Global News Roundup: EU-Russia Sanctions, Brazil Floods, and More

This week saw a mix of politics, natural disasters, and entertainment news making headlines around the world. From the European Union's efforts to impose sanctions on Russia to the devastating floods in Brazil, here's a look at some of the top stories from the past week.

In Europe, the EU is still trying to find ways to get around Hungary's block on the latest round of sanctions against Russia, as well as the release of a €90bn loan to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US representatives on Thursday to discuss ways to end the Russian aggression on the country. Meanwhile, the EU has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering the loan, with one official saying, "The loan was agreed by 27 heads of state and government in the European Council, they have given their word. This word cannot be broken, so we will deliver on the loan one way or the other."

In Brazil, a devastating storm deluge has killed at least 30 people and left 39 missing in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. The flooding has caused widespread destruction, with houses swept away in landslides and streets turned into raging currents of brown water. Firefighters and sniffer dogs are working to find the missing, with the state's mayor declaring a state of emergency.

In other news, Australian poet Evelyn Araluen has won the $100,000 Victoria prize for literature and the $25,000 Indigenous writing category at the Victorian premier's literary awards for her second poetry collection, The Rot. The collection has been praised for its "politically uncompromising" style.

In the UK, a debate is underway in Westminster about the student loan crisis in England and Wales, with some MPs calling for an urgent shake-up of the system. The education secretary has conceded that there are "problems" with the current arrangements, which have left millions of graduates saddled with ballooning debts.

Finally, in South Korea, a K-pop group's contract dispute has made headlines. The ex-boss of NewJeans' record label has offered to forgo a $17.9m payout if the entertainment giant Hybe drops all lawsuits against the group. The dispute began when Hybe terminated the contract of one of the group's members and sued her for contract violation and other damages.

These stories represent just a few of the many news events that have unfolded around the world this week. As always, it's a complex and ever-changing landscape, with new developments emerging every day.