Reuters World News Summary

Israel's military advocate general said on Tuesday that soldiers who left Omar As'ad outside overnight after detaining him, and who was later found dead, will not be criminally prosecuted, but will face disciplinary measures. Sudan's western cities under fire as war spreads Fighting rocked several cities in western Sudan on Wednesday in an expansion of the country's almost two-month-old war as a regional governor was killed after publicly blaming the deaths of civilians on the country's paramilitary force.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

'Stop killing us': Polish women protest against strict anti-abortion law

Abortion rights supporters marched through several cities in Poland on Wednesday after the death of a pregnant woman whose family believe she could have survived if she had been offered a termination. Protesters chanted "stop killing us" as they marched through the capital Warsaw towards the health ministry headquarters, some carrying placards that said "We want doctors, not missionaries" and "Hell for women," a common slogan used to convey how the measure affects those who are carrying an unwanted or dangerous pregnancy.

US seeking information from Israeli government over decision in death of Palestinian-American

The United States is seeking more information from the Israeli government about the decision that soldiers will not be criminally prosecuted over the death of a Palestinian-American man, the State Department said on Wednesday. Israel's military advocate general said on Tuesday that soldiers who left Omar As'ad outside overnight after detaining him, and who was later found dead, will not be criminally prosecuted, but will face disciplinary measures.

Sudan's western cities under fire as war spreads

Fighting rocked several cities in western Sudan on Wednesday in an expansion of the country's almost two-month-old war as a regional governor was killed after publicly blaming the deaths of civilians on the country's paramilitary force. The conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has caused a humanitarian crisis in Khartoum, as well as major cities in the Kordofan and Darfur regions.

US plays down chance of breakthrough from Blinken China visit after tense call

The United States on Wednesday played down expectations of any breakthrough from the first trip by a U.S. Secretary of State to China in five years, after a tense call with China's foreign minister ahead Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing next week. Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang urged the United States to stop meddling in its affairs and harming its security in a call with Blinken on Wednesday, and said it should respect China's core concerns to arrest declining relations between the superpowers, China's foreign ministry said.

At least 79 drown, hundreds missing in migrant shipwreck off Greece

At least 79 migrants drowned early on Wednesday and hundreds more were missing and feared dead after their overloaded boat capsized and sank in open seas off Greece, in one of Europe's deadliest shipping disasters in recent years. As a painstaking search for survivors continued, a European rescue-support charity said it believed around 750 people were on board the 20- to 30-metre-long (65- to 100-foot-long) vessel. The U.N.'s migration agency estimated up to 400 while Greece declined to speculate on the passenger count.

Trump pleads not guilty in federal documents case

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to federal criminal charges that he unlawfully kept national-security documents when he left office and lied to officials who sought to recover them. Trump's plea, entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman in a federal court in Miami, sets up a legal battle likely to play out over coming months as he campaigns to win back the presidency in a November 2024 election. Experts say it could be a year or more before a trial takes place.

Analysis-Ukraine counteroffensive takes shape but main test still to come

After a week of heavy fighting, the real tests of Kyiv's counteroffensive lie ahead, with Ukrainian troops some distance from Russia's main defensive line and the bulk of forces prepared for the push still on standby. Ukraine struck in two areas along the southeastern front last week as it began the main phase of its long-awaited operation, reporting seven retaken villages but also taking losses including Western infantry fighting vehicles and tanks.

Ahead of Modi visit, journalists' group urges US to press India on media crackdown

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on the U.S. government to urge India to end a media crackdown and release six detained journalists. A statement from CPJ President Jodie Ginsberg ahead of a state visit to Washington next week by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there had been an increasing crackdown on India's media since he came to power in 2014.

Hong Kong protest anthem's online presence fades as govt seeks total ban

Various versions of the pro-democracy protest anthem "Glory to Hong Kong" were unavailable on Apple's iTunes Store, Spotify, KKBOX, Facebook and Instagram's Reels on Wednesday after the government sought an injunction banning the song outright. A Reuters search for the song's Chinese title on Apple's iTunes Store and KKBOX and a search for the song's English title on Facebook and Instagram's Reels only showed a Taiwan version of the song by Taiwanese rock band The Chairman.

Guatemala court sentences journalist to 6 years in prison for money laundering

A Guatemalan court on Wednesday sentenced Jose Zamora, a well-known journalist whose work has criticized successive governments, to six years in prison for money laundering in a case rights groups have branded an attack on free speech. Zamora was also issued a 300,000 quetzal ($38,339) fine, the court said. He was absolved of charges of blackmail and influence peddling.

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