Briefly

UNITED STATES

Washington ready for talks to revive key deal

After a virtual meeting with the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, also known as E3, the United States said on Thursday it was ready to attend talks with Iran and other major countries to discuss the Iran nuclear issue. "The US would accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran's nuclear program," US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Iran on the same day noted the important role of the EU in brokering a high-profile 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, but also asked the US to show its sincerity by taking the first step to solve their impasse.

AUSTRALIA

High-stakes meeting held over news ban

Australia and Facebook held talks on Friday after the social media giant blacked out news for its Australian users, as Canberra insisted it wouldn't back down on a new law that would force the tech firm to pay for journalistic content. From Thursday, Facebook has blanked out the pages of media outlets for Australian users and blocked them from sharing any news content, rather than submit to the proposed legislation. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had spoken with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Friday to find a way out of the showdown, and negotiations would continue over the weekend. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged Facebook to "move quickly past" what he called threatening behavior and "come back to the table".

GUINEA

WHO pledges 11,000 Ebola vaccine doses

The World Health Organization said it will send more than 11,000 Ebola vaccinations to the West African nation of Guinea in the coming days to combat the recent epidemic of deadly hemorrhagic fever that has been declared in the country's southern N'Zerekore region. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa, said on Thursday that 11,000 Ebola vaccines are being prepared in Geneva and are expected to arrive in Guinea over the weekend. The vaccination campaign could start as early as Monday. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday said Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had reported 12 Ebola virus cases and eight deaths.

MIDDLE EAST

Prisoners swapped in Russia-mediated deal

Two Syrian shepherds were exchanged for an Israeli woman under a prisoner exchange deal on Thursday mediated by Russia. Israel's military said the two had been arrested "a few weeks" ago, after they crossed the contested border in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the exchange was mediated by Russia. Thanking Russian leader Vladimir Putin after the deal, the Israeli leader said he had asked his "friend" to help "and he acted". Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East War and later annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community.

Agencies - Xinhua