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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Byrd reporting. A nuclear agreement with Iran is in effect and sanctions can be lifted.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran has completed the necessary steps for implementation of the multi-national agreement. Speaking in Vienna, Austria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Iran's compliance makes for a safer world. "Today we can confidently say that each of the pathways that Iran had toward enough fiscal material for a nuclear weapon has been verifiably closed down." The European Union's head of foreign policy, Federica Mogherini, said that nuclear-related sanctions against Iran will be lifted immediately. "The European Union has confirmed that the legal framework providing for the lifting of its nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions is effective. The United States today is ceasing the application of its nuclear-related statutory sanctions on Iran, including terminating relevant executive orders and licensing of certain activities, as specified in the JCPOA." Iran and six major world powers had reached agreement last July on the deal in which Tehran pledged to scale back its uranium enriching activities in exchange for a rollback of sanctions. The announcement came just hours after the United States and Iran announced a prisoner swap. Five Americans are being freed by Iran, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. The United States is releasing seven Iranians who were either already in jail or were facing criminal charges for violating economic sanctions. This is VOA news. Taiwan's voters have elected Tsai Ing-wen as the island's first female president, delivering a crushing defeat to the Nationalist Party. VOA's William Ide reports from Taipei that the Nationalist Party had focused heavily on growing relations with China since coming to power eight years ago. Tsai Ing-wen's independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party not only won the presidency in the election, but a majority in the legislature for the first time, a development that could have a big impact on economic policies with China. Tsai has pledged to maintain peace and stable relations with the world's second largest economy, but also is demanding that the vote and will of Taiwan's people not be overlooked. Tsai will be sworn into office until May 20 but the new legislature will be sworn into office in early February. When Tsai becomes Taiwan's president, dealing with the island's biggest trading partner, China, and helping strengthen a faltering economy as well as wage stagnation are some of the key challenges she will face. Bill Ide, VOA news, Taipei, Taiwan. Burkina Faso government officials say the siege of an upscale hotel that killed at least 23 people in Ouagadougou has ended. Interior Minister Simon Campaoré said Saturday that the victims from 18 countries died in the attack at the Splendid Hotel, that is. He added that more than 150 hostages were rescued in a security operation. Several of the hostages were wounded. Campaoré said that three militant jihadists were killed in the attack, two women and one man. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for the violence. Burkina Faso's president visited the hotel Saturday and called the attack "cowardly and vile." Indonesia's national police chief on Saturday announced that 12 suspected Islamic State loyalists have been arrested in connection with the first IS attack in the world's most populous Muslim country. In response to Thursday's attack linked to the Islamic State group, Indonesia will bar those who have joined the terror outfit in the Middle East from returning home. Also, the government belatedly began shutting down websites and social media accounts of violent extremists. The VOA correspondent in Jakarta reports that many in Indonesia's intelligence community expect violent actions in the name of Islamic State again soon. And the new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that's backed by China as the potential rival to the World Bank and other international lenders opened in Beijing Saturday. The 57-member nations have contributed $100 billion in capital, making it nearly half the size of the World Bank. I'm David Byrd in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |