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Analysis-UN sanctions raise risk of severe recession, renewed unrest in Iran

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's economy risks staggering into simultaneous hyperinflation and deep recession, officials and analysts say, as clerical rulers scramble to preserve stability with limited room to manoeuvre after a snapback of U.N. sanctions.

They followed a breakdown in talks to curb Iran's disputed nuclear activity and its ballistic missile programme. Diplomacy to resolve the deadlock remains possible, both sides say, though Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump's offer to forge a new deal.

Iranian flag, atom symbol and words "Nuclear program" are seen in this illustration taken June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Iranian detainee in France set for prisoner swap, Tasnim reports

DUBAI (Reuters) -An Iranian student detained in France has been readied for a prisoner swap, an Iranian diplomat told semi-official Tasnim news agency on Tuesday, a day after Iran said there was necessary will to exchange prisoners with France.

"The foreign minister announced that Mrs. Esfandyari was placed in the exchange channel and we have put together a political and consular package that both countries must implement," the deputy for Consular Affairs at Iran's foreign ministry said.

A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

UK removes terrorism designation for Syria's HTS

LONDON (Reuters) -The British government on Tuesday removed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group which spearheaded the Syrian rebel alliance that helped oust President Bashar al-Assad, from its list of banned terrorist organisations.

HTS, a former al Qaeda affiliate, was proscribed in 2017, meaning that Britain designated it as a terrorist group, making it illegal to support or join it.

A fighter with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) stands outside the Palestine Branch security complex in Damascus, Syria, December 13, 2024.   REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

Ending polio still possible, health officials say, as funding cut by 30%

By Jennifer Rigby

LONDON (Reuters) -Eradicating polio is still possible despite significant funding cuts to the effort, global health officials said on Tuesday as they outlined how they will cope with the shortfall.

The budget of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a partnership including the World Health Organization and the Gates Foundation, will take a 30% cut in 2026 and has a $1.7 billion funding gap up to 2029, the organisation says.

The shortfall is largely driven by a pullback from foreign aid led by the United States and other wealthy donor governments.

A nurse fills a syringe with a vaccine before administering an injection at a kids clinic in Kiev, Ukraine August 14, 2019. Picture taken August 14, 2019.  REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

US safety board sending team to support Hong Kong cargo plane investigation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday said it is sending a team of five investigators to Hong Kong to support the investigation into a cargo plane from Dubai that skidded off the runway and killed two airport security staff.

The Boeing 747 involved in the deadliest airport incident Monday in the financial hub in more than 25 years collided with their security patrol vehicle, fell into the water and was partially submerged, but all four crew members on board escaped.

FILE PHOTO: A Boeing logo is seen before the opening of the 55th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Sudan pound suffers as de facto UAE flight ban hits gold exports

By Nafisa Eltahir

(Reuters) -The Sudanese pound has shed nearly two-fifths of its value after a de facto embargo on flights from the army's wartime capital Port Sudan into the United Arab Emirates disrupted the vital gold trade, traders and Sudanese officials said.

The army relies on the UAE for hard currency from gold exports but also accuses it of backing the rival Rapid Support Forces paramilitary in a two-and-a-half-year civil war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.

FILE PHOTO: Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) display gold bars seized from a plane that landed at Khartoum Airport in an investigation into possible smuggling, in Khartoum Sudan May 9, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo

Erdogan heads to Doha eyeing Qatari Eurofighter jets

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was due in Doha late Tuesday as Ankara sought to acquire some of Qatar's used Eurofighter Typhoon jets, a Turkish security source told AFP.

Erdogan flew in from Kuwait and was expected to meet Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday, according to the Turkish leader's office.

"Turkey has been trying to negotiate to acquire some of Qatar's used Eurofighters," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to journalists.

Erdogan is to meet with Qatar's emir on Wednesday in Doha

Trump: Hamas must 'do what is right' or face 'brutal' allied force

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Numerous U.S. allies have said they would welcome the opportunity to go into Gaza and straighten out Hamas with "heavy force," but there is no need for that yet, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday.

"I told these countries, and Israel, “NOT YET!” There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right. If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL! I would like to thank all of those countries that called to help," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey)

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the Knesset, amid a U.S.-brokered prisoner-hostage swap and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool

Israel urges Canadian PM Carney to drop call for arrest of Netanyahu

LONDON (Reuters) -The Israeli government urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to drop his pledge to honour the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he travelled to the country.

"We believe that Prime Minister Carney should, of course, reconsider this and welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of the only Jewish state and democratic country in the Middle East, to Canada," Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)

FILE PHOTO: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks as he and U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 7, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo