News in Brief
N Korea satellite launch fails
AP – North Korea’s attempt to put its first reconnaissance satellite into space failed Wednesday.
After an unusually quick admission of failure, North Korea vowed to conduct a second launch after it learns what went wrong.
The South Korean military said it was salvaging an object presumed to be part of the crashed North Korean rocket in waters 200 kilometers west of the southwestern island of Eocheongdo.
Qatar PM, Taliban chief hold secret talks
REUTERS – The Qatari prime minister held secret talks with the leader of the Taliban this month on resolving tension with the international community, a source briefed on the meeting said, signaling a new willingness by Afghanistan’s rulers to discuss ways to end their isolation.
The May 12 meeting in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar is the first the reclusive Taliban chief is known to have held with a foreign leader.
US President Joe Biden’s administration was briefed on the talks and is “coordinating on all issues discussed” by the pair including furthering dialogue with the Taliban, said the source.
Republicans threaten to oust McCarthy over debt deal
POLITICO – Conservatives are threatening to oust Kevin McCarthy from the speakership over his recent deal with President Joe Biden.
Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) on Tuesday became the first House conservative to explicitly threaten the push.
The procedure would essentially trigger a vote of no confidence against McCarthy. It would only take one House member to decide to trigger the vote, which would then require a simple majority to oust the speaker.