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A U.S. Army soldier has been detained by Russian authorities in the port city Vladivostok on charges of criminal misconduct, the State and Defense Departments said on Monday, adding what is likely to be another complication in the contentious relationship between Moscow and Washington. A military official identified the soldier as Staff Sgt. He was apprehended on May 2, and Russia notified the State Department of the soldier’s “criminal detention” in accordance with international agreements between the two nations. “The Army notified his family, and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Cynthia O. Smith, an Army spokeswoman, said in a statement. A State Department official reiterated the U.S. government’s warning for Americans not to travel to Russia.

Persons: Gordon Black, ” Cynthia O, Smith, Sergeant Black Organizations: U.S . Army, State and Defense, State Department of, Army, U.S . Department of State, State Department, NBC News Locations: Vladivostok, Moscow, Washington, Fort Cavazos, Texas, South Korea, Russia

☆ US soldier was arrested in Russia last week
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An American soldier was detained in Russia last week on suspicion of theft and is currently being held in pre-trial detention, according to two US officials. “The Army notified his family and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the Soldier in Russia. The soldier was stationed in South Korea when he took leave to travel to Russia on his own, according to another US official. A State Department official confirmed that a US citizen had been detained in Russia but would not provide further details. Last July, another soldier stationed in South Korea willingly crossed into North Korea where he was immediately detained.

Persons: Gordon Black, ” “, ”, Cynthia Smith, “, Evan Gershkovich, Marine Paul Whelan, Ksenia Karelina, John Kirby, haven’t, ” Kirby, Travis King, King, CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, US Army, Army, Russian Federation, U.S . Department of State, Vienna Convention, Consular Relations, Soldier, US State Department, Street, Marine, NBC News, State Department, US, National Security, Joint Security Area, Incheon International Locations: American, Russia, South Korea, Vladivostok “, Vienna, Ukraine, Cavazos, Texas, Moscow, North Korea, United States, Incheon, Seoul

Arm Ukraine With Fanfare and Israel in Secret? That package will pay for billions of dollars of arms flowing to Ukraine, Israel and other nations. As soon as the bill became law, the administration issued new announcements about weapons shipments to Ukraine, but not about transfers to Israel. Press releases about military aid for Ukraine and Israel Since both wars began, the U.S. government has issued at least 126 press statements or updates describing military aid sent to Ukraine and just three describing military aid sent to Israel. Information on maritime support sent to … Ukraine IsraelInformation on air-based weaponry and drones sent to … Ukraine IsraelThere is another distinction worth noting.

Persons: Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Antony Blinken, ”, Josh Paul, Israel —, Ukraine Israel “, Daniel C, it’s, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, Israel . Press, U.S . Department of State, U.S . Department of State ; U.S . Department of Defense, Internet, State Department, Defense Department, State and Defense, Washington Post, Ukraine authorizations, Democratic Party, West Bank, White, New York, Facebook Locations: Israel, Ukraine, U.S, U.S . Department of State ;, Ukraine Israel, Gaza, American, Egypt, Russian, Rafah, Lebanon, Iran, Iranian, Syria, United States

☆ Middle East Crisis U.S. Strikes Over 85 Targets at 7 Sites in Iraq and Syria Against Iran’s Forces and Proxies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Image Pro-government Iranians gathering near a banner that warns Iran’s enemies — in Farsi and in Hebrew — to “Prepare your coffins,” this month in Tehran. Credit... Arash Khamooshi for The New York TimesIran projects its military power through dozens of armed groups across the Middle East, but how much does it control their actions? Iranian rhetoric, echoed by its allied groups, often goes further, calling for the elimination of the Israeli state. A 2020 U.S. Department of State report estimated that Iran’s support for Hezbollah was $700 million annually at that time. They’re not Iran’s stooges.”Much the same could be said of other groups.

Persons: —, Arash Khamooshi, Israel, Michael Knights, Hisham al, “, Mohammed al, Sulami, ”, Vivian Nereim Organizations: Pro, The New York Times, United States, Sunday, U.S, Pentagon, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, . Department of State, Washington Institute, AK, United Nations Locations: Tehran . Credit, The New York Times Iran, United, Iranian, Jordan, Tehran, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, U.S, Eastern, Suez, United States, Israel, Yemeni, Saudi Arabia, Islamic Republic

☆ Pacific Islands Need to Boost Digital Security to Join Undersea Cable, Says US Official
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Kirsty NeedhamSYDNEY (Reuters) - Pacific Islands nations that want to connect to U.S.-funded undersea cables will need to secure their digital ecosystems to guard against data risks from China, a senior U.S. State Department official said. The United States pledged last year to jointly fund two undersea cables, to be built by Google, connecting the U.S. territory of Guam with hubs in Fiji and French Polynesia, and further branching out across remote Pacific Islands. The proposed intra-Pacific cable project has offered to branch out to Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna and the Federated States of Micronesia. China and the U.S. are jostling for influence in the Pacific Islands with competing offers for infrastructure. The Solomon Islands, which struck a security pact with Beijing, is rolling out a Chinese-funded mobile network built by Chinese telecommunications company Huawei.

Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Nathaniel Fick, Kirsty Needham, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Pacific, U.S . State Department, United, Google, Futuna, Federated, The U.S . Department of, Washington, Sydney, Huawei, Telstra, Microsoft, U.S Locations: U.S, China, Guam, Fiji, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Wallis, Federated States, Micronesia, The, Solomon, Beijing, Australia, Asia, Pacific

☆ How Qatar swayed Israel and Hamas to make a truce work
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Andrew Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

It was necessary to clarify all the points in the agreement and make sure they meant the same thing to Israel and Hamas, a source briefed on the negotiations said. Qatar's foreign ministry told reporters that Hamas and Israel negotiated in Doha until "the early morning" of Nov. 23 and agreed on a plan to implement the truce deal the next day. Qatari negotiators shepherded Israel and Hamas to agree on exactly where in Gaza Israeli tanks would be stationed during the truce. Israel vets all financial transfers Qatar makes to Palestinians in Gaza, Qatari sources have said. Despite proximity to Hamas officials, Qatari negotiators did not speak directly to the group's leaders in Gaza, but through its representatives based in Doha.

Persons: Qatar’s, Abdullah Al Sulaiti, Imad Creidi, Qatar's, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Sheikh Mohammed, David Barnea, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, shepherded Israel, Al Shifa, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Joe Biden, Sheikh Tamim, Mehran Kamrava, We've, Al Sulaiti, I've, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Matt S, Dan Williams, David Gauthier, Frank Jack Daniel Organizations: Hamas, National Command Centre, REUTERS, Rights DOHA, Qatari, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.S . Department of State, U.S, Gaza, Bild, Palestinian, Georgetown University, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Doha, Qatar, Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Gaza, Moscow, London, Hamas, U.S, Russia, Gulf, Berlin, Syria, Qatari, Cairo, Washington, Jerusalem

☆ North Korea scraps military deal with South, vows to deploy new weapons at border
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A North Korean flag flutters at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, February 7, 2023. Russia and North Korea have denied arms deals but have promised deeper cooperation, including on satellites. South Korea resumed the use of crewed and uncrewed reconnaissance aircraft in the border area on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported. Critics have said that the pact weakened Seoul's ability to monitor North Korea, and that Pyongyang had violated the agreement. South Korea has said the North Korean satellite was believed to have entered orbit, but it would take time to assess whether it was operating normally.

Persons: Kim Hong, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Moon Jae, Moon Chung, Moon, Kim, Critics, Bruce Klingner, Klingner, Soo, hyang Choi, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Sonali Paul, Ed Davies, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, North, ., U.S . Department of State, CMA, ROK, South Korean, Yonsei University, CIA, U.S, Heritage Foundation, North Korean, Thomson Locations: Gijungdong, North Korea, Panmunjom, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Seoul, Russia, Pyongyang, . North Korea, Korea, Washington

[1/5] Taiko Nakamura samples whisky barreled in the year he founded at his distillery in Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan October 25, 2023. The explosion of craft whisky in Japan follows a boom and bust in the industry. Last week, Sotheby's offered what it claimed was the most valuable collection of Japanese whisky at auction, headlined by a 52-year old bottle that sold for 300,000 pounds ($373,830). Suntory, Japan's biggest and best-known whisky maker, recently invested 10 billion yen ($67 million) to upgrade its distilleries, including its Yamazaki site. "I believe we need to put all our effort into making Japanese whisky that lives up to the quality of the Japanese whiskies made by our predecessors," he said.

Persons: Rocky Swift, Suntory's, Taiko Nakamura, Long, whiskies, Sotheby's, Shinji Fukuyo, Casey Wahl, Kamui, Shizuoka's Nakamura, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Suntory, trailblazer, Nikka, Asahi Group, Japan's, Japanese distillers, Diageo, IJW Whiskey, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, Yamazaki, Scotland, Hong Kong, Japanese, Komasa Kanosuke, Kentucky, Hokkaido, American, Rishiri

[1/5] A member of the teamLab digital art group poses in an installation in preparation for the reopening of their Borderless museum in February at the Azabudai Hills complex in Tokyo, Japan November 17, 2023. The name refers to digital art pieces that blend into each other and encourage guests to wander at their own pace. The relocation is part of Mori's strategy of placing cultural attractions in integrated business and residential projects. teamLab has developed a global reputation for its experimental and interactive set pieces that meld images and senses. Previous projects in Tokyo featured digital art mixed with a sauna experience and a laser light show enhanced performance of Giacomo Puccini's opera "Turandot."

Persons: Kim Kyung, Toshiyuki Inoko, Mori, Giacomo Puccini's, Inoko, Rocky Swift, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo Bay, Mori's

☆ International backlash grows after move to strip Guatemalan president-elect's immunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Brendan O'Boyle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Guatemala's President-elect Bernardo Arevalo stands on the Square of Human Rights outside the Supreme Court, in Guatemala City, Guatemala November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Cristina Chiquin/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 18 (Reuters) - International rebuke swelled on Saturday over what observers say are efforts to use a politicized justice system to keep Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arevalo out of office. A prosecutor at Guatemala's attorney general's office on Thursday moved to strip Arevalo of his immunity from prosecution, accusing him and his running mate of complicity in the takeover of a university in the capital last year. In a statement on Saturday, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and its Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, condemned the attorney general's office's "incessant improper actions and interference." Earlier Saturday, senior U.S. Department of State official Brian Nichols condemned the attorney general's office's "malign request" to strip Arevalo and his Vice President-elect Karin Herrera of immunity in a post on social media.

Persons: Bernardo Arevalo, Cristina Chiquin, Arevalo, general's office's, Brian Nichols, Karin Herrera, Herrera, Guatemalans, General Consuela Porras, Brendan O'Boyle, Chizu Organizations: Human, REUTERS, Guatemalan, Inter, American, Human Rights, U.S . Department of State, Democratic Initiative of Spain, Americas, Grupo IDEA, U.S, Movement, Thomson Locations: Guatemala City, Guatemala, Latin America, Spain

☆ Fact Check: US representative for Ukraine’s economic recovery not convicted of treason
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker was not arrested and convicted on charges of treason, contrary to an article circulating on social media making this claim. The claim is “categorically false,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said to Reuters in an email on Nov. 14. Real Raw News, the Army JAG and the U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Pritzker was not convicted of treason. This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.

Persons: Penny Pritzker, “, ”, Janet Yellen, Letitia James, Pritzker, Read Organizations: Special, Real Raw News, “ JAG Convicts U.S, Raw, U.S, Treasury, New York, Corps, JAG Corps, U.S . Army, U.S . State Department, Reuters, Real Raw, Navy JAG, Ukraine’s Energy, German, Washington D.C, Army JAG, U.S . Department of State, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Ukrainian Embassy, Washington

TOKYO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Visitors to Japan exceeded pre-pandemic levels in October, official data showed on Wednesday, marking a full recovery in arrivals for the first time since the relaxation of border controls last year. The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure rose to 2.52 million last month from 2.18 million in September, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed. Reuters GraphicsVisitor numbers improved to 100.8% of levels seen in 2019 before the outbreak of COVID-19 led to travel curbs around the world. That year, Chinese accounted for nearly a third of all visitors and 40% of all tourist spending in Japan. Almost 20 million visitors have arrived in Japan in the first 10 months of 2023, JNTO data showed, compared to the record of about 32 million in all of 2019.

Persons: Rocky Swift, Miral Organizations: Visitors, Japan National Tourism Organization, Graphics, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Germany, China

☆ As crisis deepens, Cubans scramble to migrate by any means
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Dave Sherwood | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The crowded terminal, a launch point for Cubans making their way by air to Nicaragua then overland to the United States, is one barometer of the frenzy to migrate from the communist-run island nation. For many, like Echavarria and his wife, it has also become a last resort as Cuba's economic crisis deepens with no end in sight. 'I GOT LUCKY'Artist Ernesto Perez, 51, told Reuters he had waited since 2015 for his turn to enter the United states legally under a family reunification program. Cuba blames the long-running U.S. trade embargo and Trump-era sanctions for fueling the economic crisis and the exodus of more than 400,000 Cubans leaving for the United States in the last two years. For many Cubans, however, Nicaragua remains the only viable option for getting off the island, said Yoany Bilbao, a 28-year old auto mechanic.

Persons: Alexandre Meneghini, Echavarria, Olga, Joe Biden, Alain Ferguson, Ferguson, Ernesto Perez, Perez, Brian Nichols, Yoany, Dave Sherwood, Ted Hesson, Ismael Lopez, Alien Fernandez, Mario Fuentes, Nelson Acosta, Mica Rosenberg, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S, Central America, West, CBP, United, Trump, Senior U.S . Department of State, Thomson Locations: Panama, Havana, Cuba, Rights HAVANA, Havana's, Nicaragua, United States, Central, U.S, Florida, Mexico, Washington, San Jose

☆ Fact Check: John Kerry quote on ‘sacrificing’ billions of people to save Earth is false
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for the Climate John Kerry did not say that “billions of humans” must be “sacrificed” in order to “save the planet,” despite a screenshot shared online containing the fake quote attributed to Kerry. The People’s Voice article refers to several comments made by Kerry critical of those who undermine the severity of climate change. Reuters did not find any credible reports that Kerry made a remark calling for billions of people to be sacrificed. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said to Reuters in an email on Oct. 30 that the claim is “obviously false.”The People’s Voice responded by email to Reuters with a “poop” emoji. Kerry did not say that “billions of humans” should be “sacrificed” to save the Earth at a conference in Scotland in August.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, “ John Kerry, ‘, ’ John Kerry, Kerry “, ”, Read Organizations: ‘, Scottish Global, U.S . Department of State, ” Reuters, Reuters, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, Scotland

Yasunori Ogawa, Seiko Epson Corporation President and Representative Director and CEO, talks about their strategy at the company office in Tokyo, Japan, October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Miho Uranaka Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Printing giant Seiko Epson (6724.T) is betting on growth in the Middle East and Africa as demand ebbs in its home market of Japan and other developed nations, its chief executive said. The Middle East, Turkey, and Africa were growth highlights in fiscal 2022. "Our products are not yet widely distributed in the Middle East, and there is tremendous potential there," Yasunori Ogawa said in an interview after the company posted quarterly results on Friday. To eke out more growth in developed markets, Epson plans to shift its portfolio more towards commercial and industrial customers looking to reduce waste.

Persons: Yasunori Ogawa, Miho Uranaka, Ogawa, stokes, Rocky Swift, Stephen Coates Organizations: Seiko Epson Corporation, REUTERS, Rights, Seiko Epson, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, East, Africa, Turkey, India, Dubai

☆ The Israel-Hamas war is affecting the financial outlooks of these large companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Aris Messinis | AFP | Getty ImagesSome of the world's most well-known companies are already seeing the Israel-Hamas war weighing on operations. On Oct. 7, militant group Hamas struck Israeli towns in a surprise attack and took more than 200 hostages. Corporations that do business or have operations in the region have already begun seeing the war change their financial outlooks as the unrest weighs on everything from advertising dollars to tourism to supply chains. Technology companies were among those seeing the conflict affect the workforce, advertising spending and supply chains. Snap said in its latest earnings release that it saw pauses in spending from a "large number of primarily brand-oriented advertising campaigns" immediately after the war began.

Persons: Aris Messinis, Scott Kirby, El Al, Jason Liberty, Liberty, we're, Susan Li, Li, We've, John Morici Organizations: Hamas, AFP, Getty, Israeli Defense Forces, Corporations, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Boeing, Royal, Israel, El Al Airlines, Nurphoto, U.S . Department of State, Technology, Facebook, West Pharmaceutical Locations: Haifa, Cyprus, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Royal Caribbean, Ukraine

☆ Fact Check: John Kerry did not call for depopulation in Scotland address
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry did not call for depopulation at an address in Scotland in August, nor did he say that “humans are the greatest threat to Earth,” contrary to claims made in an article shared online. The article published by The People’s Voice on Oct. 22 references a livestreamed address made by Kerry at the Scottish Global Dialogue conference on Aug. 24 and carries the headline: “John Kerry Calls For Urgent Coordinated Depopulation: ‘Humans Are Greatest Threat To Earth’.”The article points to several remarks made by Kerry during the 30-minute address. None of the remarks calls for depopulation. None of his remarks refer to depopulation or to humans being the “greatest threat to Earth.”Reuters did not find any credible reporting saying that Kerry called for depopulation during the address. John Kerry made no remark endorsing global depopulation during his address at the Scottish Global Dialogue conference on Aug. 24.

Persons: John Kerry, ”, Kerry, “ John Kerry, Kerry “, “, Read Organizations: Scottish Global, Kerry, United Nations, ” Reuters, U.S . Department of State, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Scotland

Operating profit for the fiscal year through August is expected to rise 26% to 374.6 billion yen ($2.52 billion), according to the average estimate of 12 analysts collected by LSEG. The company has forecast 370 billion yen, which would far exceed last year's 297.3 billion yen. Consensus estimates could be underplaying the company's results given the recovery in China, the weak yen, and strong performance in the United States and Europe, said LightStream Research analyst Oshadhi Kumarasiri. "I'm expecting a positive earnings surprise and a strong set of guidance for next year," added Kumarasiri, who publishes on the Smartkarma platform. Fast Retailing's shares are up 22% in 2023, about even with the gain in the benchmark Nikkei index (.N225).

Persons: Tadashi Yanai, Oshadhi Kumarasiri, I'm, Daisuke Tsukagoshi, Uniqlo, Yanai, Rocky Swift, Varun Organizations: Retailing, Japan's, Forbes, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, United States, Europe, doldrums, North America

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco police said they shot and killed a driver on Monday who crashed into the Chinese consulate lobby, prompting a massive response from officers and firefighters. A Honda sedan was seen crashed into the visa office and the area in front of the building was cordoned off. Winters said they didn't know why the vehicle crashed into the building or how many people were inside at the time but said they didn’t have reports of other injuries. Political Cartoons View All 1205 ImagesPolice are working and coordinating with investigators from the U.S. Department of State and the Chinese consulate. The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China is on a major street across from the city’s Japantown neighborhood.

Persons: —, Kathryn Winters, Winters, “, ” Winters Organizations: FRANCISCO, U.S . Department of State Locations: — San Francisco, People’s Republic of China

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quincy Jones, who once embarked on an international diplomatic tour with jazz great Dizzy Gillespie, will receive the U.S. Department of State's inaugural Peace Through Music Award. A ceremony honoring the 28-time Grammy winning producer, musician and arranger will be held Wednesday night and as part of the launch of the State Department's new Global Music Diplomacy Initiative. The tour was part of a Cold War program to spotlight American music and culture and counteract similar efforts by the Soviet Union. “You’re going to see a long-standing partnership between the Academy and the State Department,” Mason said in an interview. We have no more powerful tools in our diplomatic toolkit, and I look forward to seeing – and listening to – the results of this initiative.”The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative was developed following the 2022 Promoting Peace, Education, and Cultural Exchange (PEACE) through Music Diplomacy Act.

Persons: — Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Jones, Antony Blinken, Harvey Mason, Dave Grohl, Mickey Guyton, Herbie Hancock, Jamie Barton, GAYLE, Christopher Jackson, LADAMA, Aimee Mann, Rakim, Armani White, Gillespie, Michael Jackson’s, Oscar, “ You’re, ” Mason, “, ”, Roosevelt, Bruce Springsteen, “ I’ve, ” Blinken Organizations: ANGELES, U.S . Department, State's, State, Music Diplomacy Initiative, Recording Academy, American, U.S . State Department, State Department, Fulbright, Arts and Science, Academy, Inter, American Affairs, AP, Education, Cultural Exchange, Diplomacy Locations: Southern Europe, South Asia, Soviet Union, East Berlin

☆ Atop the State Department, Democracy’s Treasures Can Complicate or Clarify Messages
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Julie Lasky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But in the late 1960s, the architect Edward Vason Jones began to bedazzle the State Department’s eighth floor with cornices, columns, coffers and gilding. And as before, every art piece, every gold flake, every carpet thread was donated or paid for by private funders. An opulent new book called “America’s Collection: The Art & Architecture of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State” (Rizzoli/Electa) tells this story in pictures of frumpy interiors turned into glittering set pieces. The rooms, which have been closed for renovations and updating, preserving their antique character, as the State Department building itself is re-roofed, will reopen Sept. 26. Members of the public can book visits at iipstate.my.site.com and can explore the rooms online in a self-guided virtual tour.

Persons: Edward Vason Jones, Francis Scott Key’s, Allan Greenberg Organizations: State, Sears, Roebuck, U.S . Department of State ”, State Department Locations: Paris, iipstate.my.site.com

☆ Vice President Harris will face doubts and dysfunction at the Southeast Asian nations summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's Harris' third trip to Southeast Asia and fourth to Asia overall, and she's touched down in more countries there than any other continent. This latest journey is another opportunity for Harris to burnish her foreign policy credentials as she prepares for a bruising campaign year. Her office has not yet detailed her schedule, but she's expected to attend summit events and hold individual talks with some foreign leaders. U.S. officials and analysts believe Beijing's aggressive approach to the region has created an opening for Washington to forge stronger partnerships. Stilwell served as the assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs under President Donald Trump.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Loy, Kent Nishimura, she'll, Joe Biden's, It's Harris, she's, Harris, She's, Biden, John Kirby, he's, Marty Natalegawa, Natalegawa, Kirby, Phil Gordon, there's, Gordon, Ian Chong, It's, Gregory B, Poling, David Stilwell, Stilwell, Donald Trump Organizations: Cabinet, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, U.S ., ASEAN, Loy Henderson International Conference, U.S . Department of State, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Democratic, Republican, White House, of Southeast Asian Nations, Washington, National University of Singapore, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Bureau, East, Pacific Affairs Locations: U.S, Washington , DC, Southeast Asia, Jakarta, Indonesia, Asia, Washington, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, South China, United States, China, Philippines, Cambodia, South, Beijing, People's Republic of China, East Asian

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.'s chief executive Makiko Ono speaks during an interview with Reuters at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food (2587.T) sees Australia as a model for integrating canned alcoholic drinks into offerings in other global markets, Chief Executive Makiko Ono said. As Japan's second-biggest domestic maker of soft drinks, Suntory Beverage has traditionally focused on non-alcohol offerings under the umbrella of global spirits maker Suntory Group. In taking the top job at Suntory Beverage in April, Ono became the first woman to head a Japanese listed company valued at more than 1 trillion yen ($6.83 billion). But the record was soon broken when Yumiko Takano became chief executive of Oriental Land (4661.T), the operator of Tokyo Disneyland, in June.

Persons: Makiko Ono, Issei Kato, Japan's, Ono, Yumiko Takano, Rocky Swift, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food, Suntory Beverage, Suntory Group, Suntory Oceania, Suntory, Oriental, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Australia's, Brisbane, Europe, Japanese

☆ Fact Check-Travel alert for US citizens to depart Belarus active since February 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A travel advisory to U.S citizens in Belarus to leave the country was first issued in February 2022, at the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and has remained active, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said. A travel advisory also published in February 2022 by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs placed Belarus in the “Do Not Travel” advisory category. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately via commercial or private means” (here). A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters via email: “The Department has advised U.S. citizens to depart Belarus since February 2022.”VERDICTFalse. The U.S did not issue a first alert for its citizens to depart Belarus in August 2023.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Read Organizations: U.S . State Department, Facebook, U.S, Embassy, U.S . Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, Reuters Locations: Belarus, Ukraine, U.S, Minsk, COVID, Lithuania, Lithuanian, Latvian

TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Japan opening of the hit film "Barbie" was dealt additional setbacks as an online petition gained steam calling on Hollywood studios to disavow a grassroots marketing movement that made light of nuclear holocaust. Warner Bros initially latched on to fan-produced memes that depicted Robbie's Barbie with actor Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer alongside images of nuclear blasts. But fans were not amused in Japan, which in coming days will mark the memorials of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 78 years ago. "This incident is really, really disappointing," she posted. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel posted a picture of his meeting in Tokyo with director Greta Gerwig, but the response online was chilly.

Persons: Oppenheimer, Barbie, Margot Robbie, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Robbie's Barbie, Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer, Barbie delighting, Koji Maruyama, Mitsuki Takahata, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Greta Gerwig, Emanuel, Rocky Swift, Chang, Ran Kim, Michael Perry Organizations: Hollywood, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, Warner's, Twitter, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Warner's Japan, Tokyo

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