision earlier this month after a draft sparked public outcry. Lawmakers and analysts said some provisions violated the constitution and carried corruption risks.

Biden says he has decided how to respond to attack on US troops in Jordan

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he has made up his mind on how to respond to a drone attack that killed U.S. service members in Jordan, as he weighs punishing Iran-backed militias without triggering a wider war. Biden, speaking to reporters as he left the White House on a campaign trip to Florida, did not elaborate on his decision, which came after consultations with top advisers at the White House.

US needs 'fundamental changes' before UNRWA funding resumes

The United States said on Tuesday that the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees needs to make "fundamental changes" before Washington will resume funding that was halted over Israeli accusations that some agency staff took part in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield welcomed a U.N. inquiry into the accusations against staff at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and a planned agency review. She also said the U.S. was seeking more detail from Israel about the allegations.

Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah suspends attacks on US forces

Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah announced on Tuesday the suspension of all its military operations against U.S. troops in the region, in a decision aimed at preventing "embarrassment" of the Iraqi government, the group said. "As we announce the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces - in order to prevent embarrassment of the Iraqi government - we will continue to defend our people in Gaza in other ways," Kataib Hezbollah Secretary-General Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi said in a statement released by the group on Telegram.