CAMBODIA: A leading environmentalist has been arrested along with five others while investigating illegal logging in a national park, a rights group and a government official said today.

Ouch Leng, awarded a 2016 Goldman Environmental Prize for his activism, was arrested Saturday in north-eastern Stung Treng province, the rights group Licadho said in a statement.

The arrests come during a broader crackdown on environmental activists in recent months. 

AUSTRALIA: The government has withdrawn a Bill that would give a media watchdog power to monitor digital platforms and require them to keep records about misinformation and disinformation on their networks.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said today that the government was unable to drum up the support needed to pass the legislation. 

He conceded that after consultations it was “clear there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the Senate.”

URUGUAY: Citizens went to the polls today for a second round of voting to elect the next president, with the right-wing governing party and the left coalition locked in a close run-off after failing to win an outright majority last month.

The election comes down to a race between Alvaro Delgado, the incumbent National Party candidate, and Yamandu Orsi from the Broad Front, a coalition of left-wing and centre-left parties. 

MALI: At least six Russian mercenaries have been killed in an attack by the extremist group known by its acronym, JNIM.

In a statement released on Saturday, the group said it ambushed a convoy of mercenaries working for the Wagner Group on Thursday in the Mopti region, killing fighters and burning vehicles.