Reuters World News Summary

Earlier on Saturday, Moscow abandoned its main bastion in northeastern Ukraine in a sudden collapse of one of the war's principal front lines after Ukrainian forces made a rapid advance. Mali leader wants 'compensation' for release of Ivorian soldiers Mali's interim president wants a mutually beneficial solution to end a diplomatic row over 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali, noting that Ivory Coast has given asylum to political figures wanted by his junta, state television said on Saturday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Greek PM says pensions to rise for first time in more than a decade

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Saturday the minimum wage would rise again next year and pensions would increase for the first time since the financial crisis erupted more than a decade ago. The euro zone's most indebted country received more than 260 billion euros of international loans between 2010 and 2015 in return for tough austerity, which included a series of pension and wage cuts.

Ukraine probing emergency exports of thermal coal to Poland - Kyiv

Ukraine will look into whether it can urgently supply neighbouring Poland with 100,000 tonnes of thermal coal to help it get through the coming winter, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday. In an evening address, Zelenskiy also said he had ordered that work be speeded up on upgrading a power transmission line from Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi nuclear plant to Poland.

Swedes head to polls in close-run election marked by crime, energy crisis

Swedes vote on Sunday in an election pitting the incumbent centre-left Social Democrats against a right-wing bloc that has embraced the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats in a bid to win back power after eight years in opposition. With steadily growing numbers of shootings unnerving voters, campaigning has seen parties battle to be the toughest on gang crime, while surging inflation and the energy crisis in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine have increasingly taken centre stage.

German foreign minister says Ukraine support will not falter

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin's support for Ukraine would not falter in the face of reduced Russian energy supplies as she arrived on Saturday for her second visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. "We will stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary," Baerbock said in a statement, adding that German support would include arms, as well humanitarian and financial aid.

Ukraine: we have shown we can defeat Russians, we need more weapons

The success of a counter-offensive against Russia shows Ukraine can beat Moscow's forces but Kyiv needs more weapons from its partners, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, Moscow abandoned its main bastion in northeastern Ukraine in a sudden collapse of one of the war's principal front lines after Ukrainian forces made a rapid advance.

Mali leader wants 'compensation' for release of Ivorian soldiers

Mali's interim president wants a mutually beneficial solution to end a diplomatic row over 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali, noting that Ivory Coast has given asylum to political figures wanted by his junta, state television said on Saturday. The Ivorian soldiers were detained at Mali's international airport in the capital, Bamako, on July 10. Mali's junta said they had flown in without permission and were seen as mercenaries.

King Charles proclaimed monarch, queen's funeral on Sept. 19

The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, royal officials said on Saturday, as her son Charles was officially proclaimed Britain's new king in a colourful ceremony laden with pageantry and dating back centuries. The death of the 96-year-monarch has provoked tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen's own close family and many Britons, but also from around the world - reflecting her presence on the world stage for 70 years.

Prince Harry, Meghan join William and Kate on Windsor walkabout

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan joined William and wife Kate on a walkabout among crowds near Windsor Castle on Saturday following the death of their grandmother Queen Elizabeth, raising the prospect of a rapprochement between the brothers. The two sons of King Charles, once so close after the death of their mother Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997, have fallen out in recent years after Harry and Meghan gave up their royal titles to move to the United States.

Russia gives up key northeast towns as Ukrainian forces advance

Moscow abandoned its main bastion in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday, in a sudden collapse of one of the war's principal front lines after Ukrainian forces made a rapid advance. The swift fall of Izium in Kharkiv province was Moscow's worst defeat since its troops were forced back from the capital Kyiv in March. Ukraine hailed it as a turning point in the 6-month-old war, with thousands of Russian soldiers leaving behind ammunition stockpiles and equipment as they fled.

Europeans doubt Iran's intentions in nuclear talks sparking Tehran's ire

France, Britain and Germany on Saturday said they had "serious doubts" about Iran's intentions to revive a nuclear deal, comments that were rejected by Tehran and called "very untimely" by Moscow. Iran earlier this month sent its latest response to the European Union's proposed text to restore the 2015 agreement under which Tehran had restrained its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from U.S., EU and U.N. economic sanctions.

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