25,000 Australian homes without power after cyclone hits

A vehicle drives past a tree that was uprooted due to winds from Tropical Cyclone Marcus in the Northern Territory capital city of Darwin in Australia on Saturday. About 25,000 homes were left without power in Darwin after the tropical cyclone caused fallen trees, flight cancellations, school closures and shipping delays.SD-Agencies

Putin wins 4th term with record vote

Vladimir Putin is set for another six years in power after his landslide* victory in Russia’s presidential election on Sunday. He recorded his best election performance with 76.67 percent of the vote.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Putin. China is willing to work with Russia on promoting Sino-Russia relations to higher levels, providing a driving force for respective national development in both countries, and promoting regional and global peace and tranquility*, Xi said.

Seoul prosecutors seek arrest of ex-president Lee

Seoul prosecutors said on Monday they are seeking the arrest of former President Lee Myung-bak over corruption allegations, on the grounds* he might destroy evidence if not detained.

Lee, the latest of several ex-leaders to be embroiled* in a criminal inquiry, is being investigated for multiple cases of bribery amounting to millions of dollars. The 76-year-old, who served from 2008 to 2013, faced a marathon interrogation* by prosecutors last week.

If the arrest is approved, Lee will be the fourth surviving former South Korean leader to be detained over corruption.

Mauritius leader resigns over credit card scandal

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius’ first female head of state, resigned over credit card fraud allegations* and will leave office on Friday.

The president of the Indian Ocean nation resigned in the wake of a shopping expense scandal that led to a relationship breakdown with the prime minister.

Her lawyer Yousouf Mohamed told reporters on Saturday she submitted her resignation “in the supreme interest of the country.”

Final victim recovered from US bridge collapse

The sixth and final victim was pulled from the rubble of a collapsed Miami bridge in the United States on Saturday, bringing an end to around-the-clock efforts to recover those who remained trapped for more than two days.

Eight cars were partially trapped when the 950-ton pedestrian* bridge buckled at Florida International University on Thursday, and at least four were completely pancaked* under the concrete.

Hawking, best-known physicist of his time, dies

Stephen Hawking, the Cambridge University physicist and best-selling author who roamed* the cosmos from a wheelchair, pondering* the nature of gravity* and the origin of the universe, and becoming an emblem* of human determination and curiosity, died on March 14 at his home in Cambridge, England.

His death was confirmed by a spokesman for Cambridge University. (SD-Agencies)