BULGARIA

Former president wins parliamentary election

The Progressive Bulgaria coalition, led by former president Rumen Radev, won Sunday's parliamentary election with 44.6 percent of the vote, after all votes were counted, official results showed on Monday. Following the verification and analysis of all protocols, the Central Election Commission is expected to announce the official results, including seat distribution, by Thursday. Radev, 62, who resigned earlier this year after nine years as president, ran in Sunday's vote on a pledge to fight corruption, bringing together a wide spectrum of voters, with the turnout the highest since 2021.

JAPAN

Tsunami alert issued as major quake hits north

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan on Monday, shaking large buildings in Tokyo hundreds of kilometers away and prompting a warning for tsunami waves of up to 3 meters. The quake hit at 4:53 pm in Pacific waters off northern Iwate Prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Around 40 minutes later, an 80-centimeter tsunami wave hit a port in Kuji in Iwate, according to the JMA. "Evacuate immediately from coastal regions and riverside areas to a safer place such as high ground or an evacuation building," it said.

INDIA

Blast leaves 25 dead at fireworks factory

The death toll in a blast at a firecracker factory in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has risen to 25, state broadcaster All India Radio reported on Monday. The blast took place in V. Muthulingapuram in Virudhunagar district on Sunday, when laborers were shifting inflammable chemical materials inside the factory. According to officials, 12 people — including four firefighters — were injured in a second blast when an earthmover was clearing debris. The local government has set up a commission to probe the circumstances that led to the blast.