Reuters World News Summary

If passed, the bill, known as the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, would give the province a legislative framework to defend its jurisdiction in areas such as natural resources, gun control, and health and education. NATO pledges more aid to Kyiv as air raid sirens blare again across Ukraine NATO allies promised on Tuesday more arms for Kyiv and equipment to help restore Ukrainian power and heat knocked out by Russian missile and drone strikes, as air raid sirens blared across Ukraine for the first time this week.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith seeks more autonomy from Canada in new bill

The government of Canada's main oil-producing province Alberta introduced proposed legislation on Tuesday to resist federal laws it deems harmful to Alberta, fulfilling a controversial promise from new Premier Danielle Smith. If passed, the bill, known as the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, would give the province a legislative framework to defend its jurisdiction in areas such as natural resources, gun control, and health and education.

NATO pledges more aid to Kyiv as air raid sirens blare again across Ukraine

NATO allies promised on Tuesday more arms for Kyiv and equipment to help restore Ukrainian power and heat knocked out by Russian missile and drone strikes, as air raid sirens blared across Ukraine for the first time this week. Ukrainians fled the streets for bomb shelters, although the all-clear later sounded across the country. In the eastern Donetsk region Russian forces pounded Ukrainian targets with artillery, mortar and tank fire.

U.S. calls for the release of Cambodian labor activist

The United States on Tuesday said it was deeply concerned by Cambodia's arrest of union leader Chhim Sithar and called for her release and that of other detained trade unionists. The State Department said Sithar, whose union has been in a year-long dispute with the NagaWorld casino, was arrested after returning to Cambodia from a labor conference in Australia.

Analysis-Venezuela revived opposition talks highlight strengthened Maduro position

Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro will enter upcoming talks with the South American country's opposition in a strengthened position that could be bolstered further by a deal to release more than $3 billion in humanitarian funds, analysts said. Government and opposition delegates met on Saturday in Mexico City after more than a one-year pause, and in renewed negotiations the parties signed a "social agreement" aimed at creating a United Nations-administered humanitarian fund.

UN Iran expert concerned about death sentences for protesters

A U.N.-appointed independent expert on Iran voiced concern on Tuesday that the repression of protesters was intensifying, with authorities launching a "campaign" of sentencing them to death. The United Nations says more than 300 people have been killed so far and 14,000 arrested in protests that began after the Sept. 16 death in custody of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini.

Even as Singapore lifts gay sex ban, LGBT families feel little has changed

Olivia Chiong and her wife feel like the Singapore government has made clear to them and their two children that they don't belong in the city-state. So this week's vote by Singapore's parliament to decriminalise gay sex changed nothing about the family's painful decision to leave rather than see their children denied schooling - because their legal status remains the same.

Canada's Trudeau says people in China should be allowed to protest

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that everyone in China should be allowed to protest and express themselves, and that Canadians were closely watching the protests against the country's zero-COVID policy. Simmering discontent with stringent COVID prevention policies three years into the pandemic ignited into protests in Chinese cities, in the biggest wave of civil disobedience since Chinese President Xi Jinping took power a decade ago.

U.S. has 'serious doubts' about announced results in Equatorial Guinea election

The United States on Tuesday said it has "serious doubts about the credibility of the announced results" in elections in Equatorial Guinea this month and called on authorities to work with all stakeholders to address allegations of voter fraud. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a statement said allegations of "significant election-related irregularities" included intimidation, coercion and repeat voting, adding that the United States is also concerned by what he said were irregular counting practices.

Chinese authorities seek out COVID protesters

Chinese authorities have begun inquiries into some of the people who gathered at weekend protests against COVID-19 curbs, people who were at the Beijing demonstrations told Reuters, as police remained out in numbers on the city's streets. Two protesters told Reuters that callers identifying themselves as Beijing police officers asked them to report to a police station on Tuesday with written accounts of their activities on Sunday night. A student also said they were asked by their college if they had been in an area where a protest happened and to provide a written account.

NATO boosts Ukraine aid, accuses Putin of using cold as 'weapon of war'

NATO allies said on Tuesday they would help Ukraine repair energy infrastructure heavily damaged by Russian bombardments in what NATO's chief said was Moscow using the descending winter cold as "a weapon of war". Russia has been carrying out heavy missile attacks on Ukraine's power grid and heating infrastructure roughly weekly since October, in what Kyiv and its allies say is a deliberate campaign to harm civilians, a war crime. Russia acknowledges attacking Ukrainian infrastructure but denies deliberately seeking to harm civilians.