World News Roundup: Thai journalists arrested for news coverage of anarchist graffiti on the temple; Seen from abroad, Pakistan elections disappoint, add to instability and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Ahead of planned march over vote delay, Senegal suspends internet access

Senegal's communications ministry told mobile operators to suspend internet access on Tuesday, ahead of a planned silent march by activist groups, which was banned by authorities, over the abrupt postponement of a presidential election. The announcement just weeks ahead of the planned Feb. 25 vote that it would be postponed, triggered violent clashes last week that resulted in the death of three young people and multiple arrests.

Analysis-Italian far-right leader Salvini fights to escape Meloni's shadow

Five years ago, Matteo Salvini confirmed his status as a rising star of European far-right politics when his League party swept a third of the vote in Italian EU parliamentary elections.

His fortunes have since waned even as Italians have ushered in their most right-wing government since World War Two, his popularity eclipsed by the ascent to power of his ally Giorgia Meloni and her nationalist Brothers of Italy party.

No sign of new government in Pakistan as coalition talks drag

Pakistan's political stalemate after inconclusive elections last week showed no signs of ending on Tuesday with the largest groups still unable to agree on forming a coalition government to run the crisis-hit country. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the largest party after the Feb. 8 vote, said it continues to negotiate with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the second largest, to clinch a partnership.

US Senate passes $95 billion Ukraine aid bill, but path ahead unclear

The Democratic-led U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a $95.34 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, though it faced an uncertain path ahead in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The lawmakers approved the measure in a 70-29 vote that exceeded the chamber's 60-vote threshold for passage and sent the legislation on to the House. Twenty-two Republicans joined most Democrats to support the bill.

Thai journalists arrested for news coverage of anarchist graffiti on temple

Two Thai journalists have been arrested for their story about an activist spray painting an anarchist symbol and a symbol critical of "lese majeste" laws on a Bangkok temple wall almost a year ago, the police and their lawyers said on Tuesday.

Nattaphol Meksobhon, a reporter from an independent online news outlet Prachatai, and freelance photographer Nattaphon Phanphongsanon were arrested on Monday.

Exclusive-Ukraine may seek easing of Green Deal requirements at EU talks, Kyiv source says

Ukraine could consider forgoing the European Union's agrarian subsidies in exchange for an easing of the bloc's Green Deal requirements during accession talks starting next month, a senior Ukrainian official told Reuters. Ukraine, which has a huge agrarian complex capable of feeding hundreds of millions of people, was invited to join the EU last year and will start sectoral talks on its accession in March to harmonise its legislation with EU requirements.

Seen from abroad, Pakistan elections disappoint, add to instability

Pakistan's election has been remarkable in producing a result disappointing to most of its foreign partners and rivals, with little reason for optimism about the government that will eventually emerge from it, foreign policy analysts said. Pakistan's two largest political parties have been wrangling over who will be prime minister after an inconclusive vote last week forced them to join forces and try to form a coalition in a parliament dominated by independents.

Record number of migrants died or went missing off Tunisia in 2023

A record 1,313 migrants were reported to have died or went missing off the Tunisian coast last year, a rights group said on Tuesday, highlighting the worsening migrant crisis in the North Africa country. The number represented about 75% of the number of dead or missing off the coasts of Italy, Libya and Malta, Ramadan Ben Amor, an official at the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights told Reuters.

Russia relying on old stocks after losing 3,000 tanks in Ukraine, leading military research centre says

Russia has lost more than 3,000 tanks during its invasion of Ukraine - the equivalent of its entire pre-war active inventory - but has enough lower-quality armoured vehicles in storage for years of replacements, a leading research centre said Tuesday. Ukraine has also suffered heavy loses since the invasion began in February 2022, but Western military replenishments have allowed it to maintain inventories while upgrading quality, the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies said in its annual Military Balance report.

Gazans fearing Israeli assault on Rafah look to Cairo truce talks for hope

U.S., Egyptian, Israeli and Qatari officials were expected to meet in Cairo on Tuesday to seek a truce in Gaza as more than a million civilians crammed into a southern corner of the Palestinian enclave, waiting in fear for an Israeli assault.

Amid growing international concern over the plight of civilians, Israeli tanks shelled the eastern sector of Rafah city overnight, residents said, although the anticipated ground offensive did not appear to have started.