Reuters World News Summary

Sanchez, in power since 2018, looks assured of winning a new term by a narrow margin in the 350-member assembly in exchange for the planned amnesty law for those prosecuted over Catalonia's attempts to secede from Spain since 2012. Biden, China's Xi will discuss communication, competition at APEC summit The White House said on Monday President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss strengthening communication and managing competition when they meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this week.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Spain's Sanchez to seek new PM term amid uproar over amnesty bill

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will seek to clinch a new four-year term in a parliament vote on Thursday, the chamber's speaker said on Monday, just as his party submitted a contentious bill granting amnesty for Catalan separatists. Sanchez, in power since 2018, looks assured of winning a new term by a narrow margin in the 350-member assembly in exchange for the planned amnesty law for those prosecuted over Catalonia's attempts to secede from Spain since 2012.

Biden, China's Xi will discuss communication, competition at APEC summit

The White House said on Monday President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss strengthening communication and managing competition when they meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this week. The face-to-face meeting in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday will be the first between Biden and Xi in a year, with the high-stakes diplomacy aimed at curbing tensions between the two superpowers.

Construction progresses at Russian plant for Iranian drones - report

Satellite imagery shows progress in the construction in Russia of a plant that will mass produce Iranian-designed kamikaze drones that Moscow is expected to target against Ukrainian energy facilities, a research organization said on Monday. Despite the headway, neither the United States nor its allies have imposed sanctions on the plant's owner, JSC Alabuga, or its associated companies, said the Institute for Science and International Security report.

Biden meets with Indonesia president ahead of Xi summit

Leaders from the United States and Indonesia were in discussions on Monday that will set the stage for U.S. President Joe Biden's first in person meeting in a year with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Biden greeted Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the White House as the two leaders prepare for a Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, where Washington hopes to reduce friction with Beijing. Biden is due to meet Xi on Wednesday.

Under fire, US Supreme Court unveils ethics code for justices

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday announced its first formal code of conduct governing the ethical behavior of its nine justices, bowing to months of outside pressure over revelations of undisclosed luxury trips and hobnobbing with wealthy benefactors. The new code drew mixed reviews, with some critics noting the apparent absence of any enforcement mechanism. It was adopted after a series of media reports detailing ethics questions surrounding some Supreme Court members, in particular conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, even as Senate Democrats pursued long-shot legislation to mandate an ethics code for the nation's top judicial body.

At least 70 killed in attack on northern Burkina Faso village on Nov. 5 -prosecutor

At least 70 civilians have been killed, mainly elderly people and children, in an attack on a village in northern Burkina Faso earlier this month, a prosecutor said in a statement on Monday. Unidentified assailants attacked the village of Zaongo in Burkina Faso's northern Centre-North region on Nov. 5, killing residents and setting property on fire.

UK's Sunak brings back Cameron, sacks interior minister in new reset

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak brought back former leader David Cameron as foreign minister on Monday in a reshuffle triggered by his firing of interior minister Suella Braverman after her criticism of police threatened his authority. It was the latest reset for a prime minister whose Conservative Party is badly lagging the Labour Party before an election expected next year. Cameron's return suggested Sunak wanted to bring in a more centrist, experienced hand rather than appease the populist right of his party which backed Braverman.

Israeli tanks outside Gaza hospital, Biden hopes for 'less intrusive' action

Israeli tanks advanced on Monday to the gates of Gaza City's main hospital, a chief target in Israel's battle against Hamas, as U.S. President Joe Biden said hospitals must be protected and he hoped for less intrusive Israeli action. Separately, the armed wing of the Palestinian militant group said it was ready to release up to 70 women and children held in Gaza in exchange for a five-day truce in the war triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 rampage into southern Israel.

Mexico's Ebrard sticks with ruling party, avoids break with president

Former foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Monday he would stay in Mexico's ruling party, ending weeks of speculation he could seek the presidency in 2024 with the opposition and break with his longtime boss, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. In September, Ebrard finished runner-up in the presidential primaries of the leftist National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) to former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, and rejected the result, saying the process was marred by irregularities.

Too close and too cold, premature babies in grave peril at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital

The tiny babies lie side by side, some wrapped in green fabric roughly taped around them for warmth, others wearing only nappies, a picture of vulnerability, their lives in grave danger with every minute that passes. The newborns are under the care of exhausted medics at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital, which is besieged by Israeli tanks battling Hamas fighters, and lacks electricity, water, food, medicines and equipment.

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