INDIA: Samsung factory workers rejected a settlement offer made by the company as the sit-in protest of more than 1,000 people at the Tamil Nadu site entered its second month yesterday.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions said the agreement of a monthly incentive of 5,000 rupees (£45.52) until March, more air-conditioned buses, and a gift card worth £18.35 in case of childbirth does not recognise their union.

MOZAMBIQUE: Voting in the presidential elections took place yesterday, with the 49-year-long ruling party facing a surprise challenge by independent politician Venancio Mondlane.

Mr Mondlane and two other challengers raised concerns over the fairness of the election process soon after polls opened, claiming that some of their delegates were denied accreditation to monitor voting.

PHILIPPINES: Human rights activists called on voters to reject former president Rodrigo Duterte in next year’s mid-term regional elections, citing ongoing criminal allegations.

Mr Duterte oversaw anti-drugs crackdowns that left thousands of mostly poor suspects dead in killings, which the International Criminal Court has been investigating as a possible crime against humanity, during his time in office.

AUSTRIA: President Alexander Van der Bellen called on the country’s three strongest political parties to hold talks on possible co-operation after parties said they would not form a coalition with election winner the far-right Freedom Party.

Mr Van de Bellen asked Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl, current Chancellor Karl Nehammer of the conservative Austrian People’s Party and Andreas Babler of the centre-left Social Democrats to report back to him at the end of next week.