Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia and Ukraine stage major POW exchange after UAE mediation

Ukraine and Russia on Wednesday announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly five months, with more than 200 freed by each side after what both said was a complex negotiation involving mediation by the United Arab Emirates. Russia's Defence Ministry said 248 military personnel had been handed over by Ukraine. Kyiv said it had brought home 230 people - 224 soldiers and six civilians - in what it said was the largest documented swap of troops so far.

Japan says Coast Guard plane apparently not cleared for take-off before runway collision

Japanese authorities said on Wednesday a passenger jet that collided with a Coast Guard turboprop at a Tokyo airport had been given permission to land, but the smaller plane had not been cleared for take-off, based on control tower transcripts. All 379 people aboard the Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 managed to evacuate after it erupted in flames following Tuesday's crash with a De Havilland Dash-8 Coast Guard turboprop shortly after landing at Haneda airport.

Migrants from southern Mexico's dispersed caravan pin hopes on permits

Thousands of people from a 4,000-strong migrant caravan that has been crossing southern Mexico by foot since Christmas Eve dispersed on Tuesday as they boarded buses to processing centers where they are expected to apply for travel permits today. Buses provided by Mexican immigration authorities took the migrants to facilities in Huixtla, just 25 miles (41 km) north of the southern city of Tapachula near the Guatemalan border.

Names of Jeffrey Epstein's associates set to be released

A U.S. court is expected on Wednesday to start revealing the names of dozens of people with ties to deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein, a move that could unveil new details about his sex trafficking. Epstein socialized with Wall Street titans, royalty and celebrities before pleading guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008. He took his own life in 2019 at age 66 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Argentina court suspends Milei's 'mega-decree' labor reforms

A top Argentine court on Wednesday suspended a package of labor reforms decreed by new President Javier Milei last month, after the nation's largest union filed an injunction. The ruling by the National Chamber of Labor Appeals temporarily blocks enforcement of the labor regulations in Milei's so-called "mega-decree," which includes more than 300 measures aimed at deregulating the South American country's economy.

Hezbollah, Israel appear to signal no desire for spread of Gaza war

Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Israeli army made statements suggesting the two avowed enemies wanted to avoid risking the further spread of war beyond the Gaza Strip after a drone strike killed a Palestinian Hamas deputy leader in Beirut.

In a speech in Beirut on Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed that his powerful Iran-backed Shi'ite militia "cannot be silent" following the killing of Hamas deputy Saleh al-Arouri on Tuesday.

Mexican authorities free 31 kidnapped migrants

Mexican authorities have rescued 31 migrants, including women and children, who were kidnapped over the weekend in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, officials announced on Wednesday. Presidential spokesperson Jesus Ramirez confirmed the rescue on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Argentina detains three foreigners on terrorism suspicions

Argentine authorities have detained three individuals with Syrian and Lebanese citizenship suspected of plotting a terrorist attack in the South American country, Argentina's security minister and federal police each said on Wednesday. Authorities did not give details on the suspects' identities, but said officials were investigating the suspects' objectives for visiting Argentina and a 35-kilogram package en route from Yemen to one of the suspects.

Japan quake survivors face freezing rain, threat of landslides

Rescuers raced against the clock on Wednesday searching for survivors of an earthquake in western Japan that killed at least 65, while evacuees continued to wait for further aid amid freezing temperatures and heavy rain. The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck the Noto peninsula on New Year's Day, levelling houses and cutting off remote areas from aid.

Blasts kill nearly 100 at slain commander Soleimani's memorial; Iran vows revenge

Two explosions killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a ceremony in Iran on Wednesday to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed by a U.S. drone in 2020, Iranian officials said, blaming unspecified "terrorists". Iranian state television reported a first and then a second blast after 20 minutes during a crowded fourth-anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southeastern city of Kerman.

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