Reuters: World

Venezuelans await results in tense presidential vote Venezuelans were awaiting results late on Sunday in the most consequential election in a quarter-century of socialist party rule, with the opposition saying they believed there were "reasons to celebrate" but asking supporters to continue monitoring vote counts. Government officials also cheered the vote, with Jorge Rodriguez, a ruling party lawmaker and the head of its campaign, saying on state television: "Love won." read more

Biden addresses US, as Trump and Harris trade barbs in reset presidential race U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Wednesday for the first time since dropping his reelection bid, saying he decided to forgo personal ambition to save democracy in a sedate Oval Office speech that contrasted with the rough-and-tumble campaign. Shortly before the speech, Republican Donald Trump laid into Democratic rival Kamala Harris in his first rally since she replaced Biden atop the ticket, signaling a bare-knuckled campaign ahead of the Nov. 5 election. read more

Exclusive: Harris leads Trump 44% to 42% in US presidential race, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds Vice President Kamala Harris opened up a marginal two-percentage-point lead over Republican Donald Trump after President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and passed the torch to her, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. That compares with a marginal two-point deficit Biden faced against Trump in last week's poll before his Sunday exit from the race. The new poll, conducted on Monday and Tuesday, followed both the Republican National Convention where Trump on Thursday formally accepted the nomination and Biden's announcement on Sunday he was leaving the race and endorsing Harris. read more

Biden ends failing reelection campaign, backs Harris as nominee U.S. President Joe Biden abandoned his reelection bid on Sunday under growing pressure from his fellow Democrats and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's candidate to face Republican Donald Trump in the November election. Biden, who at 81 is the oldest person ever to have occupied the Oval Office, said he would remain in the presidency until his term ended on Jan. 20, 2025, and would address the nation this week. read more

Bangladesh shuts offices, imposes curfew to curb deadly job quota protests Soldiers patrolled the deserted streets of the Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Saturday and the government ordered all offices and institutions to stay closed for two days after at least 114 people were killed this week during student-led protests against government job quotas. At least four people died, according to hospital data, during sporadic clashes on Saturday in some areas of Dhaka, which has been the centre of the protests, and where security forces set up road blocks to enforce a curfew. read more

Top UN court says Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal The United Nations' highest court said on Friday that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible, in its strongest findings to date on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The advisory opinion by judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), known as the World Court, was not binding but carries weight under international law and may weaken support for Israel. read more

Bangladesh death toll rises to 16 in nationwide anti-quota protests Thousands of students armed with sticks and rocks clashed with armed police in Dhaka on Thursday as the Bangladesh authorities cut some mobile internet services to quell anti-quota protests that have killed at least 16 people this week. The nationwide agitation, the biggest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected for a fourth time, is fuelled by high unemployment among the youth, with nearly a fifth of the 170 million population out of work or education. read more

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 57, Palestinian health officials say Israeli forces battled Hamas-led fighters in several parts of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, and Palestinian health officials said at least 57 people were killed in Israeli bombardments of southern and central areas. The Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas has accused Israel of stepping up attacks in Gaza to try to derail efforts by Arab mediators and the United States to reach a ceasefire deal. Israel says it is trying to root out Hamas fighters. read more

After assassination attempt, Trump and Biden seek calm, unity Donald Trump arrived on Sunday in Milwaukee, where he will be formally nominated as the Republican presidential candidate later this week after surviving an assassination attempt that has aggravated an already bitter U.S. political divide. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ordered a review of how a 20-year-old man with an AR-15-style rifle got close enough to shoot at Trump from a rooftop on Saturday. Trump, as a former president, has lifetime protection by the U.S. Secret Service. read more

Trump rally erupts in gunfire, former president safe, officials say Gunfire erupted at a Donald Trump rally on Saturday, sparking panic in the crowd and spattering the Republican presidential candidate with blood, before he emerged and defiantly pumped his fist in the air before being ushered to a waiting car. Trump grimaced and grabbed his ear before security hustled him away. The Secret Service and the former president's campaign said Trump was safe following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh. read more

Rescuers say they find dozens of bodies after Israelis scale back Gaza City fight with Hamas Israeli forces pulled back from parts of Gaza City overnight, after a fierce, week-long offensive that met with Hamas resistance, leaving dozens of dead and wrecked homes and roads in the Palestinian enclave's biggest urban area, rescuers said. The offensive, 10 months into Israel's campaign to eliminate Hamas militants, took place as U.S.-backed mediators sought to finalise a peace deal that would free remaining hostages taken by the militants in their cross-border rampage on Oct. 7. read more

Kremlin says Biden was disrespectful of Putin and whole world noticed his gaffes The Kremlin said on Friday that the whole world had paid attention to Joe Biden's verbal slips at a NATO summit and said the way the U.S. president had spoken about Russian President Vladimir Putin was unacceptable. The Kremlin was commenting after Biden on Thursday misspoke and introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as "President Putin", before quickly correcting himself. In another slip, Biden mixed up the names of Kamala Harris, his vice-president, and his election opponent Donald Trump. read more