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Video and audio recordings from a fatal tourist boat accident in Missouri show that the lake went from calm to deadly dangerous in a matter of minutes, the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday.

The NTSB cited preliminary findings gathered from the video recorder camera system salvaged by divers after the duck boat sank July 19 at Table Rock Lake near Branson. Seventeen of the 31 people on board died, including nine family members from Indianapolis.

The material was examined at a lab in Washington, but the agency has not yet analyzed the findings, and no conclusions about the cause of the accident, one of the nation’s worst maritime accidents in recent decades, have been drawn.

Frightening scene

The findings, though, paint a chilling picture of the final few minutes before the boat went under.

The captain and driver boarded the vessel at 6:27 p.m. The excursion begins on land at a terminal in Branson. Normally, the vessel tours the popular country music and entertainment community first before going to the lake for about a 20-minute boat ride. The driver drives the vehicle on land, and the captain takes over on the water.

But the video recordings show that at 6:28 p.m., someone briefly stepped onto the rear of the vehicle and told the crew to take the water portion of the tour first. A minute later, with passengers boarding, the captain made a reference to looking at the weather radar prior to the trip.

The vessel arrived at the lake a few minutes before 7 p.m. and the captain briefed passengers on the location of emergency exits and life jackets, then demonstrated use of life jackets and pointed out the location of life rings.

The vessel entered the water around 6:55 p.m. at a time when the water appeared calm, the NTSB said. In fact, over the next five minutes the captain allowed four different children to sit in the driver’s seat.

But suddenly just after 7 p.m., whitecaps rapidly appeared on the water and winds increased, the NTSB said. The captain returned to the driver’s seat.

The driver lowered plastic side curtains and at 7:01 p.m. the captain made a comment about the storm.

Alarm sounds

At 7:03 p.m. the captain made a call on a hand-held radio but the content was unintelligible. A minute later, an electronic tone associated with the bilge alarm activated; about a minute later, the captain reached down and the alarm stopped.

The captain made another call on a hand-held radio at 7:05 but the content was again unintelligible.

Over the next couple of minutes, water splashed inside the passenger compartment.

At 7:07 p.m. an electronic tone associated with the bilge alarm activated again.

At 7:08 p.m. the inward-facing video recording ended as the vessel was still on the surface of the water.

Phone and email messages left with a spokeswoman for Ripley Entertainment, the owner of Ride the Ducks of Branson, were not immediately returned.

A private inspector who examined 24 duck boats for Ripley Entertainment in August, including the one that sank, said that when the bilge alarm went off, it would be a sign that “there’s a significant amount of water in the hull.”

“It just wasn’t getting evacuated,” said Steve Paul, owner of Test Drive Technologies in the St. Louis area.
…

Video and audio recordings from a fatal tourist boat accident in Missouri show that the lake went from calm to deadly dangerous in a matter of minutes, the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday.

The NTSB cited preliminary findings gathered from the video recorder camera system salvaged by divers after the duck boat sank July 19 at Table Rock Lake near Branson. Seventeen of the 31 people on board died, including nine family members from Indianapolis.

The material was examined at a lab in Washington, but the agency has not yet analyzed the findings, and no conclusions about the cause of the accident, one of the nation’s worst maritime accidents in recent decades, have been drawn.

Frightening scene

The findings, though, paint a chilling picture of the final few minutes before the boat went under.

The captain and driver boarded the vessel at 6:27 p.m. The excursion begins on land at a terminal in Branson. Normally, the vessel tours the popular country music and entertainment community first before going to the lake for about a 20-minute boat ride. The driver drives the vehicle on land, and the captain takes over on the water.

But the video recordings show that at 6:28 p.m., someone briefly stepped onto the rear of the vehicle and told the crew to take the water portion of the tour first. A minute later, with passengers boarding, the captain made a reference to looking at the weather radar prior to the trip.

The vessel arrived at the lake a few minutes before 7 p.m. and the captain briefed passengers on the location of emergency exits and life jackets, then demonstrated use of life jackets and pointed out the location of life rings.

The vessel entered the water around 6:55 p.m. at a time when the water appeared calm, the NTSB said. In fact, over the next five minutes the captain allowed four different children to sit in the driver’s seat.

But suddenly just after 7 p.m., whitecaps rapidly appeared on the water and winds increased, the NTSB said. The captain returned to the driver’s seat.

The driver lowered plastic side curtains and at 7:01 p.m. the captain made a comment about the storm.

Alarm sounds

At 7:03 p.m. the captain made a call on a hand-held radio but the content was unintelligible. A minute later, an electronic tone associated with the bilge alarm activated; about a minute later, the captain reached down and the alarm stopped.

The captain made another call on a hand-held radio at 7:05 but the content was again unintelligible.

Over the next couple of minutes, water splashed inside the passenger compartment.

At 7:07 p.m. an electronic tone associated with the bilge alarm activated again.

At 7:08 p.m. the inward-facing video recording ended as the vessel was still on the surface of the water.

Phone and email messages left with a spokeswoman for Ripley Entertainment, the owner of Ride the Ducks of Branson, were not immediately returned.

A private inspector who examined 24 duck boats for Ripley Entertainment in August, including the one that sank, said that when the bilge alarm went off, it would be a sign that “there’s a significant amount of water in the hull.”

“It just wasn’t getting evacuated,” said Steve Paul, owner of Test Drive Technologies in the St. Louis area.
…

The Taliban has confirmed that it held direct talks with the United States in Qatar this week on finding a negotiated end to the 17-year war in Afghanistan. 

A senior Taliban official told VOA on Friday that Alice Wells, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, led the American delegation in the meeting in Doha.

The insurgent official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained the “preliminary” dialogue focused merely on “laying the groundwork for future contacts and meetings” between the Taliban and the U.S. 

“The overall atmosphere of the meeting was very good and the discussions were also productive,” said the Taliban official,but he shared no further details.

Reports of Monday’s landmark meeting in the Qatari capital appeared in American newspapers earlier this week but neither U.S. officials nor the Taliban directly commented on them until now.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the reported meeting with the Afghan insurgency.

No comment from U.S.

“The United States is exploring all avenues to advance a peace process in close consultation with the Afghan government,” said a State Department official when asked for a reaction to reports of talks with the Taliban.

The official made it clear that the Afghan government was fully involved in the effort to jump-start peace talks. “Any negotiations over the political future of Afghanistan will be between the Taliban and Afghan government,” said the State Department official.

The Afghan Taliban has been informally operating a political office in Doha for several years.

The Islamist insurgency had long called for direct talks with Washington. The Taliban insists the U.S., and not the Afghan government, has the authority to determine a timetable for all American and NATO troops to withdraw from Afghanistan.

First significant step

This week’s Qatar talks marked the first significant step toward starting an Afghan peace and reconciliation process since a single round of talks was held between Afghan and Taliban officials in Pakistan in 2015, with U.S. and China also in attendance as observers.

U.S. officials are reported as saying Monday’s engagement with the Taliban was aimed at building on momentum generated by last month’s unprecedented temporary cease-fires the Afghan government and the Islamist insurgency observed during three-day Eid festivities last month.

The meeting in Doha came as the Afghan government is considering another unilateral ceasefire with the insurgents during the upcoming Eid festival in August to encourage the Taliban to come to the table for peace talks. 

 
…

The Taliban has confirmed that it held direct talks with the United States in Qatar this week on finding a negotiated end to the 17-year war in Afghanistan. 

A senior Taliban official told VOA on Friday that Alice Wells, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, led the American delegation in the meeting in Doha.

The insurgent official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained the “preliminary” dialogue focused merely on “laying the groundwork for future contacts and meetings” between the Taliban and the U.S. 

“The overall atmosphere of the meeting was very good and the discussions were also productive,” said the Taliban official,but he shared no further details.

Reports of Monday’s landmark meeting in the Qatari capital appeared in American newspapers earlier this week but neither U.S. officials nor the Taliban directly commented on them until now.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the reported meeting with the Afghan insurgency.

No comment from U.S.

“The United States is exploring all avenues to advance a peace process in close consultation with the Afghan government,” said a State Department official when asked for a reaction to reports of talks with the Taliban.

The official made it clear that the Afghan government was fully involved in the effort to jump-start peace talks. “Any negotiations over the political future of Afghanistan will be between the Taliban and Afghan government,” said the State Department official.

The Afghan Taliban has been informally operating a political office in Doha for several years.

The Islamist insurgency had long called for direct talks with Washington. The Taliban insists the U.S., and not the Afghan government, has the authority to determine a timetable for all American and NATO troops to withdraw from Afghanistan.

First significant step

This week’s Qatar talks marked the first significant step toward starting an Afghan peace and reconciliation process since a single round of talks was held between Afghan and Taliban officials in Pakistan in 2015, with U.S. and China also in attendance as observers.

U.S. officials are reported as saying Monday’s engagement with the Taliban was aimed at building on momentum generated by last month’s unprecedented temporary cease-fires the Afghan government and the Islamist insurgency observed during three-day Eid festivities last month.

The meeting in Doha came as the Afghan government is considering another unilateral ceasefire with the insurgents during the upcoming Eid festival in August to encourage the Taliban to come to the table for peace talks. 

 
…

A fire official says an explosive wildfire in Northern California has killed a bulldozer operator as he fought to contain the blaze and injured three firefighters.

Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean says the Carr Fire in Shasta County burned over the bulldozer operator, who was hired privately, and his equipment. He says the man’s body was found late Thursday.

McLean said flames blew through the communities of Shasta and Keswick before jumping the Sacramento River and reaching Redding, a city of about 92,000 people — the largest in the region.

He said many people in Redding didn’t seem prepared for the blaze to reach their city.

“When it hit, people were really scrambling,” he said. “There was not much of a warning.”

Traffic out of the city was backed up, with drives that normally take 20 minutes reaching 2½ hours as residents fled to safety, he said.

McLean said an unknown number of firefighters and civilians were injured. He didn’t know the seriousness.

​Flames jumping fire lines 

Firefighters tried in vain to build containment around the blaze Thursday but flames kept jumping their lines, McLean said.

“It’s just a heck of a fight,” he said. “They’re doing what they can do and they get pushed out in a lot of cases. We’re fighting the fight right now.”

The 45-square-mile (115-square-kilometer) Carr Fire that began Monday tripled in size overnight Thursday amid scorching temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions.

Boats burn on a lake

Earlier in the day with flames exploding around Whiskeytown Lake, an effort to save boats at a marina by untying them from moorings and pushing them to safety, wasn’t swift enough to spare them all.

Dozens of charred, twisted and melted boats were among the losses at Oak Bottom Marina.

“The only buildings left standing … right now are the fire station and a couple of restrooms,” said Fire Chief Mike Hebrard of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “The boat docks down there — all the way out in the water — 30 to 40 boats caught fire when the fire laid down on top of them last night and burned those up.”

​Parks workers save artifacts

In the historic Gold Rush-era town of Shasta, state parks employees worked through the early morning to rescue artifacts from a museum as the blaze advanced.

Matt Teague, an acting district superintendent for state parks, drove an hour and half in the middle of the night to help employees of the park and volunteers rescue historic paintings, prints and other artifacts from the museum housed in the 1861 courthouse.

The fire’s faint glow was visible when he arrived at 3 a.m. and it kept getting brighter, he said.

Just before dawn, the flames had gotten close enough that they were about to evacuate when the fire changed direction and began burning to the north, he said.

That bought them five more hours to collect the most precious items until late morning when it became too dangerous and they were told they had to leave.

“We were on our toes the whole time, to be honest with you,” Teague said. “We didn’t get everything. We didn’t have time.”

Fire burn throughout California

Wildfires throughout the state have burned through tinder-dry brush and forest, forced thousands to evacuate homes and forced campers to pack up their tents at the height of summer. Gov. Jerry Brown declared states of emergency for the three largest fires, which will authorize the state to rally resources to local governments.

A huge forest fire continued to grow outside Yosemite National Park. About 100 homes were still under threat in the San Francisco Bay community of Clayton, although firefighters had stopped the progress of a small fire there after one house burned.

Hundreds of miles to the south, winds picked up and sent flames rushing downhill on the flanks of Southern California’s Mount San Jacinto.

Helicopters making water drops and air tankers pouring red flame retardant circled overhead as flames burned both sides of the main road leading to the scenic town of Idyllwild.

The blaze erupted Wednesday and quickly turned into a wall of flame that torched timber and dry brush. In a matter of hours, the so-called Cranston Fire grew to 7.5 square miles (19 square kilometers).

About 3,000 residents were under evacuation orders Thursday in Idyllwild and several neighboring communities.
…

A fire official says an explosive wildfire in Northern California has killed a bulldozer operator as he fought to contain the blaze and injured three firefighters.

Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean says the Carr Fire in Shasta County burned over the bulldozer operator, who was hired privately, and his equipment. He says the man’s body was found late Thursday.

McLean said flames blew through the communities of Shasta and Keswick before jumping the Sacramento River and reaching Redding, a city of about 92,000 people — the largest in the region.

He said many people in Redding didn’t seem prepared for the blaze to reach their city.

“When it hit, people were really scrambling,” he said. “There was not much of a warning.”

Traffic out of the city was backed up, with drives that normally take 20 minutes reaching 2½ hours as residents fled to safety, he said.

McLean said an unknown number of firefighters and civilians were injured. He didn’t know the seriousness.

​Flames jumping fire lines 

Firefighters tried in vain to build containment around the blaze Thursday but flames kept jumping their lines, McLean said.

“It’s just a heck of a fight,” he said. “They’re doing what they can do and they get pushed out in a lot of cases. We’re fighting the fight right now.”

The 45-square-mile (115-square-kilometer) Carr Fire that began Monday tripled in size overnight Thursday amid scorching temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions.

Boats burn on a lake

Earlier in the day with flames exploding around Whiskeytown Lake, an effort to save boats at a marina by untying them from moorings and pushing them to safety, wasn’t swift enough to spare them all.

Dozens of charred, twisted and melted boats were among the losses at Oak Bottom Marina.

“The only buildings left standing … right now are the fire station and a couple of restrooms,” said Fire Chief Mike Hebrard of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “The boat docks down there — all the way out in the water — 30 to 40 boats caught fire when the fire laid down on top of them last night and burned those up.”

​Parks workers save artifacts

In the historic Gold Rush-era town of Shasta, state parks employees worked through the early morning to rescue artifacts from a museum as the blaze advanced.

Matt Teague, an acting district superintendent for state parks, drove an hour and half in the middle of the night to help employees of the park and volunteers rescue historic paintings, prints and other artifacts from the museum housed in the 1861 courthouse.

The fire’s faint glow was visible when he arrived at 3 a.m. and it kept getting brighter, he said.

Just before dawn, the flames had gotten close enough that they were about to evacuate when the fire changed direction and began burning to the north, he said.

That bought them five more hours to collect the most precious items until late morning when it became too dangerous and they were told they had to leave.

“We were on our toes the whole time, to be honest with you,” Teague said. “We didn’t get everything. We didn’t have time.”

Fire burn throughout California

Wildfires throughout the state have burned through tinder-dry brush and forest, forced thousands to evacuate homes and forced campers to pack up their tents at the height of summer. Gov. Jerry Brown declared states of emergency for the three largest fires, which will authorize the state to rally resources to local governments.

A huge forest fire continued to grow outside Yosemite National Park. About 100 homes were still under threat in the San Francisco Bay community of Clayton, although firefighters had stopped the progress of a small fire there after one house burned.

Hundreds of miles to the south, winds picked up and sent flames rushing downhill on the flanks of Southern California’s Mount San Jacinto.

Helicopters making water drops and air tankers pouring red flame retardant circled overhead as flames burned both sides of the main road leading to the scenic town of Idyllwild.

The blaze erupted Wednesday and quickly turned into a wall of flame that torched timber and dry brush. In a matter of hours, the so-called Cranston Fire grew to 7.5 square miles (19 square kilometers).

About 3,000 residents were under evacuation orders Thursday in Idyllwild and several neighboring communities.
…

U.S. President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen said that Trump knew in advance about a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower at which Russians offered to provide damaging information about his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, CNN reported Thursday.

CNN, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter, said Cohen is willing to make that assertion to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the U.S. 2016 presidential campaign.

“He cannot be believed,” Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for Trump, told Reuters Thursday, referring to Cohen. “If they rely on him … it would destroy whatever case they have.” Giuliani was referring to Mueller’s investigation.

Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. His attorney Lanny Davis declined to comment.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment.

Nicholas Biase, a spokesman for Manhattan federal prosecutors, also declined to comment.

Cohen under investigation

Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating Cohen for possible bank and tax fraud, and for possible campaign law violations linked to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who has claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump, and other matters related to Trump’s campaign, a person familiar with the investigation has told Reuters.

Cohen has not been charged with any crime. Trump has denied having had an encounter with Daniels.

Previously Trump has denied knowing in advance that the meeting was going to take place, and he has denied that there was any collusion between his campaign and Russia. Moscow has denied meddling in the election.

​Trump Tower meeting

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and senior campaign aide Paul Manafort took part in the meeting with Nataliya Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer and acknowledged Kremlin informant.

Donald Trump Jr. told investigators from the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2017 that he did not tell his father about the meeting beforehand, according to documents released by the committee.

Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization and Donald Trump Jr., told Reuters, “Donald Trump Jr. has been professional and responsible throughout the Mueller and congressional investigations. We are very confident of the accuracy and reliability of the information that has been provided by Mr. Trump, Jr., and on his behalf.”
…

U.S. President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen said that Trump knew in advance about a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower at which Russians offered to provide damaging information about his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, CNN reported Thursday.

CNN, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter, said Cohen is willing to make that assertion to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the U.S. 2016 presidential campaign.

“He cannot be believed,” Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for Trump, told Reuters Thursday, referring to Cohen. “If they rely on him … it would destroy whatever case they have.” Giuliani was referring to Mueller’s investigation.

Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. His attorney Lanny Davis declined to comment.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment.

Nicholas Biase, a spokesman for Manhattan federal prosecutors, also declined to comment.

Cohen under investigation

Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating Cohen for possible bank and tax fraud, and for possible campaign law violations linked to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who has claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump, and other matters related to Trump’s campaign, a person familiar with the investigation has told Reuters.

Cohen has not been charged with any crime. Trump has denied having had an encounter with Daniels.

Previously Trump has denied knowing in advance that the meeting was going to take place, and he has denied that there was any collusion between his campaign and Russia. Moscow has denied meddling in the election.

​Trump Tower meeting

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and senior campaign aide Paul Manafort took part in the meeting with Nataliya Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer and acknowledged Kremlin informant.

Donald Trump Jr. told investigators from the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2017 that he did not tell his father about the meeting beforehand, according to documents released by the committee.

Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization and Donald Trump Jr., told Reuters, “Donald Trump Jr. has been professional and responsible throughout the Mueller and congressional investigations. We are very confident of the accuracy and reliability of the information that has been provided by Mr. Trump, Jr., and on his behalf.”
…

Mexico and the United States agreed Thursday to step up talks on updating the NAFTA trade deal in hopes of reaching an agreement on major issues by August, Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo said.

Guajardo said he had “constructive” and “very positive” talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner.

North American Free Trade Agreement talks among the United States, Mexico and Canada had stalled since June when the United States slapped tariffs on Mexican and Canadian steel and aluminum and both countries responded with tit-for-tat measures on products like U.S. pork, ketchup and Kentucky bourbon.

Deal by August

Guajardo told reporters after the talks in Washington that he and Lighthizer agreed they would need to get to work in order to reach a deal by August.

“We agree that in order to align the times and to eventually reach an agreement in principle, we should give ourselves the opportunity to move forward and try to bring this to fruition,” Guajardo said.

Lighthizer told U.S. lawmakers earlier Thursday that he expected to reach a deal with Mexico “some time in August” and that an agreement with Canada on NAFTA could follow.

Trump has suggested he could seek a bilateral deal with Mexico, but Guajardo said the U.S.-Mexico talks would lead to discussions with Canada and “a trilateral dialogue when we get closer to the conclusion.”

Trilateral pact

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Mexico Wednesday and she and Guajardo insisted that NAFTA remain a trilateral pact.

Both reiterated their opposition to U.S. calls for a “sunset clause” that would put the deal forming one of the world’s largest trading blocs up for renewal every five years.

U.S. demands for sweeping changes in the auto sector have also been a stumbling block.

“The idea is to face complex issues,” Guajardo told reporters Thursday before meeting Lighthizer.

The talks to revamp NAFTA began in August 2017 at the request of Trump, who threatened to leave the pact if he did not get more benefits for U.S. workers.

Election complicates talks

The run-up to Mexico’s July presidential election, where leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won in a landslide, had also complicated holding talks.

Guajardo was joined Thursday by Jesus Seade, whom Lopez Obrador has chosen as his lead trade negotiator. Trump told Lopez Obrador in a letter that a quick conclusion to NAFTA talks would bring more jobs for both countries, but warned of a very different route otherwise.
…

Mexico and the United States agreed Thursday to step up talks on updating the NAFTA trade deal in hopes of reaching an agreement on major issues by August, Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo said.

Guajardo said he had “constructive” and “very positive” talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner.

North American Free Trade Agreement talks among the United States, Mexico and Canada had stalled since June when the United States slapped tariffs on Mexican and Canadian steel and aluminum and both countries responded with tit-for-tat measures on products like U.S. pork, ketchup and Kentucky bourbon.

Deal by August

Guajardo told reporters after the talks in Washington that he and Lighthizer agreed they would need to get to work in order to reach a deal by August.

“We agree that in order to align the times and to eventually reach an agreement in principle, we should give ourselves the opportunity to move forward and try to bring this to fruition,” Guajardo said.

Lighthizer told U.S. lawmakers earlier Thursday that he expected to reach a deal with Mexico “some time in August” and that an agreement with Canada on NAFTA could follow.

Trump has suggested he could seek a bilateral deal with Mexico, but Guajardo said the U.S.-Mexico talks would lead to discussions with Canada and “a trilateral dialogue when we get closer to the conclusion.”

Trilateral pact

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Mexico Wednesday and she and Guajardo insisted that NAFTA remain a trilateral pact.

Both reiterated their opposition to U.S. calls for a “sunset clause” that would put the deal forming one of the world’s largest trading blocs up for renewal every five years.

U.S. demands for sweeping changes in the auto sector have also been a stumbling block.

“The idea is to face complex issues,” Guajardo told reporters Thursday before meeting Lighthizer.

The talks to revamp NAFTA began in August 2017 at the request of Trump, who threatened to leave the pact if he did not get more benefits for U.S. workers.

Election complicates talks

The run-up to Mexico’s July presidential election, where leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won in a landslide, had also complicated holding talks.

Guajardo was joined Thursday by Jesus Seade, whom Lopez Obrador has chosen as his lead trade negotiator. Trump told Lopez Obrador in a letter that a quick conclusion to NAFTA talks would bring more jobs for both countries, but warned of a very different route otherwise.
…