Social Dems, populists lead Finland vote
HELSINKI — Finland’s Social Democratic Party won the most votes in the country’s parliamentary election Sunday, trailed closely by a populist party that campaigned on ensuring the government does not overdo its efforts to combat climate change.
A near complete vote count late Sunday gave the Social Democrats 40 seats in Finland’s 200-member parliament, and the euroskeptic, anti-immigration Finns Party 39 seats.
The near-complete tally from Sunday’s election gave the conservative National Coalition Party 37 seats and outgoing Prime Minister Juha Sipila’s Center Party 31.
Military council promises civilian Cabinet in Sudan
CAIRO — Sudan’s new ruling military council announced Sunday that it will name a civilian prime minister and Cabinet but not a president to help govern the country following the coup that removed longtime leader Omar al-Bashir.
An army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Shamseldin Kibashi, also said in televised remarks that the military had begun to overhaul security organizations and would not break up demonstrations that have continued outside the military headquarters since Thursday’s coup.
The statement came after a second day of meetings between the army and organizers of the months of escalating street protests that led to al-Bashir’s ouster.
Ivanka touts empowerment in Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ivanka Trump toured businesses run by women in Ethiopia on Sunday while promoting a White House global economic program for women.
President Donald Trump’s daughter and senior adviser visited a coffee shop and textile company in Addis Ababa. It was her first stop in Africa on a four-day trip to Ethiopia and Ivory Coast on behalf of a White House project intended to boost 50 million women in developing countries by 2025.
Aiming to offer assistance and learn about the struggles of women in business, she took part in a traditional coffee ceremony, visited with weavers and announced new financial support for businesses.
Red Cross is back in Mexico after ambulance attack
MEXICO CITY — The Mexican Red Cross briefly shuttered operations in the central city of Salamanca after a man wounded by gunfire was pulled from one of its ambulances by gunmen over the weekend.
The Guanajuato state chapter of the first-aid group said it resumed ambulance service Sunday in the city of roughly 270,000 people after suspending service following Saturday’s incident.
In a statement, the Mexican Red Cross said it “is an impartial and neutral institution before all conflicts and its purpose is to relieve human suffering,” adding the hashtag “We are not part of the conflict.”
Measles kills more than 1,200 in Madagascar
AMBALAVAO, Madagascar — A measles epidemic is feared to have killed more than 1,200 people in the island nation of Madagascar, where many are desperately poor.
As the country faces its largest measles outbreak in history and cases soar well beyond 115,000, resistance to vaccinating children is not the driving force.
In Madagascar, many parents would like to protect their children but face immense challenges including the lack of resources.
Just 58 percent of people on Madagascar’s main island have been vaccinated against measles, a major factor in the outbreak’s spread. With measles one of the most infectious diseases, immunization rates need to be 90 to 95 percent or higher to prevent outbreaks.
The outbreak has killed mostly children under age 15 since it began in September, according to the World Health Organization.
Associated Press