By Steve Holland and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday threatened to sanction buyers of Iranian oil and said it believed China would pause such purchases as Washington enforces a maritime blockade on Iran. “We have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money…
Attendance numbers at Hong Kong Sevens are expected to be resilient despite travel concerns over conflict in the Middle East, the event’s organiser has said, even though some operators have warned of potential pressure from rising costs and flight disruptions. The flagship rugby tournament, which runs from Friday to Sunday this week, traditionally draws tens…
ANKARA, April 15 (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Ankara was working to extend a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, ease tensions, and ensure the continuation of talks, and added Turkey was hopeful of negotiations despite stumbling blocks. Turkey, a neighbour of Iran, has been in close touch with the…
April 15 (Reuters) – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held a call with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar to discuss a Russian vessel carrying what he described as grain stolen from Ukraine that was allowed to dock in an Israeli port. Kyiv considers all grain produced in the four regions Russia claimed as its own…
Events such as Art Basel Hong Kong and ComplexCon helped drive a 14 per cent year-on-year growth in visitor arrivals in March, but the US-Israel war with Iran could bring volatility to the travel market, the Tourism Board has said. The increase contributed to a 17 per cent year-on-year rise in visitor numbers in the…
Citing sources, CNN said Beijing is preparing to transfer shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems known as MANPADs. (AFP pic) WASHINGTON: US intelligence indicates China is preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks, CNN reported late on Friday, citing three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments. The network said there are indications…
PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that he had discussed the Iran ceasefire https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/ talks and the situation in Ukraine https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-russia-war/ with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. “We initially discussed the situation in the Middle East, and called for all parties to respect the ceasefire and to make sure this…
WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the United States military has started to clear the Strait of Hormuz nL1N40T08R, and that all of Iran’s minelaying ships have been sunk. “We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote in a…
DUBAI, April 11 (Reuters) – A senior Iranian source said on Saturday the U.S. had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, but a U.S. official swiftly denied FWN40U0B6 the assertion. The senior Iranian source welcomed the purported U.S. move as a sign of “seriousness” in reaching a deal…
Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has concluded his second visit to the Greater Bay Area in three weeks, a move that analysts view as a push from the central government to speed up the city’s integration with national development. Xia Baolong, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was…