Reuters World News Summary

Iran does not recognise the sanctions, and its oil exports have been rising. Russia's Wagner group could soon cease to exist, founder tells blogger Russia's private Wagner militia, which is leading the assault on Bakhmut in Ukraine and has been active in Africa, could soon cease to exist, founder Yevgeny Prigozhin said in video remarks to a blogger that were released on Friday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Brazil's Mura people report threats amid pressure to approve Amazon potash mine

Leaders of Brazil's Mura people said on Friday tensions have risen in the Autazes region where they live after a federal agency crew visited the area to discuss potentially demarcating their ancestral land, which overlaps with an area where a Canadian company wants to build a potash mine. Speaking at a press conference hosted by federal prosecutors in the state of Amazonas, two Mura leaders said their communities have received renewed threats after Funai, the federal indigenous agency, visited the region in late March to start demarcation discussions of the Soares/Urucurituba territory, where Potassio do Brasil plans to build the $2.5 billion project.

Unending 'hell': Sudan war rages despite truce pledges

Strikes by air, tanks and artillery rocked Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and the adjacent city of Bahri on Friday, witnesses said, mocking a 72-hour truce extension announced by the army and a rival paramilitary force. Hundreds have been killed and tens of thousands have fled for their lives in a power struggle between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that erupted on April 15 and disabled an internationally backed transition toward democratic elections.

North Korea says U.S.-South Korea agreement will worsen insecurity

North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said a U.S.-South Korea agreement this week about the need to shore up South Korean security will worsen the situation, according to state media KCNA on Saturday. North Korea is convinced it must further perfect a "nuclear war deterrent" as a result, Kim said. The statement did not elaborate.

U.S. confiscates Iran oil cargo on tanker amid Tehran tensions -sources

The U.S. confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in recent days in a sanctions enforcement operation, three sources said, and days later Iran seized another oil-laden tanker in retaliation, according to a maritime security firm. As oil markets remain jittery, the cargo seizure is the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran after years of sanctions pressure by the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program. Iran does not recognise the sanctions, and its oil exports have been rising.

Russia's Wagner group could soon cease to exist, founder tells blogger

Russia's private Wagner militia, which is leading the assault on Bakhmut in Ukraine and has been active in Africa, could soon cease to exist, founder Yevgeny Prigozhin said in video remarks to a blogger that were released on Friday. It was not immediately clear when Prigozhin had spoken and how serious he was being. Earlier this week he withdrew comments about the frontline he said had been a joke.

Iran says there were no school poisonings, blames foreign 'enemies'

Iran's intelligence ministry on Friday accused foreign "enemies" and dissidents of fomenting fears over suspected poisonings of schoolgirls, saying its investigation found no actual poisoning. The wave of suspected attacks has affected thousands of schoolgirls and provoked public anger, after months of protests against Iran's clerical rulers following the death of a young woman held by police for allegedly flouting strict hijab rules.

Russia kills 25 in biggest Ukraine air strikes for nearly two months

Russia hurled missiles at cities across Ukraine as people slept on Friday, killing at least 25 civilians in the first large-scale air strikes in nearly two months, as Kyiv said it was nearly ready to launch a huge assault to retake occupied land. Firefighters tackled a blaze at a residential apartment hit by a Russian missile in the central town of Uman and rescue workers clambered through a huge pile of smouldering rubble, searching for survivors and bodies as anxious people stood by.

Russia's Putin signs decree introducing life sentences for treason

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a decree formally increasing the maximum sentence for treason to life in jail, part of a drive to suppress dissent since the start of the war in Ukraine. The decree was posted on the Kremlin website. Lawmakers had already voted to boost the longest sentences for treason to life, up from 20 years.

Deal reached in principle to resume Ukraine grain transit with 5 EU countries

The European Commission said on Friday it had reached a deal in principle to allow the transit of Ukrainian grain to resume through five European Union countries that had imposed restrictions. Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia cited concerns that grain from Ukraine meant to be exported to other countries had ended up in their local markets, which was pushing down prices for local farmers.

Taliban not invited to UN Doha meeting on Afghanistan, says UN

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has not invited the Taliban administration to a meeting that he is convening with special envoys on Afghanistan from various countries in Doha next week, a U.N. spokesperson said on Friday. "The Secretary-General has not extended an invitation to the de facto authorities," said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

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