From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Byrd reporting.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that progress has been made in negotiations over trade and tariffs.
Speaking at the G-7 meeting in Quebec, Trump said that "a lot of progress" has been made in negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement.
"And we've made a lot of progress today. We'll see how it all works out. We've made a lot of progress. It could be that NAFTA will be a different form. It could be with Canada, with Mexico, one-on-one. Much simpler agreement, much easier to do. I think better for both countries but we're talking about that among other things."
Their sit-down comes days after Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico, and as talks over NAFTA appear to have ground to a halt.
Trudeau has called the new tariffs "totally unacceptable" and said they would permanently alter the bilateral relationship.
Anthony Bourdain, the globe-trotting celebrity chef and food critic, is dead at the age of 61.
Bourdain was found dead Friday morning by his friend, chef Éric Ripert, in Bourdain's hotel room in France.
He was working on an upcoming episode of his CNN series "Parts Unknown." According to the network, Bourdain committed suicide.
Amanda Kludt is the editor in chief of the Eater website.
"I think he was a brilliant social commentator, so he was an entertainer, he was a writer. But he also can get to the heart of any issue no matter what it was and he was to ??? speaker's mind and also examine himself and ??? thoughts on an issue."
Bourdain is the second high-profile celebrities to take their own life this week. Fashion designer Kate Spade hanged herself in her New York apartment.
This is VOA news.
The International Criminal Court Friday overturned the war crimes conviction of former Democratic Republic of Congo Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba, a huge blow to prosecutors that could also impact politics in his home country.
Presiding Judge Christine Van den Wijngaert said that Bemba, once the leader of Congo's main opposition party, could not be held criminally responsible for crimes carried out by troops under his control in CAR in 2002 and 2003.
The judge said that trial judges had failed to consider his efforts to stop crimes committed by his Movement for the Liberation of Congo once he became aware of them.
"In relation to the remaining criminal acts, it enters an acquittal because the errors found with respect to necessary and reasonable measures extinguish his responsibility in full. The hearing is now adjourned."
Bemba was one of only four people convicted by the permanent war crimes court in its 16 years of operation. He had been convicted of murder, rape and pillage for actions by fighters he sent to Central African Republic to back CAR's then-President Ange-Felix Patasse.
It was another day of violent protests on the border between Israel and Gaza Friday. Gaza health officials say at least four demonstrators were killed and hundreds wounded.
Robert Berger has more from Jerusalem.
Thousands of Palestinians held marches on the Gaza border, culminating two months of weekly Friday protests aimed at breaking an Israeli and Egyptian blockade.
As demonstrators approached the border, they were confronted by Israeli troops. Soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds and snipers used live ammunition to prevent a breach of the border fence.
Robert Berger, for VOA news, Jerusalem.
Five new members were elected to the U.N. Security Council Friday. U.N. General Assembly President Miroslav Lajčák announced the new members Friday afternoon.
"Having obtained a required two-thirds majority and the large number of votes, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Indonesia and South Africa are elected members of the Security Council for a two-year term beginning on the 1st January, 2019.
The five will join the 15-nation body responsible for maintaining international peace and security beginning January 1st of next year.
Wall Street finished the week with an up day. All three major indices were higher.
For more, visit our website. I'm David Byrd, VOA news.
