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WORLD NEWS Thursday 23 augusT 2018
Dutton planning 2nd challenge to Australian prime minister

By ROD McGUIRK conservative coalition un-
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) der his leadership ahead of
— A government lawmaker a general election due by
said Wednesday that he is May.
planning a second chal- But Dutton's eligibility to be
lenge against Australia's a lawmaker came under
prime minister after losing new scrutiny on Wednes-
a leadership vote, ensuring day in a development that
that Australia's political in- could scare off potential
stability will continue. backers.
Prime Minister Malcolm Dutton has said he re-
Turnbull called on his gov- ceived legal advice that
ernment to unite behind his family's ownership of
him after lawmakers in the two child care centers that
ruling conservative Liberal received federal funding
Party chose to keep him as does not breach a consti-
their leader 48 votes to 35 in tutional ban on lawmakers
a ballot on Tuesday. having a pecuniary interest
Turnbull surprised his en- in an agreement with the
emies by calling the ballot public service.
before his challenger, Peter The government has previ-
Dutton, had time to lobby Australia's Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott ously accepted that view.
colleagues for support. Morrison address media at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018. But Attorney General Chris-
But Dutton confirmed that Associated Press tian Porter said the govern-
he is now sounding out ment would now seek its
support for a second chal- I am speaking to col- believing you're going to consider my position," he own legal advice after op-
lenge. leagues," Dutton told Mel- lose, and if I believe that added. position lawmakers raised
"I am not going to beat bourne Radio 3AW. a majority of colleagues Dutton has dashed Turn- questions in Parliament on
around the bush on that, "You don't go into a ballot support me, then I would bull's hopes of unifying the Wednesday.q

German minister calls for payment channels independent of US

By GEIR MOULSON ries to the 2015 agreement, pean autonomy by setting countries. argument that, if trade isn't
Associated Press have vowed to keep it up payment channels that He also said that Europe reduced to goods, Europe
BERLIN (AP) — Germany's alive in the face of new U.S. are independent of the must "expose fake news as rather than the U.S. has a
foreign minister is calling sanctions against Tehran. U.S., creating a European such," renewing Germany's deficit.q
for Europe to create a pay-
ments system indepen-
dent of the United States,
a move that could help
keep alive the nuclear deal
with Iran following the with-
drawal of the U.S.
Heiko Maas' suggestion
was part of a wider-ranging
piece for Wednesday's edi-
tion of the daily Handels-
blatt on Germany's future
strategy toward the U.S. He
said he envisions Europe
taking a "balanced share
of responsibility" and being
"a counterbalance when In this July 18, 2018 file photo German Foreign Minister Heiko
the U.S. crosses red lines." Maas smiles prior to the weekly cabinet meeting at the chan-
cellery in Berlin, Germany.
Chancellor Angela Merkel Associated Press
responded cautiously, not-
ing that cooperation with
Washington is important in "In this situation, it is of stra- monetary fund and setting
combating terror financ- tegic significance that we up an independent SWIFT
ing. say clearly to Washington: system."
Though Maas conceded we want to work together, He didn't elaborate. SWIFT
that the U.S. and Europe but we will not allow you to is the system overseeing in-
have been drifting apart act over our heads to our ternational bank transfers.
since well before Donald detriment," Maas wrote. Separately, there has been
Trump's presidency, he criti- "That is why it was right to talk for some time of up-
cized recent decisions such legally protect European grading a bailout fund
as Trump's withdrawal from companies from sanctions," cobbled together during
the Iran nuclear deal. he added. Europe's debt crisis into a
Germany, France and Brit- "That is why it is indispens- full-fledged European mon-
ain, the European signato- able to strengthen Euro- etary fund to assist troubled