World News Roundup: Russia questions the feasibility of U.S; Malaysia regulator to probe if AirAsia and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia questions the feasibility of the U.S. peace plan for the Middle East

A Middle East peace plan presented by U.S. President Donald Trump contravenes several United Nations resolutions, Russian news agencies cited a Kremlin spokesman as saying on Sunday, questioning the plan's feasibility. The Palestinian Authority has cut all ties with the United States and Israel, including those relating to security, after rejecting the Middle East peace plan put forward by Trump.

Iraqi cleric Sadr tells followers to clear sit-ins after PM appointed

Populist Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr urged his followers on Sunday to help security forces clear roads blocked during months of sit-in protests, calling for "day-to-day life" to resume following the appointment of a new prime minister. Sadr, who has alternately sided with the anti-government protesters and the Iran-backed political groups they reject, urged his unarmed supporters known as "blue hats" to work with authorities to ensure schools and businesses can operate normally again.

Malaysia regulator to probe if AirAsia broke rules in Airbus deals

Malaysia's securities regulator said on Sunday it will examine whether AirAsia Group and unit AirAsia X broke securities laws after UK prosecutors accused executives of receiving bribes from Airbus for buying planes. The allegations came to light on Friday when Airbus agreed to a record $4 billion settlement with France, Britain and the United States. Prosecutors said it had bribed public officials and hidden payments as part of a pattern of worldwide corruption.

Sovereignty comes first: Britain lays out a tough stance for EU trade talks

Britain laid out a tough opening stance for future talks with the European Union on Sunday, saying it would set its own agenda rather than meeting the bloc's rules to ensure frictionless trade. After officially leaving the EU on Friday, Britain now must negotiate future trade relations with the bloc, to take effect when a standstill transition period expires at the end of the year. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has been quick to send Brussels a message before trade talks begin in March: Brexit, for him, means sovereignty trumps the economy.

EU's foreign policy chief to travel to Iran in de-escalation mission

The head of the European Union's foreign service, Josep Borrell, will travel to Iran next week to meet the country's leaders in a bid to reduce tensions in the Middle East, the EU said in a statement on Sunday. During his trip on Monday and Tuesday, Borrell will meet Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif among others.

Pompeo urges Kazakhstan to press China over Uighurs

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Kazakhstan on Sunday to join Washington in pressing Beijing over its treatment of Muslim minorities, a sensitive matter for the Central Asian nation which has close ties with its neighbor China. Speaking on a visit to the capital Nur-Sultan, Pompeo said he has raised the matter in talks with Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi.

Sinn Fein draw level atop opinion poll days from Irish election

Irish nationalists Sinn Fein surged ahead of the governing Fine Gael party to draw level at the top of an opinion poll a week before an election that looks set to be a major breakthrough for the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army. The Business Post/Red C poll put the left-wing Sinn Fein up five percentage points in the space of a week to 24% and level with the center-right Fianna Fail, which fell two points. Support for Fine Gael dipped by the same amount to 21%.

First coronavirus death outside China reported as infections top 14,000

China ramped up measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic and shore up an economy hit by travel curbs and business shut-downs on Sunday as the first death from the illness was reported outside the country. A 44-year-old Chinese man from the central city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, traveled to the Philippines and died on Saturday in a hospital in Manila, the Philippines Department of Health said.

At least 20 people killed in stampede at church service in Tanzania

At least 20 people were killed and more than a dozen hurt in a stampede as worshippers rushed to be anointed during a church service in northern Tanzania, officials said on Sunday. Thousands of people crammed into a sports stadium for the service on Saturday evening in the town of Moshi near Mount Kilimanjaro, with many getting crushed after the pastor called them to be anointed with "blessed oil."

Australia's capital lifts state of emergency as fire threat subsides

Wildfires that threatened Australia's capital, Canberra, over the weekend have been brought under control as containment lines held and hot and windy conditions eased, prompting authorities to lift a state of emergency. While the fire in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), home to the capital city, has spread to more than 55,000 hectares (136,000 acres), close to a quarter of the territory's entire landmass, the heat fuelling the danger is subsiding.

(With inputs from agencies.)