Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Pompeo expresses disappointment over Turkey's acquisition of Russian missiles

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Turkey's Foreign Minister on Saturday and expressed disappointment over the country's acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system, the U.S. State Department said in a statement. Washington had opposed Turkey's purchase of the Russian missile defense system and threatened to impose sanctions. Since then, President Donald Trump has been unclear over whether his administration was planning such an action.

UK calls seizure of ship a 'hostile act'; Iran releases video of capture

Britain denounced the Iranian seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf as a "hostile act" on Saturday, rejecting Tehran's explanation that it had seized the vessel because it had been involved in an accident. Iran's Revolutionary Guards posted a video online showing speedboats pulling up alongside the Stena Impero tanker, its name clearly visible.

Thousands in pro-police rally as Hong Kong braces for another mass protest

Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong on Saturday to voice support for the police and call for an end to violence, after a wave of protests against an extradition bill triggered clashes between police and activists and plunged the city into crisis. The rally, called "Safeguard Hong Kong", comes a day ahead of another mass protest planned against the government and its handling of the now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial.

British Airways suspends flights to Cairo for seven days

British Airways and Lufthansa abruptly suspended flights to Cairo from Saturday over security concerns, but giving no details about what may have prompted the move. "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment," British Airways said in a statement.

Irish, EU governments sound out Johnson to avoid no-deal Brexit: Sunday Times

Ahead of Boris Johnson's likely election next week as Britain's prime minister, EU countries are secretly wooing him in a bid to thrash out a new Brexit plan that would avoid a no-deal disaster, the Sunday Times newspaper reported. Senior Irish politicians and diplomats have held talks with two of Johnson's cabinet allies in recent days, it said. German and French figures as well as the Dutch and Belgian governments have also established contact with Johnson's team and signaled an intention to do a deal, it added.

British justice minister says he will resign from cabinet: The Sunday Times

British justice minister David Gauke said he will resign from the cabinet on Wednesday. "Given that I've been in the cabinet since Theresa May came to power, I think the appropriate thing is for me to resign to her", Gauke said in a statement quoted in the Sunday Times newspaper http://bit.ly/2y2N4Re.

Most of 34 victims in Kyoto Animation arson attack in 20s and 30s: NHK

Most of the victims of an arson attack on an animation studio in western Japanese city of Kyoto were in their 20s and 30s, public broadcaster NHK said on Saturday, as the death told climbed to 34. Thursday's attack on Kyoto Animation, well known in Japan and overseas for its series and movies, was the worst mass killing in two decades in a country with some of the world's lowest crime rates.

U.S. national security adviser Bolton travels to Japan, South Korea amid trade dispute

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton departed on Saturday on a trip to Japan and South Korea as the two countries are in the middle of a trade dispute. A White House National Security Council spokesman said on Twitter that Bolton planned to "continue conversations with critical allies and friends."

U.S. State Department says concerned by reports of Chinese interference in South China Sea

The U.S. State Department said on Saturday it is concerned by reports of China's interference with oil and gas activities in the South China Sea, including Vietnam's long-standing exploration and production activities. "China's repeated provocative actions aimed at the offshore oil and gas development of other claimant states threatens regional energy security and undermines the free and open Indo-Pacific energy market," the State Department said in a statement.

U.S.-South Korean military exercise to proceed: top South Korean official

A top South Korean official on Saturday said a U.S.-South Korean military exercise would go ahead as planned next month, denying Pyongyang's charges that holding it would breach an agreement made between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "The nature of the exercise is not offensive ... and is for strengthening the alliance," Choi Jong-kun, the secretary for peace planning to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, told the Aspen Institute's annual strategic forum.