Reuters World News Summary

At least 12 more people were feared trapped, the official said, as rescue workers sought to clear rubble and debris from the site, located in a crowded and posh area of Lucknow, the capital of India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh. WHO investigating links between cough syrup deaths, considers advice for parents The World Health Organization (WHO) is investigating whether there is any connection between manufacturers whose contaminated cough syrups it has linked to the deaths of more than 300 children in three countries, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Germany to approve sending heavy battle tanks to Ukraine -two sources

Germany will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other countries such as Poland to do the same to help Kyiv fight off Russia's invasion, while the United States may supply Abrams tanks, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. While there was no official confirmation from Berlin or Washington by late on Tuesday, officials in Kyiv swiftly hailed what they said was a potential gamechanger on the battlefield in a war that is now 11 months old.

Post-nuclear Moscow subway novels strike chord as Doomsday Clock nears midnight

Best-selling novelist Dmitry Glukhovsky says sales of his books depicting life in the Moscow Metro after a nuclear apocalypse have been booming since Russia put him on a "wanted" list for opposing the war in Ukraine and he was forced to flee abroad. Glukhovsky, 43, is known mainly for his dystopian novel "Metro 2033" and its sequels, along with their spin-off video games, about how Muscovites survive in the city's famed metro system - "the world's biggest nuclear shelter" - after a war.

U.S. poised to approve sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine

The United States, in a reversal, is poised to start a process that would eventually send dozens of M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Tuesday. Such a decision by the United States would come just days after Washington argued against sending the Abrams, despite demands from Kyiv and public pressure from Berlin as it faced calls to send German-made Leopard battle tanks.

Germany to send Leopard tanks to Kyiv, allow others to do so - sources

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has decided to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine and allow other countries such as Poland to do so while the United States may supply Abrams tanks, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. A government spokesperson, the foreign ministry and the defence ministry declined to comment.

Taxi drivers in Cancun drop airport blockade protesting Uber

Travelers reached the airport in Mexico's tourist hot spot of Cancun without problem on Tuesday after a protest by local taxi drivers against ride-share app Uber left many stranded the day before. Angry taxi drivers on Monday blocked the main road between Cancun's airport and central tourist zone, forcing tourists to trek on foot or ride on police trucks to catch their flights.

Venezuela's National Assembly approves first reading of bill to regulate NGOs

Venezuela's National Assembly on Tuesday passed a first reading of a bill to regulate and inspect non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the South American country, which has caused uproar among activists. If the bill is passed into law following a second reading - promised to come quickly by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez - advocacy groups fear it will silence Venezuela's NGOs and stop them from carrying out their work with new threats and intimidation.

New Zealand's Chris Hipkins sworn in as prime minister

Labour leader Chris Hipkins was sworn in as New Zealand's prime minister in a formal ceremony on Wednesday, following the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week. The Labour party elected former COVID-19 Response and Police minister Hipkins, 44, to lead the party and the country on Sunday. This comes after the surprise resignation of Ardern, 42, who said she had "no more in the tank" to lead the country.

Humanitarian crises could worsen in Haiti, Venezuela, says aid group

The humanitarian crises in Haiti and Venezuela that have subjected millions to hunger, violence and disease could worsen this year without more aid, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Tuesday. An estimated 4.7 million Haitians and 12.3 million Venezuelans face food insecurity.

Twelve rescued after building collapses in India; more feared trapped

Rescue workers pulled 12 people, including two children, out of the rubble after a residential apartment block collapsed in the northern Indian city of Lucknow, but more were feared trapped inside, a local police official said on Tuesday. At least 12 more people were feared trapped, the official said, as rescue workers sought to clear rubble and debris from the site, located in a crowded and posh area of Lucknow, the capital of India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh.

WHO investigating links between cough syrup deaths, considers advice for parents

The World Health Organization (WHO) is investigating whether there is any connection between manufacturers whose contaminated cough syrups it has linked to the deaths of more than 300 children in three countries, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Citing "unacceptable levels" of toxins in the products, the WHO is seeking more information about the specific raw materials used by six manufacturers in India and Indonesia to produce medicines linked to the recent deaths, as well as whether the companies obtained them from some of the same suppliers, the person said. The WHO has not named any suppliers.

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