Diplomacy

NBC News reports: The mysterious neurological symptoms experienced by American diplomats in China and Cuba are consistent with the effects of directed microwave energy, according to a long-awaited report by the National Academies of Sciences that cites medical evidence to support the long-held conviction of American intelligence officials. The report, obtained Friday by NBC News, does not conclude that the …

The Independent reports: President-elect Joe Biden is reportedly expected to name Cindy McCain as his ambassador to the UK. The widow of the late Republican Senator John McCain has been a fierce critic of Donald Trump and crossed party lines to endorse Mr Biden. Ms McCain, 66, is a known Anglophile and thought to be a frontrunner for the job …

Reuters reports: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday again declined to congratulate Joe Biden for winning the U.S. presidential election, making him stand out increasingly among world leaders who have withheld their recognition. “We do not agree with offering congratulations in advance,” Lopez Obrador told reporters at a regular government news conference. “What’s the best thing? For us …

Just in from China’s state-run media agency: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a message to Joe Biden to congratulate him on election as U.S. president. Promoting healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations not only serves the fundamental interests of the people in both countries, but also meets the common expectation of the international community, Xi said. Xi …

CBS News reports: President-elect Biden is expected to announce that he’s chosen longtime diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, two sources confirm to CBS News. The announcement could come Tuesday. Thomas-Greenfield is part of Mr. Biden’s transition team and is expected to focus on helping to restore trust and professionalism to the State Department, with …

The New York Times reports: Antony J. Blinken, a defender of global alliances and one of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s closest foreign policy advisers, is expected to be nominated for secretary of state, a job in which he will attempt to coalesce skeptical international partners into a new competition with China, according to people close to the process. Mr. …

The Associated Press reports: China on Friday became one of the last major countries to congratulate U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who is expected to make few changes to U.S. policy in conflicts with Beijing over trade, technology and security. China, along with Russia, avoided joining the throng that congratulated Biden last weekend after he and vice presidential running mate Kamala …

Reuters reports: In their first calls with Joe Biden since the U.S. election, the leaders of Japan, South Korea and Australia on Thursday reaffirmed plans to form close ties with the president-elect to tackle issues including climate change and regional security. The three key Asian allies – Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime …

The Associated Press today published a lengthy review of what a Trump loss could mean for world leaders: Perhaps none has so much riding on a Trump victory as Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli leader, who had a rocky relationship with President Barack Obama, has praised Trump as “the greatest friend” Israel ever had in the White House. …

The BBC reports: Ambassadors from around the world have called for the rights of gay and transgender people to be respected in Poland, where many towns have declared themselves free of “LGBT ideology”. An open letter released on Sunday urges the Polish government to “end discrimination” of sexual minorities. It was signed by envoys from 50 countries, including Poland’s EU …

Politico reports: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows ended the “Will he? Won’t he?” intrigue surrounding President Donald Trump’s possible in-person appearance at the U.N., telling reporters aboard Air Force One Thursday night that the president will not go to New York next week to give his speech to the assembly. Diplomats are even more reticent than usual when …

The Guardian reports: Biden says he will host a summit for democracy in his first year in office, to “strengthen democratic institutions” and “defend against authoritarianism.” The Democratic nominee has made it clear he would confront Russia, where Trump makes every effort to do the opposite. “He’d never lavish praise on dictators. But guess what? He knows how to work …

Via press release from the State Department: The United States is deeply concerned about the conduct of the August 9 presidential election in Belarus, which was not free and fair. Severe restrictions on ballot access for candidates, prohibition of local independent observers at polling stations, intimidation tactics employed against opposition candidates, and the detentions of peaceful protesters and journalists marred …

The Guardian reports: Canada has announced that it will retaliate dollar for dollar – to the tune of C$3.6bn – after the US announced a 10% tariff on Canadian aluminum. Donald Trump announced the new aluminum tariffs on Thursday at a campaign stop at a Whirlpool appliance plant in Ohio, accusing Canada of taking advantage of its trade relationship with …

The Washington Post reports: The Canadian government said Thursday that it would tighten restrictions for all travelers transiting through Canada to Alaska for “nondiscretionary” purposes, such as work or going to a primary residence. The new rules will require travelers to enter Canada at one of five ports of entry: Abbotsford-Huntingdon, Kingsgate or Osoyoos in British Columbia; Coutts in Alberta; …

The New York Times reports: Britain and the United States have agreed to end a legal loophole that allowed an American woman to flee Britain after she was involved in a car accident that killed a teenager, the British authorities said, almost a year after the crash started a diplomatic tug of war between the two countries and sparked widespread …

The Associated Press reports: The United States said Wednesday that it has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston “to protect American intellectual property” and the private information of Americans. China strongly condemned the move, the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration as it ratchets up pressure on the world’s second-largest economy over trade, technology, …

The New York Times reports: As tensions between the two sides mount, the Chinese government announced on Monday that it would impose sanctions on three American lawmakers and a diplomat in retaliation for similar moves last week by the Trump administration against four officials in China. The largely symbolic sanctions targeted Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator Ted Cruz of …

Politico reports: When the English Twitter account for the French foreign ministry revealed Franck Riester’s new title of junior minister for trade and “attractiveness,” it immediately elicited mocking online and questions about whether it had been mistranslated. In France, the term “attractivité” is often used to refer to attracting investment. The French foreign ministry assured its followers it had looked …

The Associated Press reports: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has turned down a White House invitation to celebrate the new regional free trade agreement in Washington with U.S President Donald Trump and and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Trump and López Obrador are due to meet Wednesday Washington, but Trudeau spokesperson Chantal Gagnon said Monday that while Canada wishes the …