Global Currents: Presidential Races, Acquittals, and Rising Tensions

From presidential run-offs in Iran to acquittals in Panama, global events are shaping up. Notably, economic reforms in Mauritania, rising security concerns for Paris Pride, and significant arms shipments from the U.S. to Israel mark pressing issues. The world is on alert as these stories develop.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Panama court acquits 28 people tied to Panama Papers, Operation Car Wash

A Panamanian court has acquitted 28 people charged with money-laundering under cases linked to the Panama Papers and "Operation Car Wash" scandals, the country's judicial branch said in a statement on Friday. It did not provide names of the people who were acquitted.

Khamenei protege, sole moderate to battle in Iran's presidential run-off

A moderate lawmaker will face Iran supreme leader's protege in a run-off presidential election on July 5 after the country's interior ministry said on Saturday that no candidate secured enough votes in the first round of voting. Friday's vote to replace Ebrahim Raisi after his death in a helicopter crash came down to a tight race between a low-profile lawmaker Massoud Pezeshkian, the sole moderate in a field of four candidates, and former Revolutionary Guards member Saeed Jalili.

Attacker killed after firing crossbow at policeman guarding Israeli embassy in Serbia

An attacker who fired a crossbow at a police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade was shot and killed on Saturday in what Interior Minister Ivica Dacic called a terrorist attack against Serbia. The policeman is in a life-threatening condition and is undergoing surgery, Serbian news agency Tanjug quoted Dacic as saying. No embassy employees were wounded, the Israeli foreign ministry said.

Mauritanians vote as President Ghazouani seeks re-election

Mauritanians voted on Saturday in a presidential election that incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is widely expected to win with a pledge to boost investment in the West African country as it prepares to start producing natural gas. Ghazouani, 67, a former top soldier, has promised investor-friendly policies to spur a commodities boom in the country of 5 million people, many of whom live in poverty despite its fossil fuel and minerals wealth.

Moderate Pezeshkian makes it to Iran presidential run-off

In an election campaign dominated by hardliners, Iranian presidential hopeful Massoud Pezeshkian stood out as a moderate, backing women's rights, more social freedoms, cautious detente with the West and economic reform. Pezeshkian narrowly beat hardline Saeed Jalili for first place in Friday's first round vote but the two men will now face a run-off election on July 5, since Pezeshkian did not secure the majority of 50% plus one vote of ballots cast needed to win outright.

One gun, 34 dead: Inside Ecuador's war on black-market weapons

The gun - a 9-milimeter pistol - blazed a violent trail even by the standards of one of Ecuador's most dangerous neighborhoods, the Nueva Prosperina precinct of Guayaquil. Shell casings from bullets fired by the weapon, recovered at the scenes of 27 separate violent incidents, were linked to 34 deaths, according to a police forensic unit. And a police forensic official told Reuters the authorities believe the pistol remains on the streets.

Security concerns rise over Paris Pride ahead of elections

The French interior ministry called for security reinforcement around LGBTQIA+ events ahead of elections, including Saturday's Paris Pride, in a letter to police and local authorities sent on Friday. As France heads to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a snap parliamentary election that could bring the far-right to power, there has been an increase in discriminatory acts that could target events organized by the LGBTQIA+ community, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin's letter said.

China, Peru completed 'substantial negotiations' to upgrade FTA

China and Peru have achieved "substantial conclusion of negotiations" on the upgrading of a free trade agreement between both countries, Chinese state media said on Friday. In a meeting with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte in Beijing, President Xi Jinping said both sides should coordinate and promote cooperation in fields such as minerals, energy, manufacturing, agriculture and others, state broadcaster CCTV said.

US has sent Israel thousands of 2,000-pound bombs since Oct. 7

The Biden administration has sent to Israel large numbers of munitions, including more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles, since the start of the war in Gaza, said two U.S. officials briefed on an updated list of weapons shipments. Between the war's start last October and recent days, the United States has transferred at least 14,000 of the MK-84 2,000-pound bombs, 6,500 500-pound bombs, 3,000 Hellfire precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-buster bombs, 2,600 air-dropped small-diameter bombs, and other munitions, according to the officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Iran presidential candidate Jalili is fiercely loyal to Khamenei

Saeed Jalili, a zealous ideologue loyal to Iran's supreme leader, plans to resolve the country's social, political and economic ills by adhering rigidly to the hardline ideals of the 1979 Islamic Revolution if he wins the country's presidential election. Jalili was narrowly beaten in Friday's first round vote by moderate Massoud Pezeshkian but the two men will now face a run-off election on July 5, since Pezeshkian did not secure the majority of 50% plus one vote of ballots cast needed to win outright.

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