WASHINGTON, 13 January 2023, (TON): Aides to US President Joe Biden have discovered at least one more batch of classified documents in a location separate from a think tank office he used after serving as vice president, news outlets reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Biden aides have been searching for additional classified materials that might be in other locations since a set of classified documents was found in November at the Washington-based think tank, according to a report in NBC News, which first broke the news, and CNN.

The NBC News report said the classification level, number and precise location of the additional documents was not immediately clear.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

ISTANBUL, 13 January 2023, (TON): Human Rights Watch said “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has cracked down more aggressively on dissent and political opponents ahead of Turkish elections with censorship and prison sentences.”

Presidential and parliamentary elections are set for no later than mid-June but Erdogan has said they could come earlier.

Polls show he and his AK Party could lose after 20 years in power.

In its annual World Report, the rights watchdog said authorities were using online censorship and disinformation laws to muzzle independent media, the opposition and dissenting voices.

ROME, 13 January 2023, (TON): Saudi Arabia and San Marino pledged to enhance their relations.

San Marino’s Foreign Secretary Luca Beccari was received in Riyadh by his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

During the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several issues of mutual interest were covered “in order to strengthen the relations between the two countries,” Beccari told media.

He said Prince Faisal “confirmed the will to quickly conclude an agreement on the promotion and protection of investments, but also to continue with the signing of other agreements in the short term.”

Beccari added “it was a fruitful meeting. Significant opportunities for collaboration were highlighted in a friendly country that has large investment capacities and advanced development projects in numerous fields.”

LONDON, 13 January 2023, (TON): Secretary of State Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris met Micheál Martin TD, Irish Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence today in Hillsborough.

The Secretary of State and Tánaiste discussed a range of issues related to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive, the implications that the implementation of the Protocol is having on political stability, and the UK Government’s determination and ongoing work to deliver better outcomes for those impacted by the Troubles, including through proposed changes to improve the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

The Secretary of State highlighted his keenness to continue close engagement with the Tánaiste, given the UK and Ireland’s close bilateral relationship.

WASHINGTON, 13 January 2023, (TON): Senior representatives from the United States and the United Kingdom governments met in Washington, D.C., for the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-UK Comprehensive Dialogue on Technology and Data.

The Dialogue was jointly launched by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and UK Secretary of State for the Department of Digital Culture, Media, and Sport Michelle Donelan in October 2022, building on the commitment of President Biden and then Prime Minister Johnson at the Carbis Bay meeting in 2021.

Four senior U.S. and UK officials led the dialogue: Grant Harris, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce; Nathaniel Fick, Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, U.S.

WASHINGTON, 13 January 2023, (TON): The top national security officials from the US and Japan unveiled plans to strengthen the alliance to help counter threats from North Korea and China, which they called the greatest challenge in the region.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the agreement reflects the two nations’ effort to deepen cooperation “across all realms,” including space, cybersecurity and emerging technologies.

“It is hard to overstate the importance of the US-Japan alliance for more than seven decades,” said Blinken, following the meeting at the State Department.

“It’s been the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, ensuring the security, the liberty and prosperity of our people and people across the region.”

YANGON, 12 January 2023, (TON): Myanmar’s junta has carried out air strikes on an ethnic armed group’s base near the border with India, the rebels and media said, with one bomb landing close to the international boundary.

The military coup almost two years ago has sparked renewed fighting with long-established ethnic rebel groups, as well as with dozens of “People’s Defence Force” groups that have sprung up to oppose the junta.

The bombing by five jets killed five fighters at the headquarters of the Chin National Front, which claims to represent the mainly Christian Chin minority in western Myanmar, spokesman Salai Htet Ni told AFP.

LONDON, 12 January 2023, (TON): Lord Ahmad, the UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, the UN and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, has undertaken a two-day official visit to Israel during which he met interfaith leaders, members of the tech sector and held bilateral talks with Government of Israel Ministers.

On Tuesday, the Minister visited Ahmadia Mosque, where he met with Imam Mohammad Sharif Oudeh, Rabbi Golan Ben Horin, Reverent Hatim Shihade, Sheikh Kassem Bader, Haifa’s Mayor Einat Kalish Rotem, and discussed co-existence in Haifa.

Lord Ahmad then continued on a tour to the Baha’i Gardens, to hear about the history of the Baha’i faith and the role Haifa has played as the heart of the Baha’i community.

TEHRAN, 12 January 2023, (TON): state media reported “Iran has protested to Iraq over the use of the name “Arabian Gulf” for a regional football competition held in the neighbouring country.”

The Islamic republic insists the body of water should be called the “Persian Gulf” and has repeatedly raised the issue with countries and organisations that refer to it otherwise.

Iraq on Friday welcomed Arab national teams from across the region to its southern city of Basra for the 25th edition of the competition officially known as “Arabian Gulf Cup”.

It is the first time Iraq has hosted the biennial competition — commonly referred to as the “Gulf Cup” — since it was launched in 1979.

LONDON, 12 January 2023, (TON): On his first visit to the region since his appointment as the UK Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad will visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories to understand the challenges facing Palestinians, reinforcing the importance of the bilateral relationship and see first-hand the impact of UK development and humanitarian support in the West Bank.

He will engage with the Palestinian Authority leadership, the Palestinian public, faith leaders, young people and meet with inspiring Palestinians working to create thriving and profitable businesses.

During his visit Lord Ahmad will meet with key humanitarian partners and announce £3.7m of additional funding to UNRWA to support food assistance to 1.2 million of the most vulnerable Palestinian refugees in Gaza.