EU leaders suspend talks without deal on top jobs, Macron fumes
EU leaders suspended a summit on Monday after 20 hours of talks failed to produce a deal on who should get the bloc’s top jobs, prompting anger from French President Emmanuel Macron who said Europe’s indecision was hurting its image abroad.
Austria says proposed allocation of EU top jobs lacked balance
Austria’s acting Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein said that a proposal on how to allot the EU’s top jobs that failed on Monday was not balanced enough.
Italy’s Conte says cannot accept ‘precooked package’ for EU top jobs
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday said Italy could not accept a precooked deal that would see Frans Timmermans as EU executive but was not against the Dutchman per say.
Vatican says laws cannot force priests to break seal of confession
The Vatican on Monday reaffirmed Catholic teaching that priests cannot reveal what they learn in confession, in an apparent response to moves in Australia and elsewhere to force them to do so in cases of sexual abuse.
Estonia PM says EU leaders will seek bigger majority to agree on top jobs
Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas on Monday said there was enough backing for an agreement on how to allocate the European Union’s top jobs, but that it was the right decision to pause talks between national leaders until Tuesday because opposition wa…
Dutch PM Rutte: intra-party divisions slow deciding top EU jobs
The Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday said that the process of allotting European Commission jobs was “unbelievably complicated” and that it is not certain whether a decision will be made by Tuesday.
UK’s Hammond warns PM contenders over post-Brexit spending promises
Britain’s finance minister challenged the two contenders to become the country’s next prime minister over their promises to use room for maneuver in the public finances to increase spending after Brexit.
Italy PM says told Merkel decision over German captain lies with judges
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he had no decision power over the fate of the German sea captain who has been arrested for violating a docking ban, adding the matter lied with the country’s magistrates.
First whales caught as Japan resumes commercial hunt after 30 years
A small Japanese fleet caught their first whales on Monday in Japan’s first commercial hunt in more than three decades, a move that has aroused global condemnation and fears for the fate of whales.
U.S. says it struck al Qaeda in Syria
The United States said it carried out a strike on Sunday against al Qaeda in northwest Syria, calling the area a “safe haven” for the group to plot attacks overseas.
