World News Summary: Afghanistan suicide attack; Bannon's anti-EU crusade looks north

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Afghanistan suicide attack causes dozens of casualties as violence flares

A suicide bomber in Afghanistan killed at least 25 people at a gathering on Tuesday on the highway between the eastern city of Jalalabad and the main border crossing into neighboring Pakistan, officials said. The blast, less than a week after a suicide attack killed more than 20 people in the capital, Kabul, came as violence has flared across the nation, with heavy fighting in northern provinces.

UK finance minister says time running out on Brexit; BoE governor to stay on

Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond said on Tuesday time was running out to secure a Brexit deal and confirmed that Bank of England Governor Mark Carney had agreed to stay to help the country through "a turbulent period" for its economy. Hammond said the government was devoting all its efforts to securing a deal on a new relationship with the European Union before Britain leaves the bloc in March next year but admitted the clock was ticking.

As Sweden swings right, Bannon's anti-EU crusade looks north

Having found an ally in the south and an admirer in the east, Donald Trump's former political strategist Steve Bannon is now looking north for recruits in his crusade to undermine the European Union. And he believes the timing is perfect after famously liberal Sweden voted in record numbers on Sunday for a far-right party that wants a referendum on leaving the 28-nation bloc.

North Korea's Kim asks Trump for another meeting in 'very warm' letter

U.S. President Donald Trump received a "very warm, very positive" letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un asking for a second meeting and the White House is looking at scheduling one, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Monday. The two countries have been discussing North Korea's nuclear programs since their leaders met in Singapore in June, although that summit's outcome was criticized for being short on concrete details about how and whether Kim is willing to give up weapons that threaten the United States.

Lebanon's PM-designate Hariri says not seeking revenge for father's murder

Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said on Tuesday he is not seeking revenge for the 2005 bombing that killed his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, and will act to preserve stability in his country. He made the comments as prosecutors presented closing arguments in the case before a United Nations-backed tribunal against four suspects accused of carrying out the attack that killed Hariri and 21 others.

Wife of Pakistan's jailed ex-PM Nawaz Sharif dies in London

The cancer-stricken wife of Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif died in London on Tuesday while her husband and daughter were in jail, officials said. Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif, 68, died after months in a coma. She was diagnosed with lymphoma last year, barely a month after Nawaz Sharif was removed from office by the Pakistan Supreme Court after being ordered to face trial in an anti-corruption court.

International court says it is undeterred after Bolton threatens U.S. sanctions

The International Criminal Court said on Tuesday it would "continue to do its work undeterred" a day after U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton threatened sanctions if the tribunal investigated U.S. activities in Afghanistan. The Hague-based court said in a statement it was an independent and impartial institution with the backing of 123 countries.

Russia the main suspect in U.S. diplomats' illness in Cuba: NBC

Russia is the main suspect in U.S. agencies' investigation of mysterious illnesses in American personnel in Cuba and China, NBC News reported on Tuesday. Evidence from communications intercepts has pointed to Moscow's involvement during the investigation involving the FBI, CIA and other agencies, NBC reported, citing three unidentified U.S. officials and two other people briefed on the probe.

Palestinians says U.S. attacks international law with U.N. funding cuts

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said on Tuesday U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to halt funding to U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA was an attack on international law. The U.S. decision has left UNRWA seeking a shortfall of $200 million from Gulf and European states and has further strained tensions between the Trump administration and Palestinian leadership.

Pompeo said U.S. won't block Pakistan if it seeks IMF bailout: Pakistani minister

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured Pakistan last week Washington would not try to block any request for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday. The remarks, which Chaudhry said Pompeo made during his visit to Pakistan on Wednesday, come in stark contrast to Pompeo's warnings in July that the United States had serious reservations about the IMF giving money to Pakistan due to concerns Islamabad would use the cash to pay off Chinese loans.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)