Party coup deposes Australia PM Tony Abbott
Australia has a new prime minister after Tony Abbott was ousted as leader of the Liberal Party by cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday. In the hastily-arranged party leadership ballot, Abbott received 44 votes to Turnbull's 54. Liberal MPs also voted for Julie Bishop to remain deputy leader of the party. Turnbull is expected to be sworn in after r Abbott writes to the Governor General and resigns. Earlier on Monday, at a press conference in Canberra, Turnbull said if Abbott remained as leader, the coalition government would lose the next election.
Nepal assembly rejects proposal for Hindu state
Protests against Nepal's draft Constitution continued on Monday as the Constituent Assembly rejected calls of the citizens for the nation to go back to being a Hindu state. The voting on the draft constitution began on Sunday. It needed the support of more than two-third members of the assembly for the proposal to be adopted. However, more than two-third members voted against the proposal.
Thai police say bomb suspect fled to Turkey
A key suspect in last month's bombing at the Erawan shrine that killed 20 people in Thailand has fled to Turkey, Thai police said on Monday. Police had previously stated that the man was carrying a Chinese passport in the name Abudureheman Abudusataer and had directed the August 17 bombing. Investigations revealed that he left Thailand on August 16 for Bangladesh and police speculated that he would head to China. However, national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said that information gathered by Thai police and Bangladeshi officials showed that he departed Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, on August 30 and traveled to Istanbul in Turkey as his final destination, via New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.
Pope says refugees could reawaken Europe's conscience
Pope Francis has warned against the risk that militants could slip into Europe under cover of a huge wave of refugees fleeing war in Syria but also said the migrant crisis could help reawaken the continent's conscience. In an interview published on Monday, the pope referred to the risk that Islamic State, which has killed Christians and other minorities in the Middle East, could launch attacks in Europe. "It's true, I also want to recognise that, nowadays, territorial security conditions are not the same as they were in other periods," he said. "The truth is that just 400 kilometres from Sicily there is an incredibly cruel terrorist group. So there is a danger of infiltration, this is true."
Afghan Taliban storm Ghazni prison and frees hundreds
Taliban militants stormed a jail outside the central Afghan city of Ghazni, killing at least four policemen and freeing more than 350 prisoners on Monday. The deputy governor of Ghazni province Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said one militant blew himself up at the prison gates, allowing others to force open cells. The attackers were well-organised and wearing uniforms, he said. Both Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid and the deputy governor confirmed that three of the attackers had been killed. The deputy governor said seven police officers were injured and only 80 prisoners were left inside the prison.
Australia has a new prime minister after Tony Abbott was ousted as leader of the Liberal Party by cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday. In the hastily-arranged party leadership ballot, Abbott received 44 votes to Turnbull's 54. Liberal MPs also voted for Julie Bishop to remain deputy leader of the party. Turnbull is expected to be sworn in after r Abbott writes to the Governor General and resigns. Earlier on Monday, at a press conference in Canberra, Turnbull said if Abbott remained as leader, the coalition government would lose the next election.
Nepal assembly rejects proposal for Hindu state
Protests against Nepal's draft Constitution continued on Monday as the Constituent Assembly rejected calls of the citizens for the nation to go back to being a Hindu state. The voting on the draft constitution began on Sunday. It needed the support of more than two-third members of the assembly for the proposal to be adopted. However, more than two-third members voted against the proposal.
Thai police say bomb suspect fled to Turkey
A key suspect in last month's bombing at the Erawan shrine that killed 20 people in Thailand has fled to Turkey, Thai police said on Monday. Police had previously stated that the man was carrying a Chinese passport in the name Abudureheman Abudusataer and had directed the August 17 bombing. Investigations revealed that he left Thailand on August 16 for Bangladesh and police speculated that he would head to China. However, national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said that information gathered by Thai police and Bangladeshi officials showed that he departed Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, on August 30 and traveled to Istanbul in Turkey as his final destination, via New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.
Pope says refugees could reawaken Europe's conscience
Pope Francis has warned against the risk that militants could slip into Europe under cover of a huge wave of refugees fleeing war in Syria but also said the migrant crisis could help reawaken the continent's conscience. In an interview published on Monday, the pope referred to the risk that Islamic State, which has killed Christians and other minorities in the Middle East, could launch attacks in Europe. "It's true, I also want to recognise that, nowadays, territorial security conditions are not the same as they were in other periods," he said. "The truth is that just 400 kilometres from Sicily there is an incredibly cruel terrorist group. So there is a danger of infiltration, this is true."
Afghan Taliban storm Ghazni prison and frees hundreds
Taliban militants stormed a jail outside the central Afghan city of Ghazni, killing at least four policemen and freeing more than 350 prisoners on Monday. The deputy governor of Ghazni province Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said one militant blew himself up at the prison gates, allowing others to force open cells. The attackers were well-organised and wearing uniforms, he said. Both Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid and the deputy governor confirmed that three of the attackers had been killed. The deputy governor said seven police officers were injured and only 80 prisoners were left inside the prison.
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