BEIJING -- China and the ten ASEAN countries have fully completed negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

The achievement was announced during a special online meeting of economic and trade ministers from China and ASEAN on Tuesday, according to the ministry. (China-ASEAN-Trade)

- - - -

MUSCAT/TEHRAN -- Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said on Wednesday that the fifth round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran will be held in Rome on Friday, May 23. The announcement was made in a post on his official X account.

The talks, aimed at reviving stalled diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program and U.S. sanctions, are being facilitated by Oman. Four rounds have taken place since April, three in Muscat and one in Rome. (Iran-US-Indirect Talks)

- - - -

OTTAWA -- Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on Wednesday that she is summoning the Israeli ambassador over Israel Defense Forces' warning shots near a diplomatic tour in the West Bank.

Anand confirmed that four of Canada's personnel were part of the delegation when Israel Defense Forces fired shots. (Canada-Israel-Summons)

- - - -

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that all areas of the Gaza Strip will be under Israeli security control and Hamas will be defeated by the end of the ongoing "Operation Gideon's Chariots."

Netanyahu described the operation, which he said began on Saturday, as the "final phase" of Israel's military campaign. That campaign was launched following a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 people in Israel. (Israel-Gaza-Full Control)