Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Zelenskiy urges leaders to send arms as 'artificial' shortage helps Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged allies at a global security conference on Saturday to plug an "artificial" shortage of weapons that is giving Russian forces the upper hand on the battlefield and said stalled U.S. aid was imperative. Addressing the gathering of politicians, diplomats and military officials from around the world, who gave him a standing ovation, Zelenskiy mixed gratitude for the support shown by Western countries with urging them for more.

Netanyahu dismisses election calls as thousands protest in Tel Aviv

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday dismissed the idea of holding early elections, while thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv for an anti-government protest. Netanyahu has seen his popularity plummet in opinion polls since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that sparked the devastating war in Gaza.

Egypt says displacement is unacceptable, but will deal with civilians humanely

Egypt's foreign minister said on Saturday that while his country would deal with civilians humanely, the displacement of Palestinians remained unacceptable. "It is not our intention to provide any safe areas or facilities, but necessarily if this was a case we will deal with the humanity that is necessary," Sameh Shoukry said at the Munich Security Conference.

Russia says its forces move forward after Ukraine withdraws from Avdiivka

Russia said on Saturday that its forces had inflicted a series of defeats on Ukrainian forces along the 1,000-km (620-mile) front line just as Ukrainian troops withdrew from the devastated eastern town of Avdiivka. The Ukrainian withdrawal from Avdiivka paves the way for Russia's biggest victory since the May 2023 capture of Bakhmut after a deadly battle that left thousands dead in a devastated city with barely a building intact.

Qatar PM says Gaza ceasefire negotiations 'not very promising' in recent days

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Saturday the pattern of negotiations for a framework ceasefire deal for the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza was "not very promising" in recent days. "The pattern in the last few days are not really very promising but, as I always repeat, we will always remain optimistic and will always remain pushing," Sheikh Mohammed said at the Munich Security Conference.

Navalny was struck down with 'sudden death syndrome', his mother was told at Russian prison

Alexei Navalny's mother was told on Saturday that Russia's most prominent opposition leader had been struck down by "sudden death syndrome" and that his body would not be handed over to the family until an investigation was completed, his team said. Navalny, a 47-year-old former lawyer, fell unconscious and died on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" penal colony in Kharp, about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said.

Navalny's wife should keep his voice alive, Litvinenko widow says

The wife of Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, needs to keep her husband's voice alive, the widow of Alexander Litvinenko said on Saturday following the death of the prominent Kremlin critic. Russian authorities said 47-year-old Navalny fell unconscious and died on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" Arctic penal colony where he was serving a long sentence.

Israel stages airstrikes across Gaza, makes arrests at hospital

Israeli forces carried out arrests in Gaza's largest functioning hospital, health officials and the military said on Saturday, as airstrikes hit across the enclave and rain battered Palestinians taking shelter in Rafah. Israeli forces raided the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Thursday as they pressed their war on Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that rules the enclave.

Navalny's death leaves despair and apathy in Moscow

The hundreds of flowers and candles laid in Moscow on Friday to honour the memory of Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition leader, were taken away overnight in black bags. Russia's prison service said that Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" Arctic penal colony. Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh on Saturday confirmed his death, citing an official notice given to his mother, Lydumila.

Yemen's Houthis claim missile attack on oil tanker in Red Sea

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility on Saturday for an attack on the oil tanker M/T Pollux, which U.S. officials said the previous day had been hit by a missile. "The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against a British oil ship (Pollux) in the Red Sea with a large number of appropriate naval missiles," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement, adding the strikes "were accurate and direct".

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