Reuters World News Summary

Russian-American ties have been at their worst since the Cold War era following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow. At U.N., Amal Clooney pushes for Ukraine war crimes justice Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney urged countries at the United Nations on Wednesday to focus on international justice for war crimes in Ukraine so evidence does not sit in storage - as it has done for victims of Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Stop relying on Russia, Ukraine warns Europe after gas shutoff

Europe should stop depending on Russia for trade after Moscow halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland for not paying in roubles, Ukraine said, as the shutoff exposed the continent's weaknesses and divisions on Wednesday. The decision, denounced by European leaders as "blackmail", comes as Russia's own economy wilts under sanctions and Western countries are sending more arms to Kyiv despite warnings from the Kremlin to back off.

Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian in W. Bank clash, militant group says

Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, medics and a militant group said, in clashes that erupted after an arrest raid. It was the second time in two days that Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian during a late-night incursion.

U.S., Russia swap prisoners Reed and Yaroshenko amid war tensions

The United States and Russia swapped prisoners on Wednesday amid their most tense relations in decades over the war in Ukraine, with former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed released in exchange for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko. The swap was not part of broader diplomatic talks and did not represent an American change in approach on Ukraine, U.S. officials said. Russian-American ties have been at their worst since the Cold War era following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow.

At U.N., Amal Clooney pushes for Ukraine war crimes justice

Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney urged countries at the United Nations on Wednesday to focus on international justice for war crimes in Ukraine so evidence does not sit in storage - as it has done for victims of Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria. "Ukraine is, today, a slaughterhouse. Right in the heart of Europe," Clooney told an informal U.N. Security Council meeting on accountability in Ukraine, organized by France and Albania.

What's in a name? Ukraine plans to rename streets linked to Russia

A number of Ukrainian cities plan to rename streets and squares associated with Russia under a process of "derussification" following Moscow's invasion. A day after the dismantling of a huge Soviet-era monument in Kyiv that was meant to symbolise friendship between Russia and Ukraine, the city council said on Wednesday it had compiled a list of 467 locations that could be considered for renaming.

Venezuelan judge sanctioned by U.S. named as president of top court

Judges on Venezuela's Supreme Justice Tribunal on Wednesday named Gladys Gutierrez - who is under sanction by the United States - as the court's new president. Gutierrez is one of 20 judges that Venezuela's ruling-party controlled National Assembly appointed to the South American country's top court earlier this week.

York strips its duke, Prince Andrew, of 'freedom of city' honour

The northern English city of York on Wednesday stripped Britain's Prince Andrew, who is the Duke of York, of the freedom of the city. Local councillors voted en masse to rescind the honour bestowed on Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's second son, in 1987.

Exclusive: After pandemic drop, Canada's detention of immigrants rises again

Canada is locking up more people in immigration detention without charge after the numbers fell during the pandemic, government data obtained by Reuters shows. Authorities cite an overall rise in foreign travelers amid easing restrictions but lawyers say their detained clients came to Canada years ago.

U.S. to provide $200 million in humanitarian aid for Horn of Africa, State Department says

The United States will provide more than $200 million in aid for the Horn of Africa to address humanitarian needs caused by drought and regional conflict, Ned Price, spokesperson for the State Department, said in a statement.

Bill to help Taiwan regain WHO status passes Congress, sent to Biden for signature

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation on Wednesday calling on the State Department to submit a plan to help Taiwan regain its observer status at the World Health Organization, seeking to boost the island as it faces pressure from China. The House passed the bill 425 to 0, sending it to the White House because it passed the Senate in August. Congressional aides said they expected President Joe Biden to sign the measure into law.

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