Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Exclusive-US plans to shrink forces available to NATO during crises, sources say

The Trump administration is planning to tell NATO allies this week that it will shrink the pool of military capabilities that the U.S. would have available to assist the alliance's European nations in a major crisis, three sources familiar with the matter said. Under a framework known as the NATO Force Model, the ​alliance's member countries identify a pool of available forces that could be activated during a conflict or any other major crisis, such as a military attack on a NATO member.

Ebola likely circulating in Congo for two months, outbreak to grow, WHO says

The Ebola outbreak linked to ​more than 130 deaths in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo likely started two months ago and is expected to continue to grow, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. The outbreak of ‌the rare Bundibugyo strain, for ​which there is no vaccine, was declared last Friday and has alarmed experts because of how long it went undetected while spreading across a densely populated area, making it difficult to trace and isolate the contacts of infected individuals.

US removes UN expert Francesca Albanese from sanctions list

The United States has removed Francesca Albanese, a U.N. expert on the Palestinian territories, from its list of sanctioned individuals, according to the U.S. Treasury Department website. The removal comes a week after a federal judge temporarily blocked the sanctions, finding that the Trump administration likely violated her free-speech rights by imposing the measures after she criticized U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza.

UK's second-most senior diplomat in Washington leaves post abruptly

Britain's second-most senior diplomat in Washington, James Roscoe, has left his post abruptly without any public explanation for his departure. The UK's foreign ministry issued a short six-word statement: "James Roscoe has left his post".

Kenyan court rules parts of law criminalising consensual sex between adolescents invalid

A ‌Kenyan court ruled on Wednesday that sections of a law targeting sexual offences in the East African nation cannot apply to minors found to have had consensual intercourse, a decision that rights groups expect to set a precedent in how the country handles relationships among adolescents. Rights advocates said the decision would curb arrests and prosecutions of adolescents for consensual peer relationships and force reforms in policing, prosecution and access to confidential youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services.

Israel takes step toward snap election as Knesset votes to dissolve

Israel moved closer on Wednesday to a snap election after lawmakers gave an initial nod to dissolve parliament, with opinion polls showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose the first national vote since the 2023 Hamas attacks. Lawmakers voted almost unanimously for an early ballot in a preliminary reading of a bill to disband the 120-seat Knesset. If it receives final approval, a process that could take weeks, Israel could hold an election several weeks ahead of an October 27 deadline.

EU Commission finds treatment of Gaza flotilla activists unacceptable

The European Commission found the treatment of the Gaza flotilla activists shown in a video released by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is "completely unacceptable", a spokesperson said on Wednesday. "Every detained person must be treated with safety, dignity and according to international law," spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said in ‌a post on X. "We call on the Israeli government to ensure the protection and dignified treatment of these activists, including several EU citizens," he added.

How Trump's revenge tour against Republicans could cost the party in November

Sixteen months into his second presidency, Donald Trump may be as unpopular as he's ever been among the American electorate – but his grip on his core base of MAGA voters remains unshaken.

That power was on full display over the last two weeks, as Trump ousted a string of fellow Republicans he considered apostates for not showing him enough personal fealty. The president's ‌revenge tour continued on Tuesday, when a hand-picked loyalist defeated U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, a frequent critic, in a Kentucky nominating contest.

Vance or Rubio for 2028? The White House briefing room edition

The White House press briefing room has emerged as an informal audition stage this month in the intensifying race of who will succeed President Donald Trump in 2028. Taking the podium on Tuesday, two weeks after a similar appearance by possible rival Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance used the historic venue primarily to impress an audience of one.

Ukraine to beef up northern defences over Russian offensive plans

Ukraine will send reinforcements to its northern regions and step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy said Kyiv had become aware of five scenarios Russia had drawn up to expand the war through the north.

Analysis-Trump's $1.776 billion 'weaponization' fund sparks outrage, but court challenges will be tough

Opponents of President Donald Trump's sweeping legal settlement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service will face high hurdles in challenging its $1.776 billion fund for victims of alleged political "weaponization" and its provision barring audits of his taxes, according to legal experts. Congressional Democrats derided the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund as a slush fund to steer taxpayer dollars to Trump's political allies, while watchdog groups called the tax immunity agreement illegal. Even some Republicans expressed qualms. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, for instance, said he was "not a big fan" of the plan.

US charges Raúl Castro with murder as Trump escalates pressure on Cuba

The United ⁠States announced murder charges against former Cuban ​President Raúl Castro on Wednesday, a major escalation in Washington's pressure campaign against the island's communist government. The indictment marks a new low in relations between the longtime Cold War ⁠rivals and comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for regime change in Cuba, where Castro's communists have been in charge since his late brother Fidel Castro led a revolution in 1959.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine discussed sanctions on Russia with Britain

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Ukraine had been in contact with Britain on Wednesday, having sent signals on the "sensitive" issue of sanctions on Russia, with hopes to discuss the issue further this week. "This issue is always very sensitive... We conveyed our signals on the matter to London," he said in his nightly video address. "We expect that everything will be discussed this week on a bilateral level."

'I'm not greedy': January 6 rioters and Trump allies eye $1.8 billion 'weaponization' fund

Since President Donald Trump's administration announced the creation of a $1.776 ⁠billion fund for Americans deemed to be victims of political "weaponization," January 6 Capitol riot defendants and other Trump allies have scrambled to figure out how to get their share. Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys leader sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy over the January 6, 2021 riot, said he planned to apply to the fund, assuming he could get between $2 and $5 million.

China's Xi may visit North Korea as early as next week, Yonhap reports

Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next week, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported late on Wednesday quoting a senior government official. Another government source was cited as saying a team of Chinese security service and protocol officials were in Pyongyang recently ​and that a visit by Xi late in May or early June was likely.

Turkey's Erdogan tells Trump issues with Iran can be resolved, Ankara says

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told U.S. President Donald Trump in a call on Wednesday he welcomed the extension of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, adding he believed contested issues between the sides could be resolved, according to the Turkish presidency. NATO member Turkey, which neighbours Iran, has been in close contact with Washington, Tehran, and mediators Pakistan to seek an end to the war. It has called for an ⁠end to the conflict and passed messages between the sides.

Pentagon official's Beijing visit in doubt over $14 billion US arms package for Taiwan, FT reports

Beijing is holding up a proposed visit by the Pentagon's under-secretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, as China pressures U.S. President Donald Trump over a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan, the Financial Times said on Thursday. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Former DOJ lawyer charged with theft of unreleased report on Trump documents case

A former U.S. Department of Justice attorney has been charged with emailing herself copies of an unreleased volume of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report concerning the now-dismissed criminal case accusing President Trump of retaining classified documents after his first term. Carmen Lineberger, who had worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, pleaded not guilty ⁠to charges ​related to the theft and concealment of government records during a Wednesday hearing in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Bolivia plans cabinet shakeup amid protests, dismisses Colombian ambassador

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz on Wednesday said that he would reshuffle his cabinet in response to weeks of nationwide protests over austerity measures , while his government expelled Colombia's ambassador on grounds of interference in internal affairs. "We are going to reorganise the cabinet," Paz told journalists at a press conference . "The president cannot be everywhere, the president cannot solve all the problems."

Austrian former domestic intelligence officer spied for Russia, court finds

An Austrian court found former intelligence officer Egisto Ott guilty of spying on Wednesday, for helping Russia hunt down opponents and selling it state laptops and phones at the behest of suspected Moscow agent Jan Marsalek. Ott's is the biggest spying case in Austria since a retired army colonel was convicted in 2020 of having spied for Moscow for decades.

Colombia's ELN rebels, FARC dissidents announce ceasefire for presidential election

Colombia's Central General Staff, the largest dissident branch of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group, and rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Wednesday announced separate ceasefires ahead of this month's general election. Colombians will head to the polls on May 31 to elect the next president, ⁠who will serve from 2026 to 2030.

Xi and Putin unite to criticise US, but fail to clinch big gas deal

China and Russia condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defence shield plans and Washington's "irresponsible" nuclear policy at a summit on Wednesday, a week after President Xi Jinping hosted Trump in Beijing. A joint statement issued after Xi's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin served to underline that, while the Chinese leader seeks stable and constructive relations with Trump, he differs fundamentally with him on key issues where China's position is closely aligned with Russia's.

UN backs world court ⁠climate opinion; U.S. among few to oppose

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday voted 141-8 to adopt a resolution backing a world court opinion that countries have a legal obligation to ⁠address climate change, with the world's biggest historical emitter the United States among those opposing it. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the vote, in which 28 countries abstained, underscored that governments are responsible for protecting citizens from the "escalating climate crisis."

Trump says willing to wait for a few days to get 'right answer' on Iran peace deal

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States was ready to proceed with further attacks on Tehran if Iran did not agree to a peace deal, but suggested Washington could wait a few days to "get the right answers." Speaking to reporters, Trump said the situation was "right on the borderline" and could escalate quickly.

Israeli police force Gaza flotilla activists to kneel with hands bound, video shows

Israeli police on Wednesday forced activists who were aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla to kneel on the ground in rows with their hands tied behind their backs while a minister looked on, drawing criticism from foreign ‌leaders and even from inside Israel's own government. The activists were detained after their flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces ‌in international waters on Tuesday and later taken to an Israeli port.

At Cannes, Almodovar says artists have duty to speak out against 'monsters' like Trump

Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar urged artists to speak out about the crises facing society on Wednesday, describing it as their moral duty against "monsters" like U.S. President Donald Trump. "The creator, from their ​small platform, each from their own, must speak without mincing words," said Almodovar at the Cannes Film Festival after the premiere of his tragicomedy "Bitter Christmas."

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