IN BRIEF

Russia

Putin-Trump meeting possible

The Kremlin said on Monday there was talk of a possible meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump taking place before a G20 summit in July, but there was nothing specific to report so far. The two men have never met, but both have said they want to try to mend battered US-Russia ties, which fell to their lowest level since the Cold War.

Turkmenistan

President wins another term

Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has secured a third term in office by winning a landslide in Sunday's election, preliminary results showed on Monday. Berdymukhamedov has won 97.69 percent of the vote with a turnout of 97.27 percent, the Central Election Commission said. Berdymukhamedov, 59, has run country of five million people with an iron fist for a decade after succeeding Saparmurat Niyazov, who died in 2006.

Germany

Attack ruled out in airport closure

German authorities said on Sunday the leak of a corrosive substance through the air conditioning system at Hamburg airport was not an attack, adding that police were investigating the incident that forced the brief closure of the facility. Firefighters and ambulances were rushed to the scene after some 50 people at one terminal complained of eye irritation and breathing difficulties.

France

Carnival held behind barricades

Behind barricades, the city of Nice held its carnival on Saturday, keeping up tradition but taking precautions seven months after the Bastille Day truck attack that killed 86. Organizers of the Nice Carnival - one of the largest in Europe that has attracted almost 400,000 visitors this year - spent $320,000 beyond the $6.3 million budget to reinforce security.

Brazil

Police break eight-day strike

More than 1,200 police broke an eight-day strike on Sunday in a coastal Brazilian state that had seen a dramatic increase in homicides during the stoppage, but where the violence is now receding. The Espirito Santo state had saw chaotic looting, the closing of stores, school and hospitals and a sixfold increase in murders in the past week as police refused to work, demanding an increase in pay.

United States

Heavy snow to blanket Northeast

Heavy, wet snow is once again blanketing the Northeast just days after the biggest storm of the season dumped up to 48 centimeters of snow on the region. Winter storm warnings are in effect into Monday from upstate New York to Maine, where blizzard conditions and 60 cm of snow are possible.