WSJ.com What's News - Worldwide News Briefs for May 24

U.K. POLICE PROBE 'NETWORK,' LIBYAN MILITIA CITES ISLAMIC STATE ROLE

British police said they were investigating "a network" tied to the deadly suicide bombing at a Manchester pop concert, as a Libyan militia said its questioning of suspect Salman Abedi's brother had yielded a confession that both men were members of Islamic State.

PRESIDENT TRUMP MEETS WITH POPE FRANCIS

After a 30-minute meeting with the pope, accompanied only by an interpreter, President Donald Trump tells the pontiff, "I won't forget what you said."

MOODY'S SERVES WARNING TO CHINA

China's first downgrade by Moody's Investor's Service since 1989 was a direct warning to Beijing that its growth model isn't working and an illustration of the disconnect between the view inside and outside China of its economic management.

EU WANTS SECRET BALLOT ON POST-BREXIT LOCATION OF EUROPEAN AGENCIES

European Union countries fighting to host the bloc's top financial regulator and drugs agency will vote in secret ballot as the continent's capitals compete over Brexit spoils.

U.S. PLANS MILITARY BOOST FOR NATO

NATO, striving to meet President Donald Trump's demand for more counterterrorism work and greater European defense spending, got a new U.S. pledge of $1.4 billion in military spending for Europe.

THE ISLAMIC STATE-LINKED MILITANT FUELING A VIOLENT PHILIPPINE SHOWDOWN

At the center of a gunbattle and hostage standoff between Islamic State-linked militants and government troops in the southern Philippines is a faction leader who is trying to build a caliphate in the troubled region.

TAIWAN SETS PATH TO FIRST GAY MARRIAGE LAW IN ASIA

Taiwan's top court ruled that current law defining marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman was unconstitutional, paving the way for the first same-sex marriage law in Asia.

U.S CLARIFIES THAT SELF-DECLARED EU ENVOY CANDIDATE ISN'T UP FOR POST

Officials have confirmed that Ted Malloch, a euroskeptic American who was presenting himself as President Donald Trump's choice for EU ambassador, isn't actually a candidate for the job.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 24, 2017 17:14 ET (21:14 GMT)