Friday, May 25, 2018

World News Briefs -- May 25, 2018



Daily Mail: 'We're talking to them right now. They very much want to do it, we'd like to do it': Trump says June 12 with nuclear summit STILL a possibility a day after cancelling talks with Kim

* 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''

Donald Trump said Friday that a meeting with Kim Jong-un could be back on after North Korea recommitted to talks 'any time in any form' following the U.S. president's announcement that he was pulling out of a June 12 face-to-face with the dictator.

'We're talking to them right now. They very much want to do it. We'd like to do it. We're gonna see what happens,' he told reporters as he departed the White House for Annapolis, Maryland.

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MIDDLE EAST

Syria regime warns Daraa rebels with air-dropped leaflets.

War, displacement reshuffle Syria's demographic map.

Lawfare? Syrian development plan alarms refugees and host nations.

Iran nuclear deal 'in intensive care' as signatories meet in Vienna.

Iran gives E.U. deadline to salvage nuclear deal.

US targets airlines in latest Iran sanctions move.

Turkey's economy at risk as currency hits record low.

Iraq's poor hopeful Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc will bring change.

Yemen declares disaster after Cyclone Mekunu; Oman in path next.

Four Saudi activists freed, one arrested as crackdown persists.

ASIA

Trump: North Korea summit could still happen on 12 June.

North Korea nuclear test tunnels at Punggye-ri 'destroyed'.

Taiwan scrambles fighter jets to monitor Chinese bombers.

U.S. effort to stabilize Afghanistan is $5 billion failure, watchdog says.

Social media rumors trigger violence in India; 3 killed by mobs.

Police find $28m cash in raids linked to Malaysia ex-PM Najib.

Mike Pompeo: US diplomats 'treated badly' in Pakistan.

'Unprecedented' foreign interference in Australia: spy chief.

AFRICA

Five Congolese soldiers killed fighting rebel militia.

Libya: Deadly car bomb explosion rocks Benghazi.

South Africa's Ramaphosa authorizes graft probe into government departments.

NGOs demand the release of 26 activists in Niger.

South Sudan: Aid agencies struggle to reach those in need.

DR Congo boat sinking: River disaster kills 50 people.

Algerian blogger jailed for 10 years for spying.

EUROPE

GDPR: US news sites unavailable to EU users over data protection rules.

Presidents Macron and Putin meet as support for sanctions wanes.

Polls open in landmark Irish referendum to repeal abortion ban.

EU accession talks spark heated discussion in Western Balkans.

Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy faces no-confidence vote over illegal party funds.

MH17: Netherlands, Australia hold Russia responsible for downing plane.

France 'probes China spy ring': Two ex-agents reported held.

Prince William's trip to Israel, West Bank is history in the making: All the details.

AMERICAS

Trump tells grads ‘you don’t give up, you don’t give in’.

Masked protesters wield homemade mortars as at least two people are killed and 50 wounded in violent anti-government clashes in Nicaragua.

Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro sworn in for a new term.

Barbados elects Mia Mottley as first woman PM.

Two men set off bomb in restaurant in Canada; 15 wounded.

Harvey Weinstein posts $1M CASH bail, agrees to wear GPS bracelet and plans to enter a plea of NOT GUILTY after he is seen smiling and laughing while being booked on rape charges.

Is Ecuador preparing to kick Julian Assange out? Wikileaks founder could leave London embassy 'any day' as US and Spain increase pressure to stop shielding him.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Indonesia passes tougher terror law after suicide attacks.

U.S.-backed Syrian forces arrest French Islamic State leader: SDF.

US has spent $2.8 trillion on counterterrorism since 9/11.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

GDPR 'doomsday' shakes up internet services. Facebook and Google targeted as first GDPR complaints filed.

Tech companies scramble as sweeping data rules take effect.

Apple awarded $539m in US patent case against Samsung.

Rosneft CEO expects new oil price records on the market.

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