Editor: Michael Perry 612 9321 8289
Picture Desk: Singapore 65 6870 3775
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(All times GMT/ET)
TOP STORIES
Trump calls Comey 'showboat,' acting FBI chief contradicts president
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump calls ousted FBI chief James Comey "showboat" and "grandstander," but its acting leader contradicts president and promises agency's probe of possible Trump campaign ties to Russia will proceed with vigor.
Editor: Michael Perry + 612 9321 8289
Picture Desk: Singapore + 65 6870 3775
Graphics queries: + 65 6870 3595
(All times GMT/ET)
TOP STORIES
Trump calls Comey 'showboat,' acting FBI chief contradicts president
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump calls ousted FBI chief James Comey "showboat" and "grandstander," but its acting leader contradicts president and promises agency's probe of possible Trump campaign ties to Russia will proceed with vigor. (USA-TRUMP/FBI (UPDATE 6, PIX, TV), moved, by Patricia Zengerle and Arshad Mohammed, 900 words)
South Korea urges 'parallel' talks, sanctions to rein in North
SEOUL - South Korea's new president launched international efforts to defuse tension over North Korea's weapons development on Thursday, urging both dialogue and sanctions while also aiming to ease China's anger about a U.S. anti-missile system. (SOUTHKOREA-POLITICS/ (UPDATE 4, PIX, TV, GRAPHICS), moved, by Ju-min Park and Christine Kim, 1008 words)
Assad says de-escalation zones chance for rebels to 'reconcile'
MINSK/BEIRUT - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says de-escalation zones proposed by his ally Russia are chance for rebels to "reconcile" with Damascus and drive out Islamist militants but vows to fight on, calling U.N.-led peace talks fruitless. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/ASSAD (UPDATE 1), moved, 346 words)
Macron team draws heavily on novices to fight vital parliamentary election
PARIS - French President-elect Emmanuel Macron's start-up party announces list of 428 candidates, most of them political unknowns, to fight parliamentary elections that will determine his chances of putting his program into action. (FRANCE-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 3, TV, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Michel Rose and Emmanuel Jarry, 708 words)
- FRANCE-ELECTION/MACRON-CANDIDATES (FACTBOX), moved, 527 words
ASIA
North Korean university draws U.S. evangelicals despite risks
SEOUL - Like many other Americans who came to teach at foreign-funded Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, Kim Hak Song was Christian missionary who raised money from church to come to North Korea. (NORTHKOREA-USA/UNIVERSITY (UPDATE 1, FEATURE, PIX, GRAPHICS), moved, by James Pearson and Ju-min Park, 1,041 words)
At ruling party anniversary, Malaysia's Najib hints at early polls
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak on Thursday asked members of the ruling party and his supporters to be prepared for polls, in one of the strongest signs yet from the leader that he may call early elections. (MALAYSIA-POLITICS (TV), moved, 379 words)
Chinese artist offers flower, kitten tattoos to mums with birth scars
- After trying cosmetic creams and surgery, Wang Jing placed her hopes in the skilled hands of a tattoo artist to make the scar on her belly finally disappear. (CHINA-TATTOOS/ (WIDER IMAGE, PIX, TV), moved, 507 words)
EUROPE
EU demands urgent talks with Washington over airline laptop ban
BRUSSELS - European Union demands urgent talks with United States over possible extension to some European countries of U.S. ban on airline passengers taking laptops into cabins, saying any security threats faced are common. (USA-AIRLINES/ELECTRONICS-BAN (UPDATE 1), moved, by Julia Fioretti, 600 words)
Setback for Uber as European court advised to treat it as transport firm
BRUSSELS/LUXEMBOURG - Uber faces biggest challenge yet to its European roll-out after region's top court is advised to rule that U.S. ride-hailing firm is actually transport service not an app. (UBER TECH-COURT/ (UPDATE 4, PIX), moved, by Julia Fioretti and Michele Sinner, 810 words)
MIDDLE EAST
'Words and no facts' so far from foreign investors as Iran votes on Rouhani
TEHRAN - Desperate to show off rewards of his landmark deal to get sanctions lifted from Iran, President Hassan Rouhani rolls out red carpet for global investors before he faces voters in an election next week. (IRAN-ELECTION/ENERGY (ANALYSIS, TV), moved, by Alissa de Carbonnel, 1,074 words)
Hezbollah says future war would be on Israeli territory
BEIRUT - Lebanese Hezbollah says any future conflict between Shi'ite group and Israel could take place inside Israeli territory, as tensions rise between arch foes. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/HEZBOLLAH (UPDATE 2), moved, by Ellen Francis and Laila Bassam, 584 words)
UNITED STATES
Trump signs order aimed at upgrading government cyber defenses
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive order to bolster government's cyber security and protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks, marking his first significant action to address what he calls top priority. (USA-TRUMP/CYBER (UPDATE 3, TV), moved, by Dustin Volz, 522 words)
AMERICAS
Mexico warns U.S. of alternatives on trade, points to China
MEXICO CITY - Mexico sends stark message to U.S. President Donald Trump, saying upcoming visit by officials from Latin America's No. 2 economy to China makes it clear it has many other export markets if he tears up NAFTA trade deal. (USA-TRADE/MEXICO (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), moved, by Mitra Taj and Gabriel Stargardter, 627 words)
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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