World News Roundup: Drone hits bomber base inside Russia as Putin's forces bombard Ukrainian cities; Paris shooting suspect placed under formal investigation - prosecutor's office and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Drone hits bomber base inside Russia as Putin's forces bombard Ukrainian cities

Moscow said on Monday its forces had shot down a Ukrainian drone close to a long-range bomber base deep inside Russia, while Ukraine said the Russians had unleashed heavy artillery barrages on its cities in the past 24 hours. The drone was allegedly flying near Russia's Engels air base, where long-range strategic bombers that may have been used to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure are based.

Paris shooting suspect placed under formal investigation - prosecutor's office

The man suspected of shooting dead three Kurdish people in Paris last week has been placed under formal investigation, the city prosecutor's office said on Monday. The 69-year-old man, whose name hasn't been disclosed, was arrested on Friday after two men and a woman were shot dead at a Kurdish cultural centre and nearby Kurdish cafe in Paris' busy central 10th district.

Seventh body found in river after bus accident in Spain

A seventh body was found in northwestern Spain after a passenger bus careened off a bridge and plunged into an overflowing river, bringing the accident's final toll up to seven dead and two injured, regional authorities said on Monday.

The remains were recovered downstream after being spotted by a rescue helicopter, the Spanish government's representative in the Galicia region, Jose Miñones, told reporters.

South Korea scrambles jets as North Korea sends drones over border

Five North Korean drones crossed into South Korea on Monday and South Korea responded by scrambling jets and attack helicopters and opening fire to try to shoot down the North Korean aircraft, the South Korean military said. As part of its response, the South Korea military also sent surveillance aircraft into the North to photograph its military installations, a South Korean military official said.

Deadliest year for Rohingya at sea in years as 180 presumed drowned

The possible sinking of a boat in recent weeks with 180 Rohingya Muslims on board could make 2022 one of the deadliest years at sea in almost a decade for the community, a U.N. agency said, as refugees try to flee desperate conditions in Bangladesh camps. Nearly 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar are living in crowded facilities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, including tens of thousands who fled their home country after its military conducted a deadly crackdown in 2017.

Beijing, Shanghai residents back to work as China limps towards living with COVID

Mask-wearing Beijing and Shanghai commuters crowded subway trains on Monday as China's two biggest cities edged closer to living with COVID-19 even as frontline medical workers scrambled to cope with millions of new infections. After three years of harsh anti-coronavirus curbs, President Xi Jinping scrapped China's zero-COVID policy of lockdowns and relentless testing on Dec. 7 in the face of public protests and a widening outbreak.

Congo voter registration marred by early kit shortages

Voter registration kicked off in Democratic Republic of Congo over the weekend, as the country prepares the for December 2023 general election. President Felix Tshisekedi is expected to seek re-election after a first term marked by economic hardship and a resurge of rebel activity in the east.

Taiwan reports China's largest incursion yet to air defence zone

Seventy-one Chinese air force aircraft including fighter jets and drones entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone in the past 24 hours, the island's government said on Monday, the largest reported incursion to date. Of the aircraft, 43 also crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, an unofficial buffer between the two sides that lies within the defence zone, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said in a report, as Beijing continues military activities close to the Chinese-claimed island.

Russia's Navalny accuses authorities of using prison to break his health

Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny said on Monday he was suffering worsening back pain from long spells in solitary confinement that he said were part of a deliberate strategy by the authorities to undermine his health. In a post on Twitter, he also complained of being injected with unknown drugs.

Russia says it shot down Ukrainian drone near bomber air base, three killed

Russia said on Monday it had shot down a Ukrainian drone close to one of its air bases for long-range bombers deep inside its own territory and that three Russian air force personnel had been killed in the incident. The drone was allegedly flying near Russia's Engels air base where long-range strategic bombers that may have been used to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure are based. No planes were damaged in the incident, the defence ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.