Trump says he and China’s Xi will not meet before March 1 trade deadline

President Donald Trump said he did not plan to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a March 1 deadline set by the two countries to achieve a trade deal.

Asked by a reporter whether there would be a meeting before the deadline, Trump said: “No.”

When asked whether there would be a meeting in the next month or so, Trump said: “Not yet. Maybe.”

The remarks confirmed comments from administration officials who said the two men were unlikely to meet before the deadline, dampening hopes of a quick trade pact and sparking a drop in US stock markets.

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In Brussels, EU gives Britain’s Theresa May a glimpse of Brexit hope

British Prime Minister Theresa May came away from a day in an increasingly impatient Brussels on Thursday with a pledge of renewed talks that held out some hope for a new Brexit deal, if no sign of compromise yet.

Senior EU officials urged her to grasp an olive branch from Labour opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn that echoed EU proposals for a permanent EU-UK customs union as a way to end deadlock on the Irish border “backstop”.

But EU sources said May had given little sign of how she planned to secure parliamentary support.

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Saudi team ready to treat conjoined Yemeni twins

A Saudi medical team has offered to treat Yemeni conjoined twins following a plea from doctors in Yemen’s blockaded rebel-held capital for the newborns to receive specialist care abroad.

Abdelkhaleq and Abdelrahim were born outside Sanaa around 10 days ago and share a kidney and a pair of legs but have separate hearts and lungs.

The head of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Aid and Relief Centre, Abdullah al-Rabeeah, said he had a team that was prepared to treat them, and said arrangements were being made to transport Abdelkhaleq and Abdelrahim from Sanaa to the kingdom “as soon as possible”.

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Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro shows signs of pneumonia, hospital says

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro showed signs of pneumonia in a possible setback to a recovery from intestinal surgery, according to a hospital statement.

Tomography showed progress of the intestine after follow-up surgery late last month but also revealed “images consistent with pneumonia,” the report says.

Bolsonaro sought to play down any concern. “Careful with sensationalism. We are very calm, well and continue strong,” he wrote.

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Bafta suspends Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer’s nomination

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) has suspended Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer’s nomination for Sunday’s awards ceremony following allegations of sexual misconduct.

The 53-year-old was listed alongside producer Graham King and screenwriter Anthony McCarten for the Queen biopic’s nomination in the “Outstanding British Film” category.

But in a statement posted on its website, Bafta said it had informed Singer that his nomination had been suspended “in light of recent very serious allegations”.

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