WSJ.com What's News - Worldwide News Briefs for Jun 09

BATTERED AT POLLS, U.K.'S MAY SEEKS TO RETAIN POWER

A beleaguered Prime Minister Theresa May turned to an unlikely kingmaker to form a minority government on Friday, vowing to soldier on through Brexit talks even after U.K. voters rebelled against her Conservative Party's policies.

EU URGES U.K. TO START BREXIT TALKS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Head of the European Council makes it clear the bloc won't put the two-year deadline for the U.K. to exit from the bloc on hold.

LONDON ATTACKER WASN'T HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT---HE WASN'T EVEN HIDING

Khuram Butt was widely known in his east London neighborhood for his radical take on Islam, raising questions of how a government should react to citizens who expound extremist views.

QATAR'S REGIONAL RIVALS RATCHET UP PRESSURE IN WIDENING MIDDLE-EAST RIFT

Qatar's regional rivals accused the country of supporting and harboring dozens of individuals and organizations linked to terrorism, widening the rift between some of the U.S.'s closest Middle Eastern allies.

IRAN ROUNDS UP ISIS SUSPECTS FOLLOWING DEADLY ATTACK IN TEHRAN

Intelligence Ministry says 41 people were taken into custody, and a large number of weapons, bomb-making materials and explosives vests were seized, as authorities try to root out the Sunni Muslim extremist group.

TORN BY WAR ON ISIS, MOSUL RISKS LASTING DIVISIONS

The eastern half of Iraq's second-largest city was liberated from Islamic State militants in January, and now is bustling with reconstruction. But the western half is still a war zone, and the difference risks fueling resentment in a city critical to reuniting Iraq.

U.S. PILOT SHOOTS DOWN ARMED DRONE IN SYRIA

An American pilot shot down an armed drone that attacked U.S.-backed forces in southern Syria on Thursday in an escalating confrontation with President Bashar al-Assad and his allies, military officials said.

CATALONIA LEADERS DEFY MADRID AND CALL FRESH VOTE FOR INDEPENDENCE

Leaders of Catalonia's regional government said they would hold a referendum on the independence of the region from Spain on Oct. 1, an anticipated move that nonetheless sharpens tensions with the national government.

SAUDI ARABIA APOLOGIZES TO AUSTRALIA OVER PERCEIVED INSULT AT SOCCER MATCH

Saudi Arabia's Football Federation apologized on behalf of the country's national soccer team for failing to observe a minute's silence for victims of a recent London terrorist attack ahead of a World Cup qualifying match against Australia.

CHINA CRANKS UP HEAT ON EXILED TYCOON

The Chinese government took its campaign against an exiled businessman and critic of the Communist Party to a courtroom, putting his subordinates on trial for fraud in unusually open proceedings.

GREECE PASSES MORE AUSTERITY, PAVING WAY FOR NEXT BAILOUT TRANCHE

Greece's parliament approved another round of economic overhauls the country has to implement to unlock much-needed bailout cash to meet upcoming debt repayments.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 09, 2017 18:54 ET (22:54 GMT)