Venezuelans living in the United States will be eligible to receive temporary protected status for 18 months, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday.
Why it matters: Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have fled to the U.S. amid economic, political and social turmoil back home. Former President Trump, on his last full day in office, granted some protections to Venezuelans through the U.S. Deferred Enforced Departure program, but advocates and lawmakers said the move didn't go far enough.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and his wife, Asma, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, according to a statement from his office.
The state of play: The 55-year-old dictator and his 45-year-old wife, who is a breast cancer survivor, are showing mild symptoms but are in stable condition, according to Assad's office. They will self-isolate for two weeks.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a letter outlining a plan to accelerate peace talks with the Taliban that the U.S. is "considering" a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Afghan outlet TOLOnews first reported Sunday.
Why it matters: In the letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, also obtained by Western news outlets, Blinken expresses concern that the Taliban "could make rapid territorial gain" after an American military withdrawal, even with the continuation of U.S. financial aid, as he urges Ghani to embrace his proposal.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle delivered a devastating indictment of the U.K. royal family in their conversation with Oprah Winfrey: Both said unnamed relatives had expressed concern about what the skin tone of their baby would be. And they accused "the firm" of character assassination and "perpetuating falsehoods."
Why it matters: An institution that thrives on myth now faces harsh reality. The explosive two-hour interview gave an unprecedented, unsparing window into the monarchy: Harry said his father and brother "are trapped," and Markle revealed that the misery of being a working royal drove her to thoughts of suicide.
The U.S. and South Korea announced Sunday they've reached an agreement "in principle" on a new cost-sharing plan for the American troop presence on the Korean Peninsula.
Driving the news: The State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said in a Twitter post there had been a "negotiated increase" from South Korea in support for the U.S. troops' presence, without elaborating further.
Swiss voters approved a ban on full facial coverings, including niqabs and burqas, by a razor-thin margin in a highly-contested referendum Sunday, CNN reports.
Why it matters: The proposal, which has been criticized by various Swiss religious organizations, human rights groups and even the federal government, passed with 51.21% of the vote. While it does not mention Islam specifically, it has been referred to by some Swiss media as a "burqa ban," per CNN.
Students in the U.K. will return to in-person learning on Monday after being closed for two months.
Why it matters: The British government is reopening schools as the first step to lift all COVID-19 restrictions by June, the AP reports. Students will be tested for the virus frequently, with high schools and colleges to reopen in phases, allowing students to be tested several times before returning to regular classes.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a speech on Sunday warned the U.S. against getting involved in China's "internal affairs," saying that "both sides need to abide by the principle of non-interference," CNBC reports.
Why it matters: Biden has promised a hardline approach with China. Tensions between the U.S. and China had heightened for years under the Trump administration.
Pope Francis was on Sunday visiting areas of northern Iraq once held by Islamic State militants.
Why it matters: This is the first-ever papal trip to Iraq. The purpose of Francis' four-day visit is largely intended to reassure the country's Christian minority, who were violently persecuted by ISIS, which controlled the region from 2014-2017.
Some 36,000 people turned out for the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade celebrating the LGBTQ community in Australia Saturday, per Nine News.
The big picture: For the first time in its 43-year history, organizers moved the event from Oxford Street to the Sydney Cricket Ground because of the COVID-19 pandemic. New South Wales, of which Sydney is the state capital, has reported no community cases for 50 days.
