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For the seventh time, Taiwan will be represented by Morris Chang, the 92-year-old founder of the world-leading Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Chang is known as the godfather of the industry that has put Taiwan in the top ranks of high-tech manufacturing and personal electronic devices. Taiwan has participated in APEC since 1991 under the name Chinese Taipei. It began taking part just two years after the group's inception and the same year that China and the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong joined. These acts of political intimidation have the potential to wear down the operational resiliency of the island's military equipment and personnel.

Persons: Morris Chang, Chang, —, Finance Chuang Tsui, yun, Janet Yellen, BIDEN, Xi Jinping, John Kirby, Joe Biden, Hong Kong, William Lai, Terry Gou Organizations: —, Economic Cooperation, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, APEC, Finance, U.S, Treasury, BE, Liberation Army, Democratic Progressive Party . U.S . National Security, Nationalist Party, Kuomintang, KMT Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, — Taiwan, Asia, San Francisco, China, Taipei, Hong Kong, Beijing, TAIWAN, U.S, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Pacific, Hong, British, Taiwanese

☆ US set to take action to win China's cooperation on fentanyl
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Biden will discuss the issue with China's President Xi Jinping on Wednesday in San Francisco at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that Washington hoped the summit would result in action to help combat the fentanyl trade. China has long questioned why the U.S. would expect cooperation on fentanyl while targeting the institute. China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the fentanyl issue. Fentanyl is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and is increasingly mixed with other illicit drugs, often with lethal results.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Karine Jean, Pierre, Leah Millis, Joe Biden's, Bejing, Biden, Xi Jinping, Washington, Marsha Blackburn, Blackburn, Michael Martina, Michelle Nichols, Jonathan Oatis, Bill Berkrot Organizations: National, White House Press, White, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, China's Institute of Forensic Science, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, China's, Economic Cooperation, . National, Washington, Institute of Forensic Science, China's Ministry of Public Security, Commerce, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Washington, San Francisco, Asia, U.S, China, America, China's

☆ Biden will push China to resume military ties with US, official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Bali, Indonesia, November 14, 2022. Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in person for the first time in a year on Wednesday during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. It will be only the second in-person meeting between the two leaders since Biden took office in January 2021. Sullivan said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Biden would seek to "advance the ball" on military ties during his meeting with Xi, but declined to provide further details. President Biden would like to re-establish that," Sullivan said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Kevin Lamarque, Jake Sullivan, Biden, it's, Sullivan, Xi, Katharine Jackson, Arshad Mohammed, Andrea Shalal, Scott Malone, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, White House, Biden, Economic Cooperation, U.S, CBS, Thomson Locations: Bali , Indonesia, China, Asia, San Francisco, Israel, Ukraine, North, Russia, Taiwan, U.S, United States, Beijing

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday that she agreed with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to "intensify communication" on economic issues but warned him to crack down on Chinese companies that give material support to Russia for its war in Ukraine. "During our discussions, we agreed that in-depth and frank discussions matter, particularly when we disagree," Yellen said. "And I emphasized that the current uncertain global landscape makes it particularly crucial that we maintain resilient lines of communication going forward." "We would like to see China crack down on this, especially when we're able to provide information," Yellen said. Discussing the Israel-Hamas war, Yellen spoke of the need "to prevent escalation and expansion of the conflict in the Middle East," the Treasury said in a statement.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Lifeng, Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Carlos Barria, Donald Trump's, Liao Min, Liao, Eric Beech, David Lawder, Ann Saphir, Andrea Shalal, David Ljunggren, Chizu Nomiyama, Andrea Ricci, Grant McCool, Christian Schmollinger, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: FRANCISCO, . Treasury, Economic Cooperation, Communist Party, Treasury, U.S, APEC, REUTERS, Industrial, Commercial Bank of, Finance, Ministry of Finance, Fund, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, San Francisco, Asia, China, RUSSIA, Israel, U.S, San Francisco , California, Commercial Bank of China, Washington, Beijing, United States

☆ EU AI Act to serve as blueprint for global rules, Benifei says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken June 23, 2023. While several countries have been looking at ways to regulate AI, European lawmakers have taken a lead by drafting AI rules aimed at setting a global standard for a technology key to almost every industry and business. Executives and experts attending the conference stressed the importance of establishing guardrails to AI to prevent threats to society and democracy. Last week, Britain published a paper known as the "Bletchley Declaration", agreed with 28 countries including U.S. and China, aimed at boosting global efforts to cooperate on AI safety. "We can build these common alphabet because it's very important to deal with higher level challenges on AI development, for example, the risk of AI used as weapons," he said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Brando Benifei, Benifei, Joe Biden, Liz O'Sullivan, Supantha Mukherjee, Diane Bartz, Jeffrey Dastin, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Union, Reuters NEXT, U.S, Congress, National AI, Reuters, reuters, Thomson Locations: EU, New York, Britain, Bletchley, U.S, China, Stockholm, Washington, San Francisco

☆ U.S. Treasury's Yellen to meet Chinese vice premier ahead of APEC summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discusses "U.S.-China Economic Relationship" during a forum hosted by the Johns Hopkins University at the Nitze Building in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in San Francisco this week to try to deepen a fledgling economic dialogue between the world's two largest economies ahead of a U.S.-hosted summit of Pacific Rim leaders. The Treasury said the Nov. 9-10 meetings will also convene the new economic and financial forums launched in October by the Treasury and China's finance ministry and central bank. Yellen also is keen to discuss what steps Chinese officials are contemplating to support their flagging economic growth, and what circumstances might change their policy path. Instead, Yellen said she was "focusing on specific, high-priority economic topics on which we can make tangible progress."

Persons: Janet Yellen, Sarah Silbiger, Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, David Lawder, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: . Treasury, Johns Hopkins University, REUTERS, Rights, Pacific Rim, Treasury, San, Biden, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: China, Washington , U.S, San Francisco, U.S, Beijing

☆ China agrees to nuclear arms-control talks with US -WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The flags of the United States and China fly from a lamppost in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., November 1, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 1 (Reuters) - China and the United States will discuss nuclear arms control next week, the first such talks since the Obama administration, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Those arms talks would be led on Monday by Mallory Stewart, a senior State Department official, and Sun Xiaobo, the head of the arms-control department at China's Foreign Ministry, the Wall Street Journal report said. Since then, U.S. officials had expressed frustration that China showed little interest in discussing steps to reduce nuclear weapons risks. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, said the overdue arms talks would likely focus on promoting greater transparency of each countries' nuclear doctrines and more effective crisis-communication channels.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Obama, Wang Yi, Mallory Stewart, Sun Xiaobo, Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Daryl Kimball, Kimball, Jasper Ward, Dan Whitcomb, Michael Martina, David Brunnstrom, Sandra Maler, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Wall Street, China's, State Department, China's Foreign Ministry, Wall, U.S . State Department, Reuters, U.S . National, Pentagon, Biden, Control, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Chinatown, Boston , Massachusetts, U.S, Washington, Russia, Beijing, San Francisco

[1/2] Kenyan workers check clothes made for export at the United Aryan Export Processing Zone (EPZ) factory, operating under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), in Ruaraka district of Nairobi, Kenya October 26, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya Acquire Licensing RightsNov 1 (Reuters) - South Africa will host the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Johannesburg from Nov 2-4 to discuss the United States' flagship trade programme for the continent. The African Growth and Opportunity Act is a U.S. trade initiative passed in 2000 under former President Bill Clinton to deepen trade ties with Sub-Saharan Africa and help African countries develop their economies. AGOA provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for most agricultural and manufactured products exported by eligible African countries. African countries are pushing for an early 10-year extension without changes in order to reassure businesses and investors who might have concerns over AGOA's future.

Persons: Thomas Mukoya, Bill Clinton, AGOA, Nellie Peyton, Joe Bavier, Alexander Smith Organizations: United Aryan, Processing, U.S ., REUTERS, WHO, AGOA, U.S . Trade, Thomson Locations: Ruaraka district, Nairobi, Kenya, South Africa, Johannesburg, United States, U.S, Saharan Africa, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Ethiopia, AGOA .

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Putin says the West is to blame for mob storming Russian airport; U.S. calls the accusation 'absurd'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West and Ukraine of orchestrating an anti-Israel riot in an airport in the Russian republic of Dagestan over the weekend, claiming they stood to benefit from a divided Russia. Today, in my opinion, this has already become obvious and clear to everyone," he said, according to comments published on the Kremlin website. "I have already spoken about attempts to use the dramatic situation in the Middle East, other regional conflicts against our country, against Russia. To do this, they use a variety of means, as we see, the best provocations and sophisticated psychological technologies and information aggression." The White House rejected the allegations with John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, describing them as "classic Russian rhetoric" and saying "the West had nothing to do with this.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, John Kirby, Holly Ellyatt Organizations: West, Kremlin, Security Council, Russia, House, U.S . National Security Council Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Russian, Dagestan, Russia, West, Makhachkala

In an open letter entitled "2023 Ceasefire Ultimatum," the Muslim leaders pledged to mobilize Muslim voters to "withhold endorsement, support, or votes for any candidate who endorses the Israeli offensive against the Palestinian people." Muslim Americans in Minnesota, where Biden plans to visit on Wednesday, last week issued a similar ceasefire ultimatum, with a noon Tuesday deadline. Although a self-described Zionist president, Biden has appointed more Arab Americans and Muslims to political posts than any predecessor, as well as the first two Muslim federal judges. Around 70% of Muslim Americans backed Biden in 2020, Hussein said. Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of CAIR in Philadelphia, said Muslim Americans in the state were calling for an immediate ceasefire but he was not aware of plans to set a deadline.

Persons: Joe Biden, Leah Millis, Joe Biden's, Biden, Keith Ellison, Andre Carson of, Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kirby, Rashida Tlaib, Jaylani Hussein, Hussein, Ahmet Tekelioglu, Andrea Shalal, Andrew Hay, Heather Timmons, Howard Goller Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, White, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic Party, National Muslim Democratic Council, Former U.S, Congress, Israel, Palestinian, Twitter, Sacramento Valley Council, Islamic Relations, CAIR, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Gaza, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Israel, Andre Carson of Indiana, Gaza . U.S, Minnesota, Palestine, Sacramento, Wisconsin , Ohio, Michigan , Ohio, Wisconsin, Philadelphia, Washington, New Mexico

☆ Israel war tests US appeal to global swing states
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

FOURNI, Greece, Oct 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Joe Biden has sought to portray the United States as a superpower that cares about the rule of law. What’s more, swing states – which back neither the United States nor China – have more power than they did during the old Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union. Such pressure may convince some countries that the United States is pursuing a principles-based foreign policy in the Gaza conflict. The Israeli war may last a long time and its aftermath may be tortuous. But it could also have an important impact on the United States’ influence with swing states and its struggle with China.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin’s, Xi Jinping’s, Barack Obama, Republic –, Biden, Queen Rania, Jordan, Israel, Jake Sullivan, Israel –, Tayyip Erdogan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mustafa Kamal Kazi, Netanyahu, What’s, Jonathan Cohen, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Russian, U.S, Israel, United Nations General, Washington, UN Security Council, Security Council, Soviet Union, Members, United, Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S . National Security, U.S ., West Bank, Thomson Locations: FOURNI, Greece, United States, Russia, China, Ukraine, Taiwan, Gaza, Israel, Republic, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, U.S, Moscow, Soviet, India, Brazil, wean, Turkey, NATO, South Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistani, Egypt, Israeli

☆ White House unveils wide-ranging action to mitigate AI risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Jeff Mason | Thomson Reuters | Jeff Mason Is A White House Correspondent For Reuters. He Has Covered The Presidencies Of Barack Obama | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. The new executive order, which Biden will highlight at an event on Monday, goes further than those commitments. It also directs agencies to set standards for that testing and address related chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks, according to the White House. The official said the executive order had the force of law and the White House believed that legislative action from Congress was also necessary for AI governance. Biden is calling on Congress in particular to pass legislation on data privacy, the White House said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, Biden, Staff Bruce Reed, Kamala Harris, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Jeff Mason, John Kruzel, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, U.S ., Defense, Commerce Department, House, Staff, British, Thomson Locations: Europe, United States, Britain, China

In one of the first major policy actions under new House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Republicans unveiled a standalone supplemental spending bill only for Israel, despite Democratic President Joe Biden's request for a $106 billion package that would include aid for Israel, Ukraine and border security. Johnson, who voted against aid for Ukraine before he was elected House speaker last week, had said he wanted aid to Israel and Ukraine to be handled separately. Democrats accused Republicans of stalling Congress' ability to help Israel by introducing a partisan bill. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement accusing Republicans of "politicizing national security" and calling their bill a non-starter. The House Rules Committee is expected to consider the Republican Israel bill on Wednesday.

Persons: Kevin Wurm, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Johnson, Karine Jean, Pierre, Biden, Rosa DeLauro, Patricia Zengerle, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, . House, Monday, Internal Revenue Service, House Republicans, Democratic, Ukraine, Fox News, Israel, Senate, Republicans, Republican Israel, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, Ukraine

☆ Ex-British Intelligence Worker Jailed for Attempted Murder of U.S. NSA Employee
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Sam TobinLONDON (Reuters) - A former British intelligence worker who tried to kill a U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) employee in a "premeditated, targeted and vicious attack" was jailed on Monday for 13 years. Joshua Bowles, 29, repeatedly stabbed the unnamed woman, who was working at British intelligence agency GCHQ, in March near its base at Cheltenham in western England. Bowles had previously worked at GCHQ but was no longer working there when he carried out the attack. Bowles, who lived in Cheltenham, pleaded guilty in August to the attempted murder of the woman, known only as 99230. I believe the intelligence community helps ensure this rigging, this view has been reinforced by my time working at GCHQ."

Persons: Sam Tobin LONDON, Joshua Bowles, Bowles, Duncan Penny, London's Old Bailey, Penny, Tim Forte, Forte, Bobbie Cheema, Grubb, Sam Tobin, Angus MacSwan Organizations: U.S . National Security Agency, NSA, Cheltenham, GCHQ Locations: British, U.S, England, GCHQ, Cheltenham

☆ US House speaker plans vote this week on stand-alone Israel aid bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) takes his oath of office after he was elected to be the new Speaker at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabth Frantz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Newly installed U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday he expects floor action this week to advance a funding bill to support Israel exclusively, even though President Joe Biden is pushing for a $106 billion aid package for Israel and Ukraine combined. "We're going to move a stand-alone Israel funding bill this week in the House," Johnson said in an interview on Fox News, adding that he believes the measure will draw bipartisan support and that Republicans will back a similar measure in the Senate. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, which Republicans control by a narrow majority, are scheduled to return from a recess on Wednesday. "There are lots of things going on around the world that we have to address and we will," Johnson said, without explicitly mentioning the Ukraine conflict.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Elizabth Frantz, Joe Biden, Johnson, we’ve, ” Biden, Brad Heath, Steve Gorman, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Fox News, Republicans, U.S . House, Representatives, Israel, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, U.S, Mexico, Gaza, Washingto, Los Angeles

☆ Ex-British intelligence worker jailed for attempted murder of U.S. NSA employee
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - A former British intelligence worker who tried to kill a U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) employee in a "premeditated, targeted and vicious attack" was jailed on Monday for 13 years. Joshua Bowles, 29, repeatedly stabbed the unnamed woman, who was working at British intelligence agency GCHQ, in March near its base at Cheltenham in western England. Bowles had previously worked at GCHQ but was no longer working there when he carried out the attack. Bowles, who lived in Cheltenham, pleaded guilty in August to the attempted murder of the woman, known only as 99230. I believe the intelligence community helps ensure this rigging, this view has been reinforced by my time working at GCHQ."

Persons: Joshua Bowles, Bowles, Duncan Penny, London's Old Bailey, Penny, Tim Forte, Forte, Bobbie Cheema, Grubb, Sam Tobin, Angus MacSwan Organizations: U.S . National Security Agency, NSA, Cheltenham, GCHQ, Thomson Locations: British, U.S, England, GCHQ, Cheltenham

Since the war began, Saudi officials have returned to specific calls for a substantive Israeli-Palestinian peace process and for the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Despite the escalating violence, it appears that American and Saudi officials are holding on to hopes of a normalization deal with Israel. Senators said they left Riyadh with the impression that Saudi leaders would still like to recognize Israel when the right moment arrives. Prince Mohammed launched a disastrous Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen in 2015 aiming to oust the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who nonetheless remain firmly in power there. It merely said that, although tensions persisted between Israel and the Palestinians, the Biden administration had “de-escalated crises in Gaza.”

Persons: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Jordan —, Prince Mohammed, Houthi, Blumenthal, Israel “, Mr, Biden “, Jake Sullivan, “, Sullivan, Biden, ” Organizations: Saudi, Israel, Senators, State Department, U.S ., U.S, Foreign Affairs Locations: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, Jerusalem, Saudi, Riyadh, Yemen, East, Washington, U.S, United States, Gaza

Israel says Hamas killed some 1,400 people including children and took more than 200 hostages in its Oct. 7 rampage. "I welcome the growing global consensus for a humanitarian pause in the conflict. INTERMEDIARY NEEDEDEven among Israel's allies, there is no consensus on what is meant by a humanitarian pause. She said "ceasefire" tends to refer to a general suspension of fighting while humanitarian pauses or corridors are more limited. "If that's what it requires, then we absolutely will try to get such pause or pauses in place."

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Israel, Yoko Kamikawa, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Gilad Erdan, Chiara Gillard, John Kirby, U.N, Stephane Dujarric, Dan Williams, Andrew Gray, Michelle Nichols, Emma Farge, Steve Holland, Sakura Murakami, Frank Jack Daniel, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, EU, Foreign Ministry, White, General, Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, . National Security, UN, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, United States, Japan, New York, Brussels, Spain, Egypt, Rafah, rearm, Jerusalem, Geneva, Washington, Tokyo

There were also "frank exchanges" between Blinken and Wang over the erupting conflict in the Middle East. The key area that appeared to show some positive momentum was toward an expected meeting between Biden and Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next month in San Francisco. "We are making preparations for such a meeting," said one of the senior administration officials briefing reporters on condition of anonymity. "China attaches importance to the U.S. side's hopes of stabilizing and improving U.S. ties with China," Wang was quoted as saying in his meeting with Biden. On Thursday, Wang told Blinken that the two countries have disagreements and need "in-depth" and "comprehensive" dialogue to reduce misunderstandings and stabilize ties.

Persons: Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Elizabeth Frantz, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Wang, Xi, Blinken, Sullivan, side's, Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo, Yellen, Raimondo, Thomas Shoal, Humeyra Pamuk, Michael Martina, Steve Holland, Jonathan Oatis, Navaratnam, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Foreign, U.S, State Department, REUTERS, Rights, Economic Cooperation, Blinken, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, China, Washington, East, South China Sea, Taiwan, Asia, San Francisco, Francisco, Beijing, China . U.S, Israel, Iran, South, East China, Philippine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday said Russia is executing soldiers who have failed to follow orders and threatening entire units with death if they retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire. It's a development that U.S. national security officials believe reflects Russia's morale problems 20 months into its grinding invasion of Ukraine, said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. Putin ”basically said that if Western weapons to Ukraine stop, Ukraine would have a week to live. The contract soldiers were pulled out of Ukraine after their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, mounted an armed rebellion in June. There also have been reports, including from the British Defense Ministry, that the regular Russian military has deployed “barrier troops” that threaten to shoot any deserters.

Persons: John Kirby, “, Kirby, Joe Biden, Biden, Putin, ” Kirby, Putin ”, Yevgeny Prigozhin, haven’t Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, National Security, Republican, Ukraine, “, Wagner Group, British Defense Ministry, Russian Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Officials from the United States and China on Monday held a two-hour long virtual meeting to discuss domestic and global macroeconomic developments, the U.S. Treasury Department said, calling the meeting "productive and substantive". U.S. and Chinese officials also raised "areas of concern," statements from the two sides said, without elaborating. The meeting was led by senior officials from the U.S. Treasury Department and China's finance ministry. The EWG was launched last month following U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's trip to Beijing in July. China's top diplomat will travel to the United States later this week to meet Blinken.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Janet Yellen's, Antony Blinken, Gina Raimondo, Blinken, Han Zheng, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Kanishka Singh, Liz Lee, Ethan Wang, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Treasury Department, Economic, Treasury Department, Treasury, U.S . National, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Taiwan, San Francisco, People's Republic of China, U.S, Beijing, Yellen, New York, Malta, China's, Washington

With his prime-time vow to send more weapons to both Ukraine and Israel, President Biden sought to make clear on Thursday that the United States was not prioritizing one war over the other. But hours earlier, a Defense Department official said that tens of thousands of 155-millimeter artillery shells promised to Ukraine would be diverted to Israel. Here are three key weapons systems that Israel and Ukraine may need from the United States. Artillery ammunitionPerhaps more than any other weapons, the NATO-standard 155-millimeter shells will be in high demand, as both Israel and Ukraine use them against targets within a few dozen miles. In January, the Pentagon said it would tap into an American stockpile in Israel and ship hundreds of thousands of 155-millimeter shells to Ukraine.

Persons: Biden, “ You’re, ” Sabrina Singh, “, ” Michael J, Morell, Mark F, Rob Bauer, Charlie Dietz, ” Organizations: Defense Department, Pentagon, U.S, Central Intelligence Agency, White, Center for Strategic, International Studies, United States, Artillery, NATO, United, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Locations: Ukraine, Israel, United States, Gaza, Russia, Washington, United, Europe, North, Netherlands

President Biden said American leadership “is what holds the world together,” during an address Thursday from the Oval Office. Biden announced he is sending a budget request to Congress for funding for U.S. national security, Israel and Ukraine. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Press PoolAs Israel fights its bloodiest war in decades, many Israelis have found comfort and strength from an unexpected wartime leader: President Biden. Biden’s popularity has soared in Israel, with the president’s staunch support for the country’s response to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack earning him widespread praise. That stands in contrast to the bitter criticism directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the failure both to prevent the assault and to comfort Israelis shaken by the massacre.

Persons: Biden, “, Jonathan Ernst, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: U.S, Israel Locations: Israel, Ukraine

☆ China’s leaders speed towards Japanisation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Edward Chancellor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - China’s real estate market is in decline. The trouble is that China’s economic imbalances are far worse than Japan’s in 1990. Yet China’s GDP per capita has reached only half of Japan’s level in 1990. China’s economic misdirection is catalogued in Yasheng Huang’s “The Rise and Fall of the East”. After 1978 the authorities gave provincial governments substantial freedom to promote economic growth and rewarded them for meeting a growth target.

Persons: Xi, Xi Jinping, Huang, –, Xi’s, Beijing’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Monetary Fund, South, Asian, IMF, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Bank for International, MIT Sloan School of Management, HK, Communist, Huawei, Washington, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, People’s Republic, China, South Korea, Japan, deflate, Tokyo, California, Beijing, Taiwan, Communist

☆ Hamas hostages: what we know so far
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Israel has responded by pounding Gaza with air strikes, killing thousands, and has said it will act to free the hostages while wiping out Hamas. Hamas has suggested the hostages could be swapped for approximately 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Israel has said that there will be no end to the blockade of the enclave without freedom for Israeli hostages. Israel says the hostages were taken to Gaza but their exact whereabouts within the enclave are unknown, making their rescue more complicated. U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is "workin’ like hell" to find American hostages held by Hamas.

Persons: Rachel Goldberg, Hersh Goldberg Polin, Ammar Awad, Israel, Kan, Mia Schem, Jake Sullivan, Jim Risch, Alberto Fernandez, Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Ofir Engel, Kibbutz Be'eri, Garcovich, Ivan Illaramendi, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gal Hirsch, Hakan Fidan, Joe Biden, Britain's Sunak, Argentina's Fernandez, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, Biden, Charlie Devereux, Crispian Balmer, Kylie MacLellan, Patricia Rua, John Irish, James Mackenzie, Patricia Zengerle, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Monday, Reuters, U.S, French, Tel Aviv . U.S, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jerusalem, Rafah, Egypt, Thailand, Argentine, France, Portugal, Portuguese, Chilean, Spanish, Italy, Turkey, Germany, U.S, Franco, Berlin, Tel Aviv

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