AFP, Hanoi
Vietnam’s premier has said his country is willing to host a much-anticipated second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
One of North Korea’s top generals Kim Yong Chol is expected to meet with Trump at the White House on Friday to hash out details of a second meeting with Kim, including a potential venue.
Peace talks with Taliban soon: US envoy
Reuters, Kabul
The U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan on Wednesday said talks with the Taliban will “happen very soon” but if the insurgents continue to fight then American forces would support Afghan forces in the war.
Talks between the Taliban and American officials have hit a roadblock after the hardline Islamic militants canceled the fourth round of peace talks last week and rejected the involvement of the Afghan government in the dialogue.
German parliament moves to deter migrants from 4 nations
AP, Berlin
German lawmakers have approved a government plan to declare three North African nations and Georgia safe countries of origin, a move meant to deter migrants from those countries and streamline the handling of asylum applications.
Parliament’s lower house on Friday voted 509-138, with four abstentions, to back declaring Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Georgia safe countries.
Sweden votes for Lofven, ends
political deadlock
AP, Copenhagen
A center-left minority government led by the current caretaker Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven, was approved Friday by Swedish lawmakers, ending a four-month political deadlock.The vote in Riksdagen, or parliament, was 153-115 in favor of Lofven, with 77 abstentions. His own Social Democrats and the Greens backed him and the center-right bloc voted against, while three smaller parties abstained in Friday’s ballot.
Diplomat to run for Slovak President
Reuters, Bratislava
Career diplomat and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said on Friday he would run for president of Slovakia in March’s election, backed by the ruling Smer party. Poll-leading Smer has sought a fresh candidate for the election, having lost some support in the past year after the murder of an investigative journalist stoked public anger over perceived corruption in the central European state
Algeria Presidential poll on Apr 18
Reuters, Algiers
Algeria will hold a presidential election on April 18, the presidency said on Friday, although it did not say whether veteran leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika would stand as a candidate.
Bouteflika, 81, has been in office since 1999 and has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, since when he has used a wheelchair. Algeria’s ruling coalition has previously urged him to run again for the presidency.
