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Arctic-2 LNG has been expecting to start exporting soon and it is uncertain how much Russian LNG would be blocked by the new measures. The largest Russian LNG producer Novatek (NVTK.MM) said in September it would start shipments from Arctic-2 LNG early next year. The State Department said Zakharov is the creator and designer of the drones. "And every sanctions decision must work in full, so that there is no chance for Russia to bypass them." The State Department also imposed sanctions on multiple defense-related entities and procurement companies in the UAE.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Antony Blinken, Aleksandr Zakharov, Zakharov, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Daphne Psaledakis, Timothy Gardner, Alexandra Alper Mike Stone, Karen Freifeld, Yuliia Dysa, Ron Popeski, Nick Zieminski, Diane Craft Organizations: U.S, White, Rights, Moscow, State Department, Commerce Department, United Arab, Treasury Department, Systems, Treasury, Russian LNG, European, ZALA Aero, Russian Ministry of Defense, The State Department, Russian Federation, Washington, Turkish, UAE . Construction, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Ukraine, Siberia, Washington, Russian, U.S, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, China, Russia, Moscow, Crimea, Europe, European Union, Ukrainian, ZALA, UAE, New York, Gdansk, Beijing

☆ Blinken to Reassert in Israel Its Right to Act but Need to Minimize Civilian Casualties
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Humeyra PamukWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel on Friday to voice solidarity with its retaliation against Hamas in Gaza but also to reassert the need to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties, his spokesperson said on Wednesday. Blinken's trip, which includes a stop in Jordan, is his second to the Middle East in less than a month. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials and receive an update on Israel's military objectives and its plans to achieve those goals. He will pursue talks led by Egypt and Qatar on securing the release of more than 200 hostages held by Hamas, Miller said. Turkish diplomatic sources said Blinken would also visit Turkey but Miller did not confirm the additional stop.

Persons: Humeyra Pamuk, Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Miller, Israel, Joe Biden's, John Kirby, Jasper Ward, Daphne Psaledakis, Howard Goller Organizations: Israel, State Department, Hamas, White House, Washington Locations: Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, Gaza, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian, Egypt, Qatar, Turkish, Turkey, Washington

☆ How the Nigerian military fatally shot a young captive
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +19 min

The Nigerian government and military – including the presidency, Ministry of Defence, defence headquarters and army leaders – did not respond to detailed questions for this story. Various entities have accused Nigerian security forces of other abuses in connection with killings of civilians and captives. Two security force members told Reuters they saw multiple prisoners brought out of the barracks and shot after the fighting ceased. Tweets from Nigerian defence headquarters in Abuja show the military declared the hostilities over shortly after 11 a.m. Nine shots fired A uniformed security force member shot nine rounds at the young captive, pulling the trigger at least seven times, according to forensic audio experts who listened to the recording at Reuters’ request.

Persons: Melanie O’Brien, –, Ocampo, Christopher Musa, Musa, ” Musa, “, extrajudicially, Michael Oluoha Agi, ’ ”, ”, Boko, ‘ Allahu akbar ’, Yahaya, Haram, Biu, Bellingcat, Belllingcat, Chris Olukolade, Emmanuel Emeka, Emeka, Reade Levinson, David Lewis, Tim Cocks, Carlos Gonzales, Paul Carsten, Daphne Psaledakis, Stephanie van den Berg, Youri van, Adolfo Arranz, Sam Hart, Feilding, Julie Marquis, Alexandra Zavis Organizations: Reuters, International Association of, Nigerian, Ministry of Defence, ICC, Islamic, Human Rights Commission, United Nations, Twitter, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, U.S . State Department, U.S, Boko, Civilian, Task Force, Defence, Facebook, 231, Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment Locations: Geneva, Nigeria, Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigerian, United States, Britain, U.S, Biu, Boko Haram, Abuja, Largema

Palestinians conduct search and rescue operations at the site of Israeli strikes on a residential building, in the central Gaza Strip October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The United States has made "real progress" in the last few hours in negotiations to secure a safe passage for Americans and other foreigners who wish to depart the Gaza Strip, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday. So far, traffic at Rafah has reopened one way allowing aid trucks to go slowly into Gaza. "We would hope that any agreement to get any individuals out would also unlock the possibility of American citizens or their families and other foreign nationals coming out," Miller said. "We're working with various parties to try to facilitate their departure from Gaza.

Persons: Ahmed Zakot, Matthew Miller, Miller, Qataris, Israel, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne Psaledakis, Jasper Ward, Chris Reese, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: Gaza, United States, U.S, Rafah, Egypt, Jasper

We continue to encourage all countries to take tangible measures to halt the flow of arms, aviation fuel, and revenue to the military regime," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a separate statement. Canada imposed sanctions against 39 individuals and 22 entities for supporting Myanmar's military regime. The U.N. human rights expert for Myanmar in September called on the United States to further tighten sanctions on the country's military rulers to include the state oil and gas enterprise. Human rights advocates have repeatedly called for sanctions on MOGE, but Washington had so far held back. Myanmar military officials have played down the impact of sanctions.

Persons: Stringer, Washington, Antony Blinken, Brian Nelson, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Tim Gardner, Sarah Young, Ismail Shakil, Chizu Nomiyama, Rod Nickel Organizations: Army, Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Myanma, Gas Enterprise, U.S . Treasury Department, Reuters, Treasury, Financial, United Nations, Terrorism, Financial Intelligence, Chevron Corp, Chevron, Washington, Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, Myanma Investment, Commercial Bank, Sky Royal Hero Company, General Staff, Myanmar's Army, Navy, Air Force, Thomson Locations: Yangon, Myanmar, United States, Washington, U.S, United Kingdom, Canada, Britain

☆ Opinion: ‘Dark, terrifying, claustrophobic.’ What it’s like inside Hamas’ tunnels
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Jennifer Smith | Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In the decade since, she has done extensive research into Hamas’ tunnel system as well as the underground network built by Hezbollah. Peter Bergen: What’s it like inside a Hamas tunnel? A Hamas fighter appears inside an underground tunnel in Gaza in 2014. Israeli soldiers went into Hamas’ tunnels during Operation Protective Edge, and they were not trained and not equipped, and there was combat in the tunnels. Bergen: Is a dog force used by Israel inside tunnels?

Persons: Peter Bergen, ”, Daphné Richemond Barak, Richemond Barak, they’re, Mohammed Salem, Israel, it’s, Rina Castelnuovo, Gilad Shalit, Shalit, Israel — Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Peter Bergen CNN, Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, Reichman University, Subterranean Warfare, British, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, Bloomberg, Getty, Hamas, ISIS, Northern Locations: New America, Gaza, Israel, Herzliya, Vietnam, Viet, Messines, Belgium, Iran, Lebanon, Hamas, Bergen, Petah Tikva, —, Mosul, Iraq, Syria

A Palestinian fighter of the Al-Quds brigade in a military tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip last year. Overnight on Saturday, Israeli fighter planes struck 150 underground targets in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said. The group’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, said in 2021 that there were 310 miles of tunnels in Gaza. Ben Milch, an Israeli American who cleared tunnels with the Israeli military during the 2014 Gaza War, said his unit came under fire repeatedly while working to destroy some 13 tunnels. After the Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it had destroyed the tunnel to the sea, it released a video of another incident.

Persons: “, Israel, ”, Joseph L, Sergey Ponomarev, Yocheved, Daniel Hagari, Votel, Joel Roskin, Roskin, Ali Ali, Daphne Richemond, Barak, Yahya Sinwar, Yousef Masoud, ” Ms, Richemond, Ms, Amir Olo, Olo, Ben Milch, Milch, Uriel Sinai, Jeffrey Gettleman, Gal Koplewitz Organizations: Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, U.S, United States Central Command, The New York Times, Islamic, Iraqi, ISIS, Bar, Ilan University, European Pressphoto Agency, Reichman University, telltale, RAND Corporation, West Bank, Officials Locations: Al, Quds, Gaza, Israel, Israeli, Iraqi, Mosul, Al Shifa, Israel’s, Egypt, Northern Sinai, Khan Younis, Col, Israeli American, Kissufim, The, Zikim Beach, Jerusalem

The Gaza Strip itself is only some 360 square kilometers (140 square miles), roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C.“They started saying that they destroyed 100 kilometers (62 miles) of Hamas tunnels. I am telling you that the tunnels we have in the Gaza Strip exceed 500 kilometers,” Sinwar said following a bloody 11-day war with Israel. But fully dislodging Hamas will require clearing those tunnels, where militants can pop up behind advancing Israeli troops. During a 2014 war, Hamas militants killed at least 11 Israeli soldiers after infiltrating into Israel through tunnels. AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF COMPLEXITYYet in all those cases, advancing militaries did not face the challenge that Israel does now with Hamas’ tunnel system.

Persons: Israel, ”, John Spencer, “, Sinwar, ” Sinwar, Hadar Goldin, Ariel Bernstein, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Lifshitz, spiriting, Daphné Richemond, Barak, Richemond, ″ Organizations: JERUSALEM, U.S . Army, Urban Warfare, Modern, Institute, Urban, Steel Works, Hamas, “ Metro, Washington , D.C, Israeli, Ministry, Islamic, U.S ., Soufan, Israel’s Reichman, Associated Press Locations: Gaza, Israel, U.S, West, Ambracia, “, Egypt, Washington ,, Israeli, Vietnam, Saigon, South Vietnam, Russian, Ukrainian, America, Islamic State, Afghanistan, Hamas, New York, firefights

☆ South African violist tackles legacy of alcohol payments to labourers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Thando Hlophe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

South African violist, Lynn "Daphne" Rudolph, who uses music and art to explore the painful legacy of how labourers at wineries in the Western Cape province were for centuries given wine as part of their payment, looks on during a rehearsal at an arts venue in Johannesburg, South Africa, October 13, 2023. Rudolph created and performed in a show called "Dop is my Taal", which means "Alcohol is my Language" in Afrikaans, at an arts venue in Johannesburg. The show involved Daphne playing music she had composed, interspersed with excerpts from the South African national anthem, while another musician performed using beer bottles, domino pieces and thimbles -- objects associated with the daily lives of farm labourers. Audience members at the performance of "Dop is my Taal" said the work had articulated uncomfortable truths and given expression to a part of South African society that sometimes feels marginalised. "I love the fact that she's taking upon herself to do a work that speaks for so many other voices."

Persons: Lynn, Daphne, Rudolph, Lynn Rudolph, Kelly, Eve Koopman, Julia Zenzie Burnham, Thando Hlophe, Tannur Anders, Estelle Shirbon, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, South African, Thomson Locations: Western Cape, Johannesburg, South Africa, JOHANNESBURG

A general view shows the interiors of what the Israeli military say is a cross-border attack tunnel dug from Gaza to Israel, on the Israeli side of the Gaza Strip border near Kissufim January 18, 2018. After the last round of hostilities in 2021, Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yehya Al-Sinwar, said: "They started saying they destroyed 100kms of Hamas tunnels. Tunneling became easier in 2005 when Israel pulled its soldiers and settlers out of Gaza, and when Hamas won power in a 2006 election. Although the military tunnels remained off-limits to outside eyes, during that era Gaza smugglers would show off their scarcely concealed commercial tunnels under the Rafah border. Israeli sources said what awaits them is formidable and they faced an enemy that has regrouped and learned from previous Israeli operations in 2014 and 2021.

Persons: Jack Guez, Lloyd Austin, Yehya Al, Sinwar, Lifshitz, Mahmoud Abbas, Amir Avivi, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Israel, Yasser Arafat's, Deen al, Gilad Shalit, Abu Qusay, Mohammed Deif, Deif, Joel Roskin, Ilan University, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amnon Sofrin, Daphne Richemond, Barak, Jonathan Saul, Stephen Farrell, Phil Stewart, Nafisa Eltahir, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Janet Lawrence Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, U.S . Defense, Israel, United Nations Security Council, LONG, Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization, West Bank, Hamas, Brigades, Arafat's, Israel's, Ilan, Israel's Combat Engineering, Combat Intelligence Corps, Israel's Reichman University, IDF, ISIS, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Kissufim, JERUSALEM, LONDON, Hamas, Palestinian, States, Mosul, Islamic, Egypt, Israeli, Viet, Israel's, Egyptian, El Arish, Suez, Yasser Arafat's Palestine, Jordan, Rafah, Syria, Iraq, State, Jerusalem, London, Washington, Cairo

☆ The ‘Gaza metro’: The mysterious subterranean tunnel network used by Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The myriad tunnels under Gaza are best known as passageways used to smuggle goods from Egypt and launch attacks into Israel. Hamas in 2021 claimed to have built 500 kilometers (311 miles) worth of tunnels under Gaza, though it is unclear if that figure was accurate or posturing. If true, Hamas’ underground tunnels would be a little less than half the length of the New York City subway system. It’s unclear how much the tunnel network would have cost Hamas, which governs the impoverished coastal strip. The IDF is expected to go after the network in its forthcoming ground incursion into Gaza, as it has in recent years gone to extreme lengths to eliminate Hamas’ tunnels.

Persons: ”, Daphne Richemond, Barak, Uriel Sinai, “ It’s, Richemond, Rina Castelnuovo, Israel, Critics, ” Richemond, “ Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, New, Israel’s Reichman University, The New York Times, Lieber Institute for Law, Warfare, Modern, Institute, Israeli Army, IDF, Ministry of Health, United Nations, UN Locations: Gaza, Egypt, Israel, New York City, Israeli, The, al Qaeda, Afghanistan, Viet, Southeast Asia, Gaza City, West Point, Petach Tikva

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 12, 2023. The question of Iranian access to the funds has been in the spotlight since Iran-backed Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on Saturday, killing more than 1,300 people and taking scores of hostages back to the Palestinian Gaza Strip. "Iran will not be able to access the funds for the foreseeable future," a senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. Several U.S. media outlets reported on Thursday that the United States and Qatar had agreed to stop Iran from accessing the money. It did not respond to a request for comment on whether Iran had yet tried to access the funds.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Jacquelyn Martin, Blinken, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's U.N, Donald Trump, John Kirby, Kirby, Parisa Hafezi, Andrew Mills, Michelle Nichols, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, TEL, United, Washington, Reuters, U.S, U.S . Treasury, U.S ., Government, United Nations, Qatar's, Media, White House, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, TEL AVIV, WASHINGTON, United States, Iran, Qatar, Palestinian, U.S, Tehran, South Korea, Seoul after Washington, Islamic Republic of Iran, New York, Qatari

☆ Blinken says Israeli government shared images of Hamas atrocities
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 12, 2023. It almost defies comprehension," Blinken told a news briefing in Tel Aviv, where he traveled after hundreds of Hamas gunmen poured across the barrier fence and rampaged through Israeli towns on Saturday. He carefully described the disturbing contents of the images he was shown in meetings with Israeli officials earlier on Thursday. The atrocities depicted in the images he had seen "harkens back to ISIS," Blinken said. Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Tel Aviv; Writing by Doina Chiacu, Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Jacquelyn Martin, Blinken, Humeyra Pamuk, Doina Chiacu, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, ISIS, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, TEL AVIV, Washington

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, killing hundreds of people in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history. Israel's embassy in Washington said the death toll from the weekend Hamas attacks had surpassed 1,000. U.S. officials say they do not have evidence Iran orchestrated the attacks, but point to Iran's longterm support for Hamas. Biden called the Hamas attacks "an act of sheer evil" and said Washington was rushing additional military assistance to Israel, including ammunition and interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome aerial defense system. Israeli soldiers went from house to house to take away the dead.

Persons: Ronen, Israel, Biden, Joe Biden, Israel's, Yoav Gallant, ", Washington, Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Gaza's Khan Younis, Ala Abu Tair, Abassan Al, Jawad Abu Shammala, Zakaria Abu Maamar, Khan Younis, Abu Shammala, Human Rights Volker Turk, Elad Hakim, Aza, Itai Veruv, Dan Williams, Emily Rose, Henriette Chacar, Ari Rabinovitch, Nidal, Maayan, Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Rockets, Hamas, U.S, Israel, Israeli, White, United, Department, Defence, The United Nations, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Human Rights, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Ashkelon, Lebanon, Syria, U.S, JERUSALEM, GAZA, WASHINGTON, Palestinian, Israel's, Washington, United States, Iran, Gaza's, U.N, East Jerusalem, Be'eri, stretchers, Europe, Jerusalem, Kfar Aza

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history. Israel's embassy in Washington said on Tuesday the death toll from the weekend Hamas attacks had surpassed 1,000. Biden called the Hamas attacks "an act of sheer evil" and said Washington was rushing additional military assistance to Israel, including ammunition and interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome aerial defense system. They were the first senior Hamas members killed since Israel began pounding the enclave. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who denounced the Hamas attacks, said: "International humanitarian law is clear: the obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population and civilian objects remains applicable throughout the attacks."

Persons: Kan, Joe Biden, —, Yoav Gallant, Israel, Biden, ", Washington, Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ammar Awad, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Khan Younis, Sabra, Gaza's Khan Younis, Ala Abu Tair, Abassan Al, Jawad Abu Shammala, Zakaria Abu Maamar, Abu Shammala, Human Rights Volker Turk, Dan Williams, Emily Rose, Henriette Chacar, Ari Rabinovitch, Nidal, Maayan, Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Howard Goller Organizations: Hamas, U.S, Israel, Public, Israeli, White, United, Department, REUTERS, Defence, United Nations, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Human Rights, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Sabra, JERUSALEM, GAZA, WASHINGTON, Palestinian, Israel's, Washington, Lebanon, United States, Iran, U.S, Ashkelon, Israeli, Daraj Tuffah, Gaza City, Khan, Gaza's, U.N, East Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Kfar Aza, Lincoln

You could say Joe Cristalli tweeted his role as co-executive producer and co-showrunner on the new “Frasier” sitcom into existence. Political Cartoons View All 1205 ImagesThis “Frasier” stars Grammer in the title role of the high-brow psychiatrist, as he moves back to Boston. They also reference the original series sparingly and smartly — which is an act of restraint that Cristalli said Harris helped him to understand. That’s not Frasier.’ The next day he’s got, you know, longer pants and the next day it's a blazer. Bruce Miller composed the original ”Frasier" theme.

Persons: Joe Cristalli, Frasier, “ Frasier ”, Cristalli, Kelsey Grammer, “ Frasier, Frasier ”, Grammer, “, Chris Harris, Freddy, John Mahoney, Harris, Frasier Crane, ”, Chris, We’re, Jack Russell, James Burrows, “ Will, Grace ”, ” Burrows, Jack Cuttmore, Scott, Anders Keith, David, Frasier's, Niles, Daphne, Kelsey, he’s, he’ll, ’, Bruce, Jason Miller, Bruce Miller, hipper, Martin, —, It's, Glenda Rovello, ‘, Burrows Organizations: Paramount, Harvard Locations: Boston, Cambridge, Mahoney's

A man living on the streets displays what he says is the synthetic drug fentanyl at the Tenderloin section of San Francisco, California, U.S., February 27, 2020. "We are here today to deliver a message on behalf of the United States government. "We know that this global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies in China." The Treasury accused the China-based network of being responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine and MDMA precursors. It said the network is capable of synthesizing multi-thousand-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA precursors and other illicit chemicals.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Joe Biden's, General Merrick Garland, Garland, Andrew Goudsward, Daphne Psaledakis, Michael Martina, Rami Ayyub, Costas Pitas, Susan Heavey, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United, U.S, U.S . Treasury Department, Justice Department, Treasury, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, United States, China, Washington, China's, Mexico, Sinaloa, Canada

☆ How would a government shutdown affect US foreign policy?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Some foreign aid programs could also run out of money or have trouble performing their missions. "It would make it harder to do everything that we do to try to advance national security." Contracts awarded before the shutdown would continue, and the Pentagon could place new orders for supplies or services needed to protect national security. SPY AGENCIESThe Central Intelligence Agencies and other intelligence agencies have not publicly shared their plans for a shutdown. But in the past, staff involved in operations, analysis and cyber activities have been deemed critical to national security and ordered to keep working, possibly without pay.

Persons: Joshua Roberts, Biden, Antony Blinken, Lockheed Martin, Patricia Zengerle, Daphne Psaledakis, Mike Stone, Don Durfee, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, STATE DEPARTMENT U.S, Department of State, State Department, Pentagon, Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, National Nuclear Security Administration, Central Intelligence Agencies, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Russia, Ukraine, States, China, U.S

☆ US to announce disaster response team for South Caucasus amid Karabakh crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday will announce it has deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team in the South Caucasus region to coordinate the U.S. humanitarian response to the crisis after Azerbaijan took back control of Nagorno-Karabakh last week. "The United States is deeply concerned about the safety of vulnerable populations in Nagorno-Karabakh and the more than 50,000 people who have fled to Armenia," Power said in the statement. Power traveled to Armenia and Azerbaijan this week following Azerbaijan's defeat of the breakaway region's fighters in a conflict dating from the Soviet era. The Armenians are not accepting Azerbaijan's promise to guarantee their rights as the region is integrated. "Azerbaijan must protect civilians, uphold its obligations to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals in its country, and ensure its forces comply with international humanitarian law," Power said.

Persons: Samantha Power, Irakli, Power, Ilham Aliyev, Daphne Psaledakis, Peter Graff Organizations: Agency for International Development, USAID, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S . Agency for International Development, Karabakh, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Kornidzor, Armenia, United States, South Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Soviet, Washington, Soviet Union

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Private Travis King, the U.S. soldier who ran into North Korea in July, is in U.S. custody and heading home after being expelled by North Korea into China, the United States said on Wednesday. For its part, North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea's KCNA state news agency said King told Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally because he was disillusioned about unequal U.S. Last month, it said that he wanted refuge in North Korea or elsewhere because of maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. army. KING IN 'GOOD HEALTH'The Swedish government, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea because Washington has no diplomatic presence in the country, retrieved King in North Korea and brought him to China.

Persons: Travis King, King, KCNA, Matthew Miller, Nicholas Burns, Miller, Kim Hong, Jonathan Franks, Claudine Gates, Gates, Myron Gates, Fort Sam Houston, Brittney Griner, Hyonhee Shin, hyang Choi, Phil Stewart, Susan Heavey, Trevor Hunnicutt, Doina, Idrees Ali, Daphne Psaledakis Michael Martina, Humeyra Pamuk, David Brunnstrom, Brendan O'Brien, Johan Ahlander, Philippa Fletcher, Sharon Singleton, Bill Berkrot, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: North, The State Department, ., China . State Department, U.S, Osan Air Force Base, King, REUTERS, United States Army, ABC News, South Korean, Brooke Army Medical Center, Base San, Fort, Russia, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, SEOUL, U.S, North Korea, China, United States, Washington, Pyongyang, Swedish, Beijing, Dandong, Shenyang, South Korea, Sweden, Gijungdong, Panmunjom, Texas, Base San Antonio, Seoul, Chicago, Stockholm

☆ WSL set for most competitive season after influx of new talent
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Christian Radnedge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The WSL had almost 100 players representing their nations at the recent World Cup, the most of any league in the world. Former Germany forward Pauline Bremer was the first of 10 new signings for Brighton & Hove Albion, who scraped survival last season. Former Arsenal midfielder Jill Roord returns to the WSL but this time at Manchester City as the only signing for Gareth Taylor's side. The Lionesses' triumph at Euro 2022 resulted in a 170% increase in attendances last season, the FA said. They are hoping for another bounce this year after England reached the World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand, as the WSL targets becoming the first billion-pound women's league in the world.

Persons: Chelsea's Magdalena Eriksson, John Sibley, Emma Hayes's, Carla Ward, Adriana Leon, Daphne van Domselaar, Ward, Pauline Bremer, Willie Kirk, Rose, Lize, we've, Hannah Cain, Robert Vilahamn, Captain Beth England, Martha Thomas, Jonas Eidevall's, Alessia Russo, Jill Roord, Gareth Taylor's, They've, Taylor, Russo, Mary Earps, Marc Skinner's, King Power, Christian, Toby Davis Organizations: Soccer, League, Reading, Chelsea, Madejski, Super League, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, WSL, Manchester United, Everton, Liverpool, West Ham United, Champions League, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City, Tottenham, Sweden's BK Hacken, Spurs, Arsenal, England, Paris FC, Former Arsenal, Manchester City, Emirates, Bristol City, Ashton, Thomson Locations: Reading, Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Leicester, Sweden's, American, Scotland, ., Australia, New Zealand

☆ Azerbaijan arrests former top Karabakh minister as exodus tops 50,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mostly by ethnic Armenians who broke away in the 1990s in the first of two wars there since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Karabakh authorities said more than 50,000 had left so far, out of an estimated ethnic Armenian population of 120,000. Azerbaijan rejects Armenian accusations of ethnic cleansing, but images of tens of thousands of desperate people on the move have provoked widespread international alarm. Germany added its voice to U.S. calls for Azerbaijan to allow international observers into Karabakh. Karabakh authorities said they lost at least 200 people in Azerbaijan's offensive last week.

Persons: Ruben Vardanyan, Veronika Zonabend, Morris Tidball, Binz, Annalena Baerbock, Matthew Miller, Washington, Irakli, Ilham Aliyev, Zonabend, Miller, Vera Petrosyan, Daphne Psaledakis, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones, Philippa Fletcher, Alison Williams Organizations: Twitter, U.S . State Department, REUTERS, Reuters, Local, Russian, Russia, State, Washington, Thomson Locations: Azerbaijan Karabakh, Germany, GORIS, Armenia, Nagorno, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Baku, Soviet Union, Kornidzor, Russia, Ukraine, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, United States, Washington

☆ USAID Chief to Raise Karabakh Humanitarian Situation in Azerbaijan Visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Daphne PsaledakisWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Biden administration officials arrived in Azerbaijan on Wednesday amid a humanitarian crisis and an exodus of tens of thousands of people after Azerbaijan took back control of Nagorno-Karabakh in a lightning offensive last week. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) chief Samantha Power, joined by U.S. State Department Acting Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim, will raise the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the importance of Azerbaijan following through with its commitments in a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. Power "will also address the prospects for a durable and dignified peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, based on mutual respect for each others’ territorial integrity and sovereignty," USAID said in a statement. The Armenians are not accepting Azerbaijan's promise to guarantee their rights as the region is integrated. The Nagorno-Karabakh leadership told Reuters the region's 120,000 Armenians did not want to live as part of Azerbaijan for fear of persecution and ethnic cleansing.

Persons: Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON, Samantha Power, Yuri Kim, Ilham Aliyev, Aliyev, Daphne Psaledakis, David Holmes Organizations: Biden, U.S . Agency for International Development, USAID, U.S . State, Power, Karabakh, Reuters Locations: Azerbaijan, Nagorno, Karabakh, Europe, Armenia, Washington, Soviet Union

☆ Actor Viola Davis to join US African diaspora council
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] FiILE PHOTO: Viola Davis attends the world premiere of "AIR" at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Lauren Justice/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the first members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement, including actor Viola Davis, who will advise Washington on deepening ties with African communities. Washington has sought to stress the region's importance and counter challenges posed by China and Russia to the United States' interests in the increasingly important region. In addition to Viola Davis, members include: Patrick Gaspard, the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress think tank; C.D. Glin, president of the PepsiCo Foundation and global head of social impact for PepsiCo; and Almaz Negash, founder of the African Diaspora Network, among others.

Persons: Viola Davis, Lauren Justice, Joe Biden, Judd Devermont, Silvester Beaman, Patrick Gaspard, Glin, Davis, Tony, Wagner, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Don Durfee, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Regency Village Theatre, REUTERS, Rights, Tuesday, Africa, Summit, National Security, African Affairs, African Methodist Episcopal, Center for American Progress, PepsiCo Foundation, PepsiCo, African Diaspora Network, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, President’s, Washington, China, Russia, United States, States, Africa, Ukraine

☆ Exclusive: Senior US officials traveling to Armenia as Karabakh's Armenians start to leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh region arrive at a temporary accommodation centre in the town of Goris, Armenia, September 25, 2023. Power will meet with senior government officials and will "affirm U.S. support for Armenia’s democracy, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and commitment to address humanitarian needs stemming from Nagorno-Karabakh," the official said. Thousands of Karabakh Armenians have been left without food. In 2020, after decades of skirmishes, Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, won a 44-day Second Karabakh War, recapturing territory in and around Karabakh. That war ended with a Russian-brokered peace deal that Armenians accuse Moscow of failing to guarantee.

Persons: Irakli, Samantha Power, Yuri Kim, Nikol Pashinyan, Daphne Psaledakis, Donna Bryson, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Biden, U.S, Reuters, U.S . Agency for International Development, . State, USAID, Karabakh, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Goris, Armenia, Soviet, Europe, United States, Azerbaijan, Russia, Soviet Union, Turkey, Russian, Moscow

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