Reuters World News Summary

Mnangagwa, 80, won the election with 52.6% of the vote while the opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa got 44%, the election commission said on Saturday. Russia says genetic tests confirm Wagner chief Prigozhin died in plane crash Russian investigators said on Sunday that genetic tests had confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner mercenary group, was among the 10 people killed in a plane crash last week.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

France to ban Muslim abaya dress in state schools

France will ban children from wearing the abaya, the loose-fitting, full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in state-run schools, its education minister said on Sunday ahead of the back-to-school season. France, which has enforced a strict ban on religious signs in state schools since 19th century laws removed any traditional Catholic influence from public education, has struggled to update guidelines to deal with a growing Muslim minority.

Zelenskiy says elections could happen under fire if West helps

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, responding to calls by a US senator this week to announce elections in 2024, said on Sunday voting could take place during wartime if partners shared the cost, legislators approved, and everyone got to the polls. Elections cannot currently be held in Ukraine under martial law, which must be extended every 90 days and is next due to expire on Nov. 15, after the normal date in October for parliamentary polls but before presidential elections which would normally be held in March 2024.

Zimbabwe president denies poll fraud as opposition rejects his re-election

Zimbabwe's re-elected President Emmerson Mnangagwa suggested on Sunday that anyone questioning the results of last week's election take their case to court as an opposition leader accused him of "gigantic fraud". Mnangagwa, 80, won the election with 52.6% of the vote while the opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa got 44%, the election commission said on Saturday.

Russia says genetic tests confirm Wagner chief Prigozhin died in plane crash

Russian investigators said on Sunday that genetic tests had confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner mercenary group, was among the 10 people killed in a plane crash last week. Russia's aviation agency had previously published the names of all 10 on board the private jet which crashed in the Tver region northwest of Moscow on Wednesday. They included Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, his right-hand man who helped found the Wagner group.

Japan says seawater radioactivity below limits near Fukushima

Tests of seawater near Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant have not detected any radioactivity, the environment ministry said on Sunday, days after authorities began discharging into the sea treated water used to cool damaged reactors. Japan started releasing water from the wrecked Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, sparking protests in Japan and neighbouring countries, in particular China, which banned aquatic product imports from Japan.

Sudanese paramilitary force backs ceasefire and talks on country's future

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces said it was open to a long-term ceasefire with the army and presented its vision for a "Sudan Reborn", an initiative that could revive efforts to hold direct talks between the warring parties. The statement came as fighting between the RSF and the army enters its 20th week with no side claiming victory while millions have been driven from their homes in the capital and other cities.

Libya suspends foreign minister after meeting with Israeli foreign minister

Libya's prime minister suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush on Sunday and referred her for investigation after Israel said its Foreign Minister Eli Cohen had met her last week despite the countries not having formal relations. Israel's statement on the meeting, in which it said the ministers had discussed possible cooperation, prompted small protests in Libya, which does not recognise Israel.

Three US Marines die in Australia aircraft crash during exercises

Three U.S. Marines died in an aircraft crash off the coast of northern Australia on Sunday while transporting troops during a routine military exercise, officials said. Five others were "transported to Royal Darwin Hospital in serious condition", Marine Rotation Force - Darwin said in a press release.

Syria's Assad's ruling party shut by protests in rebellious Druze city

Protesters demanding an end to authoritarian rule shut the ruling Baath party headquarters in the southwestern Syrian Druze city of Sweida as protests which entered their second week showed no signs of abating, civic activists and witnesses said. Youths with welding machines sealed the gates of the building of the party led by President Bashar al Assad,‮ ‬which has been in power since a 1963 coup.

Honduras arrests mayor accused of trafficking cocaine to US

A mayor in Honduras was arrested on Sunday on charges of working with drug cartels to smuggle 90 tons of cocaine to the United States by boat and plane. Mayor Wilmer Manolo Wood of Brus Laguna, in the remote Mosquitia region that borders Nicaragua, was taken into custody, said Jorge Galindo, a spokesperson for the Honduran prosecutors' office. He is accused of working with three cartels: Los Piningos, Los Yanez and Los Amador.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)