US News
- Twitter announces a new partnership with AP and Reuters to “promote trusted information.” [Link]
China
- Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Southeast Asian nations to strengthen America’s anti-China relationships. [Link]
- India deploys four warships to the South China Sea for operations with US, Japanese, and Australian ships. [Link]
Korea
- South Korea says North Korea is looking for some sanctions relief before engaging in talks with the US. [Link]
Afghanistan
- Turkey criticizes the American plan to allow Afghans to wait in third countries to have their special visa to the US processed. Turkey says it will cause a migration crisis and it will not accept any new refugees. [Link]
- The US Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad says the Afghan government and Taliban are far apart. Zalmay said the Taliban are demanding the lion’s share of the power. [Link]
- Secretary of State Blinken told the Afghan government it needs to accelerate its negotiations with the Taliban. [Link]
- A car bomb exploded in Kabul, killing six. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack that targeted the defense minister. A second bombing wounded three people. [Link]
- The Taliban control almost all of Helmand Province’s capital Lashkar Gar. [Link]
Middle East
- Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says his country could “act alone” against Iran. [Link]
- The UK reported a potential ship hijacking in the Persian Gulf. Iran denied involvement. [Link]
- A German representative to the Geneva talks says substantial progress has been made, but now negotiations have stalled. The US is demanding Iran agree to discuss other issues. Iran wants a new mechanism to ensure US sanctions are lifted and the US does not leave the agreement a second time. [Link]
- Iran’s incoming president says he will get US sanctions lifted. [Link]
- Two rockets fired from Lebanon caused small fires in Israel. Israel responded with artillery fire. [Link]
Ethiopia
- The UN estimates 200,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. [Link]
