Following is a summary of current world news briefs.
U.N.’s Black Sea grain deal continues without Russia
Grain was flowing out of Ukraine at a record pace on Monday under an initiative led by the United Nations aimed at easing global food shortages despite Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the scheme. Russia said on Saturday it was pulling out of the deal, which ensured safe passage of grain exports from three Ukrainian ports, after what it said was a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet in Crimea.
Lula wins Brazil election in political resurrection for leftist
Brazilian leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated President Jair Bolsonaro in a runoff election, but the far right incumbent had not conceded defeat by Monday morning, raising concerns he might contest the result. Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters took to the streets of Sao Paulo to celebrate a stunning comeback for the 77-year-old former metalworker who, following his previous two-term 2003-2010 presidency, served prison time for corruption convictions that were later annulled.
Fearing COVID, workers flee from Foxconn’s vast Chinese iPhone plant
After enduring days of lock-in at Foxconn’s vast facility in central China with 200,000 other workers, Yuan finally climbed the fences on Saturday night and escaped the complex, joining others fleeing what they feared was a widening COVID outbreak. He walked through the night, keeping to a northerly route, towards his hometown of Hebi, every step taking him farther away from iPhone maker Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant, the Taiwan-based group’s largest in mainland China.
Iran charges 1,000 over unrest in Tehran – report
Iran will hold public trials of about 1,000 people charged in Tehran over unrest, a semi-official news agency said on Monday, as authorities step up efforts to crush more than six weeks of protests ignited by Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody. One of the boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical leaders since the 1979 revolution, the protests have continued despite increasingly severe warnings: the Revolutionary Guards on Saturday bluntly told protesters to stay off the streets.
Grain ships sail despite Moscow’s pullout from deal; missiles rain on Ukraine
Ships brought grain from Ukrainian ports on Monday, suggesting Moscow had stopped short of reimposing a blockade that might have caused world hunger, despite suspending its participation in a U.N. programme to safely export grain from the war zone. Air raid sirens blared across Ukraine and explosions rang out in Kyiv sending black smoke into the sky as Russia rained missiles down in renewed air attacks. Ukrainian officials said energy infrastructure was hit, knocking out power supplies.
Battling cholera, Lebanon gets first vaccines, and sharp words, from France
Lebanon took delivery on Monday of its first vaccines to combat a worsening cholera outbreak – together with sharply worded criticism of the crisis-hit country’s crumbling public health infrastructure from donor nation France. By Sunday, cases of cholera – a disease typically spread through contaminated water, food or sewage – stood at 1,447, with 17 deaths, since the first were recorded in the country a month ago, the health ministry said.
COP27 climate summit to test resolve of world battling war, inflation
An international climate summit starting next week in Egypt will test the resolve of nations to combat global warming, even as many of the biggest players are distracted by urgent crises ranging from war in Europe to rampant consumer inflation.
More than 30,000 delegates, including representatives from some 200 countries, will gather Nov. 6-18 in the seaside resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to hash out details around how to slow climate change and help those already feeling its impacts.
South Korea begins probe into deadly Halloween crush
South Korean investigators combed footage on Monday from more than 50 state and private closed-circuit TV cameras as well as from social media looking for answers to how a surge in Halloween party-goers trapped in narrow alleys killed so many. As the country began a week of mourning, the death toll climbed to 154. Another 149 people were injured, 33 of them in serious condition. At least 26 citizens from 14 countries were among the dead.
China COVID curbs hit iPhone output, shut Shanghai Disney
China’s COVID-19 curbs forced the closure of Disney’s Shanghai resort on Monday, while production of Apple Inc iPhones at a major contract manufacturing facility could drop by 30% next month due to coronavirus restrictions, a source told Reuters. In Zhengzhou, a Foxconn plant that makes iPhones and employs about 200,000 people has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with numerous staff fleeing the facility, prompting nearby cities to draw up plans to isolate migrant workers returning to their home towns.
India bridge collapse toll jumps to 134, police detain nine people
The death toll from a footbridge collapse in India rose to 134 on Monday, including many children, as police detained nine people as part of a criminal investigation into one of the deadliest accidents in the country in the past decade. CCTV footage from just before the collapse showed a group of young men taking photos while others tried to rock the suspension bridge from side to side, before they tumbled into the river below as the cables holding it together gave way.
(With inputs from agencies.)
