World News in Brief: June 27

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked the Group of 20 (G20) leaders to promote equitable growth. The UN chief himself will attend the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28-29 and will meet bilaterally with world leaders.

* Over 5,000 people have been evacuated over the past 24 hours after a volcanic eruption in the West New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG), which sent a plume of ash 19 km into the sky.

* The first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo opened Thursday in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. The three-day event has attracted more than 10,000 guests and traders, including those from 53 African countries, according to the organizing committee.

* Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump will hold a meeting on June 28 on the sidelines of the G20 summit, during which they will discuss a number of bilateral and regional issues, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday (June 26).

* Answering reporters on Wednesday at the White House before heading toward the G20 summit in the Japanese city of Osaka slated on June 28-29, US President Donald Trump said that he will not meet with the Chairman of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un during his Asia trip.

* Venezuelan officials have derailed "violent plots" to overthrow the government, which included one to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, Communications and Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said Wednesday.

* US President Donald Trump may visit Turkey in July, Turkey's President Tayip Erdogan said in an interview in Japan where he will attend the G20 summit and is expected to meet with his American counterpart.

* The Czech minority government led by the populist ANO party on Thursday survived a vote of no confidence called by the opposition, after a series of public protests against Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

* Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday dismissed US offer for talks on mutual prickly issues as "deception." He also stressed that Iranian nation will not step back in the face of "cruel" US sanctions.

* Mexican police detained 101 unauthorized Central American migrants during two operations in eastern Mexican state of Veracruz, the authorities said Wednesday.

* At least 15 people were killed and 75 others injured on Wednesday in a stampede during an official celebration of the independence day of Madagascar, Richard Ravalomanana, secretary of state for the Gendarmerie of Madagascar, confirmed.

* Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen Saleh announced on Wednesday that his country's government would "re-engage positively" with peace efforts backed by the United Nations.

* King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday reaffirmed Jordan's steadfast position on the Palestinian cause, the importance of upholding the rule of law, and the need to empower and support youth.

* The Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution to extend the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights for six months till Dec. 31, 2019.

* Greece's Supreme Court gave on Wednesday the green light to 20 parties, coalitions and independent candidates to run for office in the upcoming snap general elections on July 7, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The current government's term would end in autumn this year.

* The Indian government said on Wednesday that its air force have lost 27 aircraft, including 15 fighter jets and helicopters, in crashes since 2016.

* A Taliban key commander in-charge of recruitment Mawlawi Islamudin alias Qari Bilal has given up fighting and handed over his weapon to the police in northern Afghanistan's Takhar province, provincial police spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir said Thursday. Taliban militants have not commented yet.

Xinhua, Reuters