Monday Morning Briefing

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Six month old Palestinian American Waleed Shehadeh rests on a blanket as he is photographed by family members in celebration of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr in Staten Island, New York, U.S., on June 25, 2017. REUTERS/Gabriela Bhaskar


Washington

 

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold their first face-to-face meeting in Washington on Monday, seeking to boost U.S.-Indian relations despite differences over trade, the Paris climate accord and immigration. Modi will try to strengthen ties that have appeared to loosen. Indian officials, noting both men's tendency to speak their mind, were anxious to see how they get along.

 

At a weekend event with conservative donors, top aides to Charles Koch, the billionaire energy magnate, said the Senate’s healthcare bill does not go far enough to dismantle Obamacare, and said they will lobby for changes to it.

 


Immigration

 

Thousands of people who fled to Canada to escape President Trump’s crackdown on illegal migrants have become trapped in legal limbo because of an overburdened refugee system, struggling to find work, permanent housing or enroll their children in schools.

 

A small border town and some of the largest cities in Texas will ask a federal judge on Monday to block a new state law to punish "sanctuary cities," arguing it promotes racial profiling, diverts resources from police and is unconstitutional.

 


Japan

 

A U.S. warship struck by a container vessel in Japanese waters failed to respond to warning signals or take evasive action before a collision that killed seven of its crew, according to a report of the incident by the Philippine cargo ship's captain. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are underway into how the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17.

 

COMMENTARY: Trump should go easy on North Korea over Warmbier death

 


China

 

The battle for full democracy in Hong Kong has been a defining issue for the city of 7.3 million. It has sown distrust between China and Hong Kong, polarized politics, hampered governance and stoked mass street protests, including the 79-day pro-democracy Occupy movement in 2014. In the process, a young generation has become radicalized, with some agitating for greater autonomy and even independence from China.

 


Philippines

 

The vice president of the Philippines expressed hope for a swift end to an urban siege by Islamist rebels, and offered support to displaced civilians. President Rodrigo Duterte, who’d normally conduct such a visit, has not been seen in public in six days.

 


UK

After Prime Minister Theresa May lost her majority in parliament with a failed gamble on a snap election, she’s tried to secure the backing of the small Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and its 10 lawmakers. Though talks have dragged, May drew closer to clinching a deal as she prepared to meet the party leader.

 


Colombia

 

Nine people died and 28 are missing after a multi-decked tourist boat carrying about 170 passengers sank in Colombia's Penol-Guatape reservoir on Sunday during the long holiday weekend, a government official said.

 


NYC Pride parade doubles as protest 

Participants hold up signs as they take part in the LGBT Pride March in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., June 25, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

 


Business

 

Italy began winding up two failed regional banks in a deal that could cost the state up to 17 billion euros ($19 billion) and will leave the lenders' good assets in the hands of Intesa, the nation's biggest retail bank. Intensa said its planned acquisition of the good assets of Banca Popolare di Vicenza and Veneto Banca could lead to the closure of around 600 branches and the departure, on a voluntary basis, of around 3,900 staff.

 

Japan's Takata Corp, the firm at the center of the auto industry's biggest ever product recall, filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States and Japan, and said it would be bought for $1.6 billion by U.S.-based rival Key Safety Systems.

 

Deutsche Bank appointed Borislav Ivanov as chief country officer for Russia and chairman of its local board. Ivanov, who is moving from his position as Deutsche Bank head in Ukraine, is replacing Annett Viehweg, but has yet to get regulatory approval.

 

The oil industry faces a bottleneck holding back resurgent domestic oil production - an outmoded U.S. distribution system. Pipeline construction often lags production booms by years - if proposed lines are built at all - because of opposition from environmentalists and landowners, topographic obstacles, and permitting and construction challenges. That forces drillers to limit output or ship oil domestically, usually by rail - which is more costly and arguably less safe.

 


Entertainment

 

Facebook is in talks with Hollywood studios about producing scripted, TV-quality shows, with an aim of launching original programming by late summer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.