Reuters World News Summary

U.N. officials in Afghanistan "received word of an order by the de facto authorities that bans female national staff members of the United Nations from working," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York. Between 'reset' and 'de-risk', EU leaders pay rare visit to China European Union executive head Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are to land in China on Wednesday seeking to "reset" ties with an important economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

After immigrant deaths at border, calls to end U.S-Canada asylum pact grow louder

Dozens of protesters gathered in front of Canadian Public Safety Minister office in Toronto on Tuesday demanding an end of an asylum treaty between Canada and the United States after eight people died by drowning as they tried to cross into country. The deaths come less than two weeks after the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) pact was amended, allowing refugee claimants to seek asylum in the first safe country they arrive in.

Trump charged with hush-money scheme to boost 2016 election chances

Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in a history-making moment on Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, as prosecutors accused him of orchestrating payments to two women before the 2016 U.S. election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Prosecutors in Manhattan allege that Trump - the first sitting or former U.S. president to face criminal charges - falsified business records to conceal a violation of election laws during his successful 2016 campaign.

Peru's Congress votes against impeachment trial for president

Peru's congress rejected a motion on Tuesday from leftist lawmakers to launch impeachment hearings against President Dina Boluarte on charges tied to the deaths of protesters, the latest chapter in the country's political volatility. The final tally from Tuesday's vote saw 37 mostly leftist lawmakers vote in support of a motion to remove caretaker leader Boluarte for "moral incapacity," falling short of the 52 votes needed to advance the trial to potentially remove her in the 130-seat legislature.

Bakhmut still epicenter of fighting in Ukraine, joy as Finland joins NATO

Ukraine's armed forces said they had repelled 45 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours, as Bakhmut and Avdiivka remained the epicenter of fighting on Wednesday and Ukrainian aircraft had launched seven strikes on Russian forces and two command posts. The founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, recently claimed his forces had captured Bakhmut, a mining city and logistics hub, "in a legal sense." Ukraine has repeatedly denied Russians control the city, while acknowledging they have taken over at least half of it.

U.S. journalist jailed by Russia meets lawyers for first time, in good health - editor

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested and charged with espionage in Russia last week, met his lawyers for the first time on Tuesday, editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said in a message to staff. "Evan's health is good, and he is grateful for the outpouring of support from around the world," Tucker said in the letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

Analysis-China, Taiwan, US share interest in avoiding crisis over California visit

China, Taiwan and the United States all share a common interest in ensuring this week's California stopover by Taiwan's president gets the focus each thinks it deserves, but without setting off a new crisis. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is due in Los Angeles on Wednesday when she will meet U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the first such meeting on U.S. soil.

Biden tells Britain's King Charles the first lady will attend coronation

U.S. President Joe Biden told Britain's King Charles in a phone call on Tuesday that first lady Jill Biden will attend the king's coronation in May, the White House said in a statement. Biden also congratulated Charles on his upcoming coronation and said he would like to meet with him in the United Kingdom at a future date, it said.

Finland joins NATO in historic shift, Russia threatens 'counter-measures'

Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday, its flag unfurling outside the military bloc's Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures." Finland's accession, ending seven decades of military non-alignment, roughly doubles the length of the border the North Atlantic Treaty Organization shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight.

UN Afghan staff told to stay home as Taliban signals UN female ban

The United Nations told some 3,300 Afghan staff not to come to work in Afghanistan for the next two days after the Taliban authorities signaled on Tuesday that they would enforce a ban on Afghan women working for the world body. U.N. officials in Afghanistan "received word of an order by the de facto authorities that bans female national staff members of the United Nations from working," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

Between 'reset' and 'de-risk', EU leaders pay rare visit to China

European Union executive head Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are to land in China on Wednesday seeking to "reset" ties with an important economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks. Macron last visited China in 2019 while it will be von der Leyen's first trip since becoming European Commission president that year.

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