Briefly

SOUTH AFRICA

Ramaphosa reelected leader of ruling party

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been reelected as the leader of the ruling African National Congress party. Ramaphosa beat his rival, former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize by 2,476 votes to 1,897 votes from a total of 4,386 votes cast by party delegates from across the country. Ramaphosa's supporters burst into celebrations as results were announced on Monday at the ANC's crucial leadership conference in Johannesburg. This comes as a welcome victory for Ramaphosa, who has been facing calls to step down as president of the country.

PERU

PM to be replaced in cabinet reshuffle

Peru's President Dina Boluarte, who is leading a transitional government following the removal of her predecessor, will replace the prime minister as part of a reshuffling of her cabinet, she said on Sunday. Boluarte was vice president until earlier this month when her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, was removed from office. The cabinet changes were to take place on Monday and Tuesday, Boluarte told America Television. The shake-up follows the resignation of her education and culture ministers, who quit because of deaths during protests related to the political upheavals.

AUSTRALIA

Great Barrier Reef coral frozen in trial

Scientists working on Australia's Great Barrier Reef have successfully tested a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae they say could eventually help rewild reefs threatened by climate change. Scientists are scrambling to protect coral reefs as rising ocean temperatures destabilize delicate ecosystems. The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four bleaching events in the past seven years, including the first-ever bleach during a La Nina phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures. Cryogenically frozen coral can be stored and later reintroduced to the wild, but the current process requires sophisticated equipment including lasers.

DPRK

Pyongyang conducts test for satellite

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has conducted a final-stage test for developing its first military reconnaissance satellite, the official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, reported on Monday. The test conducted by the National Aerospace Development Administration at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground on Sunday was mainly aimed at evaluating the capabilities of satellite photography, data transmission system and ground control system, a spokesperson for the administration was quoted as saying. The testing satellite was equipped with one panchromatic camera with a 20-meter resolution, two multi-spectral cameras, transmitters and receivers covering a variety of wave bands as well as control devices and batteries.

CANADA

5 dead and suspect killed in shooting

Five people were shot and killed in a condominium unit in a Toronto suburb and the gunman was killed by police, authorities said late on Sunday. Chief James MacSween of York regional police said one of his officers shot and killed the suspect at a condo in Vaughan, Ontario. "Horrendous scene," MacSween said. "Six deceased. One of them is the subject. The other five are victims." A seventh person shot by the suspect was in the hospital and expected to survive, he said.

Agencies - Xinhua