Business

11 June 2023; MEMO: The European Union is considering over 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) in aid for Tunisia to help develop its battered economy, rescue state finances and deal with a migration crisis, the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday, Reuters reports.

Speaking in Tunisia, von der Leyen said 900 million euros in macrofinancial assistance, plus an immediate 150 million euros in budget support could be ready "as soon as the necessary agreement is found", without elaborating.

United Nations, Jun 11 (PTI) Afghanistan's Taliban-appointed Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani is reportedly seeking to take under his control the most promising economic projects, primarily the construction of the Afghan section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, a UN report has said.

10 June 2023; MEMO: Reelected late last month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay his term's first foreign visits to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Azerbaijan, adhering to a long-held tradition of Turkish leaders, Anadolu reports.

On Monday, Erdogan will travel to the TRNC, where he will meet with President Ersin Tatar and Prime Minister Unal Ustunel.

They are expected to discuss developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and possible future steps on the Cyprus issue.

TOKYO, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. debt limit deal confirmed the ugliest assessments of U.S. politics and policymaking, said a recent commentary by The Japan Times.

"Most troubling of the fiasco is the damage done to images of American credibility, capability and competence," it said.

The commentary published Tuesday also called the U.S. debt debacle "a completely self-created crisis."

Beijing, Jun 9 (PTI) China on Friday said it is ready to work with South Africa to bolster the security for the BRICS summit in August in light of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

BRICS is an international grouping comprising China, India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.

10 June 2023; MEMO: American and Iranian officials held indirect talks in Oman last month, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported to American news website Axios on Friday.

Ravid reported from three sources saying that the two sides sat in separate rooms and exchanged messages through Omani officials.

WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - The United States and five of its allies on Friday condemned the use of trade practices that amount to economic coercion in a joint declaration that did not single out other countries but appeared to be aimed at China.

Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand jointly released the statement with the United States, emphasizing that "trade-related economic coercion and non-market-oriented policies and practices" threatened the multi-lateral trading system and "harms relations between countries."

08 June 2023; MEMO: Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, will visit Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela next week, Iran's state news agency, IRNA, announced on Wednesday, adding that the upcoming tour stemmed from invites from the presidents of each of the Latin American nations, Reuters reports.

08 June 2023; MEMO: A visit by the US Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia drew little Saudi media coverage on Thursday, at a time of soured relations despite a US push to defuse rows that have touched on oil prices, human rights and Riyadh's opening to Iran, Reuters reports.

07 June 2023; MEMO: The UK government has announced major changes to visa requirements for the six countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Jordan. Nationals of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, UAE and Jordan will be offered an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) lasting two years for just £10 ($12), according to a report in Arabian Business.