WSJ.com What's News - Worldwide News Briefs for Jun 20

U.S. JET DOWNS SYRIAN PRO-REGIME DRONE

A U.S. fighter jet shot down a pro-Syrian regime armed drone Tuesday after it flew toward coalition troops in southern Syria, according to the U.S.-led coalition.

IRAQIS DEPLOY DRONES TO TARGET ISIS IN MOSUL BATTLE

Iraqi forces are using small, off-the-shelf drones to target Islamic State in the crowded and twisting streets of Mosul's Old City, where the militants are making a last stand.

UKRAINE'S POROSHENKO MEETS WITH TRUMP

President Donald Trump met briefly Tuesday with Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko, who used his first White House visit to stress his country's alliance with Washington as he pushes for more U.S. pressure against Moscow's support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

MERKEL SIGNALS OPENNESS TO EUROZONE REFORM

German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time sketched out the outlines of a bargain with France on fixing the governance of Europe's single currency, in the clearest sign yet that the two biggest eurozone countries are inching closer toward reconciling sharply different views on the matter.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF A U.S.-CHINA WAR?

Are Beijing and Washington inexorably headed for armed conflict? A debate in China circles around the 'Thucydides Trap' indicates the answer depends on a fine understanding of Chinese capabilities.

BREXIT TALKS BEGIN WITH DIVORCE-BILL DISAGREEMENT

The U.K. and the European Union concluded their first day of negotiations over Britain's departure from the bloc with the EU securing its preferred timetable for the talks and divergent views immediately emerging over a divorce bill the EU is demanding.

FRENCH GROWTH PICKING UP AS MACRON PURSUES CHANGE

French economic output is improving and will record its fastest growth in six years in 2017, national statistics agency Insee said Tuesday, giving President Emmanuel Macron a boost as he sets out to shake up the economy.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 20, 2017 17:18 ET (21:18 GMT)