World News Roundup: Anti-Mafia author Saviano on trial for calling Italy PM a 'bastard'; Video appears to show Russians quit positions across river from Kherson and more

Meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia, Albanese said they had discussed trade, consular and human rights issues and had acknowledged their "highly complementary" economies. Prosecutors seek trial for U.N. staffers over death of Italian envoy Rome prosecutors demanded a trial on manslaughter charges for two employees of a U.N. agency over the death last year of the Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Anti-Mafia author Saviano on trial for calling Italy PM a 'bastard'

Roberto Saviano, Italy's best-known anti-Mafia author and a leading human rights campaigner, is due to stand trial in Rome on Tuesday for calling Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a "bastard". If convicted of the libel charge Saviano, 43, could in theory face up to three years' imprisonment, but under Italy's legal system a fine of at least around 500 euros ($520) or a suspended sentence are more likely.

Video appears to show Russians quit positions across river from Kherson

Images on Tuesday appeared to show Russian troops had quit a town in Ukraine across the Dnipro River from Kherson, the city they surrendered last week, suggesting one of the war's biggest retreats may not have ended at the water's edge. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told world leaders there would be no let-up in Ukraine's military campaign to drive Russian troops out of his country, following victory last week in the only regional capital Russia had captured since its invasion.

Division at G20 over bid to condemn Russia's Ukraine invasion

Disagreement emerged at a Group of 20 (G20) summit on Tuesday as the United States and its allies backed a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Russia's foreign minister dismissed as unwarranted politicisation. The summit on the Indonesian island of Bali is the first G20 leaders' meeting since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine in February.

Iranians strike to mark 2019 protests in fresh rebuff to ruling clerics

Iranians went on strike in several cities on Tuesday to commemorate the 2019 protests over fuel prices, a display of dissent that was crushed by security forces in the bloodiest crackdown in the history of the Islamic Republic. The move will add to pressure on Iran's clerical rulers, who have been battling two months of nationwide protests triggered by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police.

French police raid nursing home group Orpea amid probe over malpractice

Dozens of retirement homes of the Orpea group across France were targeted by police raids on Tuesday as part of a judicial investigation over allegations of malpractice and possible mistreatment of nursing home residents. The prosecutor's office said it had registered around 50 complaints relating to "institutional mistreatment" of elderly residents. An Orpea spokesperson confirmed the raids and said the company was cooperating with the investigators.

Climate activists attack glass screen protecting Klimt painting in Vienna

Climate-change activists on Tuesday smeared and glued one of their hands to a glass screen protecting a Gustav Klimt painting in a Vienna museum to protest against oil drilling, on a day when entry was free thanks to an oil firm's sponsorship. Activist group Last Generation posted images online of one supporter pouring what it called a "black, oily liquid" on the screen in front of Klimt's "Death and Life" at the Leopold Museum, before being intercepted by a member of staff while another activist apparently glued his hand to the screen.

Palestinian kills two Israelis during knife rampage in West Bank

A Palestinian who went on a knife rampage in the West Bank on Tuesday killed two Israelis near the entrance to an industrial park and tried to flee in a vehicle before Israeli security forces shot him dead, Palestinian and Israeli officials said. Israeli medical services declared two people dead and said they were treating six others, according to an official statement.

Leaders of Australia and China signal thaw in first meeting since 2016

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping signalled on Tuesday they would seek to move past years of disagreements after the first formal meeting between leaders of the two countries since 2016. Meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia, Albanese said they had discussed trade, consular and human rights issues and had acknowledged their "highly complementary" economies.

Prosecutors seek trial for U.N. staffers over death of Italian envoy

Rome prosecutors demanded a trial on manslaughter charges for two employees of a U.N. agency over the death last year of the Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. Luca Attanasio, his bodyguard Vittorio Iacovacci and their driver Mustapha Milambo were killed on Feb. 22, 2021, during a botched kidnapping on a road in eastern Congo as they were heading toward a World Food Programme (WFP) project.

Big sticking points to COP27 climate deal slow crunch talks

Government ministers and negotiators from nearly 200 countries on Tuesday began the hard slog of finding common ground for a deal at the annual U.N. climate summit, as host country Egypt assured that the slow-moving talks were still on track. Some delegates began, however, to discuss the possibility that the summit would go overtime into the weekend, with countries still snagged on key issues including crucial funding for developing countries to combat and adapt to climate change.

(With inputs from agencies.)