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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, March 9

Xinhua
| March 9, 2026
2026-03-09

CAIRO -- Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, was selected as Iran's new supreme leader, Iran's Assembly of Experts announced on Sunday.

In a statement, the assembly confirmed Mojtaba Khamenei's election as the country's third supreme leader, citing "the decisive vote of the respected representatives" of the assembly. (Iran-Supreme Leader-Selection)

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BOGOTA -- Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for electoral transparency as legislative elections kicked off Sunday, urging citizens to go out and vote.

Before voting at a polling station in the Congress building, Petro called on electoral authorities to allow the state to audit elections in the future, rather than outsourcing audits to a private company. (Columbia-Election)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. Central Command said on Sunday that the seventh U.S. service member has been killed amid the strikes against Iran, which the United States and Israel launched on Feb. 28.

"Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries," the command said in a post on X. "The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1." (US-Israel-Iran)

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BEIRUT -- At least 17 people were killed on Sunday afternoon in 37 Israeli airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, according to Lebanese sources.

In southern Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike targeting a house and a car repair garage in the center of the town of Doueir killed six members of one family, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported. (Lebanon-Israeli Strikes)

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TEHRAN -- Iran's military said on Sunday that 104 people were killed and 32 others injured when the United States attacked the Iranian Navy's Dena frigate in international waters.

In a statement on its website, the military condemned the "inhumane" assault, calling it a "cowardly" and "brutal" attack by the U.S. Navy. The frigate, which had 136 crew members on board, was returning from the International Fleet Review 2026 and Exercise Milan when it was struck. (Iran-US-Casualties)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Sunday that Iran's new supreme leader "is not going to last long" without his approval.

"He's going to have to get approval from us," Trump said in an interview with ABC News. "If he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long." (US-Iran-Trump) Enditem

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