World News Roundup: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan granted bail, leaves court; Canada's Alberta braces for more wildfires as volatile weather worsens and more

Khan departed the court premises late Friday night and headed towards his hometown Lahore amidst high security, after a court granted him bail.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Philippine court acquits top critic of ex-president Duterte's 'war on drugs'

A Philippine court on Friday acquitted of a drugs charge one of the fiercest critics of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs", a move welcomed by activists who called her incarceration a vindictive effort to harass and silence her. The court cleared former senator Leila de Lima, 63, of the second of three criminal charges against her, which stemmed from allegations made publicly by Duterte that as a justice minister in an earlier administration, she took payments from drug gangs in prisons.

Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan granted bail, leaves court

A Pakistani court ordered former Prime Minister Imran Khan's release on bail for two weeks, his lawyer said on Friday, after his arrest in a land fraud case ignited deadly protests and a tussle with the military. Khan departed the court premises, headed towards his hometown Lahore, amidst high security. He had remained inside for hours after being granted bail, saying he was not being allowed to leave by security officials.

Canada's Alberta braces for more wildfires as volatile weather worsens

Canada's main oil-producing province of Alberta is bracing for another hot and dry weekend, with warnings of more intense wildfires after a week of volatile weather forced thousands to evacuate homes and shuttered energy production. Special alerts have been declared across western Canada, where officials have urged vigilance as temperatures in some areas are forecast to hit 30° Celsius (86°F), or 10 to 15 degrees more than usual.

EU and US to pledge joint action over China concerns

Washington and the EU will pledge joint action to tackle concerns focused on China about non-market practices and coordinate their export controls on semiconductors and other goods at a meeting this month, a draft statement showed. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, European Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager and other senior officials are due to meet for the fourth edition of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Lulea, Sweden, on May 30-31.

Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a 'rout'

Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine's battlefield city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that the head of Russia's Wagner private army called a rout. The setback for Russia, which follows similar reports of Ukrainian advances south of the city, suggests a coordinated push by Kyiv to encircle Russian forces in Bakhmut, Moscow's main objective for months during the war's bloodiest fighting.

Russia says Ukraine used Storm Shadow missiles from Britain to attack Luhansk

Russia's Defence Ministry said on Saturday that Ukrainian aircraft had struck two industrial sites in the Russian-held city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine with Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles supplied by Britain. Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.

Pakistan PM Sharif orders those involved in violence tracked down and arrested

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered authorities on Saturday to identify and arrest all those involved in violent acts after former Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest this week sparked deadly unrest. Khan departed the court premises late Friday night and headed towards his hometown Lahore amidst high security, after a court granted him bail. His arrest in a land fraud case on Tuesday, which the Supreme Court ruled "invalid and unlawful" on Thursday, sparked violent protests by his supporters.

Israel, Islamic Jihad signal no near-term Gaza truce

Israel on Saturday ruled out an immediate truce in Gaza, saying the onus was on Palestinian militants to stop launching rockets from an arsenal it suggested could be depleted within days, while its aircraft kept up strikes in the enclave. "We're not holding ceasefire talks," National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told a municipal event near Jerusalem, adding that Israel's top priority was presently firing on militants.

India's opposition Congress set for big win in Karnataka state, defeating BJP

India's main opposition Congress party was set to win elections in the southern state of Karnataka on Saturday, emphatically defeating the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a big boost to its prospects ahead of national elections due next year. The election is the first of five crucial state polls this year that are seen as setting the tone for parliamentary elections due in April and May 2024.

Italy confirms backing for Ukraine as Zelenskiy prepares to meet pope

Rome promised its full backing for Ukraine on Saturday as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy began a visit for talks with Italian officials and Pope Francis, who said in late April the Vatican is involved in a peace mission to end the war with Russia. Zelenskiy, on his first trip to Italy since Russia invaded in February last year, met President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace and then began a working lunch with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before he was due to head to the Vatican.