A possible Kim and Putin meeting; former Proud Boys leader sentenced to 22 years, and more

This is the world in brief from the Economist. Our Top Stories Kim Jong-un, North Korea's leader, expects to meet President Vladimir Putin in Russia, according to American officials. The reclusive Mr. Kim will reportedly travel this month, probably by armored train, to the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok. Last week, the Biden administration expressed concerns over a potential arms deal between the two as Mr. Putin seeks weapons for his war against Ukraine, the Kremlin declined to confirm the summit. Enrique Tario, the former leader of the Proud Boys, a white nationalist group that stormed America's capital on January 6, 2021, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy or plotting to overthrow the government. It was the longest sentence for any January 6 related conviction, though Mr. Tario was not actually in Washington, D.C. that day, having been earlier arrested and ordered to leave the city. Oil prices surged above $90 a barrel for the first time this year after Saudi Arabia and Russia, the world's second and third largest producers, said they would continue to limit output. Saudi Arabia is choking supply at around 9 million barrels per day, 25% below its declared maximum output, a regime it will maintain until the end of 2023. France is in talks with Niger's junta to potentially withdraw some of its 1,500 troops from the country, French officials told local media. The soldiers were stationed in Niger to fight Jihadists in the region, relations between the two countries unravelled in July after a military coup toppled Mohammed Bazoum, Niger's elected president. France, the former colonial power, has refused to recognize the junta. Saudi Arabia and Iran exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 2016, the result of a deal brokered by China. The two originally severed ties after Iranian Shia protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions after the country executed Nimar al-Nimar, a dissident Shia cleric. Saudi Arabia also recently restored relations with Iran's ally Syria. The city council of Birmingham in Britain has declared itself in effect bankrupt. Europe's largest local authority blocked all spending beyond core services after its budget was drained by an equal pay settlement. It has so far paid 1.1 billion pounds or 1.4 billion dollars to claimance, but a further 760 million pounds remains. The labor-run authority also blamed its 87 million-pound shortfall on lower tax incomes and central government cuts. Jorge Vilda, the coach who led Spain's women's football team to win this year's World Cup, was dismissed amid the fallout from a row over an unwanted kiss. The manager had backed Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain's football federation, who forced a kiss on a female player during the award ceremony. Depends of Spain's top footballers refused to play under the current administration. And figure of the day, 15, the number of premium games that feature combat in the top selling 20.