Latest news with #USsanctions
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
India housing outlook steady but cracks from demand slowdown start to widen
Skip to main content EU voices support for ICC after US sanctions judges Asia Pacificcategory · June 6, 2025 · 5:14 AM EDT · 7 min ago The European Union strongly supports the International Criminal Court, the head of the bloc's highest political body said on Friday, after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on four judges at the court. Europecategory Three killed, 49 wounded in intense Russian air attacks on Ukraine 5:10 AM EDT · Updated 11 min ago ANALYSIS China's rare earth weapon changes contours of trade war battlefield 5:04 AM EDT · Updated 16 min ago Asia Pacificcategory Thai military prepared for 'high-level operation' if Cambodia border row escalates 4:59 AM EDT · Updated 22 min ago Englishcategory Trump and Xi agree to more talks as trade disputes brew 4:34 AM EDT · Updated an hour ago
Arab News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Syria, Sudan and the road to Washington
Despite the major economic focus of President Donald Trump's Gulf tour earlier this month, Syria was also a one-off political topic, especially after Trump's meeting with Ahmad Al-Sharaa and the surprise decision to lift US sanctions on the country. Many saw this move as a historic opportunity for the new Syrian government to return to the international stage after years of isolation. This shift marks a major change in US policy toward Damascus. It was made possible largely by Saudi-led diplomatic efforts, following strong promises by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that he would support Syria's reintegration into the region and the world. The situation is similar to Sudan's experience, when the US lifted sanctions on Khartoum during Trump's first term after it joined the Abraham Accords. In October 2020, Sudan achieved a breakthrough when the Trump administration removed it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. This followed years of sanctions due to Sudan's past support for extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in the 1990s. That decision came after negotiations, with Sudan agreeing to pay compensation to terror victims and to normalize relations with Israel. A signing ceremony at the White House was even expected. But Sudan did not fully benefit from that opportunity. One key reason was the shift in US leadership, with President Joe Biden taking office in January 2021 and his administration prioritizing other issues. Delays in appointing key officials and a lack of clear policy on Sudan led to the loss of momentum. Eventually, Sudan slipped back into a new kind of isolation — one that worsened after the war began in April 2023, with the collapse of state institutions and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Syria's opportunity comes at the start of Trump's second term, offering a longer period of policy stability — something Sudan never had Areig Elhag In contrast, Syria's opportunity comes at the start of Trump's second term, offering a longer period of policy stability — something Sudan never had. Both countries suffered from long-term international isolation, but Syria remained under strict US and European sanctions due to war crimes and human rights violations. However, there is now talk of limited contact with the new Al-Sharaa government — different from Sudan's case, where sanctions were fully lifted but not followed by sustained US engagement. Still, missed chances do not mean new ones will not arise. Even today, Sudan remains relevant to regional dynamics. But in Washington's current view, Sudan is often framed primarily as a humanitarian crisis rather than being understood in broader strategic terms, such as counterterrorism, Red Sea maritime security or competition with Russia and Iran. Sudan's internal and external actions are watched in Washington, especially when they intersect with US priorities in the region. Its geographic position — between Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea — gives it significant geostrategic weight. But it is not always presented or perceived as such within American policy circles. Whether it is seen as a strategic actor or a marginal one often depends on how it is framed — and by whom. Moves like military ties with Iran and allowing a Russian naval base in Port Sudan have sent signals that complicate views of Sudan's alignment. These developments tend to raise concerns in US policy discussions about the country's long-term reliability, especially in the context of Red Sea security and broader US strategic interests. Sudan's internal and external actions are watched in Washington, especially when they intersect with US priorities in the region Areig Elhag From Washington's perspective, countries that align with American-led frameworks of regional stability, including security cooperation, openness and diplomacy, are more likely to be viewed as potential partners. Those that appear to lean toward confrontation or closer ties with adversarial powers may face more skepticism or reduced engagement. In this context, the signals received from Sudan's actions, whether deliberate or unintended, shape the space available for US engagement. Additionally, countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar — as well as Egypt — are viewed as key intermediaries or influencers in Sudan's trajectory. Their own relationships with Washington give them leverage and relevance when it comes to shaping perceptions of Sudan's future. Looking back, Sudan may not have fully capitalized on the opening it received during Trump's first term. But that doesn't mean Washington has closed the door. Rather, a new opportunity — under different regional and international conditions — may still be possible. However, the logic here is less about whether Sudan deserves another chance and more about whether its political behavior signals readiness for one. The fate of nations is not just shaped by opportunities offered, but also by how their actions are interpreted. Even in the midst of a complex crisis, countries can continue to generate interest in US policy circles, especially when their trajectory intersects with emerging American priorities such as securing Red Sea maritime routes, ensuring freedom of navigation, countering terrorism and arms smuggling, and pushing back against the expanding influence of Iran, Russia and China in Africa and along key trade corridors. Ultimately, the question is not simply: Will another chance come? But rather: How is Sudan positioning itself in the eyes of Washington — and what signals will the US choose to respond to?
Asharq Al-Awsat
22-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US to Appoint Türkiye Ambassador as Special Envoy for Syria
The United States will appoint President Donald Trump's longtime advisor and current US ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, as a special envoy for Syria, a person with direct knowledge of the matter and a diplomat in Türkiye said. The decision follows Trump's landmark announcement last week that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted. It also suggests US acknowledgement that Türkiye has emerged with key regional influence on Damascus since Bashar al-Assad's ouster by opposition factions in December, which ended 14 years of civil war, said Reuters. Trump met with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on May 14 and urged him to normalize ties with longtime foe Israel following his surprise sanctions announcement. "There is no announcement at this time," a US State Department spokesperson said when asked for comment about Barrack's Syria role. Barrack, a private equity executive who has long advised Trump and chaired his inaugural presidential committee in 2016, is expected to continue as US envoy to Türkiye, the sources said. Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was allowing Turkish embassy staff, including Barrack, to work with local officials in Syria to understand what aid they need. "We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilize the entire region," Rubio said. A US-Turkish meeting focused on Syria was also held in Washington on Tuesday, which Barrack attended according to Türkiye's foreign ministry, where sanctions relief and efforts to counter terrorism were discussed. Removing US sanctions would clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, and ease foreign investment and trade as the country tries to rebuild. Barrack has been busy since his arrival in Ankara earlier this month, dining with Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on his second evening in the capital, according to people familiar with the event. He joined Rubio for several high-profile meetings last week, including one with Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani in Antalya hosted by Fidan. He and Rubio also met with Turkish and Ukrainian government ministers ahead of the latter's talks with Russian officials, the first direct ceasefire discussions in three years between the warring sides.
Al Jazeera
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
The Take: What does the end of US sanctions mean for Syrians?
What would the end of US sanctions mean for Syria? The handshake between US President Donald Trump and interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was a dramatic shift, signaling the end of 46 years of US sanctions against Syria. Now, the door is opening to more investment and international aid, and Syrians poured into the streets in celebration. How did the deal come together, and what might it mean for Syria's future? In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Sonia Bhagat, and Chloe K Li with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kisaa Zehra, Remas Alhawari, Mariana Navarrete, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolome, Sonia Bhagat, Sari el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K Li, Ashish Malhotra, Haleema Shah, Khaled Soltan, Amy Walters, and Noor Wazwaz. Our editorial interns are Remas Alhawari, Kingwell Ma, Mariana Navarrete, and Kisaa Zehra. Our guest host is Natasha Del Toro. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
From al-Qaeda to Syria's presidency, the rise of Ahmad al-Sharaa
He's a former al-Qaeda insurgent who fought against U.S. forces in Iraq and served time in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison. Still, on Wednesday, new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stood on the world stage shaking hands with President Donald Trump and achieving a major feat for his fledgling administration. Trump announced he would lift the crippling U.S. sanctions against Syria and urged al-Sharaa to meet specified conditions in hopes that it will stabilize the country. These conditions include normalizing relations with Syria's neighbors, including Israel, as well as the United States. Syria's civil war ended in December when al-Sharaa and a band of rebel fighters overthrew the government of strongman Bashar al-Assad. Since then, al-Sharaa has been working to form a new government, band together rival rebel groups inside Syria, quell infighting among former Assad-regime loyalists and establish a diplomatic presence on the world stage, ABC News has reported. "There was always the potential that once a power vacuum was created, it would be filled by someone who was associated with one of the more extremist or terrorist related groups," said John Cohen, a former Department of Homeland Security undersecretary of intelligence. But Cohen, an ABC News contributor, said the United States has no choice but to engage with al-Sharaa, explaining that a stable Syria is vital to the entire Middle East region. "We have to engage," Cohen said. "There are other powers, like China and Russia, who would be more than happy to assert geopolitical control over the region. So, it's in our interest not to have that occur." In a speech to his country after assuming the presidency, al-Sharaa spoke about uniting his country, saying that "together we can open a new chapter in the history of our beloved land." "From here, I address you today in my capacity as president of Syria in this fateful period, asking God to grant us all success so we can revive our homeland, and overcome the challenges that we are facing, and that will only be through all standing together in people and leadership," al-Sharaa said in the January speech. Al-Sharaa said he planned to form an inclusive government, "reflecting Syria's diversity in its men, women and youth." He also said he intends to build new Syrian institutions "so that we can reach a stage of free and impartial elections." "I address you today not as a ruler but as a servant for our wounded homeland, striving with all power and will I have been given to realize Syria's unity and renaissance, as we should all understand that this is a transitional stage, and it is part of a political process that requires true participation by all Syrian men and women, inside and outside the country, so that we can build their future with freedom and dignity, without marginalization or sidelining," he said. The 42-year-old al-Sharaa was born in Saudi Arabia to a family that was originally from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. He grew up in Damascus, the capital of Syria, according to Thomas Warrick, an international lawyer and a former Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for counterterrorism. "He was a quiet boy, studious and very intelligent, according to all the reports we received about him when he was a terrorist leader," said Warrick, now a nonresident senior fellow in Middle East programs for the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C. Unlike some terrorist leaders -- including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the late leader of the Islamic State jihadist group, and Ayman al-Zawahiri, the late al-Qaeda chief and accused plotter of the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- al-Sharaa has not been known as a charismatic leader, said Warrick. "He doesn't attract fanatical followers in quite the same way that those terrorist leaders did, and he's certainly not known as a religious scholar like Anwar al Awlaki of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was," said Warrick, who has worked under the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and under Donald Trump during his first term in the White House. As a young man, al-Sharaa joined al-Qaeda following the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, said Warrick. "Right after the invasion of Iraq, he fought for them. He said he was a foot soldier," Warrick said. After joining al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa adopted the name Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, Warrick said, adding that the al-Jolani part of his pseudonym in Arabic means "of the Golan," a reference to where his family originated. While fighting for al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Sharaa was captured by U.S. military forces and imprisoned at Abu Ghraib and other detention sites, according to Warrick. Sometime after U.S. forces began to pull out of Iraq in 2007, al-Sharaa was released from prison and returned to Syria, Warrick said. In Syria, al-Sharaa founded and led the al-Qaeda affiliate organization al-Nusrah Front, Warrick said. Al-Sharaa later had a falling out with al-Baghdadi over the al-Qaeda leader's decision to form an Islamic territorial caliphate, according to Warrick. MORE: Who are the Syrian rebels that have toppled Assad and taken Damascus? Al-Sharaa then rebranded the al-Nusrah Front as the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) during Syria's civil war, setting up shop in Idlib in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border, Warrick said. HTS remains on the U.S. State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations. "But there's a very interesting history from then, partly because of ego, partly because he was ambitious, and he understood economics and how groups like his need to have economic support in order to have power," Warrick said. To generate revenue for his group, Warrick said al-Sharaa began "what would be considered either taxation or extortion" of trucks crossing from Turkey into Syria. "He used taxation to raise money from businesses and anybody who wanted to either transit or stay," Warrick said. "This is what enabled him to become one of the more effective warlords for that part of northwest Syria." During the civil war in Syria, more than 1 million Syrians fled to Turkey, prompting that country's president, Recep Erdogan, to ask al-Assad in mid-2024 for concessions to ease the refugee burden Turkey was experiencing, Warrick said. But a dispute between the two leaders developed when al-Assad refused Erdogan's request, according to Warrick. At the same time, al-Sharaa and other rebel groups opposed to the al-Assad regime came up with a plan to carry out a limited military offensive against the government's forces. With support from Erdogan, according to Warrick, al-Sharaa's organization and other rebel groups were able to overthrow the regime and oust al-Assad from power. In 2018, Trump, during his first term in office, ordered U.S. missile strikes on al-Assad's chemical weapons facilities and ISIS fighters in Syria. The United States also set up a military presence in Syria in early 2016 to train and advise Kurdish and Arab rebel forces fighting ISIS in northern and eastern parts of the country. The U.S. intervention in Syria's civil war, combined with missile strikes on the country by Israel, severely weakened al-Assad's forces by the time al-Sharaa and his rebel group launched their attack in 2024 that would eventually topple the Assad regime. "What nobody really appreciated was how brittle Assad's forces were, and so this 'limited effort' began to become like an avalanche rolling downhill," Warrick said. "It picked up momentum and led al-Sharaa eventually to taking over Damascus within a matter of weeks." The new Syrian leader will attempt to convince Western and European leaders that his days as a terrorist are behind him. With Edogon and the Saudi Crown Prince helping pave his way, al-Sharaa, in just a matter of months, has garnered support and legitimacy from other leaders in the region, including the Emir of Qatar, whom he visited. Getting Trump to lift the sanctions is seen as a major achievement by the Syrian people. But al-Sharaa has major challenges to face, the two biggest being asserting control over all of the Syrian territory, as well as the armed groups that helped him ascend to power. In December, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported that a meeting of the heads of the rebel groups and al-Sharaa "ended in an agreement on the dissolution of all the groups and their integration under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense." However, reports of human rights abuses allegedly carried out by some of the rebel forces during fighting with Assad loyalists have raised questions about the Syrian president's control of these forces. He announced an investigation and vowed to hold accountable anyone responsible for violence against civilians. After meeting with President Trump on Wednesday, al-Sharaa delivered a televised speech to his nation, saying Syria would no longer serve as an arena for foreign struggles, nor would it allow the resurgence of the old regime narrative that divided his country. He signaled that his country is interested in pivoting toward building international partnerships rooted in sovereignty and mutual interest. During the speech, he invited Syrian investors abroad to return to the country and help it rebuild, saying, "Hope in modern Syria has become a tangible reality," and he praised Trump's decision to lift sanctions, calling it "historic and courageous." During Wednesday's meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with al-Sharaa, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Erdogan, who phoned into the meeting, Trump urged al-Sharaa to take five specific actions, according to a readout of the meeting provided by the White House. MORE: Toppling of Syria's Assad most important moment in recent Middle East history: Reporter's notebook The conditions Trump laid out, according to the readout, include deporting Palestinian terrorists, ordering all foreign terrorists to leave Syria, helping the United States prevent a resurgence of ISIS, and signing the Abraham Accords -- a series of agreements formed in 2020 to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab states. Israel occupies a demilitarized buffer zone along the southern Syrian border, and Israeli officials have publicly accused al-Sharaa's Islamist government of targeting the Druze, a minority religious group, south of Damascus. On May 2, Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus. In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said the strike was "a clear message to the Syrian regime: We will not allow [Syrian] forces to deploy south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community." Al-Sharaa's government said the bombing marked "a dangerous escalation." Israel has been hitting Syria in multiple locations since al-Assad's fall in December. Israeli forces have also moved past the demilitarized buffer zone and have publicly said they won't leave the positions they're in currently. Al-Sharaa told Reuters he's been having indirect talks with Israel to ease the violence. He says an investigation is underway in the Druze attack. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Indiana, who recently traveled to Syria and met with al-Sharaa, told ABC News this week, before Trump decided to lift sanctions, that it was the right move to help Syria recover. "This is an important time to support a government that will not only respect human rights in the country, but respect women's rights, religious rights," Stutzman said. Asked if he believed al-Sharaa is truly interested in uniting the Syrian people, Stutzman said, "I hope so, and we pray so, because of what the Syrian people have been through." "We traveled into the community of Jobar, where there was just billions and billions of dollars of destruction, homes and lives ruined by [Assad]," Stutzman said. "This was a political genocide. It wasn't religious, it wasn't racial, it was strictly political genocide." Stutzman added, "So, I think there's a great opportunity. He's talking to the right people and he's saying the right thing. But obviously his actions are going to speak louder than words at the end of the day." 'Potentially transformative moment' Mathieu Rouquette, country director for Syria for Mercy Corps, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization, said in a statement to ABC News that lifting the sanctions on Syria "marks a potentially transformative moment for millions of Syrians." "This decision, if successfully implemented, could enable broader recovery efforts, help revive markets, mobilize resources for the rehabilitation of heavily damaged or destroyed infrastructure and housing, and give Syrians a long-awaited opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity," Rouquette said. But Rouquette said what matters most to the Syrian people is whether lifting the sanctions will bring meaningful improvements to their daily life, from access to critical infrastructure, jobs, food and clean water to functioning markets and services. "For organizations like ours, the lifting of sanctions could remove long-standing operational barriers that have hampered recovery programming, aid delivery and local engagement," Rouquette said. "With fewer restrictions on financial transactions and imports, we can more effectively support Syrians to restore livelihoods, revive small businesses, and strengthen local markets. This moment offers a real opportunity to shift from a heavy reliance on aid toward long-term resilience." Following Wednesday's meeting, Trump complimented al-Sharaa while speaking with reporters on Air Force One on his way to Qatar, describing the Syrian leader as a "young, attractive, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past -- fighter." The president added that al-Sharaa has "got a real shot at pulling it together." In a speech he gave at an investment forum in Riyadh before leaving Saudi Arabia, Trump said he would call off the sanctions on Syria to "give them a chance at greatness." On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani in Turkey and affirmed the United States' support for sanctions relief to stabilize Syria, according to the White House. Rubio, the White House said, welcomed the Syrian government's calls for peace with Israel, efforts to end Iran's influence in Syria and commitment to ascertaining the fate of U.S. citizens missing or killed in Syria. Rubio underscored to al-Shaibani the critical importance of protecting the human rights of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religion, the White House said. From al-Qaeda to Syria's presidency, the rise of Ahmad al-Sharaa originally appeared on
