World News Roundup: Bolivian protests; UK truck victims likely from Vietnam and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Bolivians block roads in protest as Morales election win splits nation

Bolivians blocked streets in La Paz on Friday demanding an audit of a controversial election count that handed President Evo Morales a outright win and with it a fourth consecutive term that would extend his rule to nearly two decades. Morales, 59, who swept to power in 2006 as the country's first indigenous leader, claimed victory in the Sunday vote and railed against the opposition who he accused of leading a coup d'etat with foreign backing.

Majority of 39 UK truck victims likely from Vietnam - priest

The majority of the 39 people found dead in the back of a truck near London were likely from Vietnam, a community leader from the rural, rice-growing community where many of the victims are believed to have come from told Reuters on Saturday. The discovery of the bodies - 38 adults and one teenager - was made on Wednesday after emergency services were alerted to people in a truck container on an industrial site in Grays, about 32km (20 miles) east of central London.

Catalonia's mayors call for self-determination before protest march

The vast majority of Catalonia's almost 1,000 mayors on Saturday urged authorities in Madrid to grant the region the right to determine its own future, as crowds of separatists readied for a protest march in Barcelona later in the day. The Catalan capital has been convulsed by almost two weeks of daily demonstrations since nine politicians and activists were jailed for between nine and 13 years for their role in an independence bid in 2017 that Spain's courts had declared illegal.

Death toll rises to eight as heavy rains hit typhoon-battered eastern Japan

The death toll from torrential rains that caused flooding and mudslides in eastern Japan rose to eight on Saturday, with a further four missing, public broadcaster NHK reported, just two weeks after the region was hit hard by a powerful typhoon. Landslides ripped through waterlogged areas in Chiba and Fukushima prefectures, in eastern and northeastern Japan, which were inundated by their third rainstorms in six weeks. In some places, a month's worth of rain unleashed by a low pressure system fell in half a day.

Iraqis gather for more protests after violence kills 40

Several hundred demonstrators gathered in central Baghdad on Saturday, brandishing Iraqi flags and calling Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi a "worm", after a day of violent protests in which at least 40 people were killed. Some 200 of the protesters had camped out overnight in the capital's central Tahrir Square, and were cleaning up the area. Others read verses from the Koran to mourn those killed.

Hong Kong medics join protests against perceived police brutality

Hundreds of Hong Kong medical workers and other anti-government protesters rallied in the Chinese-ruled city's financial center on Saturday, angry at perceived police brutality during more than four months of sometimes violent unrest. Pro-democracy activists have attacked police with petrol bombs and rocks and shone lasers in their eyes. One officer was slashed in the neck with a knife.

Russia says U.S. presence in Syria illegal, protects oil smugglers

Russia's defense ministry on Saturday attacked U.S. plans to maintain and boost the American military presence in eastern Syria as "international state banditry" motivated by a desire to protect oil smugglers and not by real security concerns. U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday Washington would send armored vehicles and troops to the Syrian oil fields in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of Islamic State militants.

UK ministers deny plan to weaken workers' rights after Brexit

Britain's government denied a newspaper report on Saturday that it will seek to weaken workers' rights after Britain leaves the European Union, with one minister describing the idea as "completely mad". The Financial Times published extracts of leaked documents from the government's Brexit ministry which state that a so-called "level playing field" commitment to the EU "leaves room for interpretation".

Germany's SPD members vote on new leader, will decide fate of Merkel's coalition

Germany's Social Democrats are due on Saturday to announce the result of a membership vote on a new leader who will decide whether to exit a loveless coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. The SPD will announce the result of the ballot of its 426,000 members at around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). The leader will be officially decided by delegates at a conference in December but that is widely seen as a formality.

Russian woman convicted by U.S. of being agent returns home

Russian national Maria Butina, who was jailed in the United States in April after admitting to working as a Russian agent, arrived in Moscow on Saturday, greeted by her father and Russian journalists who handed her flowers. "Russians never surrender," an emotional Butina told reporters at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, flanked by her father and the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman.

Also Read: Morales narrowly wins first round in Bolivia election, faces run-off