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Geopolitics Professor Philippe Le Corre on US-EU relations and Europe-Asia ties

Geopolitics Professor Philippe Le Corre on US-EU relations and Europe-Asia ties

CNAa day ago

Ahead of French President Emmanuel's keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Professor of Geopolitics Philippe Le Corre from the ESSEC Business School shares his thoughts on US and EU relations, as well as how Europe can offer Asia a different approach to international relations.

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Damning IAEA report spells out past secret nuclear activities in Iran
Damning IAEA report spells out past secret nuclear activities in Iran

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Damning IAEA report spells out past secret nuclear activities in Iran

VIENNA: Iran carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the UN nuclear watchdog at three locations that have long been under investigation, the watchdog said in a wide-ranging, confidential report to member states seen by Reuters. The findings in the "comprehensive" International Atomic Energy Agency report requested by the agency's 35-nation Board of Governors in November pave the way for a push by the United States, Britain, France and Germany for the board to declare Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations. A resolution would infuriate Iran and could further complicate nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Using the IAEA report's findings, the four Western powers plan to submit a draft resolution for the board to adopt at its next meeting the week of Jun 9, diplomats say. It would be the first time in almost 20 years Iran has formally been found in non-compliance. Iran's foreign ministry and the Iranian nuclear agency rejected the report, calling it "politically motivated" in a joint statement. They said Tehran will take "appropriate measures" in response to any effort to take action against the country at the Board of Governors meeting, state media reported, without elaborating. Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. While many of the findings relate to activities dating back decades and have been made before, the IAEA report's conclusions were more definitive. It summarised developments in recent years and pointed more clearly towards coordinated, secret activities, some of which were relevant to producing nuclear weapons. It also spelled out that Iran's cooperation with IAEA continues to be "less than satisfactory" in "a number of respects". The IAEA is still seeking explanations for uranium traces found years ago at two of four sites it has been investigating. Three hosted secret experiments, it found. The IAEA has concluded that "these three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear programme carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material", the report said. Nuclear material and/or heavily contaminated equipment from that programme was stored at the fourth site, Turquzabad, between 2009 and 2018, it said. "The Agency concludes that Iran did not declare nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at three undeclared locations in Iran, specifically, Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad," the report said. At Lavisan-Shian in Tehran, a disc made of uranium metal was "used in the production of explosively-driven neutron sources" at least twice in 2003, a process designed to initiate the explosion in a nuclear weapon, the report said, adding that it was part of "small-scale" tests. The report is likely to lead to Iran being referred to the UN Security Council, though that would probably happen at a later IAEA board meeting, diplomats said. More immediately, it is likely to lead to Iran again accelerating or expanding its rapidly advancing nuclear programme, as it has done after previous rebukes at the board. It could also further complicate talks with the United States aimed at reining in that programme. URANIUM ENRICHMENT A separate IAEA report sent to member states on Saturday (May 31) said Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity, close to the roughly 90 percent of weapons grade, had grown by roughly half to 408.6 kg. That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. Both IAEA reports said enrichment to such a high level was "of serious concern" since it is the only country to do so without producing nuclear weapons. Israel, which has long urged strong action against Iran's nuclear programme, said the IAEA report showed Tehran was determined to complete its nuclear weapons programme. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the world should act now to stop Iran from doing this. US intelligence agencies and the IAEA have long believed Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. Iran denies ever having had one. Separately on Saturday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said his Omani counterpart presented elements of a US proposal for a nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington during a short visit to Tehran. Araqchi said in a post on X that Iran "will respond to the US proposal in line with the principles, national interests and rights of people of Iran". His statement came ahead of an anticipated sixth round of talks between Washington and Tehran. The date and venue of talks have not yet been announced.

Draper dominates teenager Fonseca to reach French Open last 16
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Draper dominates teenager Fonseca to reach French Open last 16

PARIS :Jack Draper's French Open campaign continued in style on Saturday as the Briton ended Brazilian poster boy Joao Fonseca's run with a ruthless 6-2 6-4 6-2 victory to reach the fourth round. The British fifth seed, who made it to the semi-finals at last year's U.S. Open, was facing a potentially tricky test against the flashy Fonseca, who at 18 already has his army of fans and whose dazzling play has caught the eye at Roland Garros. The left-handed Draper, however, was not impressed, letting his opponent shine at times but keeping things under control as dark clouds made way for the sun on Court Suzanne Lenglen. "I knew it was going to be a tight match, Joao caught the attention of everyone; today a bit of experience made the difference," said Draper. "I played good, the conditions were tough out here. The first set was really key, I used my forehand well, mentally it was a good performance today. Happy to be in the second week here and hopefully more to come." In another test of his claycourt credentials, Draper, who made it to the final at the Madrid Masters, will take on mercurial Kazakh Alexander Bublik next. Draper snatched Fonseca's serve in the third game of what promised to be a battle of heavy hitters. Despite a poor first-serve percentage early on, Draper held on to win the opening set after stealing his opponent's serve a second time. Fonseca whipped several beautiful forehand winners, but his game was marred by unforced errors while Draper stayed solid and precise, himself punishing the Brazilian with a few superb, Rafa Nadal-like forehands. Reading Fonseca's serve with an eagle eye, Draper forced more and more errors from his overwhelmed opponent, ending it with an unreturnable serve on the first match point. It proved a tough day for teenager Fonseca who only made his Grand Slam main draw debut at this year's Australian Open. But Draper had some kind words for his opponent. "How old is he, 18? Pretty impressive. I mean, I'm 23, so that's five years, and the amount I've changed in one year, so I think he just needs time," he said. "I think it's only going to go up for him. I think it's going to be scary what he's going to be able to achieve." Draper will have British company in the last 16 after Cameron Norrie beat compatriot Jacob Fearnley 6-3 7-6(1) 6-2. It is the first time since 1963 that two British men have reached the fourth round at Roland Garros.

Keys battles past Kenin to reach French Open fourth round
Keys battles past Kenin to reach French Open fourth round

CNA

timean hour ago

  • CNA

Keys battles past Kenin to reach French Open fourth round

PARIS :Madison Keys sharpened up after a sluggish start to save three matchpoints and battle past Sofia Kenin 4-6 6-3 7-5 in an all-American meeting between Grand Slam champions to reach the French Open fourth round on Saturday. Victory meant the 30-year-old Australian Open champion became the oldest woman to win 10 straight Grand Slam singles matches since Serena Williams' 16 match-winning streak between the Australian Open in 2017 and Wimbledon the following year. "That was a great experience. It was an amazing atmosphere with so much support here," Keys said. "I was letting her (Kenin) dictate a bit too much so I took a few steps back on the rallies to give myself space to swing and hit and move her around on her serve. "Yeah, it's great to see another day." Kenin, who reached the 2020 French Open final after winning the Australian Open that year, broke reigning Melbourne champion Keys in the seventh game and staved off a late comeback attempt from her opponent to hold for the opening set. The world number 30 earned her only win over Keys in four previous meetings by beating her on clay in Rome six years ago and she needed all her experience on the slowest surface to remain in touch in a tight second set. Former semi-finalist Keys pulled away, however, and levelled the match at a set apiece but quickly found herself a break down in the decider after hitting a backhand into the net. Kenin then endured some frustrating moments on serve as she squandered a 0-3 lead before Keys saved three match points in a tense 10th game and broke again, before holding to prevail for a memorable win amid huge roars on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

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