Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Statue of Canada’s first prime minister toppled by protesters demanding police defunding

A statue of Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John Macdonald was toppled in downtown Montreal by protesters marching in support of defunding police, government officials said. The incident occurred at the end of a peaceful march on Saturday when a group of people climbed the monument and pulled down the statue, causing the head to fly off, according to video posted on social media. At least three migrants die as boat catches fire off Italy

At least three migrants, two men and a woman, died when a fire broke out on a boat carrying around 20 of them close to the southern coast of Italy on Sunday, police and health officials said. Another five migrants were injured and taken to hospitals, health authorities in the Italian port city of Crotone said, adding that two of them were in a serious condition. Global coronavirus cases surpass 25 million: Reuters tally

Global coronavirus cases surged past 25 million on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, as India marked a worldwide record for daily new cases in the COVID-19 pandemic. The data showed steady global growth as the disease’s epicentre shifts again, with India taking centre stage from the United States and Latin America. Lebanese ambassador Adib poised to be designated PM

Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany Mustapha Adib is poised to be designated prime minister on Monday after winning the support of major parties to form a new government facing a crippling financial crisis and the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion. The nomination followed contacts by French President Emmanuel Macron over the last 48 hours to press Lebanese leaders to agree on a candidate, two senior Lebanese officials said, just ahead of a visit by the French leader to Lebanon this week. Protesters crowd Minsk as Belarus leader gets birthday call from Putin

Belarusians chanting “Happy Birthday, you rat” and flying red-and-white opposition flags gathered near President Alexander Lukashenko’s residence on Sunday as protesters kept up pressure on the veteran leader to resign, before dispersing peacefully. The president, in office for 26 years, has shown no inclination to step down. For the second weekend in a row he appeared in a black cap and carrying an automatic rifle while walking around his residence, according to a photo published by Russia’s RIA news agency. Germany politicians condemn far-right flags outside parliament

Leading politicians on Sunday condemned protesters who stormed the steps of Germany’s Reichstag parliament building, some of them holding far-right flags, during mass marches against coronavirus curbs a day earlier. Police in the nation’s capital were able to prevent demonstrators from entering the building, but the day saw hundreds of arrests, pockets of violence with injured police, and the forced break-up of one mass protest. Montenegro ruling DPS party just ahead of pro-Serb alliance -pollster

The pro-Western Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) of President Milo Djukanovic was in close call against Montenegro’s pro-Serbian and pro-Russian alliance in parliamentary elections on Sunday, pollster CEMI said in a preliminary forecast. On the basis of just over 49% percent of ballots from a sample of polling stations, CEMI forecast the DPS garnered 34.2% of votes, while the alliance of mainly Serb nationalist parties, For the Future of Montenegro, which wants closer ties with Serbia and Russia, was just behind with 33.7%. Japan’s Suga hopes to succeed PM Abe, race heats up: media

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join the race to succeed his boss Shinzo Abe as prime minister, local media said on Sunday, as the competition heats up to succeed Japan’s longest-serving leader. Suga, a longtime lieutenant of Abe’s in a key supporting role, had denied interest in the top job but attracted attention with a series of interviews, to Reuters and other news organisations, in the days before Abe’s abrupt resignation for health reasons. Trump adviser sees more Arab, Muslim partners for Israel after UAE deal

U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said on Sunday more Arab and Muslim countries were likely to follow the United Arab Emirates in normalising relations with Israel. The White House official, Robert O’Brien, and Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on the eve of talks in Abu Dhabi on Monday on finalising formal Israel-UAE ties. Keep on dining out, UK minister urges as popular cut-price offer ends

British finance minister Rishi Sunak urged diners on Monday to keep going out to eat as a popular government scheme offering half-price food in restaurants this month drew to a close. The “Eat out to Help Out” initiative was designed to boost a hospitality sector that has been especially hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. It offered 50% off the price of meals on the first three days of the week at participating restaurants, up to a maximum of 10 pounds ($13) – with the government making up the difference.