World News Roundup: Greta Thunberg, climate activists get court nod to sue Swedish state; Putin, Xi discuss Chinese peace proposal for Ukraine as US denounces visit and more

Kishida is due to voice support and solidarity with Ukraine following the invasion by Russian forces more than a year ago, Japan's foreign ministry said. Italy's Meloni ready to risk unpopularity over support for Ukraine Italy will continue to back Ukraine against Russia even if this dents the Rome government's approval ratings, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, as polls show that military aid to Kyiv is unpopular with voters.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Greta Thunberg, climate activists get court nod to sue Swedish state

A Swedish court gave Greta Thunberg and hundreds of other climate activists the go-ahead on Tuesday to proceed with a class action lawsuit against the Swedish state for "insufficient climate policy". Thunberg, and 600 other young activists in a group called Aurora, sued the Swedish state in November, claiming it had to do more to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to live up to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Putin, Xi discuss Chinese peace proposal for Ukraine as US denounces visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed Beijing's proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine during a first day of talks in Moscow and they were meeting again on Tuesday, the Kremlin said. Xi's visit is a boost to Moscow as it struggles to make ground in its year-long war on Ukraine. But it was criticised by Washington as providing "diplomatic cover" for Putin and for the war crimes his forces are accused of committing there.

'Weakened' Macron sticks with pension bill, eyes new reforms - source

French President Emmanuel Macron is looking to move on and work on new reforms in the coming weeks after his government barely survived a no-confidence motion on Monday over an unpopular pension reform, a source said. Macron does not plan any reshuffle or snap elections and has ruled out withdrawing the pension law, which will raise the retirement age by two years to 64, the source who took part in meetings between Macron and key allies on Tuesday told Reuters.

Chinese COVID data from animal market gives clues on origins - report

Data from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, briefly uploaded to a global database by Chinese scientists, gives crucial information on the outbreak's origins, including of an animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, researchers said. The virus was first identified in Wuhan in December 2019, with many suspecting the Huanan live animal market to be the source, before spreading round the world and killing nearly 7 million people.

Afghanistan's school year starts with calls for all girls to be allowed back

Afghanistan's school year started on Tuesday, the education ministry said, as the U.N. children's agency renewed calls for teenage girls to be able to rejoin the classroom. A year ago, after signalling that they would open schools for all students, Taliban authorities made a U-Turn, leaving many girls who had turned up to their high school classes in tears and sparking global condemnation that has hampered the Taliban's efforts to gain formal international recognition.

Japan PM Kishida arrives in Kyiv for talks with Zelenskiy

Japan's Fumio Kishida arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Tuesday to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, broadcaster NHK said, a rare, unanounced visit by a Japanese leader that signalled Tokyo's emphatic support against Russia's invasion. Kishida is due to voice support and solidarity with Ukraine following the invasion by Russian forces more than a year ago, Japan's foreign ministry said.

Italy's Meloni ready to risk unpopularity over support for Ukraine

Italy will continue to back Ukraine against Russia even if this dents the Rome government's approval ratings, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, as polls show that military aid to Kyiv is unpopular with voters. "We will continue to do it because it is right to do so in terms of national values and interest," Meloni said in a speech to the Senate ahead of the European Council summit on March 23-24.

London police institutionally racist and sexist, major review finds

London's Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic and unable to police itself, an independent review said on Tuesday, heaping pressure on the Met's new chief to reform Britain's biggest police force. The review was commissioned by the then-head of the Met, Cressida Dick, in 2021 after a serving officer was sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a young woman, Sarah Everard, in a case that shocked the country and put a spotlight on the force's broader work culture.

India hunts Sikh preacher who has revived calls for homeland

Indian police have launched a hunt for a Sikh preacher who has revived talk of an independent Sikh homeland and stoked fears of a return to violence that killed tens of thousands of people in 1980s and early 1990s. Police in the northwestern state of Punjab, where Sikhs are in the majority, said they had arrested 114 supporters of the preacher, Amritpal Singh, 29, and seized 10 guns and 430 rounds of ammunition and other equipment.

Pakistan's parliament summoned in midst of crisis over former PM Khan

Pakistan's parliament is to meet in a special joint session on Wednesday to "take important decisions" to enforce the state's authority, media reported, in the midst of prolonged anti-government defiance by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Former cricket star Khan was prime minister from 2018 until 2022, when he was ousted from office in a parliamentary vote. Since then, he has been demanding a new election and holding protests across the country to press his case.