World news in brief
Ecuador leftist leads presidential vote
Ecuador's leftist government candidate Lenin Moreno looked set for victory last night in the presidential election, but slow results meant it may take days to know if he will face a runoff with former banker Guillermo Lasso. In a nail-biter vote with eight candidates at the weekend, Mr Moreno was close to the threshold needed to avoid a second round on 2 April and continue a decade-long period of leftist rule, just as South America is moving to the right.
While Ecuadoreans are angry over an economic downturn and corruption scandals, the opposition split its votes among candidates and the ruling Country Alliance remains popular with many poor voters thanks to social welfare programs. As results trickled in from Ecuador's Andes, jungle, and Pacific coast, Moreno, a disabled former vice president, was just short of the 40 per cent of votes and a 10-percentage-point difference over his nearest rival to win outright.
He had 39.12 per cent of valid votes versus 28.30 per cent for Lasso, with 88.5 per cent of votes counted, the official preliminary election count showed yesterday morning. The electoral council said final results would only be ready in three days as votes trickle in from isolated areas and Ecuadoreans abroad, bureaucratic delays and "inconsistencies" in some ballots. Reuters
Ex-teen idol David Cassidy says he has dementia
The former teen idol David Cassidy said yesterday that he was suffering from dementia, a day after weekend performances in California in which he forgot his words and appeared to fall off stage raised concern about his health. The former Partridge Family singer and actor, 66, told People magazine he was fighting dementia, a disease which his mother also suffered from.
"I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming," Cassidy said. Cassidy told the magazine he had decided to stop touring as a musician to concentrate on his health. "I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I've been, without any distractions," he said. 'I want to love. I want to enjoy life." Cassidy's publicist said his comments were accurate but gave no further details. Reuters
Russia overtakes Saudi as world’s largest producer of crude
Russia overtook Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest crude producer in December, when both countries started restricting supplies ahead of agreed cuts with other global producers to curb the worst glut in decades. Russia pumped 10.49 million barrels a day in December, down 29,000 barrels a day from November, while Saudi Arabia’s output declined to 10.46 million barrels a day from 10.72 million barrels a day in November, according to data published Monday on the website of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative in Riyadh. That was the first time Russia beat Saudi Arabia since March.
Saudi Arabia and fellow producers from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided at the end of November to restrict supplies by 1.2 million barrels a day for six months starting 1 January, with Saudi Arabia instrumental in the plan. Non-member producers, including Russia, pledged additional curbs. Brent crude prices have climbed about 20 pe rcent since the end of November.
Australia: school allows male Muslim pupils to refuse handshakes with women
An Australian school has adopted a policy allowing male Muslim students to refuse to shake hands with women. Two principles at the Hurstville Boys Campus of Georges River College, in Sydney, told guests at its 2016 presentation day that some students may not shake hands because of their faith. Instead, students at the Years 7 to 10 school placed their hands across their chest as they received their rewards.
The policy is reportedly a response to a teaching in the hadith which states: “It is better to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle than to touch the hand of a woman who is not permissible to you." The NSW Education Department told The Australian the school had an "agreed protocol" developed after a consultation between staff, students and parents. A spokesman told the newspaper: “The Department of Education requires its schools to recognise and respect the cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds of all students, with the intent to promote an open and tolerant attitude towards a diverse Australian community."