Reuters World News Summary

Poroshenko's return sets up a showdown with Zelenskiy's government in what critics say is an ill-judged distraction at a time when Ukraine is bracing for a possible Russian military offensive and appealing to Western allies for support. Biden, Japan PM Kishida to hold bilateral talks on Friday-White House U.S. President Joe Biden will meet virtually on Friday with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discuss the two nations' economies, security matters, climate change and other bilateral issues, the White House announced on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Two people drowned by abnormally high waves in Peru after Tonga volcano

Two people drowned off a beach in northern Peru, the local civil defense authority reported on Sunday, after unusually high waves were recorded in several coastal areas following Saturday's eruption of an underwater volcano in Tonga in the Pacific Ocean. The death of two people by drowning occurred on Saturday on a beach located in the Lambayeque region, Peru's National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) said in a statement.

Horses jump bonfires as Spain's purification ceremony returns after pandemic break

About a hundred horses jumped through bonfires in a purification ceremony on Sunday during the Spanish festival of "Las Luminarias", which was held for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The traditional nighttime celebration takes place in San Bartolome de Pinares every Jan. 16, the eve of Saint Anthony's Day, Spain's patron saint of animals.

French parliament approves vaccine pass

France's parliament gave final approval on Sunday to the government's latest measures to tackle the COVID-19 virus, including a vaccine pass contested by anti-vaccine protestors. Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted 215 in favour to 58 against, paving the way for the law to enter force in the coming days.

Israel's Netanyahu discusses plea bargain in graft trial, source says

Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is negotiating a plea bargain to end his corruption trial, a source briefed on the matter said on Sunday, but talks have snagged over a condition that would remove him from politics. Netanyahu, who lost power in June after 12 consecutive years as premier and is now opposition leader, has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, breach of trust and fraud in three cases for which he was indicted in 2019. All are being tried together.

Canada urges avoiding non-essential travel to Ukraine due to 'Russian aggression'

The Canadian government is urging its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine, in a new advisory citing "Russian aggression." Moscow has stationed more than 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine, and the United States said on Friday it feared Russia was preparing a pretext to invade if diplomacy failed to meet its objectives.

Ukraine suspects group linked to Belarus intelligence over cyberattack

Kyiv believes a hacker group linked to Belarusian intelligence carried out a cyberattack https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/expect-worst-ukraine-hit-by-cyberattack-russia-moves-more-troops-2022-01-14 that hit Ukrainian government websites this week and used malware similar to that used by a group tied to Russian intelligence, a senior Ukrainian security official said. Serhiy Demedyuk, deputy secretary of the national security and defence council, told Reuters that Ukraine blamed Friday's attack - which defaced government websites with threatening messages - on a group known as UNC1151 and that it was cover for more destructive actions behind the scenes.

Ahead of election, Macron banks on rosy French economy, new jobs

President Emmanuel Macron will on Monday tout 21 new foreign investment projects in France and a booming economy as proof his economic reforms have been bearing fruit less than three months before a presidential election in which he is expected to run. During a visit to Alsace in the east, Macron will announce a 300-million-euro ($342 million) industrial project by German chemical giant BASF, one of 21 new projects worth 4 billion euros and 10,000 jobs as part of a drive to attract foreign investors, his office said.

Australia, New Zealand step up efforts to aid tsunami-hit Tonga

Australia and New Zealand dispatched surveillance flights on Monday to assess the damage in Tonga, isolated from the rest of the world due to the eruption of an underwater volcano that triggered a tsunami and blanketed the Pacific island with ash. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged to provide support for Tonga as early as possible but said the volcano ash had hampered relief efforts.

Former Ukraine president defies arrest threat in showdown with successor

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said on Sunday he planned to return to Ukraine on Monday despite the threat of arrest in a treason case he says was trumped up by allies of current President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Poroshenko's return sets up a showdown with Zelenskiy's government in what critics say is an ill-judged distraction at a time when Ukraine is bracing for a possible Russian military offensive and appealing to Western allies for support.

Biden, Japan PM Kishida to hold bilateral talks on Friday-White House

U.S. President Joe Biden will meet virtually on Friday with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discuss the two nations' economies, security matters, climate change and other bilateral issues, the White House announced on Sunday. "The meeting will highlight the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance, which is the cornerstone of peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific and around the world," the White House said in a statement.