Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Canada police disperse Palestinian protest at restaurant where Trudeau dined

Nearly 100 police were summoned to deal with 250 pro-Palestinian protesters who surrounded a Vancouver restaurant where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was dining on Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday. Trudeau is under pressure from Palestinian supporters to push for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Wife of jailed dissident Kara-Murza fears for his life in Siberian penal colony

The wife of jailed Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, who suffers from a nerve disorder after surviving two poison attacks, said on Wednesday she feared for his life after his transfer from Moscow to a Siberian penal colony. Kara-Murza, 42, has a condition called polyneuropathy that takes away the sensation in his limbs unless controlled by medicines and exercise.

UN Security Council calls for pauses in Gaza fighting for aid

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in fighting between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip for a "sufficient number of days" to allow aid access. The 15-member council overcame an impasse, which saw four unsuccessful attempts to take action last month, to adopt a resolution that also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.

Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' against Israel faces trial by fire

Iran's supreme leader delivered a clear message to the head of Hamas when they met in Tehran in early November, according to three senior officials: You gave us no warning of your Oct. 7 attack on Israel and we will not enter the war on your behalf. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Ismail Haniyeh that Iran - a longtime backer of Hamas - would continue to lend the group its political and moral support, but wouldn't intervene directly, said the Iranian and Hamas officials with knowledge of the discussions who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely.

China objects to US proposal for APEC trade and investment policies -source

China is objecting to a U.S. proposal for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation members to incorporate sustainability and inclusivity into their trade and investment policies, a source briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday. Talks on the issue were continuing at the APEC summit in San Francisco to try to find language that the group's 21 member states could agree on, the source said.

North Korea vows more offensive response to US 'threats' -KCNA

North Korea on Thursday criticised a recent visit to South Korea by top U.S. defence officials and vowed more "offensive" responses to what it called military threats from the United States and its allies, state media reported. In a statement carried by the KCNA news agency, a spokesperson for the North's defence ministry blamed the United States for raising tensions in the region, referring to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's Seoul visit this week.

APEC protesters turn out early on Xi Jinping-Joe Biden meeting day

Protesters took to the streets of San Francisco on Wednesday as a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping took place, obstructing some entrances to the APEC conference and blocking downtown streets. Global leaders and CEOs of major U.S. corporations will all be at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in San Francisco, offering tempting targets to protest.

Spanish lawmakers debate new term for Sanchez amid protests over amnesty bill

Spanish lawmakers began debating a new term on Wednesday for acting premier Pedro Sanchez, whose offer of an amnesty to Catalan separatists in return for support has roused protests. Several thousand protesters, many draped in Spanish flags, rallied outside the headquarters of Sanchez's Socialist Party (PSOE) in Madrid, chanting "No to the coup!" and burning Catalan flags.

After year-long gap, Biden meets Xi and hails 'real progress'

U.S. President Joe Biden met Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time in a year on Wednesday for talks aimed at easing friction between the two superpowers over military conflicts, drug-trafficking and artificial intelligence, and said they had made "real progress." Biden welcomed the Chinese leader at the Filoli estate, a country house and gardens about 30 miles (48 km) south of San Francisco, where they will move later for a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Israeli troops deepen search at main Gaza hospital for evidence of Hamas

Israel said its forces were operating in and around Gaza's biggest hospital, a chief objective in its campaign to destroy Palestinian Hamas militants that the army says stored weapons and ran a command centre in tunnels beneath the buildings. Israeli troops forced their way into Al Shifa hospital in the early hours of Wednesday and spent the day deepening their search, the army said. An army video showed automatic weapons, grenades, ammunition and flak jackets it said were recovered from an undisclosed building within the complex.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)