Reuters World News Summary

09/14/2016 19:51

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

IMF board approves $1 billion loan disbursement to Ukraine

The International Monetary Fund said its board on Wednesday approved a long-awaited loan disbursement to Ukraine of about $1 billion after a review of the country's bailout program. The IMF has agreed to pump $17.5 billion into Ukraine's economy in a four-year bailout, releasing the funds in installments subject to the government making progress on economic and anti-corruption reforms.

U.S., Israel sign $38 billion military aid package

The United States will give Israel $38 billion in military assistance over the next decade, the largest such aid package in U.S. history, under a landmark agreement signed on Wednesday. The deal, whose details were reported by Reuters earlier, will allow Washington's chief Middle East ally to upgrade most of its fighter aircraft, improve its ground forces' mobility and strengthen its missile defense systems, a senior U.S. official said.

Aligned with Russia in Syria, Pentagon awkwardly treads on new terrain

For Pentagon officers who cut their teeth during the Cold War, the prospect of U.S. battlefield cooperation with Russia in Syria is not only uncomfortable. It's also unprecedented. Against that background, the reactions of U.S. military officials range from caution to outright skepticism over a Geneva-based "joint integration center" that may soon bring together American and Russian militaries to discuss shared targets for the first time since World War Two.

U.S. confirms two more freed Guantanamo inmates rejoined militant groups

In the first six months of 2016, two more militants released from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have returned to fighting, the U.S. government said on Wednesday. Washington has confirmed that a total of nine people freed from Guantanamo have rejoined militant groups since President Barack Obama took office in 2009, according to a report issued on Tuesday by the Office of Director of National Intelligence, or ODNI.

Non-Aligned summit set to back Maduro in Venezuela

A Non-Aligned Summit in Venezuela will offer solidarity to President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government, a draft of the final document shows, despite opponents' hopes the event would expose his international isolation. Heads of state from the 120-nation Cold War-era bloc are invited to Venezuela's Margarita island at the weekend, though with only the leaders of Zimbabwe, Iran, Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador currently thought to be coming, it could be a poor turnout.

Kerry, Lavrov agree Syria truce holding, extend it by 48 hours

The United States and Russia agreed that the Syrian cessation of hostilities that began on Monday had largely held and should be extended for another 48 hours despite sporadic violence, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday. The cessation of hostilities, brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, went into effect on Monday night.

Brazil's Lula charged as 'top boss' of Petrobras graft scheme

Brazilian prosecutors charged ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday with being the "top boss" of a vast corruption scheme at state oil company Petrobras, in a major blow to the leftist hero's hopes of a political comeback. It was the first time that Lula, still Brazil's most popular politician despite corruption accusations against him and his Workers Party, was charged by federal prosecutors for involvement in the political kickbacks scheme at Petroleo Brasileiro, as the company is formally known.

Obama, meeting with Suu Kyi, says U.S. ready to lift Myanmar sanctions

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi called on Wednesday for the lifting of economic sanctions against her country, and President Barack Obama, in their first White House meeting since she became leader, said the United States was ready to do so. "It is the right thing to do in order to ensure that the people of Burma see rewards from a new way of doing business and a new government," Obama said with Suu Kyi beside him in the Oval Office.

No challengers to Kim emerge from World Bank leader nominations

Nominations for the World Bank's next leader have closed with current president Jim Yong Kim the only candidate nominated, the bank said on Wednesday, virtually guaranteeing him another five-year term. The Washington-based multilateral lender said that executive directors will meet with Kim in accordance with previously announced selection procedures, with the expectation that the process will be completed by the time of the Oct. 3-9 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Aid trucks for Syria wait in no-man's land on Turkish border

Two convoys of aid which crossed the Turkish border into Syria were waiting in no-man's land for permission to travel onwards towards Aleppo on Wednesday, as disagreements between warring sides delayed aid deliveries on the third day of a ceasefire. The convoys, each of around 20 trucks carrying mostly food and flour, crossed into Syria from the Turkish border town of Cilvegozu, about 40 km (25 miles) west of Aleppo, on Tuesday but made it little further than the Turkish customs post.

09/14/2016 19:51