World News Briefs -- May 24, 2018 (Evening Edition)

Daily Mail: 'Ready to fight TONIGHT': Trump's Pentagon ramps up the rhetoric and he boasts of 'massive' nuclear arsenal after canceling North Korea summit with Kim - even though he says talks might still happen

* Trump wrote to Kim Jong-un to pull out of planned June 12 nuclear talks
* Hours later he allowed that the summit still could happen
* But in the same breath he warned Kim Jong-un that the U.S. military stands willing to hold him in check – and South Korea and Japan would foot the bill
* Trump wrote in his letter to Kim: You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never be used'
* VP Mike Pence told Fox News on Monday that North Korea could end up like Libya if it doesn't make a deal with Trump
* North Korea 's vice foreign minister Choe Son Hui fired back, calling Pence a 'political dummy' and 'ignorant and stupid'
* That led Trump to call off the Singapore face-to-face meeting with Kim – which he later allowed could be resurrected
* Sen. Marco Rubio chimed in, mocking Kim: 'In the words of a wise man, “Congratulations, you just played yourself”'

President Donald Trump's Pentagon issued a warning to North Korea late Thursday, hours after he canceled a planned nuclear disarmament summit, that U.S. forces are ready 'to fight tonight'.

Pentagon joint staff director Gen. Kenneth McKenzie told reporters that American military forces in South Korea are in 'a high state of vigilance,' adding that the U.S. is always prepared to respond to provocations from Kim Jong-un's dictatorship 'because they have proven to be unpredictable in the past.'

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MIDDLE EAST

Fears as Syria military expected to target Deraa province next.

Lebanon's Saad Hariri designated as next prime minister.

US must reject $1bn arms sales to Bahrain: HRW.

Erdogan sets out AK Party platform for upcoming election.

US may recognize Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights – Israeli minister.

Israeli soldier critically injured during raid on Palestinian refugee camp.

Hamas under pressure after Gaza protests fail to bring change.

Iran still implementing nuclear deal: IAEA.

ASIA

Trump cancels summit, citing ‘open hostility’ by North Korea.

Trump planned to hold nuke summit even after Kim's negotiators STOOD UP White House aides in Singapore – but statement threatening a 'nuclear showdown' was the last straw

Moon Jae-in 'perplexed' as Trump cancels summit with Kim.

Pentagon 'ready to respond' to any N. Korea provocations.

Mike Pompeo: U.S. to maintain sanctions, diplomatic pressure against North Korea.

North Korea 'blows up its nuclear test site' in series of huge explosions.

US wasted billions in failed Afghan stabilization efforts: official.

Thailand arrests senior monks in temple raids to clean up Buddhism.

Sri Lanka: Deadly floods displaced hundreds of thousands.

AFRICA

10 militia killed in DR Congo: army.

Vigilante groups form in central Mali amid ethnic violence.

US rejects UN funding proposal for West African Sahel force.

Burundi accused of widespread rights abuses before referendum.

Burundi opposition appeals referendum result.

Boko Haram crisis: Amnesty accuses Nigeria troops of rape.

Burkina Faso cuts ties with Taiwan.

Cameroon rebukes US ambassador.

EUROPE

Putin defends North Korea over canceled summit.

Putin welcomes European efforts to save Iran nuclear deal.

Migration to play key role in upcoming Swedish elections.

French President Emmanuel Macron in Russia proposes joint initiatives with Vladimir Putin.

Georgia accuses Russia of war crimes during 2008 conflict.

European Central Bank warns new Italian government over spending.

US says Europeans did nothing to counter Iran missiles.

German carmakers denounce Trump's new imports threat.

Dresden WW2 bomb defused after tense days.

AMERICAS

Trump cancels summit with North Korea's Kim, warns that military ready.

No evidence of 'spy' in Trump camp, Democrats say after intel brief.

Escaping Venezuela: They pour into Brazil by the thousands looking for work.

Maduro vows to free some jailed activists, raise Venezuela oil output.

Canada blocks Chinese takeover of Aecon over national security concerns.

Argentina economy: Workers protest as inflation soars.

Harvey Weinstein to turn himself in to face criminal charges.

Women accuse Morgan Freeman of inappropriate behavior, harassment. Morgan Freeman apologises in wake of sexual harassment claims by multiple women.

Trump pardons late black boxing champion Jack Johnson.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

CNN Special Report: A Double Life: The Spy Inside Al Qaeda with Christiane Amanpour.

French jihadist who was the voice of ISIS's claim on the 2016 Nice attack is captured by Kurdish forces in Syria.

When he was 20, he fled Canada to join ISIS. Now he’s believed dead and his family says it didn’t see the signs.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Cancellation of Korea summit sends stocks on bumpy ride.

Trump expands multi-front trade conflict.

US tariffs plan for car imports rankles EU, Japan, China.

Zuckerberg set up fraudulent scheme to 'weaponise' data, court case alleges.

Netflix eclipses Disney in market milestone.