Reuters World News Summary
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
Algeria declares President Tebboune election winner with 95% of vote
Algerian authorities declared President Abdulmadjid Tebboune the overwhelming winner of Saturday's election on Sunday, but a rival candidate alleged irregularities in the count and fewer than half of registered voters cast ballots. Official preliminary results gave Tebboune 95% of the vote, enough to avoid a second round run-off, with Abdelaali Hassani Cherif getting 3% and Youcef Aouchiche 2%. Turnout was 48%.
Putin loyalists set to win local elections in war-affected Russian regions
Supporters of President Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine were set to win gubernatorial races across Russia, according to early vote counts on Sunday, including in Kursk where Ukrainian forces have seized control of some towns and territory. Russia's three-day local and regional elections came to an end on Sunday evening, with voters expected to elect Kremlin-backed candidates in all 21 gubernatorial races, as well as legislative assembly members in 13 regions and city council officials across the country.
Hungary's Orban to overhaul cabinet with new central bank governor appointment
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday that a new ministry would take charge of the economy and state finances as he gears up for the nomination of a new central bank governor to succeed his former ally, Gyorgy Matolcsy. In power since 2010, the veteran nationalist has struggled to revive Hungary's economy from last year's recession following a surge in inflation to more than 25% in the first quarter of last year, the highest levels in the European Union.
Ukraine attacks oil storage depot in Russian border region, governor says
The governor of Russia's southern Belgorod region said on Sunday Ukrainian forces attacked a fuel depot, triggering a series of fires after Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of launching overnight attacks on border regions. "The Ukrainian military, aided by lethal drones, attacked a fuel storage site in Volokonovsky district," Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram, referring to an area near the border.
Gunman from Jordan kills three Israelis at border crossing, Israeli army says
A gunman from Jordan killed three Israeli civilians at the Allenby Bridge border crossing in the occupied West Bank before security forces shot him dead on Sunday, Israeli authorities said. It was the first attack of its kind along the border with Jordan since Oct. 7, when Palestinian Islamist group Hamas carried out an assault on southern Israel, sparking the war in Gaza that has escalated throughout the region.
Amazon rivers' low water levels bring fresh challenges for locals
Water levels in the rivers that run through the vast Amazon rainforest have been falling, after a record drought followed by less rain, presenting unprecedented challenges for the Ribeirinhos people living there. With rivers becoming more difficult to navigate and water too dirty to consume, many of the traditional rural population who live on river banks have been relying on outside supplies of drinking water.
US House Republican report blasts Biden over chaotic Afghan withdrawal
U.S. House of Representatives Republicans will release a long-awaited report on Monday blasting Democratic President Joe Biden's administration for failures surrounding the chaotic and deadly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. The report contends that the administration made its decision to evacuate noncombatants far too late, formally ordering it only on Aug. 16, failed to communicate between departments in Washington and among officials in Afghanistan, and botched the paperwork for the departure of Afghan civilians eligible to leave the country.
Russia takes Ukrainian town in advance on Pokrovsk
Russia said on Sunday its forces had taken full control of a town in eastern Ukraine as Moscow's forces advance on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk and seek to pierce the Ukrainian defensive front lines. Russian forces, which control about a fifth of Ukraine since invading in February 2022, are advancing in eastern Ukraine in an attempt to take the whole of the Donbas, which is about half the size of the U.S. state of Ohio.
Israeli strike kills senior rescue service official in Gaza as fighting rages
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Jabalia on Sunday killed Mohammad Morsi, deputy director of the Gaza Civil Emergency Service in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip, and four of his family, health officials said. The Civil Emergency Service said in a statement that Morsi's death raised to 83 the number of its members killed by Israeli fire since Oct. 7.
Venezuela opposition leader Gonzalez lands in Spain seeking asylum
Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez flew into Spain on Sunday to seek asylum, Madrid said, hours after quitting his country amid a political and diplomatic crisis over July's disputed election. Gonzalez - who has challenged President Nicolas Maduro's declaration of victory - arrived at the Torrejon de Ardoz military base with his wife, Spain's foreign ministry said in a statement.
