Briefly

CHINA

FM to attend UN summit, debate

Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the United Nations Summit of the Future and the general debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly as the special representative of President Xi Jinping starting from Sunday. During his weeklong agenda, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will attend activities hosted by China, including events to promote the Global Development Initiative and enhance international cooperation on artificial intelligence, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday. Wang will also attend a series of multilateral and bilateral events, Lin added. Also on Thursday, the ministry issued a position paper on China's attendance at the UN summit and the 79th session of the General Assembly.

UNITED STATES

House rejects plan to avert shutdown

US lawmakers rejected a Republican government funding plan on Wednesday amid divisions within the party, with former president Donald Trump calling for a forced shutdown unless certain demands are met. With government funding set to expire at the end of the month, the bill failed by a vote of 202-220, as some House Republicans joined Democrats to oppose it. Congress needs a stopgap bill known as a "continuing resolution" to keep the government running past November's presidential election, but the parties are nowhere near agreement on a full-year budget.

ARMENIA

PM: Nation to seize chance to join bloc

Armenia will not miss the chance to join the European Union, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday at the Global Armenian Summit. "This is not a unilateral or even bilateral action," he said. "We must be careful in addressing this issue to avoid disappointing our people." Pashinyan depicted democracy as a cornerstone of Armenia's strategy to deepen ties with the EU, the United States and other Western allies. Yet, he said the country should not frame its democratic values in opposition to its regional diplomacy. "Our actions toward the EU must be transparent, as should the intentions of our European partners," he said. "If a tangible opportunity to join the EU arises and we can manage the associated risks, we will definitely seize it."

MALI

Extremist attack kills more than 70

An extremist attack in Mali's capital targeting a military police training camp and a military airport left more than 70 dead and 200 wounded, security sources said on Thursday. A security source speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP that 77 people had been killed and 255 wounded in Tuesday's attacks in Bamako. An authenticated confidential official document put the toll at about 100, naming 81 victims. Authorities have not released a precise death toll from the attacks, claimed by al-Qaida-linked jihadist group JNIM.

China Daily - Agencies - Xinhua