Reuters World News Roundup – Devdiscourse

Below is a roundup of current world news briefs.

US citizen crosses into North Korea, likely in custody

A US citizen crossed the inter-Korean border into North Korea without authorization during a tour and is likely in North Korean custody, the United Nations Command overseeing the demilitarized zone area on the border said Tuesday. The person was taking part in a tour of the Joint Security Area on the border of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that has separated the two Koreas since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, where soldiers from both sides stand guard.

UK government’s controversial illegal immigration plan to become law

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s controversial plan to make it easier to send asylum seekers to Rwanda will become law after the government defeated attempts by the upper house of parliament to make changes to the legislation. The Illegal Migration Bill had been bogged down in a battle between parliament’s House of Commons and the House of Lords, Britain’s unelected upper house, which had repeatedly made changes to the law to soften it.

Heat wave brings health warnings as extreme weather grips the world

Temperatures were expected to reach record levels in Italy on Tuesday and the World Meteorological Organization warned of increased risk of deaths as heat waves and extreme weather gripped parts of Europe, Asia and the United States. The Mediterranean island of Sardinia could see highs of more than 47 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) and forecasters said temperatures could hit 40 degrees in several Italian cities, including 42-43 degrees in the Lazio region that includes Rome. .

Saudi Arabia buys Turkish drones during Erdogan’s visit

Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to buy Turkish drones in the largest defense contract in Turkey’s history, as President Tayyip Erdogan reaped the benefits of his diplomatic push to repair ties with Gulf powers and help the struggling economy. from Ankara. Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended a signing ceremony between Turkish defense firm Baykar and the Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

G20 meeting in India to end without statement as Ukraine war divides bloc

Two days of talks between the Group of 20 economic and financial policymakers will end on Tuesday without a joint statement due to differences between the major powers over the war in Ukraine, according to Indian officials hosting the meeting. During its G20 presidency, India hopes to forge consensus on reforms for multilateral banks, a global guiding principle on cryptocurrencies and speeding up debt resolution for vulnerable countries, but the Russia-Ukraine conflict has cast a long shadow. on global diplomacy.

Elections in Spain: activists seek refuge from the heat of July

Spanish political parties in the final days of campaigning ahead of the snap general election on July 23 have adapted to the scorching heat through measures such as changing the venues and times of their rallies and building an online presence. As parts of the country have faced temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez campaigned on Monday in the city of Huesca, near the Pyrenees mountains, which registered temperatures average of 27.8 degrees Celsius.

Israel’s Herzog to Face Tensions in Washington Visit

A handful of Democratic lawmakers are considering staying away when Israeli President Isaac Herzog addresses Congress this week, citing issues including the human rights record of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Herzog, who as head of state plays a largely ceremonial role, begins his two-day visit to Washington on Tuesday when he meets US President Joe Biden before addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday.

US envoy Kerry says climate cooperation could redefine US-China ties

China and the United States could use climate cooperation to redefine their troubled relationship and lead the way in tackling global warming, US climate envoy John Kerry told senior Chinese officials on Tuesday. Kerry’s three-day visit to China aimed at reigniting climate cooperation among the world’s top emitters of greenhouse gases coincided with waves of extreme weather across the globe, including a heat dome in the western United States. United States that pushed temperatures in California’s Death Valley to 53 degrees Celsius (128 Fahrenheit) on Sunday.

Russia Attacks Ukraine’s Grain Ports After Withdrawing From Export Deal

Russia attacked Ukrainian ports on Tuesday, a day after withdrawing from a UN-backed deal to allow Kiev to export grain, and Moscow claimed gains in an area where Ukrainian officials said Russian forces were going back on the offensive. Russia said it hit fuel storage in Odessa and a plant that makes maritime drones there, as part of “massive revenge attacks” in retaliation for attacks by Ukraine that brought down its road bridge to the occupied Crimean peninsula.

Europe’s sweltering summer could send tourists to colder climes

High summer temperatures in southern Europe could spark a lasting change in tourist habits, with more travelers choosing cooler destinations or taking their holidays in spring or autumn to avoid extreme heat, tourism bodies and experts predict. Data from the European Travel Commission (ETC) shows that the number of people hoping to travel to the Mediterranean region between June and November has already fallen by 10% compared to last year, when scorching weather led to droughts and fires. forestry.

(With contributions from agencies).