Facing the dual challenges of the United States' aggressive tariff scheme and sluggish domestic demand, President-elect Lee Jae-myung is expected to prioritise securing a favourable trade deal with Washington and implementing measures to revitalise the stagnant economy through supplementary budgets and the promotion of advanced industries, experts said on Wednesday.

"My first directive as president would be to assess the economic situation. Revitalising the economy and restoring the people's livelihoods should take precedence over social reform or any other issues for now," Lee said at a press conference on Monday, the eve of the presidential election, in which he defeated his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo, reports news agency.

The most pressing issue for Lee is trade negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Washington's sweeping tariff policies have dealt a blow to South Korea's trade-dependent economy.

Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected President on Wednesday after months of turmoil surrounding the impeachment and ouster of his former opponent over a botched attempt to impose martial law.

Lee's win was a remarkable comeback after having lost to former President Yoon Suk Yeol by a razor-thin margin of less than 1 percentage point in the previous election in 2022.

While Yoon's attempt to impose martial law in December paved the way for Lee's rise to the presidency, it also deepened the nation's political divide and increased the challenges posed by everything from the United States' tariff policies to North Korea's advancing nuclear weapons program, reports news agency.

With all votes counted, Lee of the liberal DP won 49.42 per cent of the votes, compared with 41.15 per cent for his conservative People Power Party (PPP) rival Kim Moon-soo.

A tragic mass shooting incident unfolded in Toronto, Canada, leaving one man dead and five others injured with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, according to police.

Emergency crews were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday to the area of Flemington and Zachary Roads, near Ranee Avenue and Allen Road, following multiple reports of gunfire. The shooting occurred in a densely populated residential area, not far from the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in North York.

In a post on X, Toronto Police confirmed the fatality and injuries:

"Shooting:(UPDATE) 1 male confirmed deceased, 5 people with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds transported to hospital COMMAND POST: Ranee Ave & Allen Rd (under the overpass)," the post read.

With close to 200 confirmed fatalities, authorities in Nigeria's north-central Niger State are still searching for more than 1,000 people believed to have been swept away by devastating floods triggered by heavy rains over the past week.

The torrential downpours on Wednesday night wreaked havoc across Mokwa, a bustling market and farming town in Niger, submerging and washing away dozens of residential homes, some with occupants still inside, local officials said earlier.

Yakubu Garba, Deputy Governor of Niger, told reporters late Monday that nearly a week after the disaster, hundreds remained unaccounted for despite ongoing rescue efforts.

Over 200 prisoners escaped from Pakistan's Malir Jail in Karachi after earthquake tremors triggered a temporary evacuation of inmates from their barracks, the local media reported on Tuesday.

The prisoners fled the facility after taking advantage of the chaotic situation. One escapee was shot dead while two Frontier Corps (paramilitary force) personnel and one police officer were injured during the incident.

Several inmates attacked the jail authorities with stones and sticks as the firing triggered widespread panic in nearby residential areas, bringing traffic to a standstill on both sides of the National Highway.

Murad Ali Shah, the Chief Minister of Sindh province, expressed grave concern over the developments, stating that investigations are underway.

Ugandan police have urged the public to remain calm and continue with their normal activities as security forces investigate a bomb explosion that occurred Tuesday near a church in Munyonyo, a suburb of the capital, Kampala.

Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba told reporters at the scene that various security agencies had been deployed to conduct a thorough investigation. He confirmed that no civilians were injured or killed in the incident, apart from the two suspected terrorists who were riding a motorcycle.

"It is too early to give anything tangible. We ask our people to remain alert, to be conscious of the environment around them. The situation is under control, and let them continue with the celebration of Martyrs' Day and all other activities. We assure them of security," Byakagaba said.

Earlier, military spokesperson Chris Magezi told by telephone that the army had killed two suspected suicide bombers, one of them a woman.

Voter turnout for South Korea's presidential election has surpassed the 70 per cent mark, 10 hours after voting began early Tuesday, the election watchdog said.

Of the total 44.39 million eligible voters nationwide, 31.73 million, or 71.5 per cent, had cast their ballots as of 4 p.m., according to the National Election Commission (NEC). Voting began at 6 a.m. at 14,295 polling stations across the country and will go on till 8 p.m.

The provisional tally includes the votes cast in early voting, as well as overseas, shipboard, and absentee ballots.

The turnout was the highest recorded at the said time of day in any presidential election, news agency reported.

Australian scientists are using cutting-edge underwater robots to explore remote and largely uncharted reef systems in the South Pacific, the University of Sydney said on Tuesday.

As part of a major international expedition, Australian scientists are mapping deep-sea habitats and biodiversity near Norfolk Island, an isolated Australian territory 1,600 km northeast of Sydney, one of the South Pacific's most ecologically important regions, according to a university press release.

Its location and mix of tropical and temperate ecosystems make it key to tracking species shifts and climate change impacts, the release said.

Equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors, the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles are capturing thousands of images to create 3D maps of the seafloor and document marine life in unprecedented detail, it said, adding underwater robots serve as the eyes and hands of scientists, safely exploring deep-sea areas beyond the reach of human divers, reports news agency.

Voter turnout for South Korea's presidential election has surpassed the 70 per cent mark, 10 hours after voting began earlier Tuesday, the election watchdog said.

Of the total 44.39 million eligible voters nationwide, 31.73 million, or 71.5 per cent, had cast their ballots as of 4 p.m. (local time), according to the National Election Commission (NEC). Voting began at 6 a.m. at 14,295 polling stations across the country and will run through 8 p.m.

The provisional tally includes the votes cast in early voting, as well as overseas, shipboard and absentee ballots, reports news agency.

The turnout was the highest recorded at the said time of day in any presidential election.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the immediate and unconditional release of UN staff detained by the Houthis in Yemen.

"This June marks one year since the arbitrary detention of dozens of personnel from the United Nations, national and international NGOs, civil society organisations, and diplomatic missions by the Houthi de facto authorities in Yemen," he said in a statement on Monday.

"I renew my call for their immediate and unconditional release, including those held since 2021 and 2023, and most recently this January."

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners should never be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their mandates for the benefit of the people they serve, said Guterres.

"The continued arbitrary detention of our colleagues is a profound injustice against those who dedicate their lives to providing life-saving assistance and support to the people of Yemen. It has placed additional constraints on our ability to operate effectively and undermined mediation efforts to secure a path toward peace."