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☆ Uruguay Government Members Resign Over Passport Scandal Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Uruguay's interior minister and two other members of the government resigned on Saturday over a case that has already prompted the foreign minister to quit, involving a passport issued to an internationally wanted drug-trafficking suspect. The investigation is examining how Sebastian Marset, the alleged drug trafficker, received a Uruguayan passport while detained in the United Arab Emirates over forged documents in late 2012. Marset is wanted in Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and the United States on drug charges. Bustillo on Friday denied any wrongdoing, saying he did not know who Marset was at the time the passport was issued. The president, who returned on Saturday from meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, said the passport should have been issued to Marset in accordance with Uruguay's laws.

Persons: Luis Alberto Heber, Luis Lacalle Pou, Uruguay's, Sebastian Marset, Marset, Francisco Bustillo, Bustillo, Joe Biden, Lacalle Pou, Sarah Kinosian, Mayela Armas, William Mallard Organizations: Reuters, United Arab Emirates, U.S Locations: Uruguayan, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, United States, Heber, Bustillo

☆ China lowers flags to half mast on former premier Li's cremation day
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] China's Premier Li Keqiang waves as he arrives for a news conference after the closing ceremony of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 15, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Nov 2 (Reuters) - China ordered the lowering of the national flag at Tiananmen Square in the heart of the Chinese capital Beijing on Thursday, when the remains of former premier Li Keqiang are scheduled to be cremated, state media said. The national flag will be flown at half mast across the country, the official Xinhua News Agency said on Tuesday, including at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the foreign ministry as well as seats of local governments across the country, and diplomatic missions. Li, a former economist and pro-reform leader who served as the premier for 10 years before retiring in March, died of a heart attack in Shanghai last Friday and his remains were transferred to the capital the same day. Reporting by Liz Lee and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Li, Damir Sagolj, Li Keqiang, Liz Lee, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: People's Congress, of, People, REUTERS, Rights, Xinhua News Agency, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanghai

☆ Philippines Accuses China of Intruding Into Its Waters
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine foreign ministry on Thursday accused China of intruding into its waters after an incident involving the two countries' military vessels at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea earlier this week. "It is China that is intruding into Philippine waters," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The Philippines has consistently demanded that Chinese vessels in Bajo de Masinloc leave the area immediately," the foreign ministry said. The shoal, located 200km (124 miles) off the Philippines, was part of an arbitration claim filed by Manila at an international tribunal. The court ruled in 2016 that Beijing's claim to 90% of the South China Sea had no basis under international law, but China has refused to recognise the ruling.

Persons: Masinloc, Mikhail Flores, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: South China, of Foreign Affairs Locations: MANILA, Philippine, China, South, Scarborough, Philippines, Manila, Bajo

☆ Philippines accuses China of intruding into its waters
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Damir Sagolj Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The Philippine foreign ministry on Thursday accused China of intruding into its waters after an incident involving the two countries' military vessels at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea earlier this week. "It is China that is intruding into Philippine waters," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The Philippines has consistently demanded that Chinese vessels in Bajo de Masinloc leave the area immediately," the foreign ministry said. The shoal, located 200km (124 miles) off the Philippines, was part of an arbitration claim filed by Manila at an international tribunal. The court ruled in 2016 that Beijing's claim to 90% of the South China Sea had no basis under international law, but China has refused to recognise the ruling.

Persons: Carlos Dominguez, Gao Hucheng, Damir Sagolj, Masinloc, Mikhail Flores, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Philippine, China's, REUTERS, Rights, South China, of Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights MANILA, Philippine, South, Scarborough, Philippines, Manila, Bajo

☆ China to cremate 'outstanding' leader Li Keqiang on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Newspapers with the obituary of late former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the front page are displayed, at a newsstand in Beijing, China October 28, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 31 (Reuters) - China will cremate the remains of former Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday, when flags will fly at half mast across the country in mourning for an "outstanding" leader, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Li, a former economist and pro-reform leader who served as the premier for 10 years before retiring in March, died of a heart attack on Friday. Li's death was a huge loss to the Communist Party and the nation, according to an official obituary posted by Xinhua last week. But Li, once viewed as a Communist Party leadership contender, was sidelined in recent years, analysts and diplomats said, as President Xi Jinping tightened his grip on economic policymaking.

Persons: Li Keqiang, Tingshu Wang, Li, Xi Jinping, Ryan Woo, Ethan Wang, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Xinhua, CPC, Party, Chinese Communist Party, of, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanghai

The puzzle game on his Android phone had been interrupted by a video showing Hamas militants, terrified Israeli families and blurred graphic footage. Reuters has not been able to establish how the ad came to her son's video game, but her family isn't alone. In at least one case, the ads were played inside the popular "Angry Birds" game made by SEGA-owned developer Rovio (ROVIO.HE). Google ran more than 90 ads for the foreign ministry but declined to comment on where it displayed those ads. In the Cassis family's case, the ads appeared in a game called "Alice's Mergeland" made by a developer called LazyDog Game.

Persons: Maria Julia Assis, Hannah McKay, Maria Julia Cassis, Rovio, Lotta Backlund, David Saranga, Saranga, Outbrain, Holland –, Alexandra Marginean, Marginean, Stack's, Raphael Satter, Sheila Dang, Katie Paul, Ken Li, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reuters, SEGA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israeli Foreign Ministry, Google, West Bank, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Holland, Stack's Ubisoft, Subway, SYBO, Apple, Standards Authority, Thomson Locations: Israel, London, Britain, Brazil, Europe, Gaza, France, Austria, Germany, Munich, Austrian, Danish, Washington, New York

☆ Shani Louk, 23-year-old kidnapped from music festival, found dead, Israel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Robert Picheta | Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A 23-year-old German-Israeli woman who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7 has been found dead, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said. Louk was attending the festival in southern Israel on October 7 when Hamas breached the border between Gaza and Israel. Shani told her mother she was at the festival with few places to hide. The body of Louk, a dual Israeli-German citizen, was seen on video seemingly unconscious on the back of a Hamas truck after the music festival attack. It was very scary, and we were very worried,” Louk’s mother told CNN in the days after the rampage.

Persons: Israeli Shani, Louk, “, ” “, gunning, Ricarda, she’d, Shani, ” Ricarda, she’s, ”, ” Louk, Daniel Hagari, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Gonen, Romi Gonen Organizations: CNN, Nova, Hamas, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palestinian Prisoners Locations: Israeli, Israel, Gaza, American, Tel Aviv

☆ Israel urges Russia to protect Israelis, Jews amid Dagestan unrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JERUSALEM, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Israel urged Russian authorities on Sunday to protect Israelis and Jews in their jurisdictions following media reports of potential reprisals by pro-Palestinian protesters in the Russian Republic of Dagestan. A statement by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said the Israeli ambassador in Moscow was working with Russian authorities. "The State of Israel views gravely attempts to harm Israelis citizens and Jews anywhere," the statement said. Israeli media aired footage from Makhachkala airport in Dagestan appearing to show scores of youths, incensed at the Gaza war, storming the tarmac in search of passengers from a flight that had been due to land from Tel Aviv. "Israel expects the Russian law enforcement authorities to safeguard all Israeli citizens and Jews, whoever they may be, and to take robust action against the rioters and against the unbridled incitement being directed at Jews and Israelis," the Foreign Ministry statement said.

Persons: Dan Williams, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Russian, Foreign Ministry, Ministry, Thomson Locations: Israel, Russian Republic of Dagestan, Jerusalem, Israeli, Moscow, Makhachkala, Dagestan, Gaza, Tel Aviv

☆ China's foreign minister suggests road to Xi-Biden summit will not be smooth
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco in November. Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty ImagesChina's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the "road to the San Francisco summit will not be a smooth one," the foreign ministry said on Sunday, in a reference to an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden. He was speaking after a discussion with members of the U.S. strategic community in Washington, the ministry said. Last month, China's top security agency suggested any Xi-Biden meeting in San Francisco hinged on the U.S. "showing sufficient sincerity". Washington and Beijing must put into practice the consensus achieved then, "remove interference, overcome obstacles, enhance consensus and gather outcomes," Wang said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Saul Loeb, Wang Yi, Wang, Biden, Xi Organizations: Economic Cooperation, Afp, Getty, China's, San, U.S Locations: Asia, San Francisco, Washington, China, U.S, Bali, Taiwan, Beijing

☆ Israel Urges Russia to Protect Israelis, Jews Amid Dagestan Unrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel urged Russian authorities on Sunday to protect Israelis and Jews in their jurisdictions following media reports of potential reprisals by pro-Palestinian protesters in Dagestan. A statement by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said the Israeli ambassador in Moscow was working with Russian authorities. "The State of Israel views gravely attempts to harm Israelis citizens and Jews anywhere," the statement said.u

Organizations: Russian, Foreign Ministry Locations: JERUSALEM, Israel, Dagestan, Jerusalem, Israeli, Moscow

☆ Russian security forces remove pro-Palestinian protesters from Dagestan airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Grigory Dukor Acquire Licensing RightsOct 29 (Reuters) - Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters on Sunday stormed Russia's Dagestan airport in Makhachkala where a plane from Israel had just arrived, forcing Russian security forces to close the airport and divert flights while removing the demonstrators. Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia security forces had removed the group by 10:20 p.m. Moscow time (1920 GMT). The passengers on the plane were "in a safe place", security forces told Reuters. Israel urged Russian authorities to protect Israelis and Jews in their jurisdictions following the reportA statement by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said the Israeli ambassador in Moscow was working with Russian authorities. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was appalled by the events in Dagestan, blaming the events on Russia's official messages about Israel.

Persons: Grigory Dukor, Allahu Akbar, Rosaviatsia, Israel, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Dagestan's, Dan Williams, Ron Popeski, Hugh Lawson, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Sunday, Russia's, Reuters, Foreign Ministry, Israel, Regional, Thomson Locations: Dagestan, Makhachkala, Israel, Russia's Dagestan, Caucasus, Palestine, Russian, Moscow, Nalchik, Kabardino, Jerusalem, Israeli, Russia

☆ Three Baltic Pipe and Cable Incidents 'Are Related', Estonia Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Finnish police have named the Chinese-owned and Hong-Kong-flagged container carrier NewNew Polar Bear as the prime suspect in damaging the Balticconnector Finland-Estonia gas pipeline early on Oct. 8. NewNew Polar Bear sailed over the Estonia-Sweden cable 133 kilometres before reaching the pipeline damage site. It then crossed the Estonia-Finland cable 32 kilometres after the gas pipeline, according to MarineTraffic. NATO has stepped up patrols in the Baltic sea after the incidents, and Norwegian navy has shadowed NewNew Polar Bear as it sailed over country's key pipelines. China is willing to provide necessary information in accordance with international law regarding an investigation on damage to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday at a regular press briefing.

Persons: Andrius Sytas, Kaja Kallas, Nerijus, David Evans Organizations: Nerijus Adomaitis, Reuters, Estonian, NATO Locations: Nerijus, Nerijus Adomaitis VILNIUS, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Hong, Kong, Helsinki, Tallinn, Estonian, Russia, MarineTraffic, Baltic, China, Vilnius, Oslo

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

☆ Hamas delegation visits Moscow, discusses release of hostages in Gaza - agencies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Families and supporters of hostages that are being held in Gaza after they were kidnapped from Israel by Hamas gunmen, attend a protest calling for their immediate release in Tel Aviv, Israel October 26, 2023. REUTERS/Tomer Appelbaum Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Oct 26 (Reuters) - A delegation from Hamas visited Moscow on Thursday for talks on the release of foreign hostages including Russian citizens that the militant group is currently holding in Gaza, Russian news agencies reported, citing the foreign ministry. Senior Hamas member Abu Marzouk was among those attending the talks, TASS reported. "Contacts were held with him in continuation of the Russian line on the immediate release of foreign hostages in the Gaza Strip. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing earlier on Thursday that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baghiri Kani was also currently visiting Moscow.

Persons: Tomer, Abu Marzouk, Vladimir Putin, Maria Zakharova, Ali Baghiri Kani, Zakharova, Baghiri Kani, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Russian Foreign Ministry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Tel Aviv, Moscow, Russian, Russia, Iran

☆ North Korea says Israel bombed Gaza hospital, calls US 'accomplice'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mohammed Al-Masri/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Oct 26 (Reuters) - North Korea's foreign ministry accused Israel of bombing a hospital in the Gaza Strip on Oct 17., saying it had openly committed a war crime "under the undisguised patronage of the United States". North Korean state media has often argued against Western views, especially those of the United States, on international issues. It also routinely lashes out at the United States. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said 471 people were killed in a blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital earlier this month. There is still uncertainty around the death toll from the hospital blast and the number of injuries, U.S. officials said.

Persons: Mohammed Al, Masri, Israel, KCNA, connived, Jack Kim, Ed Davies, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Islamic, U.S, Thomson Locations: Al, Ahli, Israel, Gaza City, Rights SEOUL, Gaza, United States, Korean, Arabi, Israeli, Palestinian

☆ China willing to provide necessary information on Baltic Sea pipeline probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A damaged Balticconnector gas pipeline that connects Finland and Estonia is pictured in this undated handout picture in the Baltic Sea. Finnish Border Guard/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 25 (Reuters) - China is willing to provide necessary information in accordance with international law regarding an investigation on damage to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday at a regular press briefing. The damage earlier this month is believed to have been caused by a ship dragging a large anchor along the seabed, but it was too early to tell if this was an accident or a deliberate act, Finnish police said on Tuesday. The authorities were investigating whether it belonged to a Chinese container vessel. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, REUTERS, Rights, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Finland, Estonia, Baltic, Rights BEIJING, China

☆ Qatar's prime minister: Hostage release talks progressing, hopeful for breakthrough 'soon'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Andrew Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani makes statements to the media with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Doha, Qatar, October 13, 2023. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDOHA, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Qatar's prime minister said on Wednesday that negotiations the Gulf Arab state is leading to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are progressing and he is hopeful there will soon be a breakthrough. Qatar's foreign ministry urged de-escalation and warned that an Israeli ground assault on the densely populated enclave would make freeing hostages "much more difficult." "There is some progress and some breakthrough and we remain hopeful," said Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at a press conference in the Qatari capital. Also speaking in Doha, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said an Israeli ground operation into Gaza would turn the fighting there into a massacre.

Persons: Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Antony Blinken, Jacquelyn Martin, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman, Sheikh Mohammed, Majed Al Ansari, Hakan Fidan, Fidan, Andrew Mills, Nayera Abdallah, Maha El, Toby Chopra, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Qatar's, U.S, Rights, Qatar, Turkish, Thomson Locations: Doha, Qatar, Gaza, Thani, Israel, Israeli, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Russia, Iran strengthen ties in 'trusting' atmosphere -Russian foreign ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shakes hands with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a meeting in Tehran, Iran October 23, 2023. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsOct 24 (Reuters) - Russia and Iran are firming up bilateral relations in a 'trusting' atmosphere, Russia's foreign ministry said early on Tuesday after its chief, Sergei Lavrov, was received by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a visit to Tehran. "In a traditionally trusting atmosphere, current aspects of the bilateral agenda were substantively discussed with an emphasis on further building up the entire complex of multifaceted Russian-Iranian partnership," the foreign ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. Lavrov, who went to Tehran shortly after an Asia trip to China and North Korea, discussed energy and logistics projects with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. Iran initially denied supplying the Shahed kamikaze drones to Russia but later said it had provided a small number before Moscow launched the war.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov, Ebrahim Raisi, Lavrov, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Lidia Kelly Organizations: Russian, Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS Acquire, Iranian, Kyiv, Moscow, United, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, Russia, Asia, China, North Korea, Russian, South Caucasus, Nagorno, Karabakh, Ukraine, Moscow, United States, Melbourne

☆ China says outlook worrisome as conflict spreads in Middle East, state media report
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view shows illumination flares in the sky by Israel's border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, as seen from its Israeli side October 21, 2023. The envoy Zhai Jun, who is visiting the Middle East, said spillover effects in the region and internationally are widening, as conflict along the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian borders spread, "making the outlook worrisome". Zhai also said China is willing to do "whatever is conducive" to promote dialogue, achieve ceasefire and restore peace, as well as to promote the two-state solution and a just and lasting resolution to the conflict, China Central Television said. China has provided and will continue to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Palestinians through the United Nations and via bilateral channels to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis, Zhai added. Reporting by Liz Lee and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Zhai Jun, Zhai, Liz Lee, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Lebanese, China Central Television, United Arab, United Nations, European, Thomson Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Rights BEIJING, China, Gaza, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Norway, European Union, Shanghai

☆ Canada says China-linked 'Spamouflage' campaign targeted lawmakers, PM Trudeau
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 3, 2023. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The Canadian government said on Monday it detected a China-linked "Spamouflage" campaign that involved bots posting disinformation and propaganda on the social media accounts of members of parliament, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Spamouflage campaign, using networks of new and hijacked social media accounts to post bulk messages, took place in August and September, and targeted dozens of MPs from across the political spectrum, the foreign ministry said in a statement. Ottawa has also accused Beijing of trying to interfere in its affairs through various schemes, including illegal police stations and the targeting of lawmakers. In September, the Trudeau government announced an independent public inquiry into allegations of attempted foreign meddling by China, Russia and others.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Blair Gable, Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, Richard Chang Organizations: Canada's, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canadian, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, China, U.S, Ottawa, Beijing, Russia

☆ Iran to host six-nation meeting on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

IRNA news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying the six countries wanted to talk about regional issues "without the interference of non-regional and Western countries". That was an implicit reference to the United States and the European Union, whose involvement in the search for a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has particularly annoyed Moscow. Russia's Interfax news agency said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would travel to Tehran for the meeting. More than 100,000 Karabakh Armenians have since fled, and Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of carrying out ethnic cleansing. The two countries have fought two wars in the past three decades and have so far failed to reach a peace deal despite long-running efforts by the United States, EU and Russia.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov, Maxim Rodionov, Hugh Lawson Organizations: European Union, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, MOSCOW, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tehran, Caucasus, United States, Moscow, Ukraine, Nagorno, Karabakh, Baku, EU

☆ China Says Outlook Worrisome as Conflict Spreads in Middle East - State Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING (Reuters) -China views the situation in Gaza as "very serious" with the risk of a large-scale ground conflict rising and the spread of armed conflicts along neighbouring borders, Chinese state media said on Monday, citing the country's Middle East special envoy. The envoy Zhai Jun, who is visiting the Middle East, said spillover effects in the region and internationally are widening, as conflict along the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian borders spread, "making the outlook worrisome". Zhai called on the international community to be "highly vigilant in this regard" and to take immediate action urging parties concerned to strictly abide by international humanitarian law and avoid a serious humanitarian disaster while putting in "joint efforts to control the situation". Zhai also said China is willing to do "whatever is conducive" to promote dialogue, achieve ceasefire and restore peace, as well as to promote the two-state solution and a just and lasting resolution to the conflict, China Central Television said. China has provided and will continue to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Palestinians through the United Nations and via bilateral channels to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis, Zhai added.

Persons: Zhai Jun, Zhai, Liz Lee, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Lebanese, China Central Television, United Arab, United Nations, European Locations: BEIJING, China, Gaza, Israel, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Norway, European Union, Shanghai

☆ Kremlin: unacceptable for Biden to compare Putin to Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov leaves after the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva, Switzerland, June 16, 2021. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden comparing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Palestinian militant group Hamas were "unacceptable". In remarks on Thursday, Biden sought to compare Hamas's actions to those of Putin, whose forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to annihilate a neighbouring democracy," he said. Israel has responded to Hamas's attack with heavy daily bombardments of the enclave that have killed almost 4,000 people, Palestinian officials say.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Israel, Biden, Putin, Hamas, Peskov, Kevin Liffey, Christina Fincher Organizations: U.S, Rights, Hamas, Russian Federation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Cairo

☆ Protests across Mideast as US’ Arab allies warn against pushing Palestinians out
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Protests erupted around the Arab world on Friday as the Gaza war raged and an Israeli ground operation with the potential to displace millions of Palestinians loomed. In a sign of the growing anger over the Israeli operation in Gaza, Egypt sanctioned its first major nationwide protest in a decade. Amman and Cairo have sounded alarms over what they perceive as a plan to transfer Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank to Egypt and Jordan. The West Bank, however, remains occupied and the previous right-wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it would advance plans to extend its jurisdiction to the West Bank. The Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza.

Persons: Annie Sakkab, Antony Blinken, Azhar, Omar Zoheiry, Amal, Young, Joe Biden, ”, Israel, Abdel Fattah el, Ayman Mohsab, Sisi, ” Sisi, Ayman Safadi, Al Jazeera, ” Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Jordan, Olaf Scholz Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Bloomberg, Getty, Louk, AP, United, Reuters, Israel, Arab Affairs Committee, Al, Israeli, National Unity Party, Palestinian Authority, Cairo Peace, United Arab, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israeli, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Israel, Amman , Jordan, Rafah, Cairo’s, Cairo, Bab el, Tahrir, al, Old Cairo, Beirut, Lebanese, Iran, Iraq’s, Baghdad, United States, Amman, ‘, Jordanian, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Italy, Greece

☆ North Korea Accuses US of Stoking Tension With 'Nuclear Supremacy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee ShinSEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's nuclear programme is a self-defensive move to head off a nuclear war in the face of the U.S. pursuit of "nuclear supremacy," state media KCNA said on Tuesday. The comments come as nuclear-armed North Korea has raised alarm in the region with regular launches of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that can strike the continental United States. "The U.S., the world's biggest nuclear weapons state and the world's first nuclear user which adopted the preemptive nuclear attack on other countries as its national policy, is talking about 'nuclear threat' from someone. "The reality urgently requires the DPRK, which is standing in confrontation with the U.S. imperialism, the most aggressive nuclear war criminal force, to bolster up its self-defensive military capabilities for deterring a nuclear war," Kim said. DPRK, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is North Korea's official name.

Persons: Shin, KCNA, Kim Kwang Myong, Kim, Washington, Kim Tong Myong, nukes, Hyonhee Shin, Sonali Paul Organizations: Foreign Ministry's Institute for Disarmament, Peace, U.S, Strategic, North, DPRK, Democratic People's, Society for International Politics Locations: Shin SEOUL, U.S, North Korea, United States, Russia, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North, Europe

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