Reuters World News Summary

Earlier, a club of former Lebanese Sunni prime ministers said on Sunday that they endorsed the choice of Mikati, who held the post twice, in yet another attempt to bring Lebanon's political deadlock to an end. Tunisian president sacks prime minister, freezes parliament Tunisia's president dismissed the government and froze parliament on Sunday, prompting crowds to fill major cities in support of a move that dramatically escalated a political crisis, but that his opponents called a coup.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S offers further air support to Afghan troops amid Taliban offensive

United States will to continue to carry out airstrikes to support Afghan forces facing attack from the insurgent Taliban, a regional U.S. commander said on Sunday as U.S. and other international forces have drawn down troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban escalated its offensive in recent weeks, taking rural districts and surrounding provincial capitals, after U.S. President Joe Biden said in April U.S. troops would be withdrawn by September, ending a 20-year foreign military presence.

Rumbling meteor lights up Norway; part of it may have landed near Oslo

An "unusually large meteor" briefly lit up southern Norway on Sunday, creating a spectacular sound and light display as it rumbled across the sky, and a bit of it may have hit Earth, possibly not far from the capital, Oslo, experts said. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Lebanese Sunni tycoon Najib Mikati poised to be designated PM

Lebanon's wealthy businessman and former premier Najib Mikati is poised to be designated prime minister on Monday after winning the support of most major parties to form a new government facing a crippling financial crisis, political sources said. Earlier, a club of former Lebanese Sunni prime ministers said on Sunday that they endorsed the choice of Mikati, who held the post twice, in yet another attempt to bring Lebanon's political deadlock to an end.

Tunisian president sacks prime minister, freezes parliament

Tunisia's president dismissed the government and froze parliament on Sunday, prompting crowds to fill major cities in support of a move that dramatically escalated a political crisis, but that his opponents called a coup. President Kais Saied said he would assume executive authority with the assistance of a new prime minister, in the biggest challenge yet to the democratic system Tunisia introduced in a 2011 revolution.

Cars, pavements washed away as Belgian town hit by worst floods in decades

The southern Belgian town of Dinant was hit by the heaviest floods in decades on Saturday after a two-hour thunderstorm turned streets into torrential streams that washed away cars and pavements but did not kill anyone. Dinant was spared the deadly floods 10 days ago that killed 37 people in southeast Belgium and many more in Germany, but the violence of Saturday's storm surprised many.

Ethiopia's Amhara state rallies youth to fight Tigrayan forces as war widens

Ethiopia's Amhara region on Sunday called on "all young people" to take up arms against forces from the neighbouring region of Tigray, who claimed to have taken over a town in Amhara for the first time since the conflict began. "I call on all young people, militia, non-militia in the region, armed with any government weapon, armed with personal weapons, to join the anti-TPLF (Tigray People's Liberation Front) war mission from tomorrow," Agegnehu Teshager, president of the Amhara regional government, was quoted as saying by the region's state media.

Putin says Russian navy can carry out 'unpreventable strike' if needed

The Russian navy can detect any enemy and launch an "unpreventable strike" if needed, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday, weeks after a UK warship angered Moscow by passing the Crimea peninsula. "We are capable of detecting any underwater, above-water, airborne enemy and, if required, carry out an unpreventable strike against it," Putin said speaking at a navy day parade in St Petersburg.

Man accused of attempted assassination of Mali president dies in custody

A man accused of attempting to stab Mali's interim President Assimi Goita last week has died in hospital while in the custody of security services, the government said in a statement on Sunday. Goita, a special forces colonel who orchestrated two coups in the last year, escaped unharmed after the assailant tried to stab him during prayers at a mosque in the capital Bamako on Tuesday.

French lawmakers approve bill to tackle fourth wave of coronavirus

The French parliament on Monday approved a bill which will make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for health workers as well as require a bolstered health pass in a wide array of social venues as France battles with a fourth wave of coronavirus infections. Visitors heading to museums, cinemas or swimming pools in France are already denied entry if they cannot produce a pass showing that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have had a recent negative test. The pass has been required for large-scale festivals or to go clubbing.

Shanghai region braces for typhoon In-fa after flooding in central China

China's commercial hub Shanghai and neighbouring coastal regions cancelled all flights, slowed or suspended subway trains and shuttered businesses as Typhoon In-fa made landfall on Sunday, bringing flooding and felling around 1,000 trees. The typhoon landed in the Putuo district of the city of Zhoushan, a major port in the east coast province of Zhejiang, at 12:30 p.m. (0430 GMT) on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing the China Meteorological Administration.

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