Reuters World News Summary

Raul Alfaro, a senior police commander, told reporters that a mob "ambushed" the police officer's vehicle in the city of Juliaca in the southern Andes region of Puno, and then proceeded to beat him and other officers while disarming them. Ex-Honduras president says current government impeding U.S. defense case A lawyer for Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former Honduran president who is facing U.S. drugs and weapons charges, on Tuesday accused the Central American country's current government of setting up obstacles to his defense.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia's Wagner says it controls Ukrainian town of Soledar, fighting continues -agencies

The head of Russia's private military firm Wagner on Tuesday said his forces had taken control of the eastern Ukrainian mining town of Soledar but that fighting continued, Russian news agencies reported. Ukraine had said earlier in the day that its forces were still holding out despite a Russian onslaught.

Analysis-Iran executions quash protests, push dissent underground

Iran's hanging of protesters -- and display of their lifeless bodies suspended from cranes -- seems to have instilled enough fear to keep people off the streets after months of anti-government unrest. The success of the crackdown on the worst political turmoil in years is likely to reinforce a view among Iran's hardline rulers that suppression of dissent is the way to keep power.

Australian Cardinal George Pell, acquitted of child sexual assault, dead at 81

Australian Cardinal George Pell, a leading Roman Catholic conservative and former top Vatican official who in 2020 was acquitted of sexual abuse allegations, died on Tuesday at the age of 81, his private secretary said. Fr. Joseph Hamilton told Reuters that Pell died in Rome on Tuesday night.

Former King of Greece Constantine II dies at 82

Greece's former King Constantine II, whose nine-year reign coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in the country's political history, died on Tuesday aged 82, state website ERT news reported. Constantine II, the only son of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece, ascended to the throne in 1964 after his father died but his reign was marred by political instability which culminated in a military coup on April 21, 1967.

'Ambushed' police officer dies in burning car in Peru after 17 killed in protests

Peru's political crisis deepened on Tuesday as a police officer died in his torched car after 17 civilians were killed in protests a day earlier, all triggered by the contentious ouster of President Pedro Castillo last month. Raul Alfaro, a senior police commander, told reporters that a mob "ambushed" the police officer's vehicle in the city of Juliaca in the southern Andes region of Puno, and then proceeded to beat him and other officers while disarming them.

Ex-Honduras president says current government impeding U.S. defense case

A lawyer for Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former Honduran president who is facing U.S. drugs and weapons charges, on Tuesday accused the Central American country's current government of setting up obstacles to his defense. In a hearing on Hernandez's case in Manhattan federal court, defense lawyer Raymond Colon said individuals in Honduras he was hoping to speak with were "being intimidated," without providing evidence.

Russian mercenary firm claims strategic Ukrainian town of Soledar, control unclear

Ukraine's eastern salt mining town of Soledar hung in the balance as Russia's mercenary firm Wagner claimed control, but continued fighting and Kyiv's assertion earlier that its forces were holding out raised uncertainty. Soledar has been the focus of intense fighting as Russia has viewed it as key to its campaign for the nearby strategic city of Bakhmut and Ukraine's larger eastern Donbas region. Reuters was not able to verify conditions on the ground.

Brazilian judge orders arrest of Bolsonaro's ex-minister after Brasilia rampage

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge ordered the arrest on Tuesday of the capital's public security chief after supporters of right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro president led a rampage through government buildings, a source told Reuters. Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the arrest of Anderson Torres, who was Bolsonaro's justice minister before taking over this month as the public security chief for Brasilia, where thousands of protesters vandalized the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential offices on Sunday. It was not immediately clear what the charges were.

Storms inundate California, provoking mudslides, evacuations

The latest Pacific storm unleashed torrential downpours and damaging winds in California on Tuesday, knocking out power and turning city streets into rivers as mudslides cut off highways and entire communities faced evacuation orders. More than 33 million Californians were threatened by severe weather throughout the day as "heavy to excessive" rainfall was expected across the state, especially in southern California, as winds gusts were clocked at more than 40 miles (64 km) an hour in many places, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

Detained Nicaraguan Catholic bishop, Ortega critic to face trial

A prominent Catholic bishop in Nicaragua who has sharply criticized authoritarian President Daniel Ortega will go to trial while under house arrest, a judge ruled on Tuesday, in the latest clamp down on dissent in the country. Police arrested Bishop Rolando Alvarez in August, capturing him after he barricaded himself in church property for several weeks along with other priests who are now behind bars at the notorious Chipote prison.

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