Reuters World News Summary

Dressed in a traditional embroidered shirt, Poroshenko appeared in court while thousands of his supporters demonstrated outside, chanting and waving flags and briefly scuffling with police before the hearing. Finland's PM says NATO membership is "very unlikely" on her watch Finland does not plan to join NATO in the near future but is ready to stand with its European allies and United States by imposing tough sanctions on Russia if it attacks Ukraine, Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Coronavirus spreading like never before in Americas, health agency says

COVID-19 infections are reaching new peaks in the Americas with 7.2 million new cases and more than 15,000 COVID-related deaths in the last week, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday. "The virus is spreading more actively than ever before," PAHO Director Carissa Etienne told a briefing.

'In the name of God, go': UK's Johnson faces demands to resign

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday dismissed calls to resign from opponents and some of his own lawmakers, fighting to save his premiership amid a deepening revolt inside his party over a series of lockdown parties in Downing Street. Johnson, who in 2019 won his party's biggest majority in more than 30 years, is now fighting to shore up his authority after a series of revelations about parties in his Downing Street residence during COVID lockdowns.

Biden sees Russia moving on Ukraine, sows doubt on Western response

U.S. President Joe Biden predicted on Wednesday that Russia will make a move on Ukraine, saying Russia would pay dearly for a full-scale invasion but suggesting there would be a lower cost for a "minor incursion." Biden's comments injected confusion and uncertainty into how the West would respond to Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering an invasion of Ukraine, something Russian officials have repeatedly denied they plan.

German prosecutors probe Greens' leaders over COVID bonus

German prosecutors have opened an investigation into the two leaders of the co-governing Greens, Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock, over alleged special coronavirus payments, the party said on Wednesday. Spiegel Online reported the start of the investigation for a possible breach of trust to the detriment of the party over illegal payments of 1,500 euros to Greens board members in 2020.

N.Korea warns it may rethink moratorium on nuclear, missile tests

North Korea would bolster its defences against the United States and consider restarting "all temporally-suspended activities," state media KCNA reported Thursday, an apparent reference to a self-imposed moratorium on testing its nuclear bombs and long-range missiles. Tension has been rising https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-tested-tactical-guided-missiles-monday-kcna-2022-01-17 over a recent series of North Korea missile tests. A U.S. push for fresh sanctions was followed by heated reaction from Pyongyang, raising the spectre of a return to the period of so-called "fire and fury https://www.reuters.com/article/northkorea-missiles-idINL1N2TX006 " threats of 2017.

Tongans make contact with world as phone lines partially restored after tsunami

Tongans could finally make phone contact with their families and the outside world on Thursday five days after a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami completely cut off the Pacific island nation. The explosion of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, which has killed at least three people https://www.reuters.com/world/covid-19-concerns-force-un-prepare-tsunami-hit-tonga-relief-aid-distance-2022-01-18 and sent tsunami waves across the Pacific, knocked out communications of about 105,000 people on Saturday.

Gambian President Barrow vows economic progress at start of second term

Gambian President Adama Barrow on Wednesday pledged to work to jumpstart the economy and ensure broad-based development gains as he was sworn in for a second five-year term in office. Barrow, 56, came to power in 2017 by unseating his autocratic predecessor Yahya Jammeh at the polls. He comfortably won re-election last month with 53% of the first-round vote.

Ukraine's ex-president avoids detention in treason case as thousands rally

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko won a court ruling on Wednesday allowing him to remain at liberty while being investigated for treason in a probe he says was cooked up by allies of his successor, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Dressed in a traditional embroidered shirt, Poroshenko appeared in court while thousands of his supporters demonstrated outside, chanting and waving flags and briefly scuffling with police before the hearing.

Finland's PM says NATO membership is "very unlikely" on her watch

Finland does not plan to join NATO in the near future but is ready to stand with its European allies and United States by imposing tough sanctions on Russia if it attacks Ukraine, Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday. "It would have a very substantial impact and the sanctions would be extremely tough," Marin told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

European countries urge Israel to stop construction in East Jerusalem

The foreign ministries of France, Germany, Italy and Spain urged Israeli authorities on Wednesday evening to stop the construction of new housing units in East Jerusalem. Earlier in the month, Israeli authorities approved plans for the construction of around 3,500 homes in occupied East Jerusalem, nearly half of which are to be built in the controversial areas of Givat Hamatos and Har Homa.