World News Summary: Typhoon in East Asia; Talks on Syria's Idlib and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Hong Kong, southern China clean up after super typhoon

The financial hub of Hong Kong began clearing up on Monday after being battered by one of the strongest typhoons in recent years, with financial markets and offices operating as normal. Super typhoon Mangkhut, with hurricane-force winds well over 200 kilometers per hour (124 miles/h), had barreled past the northern tip of the Philippines, killing at least 50 people. It then skirted south of Hong Kong and the neighboring gambling hub of Macau, before making landfall in China.

Ukrainians relive bloodshed of Kiev's Maidan in virtual reality

A volunteer medic and the man whose life he saved. A lawmaker whose Facebook post calling for protests in Kiev's Maidan square helped bring down a president. These are some of the characters featured in a virtual reality reconstruction of the bloodiest day in the 2013/2014 street demonstrations in Ukraine when dozens of protesters were killed in the final moments of Viktor Yanukovich's rule.

Turkey's Erdogan says meeting with Putin on Syria will bring 'new hope'

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that a joint statement on Syria due to be made after his meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin would bring "new hope" to the region. Erdogan was speaking to reporters before the two men met in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Russian Communists say election stolen by pro-Putin candidate

Hundreds of Russian Communist Party supporters took to the central square of Vladivostok on Monday to protest against what they said was the rigging of a regional election in favor of a politician backed by President Vladimir Putin. With 95 percent of votes counted on Sunday night, Kremlin-backed United Russia incumbent Andrei Tarasenko was trailing his Communist rival by around 5 percent. But on Monday, the local election commission said Tarasenko had won by just over 1 percent, an unlikely turnaround that the Communists said was evidence of rigging.

UK PM May cautions: Support my Brexit deal or face no deal

Prime Minister Theresa May cautioned rebels in her party that unless they support her potential Brexit deal with the EU then they will face a potentially disorderly "no-deal" exit that the IMF said would make the United Kingdom significantly poorer. The United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March 29 and yet little is clear: There is, so far, no full exit agreement and some rebels in May's Conservative Party have threatened to vote down a deal if she clinches one.

'Cuddled in Kim Jong Un's arms': North Koreans envisage unification ahead of summit

Sixteen-year-old Ri Jin Ryong, a member of North Korea's paramilitary Worker-Peasant Red Guards militia, says he has one message for South Koreans if the two countries ever reunite. "I will spread the word about how wonderful it is to be in our dear Marshal Kim Jong Un's arms," he told Reuters at Pyongyang's zoo, where he and other soldiers were given a day of recreation after participating in a grueling military parade before the North Korean leader on September 9.

Pakistan auctions cars in austerity drive, PM commutes by helicopter

Pakistan's new government on Monday began auctioning off about 100 government-owned vehicles as part of new Prime Minister Imran Khan's highly publicized cost-cutting drive, which has drawn mixed reviews. Auction official Mohammad Asif told Reuters the vehicles could bring in about 2 billion rupees ($16 million) to the cash-strapped government's coffers, although that estimate depends on finding buyers for four bullet-proof Mercedes, estimated in value together at 1 billion rupees.

U.S. Defense Secretary warns of Russian meddling in Macedonia referendum

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Russia on Monday of attempting to influence the outcome of a referendum in Macedonia on changing the country's name that would open the way for it to join NATO and the European Union. Speaking after talks in Skopje with Macedonia's leaders, Mattis also said the United States was looking to expand cybersecurity cooperation with the small Balkan country.

Iran says U.S. pullout from nuclear deal threatens regional peace

The U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal struck between Iran and major powers is "doomed" to seriously affect peace and security in the Middle East, Iran's atomic chief said on Monday. President Donald Trump announced in May that Washington was pulling out of the deal, which lifted international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities. Many fear the U.S. withdrawal will lead to the deal's collapse.

Exclusive: Pompeo seeks rapprochement with alienated U.S. diplomats

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has nearly doubled promotions of top American diplomats as he seeks to restore diplomatic ties with a workforce alienated by his predecessor, Rex Tillerson. Since taking over in April, Pompeo has lavished attention on diplomats demoralized by the former oil executive's distant management style, reluctance to consult in-house experts and inability to get personnel choices through President Donald Trump's White House.