Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia takes Avdiivka from Ukraine, biggest gain in 9 months

Russia on Sunday said it had full control of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka after Ukrainian troops withdrew, though Moscow said that some were still holed up in a Soviet-era coke plant after one of the most intense battles of the war. The fall of Avdiivka is Russia's biggest gain since it captured the city of Bakhmut in May 2023, and comes almost two years to the day since President Vladimir Putin triggered a full-scale war by ordering the invasion of Ukraine.

Sydney school, supermarket tainted with asbestos as crisis widens

Seven more public sites in Sydney, including a school, sports hub and supermarket, were exposed to asbestos, authorities said on Monday, as the contamination of the toxic material widened and officials rushed to remove it from public spaces. Traces of bonded asbestos in mulch have been found in 41 spots scattered across Australia's most populous city since early January when it was found in a playground.

Spanish conservatives retain majority in Galicia regional vote - exit poll

Spain's opposition conservative People's Party (PP) is set to retain its absolute majority in its stronghold in the northwest region of Galicia on Sunday in a close-run regional election. The PP is likely to have won 45.9% of the vote, which is enough to retain a majority of 39-40 representatives in the 75-seat regional assembly, according to an exit poll released by state broadcaster TVE as voting ended on Sunday evening.

Moroccan navy rescues 141 African migrants en route to Canary Islands

The Moroccan navyy said it had rescued 141 African migrants on Sunday aboard a boat in distress sailing from Mauritania en route to the Canary Islands. The migrants, including three women and two children, left the Mauritanian coast on Feb. 10, the navy said.

At least 53 killed in tribal fighting in Papua New Guinea - ABC

At least 53 people were killed in tribal fighting in the northern highlands of Papua New Guinea, Australian state broadcaster ABC said on Monday, citing local police. The men were killed in an ambush in Enga Province, according to the ABC.

Ukraine accuses Russia of executing injured prisoners at Avdiivka, Vesele

Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday they had opened an investigation into alleged shootings by Russian forces of six unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in the city of Avdiivka, and two at a village in the same region, after Russia claimed full control of the city. "An investigation into the shootings of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele has been launched," the prosecutor's office in Donetsk region said on its Telegram channel.

Mexicans turn out in droves to 'protect democracy' ahead of elections

Huge crowds filled Mexico City's main square on Sunday in support of the nation's electoral authority, accusing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of trying to weaken the body ahead of a presidential election in June. Organizers said 700,000 people turned out, which could mark one of the largest protests against Lopez Obrador as his administration comes to a close.

More than 400 detained in Russia at events in memory of Navalny, rights group says

More than 400 people have been detained at events across 32 Russian cities since the death of Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most formidable opponent, according to rights group OVD-Info, as Russians continued to gather and lay flowers.

It has been the largest wave of arrests at political events in Russia since Sept. 2022, when more than 1,300 were arrested at demonstrations against a "partial mobilisation" of reservists for Putin's military campaign in Ukraine.

Fighting, fuel shortages knock out Gaza's second-largest hospital

Fighting, fuel shortages and Israeli raids put the Gaza Strip's second-largest hospital completely out of service on Sunday, local and U.N. health officials said, as Israeli forces battled Hamas militants in the devastated Palestinian enclave. The latest blow to Gaza's destroyed healthcare sector came as Israel prepared for an assault of the southernmost city Rafah, home now to more than a million mostly displaced Palestinians living in desperate conditions.

Norway to facilitate transfer of funds to Palestinian Authority

Norway has agreed to help facilitate the transfer of frozen tax funds earmarked for the Palestinian Authority (PA) that were collected by Israel, the Norwegian government said on Sunday, providing vital funding to the Western-backed entity. Under interim peace accords reached in the 1990s, Israel's finance ministry collects tax on behalf of the Palestinians and makes monthly transfers to the PA, but a dispute broke out over payments in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

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