World News Roundup: Ukrainian air force holds drills, including airstrikes; Chile's lower house approves same-sex marriage, bill sent back to Senate and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Ukrainian air force holds drills, including air strikes

Ukraine has held drills of its air force, including the practice of airstrikes, on training grounds in the south of the country, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. It said in a statement that Su-24M and Su-25 planes, under cover of MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, made simulated airstrikes and hit air and surface targets as though they were in the Black Sea.

Chile's lower house approves same-sex marriage, bill sent back to Senate

Chile's lower house approved on Tuesday a bill that would permit same-sex marriage in the South American country of 19 million, sending the measure back to the Senate where it appears to have the support needed to become law. The measure, which originated in the upper house, was approved in the nation's Chamber of Deputies with 97 votes in favor and 35 against. As the lower house made some changes to the bill, it will need to be re-approved by the upper house before being sent to center-right President Sebastian Pinera, who has already announced his support.

FCAS, Tempest fighter jet programmes will merge - Italy's air force chief

Tempest and Future Combat Air System (FCAS), two European programmes designed to build new fighter jets, will eventually merge, Italy's Air Force Chief of Staff said on Tuesday. At a time when European Union members weigh closer cooperation on defence without weakening the ties that some countries have with NATO, General Luca Goretti said that Rome could act as a bridge between NATO and Europe.

Social Democrat leader looks set to be new Swedish PM after deal with Left Party

Social Democrat party leader Magdalena Andersson looks set to become Sweden's first female prime minister after the government and the Left Party reached a deal that will see the former communists back her in a confirmation vote in parliament.

The confirmation vote will be held on Wedesday.

EU vows unity on Belarus as Poland flags more border incidents

Thousands of people stranded on the European Union's eastern border represent an attempt by Belarus to destabilize the bloc, rather than a migrant crisis, and as such call for a coordinated response, the head of EU executive said on Tuesday. Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament the 27-nation bloc was standing in solidarity with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, who are bearing the brunt of what the EU says is President Alexander Lukashenko's ploy to engineer a crisis by flying in migrants into Belarus and then pushing them across EU borders.

Moscow says U.S. rehearsed nuclear strike against Russia this month

Russia's defence minister on Tuesday accused U.S. bombers of rehearsing a nuclear strike on Russia from two different directions earlier this month and complained that the planes had come within 20 km (12.4 miles) of the Russian border.

But the Pentagon said its drills were announced publicly at the time and adhered to international protocols.

What is the risk of a war between Russia and Ukraine?

Russian troop movements near Ukraine have drawn concern from Kyiv and the United States that it might be considering attacking its neighbour. Here is a look at some of the questions that raises. WHAT ARE THE TWO SIDES SAYING ABOUT THE RISK OF CONFLICT?

Venezuela voting conditions better, but some candidates blocked unfairly -EU

Venezuelan regional and local elections last weekend were held under better conditions than those of previous contests, the head of a European Union's observation mission said on Tuesday, while declining to say whether the vote was free and fair. The Sunday vote was the first time in four years the country's opposition has run candidates, though it suffered a resounding defeat with the ruling party winning at least 18 out of 23 governorships.

Gunshots fired at police in France's Martinique, Guadeloupe still tense

Gunshots were fired overnight at police in the French Caribbean island of Martinique, local authorities said on Tuesday, in a sign that unrest triggered by COVID-19 curbs that has rocked the nearby island of Guadeloupe could be spreading there. No police have been injured and things have calmed down in the daytime, a Martinique police official said, but traffic was still slowed by barricades.

Taliban release media guidelines, ban shows with female actors

The Taliban administration has released a set of restrictions on Afghan media, including banning television dramas that included female actors and ordering women news presenters to wear "Islamic hijab". Afghanistan's Ministry of Vice and Virtue set out nine rules this week, a Taliban administration spokesman said on Tuesday, largely centred on banning any media that contravened "Islamic or Afghan values".

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