Briefly

RUSSIA

Putin and Biden to meet by videolink

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden will have a videoconference on Tuesday evening, RIA Novosti news agency reported on Saturday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Asked about how long the dialogue would last, Peskov said: "The presidents will decide on their own." It was reported that the presidents would discuss Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm the United States' support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a US source said. The two will also talk about bilateral ties and the implementation of agreements reached at their last summit, in Geneva in June, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

FRANCE

Conservatives pick chief to take on Macron

France's conservative party has chosen the moderate chief of the Paris region Valerie Pecresse to challenge President Emmanuel Macron next year, a pick that is likely to influence the shape of the campaign. Members of the Republicans in the primary runoff vote chose Pecresse, 54, who will be its first-ever female presidential candidate, over hard-liner Eric Ciotti, party leader Christian Jacob announced. Both had made the runoff after the first round of voting last week upended expectations. Pecresse, a former minister during the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy, won almost 61 percent of the vote among party members, Jacob said.

KENYA

20 killed as bus swept away by floodwaters

At least 20 people drowned on Saturday when a bus carrying a group of religious faithful was swept away by floodwaters as the driver tried to cross a river in the eastern Kenyan county of Kitui, the county governor said. Many parts of the country have been experiencing unusually heavy rainfall recently. At least 17 people were rescued after the bus was swept into the River Enziu, the governor, Charity Ngilu, said. Footage aired on local television showed a yellow bus driving into the swollen river as a crowd of locals looked on.

Agencies - Xinhua