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☆ Highest-level Chinese delegation to visit North Korea since Covid restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —A high-level Chinese government delegation is headed to North Korea this week, believed to be the highest-level representatives from Beijing to visit Pyongyang since the isolated country closed its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic. Li’s visit comes after an invitation from North Korea, the statement said. On Tuesday, North Korean state media said a Russian military delegation would also be visiting this week. North Korea silent on US soldierRelations have been further complicated by the decision of a US soldier to cross the border between North and South Korea last week in the demilitarized zone separating the two nations. King has not been publicly seen or heard from since he crossed into North Korea last Tuesday, and North Korea has also not said anything about the status or condition of the missing soldier.

Persons: Li Hongzhong, Hu Zhaoming, Li’s, “, ”, Leif, Eric Easley, Easley, Jang, Kang Sun Nam, Travis King, Andrew Harrison, Matt Miller, Miller, “ I’m, ” Miller, King, Travis King’s, Kim, ” Easley Organizations: South Korea CNN, Communist Party, International, Department of, Central Committee, Ewha Womans University, United Nations Command, Beijing, Aid, Jeju Naval, South, South Korean Defence Ministry New, United Nations, South Korea’s, Chiefs of Staff, US Navy, Naval Base, South Korean Defence, Jeju Naval Base, South Korean, North Korean Defense, UNC, King, CNN, US State Department, King , State, North Korean, State Department, Womans University Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Beijing, Pyongyang, Seoul . North Korea, China, United States, Aid Korea, North Korean, Russian, Soviet Union, Korea, Annapolis, South Korean, South, Jeju, Kentucky, Busan, ” an Ohio, DPRK, North, Washington, King ,

HONG KONG, July 18 (Reuters) - China plans to appoint the CEO of state-owned telecoms giant China Unicom (0762.HK), (600050.SS), Liu Liehong, as the head of its new national data bureau, four sources said, putting him in charge of efforts to make the country a digital superpower. China announced plans for the data bureau in March as part of a sweeping government reshuffle. Its formation is part of efforts to achieve President Xi Jinping's vision of a "digital China", where data is managed alongside labour and capital as a key economic driver. China's internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), will also transfer some staff to the data bureau, said one source. "Whether Mr. Liu Liehong will take up any role in the National Data Bureau shall be subject to the decision of the PRC government," it added.

Persons: Liu Liehong, Liu, Xi, China Unicom, Julie Zhu, Kevin Huang, Jane Xu, Brenda Goh, Sam Holmes Organizations: HK, National Data Bureau, Reuters, China, Tech Development Department, Cyberspace Administration of China, CAC, Information Office, National, Bureau, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, Communist Party, Committee, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Sichuan province

☆ Palestinian President Abbas visits Jenin, trying to calm tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Raneen Sawafta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JENIN, West Bank, July 12 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited the West Bank city of Jenin on Wednesday, days after three of his senior officials were forced to flee a funeral by crowds furious at their response to an Israeli assault days earlier. The anger of the crowd at the funeral for fighters killed in the two-day long Israeli operation highlighted the deep unpopularity of the Palestinian Authority and the widening rifts among different Palestinian factions. The 87-year-old Abbas, who has rebuffed pressure to step down, visited the cemetery where the funeral was held, at the entrance to the Jenin refugee camp. "The heroic Jenin camp stood against the aggression sacrificed its casualties and offered all it has for the sake of the homeland," Abbas said. [1/4]Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visits Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 12, 2023.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Fatah, Mohamad Torokman, Nidal al, James Mackenzie, Angus MacSwan Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian Authority, REUTERS, Palestinian, Fatah, Thomson Locations: JENIN, West, Jenin, Israel, Nablus, Oslo, Gaza

☆ U.S. calls Pan Gongsheng China's c.bank 'head', suggesting unannounced promotion
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen referred to PBOC Deputy Governor Pan Gongsheng, whom she meet during a series of meetings with top Chinese officials, as the head of the central bank during a press conference ending her visit to Beijing on Sunday. The Treasury Department was already referring to Pan as central bank head after Yellen met him on Friday. Pan, 60, has been deputy governor since 2012 and is China's top foreign exchange regulator. Governor Yi has been widely expected to retire since being left off the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee during the party's once-in-five-years congress in October. Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Beijing; Additional reporting by Reuters Beijing newsroom; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Pan Gongsheng, Yi, Yellen, Premier Li Qiang, Pan, Andrea Shalal, John Geddie, William Mallard Organizations: United, People's Bank of China, Sunday, Communist Party, Pan, Treasury, Premier, Information Office, Cambridge, Harvard, Communist Party's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, United States, Chinese, Beijing, China's, China, Reuters Beijing

☆ China tamps down on gatherings providing harmful information -media
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, July 9 (Reuters) - China is tamping down on meetings that provide false information and could harm citizens, state media said, as the authorities step up oversight on what they consider questionable activities in various areas. China wants to curb activities like gatherings and forums that collect fees irregularly and schemes that provide participants money, expensive gifts or securities, it said. The irregular activities include unofficial ventures claiming to be organised by authorities and activities improperly described as "national" "international" or "summits", state media reported. In its recent crackdown, China has shut more than 100,000 online accounts that it said created fake news and content and has targeted rumours that hurt businesses. Reporting by Bernard Orr and Qiaoyi Li; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bernard Orr, Qiaoyi Li, William Mallard Organizations: Department, Communist Party of China Central Committee, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Xinhua

☆ Iowa GOP schedules Jan. 15 for leadoff presidential caucuses. It’s on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former President Donald Trump reacts to crowd applause during a campaign event on July 1, 2023 in Pickens, South Carolina. Iowa Republicans have scheduled the party's presidential nominating caucuses for Jan. 15, 2024, putting the first votes of the next election a little more than six months away. The Iowa Republican Party's state central committee voted unanimously Saturday to hold the leadoff contests on the third Monday in January — on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday. The GOP date is earlier by several weeks than the past three Iowa caucuses, though not as early as 2008, when they were held just three days into the new year. Caucuses, unlike primary elections, are contests planned, financed and carried out by the parties, not state election officials.

Persons: Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr, Joe Biden, Jeff Kaufmann Organizations: Republican Party . Iowa Republicans, Iowa Republican, Republican, Democratic, GOP, South, South Carolina Republicans, Iowa Democrats, state's Republican Party, Republicans, Iowa, DNC Locations: Pickens , South Carolina, —, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada

☆ China plays it safe with new central bank chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The new boss of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) is probably a relief to those anxiously watching the future of the most meritocratic regulator in the country. The ruling Communist Party on Saturday appointed Pan Gongsheng, who has been deputy governor for the past 11 years, as party secretary – the de facto boss that supervises the institution. The Wall Street Journal said that would be a prelude to Pan becoming governor next, citing unnamed sources. The appointment of Pan, who has since 2015 also run the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), is a surprise. It’s unlikely Pan will deviate much from the current monetary policy trajectories, even if he helms both the party secretary and governor roles.

Persons: Pan Gongsheng, –, Pan, Yi Gang, helms, Yawen Chen, ’, George Hay, Pranav Kiran Organizations: Reuters, People’s Bank of China, Communist Party, Saturday, Street Journal, State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Committee, Cambridge, Harvard, Agricultural Bank of China, U.S ., Twitter, KKR, Thomson Locations: United States, Hong Kong, Shanghai, China

Pan Gongsheng was appointed Saturday as the new Communist Party chief at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), in a surprise move as Beijing bolsters its drive to arrest the country’s economic slowdown and stem a slide in its currency. Pan currently serves as the deputy governor of the PBOC. “My initial reaction is this suggests Xi [Jinping] is more concerned about China’s economy than before the 20th Party Congress,” Thomas said. Since then, he has spent nearly two decades working at large state-owned banks, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC). After returning to China, he was promoted to deputy governor at the PBOC in 2012.

Persons: Yi Gang, Pan Gongsheng, Janet Yellen, Pan, Yi, didn’t, Guo Shuqing, Neil Thomas, wasn’t, ” Thomas, Xi, Mao, Thomas, China’s, Biden, ” Organizations: Beijing CNN, Cambridge University, Harvard University, Communist Party, People’s Bank of China, Securities Times, CNN, Ant, Asia Society, Center for, Communist Party’s, Committee, 20th Party Congress, Wall Street Journal, Treasury Department, Renmin University of China, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, ABC, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Beijing, P Global, PMI Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Shanghai, Center for China, United States, West

☆ China foreign-exchange regulator Pan Gongsheng named central-bank party boss
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 1 (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party appointed central bank Deputy Governor Pan Gongsheng as the bank's party secretary on Saturday, a move the Wall Street Journal said would be a prelude to becoming governor. The party's Central Organization Department announced the decision at a meeting on Saturday afternoon, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement on its website. The Journal reported hours earlier that Pan would be named to the party post before being appointed by the government to head the PBOC. The central bank said on Friday it would implement prudent monetary policy in a "precise and forceful manner" to support economic growth and employment. The current governor, Yi Gang, has been widely expected to retire since being left off the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee during the party's once-in-five-years congress in October.

Persons: Pan Gongsheng, Pan, Yi, Xi Jinping, Gokul Pisharody, Bharat Govind Gautam, Simon Cameron, Moore, William Mallard Organizations: Communist Party, Wall Street, party's Central Organization Department, People's Bank of China, The, Cambridge University, Harvard University, SAFE, Communist Party's, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ North Korea Criticizes Officials for Failed Satellite Launch
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

North Korea’s top political leaders “bitterly criticized” officials responsible for a botched attempt to launch a military satellite last month and ordered them to try again, state media reported on Monday. The May 31 launch was meant to put North Korea’s first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit. But the rocket, which set off alarms and an evacuation order in Seoul, malfunctioned and crashed into the sea off South Korea’s west coast. The South later salvaged what appeared to be the second stage of the rocket — a new model, the Chollima-1 — along with other debris that could provide valuable data on the North’s advancing rocket and missile technology. At a meeting of the Central Committee of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party that ended Sunday, the party’s Politburo “bitterly criticized the officials who irresponsibly conducted the preparations for satellite launch,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.

Persons: “, ”, irresponsibly Organizations: North, Central Committee, Workers ’ Party, Korean Central News Agency Locations: Seoul

☆ North Korea says botched satellite launch was 'gravest failure'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KCNA via REUTERSSEOUL, June 19 (Reuters) - North Korea has said its botched military satellite launch last month was the "gravest failure" at the ruling party's latest key meeting, state media KCNA reported on Monday. The enlarged plenary meeting was held between Friday and Sunday, ordering workers and researchers to analyze the failed military satellite launch and prepare for another in the near future. Those in charge of the satellite launch were "heavily criticized," the report said. It marked the eight enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the country's ruling party. North Korea also vowed it will continue to develop its nuclear capability and strengthen solidarity with other countries that oppose what it called the "U.S. strategy for world supremacy."

Persons: Kim Jong Un, Hyunsu Yim, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: 8th Central Committee of, Workers ' Party of, North, Korean Central News Agency, KCNA, REUTERS, Workers ' Party of Korea, North Korean, Korea's Unification Ministry, Thomson Locations: Workers ' Party of Korea, Pyongyang, North Korea, REUTERS SEOUL, U.S

☆ North Korea starts key party meeting to discuss defence strategy - KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, June 17 (Reuters) - North Korea convened a key party meeting to decide its diplomatic and defence strategy "to cope with the changed international situation", with leader Kim Jong Un attending, state media KCNA said on Saturday. The enlarged plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) opened on Friday and plans to also review the country's economic projects during the first half of this year, KCNA said without further elaborating. North Korea fired two short-range missiles off its east coast on Thursday, less than an hour after Pyongyang warned of an "inevitable" response to military drills staged earlier in the day by South Korean and U.S. troops. North Korea has said the drills were escalating military tensions. Last month, Pyongyang unsuccessfully tried to launch a spy satellite, in its first satellite launch since 2016.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, KCNA, Joyce Lee, Sandra Maler Organizations: Central Committee, Workers ' Party of Korea, South Korean, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, North Korea, Pyongyang, U.S

☆ North Korea to hold key ruling party meeting in early June
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, May 29 (Reuters) - North Korea's ruling party will hold a key meeting in early June to review the country's economic plans, state media KCNA reported on Monday. It will mark the 8th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the country's ruling party. The last plenary meeting was held in February to discuss improving the economy and agricultural sector amid fears of food shortages. North Korea also criticized recent joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea as "dangerous war gambles" in a separate commentary carried by KCNA also on Monday. "It is no exaggeration to say that the war scenario for aggression on the DPRK has already entered its implementation stage through training stage," the commentary read.

☆ Utah changed its state flag to honor Mormon work ethic — but it was a total flop. Now, even the state's governor admitted he 'should have known better.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Utah's new flag design is ruffling feathers, and people are already trying to replace it. Spencer Cox said that he should "have known better" that the new flag would be unpopular. Brandon Beckham, a member of Utah's Republican party central committee, told the Journal that the new design is "just a logo." "The original Utah flag has built in its ideals that are true to the founding of the state that are linked to history," Beckham told the Journal. Ryan Woods, a conservative drag performer known as Lady MAGA USA, said the change flies in the face of history.

The staff at the hospital have been working around the clock since the fighting started in Sudan. “The biggest challenge facing medical staff trying to reach hospitals is the lack of safe passages. One video shows a doctor stitching a wound cutting through the calf of a woman. In another, the medical staff are slumped over a patient with a gaping wound in the upper thigh. “Hospitals of Sudan are under fire, medical supplies have almost run out, medical staff is exhausted.

Many other hospitals were also reported to have come under attack on Monday, the third day of fighting in Sudan. Russia has also been trying to make inroads in Sudan, and members of the Kremlin-affiliated Wagner private military company are posted there. Leaders from around the world called for a cease-fire, but it was not clear who, if anyone, was in control of Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, by area. “Everyone is afraid,” said Ahmed Abuhurira, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer who went out to try to charge his cellphone. “The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and is now catastrophic,” he said.

[1/3] Smoke rises from the tarmac of Khartoum International Airport as a fire burns, in Khartoum, Sudan April 17, 2023 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said an immediate ceasefire was needed, saying that view was shared by the international community. By Sunday it appeared that the army was gaining the upper hand in the fighting in Khartoum, using air strikes to pound RSF bases. Sudan has been affected by rising levels of hunger in recent years as an economic crisis has deepened. The WFP says it reached 9.3 million people in Sudan, one of its largest operations globally.

Satellite images showing a smoke plume in Khartoum Airport and Soba Camp. Khartoum Airport Area of Military Headquarters Smoke Khartoum Airport Soba military camp University Sudan Sports City Smoke Khartoum Airport Area of Military Headquarters Smoke Khartoum Airport Soba military camp University Sudan Sports City Smoke Khartoum Airport Soba military camp University Area of Military Headquarters Sudan Sports City Smoke Smoke Khartoum Airport Source: Satellite images by Planet Labs, captured on Saturday morning The New York TimesDeadly clashes broke out in Sudan’s capital on Saturday when rising tensions between rival factions of the military turned violent. By Saturday evening, fighting had spread beyond the capital, Khartoum, and it was unclear who was in control of the country. Here’s what videos show about the fighting and what we know about the locations of the violence. Elsewhere in SudanBy Saturday evening, fighting had spread far beyond Khartoum.

For Saudi Arabia, a deal could mean improved security. Saudi Arabia, Washington's most important Arab ally, began exploring ways to open a dialogue with the Islamic Republic two years ago in Iraq and Oman, said a Saudi official. In a bilateral meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the president expressed his desire to broker dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran. CHINESE MEDIATION 'BEST OPTION'An Iranian official said the deal covered a range of issues, from security concerns to economic and political issues. "China was the best option considering Iran's lack of trust towards Washington and Beijing's friendly ties with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Once the party of foreign policy "hawks," Republicans have increasingly cooled on foreign entanglements and military support for allies, particularly after Trump took office in 2016. Republican senators Marco Rubio, who is from DeSantis' home state, and Lindsey Graham, both former presidential candidates, criticized isolationists within their party. "People care about foreign policy, but I think it's kind of mixed on Ukraine funding," said Trudy Caviness, a member of the Iowa Republican State Central Committee. By embracing Trump's hands-off brand of foreign policy, DeSantis risks turning off some of the white-collar Republicans that are most eager to move on from the former president. That will give the eventual winner of the Republican nomination significant power to shape the party's foreign policy preferences going forward.

China's four new vice premiers:Ding Xuexiang, 60, is the first-ranked vice premier who also sits in the ruling Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, China's top echelon of power. Wang Zhigang, 65, remains minister of science and technology. Huai Jinpeng, 60, remains minister of educationPan Yue, 62, remains head of the National Ethnic Affairs CommissionWang Xiaohong, 65, remains minister of public securityChen Yixin, 63, remains minister of state security. Considered a Xi ally, he had worked with Xi when the latter was party chief of Zhejiang province from 2002-2007. Tang Dengjie, 63, remains minister of civil affairsHe Rong, 60, remains minister of justiceWang Xiaoping, 59, remains minister of human resources and social securityWang Guanghua, 59, remains minister of natural resourcesHuang Runqiu, 59, remains minister of ecology and environmentNi Hong, 60, remains minister of housing and urban-rural developmentLi Xiaopeng, 63, remains minister of transportLi Guoying, 63, remains minister of water resourcesTang Renjian, 60, remains minister of agriculture and rural affairsHu Heping, 60, remains minister of culture and tourismMa Xiaowei, 63, remains head of the National Health CommissionPei Jinjia, 59, remains minister of veterans affairsWang Xiangxi, 60, remains minister of emergency managementHou Kai, 60, remains auditor-general of the National Audit OfficeReporting by Yew Lun Tian, Ziyi Tang, additional reporting by Albee Zhang; Editing by Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

However, further announcements are expected in coming weeks as China implements a reorganisation of its financial regulatory structure and other government bodies. "Opting for continuity in these critical economic roles suggests an emphasis on credibility and stability," said Mattie Bekink, China director at the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network. The U.S.-educated central bank chief Yi, appointed PBOC governor in 2018, had widely been expected to retire after being left off the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee during the party's once-in-five-years congress in October. "It shows China wants to at least have a dialogue with the United States on monetary policy and financial cooperation," he said. The parliamentary session will end on Monday, with Xi expected to give a speech and Li, the new premier, scheduled to hold a televised media conference afterwards.

☆ 'Steady hand': China surprisingly retains central bank chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BEIJING, March 12 (Reuters) - Yi Gang's surprise re-appointment as China's central bank governor on Sunday means a pro-market mind of high international stature will continue to represent the world's second-largest economy on the global stage. The PBOC governor has high global exposure through institutions such as the Group of 20, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and others. "The central bank governor is not a job that can be easily taken over by someone else. Under Yi, the central bank has cut the reserve ratio 14 times since early 2018, pumping more than 10 trillion yuan into the economy. "Yi has been a steady hand in managing policy and the appointment underlines the importance of policy stability," said a policy insider who spoke on condition anonymity.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington was not directly involved, Saudi Arabia kept U.S. officials informed of the talks with Iran. NUCLEAR TALKSThe agreement comes as Iran accelerates its nuclear program after two years of failed U.S. attempts to revive a 2015 deal that aimed to stop Tehran producing a nuclear bomb. "Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program," he said. "If this new opening between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be meaningful and impactful, it will have to address the concerns about Iran's nuclear program - otherwise the opening is just optics." Friday's agreement also offers hope for more durable peace in Yemen, where a conflict sparked in 2014 has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

☆ Saudi, Iran restoration of ties a 'victory for dialogue'-China’s Wang Yi
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China Daily via REUTERSBEIJING, March 10 (Reuters) - The successful talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Beijing are a victory for dialogue and peace, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday, following the major diplomatic coup for China in Middle East geopolitics. Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed on Friday to re-establish relations after seven years of hostility which had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria. In the statement, the three parties expressed their willingness to make "every effort" to strengthen international and regional peace and security. "As a good-faith and reliable mediator, China has faithfully fulfilled its duties as the host," Wang said. Reporting by Ethan Wang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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