Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
Carney clashes with chief rival for first time during Canada debate
Prime Minister Mark Carney clashed with his chief rival for the first time during Canada's election campaign on Wednesday, in a French-language debate that could help determine who wins the April 28 vote and then deals with U.S. tariffs. Polls show the ruling Liberals, who have been in power for 9-1/2 years, ahead of the Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre.
US State Department closing office aimed at countering foreign disinformation
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday he was shutting down a State Department office that had sought to counter foreign disinformation, accusing it of censorship and wasting U.S. taxpayer money. Rubio in a statement said he was closing the State Department's Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference office, previously known as the Global Engagement Center.
In landmark ruling, UK's top court says legal definition of woman refers to biological sex
Britain's highest court ruled on Wednesday that only biological and not trans women meet the definition of a woman under equality laws, a landmark decision greeted with concern by trans supporters but welcomed by the government as bringing clarity. The much anticipated ruling centered on whether a trans woman with a gender recognition certificate (GRC), a formal document giving legal recognition of someone's new gender, is protected from discrimination as a woman under Britain's Equality Act.
Trump waved off planned Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites, New York Times reports
U.S. President Donald Trump waved off a planned Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites in favor of negotiating a deal with Iran to limit its nuclear program, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing administration officials and others.
Putin meets freed Russian Gaza hostages, says ties with Palestinians helped
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met Russian nationals freed from captivity in the Gaza strip after militant group Hamas' October 2023 attacks on Israel and said Moscow's longstanding ties with Palestinians helped secure their freedom.
"The fact that you are now free is a result of Russia's many years of stable relations with the Palestinian people, with the representatives of different organizations," Russian news agencies quoted Putin as telling former hostage Alexander Trufanov and members of his family.
El Salvador blocks US senator from visiting wrongly deported Salvadoran man
Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen said on Wednesday authorities in El Salvador had denied him access to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran man mistakenly deported and being held in a notorious prison in the country. Van Hollen arrived in El Salvador on Wednesday to meet with senior officials and advocate for Abrego Garcia's release, but was told by El Salvador's Vice President Felix Ulloa that he could not authorize a visit or a call with Abrego Garcia.
Lebanese army says it detained suspects in March attacks on Israel, no mention of Hezbollah
The Lebanese army said on Wednesday it had detained a number of Palestinians and Lebanese suspected of involvement in two attacks from the country on Israel in March and did not mention Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has denied any role. On March 28, Israel carried out its first major airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs in months, retaliating for an earlier rocket launch from Lebanon. Israel had struck southern Lebanon on March 22 after it said it intercepted rockets fired from across the border.
Trump officials could face criminal contempt over deportations, judge says
Trump administration officials could face criminal contempt charges for violating a U.S. federal judge's order halting deportations of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang who had no chance to challenge their removals, the judge said on Wednesday. In a written ruling, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington found "probable cause" to hold officials in criminal contempt of court, saying the administration demonstrated "willful disregard" for his March 15 order barring the deportations to El Salvador under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.
Pentagon leak probe expands as two more officials put on leave
A Pentagon investigation into leaks of classified and sensitive information has expanded to include two more aides to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his deputy, officials said on Wednesday. Reuters was first to report on Tuesday that Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Hegseth, was escorted out of the Pentagon and put on administrative leave after what one U.S. official described as an "unauthorized disclosure."
Israel will keep Gaza buffer zone, minister says, as truce bid stalls
Israeli troops will remain in the buffer zones they have created in Gaza even after any settlement to end the war, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday, as efforts to revive a ceasefire agreement faltered. Since resuming military operations last month, Israeli forces have carved out a broad "security zone" extending deep into Gaza and squeezing more than 2 million Palestinians into ever smaller areas in the south and along the coastline.
