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☆ Any new Armenia conflict would be France's fault, Azerbaijan's president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] French Foreign and European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attend a meeting in Yerevan, Armenia October 3, 2023. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev last week pulled out of an EU-brokered meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at which Brussels said it was standing by Armenia. President Ilham Aliyev said "that due to the well-known position of France, Azerbaijan did not participate in the meeting in Granada," the Azerbaijani presidential office said. She declined to elaborate on what sort of military aid was envisaged for Armenia under future supply contracts. The Azerbaijani president visited Georgia on Sunday and thanked Tbilisi for offering to mediate for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Persons: Catherine Colonna, Nikol Pashinyan, Hayk, Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev, Nikol, Charles Michel, Emmanuel Macron, Tigran Balayan, Guy Faulconbridge 私 Organizations: European Affairs, Armenian, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, European Union, European Council, Reuters Locations: Yerevan, Armenia, Photolure, Azerbaijan, Georgia, MOSCOW, European, South Caucasus, EU, Brussels, France, Granada, Baku, Nagorno, Karabakh, Tbilisi

☆ Erdogan says Turkey will ramp up diplomacy in Israeli-Palestinian conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech at the Extraordinary Congress of his ruling AK Party in Ankara, Turkey October 7, 2023. "So long as this problem is not resolved in a fair way, our region will continue to live in longing of peace," Erdogan said. In this regard, as we have always underlined, the preservation of the two-state solution perspective is very important." "As justice is delayed, unfortunately the price of this is paid by Palestinians, Israelis, and our whole region," Erdogan said. The fighting comes as Ankara was working to repair ties with Israel after years of acrimony over the status of Jerusalem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Erdogan, Hakan Fidan, Toby Chopra, Ros Russell Organizations: AK Party, Turkish Presidential Press, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Qatari, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Israel, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Spanish, Saudi, Jordanian

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors Sunday, with the United States demanding all 15 members strongly condemn “these heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas,” but it took no immediate action. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said afterward that “a good number of countries” did condemn the Hamas attack but not all council members. He said Beijing condemns all attacks on civilians, though he did not mention Hamas. Malta’s U.N. ambassador, Vanessa Frazier, who called for the meeting, said she didn't know if the council would adopt a statement, but added that any condemnation must be mostly against Hamas. Council members were briefed virtually by U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland.

Persons: Robert Wood, Russia’s U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, ”, “, ” Nebenzia, Zhang Jun, ” Zhang, “ What’s, ” Wood, impportant, we’ve, Russia’s Nebenzia, Malta’s U.N, Vanessa Frazier, Tor Wennesland, Nebenzia, Wennesland, Lana Nusseibeh, Wood, Biden, Gilad Erdan, ” Riyad Mansour Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, . Security, Associated Press, Security Council, U.N, United Arab Emirates, Hamas, Israel Locations: United States, Russia, Beijing, Palestinian, Gaza, Israel

☆ Israel UN Envoy Decries 'War Crimes,' Vows to Obliterate Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Michelle NicholsNEW YORK (Reuters) - Israel's ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday accused Palestinian Islamist group Hamas of committing war crimes, vowing that it was time to "obliterate" Hamas terror infrastructure while seeking to keep normalization talks with Saudi Arabia on track. "These are war crimes, blatant documented war crimes," Israel's U.N. "Now is the time to obliterate Hamas terror infrastructure, to completely erase it, so that such horrors are never committed again." Erdan spoke ahead of a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting later on Sunday, appealing for the international community to give Israel its full support and condemn the actions of Hamas. The assault by Hamas coincides with U.S.-backed moves to push Saudi Arabia towards normalizing ties with Israel in return for a defence deal between Washington and Riyadh.

Persons: Michelle Nichols, Gilad Erdan, Erdan, Susan Heavey, Lisa Shumaker, Diane Craft Organizations: YORK, United Nations, Hamas, Security, Israel Locations: Saudi Arabia, Gaza, Israel, Washington, Riyadh

☆ Biden offers Israel support, faces criticism on Iran at home
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"We will not ever fail to have her back," Biden said of Israel in televised remarks condemning the attack. "I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel," Biden said in a written statement issued after their call. Biden was briefed early on Saturday about the events in Israel and White House officials worked through the night monitoring them, an official said. DeSantis appeared to be referring to a prisoner swap deal the Biden administration completed with Iran in September. White House Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was in Saudi Arabia a month ago talking to officials, including Palestinians, about normalization.

Persons: Joe Biden, Roosevelt, Leah Millis, Biden, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Lew, Joe Biden's, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Adrienne Watson, Brett McGurk, Mahmoud Abbas, Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick, Heather Timmons, Chris Reese, Diane Craft Organizations: Manufacturing, White, REUTERS, Rights, Israel, team, United Arab Emirates, Representatives, U.S . Senate, Republican, Biden, United, National Security, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Saudi, New York, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, European, Washington, IRAN, Florida, South Korea, United States, East Jerusalem

☆ World reacts to Hamas attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Acquire Licensing RightsOct 8 (Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel," Scholz said on social media. However, Morocco's Islamist PJD party, which had been the largest in parliament until elections in 2021, praised the Hamas attack as "a heroic act" and "a natural and legitimate reaction to daily violations". EUROPEAN UNIONEU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. INDONESIA"Indonesia is very concerned about the increasing escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel," the foreign ministry the world’s largest Muslim-majority country said on X.

Persons: Mahmoud Issa, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Tor Wennesland, Volker Tuerk, MAHMOUD ABBAS, WAFA, Abbas, Ali Khamenei, Yahya Rahim Safavi, Nasser Kanaani, ISNA, OLAF SCHOLZ, Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON Macron, Abraham, JOSEP BORRELL, Borrell, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, JAMES, Ursula von der Leyen, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Erdogan, Israel, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV, Bogdanov, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY Zelenskiy, Israel's, ANDRZEJ DUDA, I'm, Duda, PETR PAVEL, Pavel, Giorgia Meloni, KISHIDA, Kishida, Faki Mahamat, Yoweri Museveni, Jan Harvey, Andrew Cawthorne, Ros Russell, Barbara Lewis, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, UNITED, State Department . U.S . Defense, of Defense, Human, Palestinian, Abraham Accords, Israel, Twitter, EU Commission, Hezbollah, Rockets, State, African Union, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, IRAN, Palestine, Jerusalem, CHINA, State, Germany, SAUDI ARABIA, Egypt, MOROCCO Morocco, EU, Muscat, Oman, Canada, QATAR, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV Russia, Iran, Lebanese, Poland, Japan, KUWAIT Kuwait, EMIRATES, UAE, INDONESIA, Indonesia, KENYA, X, UGANDA, Uganda

The announcement by Mikhail Ulyanov added new fuel to tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and arms control disputes between the world's largest nuclear weapons powers. Ulyanov, Moscow's envoy to the CTBTO, said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that "#Russia plans to revoke ratification (which took place in the year 2000) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty." "The aim is to be on equal footing with the #US who signed the Treaty, but didn't ratify it. While the United States signed but did not ratify the treaty, it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it has no plans to abandon. The spokesperson said Russia should reach an "equal footing" with the United States "by not wielding arms control and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric in a failing attempt to coerce other states."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Sergei Guneev, Washington, Mikhail Ulyanov, Ulyanov, Robert Floyd, Floyd, Francois Murphy, Alex Richardson, Angus MacSwan, Alexander Smith Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS, Acquire, Comprehensive, Treaty Organization, United, U.S . State Department, Party, Washington, Russian, Russian Federation, Conference, Disarmament, Thomson Locations: Sochi, Russia, Moscow, States VIENNA, WASHINGTON, United States, Ukraine, Ban, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, North Korea, India, Pakistan, Vienna, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that he could potentially meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. “There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told reporters when asked about the prospects of a face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader. Biden and Xi have not spoken since their meeting last November of the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesThe Biden administration shot down a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental U.S. earlier this year. Beijing has stayed on the sidelines since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, Gina Raimondo, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Raimondo, John Kerry, Chuck Schumer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Economic Cooperation Locations: Asia, San Francisco, Bali , Indonesia, White, U.S, China, Ukraine, Taiwan Strait, Beijing, Russia, Moscow, Malta

"The goal truly is channels of communication and ensuring we don't veer into conflict - simple as that," said a senior Biden administration official. The Biden administration wants to counter the country's growing military without provoking a conflict and to push back on what it considers unfair business practices while avoiding an all-out trade war. "The criticism we get from some on (Capitol) Hill and some in the academic community, of course, is that competing means you can't talk to China," said the administration official. NO DELAY IN CHINA POLICIESAdministration officials acknowledge China may see the U.S. push to engage as a chance to weaken or slow Washington's policies targeting China, particularly on exports in strategic industries such as semiconductors, but deny that this is happening. The administration official denied the delays were to avoid upsetting China but were about "getting the technical pieces right, and balancing economic impact on our own domestic competitiveness."

Persons: Antony Blinken, Leah Millis, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Ivan Kanapathy, Travis King, China –, Xi, San Francisco – doesn't, Mike Gallagher, Michael Martina, Humeyra Pamuk, Don Durfee Organizations: U.S, State Department, REUTERS, Rights, Biden, China, gaslight, White House National Security, Economic Cooperation, Republicans, China's Communist Party, CCP, Democratic, Inspur, Diplomats, Blinken, Thomson Locations: Mexico, Washington , U.S, United States, China, Beijing, U.S, stonewall, Asia, North Korea, San Francisco, CHINA, South China, Lincoln

☆ Russia Summons Moldova's Envoy, Blocks Entry to Several Molodovan Citizens
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

(Reuters) - The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday it had summoned the Moldovan ambassador. The ministry said it had taken reciprocal measures after the expulsion of the head of Sputnik Moldova news agency from Moldova on Sept. 13. The ministry said the Moldovan ambassador was informed that "a number of individuals directly involved in restricting freedom of speech and the rights of Russian journalists in Moldova, as well as inciting anti-Russian sentiments, were banned from entering Russia." The Ministry did not name the people who were banned from entering Russia. (Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Chris Reese)

Persons: Maxim Rodionov, Chris Reese Organizations: Reuters, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sputnik Locations: Moldovan, Sputnik Moldova, Moldova, Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to China next week, traveling to the country amid heightened tensions and after several members of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet visited over the summer. Schumer, along with Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, is visiting government and business leaders in China, South Korea and Japan “with the goal of advancing U.S. economic and national security interests” in the region, his office said Tuesday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China in June, followed by visits of Treasury and Commerce secretaries Janet Yellen and Gina Raimondo as well as climate envoy John Kerry. Political Cartoons View All 1196 ImagesBiden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan also held two days of talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi in Malta last month. Wang is expected to visit Washington before the end of October on a trip that officials will nail down the date and venue of the expected Biden-Xi summit.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden’s, Schumer, Republican Sen, Mike Crapo of, Schumer —, ”, Biden, Xi Jinping, China’s, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo, John Kerry, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Wang, Crapo, Democratic Sens, Maggie Hassan, Jon Ossoff of, Republican Sens, Bill Cassidy of, John Kennedy of, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Biden, Economic Cooperation, Treasury, Democratic, ___ Associated Press Locations: China, Mike Crapo of Idaho, South Korea, Japan, Ukraine, Taiwan, South China, Asia, San Francisco, Malta, Washington, New Hampshire, Jon Ossoff of Georgia, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, John Kennedy of Louisiana

CNN —The United Nations Security Council has greenlit the deployment of an armed multinational force to Haiti, as the Caribbean nation wrestles with rampant gang violence and political paralysis. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the United States have also strongly urged the international community to back such a mission. Though approved by the powerful UN Security Council, the force would not formally be under UN control. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 22, Prime Minister Henry told fellow nations that it was “urgent” that the Security Council approve a military mission to reestablish order. The Security Council has found itself in repeated deadlock in recent years amid deepening geopolitical rivalries.

Persons: Ariel Henry, General Antonio Guterres, Henry, Jean, Junior Joseph, –, Antony Blinken, Washington, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Zhang Jun, Vassily Nebenzia, Jovenel Moise, Maria Isabel Salvador, ” Organizations: CNN, United Nations Security Council, Haitian, United Nations, UN Security Council, UN, Haitian National Police, United Nations General Assembly, Security Locations: Haiti, Caribbean, United States, Russia, China, Kenya, Antigua, Barbuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, Port, New York, UN

This was not a WWE wrestling show, but the 2023 presidential race in Argentina where political outsider Javier Milei is the leading candidate. Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei for La Libertad Avanza coalition gestures next to Carolina Piparo, candidate for Governor of the Province of Buenos Aires, during a campaign rally in La Plata, Buenos Aires on September 12. Milei is presenting himself as the candidate of renewal – an offer that clearly struck a chord with people in the primary vote. “I’ll vote for Milei because I think he’ll change things,” says Eduardo Murchio, a taxi driver in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires. A worker receives Argentine peso banknotes in a shop in Buenos Aires on Sept. 26, 2023.

Persons: “, Javier Milei, –, ”, Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Carolina Piparo, Agustin Marcarian, Trump, Milei, Milei’s, Eduardo Murchio, “ I’m, it’s, Erica Canepa, Milton Friedman –, Javier Marcus, Marcus, dollarizing, Bolsonaro, Teresa Fria, Pope Francis, Pope, Satan ”, “ Pope Francis, Emiliano Lasalvia, Patricia Bullrich, Sergio Massa, Massa, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Bullrich, Anita Pouchard Serra, Claudio Jacquelin, Facundo Nejamkis Organizations: CNN, WWE, Argentine, La Libertad, National Institute of Statistics, Reuters, Bloomberg, Getty, Rosario National University, Trump, Catholic, CIA, Milei, Unity, Homeland, La, Español Locations: Argentina, Mar del Plata, Argentine, Carolina, Province of Buenos Aires, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Latin America, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, AFP, Argentina's

The COP28 summit is scheduled to take place in Dubai between Nov. 30 and Dec. 12. The United Arab Emirates' president of the conference, Jaber, has said the oil and gas industry needs to be part of the conversation on climate change. He has urged the energy industry to achieve net-zero emissions by or before 2050 and to accelerate an industry-wide commitment to reach near-zero methane emissions by 2030. "If the oil and gas industry signs up to decarbonization agreements and methane abatement that is a huge contribution to the debate," Amin said. Jaber, who is also head of UAE state oil giant ADNOC, was a controversial pick to lead the climate summit because his country is an OPEC member and a major oil exporter.

Persons: Amr Alfiky, COP28 UAE's Jaber, Adnan Amin, Amin, Sultan al, Jaber, John Kerry, COP28, Maha El, Emelia Sithole Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, United Arab, Reuters, COP28, U.S . Climate, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab, ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, United Nations, Dubai, U.S, Scotland, COP28, UAE, OPEC

“The world only, for whatever reason, views us as an oil-and-gas nation,” he said. “We have moved beyond oil and gas 20 years ago. We embraced the energy transition 20 years ago.”He added: “We don’t become passionate or ideological or so emotional. We’re results-driven.”Political Cartoons View All 1190 ImagesAl-Jaber, a 50-year-old longtime climate envoy, is a trusted confidant of UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Addressing the world's reliance on crude oil, al-Jaber issued a challenge to the audience listening to him at Dubai's Museum of the Future: Tell him how to immediately stop the use of all fossil fuels.

Persons: “, Sultan al, Jaber, ”, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, He’s Organizations: United Arab Emirates, United, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, General, Emirates, Dubai's Museum Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, United Nations, Abu Dhabi, UAE, al

The planned tariff has caused disquiet among trading partners and at a forum last month, China's top climate envoy Xie Zhenhua urged countries not to resort to unilateral measures such as the EU levy. The bloc will not begin collecting any CO2 emission charges at the border until 2026. Importers will from 2026 need to purchase certificates to cover these CO2 emissions to put foreign producers on a level footing with EU industries that must buy permits from the EU carbon market when they pollute. Companies in the European Union, Britain and Ukraine have told Reuters they expect little initial impact during the trial phase. Among Europe's significant trade partners, China's foreign ministry, Turkey's trade ministry and a U.S. official declined to comment on the launch.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Paolo Gentiloni, Gentiloni, Philip Blenkinsop, Kate Abnett, Valerie Volcovici, Nevzat, David Stanway, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, Companies, Reuters, European Commission, World Trade Organization, U.S, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Britain, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Ankara, Beijing

☆ Special Report: How Cubans were recruited to fight for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Dave Sherwood | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

In La Federal, for example, all nine recruits identified by Reuters signed up to fight in the war. "We are deeply concerned by reports alleging young Cubans have been deceived and recruited to fight for Russia," the spokesperson said. In La Federal, word of the army work began to spread in June, according to the residents interviewed. The first line of the message states: "This is a contract with the Russian military by which you receive citizenship." He stressed that the people who signed up in La Federal knew they would be going to fight.

Persons: Dannys Castillo, Yamidely Cervantes, Enrique Gonzalez, Cervantes, husband Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Oleg Nikolenko, Vladimir Putin, Dayana, Cristian Hernandez, Viondi, Alina Gonzalez, Danilo, Roberto Sabori, Yasmani, MAMI, Mami, Luis Herlys Osorio, Nilda, Osorio, Havana didn't, Dave Sherwood, Alexandre Meneghini, Mario Fuentes, Carlos Carrillo, Matt Spetalnick, Tom Balmforth, Filipp Lebedev, Felix Light, Pravin Organizations: Reuters, La Federal, Federal, Russia, Kremlin, Cuban, U.S . State Department, Facebook, Dayana, Soviet, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Alamar, Havana, Cuba, La, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Russian, Tula, Crimea, Ukrainian, United States, Villa Maria, Cuban, U.S, America, Europe, Gonzalez, Varadero, Ryazan, Soviet, Angola, Africa, Washington

☆ Exclusive: East Timor president says China military cooperation was 'never discussed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The agreement also provided scope for funding from China including government and commercial loans to East Timor, he said. "It was never discussed in terms of military cooperation, never discussed, and the Chinese side also never raised this issue," Ramos-Horta said. East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, aims to join the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN by 2025 as it seeks to reduce high poverty rates. Australia has appointed an envoy to speed up negotiations between East Timor and Woodside; Gusmao's government wants gas to be piped to East Timor and not Australia. Australia's relationship with East Timor is "stronger than at any time in the last decade", Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Persons: Jose Ramos, Caitlin Ochs, Horta, Xanana Gusmao, Xi Jinping, heightening, Ramos, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: Sustainable, United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, East, Reuters, Southeast, ASEAN, Canberra, Woodside Energy, Greater Sunrise, Greater, Australia, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Global Citizen, Pacific, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Horta, Timor, New York City , New York, U.S, East Timor, China, Australia, Indonesia, Canberra, Solomon Islands, 2,000km, Timor Leste, ASEAN, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor's, Dili, Greater Sunrise, Southeast Asia, Woodside, New York

☆ Exclusive: Timor president says China military cooperation 'never discussed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The agreement also provided scope for funding from China including government and commercial loans to East Timor, he said. Some Australian politicians expressed concern after China's state media reported on Saturday that Beijing's agreement with East Timor, around 700km (450 miles) north-west of Australia, also covered military exchanges. "It was never discussed in terms of military cooperation, never discussed, and the Chinese side also never raised this issue," Ramos-Horta said. East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, aims to join the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN by 2025 as it seeks to reduce high poverty rates. Australia has appointed an envoy to speed up negotiations between East Timor and Woodside; Gusmao's government wants gas to be piped to East Timor and not Australia.

Persons: Jose Ramos, Caitlin Ochs, Horta, Xanana Gusmao, Xi Jinping, heightening, Ramos, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln, 私 Organizations: Sustainable, United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, East, Reuters, Southeast, ASEAN, Canberra, Woodside Energy, Greater Sunrise, Greater, Australia, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Global Citizen, Pacific Locations: Horta, Timor, New York City , New York, U.S, East Timor, China, Australia, Indonesia, Canberra, Solomon Islands, 2,000km, Timor Leste, ASEAN, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor's, Dili, Greater Sunrise, Southeast Asia, Woodside, United States, New York

☆ China's US envoy urges 'practical' steps to help restore ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-Xie Feng, China's new ambassador to the U.S., addresses the media as he arrives at JFK airport in New York City, U.S., May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 28 (Reuters) - China's ambassador to the United States said the Biden administration could help restore fraught relations by starting with "practical" steps, such as renewing a decades-old pact on science and technology. "We must start from me, start from now, and start from practical things that benefit the people of the two countries," Ambassador Xie Feng said at an embassy reception on Wednesday, ahead of China's National Day on Oct. 1. "The China-U.S. Science and Technology Agreement (STA) is mutually beneficial and win-win," added Xie, who took up his posting in May. This week, the United States said Beijing had allowed a U.S. soldier being expelled by North Korea to stop over in China before continuing home.

Persons: Xie Feng, Brendan McDermid, Biden, Xie, Ryan Woo, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, . Science, Technology, Treasury Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, New York City, Rights BEIJING, United States, Beijing, Washington, Taiwan, China, North Korea

Li’s disappearance follows a series of unexplained personnel shakeups that have roiled the upper ranks of China’s ruling Communist Party this summer, including the ousting in July of former Foreign Minister Qin Gang. The Financial Times reported that the US government believes the defense minister has been placed under investigation, citing American officials. Li, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018 over China’s purchase of Russian weapons, is still listed as China’s defense minister, one of its five state councilors, and a member of the party’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). Beijing has never issued an explanation for Qin’s removal nor said that the former minister was under investigation. China’s State Council Information Office has not replied to queries from CNN on the matter.

Persons: Li Shangfu’s, Wu Qian, “, China’s, Qin, Li, Wu, Xi Jinping, they’ve, Li Shangfu, Antony Blinken Organizations: Beijing CNN, Defense Ministry, Communist Party, Foreign, Qin Gang, People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, CNN, Reuters, Communist, Street Journal, The Financial Times, Central Military Commission, Development Department, State, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times Locations: China, Beijing, Washington, United States

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Wednesday that it will expel a U.S. soldier who crossed into the country through the heavily armed border between the Koreas in July. At the time he crossed the border, King was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction. Following weeks of silence, North Korea confirmed in August that it had detained King, 23, and was investigating the circumstances surrounding his border crossing. King, who is from Wisconsin, was among about 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea. That happened in 2017 when North Korea deported Otto Warmbier, an American college student who was in a coma at the time of his release and later died.

Persons: Travis King, King, Claudine Gates, ”, “, Otto Warmbier, Bill Richardson —, —, servicemembers Organizations: Korean Central News Agency, U.S . Army, DPRK, Democratic People’s, State Department, Pentagon, Associated Press Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, North Korea, U.S, Fort Bliss , Texas, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Wisconsin, Korea, America

☆ Once Inconceivable, Officials’ Visits Highlight Warming Saudi-Israeli Ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Patrick Kingsley | More About Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Parallel visits this week by an Israeli minister to Saudi Arabia and a Saudi envoy to the Israeli-occupied West Bank have highlighted the fast-warming ties between the Jewish state and the most powerful Arab country. In the first-ever public visit by an Israeli minister to the Arab kingdom, Haim Katz, the Israeli tourism minister, attended a multilateral tourism conference in Riyadh on Tuesday and Wednesday that was organized by the United Nations. Simultaneously, the Saudi ambassador to the Palestinians, Naif al-Sudairi, traveled through an Israeli border checkpoint to visit the West Bank, where he met with the leaders of the Palestinian Authority, the organization that administers just under 40 percent of the Israeli-controlled territory. Experts said the visit by Mr. Sudairi, who is based in neighboring Jordan, was the first known visit by a Saudi official to the region since Israel captured it from Jordan in the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

Persons: Haim Katz, Naif, Sudairi Organizations: Bank, United Nations, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Riyadh, Jordan, Israel

Two people who know Fu told CNN that they heard from common friends she had a child through surrogacy in the US, though they did not know who the father was. Fu stopped posting on her WeChat social media account in May after returning to China from the US in April, two sources close to Fu told CNN. Fu Xiaotian, 40, was the host of a flagship talk show on Hong Kong-based Chinese broadcaster Phoenix TV. Following Qin’s disappearance, Chinese social media users have scrutinized Fu’s posts on Weibo, a popular microblogging site, where she boasts more than a million followers. She last posted on Wechat, another Chinese social media app, on May 21, the two people who know Fu told CNN.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — China’s, Qin Gang, Fu Xiaotian, Qin, Fu, Xi Jinping, ”, Fu –, –, Qin’s, “, ” Yun Sun, Sun, That’s, Xiaotian, Zikuan Chen, Fu reminisced, Er, ’ ” Fu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Financial Times, Phoenix, CNN, China’s Foreign, ” CNN, China’s, Information Office, Phoenix TV, Wall Street Journal, Communist Party, Stimson, World, Cambridge University, Star, Churchill College, Gulfstream G650, Fu, Federal Aviation Administration, Gulfstream, Anchorage International, Washington DC, Qin Locations: Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, China, Washington, London, Phoenix TV’s London, Fu, Weibo, California, Chongqing, Orange County , California, Italy, alma, Los Angeles, Anchorage, Alaska, Miami

☆ See inside the lavish reception rooms at the US State Department
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Piper Hudspeth Blackburn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

"America's Collection: The Art and Architecture of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the US Department of State." Durston Saylor/Courtesy Rizzoli The Thomas Jefferson State Reception Room. Durston Saylor/Courtesy Rizzoli The James Monroe State Reception Room, which was designed by Walter M. Macomber. Durston Saylor/Courtesy Rizzoli The James Monroe State Reception Room. Durston Saylor/Courtesy Rizzoli The design of diplomacy: See inside the lavish reception rooms at the US State Department Prev NextRooms that take you back in time“America’s Collection” gives those without diplomatic credentials a chance to experience that moment.

Persons: Harry S, John Kerry, Obama, Kerry, Truman, Oz, Durston Saylor, Benjamin Franklin, John Blatteau, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Walter M, John Quincy Adams, Childe Hassam, Edmund C, Martin Van Buren, Henry Clay, George Washington, , Francis Scott Key, Paul Revere, John Adams, Clement Conger, Edward Vason Jones, Benjamin West's, John Jay, Henry Laurens, William Temple Franklin, Bruce M, Jones, King George III, Mark Alan Hewitt, Adams, Louisa Catherine, Martha Washington, Alexandra Kirtley, ” Kirtley, Kirtley, ”, Betsy Kornhauser, Kornhauser, “, Joshua Shaw, Thomas Cole, Cole, Virginia Hart, ” —, Walter Thurston Gentlemen's, we’re, ” Hart Organizations: DC CNN, US, Truman, US Department of State, State Department, Benjamin, Thomas, James, James Madison, Henry, American, Department, Powel, York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Winterthur Museum, Library, Philadelphia Museum of Art, CNN, Metropolitan Museum of Art, River School, “, ”, Department of State, Rizzoli Electa Locations: Washington, United States, Virginia, Mount Vernon, Paris, Great Britain, Philadelphia, British, Delaware, China, American, Europe

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