Briefly

UZBEKISTAN

President tipped to secure second term

Uzbeks voted on Sunday in a presidential election, with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev running for a second term and widely expected to win easily. More than 19 million people had registered to vote, and about 970 international observers and more than 1,000 media representatives were observing as ballots were cast, the elections authority said. Mirziyoyev, who took office in 2016, faced four relatively low-visibility candidates who failed to show up for televised debates, Reuters reported. During the election campaign, Mirziyoyev had promised to set up more industrial projects, create jobs and raise the country's living standards.

NIGERIA

Hundreds of prisoners on the run after attack

More than 800 inmates escaped following an attack by unidentified gunmen on a custodial center in southwest Oyo state, Nigeria's correctional service confirmed on Saturday. It said 837 inmates awaiting trial escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in the Abolongo area of the state following an attack by gunmen there on Friday night. The gunmen were said to have freed the detainees, who were awaiting trial, after entering the center. Of the escapees, 262 had been recaptured by Saturday, leaving 575 still at large, the correctional service said.

Xinhua - Agencies