Reuters World News Summary

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals were handed another minority mandate late on Monday, in an election that ended with all the major parties holding virtually the same number of seats they had before the vote was called. German candidates clash in last TV debate before vote as SPD lead narrows Candidates vying to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor clashed on Thursday on tax, debt and foreign policy in a final television debate as opinion polls showed the race tightening three days before a federal election.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Tedros poised for re-election at WHO as support grows -diplomats

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has gained wide support for a second term as head of the World Health Organisation, formally nominated by at least 17 European Union members and backed by countries in other regions, diplomats said on Thursday. As the deadline for nominations elapsed, diplomats said that they were unaware of any other names being put forward, suggesting that Tedros will stand unopposed in the May election.

North Korea says call to declare end of Korean War is premature

South Korea's call to declare a formal end to the Korean War is premature as there is no guarantee it would lead to the withdrawal of the "U.S. hostile policy" toward Pyongyang, North Korea state media KCNA reported on Friday, citing Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae Song. South Korea President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday repeated a call for a formal end to the Korean War in an address to the U.N. General Assembly and proposed that the two Koreas with the United States, or with the United States and China, make such a declaration.

U.S. special envoy to Haiti resigns, blasting migrant deportations

The U.S. special envoy to Haiti resigned in protest in a letter that blasted the Biden administration for deporting hundreds of migrants back to the crisis-engulfed Caribbean nation from a camp on the U.S.-Mexican border in recent days. Daniel Foote, a career diplomat named to his post in July, said the "collapsed state" was unable to support the infusion of returning migrants.

FARC dissidents say they carried out Colombia bombing, target was U.S. advisors

A FARC dissident commander has taken responsibility for a June bomb attack on a military base in the northeastern Colombian city of Cucuta, as well as the recent shooting of a helicopter carrying President Ivan Duque. The car bombing at the base, home to the army's 30th Brigade, wounded 44 people, including two U.S. military advisers. Later in June, a helicopter approaching the city with Duque and other officials aboard was strafed by bullets.

Mail-in delays and recounts: Canada's election tallying drags on

Three days after Canada's federal election, the final tally of seats remained unclear on Thursday, with mail-in ballots still being counted in some regions and at least one electoral district facing an automatic recount. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals were handed another minority mandate late on Monday, in an election that ended with all the major parties holding virtually the same number of seats they had before the vote was called.

German candidates clash in last TV debate before vote as SPD lead narrows

Candidates vying to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor clashed on Thursday on tax, debt and foreign policy in a final television debate as opinion polls showed the race tightening three days before a federal election. A FGW poll for ZDF Television showed support for the conservative CDU/CSU alliance, whose chancellor candidate is Armin Laschet, up one percentage point at 23%.

Catalan separatist leader detained in Sardinia, his office says

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was detained on Thursday by Italian police in Sardinia, his office said in a statement. Spain has accused Puigdemont, the former Catalan regional head, with sedition, claiming he helped organise a 2017 independence referendum deemed illegal by Spanish courts.

Quad leaders to deliver on vaccines, infrastructure, tech -U.S. official

A first in-person meeting of the leaders of the Quad group of countries - the United States, Japan, Australia and India - on Friday will yield progress in several areas including infrastructure, health and cyber, a senior U.S administration official told Reuters. The Quad leaders - U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison - will also discuss regional security, the official said on Thursday, although he stressed that security was not the focus of the informal grouping that has come together in response to China's growing power.

'Death sentence': low-lying nations implore faster action on climate at U.N

Faced with what they see as an existential threat, leaders from low-lying and island nations implored rich countries at the United Nations General Assembly this week to act more forcefully against a warming planet. The failure by developed economies to effectively curb their greenhouse gas emissions contributes to rising sea levels and especially imperils island and low-lying nations at the mercy of water.

Defeated candidates in Russian election try to annul 'crooked' online results

A coalition of defeated parliamentary candidates in Moscow who allege they were cheated of victory in a parliamentary election by a crooked online voting system said on Thursday they would try to overturn the results via lawsuits and public pressure. Some of the defeated candidates, most of whom are Communists, have called on voters to gather in Moscow on Saturday after eight parliamentary seats where the Communists had been ahead suddenly flipped to the ruling United Russia party once online voting results were added in.

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