Reuters World News Summary

China suffered 76.9 billion yuan ($10.1 billion) in economic losses from natural disasters last month, with 88% of those losses caused by heavy rains, floods or their effects, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. Restoring law and order in Bangladesh a priority, says caretaker government Improving law and order in Bangladesh is a priority for the new caretaker government, the adviser to the interior ministry said on Friday, as the battered nation limps back to normality after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Philippines, Vietnam hold first-ever joint coast guard exercise

Crew of Philippine and Vietnamese vessels blasted a boat with water cannon and simulated a search and rescue on Friday, in the first such joint exercises between coast guards of two countries that have faced off with Beijing in the South China Sea. Vietnam's 90-metre-long ship CSB 8002, which arrived at the port of Manila on Monday, joined the Philippine offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang for simulated drills in firefighting, rescue and medical response.

Venezuela's Maduro blocks X access in country for 10 days

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday took tensions with social media platform X and its owner Elon Musk to new heights, banning the platform in the South American country for 10 days amid furore over a disputed presidential election. Maduro said he signed a resolution presented by regulator Conatel which "has decided to take social network X, formerly known as Twitter, out of circulation for 10 days" and accused Musk of inciting hate, civil war, and death.

Ten killed, 35 hurt in Russian strike on supermarket in Ukraine's east

A Russian missile strike hit a supermarket in the Ukrainian town of Kostiantynivka in the front-line Donetsk region on Friday, killing at least ten people and injuring 35 others, Ukrainian officials said. The strike caused a fire that had been put out, the interior minister said. Heavy black smoke clouds rising from the destroyed building could be seen in the images and videos posted by officials.

Microsoft researchers report Iran hackers targeting US officials before election

Microsoft researchers said on Friday that Iran government-tied hackers tried breaking into the account of a "high ranking official" on the U.S. presidential campaign in June, weeks after breaching the account of a county-level U.S. official. The breaches were part of Iranian groups' increasing attempts to influence the U.S. presidential election in November, the researchers said in a report that did not provide any further detail on the "official" in question.

China's rains and floods led to near doubling of natural disaster losses in July

Extreme rainfall and severe flooding in China led to a near doubling in economic losses from natural disasters in July from a year earlier, the government said. China suffered 76.9 billion yuan ($10.1 billion) in economic losses from natural disasters last month, with 88% of those losses caused by heavy rains, floods or their effects, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Restoring law and order in Bangladesh a priority, says caretaker government

Improving law and order in Bangladesh is a priority for the new caretaker government, the adviser to the interior ministry said on Friday, as the battered nation limps back to normality after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled. Hasina flew to neighbouring India on Monday after weeks of deadly protests. An interim government, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on Thursday with the aim of holding elections.

Catalan separatist Puigdemont heads for Belgium after dodging arrest in Spain, party says

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was headed back to Belgium on Friday, having eluded police after appearing at a rally in Barcelona despite a warrant for his arrest in Spain, his party said. Junts General Secretary Jordi Turull told RAC1 radio that he did not know whether Puigdemont had already reached Waterloo, where he has lived in self-imposed exile since leading a failed bid for Catalonia's secession in 2017.

As war drums beat, those in Beirut suburb have nowhere to flee

When war last came to the edges of Lebanon's capital nearly two decades ago, Bilal Sahlab drove his family to a secluded mountain town, rented an apartment and waited out the bombing. This time around, there's no car, no rent money, and no sense of when hostilities may end.

Trump and Harris to debate on ABC; Trump says he wants two more

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic opponent Kamala Harris will debate on Sept. 10 on ABC, setting up the first face-to-face match-up between the rivals in what polls show is a close race. In a news conference at his Palm Beach, Florida, residence, Trump said he wanted additional debates on Sept. 4 and Sept. 25 that would air on Fox and NBC .

New Gaza camp offers relief for Palestinians with disabilities amid war

A newly opened camp for displaced Palestinians with disabilities is providing some much needed help for around 100 vulnerable people in the town of Deir al-Balah in the central area of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. The "Smile of Hope Camp" is managed by the Palestinian Red Crescent and is the first in Gaza that tries to provide care and facilities for people with disabilities, but like other centres for the displaced across the enclave it is hampered by a lack of funds and supplies.

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