News in Brief-(2023-08-15)

FE Team | Published: August 14, 2023 22:52:38

Far-right populist gets highest votes in
Argentina's presidential primary voting
BUENOS AIRES, Aug 14: Far-right populist Javier Milei rocked Argentina's political establishment Sunday by emerging as the biggest vote-getter in primary elections to choose presidential candidates for the October general election in a nation battered by economic woes. With nearly two-thirds of polling locations reporting results, Milei had around 32% of the total vote, according to official results. The candidates in the main opposition coalition, United for Change, were at 28% and the current governing coalition, Union for the Homeland, had 26%. Before the election, analysts had warned that a better-than-expected showing for Milei, 52, would likely upset financial markets. — AP
African Union meets on Niger crisis
NAIROBI, Aug 14: The African Union said it was holding a meeting on Monday on the crisis in Niger following the coup on July 26 that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum. "AU's Peace & Security Council meets to receive an update on the evolution of the situation in Niger and the efforts to address it," the pan-African body said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. — AFP
Russia evacuates 2,000 for flooding in Far East
MOSCOW, Aug 14: Over 2,000 people have been evacuated from flooded areas of the Primorye region in Russia's Far East, emergency officials said Sunday. The heavy downpours that flooded villages in the region were slated to bring double the monthly rainfall to some areas over the weekend, according to Russian state media. "More than 2,000 people, including 405 children, have been evacuated in Primorye," the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said on Telegram. Over 4,300 residential buildings were flooded and 28 settlements cut off by floodwaters, with 16 of the region's districts affected. — AP
25 missing after Myanmar jade mine landslide
YANGON, Aug 14: At least 25 people are missing after a landslide at an unregulated jade mine in a remote region of Myanmar, rescue workers said Monday. The incident on Sunday outside northern Kachin's Hpakant township-near where hundreds of miners were entombed in a landslide in 2020 -- comes days after much of the country was swamped by torrential rain and floods. The highly lucrative jade mining industry is mostly unregulated, with migrant workers enduring dangerous conditions and frequently deadly accidents. "About 25 people went missing. We haven't got a detailed list as it's difficult to get here," one rescue worker, who did not want to be named, told AFP from the scene. — AFP