Jun 6, 2018

Giuliani says Kim Jong-un "begged" Trump to meet with him

Dave Lawler

Giuliani. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Rudy Giuliani said today that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un got “on his hands and knees and begged" for President Trump to reverse his decision to cancel their summit, the Wall Street Journal's Felicia Schwartz reports.

The backdrop: Giuliani was speaking at an investment conference in Israel. North Korea has watched statements from Trump's inner circle closely in the lead-up to the summit, reacting angrily to previous remarks from John Bolton and Mike Pence. As Axios' Jonathan Swan puts it: Trump’s legal mouthpiece continues to make potentially consequential and damaging remarks on foreign policy.

Go deeper

Axios

WHO won't call coronavirus a pandemic as cases spread

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens.

The World Health Organization will not yet call the coronavirus a pandemic, claiming that needs across affected countries are too varied and the classification would increase fear, per a briefing Monday.

The big picture: As South Korea and Italy stepped up emergency measures in efforts to thwart the spread of the virus, WHO expressed concern about infections with no clear link to China. COVID-19 has killed at least 2,620 people and infected almost 80,000 others, with all but 27 deaths occurring in mainland China.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 2 hours ago - Health
Dave Lawler

The global scramble to contain the coronavirus

Taking precaution, in the Philippines. Photo: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

The coronavirus is spreading quickly in cities nowhere near Wuhan, China, and the window to prevent a global pandemic is narrowing.

Zoom in: Here's a look at what comes with a coronavirus outbreak in communities outside China that have been hardest hit so far.

Go deeperArrow2 hours ago - World
Axios

Axios Dashboard

Keep up with breaking news throughout the day — sign up for our alerts.

Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy