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Iran, Syria and the Palestinians on the agenda
US President Barack Obama is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday for the first time in six months. They have much to discuss, including Syria's ongoing civil war, while Netanyahu is also expected to urge Obama to judge Iran by its actions and not the conciliatory words of new Iranian President Hassan Rowhani. US-brokered peace negotiations with the Palestinians are also set for discussion. Israelis and Palestinians have traded accusations after the killings of two Israeli soldiers by suspected Palestinian gunmen.
 
London and Hong Kong reap renminbi rewards
The UK's Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Greg Clark, will take a press conference at the British Consulate as part of a two-day trip to Hong Kong focusing on the expanding international renminbi market which has seen Hong Kong and London become the world's leading offshore centres for the trade. The minister has already met the deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to explore the benefits of settling trade in renminbi. Ahead of the trip, Clark told the South China Morning Post that more than 50 per cent of UK investment in Asia is either in or flows through Hong Kong.
 
Abbott makes first foreign trip as PM
Australia's new prime minister, Tony Abbott, is due to visit Indonesia on his first overseas trip since he defeated Labor rival Kevin Rudd. The conservative leader made staunching the flow of asylum-seeker boats from Indonesia one of the centrepieces of his campaign and pledged to use the Australian navy to tow the boats back to Indonesia. But Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa warned the Australia's policy on asylum seekers could damage relations between the two countries.
 
Maldives under pressure to hold run-off
International pressure has mounted on the Maldives to hold the scheduled presidential run-off election due this weekend which the country's Supreme Court has suspended. Australia, the EUand the US have backed the vote which had been meant to take place on Saturday. Former president Mohamed Nasheed, who was forced to resign by a police mutiny, was seen as the front-runner in the run-off against Abdullah Yameen, a brother of former dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. But the international statements backing the run-off were branded "irresponsible" by President Mohamed Waheed.
 
Protests to go ahead against Ma
Civic groups will go ahead with protests against Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou on Sunday, even though the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) has postponed its annual national congress which had been set to be held on the same day. The KMT is struggling with an escalating political crisis that has seen Ma's approval rating slip to an all-time low of 9.2 per cent and public pressure mounting on him to resign. Ma's decision to go after party rival Wang Jin-pyng triggered a public outcry and more than 160,000 Facebook users said they would join the protests.


Talking points

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 

Australia's new prime minister Tony Abbott 

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou

Opinion

Comment

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...


US President Barack Obama is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday for the first time in six months. They have much to discuss, including Syria's ongoing civil war, while Netanyahu is also expected to urge Obama to judge Iran by its actions and not the conciliatory words of new Iranian President Hassan Rowhani.
