Reuters World News Summary

More than 50 ministers have quit the government in less than 48 hours, saying Johnson was not fit to be in charge after a series of scandals, while dozens in his Conservative Party are in open revolt. Russia warns humanity at risk if West seeks to punish it over Ukraine Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said attempts by the West to punish a nuclear power such as Russia for the war in Ukraine risked endangering humanity, as the near five-month conflict leaves cities in ruins and thousands homeless.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S. senators visit Kyiv to promote Russia 'state sponsor of terrorism' bill

Two U.S. senators seeking to pass a law designating Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism" visited Ukraine's capital on Thursday to discuss the bill with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Republican Lindsey Graham told Reuters in a joint interview with Democrat Richard Blumenthal that the bill would put Russia in "the category of Iran, Syria and North Korea." Graham said he believed it could get near-unanimous support in the U.S. Senate.

Putin says Russia just starting in Ukraine, peace talks will get harder

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had barely got started in Ukraine and dared the West to try to defeat it on the battlefield, while insisting that Moscow was still open to the idea of peace talks. In a hawkish speech to parliamentary leaders more than four months into the war, Putin said the prospects for any negotiation would grow dimmer the longer the conflict dragged on.

UK's Johnson digs in as ministers desert government

British Prime Minister Prime Minister was defiantly hanging onto power on Thursday despite the resignation of four top ministers while his attorney general added her voice for him to go, saying she wanted his job. More than 50 ministers have quit the government in less than 48 hours, saying Johnson was not fit to be in charge after a series of scandals, while dozens in his Conservative Party are in open revolt.

Russia warns humanity at risk if West seeks to punish it over Ukraine

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said attempts by the West to punish a nuclear power such as Russia for the war in Ukraine risked endangering humanity, as the near five-month conflict leaves cities in ruins and thousands homeless. Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most serious crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when many people feared the world was on the brink of nuclear war.

War looms large over G20 event as Russia meets rivals in Bali

G20 foreign ministers head to a joint summit on Friday that will put some of the staunchest critics of Russia invasion of Ukraine in the same room as Moscow's top diplomat, in the first such meeting since the war started in February. The buildup to the gathering on the Indonesian island of Bali has been dominated by the war and its impact on the global economy, with top officials from Europe, the United States and Australia stressing there will be no "business as usual" at the forum, without saying what that might entail.

Exclusive: World Cup stadium stands will be alcohol free under Qatari curbs - source

Qatar's World Cup stadium stands are set to be alcohol-free, with beer sales outside arenas only allowed before and after some matches, a source with knowledge of plans for the soccer tournament said. This year's World Cup is the first to be held in a Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, presenting unique challenges for organisers of an event often associated with beer drinking fans and sponsored by global brewing brands.

Brazil police raids gang allegedly using crypto to launder illegal gold mining

Brazil's federal police on Thursday carried out an operation against an alleged criminal gang that it said used crypto tokens to launder money made from illegal gold mining. Police arrested five people and served 60 search and seizure warrants in the operation.

Exclusive: Ukraine urges Canada not to hand over gas turbine to Russia

Ukraine opposes Canada handing over a turbine to Russia's state-controlled Gazprom for natural gas supplies to Germany as the move would contravene sanctions on Russia, a Ukrainian energy ministry source told Reuters on Thursday. Gazprom cut the capacity along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 40% of usual levels last month, citing the delayed return of equipment being serviced by Germany's Siemens Energy in Canada.

Tunisians protest against referendum for controversial new constitution

Tunisian police blocked hundreds of demonstrators from reaching electoral commission offices on Thursday as protesters took to the streets against a referendum on a new constitution that would expand the president's executive powers. President Kais Saied proposed the new constitution this month that would limit the role of parliament and boost his own rule. The constitution will be put to a referendum on July 25 in a vote most political parties have already rejected.

Biden says U.S.-U.K. ties 'strong,' does not mention Johnson

U.S. President Joe Biden looks forward to further close cooperation with the British government, he said on Thursday without mentioning Prime Minister Boris Johnson who resigned in the face of scandal. "The United Kingdom and the United States are the closest of friends and Allies, and the special relationship between our people remains strong and enduring," Biden said in a statement many hours after Johnson announced his resignation.

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