Trump says Iran must open itself to inspection to verify it doesn’t restart its nuclear program

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify that it doesn’t restart its nuclear program. Asked during a White House news conference if he would demand during expected talks with Iran that the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, or some other organization be authorized to conduct inspections, Trump responded that the Islamic Republic would have to cooperate with the group “or somebody that we respect, including ourselves.” Earlier, Iran’s top diplomat said that the possibility of new negotiations with the United States on his country’s nuclear program has been “complicated” by the American attack on three of the sites, which he conceded caused “serious damage.”

Japan executes man convicted of murder for killing and dismembering 9 people

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Justice Ministry says a man convicted of murder for killing and dismembering nine people in his apartment near Tokyo was executed Friday. Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the “Twitter killer,” was sentenced to death in 2020 for the killings in 2017 of the nine victims, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on social media. He was hanged in high secrecy with nothing disclosed until the execution was done. The execution was carried out as calls grew to abolish the capital punishment following the acquittal of the world’s longest-serving death-row inmate Iwao Hakamada last year.

6 Americans detained in SKorea for trying to send rice and Bibles to NKorea by sea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Police have detained six Americans in South Korea for allegedly trying to send 1,600 plastic bottles filled with rice, U.S. dollars bills and Bibles toward North Korea by sea. Police said the Americans tried to throw the bottles into the sea so they could float toward North Korean shores by the tides. They were detained Friday to be investigated on allegations they violated a safety law. The police officers gave no further details on the Americans, including whether they had made previous attempts to send bottles toward North Korea. Activists floating plastic bottles or flying balloons carrying anti-North Korea propaganda across the border has long caused tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Flash floods in Pakistan kill 8 after deluge sweeps away dozens

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Flash floods triggered by pre-monsoon rains swept away dozens of tourists in northwest Pakistan on Friday, killing at least eight people. The nationwide death toll from rain-related incidents rose to 18 over the past 24 hours, officials said. Nearly 100 rescuers in various groups rescued a total of 58 people and were searching for the missing tourists who were swept away while picnicking along the Swat River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Shah Fahad, a spokesman for the provincial emergency service.