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CNN —A French Moroccan national has died and another was detained by Algerian authorities after an incident off the coast of Algeria, according to a French diplomatic source. A family member who says he witnessed the incident told local Moroccan media that two men had been shot dead Tuesday by Algerian authorities and one was arrested. Mohamed Kaisi was found in the water by the Moroccan security forces after the incident, he told local media. The source added that French authorities are in contact with the families of those affected and in communication with Moroccan and Algerian authorities. Moroccan media said both men killed are French Moroccan.

Persons: Bilal Kaisi, Abdelali Meshawer, Ismail Snaby, Kaisi, Mohamed Kaisi, Le360 Organizations: CNN, Moroccan, Polisario Locations: Algeria, Moroccan, Morocco, Algerian, Sahara

☆ Pope Francis lands in Mongolia, home to tiny Catholic flock
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/10] Pope Francis tastes dried yoghurt as part of a welcome tradition as he arrives at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport during his Apostolic Journey in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia September 1, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday to greet its tiny Catholic contingent, having earlier sent a blessing of "unity and peace" from his plane to China, with which the Vatican has had difficult relations. As is customary, Francis issued greetings to every country he flew over on his way to Mongolia including China, with which the Vatican has had difficult relations. "I send greetings of good wishes to your excellency and the People of China," the Pope said in the telegram addressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Mongolia was part of China until 1921 and has political and economic ties with Beijing.

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, Pope, Xi Jinping, China’s, Philip Pullella, John Geddie, Christian Schmollinger, Robert Birsel Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, ITA Airways, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, ULAANBAATAR, China, Western Europe, of China, Taiwan, Beijing

☆ Tourists from Morocco shot dead after straying into Algerian waters on jet ski- survivor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RABAT, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Algerian authorities shot dead at least one Moroccan tourist after a group of five strayed into Algerian waters on jet skis, according to one of the survivors. Another member of their group was detained by the Algerian authorities, Kissi said. Moroccan authorities said they could not comment on the case, calling it a judicial matter. Mustafa Mechouar, the father of Abdelali Mechouar, told Reuters he believed his son was dead and wanted to bury him. "I appeal to Moroccan and Algerian authorities to reach an agreement to bring my son back to me to observe a proper funeral and burial for him," he said.

Persons: Mohamed Kissi, Morocco's, Kissi, Bilal, Abdelali Mechouar, Mohamed, Bilal Kissi, Bilal Kissi's, Mustafa Mechouar, Ahmed El Jechtimi, Tarek Amara, Geert de Clercq, Angus McDowall, Mike Harrison Organizations: Rabat, Ministry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: RABAT, Moroccan, Saidia, Algeria, Morocco, Algiers, Algerian, Oujda, Rabat, Tunis, Paris

☆ Gabon military coup: What to know about the overthrow of the Bongo dynasty
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

International leaders have expressed concern and condemnation of the coup, some warning their citizens in Gabon to shelter in place. The military’s power grab began Wednesday, shortly after Gabon’s election authority said Bongo had been re-elected president following last weekend’s election. People celebrate following a military coup in Libreville, Gabon, on August 30. Coups in Africa were rampant in the early postcolonial decades, with coup leaders offering similar reasons for toppling governments: corruption, mismanagement and poverty, according to political analyst Remi Adekoya. The Gabon coup has been widely criticized by other African nations and in the West.

Persons: –, Ali Bongo Ondimba, Ali Bongo, Bongo, ”, president’s, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, Brice Oligui Nguema –, Bongo’s, Oligui, Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, “, Brice Oligui Nguema, there’s, Omar Bongo, Gabon's, Omar Bongo Ondimba, Nicolas Sarkozy, Frederic SOULOY, Ali Bongo’s, Remi Adekoya, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Ali, General Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Matthew Miller Organizations: CNN, Agence France, Presse, ” Residents, Bongo PDG, Reuters, Gabonese, Gabon Wednesday, African Union, ” United Nations, US State Department Locations: African, Gabon, Libreville, Ayong, Gabonese, Dakar, Senegal, Span, France, United States, Paris, Africa’s, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Tunisia, Africa, West, United Kingdom, Spain

[1/2] British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China August 30, 2023. "We are clear-eyed about the areas where we have fundamental disagreements with China and we raise those issues when we meet," he told broadcasters. China Vice President Han Zheng told Cleverly at their meeting that he hoped the two countries could make new advances in their relations. Cleverly's visit to China comes as other countries in the West also try to improve their relations with the country. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is on a four-day visit in China but warned that U.S. companies have complained to her that China has become "uninvestible".

Persons: James, Han Zheng, Florence Lo, Wang Yi, Liz Truss, Conservative Alicia Kearns, Gina Raimondo, Han, Sarah Young, Laurie Chen, Kate Holton, Elizabeth Piper, Conor Humphries Organizations: of, People, REUTERS, Rights, Conservative Party, China, British, Conservative, . Commerce, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, London, British, CHINA, Taiwan, Taipei, West

☆ Opinion: Putin’s virtual bravado, Xi’s big win, and 6 new members. Why this was a summit like no other
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The move breathes new life into a group set to rival the G7 and brings the world closer to multi-polarity. BRICS leaders could be forgiven for not knowing whether to exhibit exuberance or concern on Wednesday. (Summit host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said it should be seen as an accomplishment for the entire BRICS bloc.) Hours later, just as BRICS leaders were sitting down to dinner, news alerts started to steal the show on the crashed private jet said to be carrying Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. Host South Africa just manages to pull it offThat South Africa managed to pull off hosting the summit is an accomplishment in itself.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, “, —, Xi Jinping, you’ve, Nicolás Maduro, Russia’s, Cyril Ramaphosa, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, couldn’t, Swagger, I’ve, Modi, Vladimir Putin’s, Sergey Lavrov, Lula da Silva, Lula, Vladimir Putin, Michele Spatari, It’s, ” Nontsikelelo, Facebook Xi, Xi, Putin Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Johannesburg CNN, United Arab, —, for Security, UN, Wagner, Getty, Democratic, Twitter, Facebook, National Congress, ANC Locations: Odesa, Europe, Johannesburg, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Africa, ”, Beijing, Donbas, Ukraine, AFP, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon

☆ Biden resists pressure from lawmakers and seeks short extension to key China science pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Jennifer Jett | Abigail Williams | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration is seeking a short-term extension to a landmark science and technology agreement with China despite pressure from some U.S. lawmakers who say Beijing could exploit it to gain a security and military advantage. A six-month extension to the Science and Technology Agreement, or STA, will keep the pact in force as the U.S. seeks "authority to undertake negotiations to amend and strengthen the terms," a State Department spokesperson told NBC News on Wednesday. "If it were to go away, not only would it impede government-to-government cooperation, but it would also put other science cooperation at risk," said Seligsohn, a former environment, science, technology and health counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. China also considers it the enabling document for all other science cooperation with the U.S., including with academic and research institutions. The State Department spokesperson said it was aware of the issues involved with working with China in the are of science and technology.

Persons: Biden, Jimmy Carter, Deng Xiaoping, Deborah Seligsohn, Antony Blinken, Elise Stefanik, Mike Gallagher of, Blinken, Sen, Rick Scott, Donald Trump Organizations: Central South University, Science, Technology, State Department, NBC News, U.S, Villanova University, Embassy, House Republican Conference Locations: China, Central, Changsha city, Hunan province, Beijing, U.S, New York, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, United States

"We have waited for this moment for many years," said Carlos de Leon Samayoa, 27, as he celebrated on the streets of Guatemala City. Arevalo unexpectedly emerged out of political obscurity to build a large anti-graft movement with his Semilla party, after many other opposition candidates were barred from running. [1/9]Guatemalan anti-graft presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo, of the Semilla political party, poses for a photo during the presidential run-off election, in Guatemala City, Guatemala August 20, 2023. "The ruling pact will likely continue to target electoral officials and Arevalo’s Semilla party with investigations ahead of January’s change in government," she said. POLITICAL TENSIONSBeyond his anti-graft policies, Arevalo said he wants to expand relations with China alongside Guatemala's longstanding allegiance with Taiwan.

Persons: Bernardo Arevalo, Arevalo, Sandra Torres, Alejandro Giammattei, revel, Guatemalans, Arevalo's, Carlos de Leon Samayoa, Torres, Guatemala's, Pilar Olivares, Risa Grais, Arevalo’s, Eladio Loizaga, Giammattei, Ana María Méndez, Cassandra Garrison, Sofia Menchu, Herbert Villarraga, Diego, Drazen Jorgic, Stephen Eisenhammer, Miral Fahmy, Stephen Coates, Gerry Doyle Organizations: GUATEMALA CITY, Central, Twitter, REUTERS, Eurasia Group, Organization of American States, Central America, Diego Ore, Thomson Locations: GUATEMALA, Guatemalan, United States, Guatemala, Americas, Guatemala City, June's, China, Taiwan, Taipei, Honduras, America

☆ In Warning to Taiwan, China Announces Military Patrols
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Amy Chang Chien | More About Amy Chang Chien | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

China’s military said it would stage “joint combat readiness” patrols around Taiwan on Saturday, sending a warning gesture to the island democracy soon after a leading candidate in Taiwan’s presidential election finished an overseas trip that Beijing had denounced. Vice President Lai Ching-te, the candidate, had flown to Paraguay — one of 13 states that keeps diplomatic relations with Taipei, and not Beijing — making stops in the United States on his way there and back. The Chinese government is trying to curtail the international activities of Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory. It especially objects to Taiwanese leaders’ visits to the United States, the island’s most important political and military supporter. He is the presidential candidate of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which favors asserting Taiwan’s distinctive identity and sovereignty — a position that Beijing condemns as threatening its claim to the island.

Persons: Lai Ching, ’, Lai’s, Taiwan’s, Lai, Shi Yi Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, Eastern Theater, People’s Liberation Army Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, Paraguay, Taipei, United States

☆ Saudi crown prince meets Iran's foreign minister as relations thaw
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Footage of the meeting on Iranian state media showed MbS and Amirabdollahian smiling as they spoke, while Prince Faisal and the Iranian delegation looked on. Saudi state news agency SPA said they discussed international and regional developments. [1/3]Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia August 18, 2023. Prince Faisal visited Tehran in June and said he hoped Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi would visit the kingdom at the "appropriate time". Saudi Arabia had meanwhile lost confidence in U.S. commitment to shared regional security concerns and wanted to bolster ties with China, which has retained good relations with Iran.

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Faisal, Saudi Crown Prince, Hossein Amir, Ebrahim Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, General Antony Blinken, Angus McDowall, Mark Potter, Conor Humphries Organizations: Saudi Arabian Crown, Saudi, MbS, Saudi Crown, Iranian, Iran's Foreign, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS Acquire, Iran's, U.S, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Saudi, Jeddah, United States, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Abdollahian, Saudi Arabia, China, Tehran, Iran, Ukraine, Beijing, East

☆ Exclusive: British police investigate exiled former Myanmar envoy for trespass
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( John Geddie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Since his protest, praised by the British government at the time, Kyaw Zwar Minn has stayed at the northwest London ambassador's residence, a mansion surrounded by razor wire and CCTV cameras. Britain last year urged Kyaw Zwar Minn to leave the residence, citing pressure from the junta, Reuters reported. Earlier this week Kyaw Zwar Minn was interviewed by police over "an allegation that he trespassed on diplomatic premises," said Neil Swift, his London-based lawyer at Peters & Peters. Myanmar's embassy in London, Britain's Foreign Office and London's Metropolitan Police did not respond to requests for comment. Kyaw Zwar Minn was interviewed by police on Aug. 15 but charges have not yet been brought, according to Swift.

Persons: Kyaw, Toby Melville, Kyaw Zwar Minn, Aung San, Zwar Minn, Neil Swift, Peters & Peters, Swift, Chris Gunness, Suu Kyi, John Geddie, Andrew MacAskill, Conor Humphries Organizations: REUTERS, British, Reuters, Peters &, Union of Myanmar, Metropolitan Police, National Unity Government, Vienna Convention, Diplomatic Relations, Thomson Locations: Myanmar, Britain, London, United Kingdom, Aung San Suu Kyi, British, Union, Myanmar's, Vienna

☆ The Killers apologize after being booed at Georgia gig over Russian ‘brother’ remark
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

We’re all separate? We all separate on the borders of our countries? … So I’m not your brother? Am I not your brother, being from America?”The audience responded to Flowers’ remarks with boos, and posts on social media alleged that people left the concert early. Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has recently faced accusations of close ties with Moscow, most notably during efforts to pass a foreign agents bill earlier this year, which critics said mirrored controversial Russian laws.

Persons: ”, Brandon Flowers, Flowers, he’s, I’m, Brightside ”, ’ ”, Georgia’s Organizations: CNN Locations: Russian, Shekvetili , Georgia, America, Tbilisi, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Soviet Union, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Georgian, Moscow

☆ China's defense minister Li Shangfu warns against 'playing with fire' on Taiwan during Russia meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —China’s defense minister Li Shangfu on Tuesday warned against “playing with fire” when it comes to Taiwan in a veiled jab at the United States as he addressed a security conference in Russia. Speaking at the Moscow Conference on International Security, Li said attempts to “use Taiwan to contain China,” would “surely end in failure,” according to state-run news agency Xinhua. China’s ruling Communist Party claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan and has vowed to take control of it, by force if necessary. The visit is Li’s second to Russia since assuming his role as defense chief earlier this year. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has also drawn increased attention to Taiwan as a potential security flashpoint in Asia.

Persons: CNN —, Li Shangfu, “, Li, China’s, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sputnik, Sergei Shoigu, William Lai, Lai, ” Organizations: CNN, Moscow Conference, International Security, Xinhua, Communist Party, Washington, Senior, US, Taiwan Locations: Taiwan, United States, Russia, China, Ukraine, Taipei, Moscow, Belarus, ”, Iran, Myanmar, Beijing, “, Xinhua, Russian, Alaska, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Paraguay, New York, Asia

☆ Who is Travis King, and what comes next for the US soldier in North Korea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Picture of Travis King, the US soldier who ran across the military demarcation line into North Korea on Tuesday July 18. From Travis King/FacebookThe day before he crossed into North Korea, King was supposed to board a flight to Texas, where he was to face disciplinary procedures. The last American known to be held by North Korea was Bruce Byron Lowrance, who, according to North Korean state media, crossed from China into North Korea in 2018. While in North Korea, he appeared in propaganda films, taught the country’s spies English and spent up to eight hours a day studying the writings of North Korean leaders. He was allowed to leave North Korea in 2004, two years after his Japanese wife, who was kidnapped from her home in Japan in 1978 and left North Korea under a deal between Pyongyang and Tokyo.

Persons: Travis King “, ”, King, Travis King, Bryce Dubee, Christine Wormuth, King “, ” Jaqueda, King’s, “, Claudine Gates, Jonathan Franks, Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, Trump, Kim, KCNA, Washington “, Private King, Bruce Byron Lowrance, Lowrance, Otto Warmbier, Warmbier, Charles Jenkins, Jenkins Organizations: South Korea CNN, Joint Security Area, North, US, CNN, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat, Armored Division, Army, Incheon International, Aspen Security, South Korean, US Navy, Korean Central News Agency, U.S . Army, Washington, Private, Swedish Embassy, Central Intelligence Agency Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Korean, Korea, Fort Bliss , Texas, Texas, Incheon, United States, ” Jaqueda Gates, Pyongyang, Washington, Busan, Japan, North, Maryland, Swedish, China, American, Tokyo

☆ Saudi Arabia appoints first envoy to Palestinians amid talks on Israel normalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Abeer Salman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Jerusalem CNN —Saudi Arabia has appointed its first ambassador to the Palestinians, in a move that comes amid talks with the United States over a possible deal to normalize relations between the Gulf kingdom and Israel. Palestinians maintain that the eastern part of the city should serve as the future capital of a Palestinian state. All members of the Arab bloc, including Saudi Arabia, recognize Palestinian statehood and the kingdom maintains a Palestinian embassy in the capital Riyadh. The move comes amid reports of a normalization deal in the works between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the Unites States involved in the rapprochement. Miller’s comments came after a Wall Street Journal report saying that the US and Saudi Arabia had agreed on the “broad contours” of a normalization deal.

Persons: Jordan, Naif bin Bandar, ”, Mahmoud Abbas’s, Al, Eli Cohen, Israel, Saudi Arabia’s, ” Cohen, ” “, Donald Trump, Matthew Miller Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, of, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel, Saudi, United Nations, ”, State Department, CNN Locations: Jerusalem, Saudi Arabia, United States, Israel, Naif bin, Naif bin Bandar Al, of Palestine, Jordanian, Amman, Saudi, Palestinian, Riyadh

CNN —Taiwan will never back down in the face of growing threats from China, the island’s vice president and presidential hopeful said Sunday during a transit through the United States, defying Beijing’s condemnation of his trip. William Lai, a front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential race in January, made a stop in New York en route to Paraguay, where he will attend the inauguration of its new president Tuesday. “When Taiwan is safe, the world is safe, and when there is peace on the Taiwan Strait, there will be world peace,” Lai said, according to Taiwan’s presidential office. In March, Taiwan’s President Tsai transited in California and met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, despite warnings and threats from Beijing. Following Tsai’s trip, China launched three days of live-fire military drills around Taiwan.

Persons: William Lai, Lai, Taiwan’s, ” Lai, ”, Xi Jinping, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Xi, “, Kevin McCarthy Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, US, Democratic Progressive Party, Harvard, Kuomintang, China’s Communist Party, Taiwan’s Locations: Taiwan, China, United States, New York, Paraguay, “, Taiwan Strait, ”, San Francisco, Beijing, California

CNN —China’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned the transit of Taiwan’s vice president and presidential candidate William Lai through the United States, calling him a “troublemaker through and through.”Lai arrived in New York on Saturday en route to Paraguay where he will attend the inauguration of Paraguayan President Santiago Pena on August 15. Paraguay is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in South America. Shortly after Lai’s arrival, China’s foreign ministry said it “firmly opposes” any official interaction between the US and Taiwan and any “‘Taiwan independence’ separatists to the US.”“China deplores and strongly condemns the US decision to arrange the so-called ‘stopover,’” it said in a statement. “Lai clings stubbornly to the separatist position for ‘Taiwan independence’. Lai is due to transit through San Francisco on August 16 on his return to Taipei, Taiwan’s vice foreign minister Alexander Yui said during a media briefing earlier this month.

Persons: CNN —, William Lai, ” Lai, Santiago Pena, Lai, ”, ‘, China’s, “, “ Lai, China ”, Alexander Yui Organizations: CNN, Paraguayan, US, Communist Party, Taiwan, ’ Locations: United States, New York, Paraguay, South America, China, Taiwan, ”, Lai, San Francisco, Taipei

☆ Palestinians accept first Saudi ambassador
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

At a ceremony in Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi received a copy of the credentials of Ambassador Nayef Al-Sudairi as a non-resident envoy, official Palestinian news agency Wafa said. Palestinian analyst Talal Okal said the diplomatic appointment was a half-step toward an official Saudi representation office in the occupied West Bank. "It is also a message Saudi Arabia was committed to the rights of the Palestinians in a fully sovereign state," he added. PALESTINIAN CONCERNPalestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said last week that Abbas's Western-backed Palestinian Authority is hoping to engage with Saudi Arabia over their concerns about the potential normalisation with Israel. Saudi Arabia has quietly accepted the so-called Abraham Accords that have normalised ties between Israel and Gulf states United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas's, Majdi al, Khalidi, Nayef Al, Wafa, al, Talal Okal, Riyad al, Maliki, Abraham, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nidal al, Ali Swafta, Maayan Lubell, Hatem Maher, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian, Saudi, Abraham Accords, United, NBC, Thomson Locations: RAMALLAH, West, Saudi Arabian, Israel, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Saudi, Jordan, Palestinian, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Gaza, Ramallah, Maayan, Jerusalem, Cairo

Befitting the relationship, the path has been thorny, according to accounts shared with CNN by several sources familiar with the talks. The United States and Iran don’t have diplomatic relations, and public overtures by Washington to engage directly with Tehran on the matter were rebuffed. Swiss diplomats serve as the protecting power – the eyes and ears on the ground – for the US in Iran. Sources said that bringing the Americans back home had been a priority from the outset of President Joe Biden’s tenure. Now, US officials say the work continues, but they are cautiously optimistic that the five could be coming home.

Persons: “, Antony Blinken, –, Adrienne Watson, Trump, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Morad, Shargi –, Namazi, Obama, ” Blinken Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Washington, National Security, White, US Treasury, State Department, US Treasury Department, Biden Locations: Iran, Doha, –, Washington, Tehran, United States, East, Europe, Qatar, Oman, United Kingdom, Switzerland, American, Swiss, South Korea

☆ Four Americans wrongfully detained in Iran released on house arrest, signaling a potential end to their imprisonment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Christiane Amanpour | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Four Americans who have been wrongfully detained in Iran have been released from prison and are now under house arrest, a lawyer for one of the prisoners told CNN on Thursday, a sign that they may soon be freed from years of imprisonment. “The move by Iran of the American hostages from Evin Prison to an expected house arrest is an important development,” said Jared Genser, pro bono counsel to Siamak Namazi, one of those released. The Biden administration has been engaged in negotiations to try to secure their release from Iran, a country with which it does not have diplomatic relations. Genser strongly cautioned against being overly optimistic about freedom for the Americans until they are actually out of Iran. CNN has reached out to the US State Department and National Security Council for comment.

Persons: ”, Jared Genser, Siamak, – Namazi, Emad, Morad Tahbaz, Biden, Genser Organizations: CNN, Four, US State Department and National Security Council Locations: Iran, American, Tehran’s

☆ Japan ex-PM Aso's 'fight for Taiwan' remark in line with official view, lawmaker says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | Thomson Reuters | Kantaro Writes About Everything Japan'S Economic Indicators To North Korea'S Missiles To Global Regulation On Ai Companies. His Previous Stories Have Been Published In The Associated Press | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Japan's Former Prime Minister and current Vice-President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Taro Aso, speaks during the Ketagalan Forum in Taipei, Taiwan August 8, 2023. Aso's speech angered China, which claims Taiwan as its territory. Keisuke Suzuki, an LDP lawmaker who accompanied Aso's Taiwan visit this week, told the BS Fuji talk show on Wednesday that Aso had discussed the issue with Japanese government officials, indicating that Aso's view did not deviate from the official position. "The comment was not lawmaker Taro Aso's personal remark, but a result of arrangements with government insiders", Suzuki said. Aso's visit, which marked the most senior Japanese political official to visit Taiwan since 1972, when Japan normalised diplomatic relations with China, came as tensions have risen over democratically governed Taiwan amid China's increasing military pressure on the island during the past three years.

Persons: Taro Aso, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Taro Aso's, Aso, Keisuke Suzuki, Aso's, Suzuki, Joe Biden, White, Hirokazu Matsuno, Kantaro Komiya, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Liberal Democratic Party, REUTERS, Japanese, Beijing, Fuji, United, Taiwan, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, TOKYO, Japan, United States, China, Aso's Taiwan, U.S

☆ Japanese figure skater Hanyu marries, making fans happy and sad
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu holds flowers as he attends a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in Tokyo, Japan September 29, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File PhotoTOKYO, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Japan's Olympic gold-medal winning figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu announced his marriage late Friday, drawing congratulations from his fanbase, though some seemed sad that the photogenic 28-year-old would no longer be romantically available. Hanyu did not say who his partner was when declaring his new marital status on X, the social media messaging platform formerly as Twitter. There was a clear sense of loss in the reaction among many fans both in and outside Japan, as "Hanyu loss" became a fast trending hashtag on social media. "I'm taking Monday off due to 'Hanyu loss'," read on post on X, while another predicted many more fans would be doing the same.

Persons: Issei Kato, Yuzuru, I've, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Japan, China, Tokyo, Sendai, Weibo

Spain's Socialist leader and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, salutes his supporters during the general election, in Madrid, Spain, July 23, 2023. Spain has a sticky diplomatic relationship with Morocco over issues including migration, airspace, territorial waters, customs and land borders. Madrid said it regarded Rabat's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as "serious, credible and realistic". Moroccan media first reported - and welcomed - Sanchez's choice of holiday destination. The site praised Sanchez's closeness to Morocco "although many Spanish politicians reproach him for it", contrasting his stance to that of his political rivals in Madrid.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Nacho, Spain's, Sanchez, Podemos, Idoia Villanueva, Villanueva, Miguel Tellado, Vox, David Latona, Angus McDowall, Aislinn Laing, Nick Macfie Organizations: Socialist, REUTERS, Sanchez's Socialists, Polisario, Twitter, People's Party, Onda, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Spanish, Algeria, Polisario, Moroccan, London

A panel displaying share prices is seen inside the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen October 23, 2009. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange, one of the two major bourses in the Chinese mainland, is in negotiations with the Saudi Tadawul Group (1111.SE), operator of the Saudi Stock Exchange, for ETF Connect, as the programme is called, two of the sources said. The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Tadawul Group did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. China has launched 'ETF Connect' projects in recent years with offshore stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Reporting by Xie Yu and Selena Li in Hong Kong; Additional reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh in Dubai; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bobby Yip, HONG KONG, HKEX, Jackie Choy, Xie Yu, Selena Li, Hadeel Al, Sumeet Chatterjee, Muralikumar Organizations: Shenzhen Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Saudi Tadawul Group, Saudi Stock Exchange, Connect, China's, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Tadawul, Singapore . Industry, Government Bond Index, Management, Saudi, Hong Kong Exchanges, Clearing, Tadawul Group, Hong Kong bourse, Morningstar Asia, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment, Saudi Aramco, Thomson Locations: Shenzhen, HONG, China, Saudi, Beijing, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, East Asia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, HK, Hong, Europe, East, Africa, Hadeel Al Sayegh, Dubai

☆ Russia adds Norway to list of countries 'unfriendly' to its diplomats
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Norwegian flags flutter at Karl Johans street in Oslo, Norway, May 31, 2017. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File PhotoAug 3 (Reuters) - Russia has added Norway to its list of foreign states that have committed so-called "unfriendly" acts against Russian diplomatic missions, news agencies reported on Thursday. Countries on the list are limited in the number of local staff they can hire in Russia, with Norway restricted to 27, state news agency RIA Novosti said. Norway expelled 15 Russian diplomats for alleged spying in April, and Russia responded by ordering out 10 Norwegian diplomats. Russia can itself choose to end the war," Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said in a statement to Reuters.

Persons: Karl, Ints, Anniken Huitfeldt, Huitfeldt, Terje Solsvik, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: REUTERS, RIA Novosti, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Karl Johans, Oslo, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Norwegian, Moscow

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