Around the world today: Russia may involve in Afghanistan; African ally wants ties with Taiwan

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

More than 100 migrants storm border of North African Spanish enclave

More than 100 African migrants managed to force their way into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Wednesday when hundreds tried to storm the highly fortified border, a Spanish police spokesman said. Television images showed some of the migrants with bloodied arms and legs, apparently caused by the razor wire that tops the border fences, cheering as they walked toward a temporary reception center. Most of them were young men.

Afghanistan seeks Russian help to press Taliban into peace talks

Afghanistan hopes Russia can press Taliban insurgents into holding peace talks with the government, Afghanistan's top security official said on Wednesday after he met Russia's ambassador in Kabul. The Taliban, fighting to oust the U.S. and other foreign forces and defeat Afghanistan's Western-backed government, plan to take part in talks on Afghan peace in Moscow on Sept. 4, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Taiwan's last Africa ally tells China 'no desire' to switch ties

Taiwan's last diplomatically in Africa, the Kingdom of eSwatini, said on Wednesday it had no intention of switching ties to China after a Chinese diplomat said he expected it to ditch Taipei soon amid a bitter diplomatic dispute. Taiwan, which China claims as a wayward province with no right to state-to-state relations, now has formal ties with only 17 countries, almost all small, less developed nations in Central America and the Pacific, like Belize and Nauru.

Vietnam jails two Vietnamese-Americans for 14 years over bomb attacks

A Vietnamese court found two Vietnamese-Americans guilty of terrorism on Wednesday and sentenced them to 14 years in prison for masterminding a series of bomb plots earlier this year, a court official told Reuters. James Nguyen and Angel Phan were convicted, along with 10 accomplices who received short jail terms, after a two-day trial. All defendants had been charged with "attempting to overthrow the state".

Iran says Israel, U.S. will be targeted if Washington attacks

A senior Iranian cleric warned Washington on Wednesday that if it attacked Iran, the United States and allied Israel would be targeted, as a war of words escalated after the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran. Ahmad Khatami also told worshippers attending Eid prayers in Tehran that President Donald Trump's offer of talks with Iranian leaders was unacceptable as the U.S. leader wanted Tehran to concede on its missile program and regional influence.

Lira steady after Bolton says Turkey made 'big mistake' over the pastor

The under-pressure lira held steady against the dollar on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Turkey had made a "big mistake" in not freeing a U.S. pastor held on terrorism charges. The lira has lost 37 percent of its value this year in a crisis triggered by concerns over President Tayyip Erdogan's influence on monetary policy and exacerbated by the dispute with Washington.

Austria says shares EU stance on Russia despite Putin visit

Austria is firmly rooted in the European Union and fully shares its stance towards Russia, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday, aiming to reassure critics after Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Austrian foreign minister's wedding. Karin Kneissl danced with Putin at her wedding last weekend and then made a deep curtsey to him, prompting an outcry in some local media which said she had undermined EU policy on Russia.

U.S. pastor's lawyer plans appeal to Turkish constitutional court

The lawyer for the American Christian pastor on trial for terrorism charges in Turkey said on Wednesday he planned to appeal to the constitutional court to seek Andrew Brunson's release after being rejected by a lower court last week. Brunson is at the center of a row between Turkey and the United States, which has exacerbated a crisis in Turkey's lira and reverberated across global markets.

Kremlin, before meeting with Trump adviser, asks if the U.S. wants better ties

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it needed to understand if there was political will in Washington to cooperate with Russia as it prepared for a meeting between U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev. The two men are due to meet in Geneva for talks on Thursday in the first high-level meeting since the Russian and U.S. presidents held talks in Helsinki in July.

Sanctions on Iran having effect, but regime change is not U.S. policy: Bolton

U.S. sanctions are having a strong effect on Iran's economy and popular opinion, though regime change there is not part of Washington's policy, President Donald Trump's national security adviser said on Wednesday. The Trump administration re-imposed sanctions this month after withdrawing from the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, which Washington saw as inadequate for curbing Tehran's activities in neighboring Middle East countries and denying it the means to make an atomic bomb.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)