Trump and Kim in Singapore for summit +++ Trump continues criticism of US allies +++ Italy shuts ports to migrant rescue ship

12. Juli 2018, 02:00

Trump and Kim in Singapore for summit

US and North Korean officials have been meeting in Singapore ahead of tomorrow's much-anticipated summit between the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump. Trump says he has a "good feeling" about the talks and that there was "excitement in the air". The South Korean President Moon Jae-in says the summit will only be the start of a long process: "I hope a big agreement on scrapping hostilities and denuclearising the Korean peninsula will be reached through this summit. Now I have hopes that the two leaders will make bold resolutions that generously answer each other’s demands so that the wish for a new age upon the Korean peninsula from those around the world comes true."

Trump continues criticism of US allies

President Trump has continued attacks on his G7 partners with a new round of tweets. Having withdrawn support from the closing communique at the G7 summit, he turned his attention to NATO. He claimed the US paid close to the entire cost of the organisation, protecting many countries which, in his words, "rip off" the US on trade. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she found his stance "depressing", adding that the EU would respond to his decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium.

Italy shuts ports to migrant rescue ship

A migrant rescue ship with nearly 630 people on board is stranded in the Mediterranean between Malta and Italy amid an argument over where it should dock. The new Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who's promised a tough new policy on immigration, is refusing to let it enter an Italian port. The Aquarius picked up the migrants on Saturday after their boat broke apart. A spokesman for the charity which operates the Aquarius Nick Romaniuk said the situation wasn't sustainable in the long-term: "we are currently over capacity - normally our capacity would be around 500 people. We're at 629 so we continue to update all the authorities in the area and continue to request a port of safety as soon as possible."

Chancellor Kurz visits Israel

The Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is continuing a visit to Israel. He's holding talks today with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and will later address the American Jewish Committee's Global Forum in Jerusalem.

The weather

Mainly sunny and hot with isolated storms especially in the Alps and in the East. Highs ranging between 25 and 33 degrees.

Übersicht

• News In English