World Briefs

CHINA-NORTH KOREA Chinese President Xi Jinping extends his congratulations to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on his new title of chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, underscoring traditional ties between the communist neighbors despite recent strains.

PHILIPPINES Mayor Rodrigo Duterte emerged as the top winner of Filipino elections. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. [pictured] may be elected vice president and come tantalizingly close to the seat of power his dictator father Ferdinand Marcos lost in a pro-democracy uprising 30 years ago. And Manny Pacquiao is close to becoming a senator.

PANAMA PAPERS The investigative journalists who first reported the contents of the Panama Papers made yesterday the names of 200,000 offshore companies available in a searchable database, which includes HK, Macau entities and people.

BRAZIL The acting speaker of the lower house has annulled last month’s vote on presidential impeachment, pushing back the process against embattled President Dilma Rousseff. The reversal by Waldir Maranhao puts the impeachment process back on track.

MEXICO A federal judge has ruled that the extradition of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman can move ahead. But the country’s Foreign Relations Department must still approve it and the defense can appeal.

USA With auto buyers in the U.S. and across the world switching like mad from cars to SUVs, we may be in a car recession. Sales of cars of any size are down from last year, and the only small car with growing sales is the all-new Honda Civic. Older models will have to rely on discounts and adding features for the same price to survive.

GERMANY Authorities say they are doubtful as to whether the suspect in the stabbing of four people at a station near Munich can be held criminally responsible. Police said yesterday that the man said in questioning that he had taken his shoes off because “he felt bugs on his feet that had caused blisters and were generating intense heat.” He says there are indications that the man may have taken drugs, and that may have contributed to the suspect’s confused state.

CANNES The 69th Cannes Film Festival gets under way today; six months after the November terror attacks in central Paris that killed 130. This year, films by Pedro Almodovar, Sean Penn, Kean Loach and Asghar Farhadi are among those competing for the coveted Palme d’Or. Stars including George Clooney, Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Julia Roberts and Gerard Depardieu are due to climb the famous red-carpeted steps outside the Palais, Cannes’ main movie venue.