Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Iran's Zarif says U.S. travel curbs on Iranian diplomats 'inhuman'

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday that tight U.S. travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York are "basically inhuman." The diplomats are subject to the same rules imposed by the United States on Zarif, who arrived on Sunday amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

Hungary should move children from 'prison-like' transit zones: U.N.

A senior U.N. human rights official urged Hungary on Wednesday to move asylum-seeking families held in "prison-like" transit zones on the Serbian border to other facilities in Hungary that he said are almost empty. Migrants arriving at the European Union's southern border from Serbia have been held at special holding camps called transit zones while their asylum requests are pending, a practice that has already drawn criticism from the United Nations.

Russia's Putin extends passport offer to Ukraine citizens

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order on Wednesday further expanding the number of Ukrainian citizens who can apply for fast-track Russian passports. Moscow made the move ahead of a Ukrainian parliamentary election on Sunday, when a Russia-friendly party may become the strongest competitor of the more popular Servant of the People party, led by new president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to opinion polls.

UK ministers could resign in battle over suspending parliament: BBC reporter

Some British cabinet ministers could resign on Thursday to vote to block Theresa May's successor as prime minister from suspending parliament, the political editor of BBC's Newsnight program said. "I have learnt that some cabinet ministers are giving serious consideration to resigning tomorrow to vote in favor of preventing the next prime minister from suspending parliament. No final decisions made yet on resignations," Nicholas Watt said in a tweet.

Croatia PM reshuffles cabinet, proposes six new ministers

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Wednesday ordered a reshuffle of his cabinet with six new ministers, just over a year before his government's term in office expires in late 2020. "The logic behind this government reshuffle is to continue our work on achieving our goals for the benefits of the citizens, without any burden," Plenkovic told reporters late on Wednesday after meeting his coalition partners.

From Iraq to Yemen, drones raise U.S. alarm over Iranian plans

The increased use of drones by Iran and its allies for surveillance and attacks across the Middle East is raising alarms in Washington. The United States believes that Iran-linked militia in Iraq have recently increased their surveillance of American troops and bases in the country by using off-the-shelf, commercially available drones, U.S. officials say.

UK arrests Manchester bomber's brother after Libya extradition

The brother of a suicide bomber who attacked a concert in the British city of Manchester in 2017 was extradited from Libya on Wednesday and arrested in London on suspicion of helping plan the blast, police said. Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton born to Libyan parents, blew himself up at the end of a show by U.S. singer Ariana Grande in the deadliest militant attack in Britain for 12 years.

Von der Leyen cracks EU parliament nut, national leaders will prove tougher

Ursula von der Leyen had to dangle a range of promises on migration, taxes, climate change and the rule of law to secure even a wafer-thin margin of support in the European Parliament to become the EU's first female chief executive. But delivering on those pledges will be an even harder task for von der Leyen, a close ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, because the EU's national leaders, although they picked her for the job, are deeply at odds over many of those issues.

U.S. removing Turkey from F-35 program after its Russian missile defense purchase

The United States said on Wednesday that it was removing Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program, a move long threatened and expected after Ankara began accepting delivery of an advanced Russian missile defense system last week. The first parts of the S-400 air defense system were flown to the Murted military air base northwest of Ankara on Friday, sealing NATO ally Turkey's deal with Russia, which Washington had struggled for months to prevent.

Venezuela's debts to China, Russia would be restructured through Paris Club: Guaido advisor

Loans to Venezuela from President Nicolas Maduro's allies Russia and China would be renegotiated though the Paris Club if Maduro leaves power, an advisor to the opposition said on Wednesday, responding to concerns about favorable treatment for the two countries. Ricardo Hausmann, who represents opposition leader Juan Guaido at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), said Guaido's team has not determined how loans might be restructured under its governance because bilateral debt talks typically take place under the auspices of the Paris Club creditor group.