DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ China rolls out plan to boost trade amid weakening global demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, April 25 (Reuters) - China's cabinet on Tuesday issued a plan to stabilise its vital trade sector, including supporting exports of automobiles and facilitating visas for overseas businessmen, as subdued global demand threatens its exports outlook. China will also further smooth the issuing of visas for overseas business people, while increasing inbound and outbound flights, according to the statement. "The commerce ministry together with relevant departments should closely follow the operation of foreign trade, analyse the changes of situation" and "adjust and improve relevant policies" in a bid to "help firms stabilise orders and explore markets," said the statement. China will also properly respond to unreasonable foreign trade restrictions and strengthen training and guidance to local governments and firms affected, the statement added. Financial institutions, it said, are encouraged to expand the scale of yuan settlement in cross-border trade transactions to better meet the demand from firms to hedge currency risks.

☆ US troops rushed to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan, but thousands of Americans remain with advice to 'shelter in place'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US special operators evacuated American embassy personnel from Sudan, where intense fighting continues. Thousands of Americans, however, remain in country and have been warned to "shelter in place." The Washington Post reported Sunday that an estimated 16,000 Americans, many of whom hold dual citizenship, remain in Sudan, where they have been encouraged to "shelter in place." Smoke rises during clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Sudan on April 19, 2023. The officer noted though that 'tThis is an unfolding situation, and we cannot provide more details for security reasons."

A convoy leaving Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, advances on a road toward Port Sudan, on Sunday. Photo: abubakarr jalloh/AFP/Getty ImagesThe U.S. and other governments moved swiftly over the weekend to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan, where a battle for power between the country’s top two generals has now left millions of residents with the difficult choice of whether to try to sit out the clashes at home or attempt a risky escape. The rapid descent of the east African country—and especially its capital, Khartoum—into all-out war appeared to surprise many embassies, including the U.S. mission, which didn’t issue advisories for American citizens to leave the country before the fighting started on April 15.

☆ France begins evacuation of French and 'allied' citizens from Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

CNN —France has begun a “rapid evacuation operation” of citizens and diplomatic personnel from Sudan, the country’s foreign ministry announced in a statement on Sunday. This would include citizens of “European and allied partner” nations, the ministry said. It comes amid evacuations of US government personnel and Iraqi diplomats from embassies in the capital Khartoum, as well as the first evacuations of civilian citizens from countries like Qatar, Egypt, Canada, India, Burkina Faso and the United Arab Emirates by Saudi officials.

☆ Britain's Cleverly leaves New Zealand early to focus on Sudan response
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] People look for water during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin AbdallahWELLINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - British Foreign Minister James Cleverly will leave New Zealand Friday and cut his Pacific tour short, his office said, as he focuses on coordinating Britain's response to the Sudan crisis. Cleverly had been scheduled to meet with Samoan officials and New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta in Samoa on Friday before undertaking a bilateral meeting and press briefing Saturday in New Zealand. "It’s with real regret that due to the ongoing situation in Sudan I’ve had to cut the visit short. The Foreign Office said on Thursday that Cleverly was skipping his Samoa stop and heading straight to New Zealand where he could better coordinate London's response to events in Africa.

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN —Pakistan’s Foreign Minister will travel to India next month, the most senior-level visit in seven years in what is a major diplomatic breakthrough between two nuclear-armed neighbors with a long history of fractious relations. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) foreign ministers meeting on May 4-5 in the western Indian coastal state of Goa, Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed Thursday. This is the first time that the most senior Pakistani foreign office representative has visited India since 2016. Diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have been beset by decades of distrust and occasional bouts of open conflict. The SCO and China’s growing hand in diplomacyThe SCO is an eight-member regional security and economic grouping led by China, and its members include India, Pakistan and Russia.

[1/2] Smoke rises from burning aircraft inside Khartoum Airport during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan April 17, 2023. Gunfire was heard in Bahri and residents reported violent clashes west of Omdurman where they said the army had moved to block the arrival of RSF reinforcements. Some of the most intense fighting has been focussed around the compound housing the army HQ and the residence of Sudan's military ruler, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The army controls access to Khartoum and appeared to be trying to cut off supply routes to RSF fighters, residents and witnesses said. More people have been leaving the capital with most able to pass but some stopped at checkpoints, according to residents and social media posts.

☆ UAE and Qatar set to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after a bitter feud
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUAE and Qatar set to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after a bitter feudUAE and Qatar are set to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after a bitter feud. CNBC's Dan Murphy reports.

☆ UAE, Qatar set to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after bitter feud
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are moving toward restoring diplomatic ties and reopening embassies in each other's countries, just over two years after the lifting of a blockade on Qatar that encapsulated bitter political discord between the two and in the wider Gulf region. The deal to end the three-and-a-half-year political and economic blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain took place in January of 2021, with states vowing to restore relations for the benefit of the region. The UAE expressed similar aims in a statement from a government official. "The UAE's foreign policy is primarily focused on building bridges, economic cooperation and regional deescalation. "At present, the activation of diplomatic ties, which will include the reopening of embassies, is under process between both countries."

From a vantage point in his home, Motasim said that earlier on Tuesday he could see RSF troops aiming anti-aircraft missiles from the street below. Residents from other districts said shops had been looted and people ejected from homes by armed men. In the well-heeled Khartoum 2 district, an area that is home to embassies and RSF offices, residents said RSF troops had stormed homes and raided supermarkets. RSF buildings and bases are dispersed across the capital, often in densely populated areas that have become a focus for fighting. Elsewhere in the capital area, several people told Reuters they saw RSF troops dispersing quickly into streets of residential districts when airstrikes began.

Stringer/ReutersThe RSF denied those reports, telling CNN in a statement that it “will never assault any UN staff or employees. Meanwhile, tense efforts to establish a ceasefire have ramped up, with the UN calling for rival factions to end their hostilities. Satellite imagery of the smoke plume at Khartoum International Airport on Sunday. The Sudanese Armed Forces later issued conflicting statements on a proposed 24-hour ceasefire, intended to go into effect later on Tuesday. Both sides had previously agreed to a three-hour ceasefire on Sunday, and again on Monday, with fighting resuming afterward, Perthes said.

☆ Arab foreign ministers discuss Syria crisis at Saudi meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Saudi Arabia hosts a meeting of foreign ministers from Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to discuss Syria's return to the Arab League in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 14, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERSCAIRO, April 15 (Reuters) - Gulf Arab foreign ministers and their counterparts from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan discussed Syria's possible return to the Arab fold at a meeting in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The meeting, held in the city of Jeddah, was called by Saudi Arabia, amid a recent thaw in regional tensions, but ended without agreement, the statement said. However, Syria's broader normalisation with the Arab world remains a sensitive issue for several countries. Regional superpower Saudi Arabia, which has long resisted normalisation with Assad, said after a rapprochement with Iran, Syria's key regional ally, a new approach was needed with Damascus.

The Sudanese air force is conducting operations against the RSF, the army said. Footage from broadcasters showed a military aircraft in the sky above Khartoum, but Reuters could not independently confirm the material. A Reuters journalist saw cannon and armoured vehicles deployed in streets, and heard heavy weapons fire near the headquarters of both the army and RSF. The RSF, which analysts say is 100,000 strong, said its forces were attacked first by the army. Civilian political parties that had signed an initial power-sharing deal with the army and the RSF called on them to cease hostilities.

Satellite images showing a smoke plume in Khartoum Airport and Soba Camp. Khartoum Airport Area of Military Headquarters Smoke Khartoum Airport Soba military camp University Sudan Sports City Smoke Khartoum Airport Area of Military Headquarters Smoke Khartoum Airport Soba military camp University Sudan Sports City Smoke Khartoum Airport Soba military camp University Area of Military Headquarters Sudan Sports City Smoke Smoke Khartoum Airport Source: Satellite images by Planet Labs, captured on Saturday morning The New York TimesDeadly clashes broke out in Sudan’s capital on Saturday when rising tensions between rival factions of the military turned violent. By Saturday evening, fighting had spread beyond the capital, Khartoum, and it was unclear who was in control of the country. Here’s what videos show about the fighting and what we know about the locations of the violence. Elsewhere in SudanBy Saturday evening, fighting had spread far beyond Khartoum.

☆ White House hails Yemen steps after meeting with Saudi crown prince
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 14 (Reuters) - Senior aides to U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday hailed progress toward resolving conflict in Yemen after "constructive" talks in Saudi Arabia with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The meetings included Biden's top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, and his Yemen envoy, Tim Lenderking, and took place on Thursday and Friday, said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. "The U.S. side confirmed its support for the defense of Saudi Arabia against threats from Yemen and elsewhere." The White House summary did not mention the surprise decision earlier this month by Saudi-led OPEC+ to cut oil production. Yemen's war is seen as one of several proxy battles between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

[1/2] White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during a daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 10, 2022. REUTERS/Tom BrennerWASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday and discussed Iran and steps aimed at ending the war in Yemen, the White House said. The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing last week after agreeing to end their diplomatic rift following years of hostility that fuelled conflicts across the Middle East. Mr. Sullivan reaffirmed President (Joe) Biden’s unwavering commitment to ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon," the White House said in a statement late on Tuesday. Yemen's war is seen as one of several proxy battles between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

☆ Saudi Arabia, Syria welcome thaw in ties, agree to fight drug trafficking
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Deputy Minister of Saudi Foreign Ministry, Waleed El Khereiji meets with Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Faisal Mekdad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERSRIYADH, April 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and Syria's foreign ministers on Wednesday welcomed a thaw in bilateral ties, including steps to resume consular services and flights, and agreed to cooperate to fight drug trafficking and facilitate Syria's return to the Arab fold. Assad, with the help of his main allies Iran and Russia, regained control over much of Syria, and Saudi Arabia has said isolating him was not working. Much of it is thought to be sold to buyers in Gulf Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. Mekdad's trip to Jeddah came two days before Saudi Arabia hosts another meeting of regional foreign ministers that will discuss Syria's return to the Arab League.

☆ U.S. House to vote on bill to address potential Huawei, ZTE threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - The House of Representatives is set to vote next week on a bill to crack down on Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) that have been deemed security threats by the U.S. government. The legislation would also require publicly traded companies to disclose whether they have contracted to use Huawei or ZTE or services covered under the bill. The Federal Communications Commission in November banned approvals of new telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE, saying they pose "an unacceptable risk" to U.S. national security. Washington has for years pressured U.S. allies not to use Huawei or ZTE equipment from 5G networks or remove gear from existing networks. The FCC designated Huawei and ZTE as threats, requiring U.S. companies to remove their gear or be frozen out of an $8.3 billion government fund to purchase new equipment.

☆ Fact Check-New York subway ad urging welfare recipients to join Ukraine war is not authentic
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An advertisement seeking to recruit U.S. citizens on the welfare scheme to the International Legion of Ukraine, purportedly seen on New York underground trains, is not an official poster. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington told Reuters that the poster is not real. The text on the poster which carries the logo of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reads: “Tired of living on welfare? Join the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine.”The International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine was formed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and recruits foreign citizens to fight for Ukraine in the war (fightforua.org/). The poster calling on welfare recipients in the U.S to join the war in Ukraine is not authentic.

☆ Georgia's former president says he's dying in prison because of Putin, and calls on the US to save his life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Georgia's ex-president, Mikheil Saakashvili, said he is dying in prison. Saakashvili is asking the US and its allies to help save his life by applying international pressure. He also warned that Georgia's government is "sliding toward the Kremlin." Georgia 'sliding toward the Kremlin'In his Politico op-ed, Saakashvili described himself as a "political prisoner" who continues to "defend democracy against Putin and his allies." Saakashvili warned that Georgia and other countries in the region "have continued sliding toward the Kremlin" amid Russia's ongoing and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Foreign ministers of Iran, Saudi meet in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAIRO, April 6 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in China for the first formal meeting of their most senior diplomats in more than seven years, Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television said, under a deal to revive ties between the regional powers. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. The relationship began worsening a year earlier, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted a Saudi-backed government and took over the capital, Sanaa. For Saudi Arabia, the deal could mean improved security. The kingdom has blamed Iran for arming the Houthis, who carried out missile and drone attacks on its cities and oil facilities.

☆ Top Iranian, Saudi envoys meet in China, discuss diplomatic ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A man in Tehran holds a local newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties on March, 11 2023. The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing on Thursday for the first formal meeting of their top diplomats in more than seven years, after China brokered a deal to restore ties between the regional rivals. After years of hostility that fueled conflicts across the Middle East, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to end their diplomatic rift and re-open embassies in a major deal facilitated by China last month. In brief footage broadcast on Iranian state TV, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, greeted each other before sitting down side by side. In March, China's President Xi Jinping helped broker the surprise deal between the rivals to end a seven-year rift and restore diplomatic ties - a display of China's growing influence in the region.

☆ Saudi Arabia and Iran met in China to start thawing their fierce rivalry — a striking victory for Xi and a potential humiliation for the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Saudi Arabia and Iran's foreign ministers held a historic meeting in Beijing on Thursday. While China has maintained close ties with both countries, the US and Iran have not had diplomatic relations in decades. The meeting between Prince Faisal bin Farhan of Saudi Arabia and Hossein Amirabdollahian of Iran was the first of its kind since 2016. They also discussed visas, as well as a visit to Saudi Arabia by Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, per The Guardian. CIA director William Burns was in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss mutual intelligence cooperation and counterterrorism, Al-Arabiya reported.

☆ Factbox: In Middle East, once improbable ententes set new tone
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Some U.S. allies had concluded their interests are not best served by a highly polarised Middle East, he added. The agreement between leading Sunni Arab power Saudi Arabia and the Shi'ite Islamist government in Tehran could defuse tensions and conflicts such as the Yemen war. Saudi Arabia has turned to China at a time of strain in its historic alliance with the United States. Saudi Arabia took the lead in rebuilding ties in 2021, declaring an end to the boycott of Qatar. Sources say Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reopen embassies.

☆ Top Saudi, Iranian diplomats to meet in China - official, media
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The meeting between Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, will be the first formal meeting between Saudi Arabia and Iran's most senior diplomats in more than seven years. 6 in Beijing as the deal was facilitated by China," a senior Iranian official told Reuters. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. The kingdom subsequently asked Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours while it evacuated its embassy staff from Teheran. The relationship had worsened since 2015, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted a Saudi-backed government and took over the capital Sanaa.

Search resuls for: "Embassies"

25 mentions found