June 12th, 2018 - Daily News Brief

Daily News Brief

Singapore summit In what could be a game changer for the Korean Peninsula, the DPRK's leader Kim Jong-un met US President Donald Trump in Singapore. There are few details about the meeting. But the two leaders issued a joint statement saying they were committed to peace in the region. They're also talking about getting rid of nuclear weapons on the peninsula. The summit was a stunning about face by the two men. Just months ago they were flinging insults at one another. But now the hard work begins, for the US and North Korea to turn their latest rhetoric into reality. Iraq operation The Turkish military says it's destroyed 12 targets in northern Iraq belonging to the PKK terror group in overnight strikes. The strikes come as Turkey says it's stepping up its operation in the northern Iraqi region against the PKK. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said Turkey would drain the "terror swamp" in Qandil. Syria's Idlib The UN says recent air strikes in opposition-held Idlib province suggest the "worst of the crisis" in Syria could still be ahead. It's an ominous warning as the war in Syria is now in its eighth year. Tens of thousands of Syrians have fled from other parts of the country to northern Idlib province on Turkey's border. Most of them are opposition fighters and their families. Stranded boat A rescue boat stranded in the Mediterranean has started transferring some of more than 600 refugees and migrants on board to Italian ships which will take them to Spain. Spain's prime minister offered them safe harbour after Italy and Malta refused to let the rescue ship dock. The aid group SOS Mediterranee Sea has been picking up people seeking asylum in Europe, where refugees are facing an increasingly hostile reception in some countries. Dennis Rodman What would a Trump-Kim summit be without Dennis Rodman? The former NBA star wept on Tuesday as he discussed the talks. Rodman has been in North Korea and has met Kim Jong-un. But there has been no word yet whether he was actually involved in Tuesday's event. However, he was spotted by the hotel pool in Singapore, smoking his trademark cigar.