World News Roundup: Japan confronts rising inequality after Abenomics; Macron unveils 30-billion euro plan for innovation and industrial revival and more

The investigation has been facing obstacles since Bitar sought to question some of the most powerful people in Lebanon on suspicion that they knew about the chemicals but did nothing to avert the disaster. Qatari official says recognising Taliban government not a priority Qatar believes that recognising the Taliban government in Afghanistan is not a priority now, and that the focus should be on engaging with the new administration and addressing humanitarian issues, a senior Qatari official said on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Japan confronts rising inequality after Abenomics

Japan's stock market has surged and luxury cars are selling fast in Tokyo after eight years of economic stimulus under Abenomics, but that new wealth is concentrated in a small slice of society rather than broadly distributed, data show. Addressing that divide has become a high priority for new prime minister Fumio Kishida, who promised to tackle income disparity made worse by the pandemic. But he has offered few clues as to how he will do so.

Macron unveils 30-billion euro plan for innovation and industrial revival

France wants to be a leader in green hydrogen by 2030 and build low-carbon planes and small nuclear reactors as part of a 30 billion euro ($35 billion) investment plan, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday. Macron said the road map, dubbed "France 2030", would ensure France decarbonizes its industry and brings innovation and production in key areas, from cars and biomedicine to semi-conductors, closer to home by the end of the decade.

German parties aim to finish exploratory work by Friday - FDP official

The three parties that made big gains in Germany's national election aim by Friday to have a basis on which to decide whether to move to the full coalition, the Free Democrats' Secretary-General Volker Wissing said on Tuesday "We will assess the results of the past few days' discussions and write down what we can do together," Wissing said, adding the parties are now discussing the areas where they are the furthest apart.

G20 tackles Afghan humanitarian crisis at special summit

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi hosted a special summit of the Group of 20 major economies on Tuesday to discuss Afghanistan, as worries grow about a looming humanitarian disaster following the Taliban's return to power. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on Aug. 15, the country - already struggling with drought and severe poverty after decades of war - has seen its economy all but collapse, raising the spectre of an exodus of refugees.

Polish prime minister accuses opposition of lying about 'Polexit'

Poland has no desire to leave the European Union, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday, accusing opposition politicians of spreading what he said were lies about a possible "Polexit". His comments came after the Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled last week that parts of EU law were incompatible with the country's constitution, undermining a key tenet of European integration and fuelling talk that Poland could one day quit a Union that has helped drive its economic development.

Beirut blast probe suspended as judge issues arrest warrant

A probe into the catastrophic Beirut port explosion was frozen on Tuesday for the second time in less than three weeks after two politicians wanted for questioning filed a new complaint against the lead investigator Judge Tarek Bitar. The investigation has been facing obstacles since Bitar sought to question some of the most powerful people in Lebanon on suspicion that they knew about the chemicals but did nothing to avert the disaster.

Qatari official says recognising Taliban government not a priority

Qatar believes that recognizing the Taliban government in Afghanistan is not a priority now and that the focus should be on engaging with the new administration and addressing humanitarian issues, a senior Qatari official said on Tuesday. Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, the special envoy of the Qatari foreign minister, urged other countries to engage more deeply with the Taliban as Afghanistan's de facto authority while urging the Islamist movement to act as a "responsible" administration and respect the right of women to work and girls to attend school.

As Brazilians flock to the U.S. border, an alleged smuggler cashes in

Record numbers of Brazilians have been arrested at the U.S. southern border this year, part of the United States' broader migration crisis. Police believe a child custody dispute has led them to one of the smugglers moving migrants north. In early June, Brazilian federal police arrested Chelbe Moraes, a businessman who had allegedly absconded with his three-year-old daughter when he lost custody to his ex-partner. After tapping the phones of Moraes' associates, the officers began to suspect he was a veteran people smuggler, or "coyote."

Flanked by missiles, North Korea's Kim says the U.S. and South Korea threaten peace

Standing beside North Korea's largest missiles, leader Kim Jong Un said his country's weapons development is necessary in the face of hostile policies from the United States and a military buildup in South Korea, state media said on Tuesday. Pyongyang was only increasing its military in self-defense and not to start a war, Kim said in a speech at the Defence Development Exhibition on Monday, according to a report by state news agency KCNA.

Russia says no breakthrough in talks with U.S. over embassy row

Russia and the United States failed to make any major progress in a row over the functioning of their embassies at talks in Moscow on Tuesday and there is a risk that relations could worsen further, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. With ties already at post-Cold War lows, the two countries are in dispute over the workings of their diplomatic missions, including the number of diplomats they can post to each other's capitals.

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