Reuters World News Summary

The United States on Thursday offered to sit down with the Iranians along with other parties to a 2015 nuclear deal to see if there is a way to return to the pact abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. may take more action on Myanmar after crackdown on protests, says State Department spokesman The United States may take additional actions against the leaders of a military coup in Myanmar, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday, while denouncing a crackdown on peaceful protests against the coup.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. U.S.'s Blinken stresses two-state solution to Palestinian conflict in call with Israeli minister

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Israeli counterpart on Monday that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was best for the future of Israel, the U.S. State Department said. Blinken, in a call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, "emphasized the Biden administration's belief that the two-state solution is the best way to ensure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, living in peace alongside a viable and democratic Palestinian state," the State Department said. Delays rattle asylum seekers waiting in Mexico as hopes of quick U.S. entry fade

The United States abruptly canceled plans on Monday to bring asylum seekers into Texas at two ports of entry, dashing the hopes of hundreds who have been waiting for months in Mexico under a Trump-era policy President Joe Biden promised to unwind. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement that "given current operational considerations," it could no longer say when it would begin bringing in migrants through ports in Brownsville and El Paso, Texas. The department said last week it would start accepting asylum seekers with active cases at those locations on Monday and Friday, respectively. Texas is recovering from a winter storm that knocked out power and water services across the state.

Exclusive: U.S. plays down Iran rhetoric, waits to see if Tehran resumes talks A U.S. official played down comments by the Iranian supreme leader on Monday that Tehran could enrich uranium to 60% purity, saying that would be concerning but Iran has not done so yet and Washington is waiting to see if Tehran will return to talks. The United States on Thursday offered to sit down with the Iranians along with other parties to a 2015 nuclear deal to see if there is a way to return to the pact abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. may take more action on Myanmar after crackdown on protests, says State Department spokesman The United States may take additional actions against the leaders of a military coup in Myanmar, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday, while denouncing a crackdown on peaceful protests against the coup. Asked why the United States had not imposed sanctions on military-owned conglomerates, Price said the United States had already placed sanctions on some individuals and entities linked to the coup and that "there may be additional policy levers we can pull when it comes to our goal of supporting the people of Burma."

U.S. Senate advances nomination of Biden U.N. nominee, final vote due Tuesday The U.S. Senate voted on Monday to advance the nomination of President Joe Biden's pick to be ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, clearing the way for a vote on her confirmation on Tuesday. The tally was 75-20 on a procedural measure to end debate. All 20 of the "no" votes came from Republicans.

Canada's parliament passes motion saying China's treatment of Uighurs is genocide Canada's parliament passed a non-binding motion on Monday saying China's treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region constitutes genocide, putting pressure on Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to follow suit. Canada's House of Commons voted 266-0 for the motion brought by the opposition Conservative Party. Trudeau and his Cabinet abstained from the vote, although Liberal backbenchers widely backed it.

U.S. arrests wife of Mexico cartel chief El Chapo on drug charges The wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the imprisoned former leader of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, was arrested on Monday over her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a regular attendee at her husband's trial two years ago, was arrested at Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, and is expected to appear in a federal court in Washington on Tuesday.

Khamenei says Iran may enrich uranium to 60% purity if needed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday Iran might enrich uranium up to 60% purity if the country needed it and would never yield to U.S. pressure over its nuclear programme, state television reported. Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with six powers, which it has been breaching since the United States withdrew in 2018, caps the fissile purity to which Tehran can refine uranium at 3.67%, well under the 20% achieved before the agreement and far below the 90% suitable for a nuclear weapon.

China calls for a reset, but U.S. says Beijing trying to 'avert blame' Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Monday the United States and China could work together on various issues if they repaired their damaged bilateral relations, but Washington accused Beijing of trying to avert blame for its actions. Wang, a Chinese state councillor and foreign minister, said Beijing stood ready to reopen constructive dialogue after ties sank to their lowest in decades under former president Donald Trump.

Italy's envoy to Congo killed in attack on U.N. convoy Italy's ambassador to Democratic Republic of Congo was killed on Monday along with his bodyguard and a World Food Programme driver when their convoy was attacked in the east of the country, Italy and the United Nations said. The assailants stopped the convoy by firing warning shots, killed the Congolese driver and were leading the passengers into the forest when park rangers opened fire, the governor of North Kivu province, Carly Nzanzu Kasivita, told Reuters.