Kushner meets Erdogan on Israel-Palestinian peace plan
Reuters, Ankara
White House adviser Jared Kushner discussed his Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, and the two also discussed increasing U.S.-Turkish cooperation and ways to boost economic conditions in the region.
Kushner, who has responsibility for Washington’s Israel-Palestinian policy, has said the peace plan will address final-status issues of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, including establishing borders.
US-Taliban talks in Qatar to resume Saturday
AP, Doha
The U.S. envoy leading the talks with the Taliban says the negotiations have been put on hold until this weekend.
Zalmay Khalilzad wrote on Twitter on Thursday that “both sides will take the next two days for internal deliberations, with plans to regroup on Saturday.” Khalilzad described the last three days of talks as “solid” and “productive.”
4 reporters excluded from Trump-Kim dinner
Reuters, Hanoi
The White House barred reporters from Reuters, the Associated Press, Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times from covering a dinner between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday after two of them asked Trump questions during his initial interactions with Kim. The reporters are part of the White House press pool, which covers the US president wherever he goes.
Pak judge critically wounded in gun attack
AP, Peshawar
Pakistani police say gunmen riding on a motorcycle have opened fire on a car carrying a judge of the Peshawar High Court, wounding him and his driver before fleeing.
Senior police officer Wasim Riaz says Thursday’s incident took place in the Hayatabad neighborhood in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. No one has immediately claimed responsibility and Judge Mohammad Ayub is listed in critical condition at a hospital.
