World News Roundup: Woman killed by Russia shelling near southern Ukrainian city; Sri Lanka's ousted president seeking entry to Thailand after weeks in Singapore and more

China's white paper on its position on self-ruled Taiwan follows days of unprecedented Chinese military exercises near the island, which Beijing claims as its territory, in protest against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit last week. Early signs show tight Kenyan presidential election Preliminary results from Kenya's presidential election showed a tight race between the two main candidates vying to replace President Uhuru Kenyatta, with citizens praying an announcement of a winner would not unleash violence as in years past.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Woman killed by Russia shelling near southern Ukrainian city

Four Russian missiles hit a village on the southern outskirts of Ukraine's city of Zaporizhzhia early on Wednesday, killing a 52-year-old woman who was found in the rubble, the regional governor said. "Four private buildings have been totally destroyed. Several dozen houses have been left without windows and roofs," Governor Oleksandr Starukh wrote on Telegram.

Sri Lanka's ousted president seeking entry to Thailand after weeks in Singapore

Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested entry into Thailand for a temporary stay in a second Southeast Asian country after fleeing his island nation last month amid mass protests, the Thai foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Rajapaksa fled to Singapore on July 14 following unprecedented unrest caused by Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis in seven decades, and days after thousands of protesters stormed the president's official residence and office.

G7 foreign ministers urge Russia to hand Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant back to Ukraine

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations on Wednesday called on Russia to immediately hand back full control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Ukraine. "The Russian Federation must immediately withdraw its troops from within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders and respect Ukraine's territory and sovereignty," the foreign ministers said in a statement released in Germany.

Torrential rain lessens in S.Korean capital amid heavy flood damage

Torrential rains that have slammed South Korea's capital, Seoul, diminished on Wednesday after killing at least nine people and damaging about 2,800 homes and other buildings. More rain was forecast for Wednesday, but less than the heavy downpours on Monday and Tuesday that submerged some streets and buildings, trapping people in flooded apartments and stranding cars.

Ukraine accuses Russia of using power plant as 'nuclear shield' after rocket attack it says killed 13

Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of exploiting its position in a nuclear power plant it had seized to target a nearby town in a rocket attack that killed at least 13 people and left many others seriously wounded. The town Ukraine says Russia targeted - Marhanets - is one that Russia has alleged Ukrainian forces have used in the past to shell Russian forces who are holed up at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which they took over in March.

Japan PM shuffles cabinet as anger deepens over ties to Unification Church

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reshuffled his cabinet on Wednesday amid growing public anger about the ruling party's ties to the controversial Unification Church, saying the group had held no sway over party policy. The Liberal Democratic Party's longstanding links to the Unification Church, which critics call a cult, has become a major liability for Kishida in the month following the killing of former premier Shinzo Abe, helping send Kishida's approval ratings to the lowest since he took office in October.

China withdraws promise not to send troops to Taiwan if it takes control of island

China has withdrawn a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if it takes control of the island, an official document showed on Wednesday, signalling a decision by President Xi Jinping to grant less autonomy than previously offered. China's white paper on its position on self-ruled Taiwan follows days of unprecedented Chinese military exercises near the island, which Beijing claims as its territory, in protest against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit last week.

Early signs show tight Kenyan presidential election

Preliminary results from Kenya's presidential election showed a tight race between the two main candidates vying to replace President Uhuru Kenyatta, with citizens praying an announcement of a winner would not unleash violence as in years past. The Tuesday election is an important test for stability in East Africa's biggest economy, where two of the last three elections led to bloodshed and disputes over accusations of rigging.

China military 'completes tasks' around Taiwan, plans regular patrols

China's military has "completed various tasks" around Taiwan but will conduct regular patrols, it said on Wednesday, potentially signalling an end to days of war games but also that Beijing will keep up its pressure on the island. Furious at a visit to Taipei last week by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China had extended its largest-ever exercises around the self-ruled island it claims as its own beyond the four days originally scheduled.

Former Pakistan PM Khan's aide, TV channel face sedition charges

A close aide to Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and a local media house will face sedition charges, accused of inciting mutiny in the powerful military, the country's interior minister said on Wednesday. The charges were related to comments made by Khan adviser Shahbaz Gill and aired on ARY TV on Monday night, which the minister, Rana Sanaullah, said was a planned move to malign the military.