Senate won’t block easing of sanctions

WASHINGTON — Republican senators on Wednesday successfully defended the Trump administration’s plan to lift sanctions on companies controlled by a Vladimir Putin ally — despite the defection of nearly a dozen Republicans who broke ranks to vote with the Democrats.

The Democratic effort to block the relaxation of sanctions on the companies of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska fell just a few votes shy of the 60 needed to advance the resolution to a final vote, even after attracting the support of 11 Republican senators, including Marco Rubio of Florida, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.

The defeat means the Treasury Department is likely to lift the sanctions in the coming days.

The U.S. sanctioned Mr. Deripaska and his companies in 2018, among a group of Russian elites the U.S. said had furthered “the Kremlin’s global malign activities, including its attempts to subvert Western democracy.”

2nd Trump-Kim summit

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump could announce a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as soon as Friday, following an expected meeting at the White House with a North Korean envoy, U.S. and Asian diplomats said Wednesday.

Mr. Kim’s lead negotiator, former spymaster Kim Yong Chol, is expected to carry a letter from the North Korean dictator to Mr. Trump when he travels to Washington this week. He is expected to meet the president Friday, in what would be a repeat of an unusual diplomatic move ahead of the first summit between the two leaders in June.

The administration has not announced the envoy’s visit, which comes amid wrangling within the administration over terms for a second Trump-Kim meeting and the promised eradication of North Korea’s nuclear weapons.

Zimbabwe pastor arrested

Evan Mawarire, a renowned Zimbabwe pastor and activist, was arrested at his home in Harare on Wednesday, his lawyer told CNN.

Rev. Mawarire’s arrest comes following three days of protests against hiked fuel prices in Zimbabwe.

“They are alleging he is inciting violence through Twitter and other forms of social media,” Beatrice Mtetwa told CNN.

In April 2016, Rev. Mawarire caused controversy when he draped himself in a Zimbabwean flag and railed against the government in an online video.