Briefly

ZAMBIA

Hichilema re-elected for second 5-year term

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected to a second five-year term, winning 61.4 percent of the votes without a runoff, the Electoral Commission of Zambia announced Tuesday. Hichilema secured 2.97 million votes, defeating opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who won about 38 percent. There was no immediate reaction from Mundubile to the results. Hichilema thanked voters and pledged to work for those who supported the opposition. The Electoral Commission of Zambia said vote counting was briefly suspended after attacks on polling officials and the theft of ballot papers, but later resumed under heightened security.

UNITED STATES

Construction of $1.7b border project paused

The Trump administration said Monday it had paused construction of a $1.7 billion border project at Texas' Big Bend National Park following bipartisan opposition. The project includes vehicle barriers, patrol roads, lighting and detection technology, with construction beginning earlier this month. The Customs and Border Protection commissioner said he would personally evaluate the project and consult local stakeholders. Local officials, including all 14 Texas border county judges, opposed the project, saying they supported border security but wanted more practical solutions. Critics have also raised concerns over environmental damage and cost.

JAPAN

Latest radioactive water discharge completed

Japan on Monday completed its 22nd round of ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, releasing 7,888 tons, plant operator TEPCO said. The latest discharge began on July 30 and was the fourth round of the fiscal year. It contained about 1.3 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium and was the fourth round in fiscal 2026. Japan began releasing the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean in August 2023, with the cumulative volume reaching about 173,000 tons after the latest discharge.

AGENCIES-XINHUA