News in brief
Price resigns as health secretary over private plane uproar
WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned under pressure from President Donald Trump on Friday in an uproar over Price's use of costly private charter planes for government business.
His abrupt departure was announced an hour after Trump told reporters he was disappointed in Price's use of private aircraft and did not like the way it reflected on his administration.
“Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price offered his resignation earlier today and the president accepted,” the White House said in a statement.
Trump named Don Wright to serve as acting secretary. Wright is currently the deputy assistant secretary for health and director of the office of disease prevention and health promotion.
“I'm not happy. OK? I'm not happy,” Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn.
Candidates to succeed Price included Seema Verma, who is administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and who is close to Vice President Mike Pence, and Scott Gottlieb, a physician who serves as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, according to industry analysts.
Poll shows Tokyo governor Koike's party threat to Abe
TOKYO, Sept 30 (AFP) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's lead in next month's election has shrunk as the popular Tokyo governor pushes to unite opposition forces, a survey by Japan's top- selling daily indicated Saturday.
Thirty-four percent of Japanese plan to vote for Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) while 19 percent favour a party formed this week by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, according to the poll in the Yomiuri Shimbun.
It also showed one quarter of those polled were still undecided on how vote in the October 22 election.
The findings suggest Abe's path to victory may not be as easy as earlier believed.
The poll was taken on Thursday and Friday, right after the main opposition Democratic Party made a surprise move to join forces with Koike's newborn “Party of Hope”. Koike is also talking with smaller opposition groups to explore possibilities of cooperation.
Australia, New Zealand send help for Vanuatu volcano evacuation
SYDNEY, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Australia dispatched a naval vessel to Vanuatu on Saturday to help the South Pacific nation evacuate all 11,000 inhabitants from the northern island of Ambae as an erupting volcano threatens to shower down burning ash and acid rain.
Vanuatu ordered the full evacuation of the island after the nation's largest volcano, known as Manaro Voui, began emitting volcanic gas last weekend.
Vanuatu has maintained its danger rating at threat level four, the second highest, as a flotilla of ships including ferries and commercial vessels has begun moving the population to the nearby islands of Maewo, Pentecost and Santo.
More than 6,000 people have already gone to emergency shelters on the South Pacific island.
Afghan Shi'ites fear further attacks on Ashura celebrations
KABUL, Sept 30 ( Reuters) - The Afghan capital Kabul braced on Saturday for further possible attacks ahead of Ashura, the holiest day on the Shi'ite Muslim calendar, a day after an attack claimed by Islamic State that killed at least five people near a large Shi'ite mosque.
Ahead of the celebration on Sunday, signs of increased security were in evidence across Kabul, with extra police checkpoints and roadblocks in many areas, while security was also increased in other cities.
Afghanistan, a majority Sunni Muslim country, has traditionally not suffered the sectarian violence that has devastated countries like Iraq, but a series of attacks over recent years have targeted the Shi'ite community.
Britain's Johnson wants maximum 2-year Brexit transition
LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said a transition period from the European Union after Britain's exit from the bloc in March 2019 must not last more than two years.
In an interview with The Sun newspaper ahead of the ruling Conservative Party's annual conference next week, Johnson also said the transition period should be under existing arrangements and ruled out paying for future access to the EU single market.