World news today: 5 overnight developments from around the globe

Good morning! Begin your day with five key overnight stories from around the world

1. US scrambles to limit fallout over Indo-Pacific deal

The United States called France a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific, comments that appeared aimed at calming French anger after the United States, Australia and the UK clinched a deal to supply Australia with submarines.

The deal, designed to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, has angered France because it replaces a lucrative deal that the country had signed with Australia to build a new submarine fleet worth $40 billion.

2. Afghan finance ministry working on getting public sector salaries paid

Afghanistan’s government is working on resolving a series of problems that have held up salaries for public sector workers, the finance ministry said on Thursday, as the new Taliban administration struggles to restart the stalled economy. Even before the movement seized Kabul last month, many public sector workers said they had not been paid for weeks and with banks imposing strict limits on cash withdrawals while prices for basic necessities rise, many face serious hardship.

3. Joe Biden’s approval drops to lowest of presidency

Public approval of US President Joe Biden has dropped to the lowest level of his presidency, with Americans appearing to be increasingly critical of his response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.

The national poll, conducted Sept. 15-16, found that 44% of US adults approved of Biden’s performance in office, while 50% disapproved and the rest were not sure.

4. Hundreds of migrating songbirds crash into NYC skyscrapers

Hundreds of birds migrating through New York City this week died after crashing into the city’s glass towers, a mass casualty event spotlighted by a New York City Audubon volunteer’s tweets showing the World Trade Center littered with bird carcasses.

5. Somalia President suspends executive powers of prime minister

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Thursday announced he had withdrawn the powers of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble. The decision is the latest development in a bitter dispute that has plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.