Reuters World News Summary

The arrests came a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to China to press Beijing on its support for Russia's wartime economy and to raise issues of intellectual property theft and fair market access. Norway's King Harald, 87, to reduce activity after illness Norway's 87-year-old King Harald will permanently scale back the number of official activities in which he takes part following his recent illness, the royal household said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia claims second gain in two days in Ukraine's Donetsk region

Russia said on Monday its forces had taken control of the village of Novomykhailivka 40 km (25 miles) southwest of the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, the second advance it has announced in two days. Reuters could not independently verify the Russian gain, reported by the defence ministry. Ukraine's General Staff said in its regular morning report that Kyiv's forces continued to hold back Russian attempts to advance near the village.

UK's Sunak says first migrant flight to Rwanda will leave in 10-12 weeks

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday the first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda would leave in 10-12 weeks, as he set out plans for for his flagship policy to tackle illegal migration. Speaking at a press conference, Sunak said he would not outline the exact operational details of the plan, but said the government had made specific preparations.

US aid could buy Kyiv time, but Ukraine needs many more troops

For the exhausted Ukrainian artillery gunners holding off Russian forces near the eastern town of Kupiansk, the U.S. aid package expected to finally pass this week is a lifeline and, potentially, a gamechanger, although that could take some time. "If they'd passed it (earlier), it would have changed the situation dramatically," said one soldier, call sign "Sailor", who said a shortage of shells had reduced their covering fire for infantrymen, costing lives and territory.

Russia warns of direct clash with West over Ukraine

Russia said on Monday that U.S., British and French military support for Ukraine has pushed the world to the brink of a direct clash between the world's biggest nuclear powers that could end in catastrophe. President Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has touched off the worst breakdown in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, according to Russian and U.S. diplomats.

New Brexit border checks could stifle fine food imports from EU, warn sellers

Panzer's delicatessen in north west London has lost 37 suppliers from the European Union since Britain left the bloc's single market in 2021, and owner David Josephs fears more will quit after the UK introduces new border checks this month. Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016 but, such was the scale of the task to untangle supply chains and erect customs borders, that it is only this year setting new rules.

Germany arrests three people suspected of giving technology to China

Three Germans have been arrested on suspicion of working with the Chinese secret service to hand over technology that could be used for military purposes, potentially helping strengthen China's navy, German officials said on Monday. The arrests came a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to China to press Beijing on its support for Russia's wartime economy and to raise issues of intellectual property theft and fair market access.

Norway's King Harald, 87, to reduce activity after illness

Norway's 87-year-old King Harald will permanently scale back the number of official activities in which he takes part following his recent illness, the royal household said on Monday. Harald, Europe's oldest serving monarch, was hospitalised in February for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia and later received a pacemaker to help compensate for a low heart rate.

Columbia University cancels in-person classes after pro-Palestinian protests

Columbia University students will attend classes virtually on Monday as school officials hope to deescalate tensions on the New York City campus after pro-Palestinian demonstrations led to mass arrests last week. In a statement on Monday, Columbia President Nemat Minouche Shafik said the university was canceling in-person classes on Monday while denouncing antisemitic language and intimidating and harassing behavior that she said had occurred on campus recently.

Trump arrives at New York court for start of hush-money trial

Donald Trump arrived at a New York courthouse on Monday to hear prosecutors explain why his alleged cover-up of a hush money payment to a porn star during his 2016 campaign broke the law, as the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president begins. Though Trump called for supporters to protest peacefully at courthouses "all over the Country," few were on hand to greet him when he arrived at the downtown courthouse in a motorcade of black SUVs.

Israeli military intelligence head resigns over Oct. 7 failures

The head of Israeli military intelligence has resigned after accepting responsibility for the failures that allowed the devastating Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the military said on Monday. Major General Aharon Haliva, a 38-year veteran of the military, was one of a number of senior Israeli commanders who said they had failed to foresee and prevent the deadliest attack in Israel's history.

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