Politics

Bloomberg Russian President Vladimir Putin urged patience in efforts to resolve a territorial dispute with Japan that’s lasted since World War II after Kremlin talks Saturday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a disappointment for the Asian country’s leader, who’s made striking a deal a priority. “It is important to patiently continue the search for a solution,’’ Putin said. Abe, ...

Bloomberg The leaders of North and South Korea met for two hours Saturday to discuss the canceled summit with Donald Trump, less than a day after the US leader signaled the meeting may be back on citing “very productive” talks between the two countries. South Korea’s Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a surprise move, spent two ...

Bloomberg A federal judge denied a request by Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman for President Donald Trump, to dismiss one of two counts in an indictment as unnecessarily overlapping. Special Counsel Robert Mueller didn’t violate the double-jeopardy clause of the US Constitution by charging Manafort with two crimes based on the exact same facts and circumstances, US District Judge ...

Bloomberg President Donald Trump announced plans to nominate a retired foreign service officer affiliated with an organisation that critics call an anti-immigrant hate group to run the State Department bureau overseeing refugee protection and resettlement. Ronald Mortensen, whose postings as a diplomat included Chad, Gabon and Australia, was tapped to be assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Population, ...

Bloomberg President Vladimir Putin rejected accusations by the Netherlands and Australia that Russia was responsible for the 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, after investigators said they found proof the missile that downed the plane belonged to a Russia-based military unit. “No, of course not,” Putin replied when asked if a Russian missile had shot down the aircraft, killing ...

Bloomberg Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy is fighting to save his government from collapse after a slew of harsh jail sentences handed down by judges in Madrid exposed his party’s Achilles heel on corruption. The Socialists, the biggest opposition group, filed a no-confidence motion against him and Ciudadanos, another party, threatened to do the same unless he calls early elections. The ...

Bloomberg After championing the cause for staying in the European Union, Scotland’s nationalists are reigniting their effort to leave the UK with plans for a new currency, economic regime and an open door for immigrants. A report by a Scottish National Party commission made the case that Scotland should look to emulate small, better-performing economies such as Denmark and New ...

Bloomberg Madagascar’s Constitutional Court has instructed President Hery Rajaonarimampianina to appoint a new prime minister within seven days and ruled that he can remain leader of the Indian Ocean island nation until 60 days before the next election. The new PM will oversee the government until the inauguration of a new president. The country is scheduled to hold presidential and ...

Bloomberg US President Donald Trump expressed pessimism about whether the summit with North Korea’s leader would take place, even as American officials pressed ahead with plans for a historic meeting on June 12 in Singapore. South Korean President Moon Jae-in flew to Washington for the day amid growing uncertainty about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s goals for the summit after ...

Bloomberg Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged — after prodding by lawmakers — that he backs the finding by US intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the US presidential campaign to hurt Hillary Clinton and ultimately help Donald Trump. Pompeo, who previously was Trump’s CIA director, was pressed by Democrats on whether he accepted that finding during testimony on Wednesday ...