U.S., Iran edge closer on framework deal to end war: report

The United States and Iran made progress in talks on Tuesday, edging closer to a framework agreement to end the war, Axios reported Wednesday, citing U.S. officials.

As the two-week ceasefire nears its April 22 expiration, a deal is not yet guaranteed, officials said, noting that significant gaps remain between the two sides, and that reaching a full agreement will require broader consensus within Iran.

"We want to make a deal. And parts of their government want to make a deal. Now the trick is to get the whole of government over there to make the deal," a U.S. official was quoted as saying.

China supports momentum of ceasefire, peace talks, FM tells Iranian counterpart

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday that China supports maintaining the momentum of ceasefire and peace talks, which serves the fundamental interests of the Iranian people and reflects the shared expectations of countries in the region and the international community.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when speaking to Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi over phone.

Araghchi briefed Wang on the latest developments of Iran-U.S. negotiations and Iran's considerations, saying that Tehran is willing to continue seeking a rational and practical solution through peace talks.

DPRK slams Japan's Diplomatic Bluebook over militarist moves

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said that the recent Diplomatic Bluebook released by Japan was "a tricky document to beautify its extreme militarist moves."

"Whenever an opportunity presents itself, Japan is letting loose rhetoric about the exercise of the right to self-defense by neighboring countries," the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Wednesday, citing a Foreign Ministry press statement released a day earlier.

Japan's move was aimed at unsettling regional security while pursuing legal and institutional ambitions as a war state to expand its capacity for aggressive attacks, said the statement.

Texas attorney general launches probe into Lululemon over possible PFAS presence

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into Canadian athletic apparel company Lululemon over whether its products contain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals."

Paxton has issued a Civil Investigative Demand to the company's U.S. subsidiary, as part of a probe into whether the company has misled consumers about the safety, quality and health impacts of its products, according to a statement released by his office on Monday.

The investigation will examine whether Lululemon's athletic apparel contains PFAS that health-conscious consumers would not expect based on the brand's marketing as a wellness- and sustainability-focused company.■