Trudeau denies charges of political wrongdoing

OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday denied accusations of "inappropriate" meddling in the prosecution of a corporate giant, as the country's golden boy leader battles his worst crisis since taking office.

Facing calls to resign over the snowballing scandal, Trudeau addressed the allegations head-on in a morning news conference in Ottawa -- saying he had learned "lessons" from the crisis, but denying any wrongdoing.

Trudeau´s inner circle is accused of pressuring his former attorney general to shield Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin from a bribery trial. The case has already triggered the resignation of Trudeau's right-hand man and two cabinet ministers, with support for the beleaguered prime minister and his Liberals falling for the first time behind the opposition Tories, seven months from a general election.