New Australian prime minister faces party popularity slump
Australians’ support for the Coalition government has dropped to its lowest in a decade after it dumped Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister and installed Scott Morrison last Friday following a week of chaos, an opinion poll showed on Monday.
Macron targets French welfare spending as deficit pressure rises
French President Emmanuel Macron’s government will tackle social spending in the next wave of its reforms as weaker than expected growth puts pressure on the budget deficit, the prime minister said on Sunday.
Head of Islamic State in Afghanistan killed, government says
The head of Islamic State in Afghanistan, Abu Saad Erhabi, was killed in a strike on the group’s hideouts in Nangarhar province on Saturday night, authorities said on Sunday.
Myanmar court to deliver verdicts on jailed Reuters reporters
A court in Myanmar is set to hand down verdicts on Monday in the case of two Reuters journalists accused of obtaining secret state documents.
Freed German journalist vows to keep fighting for Turkish colleagues
Journalist Mesale Tolu, released from Turkish prison in December but banned from leaving the country until this week, returned to Germany on Sunday vowing to continue fighting for colleagues imprisoned in Turkey’s crackdown after a failed coup in 2016….
British-Iranian aid worker returns to jail after temporary release – husband
A detained British-Iranian aid worker sentenced to five years in jail in Iran was returned to prison on Sunday after a request to extend her three-day temporary release was rejected, her husband said.
Iran’s defense minister meets Assad, Syrian counterpart in Damascus
Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami arrived in Syria on Sunday for meetings with President Bashar al-Assad and senior defense and military officials as part of a two-day visit, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Pope begs forgiveness for ‘state of shame’ inflicted on Ireland
Pope Francis on Sunday begged forgiveness for the multitude of abuses suffered by victims in Ireland at the hand of the church over decades as he concluded a tour of the once deeply Catholic country watched by parishioners and protesters.
Merkel says EU should meet existing emissions aims, not set new ones
A proliferation of extreme weather events around the world provides ample evidence that climate change is a reality, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday, but she rejected calls for more ambitious climate protection goals.
Chinese authorities say Didi bears ‘unshirkable responsibility’ for passenger’s death
China’s police and transport ministry said on Sunday the country’s largest ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing had “unshirkable responsibility” for a ride-sharing passenger being raped and killed by a driver in the eastern city of Wenzhou.
