Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Algeria holds presidential election as thousands demonstrate against vote

Thousands of people took to the streets in central Algiers on Thursday chanting "No vote! We want freedom!" as the authorities held a presidential election that a mass protest movement views as a charade intended to keep the ruling elite in power. Police rushed the crowd with sticks to disperse the marchers, but then fell back as more protesters arrived. Thai king completes coronation year with barge procession through old Bangkok

Aboard a golden royal barge, King Maha Vajiralongkorn was rowed along the river winding through the oldest part of Bangkok on Thursday, as thousands of loyal Thais thronged the banks to see the final ritual of his drawn out coronation. King Vajiralongkorn, also known as King Rama X, was formally crowned in May, during three days of ceremonies filled with ancient Brahmin and Buddhist rituals, but the barge procession marks the monarch's last journey in his ascent to the throne. Italy's Salvini investigated over use of state flights

Matteo Salvini, the leader of Italy's right-wing League party, has been placed under criminal investigation by Rome prosecutors over suspicions he improperly used state flights, a judicial source close to the investigation said. The probe into possible abuse of office concerns 35 plane and helicopter flights Salvini took when he was interior minister in the previous government which he brought down in August, when the League moved into opposition. Hong Kong protesters mark six months since first major clash with police

Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters gathered on Thursday to mark six months since their first major clash with police when they blocked legislators from advancing a detested extradition bill that has since been scrapped. On June 12, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters occupying roads near the legislative council just as it was to give a second reading to the bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China, where courts are controlled by the Communist Party. Myanmar cannot be trusted to put its own soldiers on trial: Gambia

Myanmar cannot be trusted to hold its soldiers accountable for alleged atrocities against its Rohingya Muslim minority, and measures to stop the violence need to be taken immediately, a lawyer presenting a genocide case against it said on Thursday. Speaking on the third and final day of hearings at the International Court of Justice in the case brought by Gambia under the 1948 Genocide Convention, the west African country's lead lawyer repeated its demand for "provisional measures" to restrain the Myanmar military until the case is heard in full. Protesters set fire to train stations in India over citizenship law

Protesters attacked train stations in India's northeast, authorities said on Thursday, angry over a new federal law that would make it easier for non-Muslim minorities from some neighboring countries to seek Indian citizenship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government has said the Citizenship Amendment Bill, approved by parliament on Wednesday, was meant to protect minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Malaysia seizes Vietnamese oil tanker that was tracked in North Korea

A Vietnamese oil tanker which Reuters reported visited North Korea in February has been seized by Malaysia after it was found adrift off the Malaysian coast, maritime agency officials said. Refinitiv shipping data quoted by Reuters showed the Viet Tin 01 arrived just outside the harbor of Nampo on North Korea's western coast on Feb. 25 carrying 2,000 tonnes of gasoline, shortly before talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi. North Korea says U.S. has nothing to offer regarding any nuclear deal

North Korea said on Thursday the United States had nothing to offer it in possible renewed talks aimed at getting Pyongyang to give up its nuclear and missile programs after Washington said it was ready to take "concrete steps" toward securing a deal. It criticized the United States for convening a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, calling it a "foolish thing" which would help Pyongyang to make a clear decision on which path it would take. Former Turkish PM Davutoglu forms new party in challenge to Erdogan

Former Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, once a close ally to President Tayyip Erdogan, applied on Thursday to establish a breakaway political party which could erode support for Erdogan and his ruling AK Party. Davutoglu, 60, served as prime minister from 2014 to 2016, before falling out with Erdogan. Earlier this year, he slammed the president and the AK Party's (AKP) economic management, and accused them of curbing basic liberties and free speech. United Kingdom votes to decide the fate of Brexit, again

Voters went to the polls on Thursday in an election that will pave the way for Brexit under Prime Minister Boris Johnson or propel Britain towards another referendum that could ultimately reverse the decision to leave the European Union. After failing to deliver Brexit by an Oct. 31 deadline, Johnson called the election to break what he cast as political paralysis that had thwarted Britain's departure and sapped confidence in the economy.