Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
Trump says he sent letter to Iran leader to negotiate nuclear deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and sent a letter to its leadership this week suggesting talks with the Islamic Republic, which the West fears is rapidly nearing the capability to make atomic weapons. "I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network broadcast on Friday.
Drugs to blame in Liam Payne's death, close friend says
Drugs are the only thing to blame in the death of former One Direction star Liam Payne, according to a close friend who was cleared last month of charges he was involved with the singer's death. Rogelio "Roger" Nores, speaking to Reuters on Friday alongside his lawyer, described Payne's October fall from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony as "bad luck" and a "tragedy."
Russian strike on eastern Ukrainian town kills four, injures 18, regional governor says
Russian forces attacked the town of Dobropillia in eastern Ukraine late on Friday, killing four people and injuring 18, the regional governor said. Governor Vadym Filashkin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said Russian forces launched three night-time strikes on the town north of Pokrovsk, one of the focal points of their advance through eastern Ukraine.
US foreign aid orgs say they are owed more than $671 million by Monday deadline
U.S. foreign aid organizations suing President Donald Trump's administration over its freeze of nearly all foreign aid spending said on Friday that they are owed more than $671 million for past work that a court has ordered be paid by a Monday deadline. Foreign aid contractors involved in the lawsuit said in a filing in Washington, D.C., federal court that they have outstanding invoices totaling about $420 million, and requests for drawdowns on letters of credit for about $250 million, for past work done for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department.
Russia launches major Ukraine missile attack after US cuts off military aid
Russian forces damaged Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure overnight in their first major missile attack since the U.S. paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, piling pressure on Kyiv as President Donald Trump seeks a swift end to the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, seeking to shore up Western support for his country after Trump's diplomatic pivot towards Moscow, called for a truce covering air and sea, though not ground troops - an idea first mooted by France.
Haitian economist takes over as transition president in friendly ceremony
Haitian economist and former central bank chief Fritz Alphonse Jean took over the rotating presidency of Haiti's transitional presidential council on Friday, taking the top executive role in a country battling a devastating conflict with armed gangs. Jean took over from architect Leslie Voltaire in a friendly ceremony, following a more fraught transition in October when the first president refused to sign the transition decree over an unresolved corruption scandal.
As US restores some aid, humanitarian groups ask: where is the money?
Days after cutting billions of dollars in foreign aid programs, the United States began reversing some decisions, but humanitarian groups say funds have not yet arrived and the United Nations has started evaluating "choices we are making on which lives not to save" due to cuts. U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office on January 20 and immediately ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid pending a review of whether the programs align with his "America First" foreign policy.
Trump threatens Russia with sanctions until Ukraine peace reached
U.S. President Donald Trump raised the prospect of imposing large-scale U.S. sanctions on Russia on Friday, days after pausing military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine, and he called on both countries to get on with negotiating a peace deal. Trump's threat of banking curbs and tariffs followed a Reuters report on Monday that the White House was preparing to give Russia possible sanctions relief as part of the push to end the war and improve diplomatic and economic ties with Moscow.
Mexico aims to boost compliant exports to 90% after U.S. tariff reprieve
Mexico expects to significantly boost the number of compliant companies exporting to the U.S. under a regional trade pact in coming weeks, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Friday, after Washington paused tariffs on Mexican shipments entering under the agreement. Ebrard, speaking in a regular press conference alongside President Claudia Sheinbaum, said currently over half of goods going from Mexico to the U.S. were compliant under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement - and subsequently eligible for the tariff reprieve announced on Thursday.
Women's rights under attack and 'we must fight back', says UN chief
Women's rights are under attack and "we must fight back," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday, warning that the world cannot stand by as progress is reversed. At a United Nations event on the eve of International Women's Day on Saturday, Guterres said centuries of discrimination against women were being exacerbated by new threats.
