World News Roundup: Iran nuclear chief says Tehran has given IAEA documents on outstanding issues; Burkina Faso's ex-pres Compaore sentenced to life in prison over Sankara murder and more

The new sanctions will impose additional restrictions on financial institutions and state-owned enterprises in Russia and target Russian government officials and their families, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday. Ukraine says two civilians killed at aid distribution point, east under heavy fire Russian artillery fire killed at least two people and wounded five at a humanitarian aid distribution point on Wednesday as Moscow's forces bombarded towns and cities in eastern Ukraine, local officials said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Iran nuclear chief says Tehran has given IAEA documents on outstanding issues

Iran has handed over documents related to outstanding issues to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Iranian nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Wednesday, as Tehran demands closure of the agency's investigation into uranium particles found at three undeclared sites. Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month agreed on a three-month plan to try to resolve a long-stalled issue over uranium particles found at old but undeclared sites in the country. Resolving the issue would remove an obstacle to the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Burkina Faso's ex-pres Compaore sentenced to life in prison over Sankara murder

Burkina Faso's former president Blaise Compaore was sentenced to life imprisonment for complicity in the 1987 murder of his predecessor Thomas Sankara in a coup, a military tribunal ruled on Wednesday. The charismatic Marxist revolutionary Sankara was gunned down in the West African nation's capital Ouagadougou at the age of 37, four years after he took power in a previous putsch.

Russian forces pound key cities as Ukraine demands tougher sanctions

Artillery pounded key cities in Ukraine on Wednesday, as its president urged the West to act decisively in imposing new and tougher sanctions being readied against Russia in response to civilian killings widely condemned as war crimes. Western sanctions over Russia's invasion gained new impetus this week when dead civilians shot at close range were found in the town of Bucha after it was retaken from Russian forces.

In stunning reversal, protests leave Sri Lanka's ruling dynasty teetering

In 2020, Mahinda Rajapaksa won elections to become Sri Lanka's prime minister, serving under his brother and president Gotabaya. In 2021, another sibling, Basil, was named finance minister, tightening the family's hold on power. Less than a year later, the country's pre-eminent political dynasty is in trouble, as protesters take to the streets making demands that would have been unthinkable before the economic crisis struck: that the president steps down.

Shanghai eases child separation under COVID policy but extends lockdown

Shanghai on Wednesday made concessions on an unpopular COVID isolation policy that has separated children from their parents and sparked a public outcry, but extended a citywide lockdown that has left some residents struggling to buy food.

The lockdown of China's most populous city, which started in parts of Shanghai 10 days ago and has now confined nearly all of its 26 million residents at home, has massively disrupted daily life and business.

U.S., allies to ban investments in Russia, sanction banks

The United States and its allies will target Russian banks and officials with a "sweeping package" of sanctions on Wednesday and ban new investment in Russia, the White House said, after Washington and Kyiv accused Moscow of committing war crimes in Ukraine. The new sanctions will impose additional restrictions on financial institutions and state-owned enterprises in Russia and target Russian government officials and their families, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday.

Ukraine says two civilians killed at aid distribution point, east under heavy fire

Russian artillery fire killed at least two people and wounded five at a humanitarian aid distribution point on Wednesday as Moscow's forces bombarded towns and cities in eastern Ukraine, local officials said. Authorities in the eastern region of Luhansk urged civilians to evacuate "while it is safe," warning that Russian bombardments could cut off escape routes.

UK set to cancel global LGBT+ conference over trans conversion therapy dispute

Britain is set to abandon plans to hold a flagship conference designed to promote LGBT+ rights around the world following a dispute over conversion therapy for transgender people that has prompted charities and organizations to boycott the event. Britain had been due to host the Safe to Be Me conference in London in June to urge governments to tackle inequality and discrimination and enable people to live free from prejudice.

Hong Kong deputy chief says he plans to run for city's top job

Hong Kong Chief Secretary John Lee, a security official during the global financial hub's prolonged and often violent 2019 pro-democracy protests, said on Wednesday he had resigned in a bid to run in an election in May to become the city's new leader. Lee, 64, a former deputy commissioner of police, was promoted to the global financial hub's No. 2 role in 2021 in a move that some political analysts said signalled Beijing's priorities for Hong Kong were security rather than the economy.

Russian far-right politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky dies at 75

Russian far-right politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, known for provocative stunts and anti-Western tirades that kept him in the public eye for more than three decades, has died after a long and serious illness, the speaker of parliament said on Wednesday. Zhirinovsky, 75, was admitted to hospital earlier this year after contracting COVID-19, according to Russian media.

(With inputs from agencies.)