World News Roundup: U.S., South Korea revive talks on 'comprehensive' ways to deter North Korea; Villagers near Pakistan's largest lake flee homes as 12 more die in floods and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S., South Korea revive talks on 'comprehensive' ways to deter North Korea

American and South Korean officials will meet next week to discuss "comprehensive measures" to deter North Korea, Seoul said on Thursday, as the two sides revive high-level deterrence talks for the first time since 2018. The Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), which includes vice-ministerial defence and diplomatic officials from both allies, will meet in Washington on Friday, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Villagers near Pakistan's largest lake flee homes as 12 more die in floods

Villagers near Pakistan's largest freshwater lake fled their homes on Thursday due to rising flood waters, while officials said 12 more deaths took the toll to 1,355. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes in a disaster blamed on climate change and estimated to have caused losses of about $10 billion, disrupting the lives of nearly 33 million of a population of 220 million.

Turkey's Erdogan echoes Putin's gripes over grain exports

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he wanted grain from Russia to be exported too, adding Vladimir Putin was right to complain that grain from Ukraine under a U.N.-backed deal was going to wealthy rather than poor countries. The grain-export agreement aimed to avert a global food crisis by guaranteeing the safe passage of ships in and out of Ukrainian ports, allowing them to export tens of millions of tonnes of grain that had been blockaded by Russia's invasion.

Fighting rages in areas near Russian-held nuclear plant in Ukraine

Heavy fighting has been raging into Thursday in areas near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine after Kyiv warned that it might have to shut down the plant to avoid disaster. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in its daily morning update that some villages and communities near the plant were heavily shelled in the 24 hours to Thursday morning from "tanks, mortars, barrel and jet artillery".

Suspect in Canada stabbing spree dies soon after arrest

The suspect sought by Canadian authorities in a weekend stabbing spree that killed 10 people in and around an indigenous reserve was arrested on Wednesday, then lapsed into unexplained "medical distress" and died soon after at a hospital, police said. Official word that the intense four-day manhunt for Myles Sanderson, 30, ended with his death came during a late-night news conference hours after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported he had been taken into custody.

Britain's Prince Charles now with Queen Elizabeth, says BBC

Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, is now with Queen Elizabeth after she was placed under medical supervision, the BBC reported on Thursday.

Family rush to be with Queen Elizabeth as doctors voice concern

Family members rushed to be by the side of Queen Elizabeth after doctors said they were concerned about the health of Britain's 96-year-old monarch on Thursday, saying she should remain under medical supervision. The queen, Britain's longest-reigning sovereign and the world's oldest monarch, has been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called "episodic mobility problems" since the end of last year.

Ukraine says it retakes eastern territory as Blinken visits with more aid

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of "good news" on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, saying his army had retaken some towns and villages from Russia as America's top diplomat visited Kyiv with a big new military aid package. In a late night address on Wednesday, President Zelenskiy said his forces had liberated some settlements in the Kharkiv region in a counter-offensive. Some Western analysts suggested Kyiv may have retaken around 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory after a deep thrust behind Russian lines.

Poland joins Baltic states on new limits to entry of Russian nationals

Poland joined the Baltic states on Thursday in limiting the admission of Russian nationals on its territory, the government said, the latest move aiming to penalize Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia this week agreed to limit the entry of Russian nationals into their countries from Russia and Belarus.

Tested PM or new right bloc? Swedish voters undecided as hard winter looms

The energy crisis, soaring inflation, and war in Ukraine could help Social Democrat Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson to secure another term in office if Swedes decide to vote for a safe pair of hands in Sunday's parliamentary election. The closely fought election comes at a time when clouds are gathering over Sweden's economy. With energy costs rocketing as a result of Russia's decision to squeeze gas supplies to Europe, growth is set to slow next year with recession a distinct possibility.