Reuters World News Summary

Erdogan, who contests an election in May, said on a visit to the disaster zone that operations were now working normally and promised no one would be left homeless, as the combined reported death toll across Turkey and neighbouring Syria rose past 12,000. Brazil minister says Bolsonaro destroyed country's cultural policies Brazil's former far-right president dismantled all government cultural programs and blocked funding for institutions and artists, the country's new Culture Minister Margareth Menezes said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.N. aid deliveries to Syria from Turkey could resume Thursday

The delivery of U.N. humanitarian aid via Turkey to millions of people in northwest Syria could resume on Thursday after the long-running operation was halted by a devastating earthquake in the region, U.N. officials said. For several years the United Nations has described access to the opposition-controlled area of Syria through one border crossing from Turkey as a "lifeline" for some 4 million people who it says rely on humanitarian assistance.

The man who survived the Turkey earthquake, and his family who didn't

Peering out from under a large slab of concrete and brick, Abdulalim Muaini gestures weakly at his rescuers. It has been over two days since a massive earthquake brought his home in Hatay, Turkey, tumbling down upon him. Close beside him lies his wife Esra. The rescue has come too late for her.

Australia acknowledges suspension of probe into MH17 downing

The Australian government on Thursday said it had acknowledged the decision by international prosecutors to suspend their investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) over Ukraine in 2014. MH17 was shot down by a Russian BUK missile system as it flew over eastern Ukraine from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew, including 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australian citizens or residents.

Zelenskiy to press EU leaders for more arms, membership talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy takes his mini-tour of European capitals to Brussels on Thursday, aiming to push EU leaders for more weapons in the fight against Russia's invasion and for a quick start to EU membership talks. Having visited London and Paris on Wednesday, Zelenskiy is expected to attend a summit of EU leaders and address the European Parliament during his trip to the Belgian capital.

U.S. sites of interest visited by past Chinese balloons, Pentagon says

Four previous Chinese spy balloon flights over the United States passed over sites that would be of interest to Beijing, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, without elaborating on whether they passed over military bases. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was gaining more information "almost by the hour" on the Chinese spy balloon shot down off the U.S. East Coast on Saturday. He said the United States will share relevant findings with Congress and allies around the world.

Driver charged with murder after bus rams into Canada daycare

A city bus driver is facing first-degree murder charges after his vehicle rammed into a daycare center in a Montreal suburb on Wednesday, killing two children and injuring six others. Police did not give a cause for the crash but filed murder and assault charges against Pierre Ny St-Amand, 51. Authorities said the driver has worked for the transit system for 10 years and does not have a criminal record.

Turkey leader acknowledges earthquake relief problems as death toll passes 12,000

President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday admitted there were problems with his government's initial response to a devastating earthquake in southern Turkey, amid anger from those left destitute and frustrated over the slow arrival of rescue teams. Erdogan, who contests an election in May, said on a visit to the disaster zone that operations were now working normally and promised no one would be left homeless, as the combined reported death toll across Turkey and neighbouring Syria rose past 12,000.

Brazil minister says Bolsonaro destroyed country's cultural policies

Brazil's former far-right president dismantled all government cultural programs and blocked funding for institutions and artists, the country's new Culture Minister Margareth Menezes said on Wednesday. Menezes, a popular singer from Bahia, was picked by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to head the newly restored ministry that had been shut down by his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who reduced it to an office of the tourism ministry.

Chilean wildfires destroy hundreds of homes, endanger world's smallest deer

Forest fires across south-central Chile that have left 24 people dead and swallowed up hundreds of houses spread into new areas on Wednesday after raging overnight, burning up the habitats of vulnerable woodland animals. "We call on everyone who can to take care of the forests which are currently on fire, and also of our animals, specimens of vital importance," said Valentina Aravena, the manager at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Chillan.

Zelenskiy urges France, Germany to be 'game changers' by sending modern planes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy traveled to two European capitals on Wednesday in search of better aerial firepower to turn the war against Russia, winning a British pledge to train Ukrainian pilots on advanced NATO fighter jets. On just his second trip abroad since the war began a year ago, Zelenskiy met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles in London before flying to France.

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