World News Roundup: Some money services reopen in Tonga, drinking water the priority; Former Malaysian PM Mahathir in stable condition in hospital and more

The delivery followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Kyiv this week amid concerns from Kyiv and its Western allies over tens of thousands of Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Some money services reopen in Tonga, drinking water the priority

Tongans queued for limited money services that were restored in the Pacific island's capital on Saturday, as the clean-up continued a week after a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami. Tonga's government said drinking water was the priority, and a national emergency team had already distributed 60,000 litres of water to residents. A desalination plant on a New Zealand naval ship that arrived on Friday, capable of producing 70,000 litres a day, has started drawing seawater from Tonga's harbour.

Former Malaysian PM Mahathir in stable condition in hospital

Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is in a stable condition after undergoing treatment at the National Heart Institute, his daughter said in a statement on Saturday. Marina Mahathir said her 96-year-old father had been readmitted to hospital and has undergone two days of treatment following an elective medical procedure in early January.

First part of $200 million U.S. defence aid arrives in Ukraine

The first shipment of the United States' $200 million security support package for Ukraine arrived in Kyiv, the U.S. Embassy said on Saturday. The delivery followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Kyiv this week amid concerns from Kyiv and its Western allies over tens of thousands of Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine. Russia denies planning a new military offensive.

Germany will not supply weapons to Kyiv for now, defence minister says

Berlin is ruling out arms deliveries to Ukraine in the standoff with Russia for now, German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said in an interview published on Saturday, a few days after Britain started supplying Kyiv with anti-tank weapons. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators also promised weapons to Ukraine, which could include missiles, small arms and boats, to help the country defend itself from a potential invasion amid a Russian military build-up on its borders.

UK lawmaker says he will meet police over government 'blackmail' accusations

A British Conservative lawmaker said he would meet police to discuss his accusations that Boris Johnson's government had attempted to "blackmail" parliamentarians who were suspected of trying to force the prime minister from office. William Wragg, chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and a member of Johnson's ruling party, said on Thursday some Conservatives had faced intimidation and blackmail from government representatives because of their desire to topple Johnson.

Residents of Ukrainian city near Russian border brace for the unknown

Residents in Ukraine's second biggest city Kharkiv said they hoped for the best but would prepare for the worst, as Russia massed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine's borders and diplomatic talks failed to produce a breakthrough. Kharkiv, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine that is home to tank, aircraft and tractor factories, lies 42 km (26 miles) from the Russian border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has identified it as a possible target of a Russian attack.

UK foreign minister Truss to visit Russia in Feb - RIA cites source

British foreign minister Liz Truss is expected to visit Moscow in February for talks with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the RIA news agency reported on Saturday, citing a diplomatic source. The planned visit comes amid elevated tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine. Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made no breakthrough in talks on the issue this week but agreed to keep talking to try to resolve a crisis that has stoked fears of a military conflict.

Pakistani convicted murderer takes top school score, wins scholarship

A Pakistani inmate serving a life sentence for murder in an overcrowded Karachi prison has won a scholarship for further study after taking one of the highest scores in the city's higher secondary school exams last year. Syed Naeem Shah, 35, scored the highest in the general high school exams among private candidates - that is, among non-traditional students - last year in Pakistan's largest city, winning a scholarship for further studies from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).

French EU lawmaker Collard to join far-right presidential candidate Zemmour

European Parliament member Gilbert Collard will quit Marine Le Pen's National Rally to join rival far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour, becoming the third Le Pen ally in a week to link up with Zemmour, French media reported on Saturday. Last week, Jerome Riviere, head of Le Pen's National Rally group in the European Parliament, and Damien Rieu, parliamentary assistant to another National Rally EU lawmaker, also quit to join Zemmour's ranks.

German conservatives elect right-winger Merz as new party leader

Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) on Saturday elected arch-conservative Friedrich Merz their party leader to follow the more centrist Armin Laschet, who lost September's national election to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats. Merz, who has promised a break with the CDU's centrist course pursued by Angela Merkel during her 16-year tenure as chancellor, got nearly 95% of the valid votes during a virtual party conference, party secretary general Paul Ziemiak said.