World News Summary: UK government will publish Russia report after election: minister

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. UK government will publish Russia report after the election: minister

The British government will publish a parliamentary report examining alleged Russian meddling in British politics after the country's Dec. 12 election, security minister Brandon Lewis said on Sunday. Opponents have accused the government of sitting on the report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which has been cleared by the security services because it might contain embarrassing revelations about Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his party. Russia begins moving captured Ukrainian ships before possible handover

Russia began moving three captured Ukrainian navy ships on Sunday after a Russian newspaper reported Moscow would return them to Ukraine ahead of a four-way summit on eastern Ukraine next month, a Reuters reporter said. The reporter in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, saw tug boats pulling the three vessels through the Kerch Strait toward the Black Sea where they could potentially travel onwards toward Ukraine. Khamenei backs Iran gasoline price hike, blames enemies for 'sabotage'

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday backed gasoline price increases that have sparked protests across Iran, blaming opponents of the Islamic Republic and foreign enemies for "sabotage", state television reported. "Some people are no doubt worried by this decision ... but sabotage and arson are done by hooligans, not our people. The counter-revolution and Iran's enemies have always supported sabotage and breaches of security and continue to do so," Ayatollah Khamenei said, according to state TV. Pentagon's Esper says military justice ready to hold troops to account

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper expressed confidence on Sunday in the U.S. military justice system's ability to hold troops to account, two days after President Donald Trump pardoned two Army officers accused of war crimes in Afghanistan. Trump also restored the rank of a Navy SEAL platoon commander who was demoted for actions in Iraq. Bushfires conditions worsen in the east and west Australia

Rising temperatures, lightning strikes, and gusty winds further raised fire danger on both coasts of Australia on Sunday as the country already battles more than 120 bushfires and firefighters work day and night trying to contain them. Western Australia declared catastrophic fire ratings for four of the state regions as temperatures were set to rise well above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) on Sunday. Sri Lanka strongman Rajapaksa wins the presidency by a big margin

Sri Lanka's former civil wartime defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa was declared the winner in the presidential election on Sunday, after promising to secure the country against militant threats following Easter bombings this year. Rajapaksa, who will be sworn into office in an ancient Buddhist temple on Monday, is the latest nationalist leader to sweep to election victory, tapping into the anger and fears of majority communities. Britain's Prince Andrew 'categorically' denies sex claims

Britain's Prince Andrew said he could not have had sex with a teenage girl at a socialite's London home because he returned to his house after a children's party on the night in question and has no recollection of ever meeting her. The rare interview was an attempt to draw a line under a scandal after months of headlines about Andrew's ties to the U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in August while being held on federal sex-trafficking charges. Indian Muslims to pursue review of Hindu temple site ruling

An Indian Muslim group said on Sunday it would file a petition in the Supreme Court asking for a review of a ruling that awarded a disputed site in Uttar Pradesh to Hindus, allowing them to build a temple there. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, an umbrella body of intellectuals and organizations, said it would seek a review of the judgment, which rejected Muslim claims over the land. Hong Kong campus protesters fire bows and arrows set fires

Hong Kong protesters shot bows and arrows and hurled petrol bombs from a barricaded university campus on Sunday, as police charged and charged again, firing tear gas and blue liquid from water cannon after fiery clashes overnight. Several protesters fired arrows from rooftops at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University amid some of the most dramatic scenes in over five months of unrest in the Chinese-ruled city. Crisis-swept Lebanon in gridlock after Safadi withdrawal

Lebanon slipped deeper into political crisis on Sunday after the withdrawal of a top candidate for prime minister narrowed the chances of creating a government needed to enact urgent reforms. Mohammad Safadi, a former finance minister, withdrew his candidacy late on Saturday, saying it was too difficult to form a "harmonious" government with broad political support.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)