Reuters World News Summary

Carcasses of caimans and cobras turned up in the forest. COP28: US touts climate leadership as oil and gas output hits record U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris sought to claim the mantle of global climate leadership for the United States on Saturday in a speech to the COP28 summit, listing a slew of initiatives to cut emissions and harness renewable energy in the world's largest oil and gas producer.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russians ease attacks in eastern Ukraine, shattered town may still be held by Kyiv

Russian forces eased attacks on the beleaguered eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on Saturday and unofficial reports from the region suggested they had failed to capture the devastated town of Maryinka to the southwest. Russia's military has focused on eastern Ukraine since abandoning an advance on Kyiv in the first days after the February 2022 invasion. Since mid-October, the military has set its sights on seizing Avdiivka and its vast coking plant.

What to watch at COP28 on Sunday

After two days of back-to-back speeches by world leaders, the COP28 climate summit turns its attention on Sunday to the reality of climate change fuelling more sickness and disease. It will be the first time that the annual U.N. talks feature public health on the agenda.

Impact of Amazon's climate-driven drought may last until 2026

The Amazon rainforest's record-breaking drought hit home for Raimundo Leite de Souza one October morning, he said, when he woke to find the stream that runs behind his house had dropped nearly a foot overnight, stranding his skiff in a mudflat. As weeks passed, Souza said, rotting fish washed up on the banks of the Jaraqui, a tributary of the Rio Negro. Rodents thrashed in the mud searching for water. Carcasses of caimans and cobras turned up in the forest.

COP28: US touts climate leadership as oil and gas output hits record

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris sought to claim the mantle of global climate leadership for the United States on Saturday in a speech to the COP28 summit, listing a slew of initiatives to cut emissions and harness renewable energy in the world's largest oil and gas producer. The address came on the second day of back-to-back speeches by world leaders at the conference in Dubai, where nearly 200 nations are hashing out an international approach to tackling global warming and debating whether fossil fuels should maintain a role in a future energy economy.

Released Israeli hostages call for captives to be freed

Israeli hostages released in the past week by Hamas in Gaza called on Saturday for the immediate release of fellow captives left behind, a day after a temporary truce that had allowed scores to come home broke down. Tens of thousands gathered at a rally in Tel Aviv outside Israel's defence headquarters, where they cheered Yelena Trupanov, 50, standing on a stage just two days after being freed.

Israel faces growing US calls for restraint amid renewed Gaza fighting

Israel faced growing U.S. calls to avoid further harm to Palestinian civilians in its fight against Hamas militants in Gaza, as the warring sides on Sunday showed no sign of moving toward reviving their collapsed truce. As Israeli forces pounded the enclave following the breakdown of a temporary ceasefire, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said too many innocent Palestinians had been killed in Gaza, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin deemed it a "moral responsibility" for Israel to protect civilians.

Munich flights, trains cancelled as heavy snow blankets Bavaria

Heavy snowfall in Bavaria prompted an all-day cancellation of flights and long-distance trains out of Munich, with Christmas markets closed, some ski lifts unable to run and a football match called off as the city battled with the icy conditions. Flights were not scheduled to depart or arrive at Munich airport until at least 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Sunday according to a statement on its website.

Strong quake in Philippines triggers tsunami warnings and evacuations

Evacuations were under way in the Philippines after a quake of at least magnitude 7.5 struck the southern region of Mindanao on Saturday night, triggering tsunami warnings in the country and in Japan, though a U.S. agency said the risk of large waves had passed. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System, which initially warned of waves of up to 3 metres (10 feet) above the usual high tide level, later said there was no longer a tsunami threat.

One dead, one injured after assailant attacks passersby in Paris -minister

One person died and another was injured after an assailant attacked passersby in central Paris near the Eiffel Tower, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Saturday on social media. "The police have just courageously arrested an assailant attacking passersby in Paris, around the Quai de Grenelle. One deceased person and one injured person treated by the Paris fire brigade. Please avoid the area," the minister posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

North Korea says interference in its satellites would be declaration of war

North Korea said on Saturday it would consider any interference with its satellite operations a declaration of war and would mobilise its war deterrence if any attack against its strategic assets were imminent. Pyongyang would respond to any U.S. interference in space by eliminating the viability of U.S. spy satellites, state media KCNA reported, citing a statement from North Korea's defence ministry spokesperson.

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