World News Roundup: Three workers die in Spanish potash mine collapse - union; Malaysia's ex-PM Muhyiddin arrested, to face multiple graft charges and more

Five years ago, Dzedza lost both her hands in a machete attack during a raid by members of the CODECO group, one of several militias that have destabilised the densely forested province in Democratic Republic of Congo and forced 1.5 million to flee their homes since late 2017. Malaysia's ex-PM Muhyiddin arrested, to face multiple graft charges Malaysia's anti-corruption agency on Thursday arrested former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and said it would charge him with multiple counts of corruption, a move his supporters said was vengeful and designed to weaken him politically.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Three workers die in Spanish potash mine collapse - union

Three workers were killed in an underground collapse in a potash mine in northeastern Spain early on Thursday, regional union USOC said. The collapse at the mine in the town of Suria happened just before 9 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), about 900 metres underground, firefighters said, without going into further details.

Malaysia's ex-PM Muhyiddin arrested, to face multiple graft charges

Malaysia's anti-corruption agency on Thursday arrested former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and said it would charge him with multiple counts of corruption, a move his supporters said was vengeful and designed to weaken him politically. The arrest, just three months after Muhyiddin lost a closely fought general election to Anwar Ibrahim, is likely to increase political tensions in Malaysia, which has seen four prime ministers since 2018.

Sunak and Macron to discuss migration and Ukraine as they reset ties

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, hoping to deepen their co-operation over migration and Ukraine and cement a new start between the countries after years of Brexit rows. At talks in Paris, Sunak, who became prime minister in October, will hope to capitalise on renewed goodwill to end years of tension over issues ranging from migration to fishing.

Russia kills civilians in first huge missile wave for weeks

Russia launched a huge wave of missile strikes across Ukraine while people slept on Thursday, killing at least six civilians, knocking out electricity and forcing a nuclear power plant off the grid. The first big volley of missile strikes since mid-February shattered the longest calm since Moscow began a campaign to attack Ukraine's civil infrastructure five months ago.

Canada's top general concerned military lacks capacity to lead Haiti mission

Canada's top general said he was concerned that the country's armed forces, which are already stretched thin by support for Ukraine and NATO, do not have the capacity to lead a possible security mission to Haiti. Haiti's government and top United Nations officials have called for an international force to support Haitian police in their struggle against gangs, which have become the de facto authorities in parts of the country.

In shadow of conflict nearby, rebel upsurge hits Congo's Ituri

Marie Dzedza has lost hope of leaving a displaced people's camp and returning to her village in the eastern Congolese province of Ituri, where rebel violence is surging while regional attention focuses on a conflict in a neighbouring territory. Five years ago, Dzedza lost both her hands in a machete attack during a raid by members of the CODECO group, one of several militias that have destabilised the densely forested province in Democratic Republic of Congo and forced 1.5 million to flee their homes since late 2017.

Amid crisis in ruling coalition, Nepal elects third president

Amid a bitter crisis in its ruling coalition, Nepal on Thursday elected a social democrat as its third president since the Himalayan nation ended a centuries-old monarchy. The election of Ram Chandra Paudel, 78, comes after a split in the communist-dominated ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a former Maoist rebel chief.

North Korea fires short-range missile toward Yellow Sea -S.Korea military

North Korea on Thursday fired a short-range ballistic missile toward the Yellow Sea, located between China and the Korean Peninsula, South Korea's military said. The launch follows a statement on Tuesday by Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, that any move to shoot down one of North Korea's test missiles would be considered a declaration of war.

Georgian ruling party withdraws 'foreign agents' bill but faces more protests

Georgia's ruling party said on Thursday it was dropping a bill on "foreign agents" after two nights of violent protests against what opponents said was a Russian-inspired authoritarian shift that imperilled hopes of the country joining the European Union. The Georgian Dream ruling party said in a statement it would "unconditionally withdraw the bill we supported, without any reservations". It cited the need to reduce "confrontation" in society, while also denouncing "lies" told about the bill by the "radical opposition".

Italy to toughen jail terms for migrant smugglers after shipwreck - draft decree

Italy's government was set to approve tougher jail terms for human smugglers, a draft decree seen by Reuters showed on Thursday, hours before a cabinet meeting near the town where a recent shipwreck killed at least 72 migrants. Four suspected traffickers have been detained in the wake of the Feb. 26 incident in the seaside resort of Steccato di Cutro, where a wooden boat crammed with an estimated 180 migrants crashed and sank near the shoreline.