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U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would view any ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations in their country as "unacceptable and, frankly, inconceivable", he said. The restrictions did not initially apply to the United Nations and some other international organisations. In January, the U.N Deputy Secretary-General flagged concerns that authorities could next restrict Afghan women working at international organisations. It was not immediately clear whether foreign embassies in Kabul had received similar instructions on female staff. Article 8 of its governing charter requires the U.N. not to place any restrictions on men and women working for U.N. agencies.

Gamal Roshdy, spokesperson for the Arab League secretary general, said the organisation is not privy to every move on the bilateral level between Arab countries. Assad's attendance at an Arab League summit would mark the most significant development in his rehabilitation within the Arab world since 2011, when Syria was suspended from the organisation. The Saudi foreign ministry did not confirm an agreement was reached but said it was in talks with the Syrian foreign ministry to resume consular services. Arab League heavyweight Egypt has also resumed contacts with Assad. An Egyptian security source told Reuters the visit was aimed at putting in place steps for Syria's return to the Arab League through Egyptian and Saudi mediation.

China is dispatching anticorruption enforcers abroad to chase down fugitives and recover stolen assets, a new extension of Beijing’s international reach aimed at strengthening Chinese leader Xi Jinping ’s crackdown on graft. The Communist Party’s top antigraft body and other government offices tasked with tackling corruption have begun stationing officials in some Chinese embassies, where they would coordinate with foreign authorities on law-enforcement matters, among other duties, according to people familiar with the plan.

☆ Jared Kushner's PE firm was backed by Emirates, Qatar - NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 30 (Reuters) - Wealth funds in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have invested hundreds of millions of dollars with former U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's private equity firm, the New York Times reported on Thursday. The Emiratis invested more than $200 million with Kushner's Affinity Partners, while a Qatari entity also put in a similar sum, the newspaper said, citing people with knowledge of the transactions. Kushner, who was also a top adviser to Trump, formed the Miami-based Affinity Partners in 2021, Reuters had reported. The investment from the UAE came through a sovereign wealth fund, but the Qatari investor's identity was unclear, the NYT report said. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Mubadala, Emirates Investment Authority, Affinity Partners, and the Qatar and UAE embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

☆ Saudi Arabia takes step to join China-led security bloc, as ties with Beijing strengthen
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia's cabinet approved a decision to join a China-led security bloc, strengthening Riyadh's eastern ties in a further step away from U.S. interests. The organization further tallies four observer states — including Iran — and nine dialogue partners, counting in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. The White House did not immediately respond to a CNBC request to comment on Saudi Arabia's new dialogue partner status in the SCO. Saudi interests have long been intertwined with those of leading SCO members China and Russia. Beijing is Riyadh's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth $87.3 billion in 2021, according to Reuters.

☆ Israel isn't 'out of the woods' even though Netanyahu paused the plan that pushed his country into chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( John Haltiwanger | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

A judicial overhaul plan pushed by Netanyahu's government sparked a major crisis in Israel. "The crisis was deferred, but definitely not resolved," a former US ambassador to Israel told Insider. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to hit pause on a deeply controversial plan to overhaul the country's judiciary, but Israel's problems are far from over. One piece of the plan has already been passed into law, narrowing the circumstances under which a prime minister can be deemed unfit for office. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a voting session in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, Israel on March 27, 2023.

☆ U.S. and China wage war beneath the waves – over internet cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +28 min

Three of China’s state-owned carriers – China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom), China Mobile Limited and China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd (China Unicom) – had committed funding as members of the consortium, which also included U.S.-based Microsoft Corp and French telecom firm Orange SA, according to six people involved in the deal. China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom and Orange did not respond to requests for comment. China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom were resolutely behind HMN Tech, which had come in with a bid of around $500 million. China Telecom and China Mobile threatened to walk off the project, taking tens of millions of dollars of investment with them. Among them is China Telecom, which had previously won authorization to provide services in the United States.

Summary Saudi Arabia, Syria cut ties more than a decade agoAgreement on reopening embassies follows Saudi-Iran dealBEIRUT/RIYADH, March 23 (Reuters) - Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reopen their embassies after cutting diplomatic ties more than a decade ago, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, a step that would mark a leap forward in Damascus's return to the Arab fold. Contacts between Riyadh and Damascus had gathered momentum following a landmark agreement to re-establish ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad, a regional source aligned with Damascus said. The decision was the result of talks in Saudi Arabia with a senior Syrian intelligence official, according to one of the regional sources and a diplomat in the Gulf. The United States and several of its regional allies, including Sunni-led Saudi Arabia and Qatar, had backed some of the Syrian rebels. But Saudi Arabia has been moving far more cautiously.

☆ Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers to meet to pave way to re-open embassies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A newspaper with a cover picture of the flag of Iran and Saudi Arabia, is seen in Tehran, Iran March 11, 2023. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSDUBAI, March 23 (Reuters) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, have agreed to meet soon and pave the way for the re-opening of embassies under a deal to re-establish ties, Saudi state news agency SPA said on Thursday. Earlier this month, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to revive relations after years of hostility that had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria. Amirabdollahian emphasized during the call Iran's readiness to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported. The deal between the regional powers, Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and long-time rival Shi'ite Iran, brokered by China, was announced after previously undisclosed talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two countries.

☆ India hunts Sikh preacher who has revived calls for homeland
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Krishn Kaushik | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Top Punjab police officer Sukhchain Gill told Reuters that Singh had set up a militia called Anandpur Khalsa Fauj. Singh has said striving for a separate country, that Sikhs call Khalistan, was not an anti-democratic and should not be taboo. Sikh militants complaining of unfair treatment on the part of the central government began agitating for a separate homeland in the 1970s. Singh had become popular through social media during drawn protests in 2020-21 by thousands of farmers from Punjab, many of them Sikh, against agricultural reforms. Sikh militants were blamed for the 1985 bombing of an Air India Boeing 747 flying from Canada to India in which all 329 people on board were killed.

☆ China warns against travelling out of Central African Republic capital after killings
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, March 20 (Reuters) - China's embassy in the Central African Republic has urged its citizens to avoid travelling outside the capital, Bangui, after a report that nine Chinese nationals were killed in an attack by militants at a gold mine outside the city. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for "severe punishment" of the perpetrators in accordance to the law, and said the safety of Chinese citizens must be ensured, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday. The security risk level in the Central African Republic, apart from the capital, was "red", or very high, the Chinese foreign ministry added. The ministry said it would work with governments and guide Chinese embassies and consulates to take further effective measures to fully safeguard Chinese citizens and enterprises in Africa. There have been several attacks on Chinese nationals abroad in recent months, prompting embassies to issue warnings and safety alerts and conduct evacuations.

☆ Iran proposes locations to Saudi Arabia for foreign minister meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian speaks during a news conference in Tehran, Iran March 19, 2023. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSDUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - The Iranian government has proposed to Saudi Arabia three locations for a meeting at foreign minister level, Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday, citing the latest messages with Riyadh since the countries agreed to re-establish ties. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told a news conference in Tehran his country had agreed to such a meeting, although he did not list the three locations or say when such a meeting might take place. Iran and Saudi Arabia, the region's Shi'ite Muslim and Sunni powers, agreed on March 10 to re-establish relations and re-open embassies within two months after years of hostility. Amirabdollahian signalled Iran was also hoping for steps towards normalising ties with Bahrain, a close Saudi ally.

☆ Saudi Arabia could start investing in Iran 'very quickly,' finance minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

watch nowSaudi Arabia may soon be investing in its longtime regional foe Iran following a breakthrough agreement reached between the two countries to re-establish diplomatic relations, the kingdom's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said Wednesday. Asked by CNBC's Hadley Gamble in Riyadh how soon the world might see the wealthy Saudi kingdom making significant investments into Iran and vice versa, Al-Jadaan replied: "I would say very quickly." "When people really stick to the principles of what was agreed, I think that that could happen very quickly. Some regional analysts and Western policymakers are skeptical as to whether the countries — Iran in particular — will stick to the pledges, which has yet to be seen. Still, the Saudi finance minister appeared optimistic.

☆ The 8-year-old daughter of a Vladimir Putin ally is listed as the owner of a multimillion-dollar apartment in one of London's most exclusive areas
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Vladimir Gruzdev is a Vladimir Putin ally whose net worth was estimated to be $900 million in 2021. His 8-year-old daughter owns a London apartment that could be worth $5 million to $10 million today. Vladimir Gruzdev made his name as a grocery-store tycoon before starting a career in politics, which won him special recognition by Putin in 2010. The apartment was purchased for £2.3 million in 2000 through a company based in the Cayman Islands, where the tax rate is 0%. One property-valuation website suggests it could be worth over $10 million, but its actual value on the open market is unclear.

☆ Saudi investment in Iran could happen 'very quickly' after agreement - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Rachna Uppal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH, March 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's finance minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan, said on Wednesday that Saudi investments into Iran could happen "very quickly" following an agreement. "There are a lot of opportunities for Saudi investments in Iran. Tehran and Riyadh agreed to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies within two months, according to a statement issued by Iran, Saudi Arabia and China, which brokered the deal. "To focus on your economic development and focus on providing for the people in your country, you need stability, and they (Iran) need both," al-Jadaan said in Riyadh. He said there are a lot of opportunities in Iran and that Saudi Arabia also provides a lot of opportunities for them.

☆ U.S. Skeptical of Middle East Deal Brokered by Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Vivian Salama | Laurence Norman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

One aim of the latest deal is to reduce fighting in Yemen between the Saudi-backed government and Houthi rebels. U.S. officials expressed skepticism that Tehran would honor a Chinese-brokered entente between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and denied the deal illustrated Washington’s diminishing influence in the region. Under the agreement announced Friday, Riyadh and Tehran will reopen their respective embassies within two months, restoring diplomatic ties for the first time in seven years. Tehran agreed to stop encouraging cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia by Houthi rebels in Yemen, and Riyadh agreed to tone down critical coverage of Iran by a Farsi-language news channel funded by Saudi business interests.

☆ Indonesia's Bali wants to tighten visa requirements for Russian tourists
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Tourists enjoy the sunset at Canggu beach amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Bali, Indonesia, December 2, 2021. REUTERS/Johannes P. ChristoJAKARTA, March 13 (Reuters) - Authorities in Indonesia's popular holiday island of Bali have asked the central immigration agency to cancel a visa-on-arrival policy for Russian and Ukrainian nationals after tourists were found working illegally. Russian nationals are among the biggest groups of foreign arrivals in Indonesia, according to official tourism data. At least four Russian citizens were deported this month for visa violations and immigration authorities have repeatedly warned foreigners in Bali against working on tourist visas. About 8,800 Ukrainian visitors arrived between September 2022 and January 2023.

☆ Nicaragua closes Vatican embassy in Managua, Nicaraguan embassy to Vatican
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A bishop sprinkles water on the catholic parishioners at the Metropolitan Cathedral, as a suspension of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and the Vatican has been proposed according to a Nicaragua's foreign ministry statement, in Managua, Nicaragua March 12, 2023. REUTERS/StringerVATICAN CITY, March 12 (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has ordered the closure of the Vatican Embassy in Managua and that of the Nicaraguan Embassy to the Vatican in Rome, a senior Vatican source said on Sunday. Nicaragua signalled that the move, which came a few days after Pope Francis compared the Nicaraguan government to a dictatorship, was "a suspension" of diplomatic relations. The Vatican source said that while the closures do not automatically mean a total break of relations between Managua and the Holy See, they are serious steps towards that possibility. A year ago, the Vatican protested to Nicaragua over the effective expulsion of its ambassador, saying the unilateral action was unjustified and incomprehensible.

☆ Nicaragua closes Vatican embassy in Managua, Nicaraguan embassy to Vatican - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Iran's behaviour will be under microscope in coming months, say Saudi columnists
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

RIYADH, March 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will watch Iran's behaviour during the two-month window agreed upon to restore relations, Saudi columnists said on Sunday, reflecting continued wariness in the longtime rivalry between the region's Sunni Muslim and Shi'ite powers. Gulf states have grown increasingly disillusioned with key ally and security guarantor the United States, including over global powers' 2015 nuclear pact with Iran which they deemed flawed for not tackling Iran's missile programme and proxies. "It is natural to have diplomatic ties even if at a low level because Iran's expansionist approach has created many touch points with Saudi Arabia....(But) we have to keep our eyes open," wrote Saudi columnist Tariq al-Homayed. The United States has voiced reservations about deepening ties between Gulf states and its economic rival China, whose president attended a Gulf summit in Riyadh last year at a time of severe strains in the strategic U.S.-Saudi relationship. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have repeatedly said they are looking to diversify their strategic partners while pressing Washington for concrete commitments to regional security.

☆ Saudi Arabia, Iran Restore Relations in Deal Brokered by China
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Stephen Kalin | Benoit Faucon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Under the agreement, Iran and Saudi Arabia will reopen their embassies within two months. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations Friday in a deal brokered by China, ending seven years of estrangement and jolting the geopolitical alignment of the Middle East. The deal, which comes after other unsuccessful attempts by Iraq and others to mend fences, marks a diplomatic victory for Beijing in a region where the U.S. has long dominated geopolitics.

☆ Reaction to Iran and Saudi Arabia resuming ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

STATEMENT ISSUED BY IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA AND CHINATehran and Riyadh agreed "to resume diplomatic relations between them and re-open their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months". HEZBOLLAHThe head of Lebanon's powerful armed group said the resumption of ties between its backer Iran and longtime rival Saudi Arabia was a "good development". ANWAR GARGASH, DIPLOMATIC ADVISER TO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES PRESIDENT"We welcome the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations, and we hail the Chinese role in this regard," he tweeted. QATARPrime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who also acts as foreign minister, called the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia to welcome the deal. IRAQ STATE NEWS AGENCYIraq welcomes "turning a new page" between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

☆ Saudi Arabia making peace with Iran in a deal brokered by China is a 'middle finger to Biden'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to restore diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by China. The US and Saudi Arabia have a close relationship and have been security partners for years. Saudi Arabia ultimately moved to cut oil production instead, which was viewed as a diplomatic embarrassment for the Biden administration and sparked outrage in Congress. Bandar Algaloud/ReutersThe deal also comes as the US contends with historic tensions with both Iran and China. The agreement also has the potential to throw a wrench in efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, given the latter and Iran are longtime enemies.

☆ Iran and Saudi Arabia: Key developments towards resumption of ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 10 (Reuters) - Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed on Friday to re-establish relations after a seven-year diplomatic rupture, according to a statement issued by Iran, Saudi Arabia and China. Here are key dates in Saudi-Iranian relations since the suspension of ties in 2016:Jan. 2, 2016: Saudi Arabia executes nearly 50 people including prominent Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Jan. 3, 2016: Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Iran. Jan. 7, 2016: Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of air strikes on its embassy in Yemen. Sept. 14, 2019: Saudi Arabia blames Iran for attacks on its oil installations that knocked out half of the kingdom's supply.

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