Reuters World News Summary

Kovacevski said on his Facebook page that the central committee of his ruling SDSM party had endorsed him as prime minister-designate late on Monday, and that in that capacity he met a U.S. ambassador in North Macedonia on Tuesday. U.S. sounds caution against optimism by Iran, Russia over nuclear talks The United States on Tuesday expressed caution over upbeat comments by Iran and Russia about talks in Vienna to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying it was still too soon to say if Tehran had returned to the negotiations with a constructive approach.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

'Christmas of our dreams' turns to nightmare as Brazil floods level homes

Juliana Reis, a 37-year-old from the isolated Brazilian town of Itambe, was finally reuniting for Christmas with her parents after months apart due to the pandemic. "We really hoped it would be the Christmas of our dreams," she told Reuters on Tuesday.

'Erasing history': Russia closes top rights group, capping year of crackdowns

Russia's Supreme Court ordered the country's oldest human rights group to disband on Tuesday for breaking a law requiring it to act as "a foreign agent", capping a year of crackdowns on Kremlin critics unseen since the Soviet era. The closure of Memorial International bookmarks a year in which Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin's top critic, was jailed, his movement banned and many of his allies forced to flee. Moscow says it is simply enforcing laws to thwart extremism and shield the country from what it says is malign foreign influence.

South Africa recalls new isolation and quarantine rules

South Africa has recalled rules that no longer required people without symptoms of COVID-19 to isolate or test if they have been in contact with a positive case, the government announced on Tuesday, saying an amended circular will be re-issued. Last week the health ministry said that asymptomatic individuals who had been in contact with a case of COVID-19 no longer had to isolate but should monitor for symptoms for 5-7 days and avoid attending large gatherings.

Hong Kong police arrest 6 current or former staff of online media outlet

Hong Kong's Police National Security Department said early on Wednesday it had arrested six current or former senior staff from an online media firm "for conspiracy to publish seditious publication." Hong Kong broadcaster TVB said the six are current or former staff from pro-democracy news website Stand News.

New leader of North Macedonia's Socialists becomes PM-designate

Dimitar Kovacevski, the new leader of North Macedonia's ruling Socialists, said on Tuesday that he had been confirmed by his party as the country's prime minister-designate following Zoran Zaev's formal resignation as premier last week. Kovacevski said on his Facebook page that the central committee of his ruling SDSM party had endorsed him as prime minister-designate late on Monday, and that in that capacity he met a U.S. ambassador in North Macedonia on Tuesday.

U.S. sounds caution against optimism by Iran, Russia over nuclear talks

The United States on Tuesday expressed caution over upbeat comments by Iran and Russia about talks in Vienna to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying it was still too soon to say if Tehran had returned to the negotiations with a constructive approach. Iran and Russia both gave upbeat views on Tuesday about talks that kicked off this week to salvage Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with global powers, although Western nations have said the negotiations are going too slowly.

Prince Andrew questions accuser Giuffre's ability to pursue sex abuse lawsuit

A lawyer for Britain's Prince Andrew on Tuesday questioned whether Virginia Giuffre is legally entitled to pursue her civil lawsuit accusing the Duke of York of sexually abusing her when she was under 18. In a filing with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the lawyer Andrew Brettler said "recently discovered evidence" suggested that the court lacked jurisdiction because Giuffre has lived in Australia for most of the last two decades, and cannot prove she resided in Colorado as she stated in her complaint.

Cruise ship with COVID-19 outbreak docks in northern Mexico

Mexico on Tuesday allowed a cruise ship to dock and disembark tourists in spite of an outbreak of COVID-19 on board, as the government vowed to keep the country open to cruise vessels provided sanitary precautions are met. The ship, Ms Zuiderdam, with some 2,000 passengers and crew, docked in the port of Guaymas in the northern state of state of Sonora, state and federal authorities said.

Some COVID-positive essential workers to continue working in Canada's Quebec -minister

Quebec, the second most populous Canadian province, has "no choice" but to allow some essential workers to continue working even after testing positive for COVID-19 to prevent staff shortages from impeding its healthcare services, Health Minister Christian Dube said Tuesday. Quebec, which has been setting daily records since the Omicron variant started a new wave of rapidly rising infections, recorded 12,833 new cases on Monday - the highest one-day count of any region in Canada during the pandemic.

Tutu's daughter recalls day he saved man from being burned alive by angry mob

As South Africa celebrated the life of anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died on Sunday, one of his daughters recalled the day he saved a young man from being burned alive by an angry mob as one of her proudest memories. In 1985, the country was in a state of emergency as banned liberation parties, including the now ruling African National Congress, sought to ratchet up political pressure and overthrow white-minority rule.

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