World briefs

CHINA-US Chinese officials appealed to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to repair relations they said have been damaged by U.S. tariff hikes and support for Taiwan, as their governments press North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Pompeo said that Washington has a “fundamental disagreement” and “great concerns” about Chinese actions and looked forward to discussing them.

HONG KONG Journalist groups have expressed dismay over the government’s refusal to renew a work visa for a Financial Times editor. Representatives from the FCC, HK Journalists Association and other journalism advocacy groups gathered at the Central Government Offices and handed a letter of protest to a Government representative.

PAKISTAN’s Supreme Court postponed its ruling on the final appeal of a Christian woman who has been on death row since 2010 after being convicted of blasphemy against Islam. The judicial panel listened to Asia Bibi’s defense lawyer challenge statements by those who accused her of insulting Islam’s prophet.

FRENCH far-right leader Marine Le Pen distanced herself from former White House strategist Steve Bannon, saying only Europeans will save the continent from diktats from Brussels, not Americans. 

US Now that Beyonce and Jay-Z are off the road, another power couple is taking their place: Hillary and Bill Clinton. The Clintons announced they will visit four cities in 2018 and nine in 2019 across North America in a series of conversations dubbed “An Evening with President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton.”

US ELECTIONS Taylor Swift has spoken out politically for the first time, publicly endorsing two Democrats for the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections. Taylor, 28, says events in “the past two years” have meant she’s no longer reluctant to share her views. The singer wrote on Instagram: “I always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve.”