Reuters World News Summary

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-get-us-nuclear-submarine-technology-china-looms-large-2021-09-15 Speaking after meetings between the U.S. and Australian foreign and defense ministers, Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the two sides would be "significantly enhancing our force posture cooperation, increasing interoperability and deepening alliance activities in the Indo-Pacific." Glasgow climate summit at risk of failure, U.N. chief warns United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said a critical meeting on climate change later this year in Scotland is at risk of failure due to mistrust between developed and developing countries and a lack of ambitious goals among some emerging economies.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Vaccinated Mr President? We'll take your word for it, U.N. says

The United Nations COVID-19 vaccination honor system will remain in place for presidents, prime ministers and diplomats who enter the General Assembly Hall next week and they are not required to show proof of immunization. General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid notified the 193-member U.N. member states of the plan on Thursday in a letter, seen by Reuters, after telling them on Tuesday that he supported a New York City demand that proof was required and would work with U.N. chief Antonio Guterres to implement it.

Australia agrees to increased U.S. air deployments after sub deal

Australia and the United States announced expanded military cooperation on Thursday, including rotational deployments of all types of U.S. military aircraft to Australia, a day after announcing a submarine deal denounced by China as intensifying a regional arms race. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-get-us-nuclear-submarine-technology-china-looms-large-2021-09-15

Speaking after meetings between the U.S. and Australian foreign and defense ministers, Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the two sides would be "significantly enhancing our force posture cooperation, increasing interoperability and deepening alliance activities in the Indo-Pacific."

Glasgow climate summit at risk of failure, U.N. chief warns

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said a critical meeting on climate change later this year in Scotland is at risk of failure due to mistrust between developed and developing countries and a lack of ambitious goals among some emerging economies. The U.N. COP26 conference in Glasgow aims to wring much more ambitious climate action and the money to go with it from participants around the globe. Scientists said last month that global warming is dangerously close to spiralling out of control.

Kono seen as top contender as Japan PM race set to start

Candidates to become Japan's prime minister officially launch their campaigns on Friday, with popular vaccine minister Taro Kono expected to be the top contender to replace Yoshihide Suga. The leadership race for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) took an unexpected turn two weeks ago when Suga said he would step down https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japans-ruling-party-execs-meet-pm-suga-struggles-ahead-election-2021-09-03, setting off a heated fight.

Canada's Trudeau hammers main election rival's COVID-19 approach

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, seeking to carve out a lead ahead of Monday's election, accused his main rival on Thursday of showing weak leadership in the fight against COVID-19. Opinion polls show Trudeau's center-left Liberals effectively tied with the right-of-center Conservatives led by Erin O'Toole and set to fail in their bid to win a parliamentary majority.

Under scrutiny in murder inquiry, Haiti's PM receives international backing

A group of leading Haiti-based diplomats met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry and said it backed his efforts to solve the country's political crisis, an apparent vote of confidence as he faces off accusations of links to the slaying of President Jovenel Moise. A public prosecutor said on Friday https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitian-prosecutors-seek-interview-pm-over-presidential-killing-2021-09-11 phonecall records showed Henry had spoken twice with the suspected mastermind behind Moise's killing just hours after it took place on July 7.

Hong Kong teachers exit under shadow of security law, schools scramble to fill gaps

For his last class in Hong Kong in July, liberal studies teacher Fong showed his students calligraphy by the territory's late democratic activist Szeto Wah: "Choose the right path and stick to it." He emigrated to Britain days later. Fong is one of many teachers that left Hong Kong before the school year began in September, some saying they felt disillusioned and threatened by the authoritarian turn the city has taken since Beijing imposed a stringent national security law in June 2020.

EL Salvador drafts proposal for controversial constitutional changes

El Salvador's vice president has delivered the final proposal for constitutional changes to President Nayib Bukele, including the extension of presidential terms and a new electoral tribunal body, the government said on Thursday. The president's legal adviser, Javier Argueta, said in an interview with a local television station that Bukele will review and study the proposals before sending them to Congress, where Bukele's party has a large majority.

Bolsonaro's support hits fresh low ahead of Brazil 2022 vote, poll shows

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's popularity has hit the lowest point of his time in office, a Datafolha poll showed on Thursday, with 53% of respondents disapproving of him ahead of a presidential election next year. The pollster's last survey, in July, showed 51% of respondents disapproved of the far-right former army captain. This month's poll showed 22% rate him as good or excellent, down from 24% in the earlier poll.

Blinken calls France vital partner in Indo-Pacific in apparent bid to calm French fury

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said France was a "vital partner" in the Indo-Pacific region and that Washington would continue to cooperate with Paris, comments that appeared aimed at calming French anger after the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom clinched a historic defense export contract to supply Australia with submarines. The three countries announced on Wednesday they would establish a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific that will help Australia acquire U.S. nuclear-powered submarines and scrap the $40 billion French-designed submarine deal.