U.S. President Barack Obama praised U.S.-Saudi ties Wednesday as he welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks at the White House. Mr. Obama said the United States and Saudi Arabia have an “extraordinary friendship.”
The Saudi officials were in Washington for a US-Persian Gulf leaders’ meeting. The summit begins late Wednesday with a dinner at the White House. Thursday, the meeting continues at Camp David the presidential home in Maryland.
Gunmen enter guest house in Kabul
Gunmen stormed a guesthouse in Afghanistan during a party for foreigners, killing five, including an American citizen. Another five people were wounded.
Kabul Police Chief Abdul Rahman said gunmen opened fire at the Park Palace Hotel at 8:30 in the evening. The siege ended five hours later when police killed three assailants and rescued dozens of foreigners.
The U. S. Embassy in Afghanistan confirmed one American citizen was killed but did not release that person's name.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, though the Taliban have attacked guesthouses in Kabul in the past.
North Korean defense minister reportedly executed
South Korean intelligence officials said Wednesday that North Korea executed its Armed Forces Minister, Hyon Yong Chol, late last month. The spy agency spoke to a South Korean parliamentary committee. They say disloyalty was an apparent reason for the reported execution. The agents said three other high-level North Korean officials also were executed.
The general’s execution was reportedly carried out with an anti-aircraft gun as hundreds of people watched.
Amtrak train was going too fast before crash
U.S. transportation officials say the Amtrak passenger train that crashed Tuesday night in Pennsylvania was traveling at more than 160 kilometers per hour. That is at least twice the permissible speed. The officials also said the engineer used full emergency brakes moments before the train went off the tracks.
The crash killed at least seven people. Another 200 were injured.