French govt narrowly survives no-confidence vote but faces more challenges
President Emmanuel Macron’s government narrowly survived a no confidence motion in the National Assembly on Monday, after bypassing the lower house to push through a deeply unpopular change to the pension system.
Some 278 MPs voted in favour of a tripartisan, no confidence motion tabled by a centrist party and others, just nine short of the 287 needed for it to succeed.
A second motion of no confidence, tabled by the far-right National Rally (RN), had no chance of going through later on Monday as other opposition parties said they would not vote for it.
Striking UK rail workers accept pay deal
Union members working for the company that owns Britain’s rail infrastructure have voted unanimously to accept a pay deal to end long-running strike action, the union said on Monday.
The government called the deal, which was backed by just over three-quarters (76 per cent) of RMT members, “good news” after repeated walkouts have caused travel misery for millions since last year.
Staff including signal workers and maintenance staff will receive a 5.0 per cent plus 4.0 per cent increase over two years, the Department for Transport said.
IMF approves nearly US$3 billion bailout for Sri Lanka
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday said its executive board approved a nearly US$3 billion (S$4.01 billion) bailout for Sri Lanka, and the country’s presidency said the programme will enable it to access up to US$7 billion in overall funding.
The decision will allow an immediate disbursement of about US$333 million, the IMF said, and will spur financial support from other partners, potentially helping Sri Lanka emerge from its worst financial crisis in over seven decades.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Sri Lanka also needs to undertake various reforms.
US states urge Hyundai, Kia to do more to tackle theft risk
A group of 22 US state attorneys general on Monday urged Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp to do more to address millions of US vehicles that are prone to theft.
Last month, the Korean automakers said they would offer software upgrades to 8.3 million US vehicles to help curb increasing car thefts using a method popularised on TikTok and other social media channels.
The states and the District of Columbia led by Wisconsin Attorney General Joshua Kaul said the automakers had failed to take adequate steps to address the alarming rate of theft and urged them to accelerate the implementation of the software upgrade and provide free alternative protective measures for owners whose cars cannot support the software upgrade.
Football: Man who attacked Sevilla keeper handed 40-year stadium ban by PSV
A man who attacked Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic during PSV Eindhoven’s Europa League match last month has been banned from entering the club’s Philips Stadium for the next 40 years, the Dutch side said on Monday.
The match in Eindhoven was halted during the closing stages after the supporter ran on to the pitch and assaulted Dmitrovic, punching him in the face before being wrestled to the ground by the Serbian goalkeeper.
The 20-year-old supporter was handed a three-month prison sentence, with one month suspended by the East Brabant District Court.
