Briefly

PORTUGAL

Seguro declares victory in presidential runoff

Center-left Socialist Party candidate Antonio Jose Seguro declared victory in Portugal's second-round presidential election on Sunday. According to the interior ministry, 99.2 percent of the ballots have been counted, with Seguro winning 66.8 percent of the vote and far-right Chega leader Andre Ventura securing 33.2 percent. Ventura has conceded defeat. In his victory speech, Seguro said he would govern with independence, treat all political parties and social partners impartially, and foster collaboration with both parliament and the government.

LIBYA

53 migrants dead or missing in shipwreck

The United Nations migration agency said on Monday that 53 people were dead or missing after a boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast. Only two survivors were rescued. The International Organization for Migration said the boat overturned north of Zuwara on Friday, in the latest disaster involving migrants attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing in the hope of reaching Europe. "Only two Nigerian women were rescued during a search-and-rescue operation by Libyan authorities," the IOM said, adding that one of the survivors said she lost her husband and the other said "she lost her two babies in the tragedy".

UNITED KINGDOM

Govt official quits amid Epstein scandal fallout

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's communications chief quit on Monday, Downing Street confirmed, as the government struggles with fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. "I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built," Tim Allan said in a short statement, less than 24 hours after Starmer's chief of staff also resigned. Starmer is facing calls from opposition politicians to resign over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite knowing Mandelson had maintained links to sex offender Epstein after the US financier was convicted in 2008.

Xinhua - Agencies