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Muscat Daily
a few seconds ago
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Oman, Uzbekistan explore stronger economic and investment ties
Muscat- The Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Uzbekistan held official talks on Tuesday to boost cooperation in investment, industry and trade. H E Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, received in Muscat H E Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan. The discussions aimed at strengthening economic and investment relations between the two countries. Talks covered ways to advance trade cooperation, explore new investment opportunities and follow up on the outcomes of the Omani-Uzbek Joint Committee. The two sides also discussed collaboration in sectors including transportation, industry, mining and tourism, as well as the potential for knowledge exchange and strategic partnerships. The meeting also highlighted the importance of public-private sector cooperation to diversify sources of income and expand bilateral trade. H E Abdulsalam bin Mohammed al Murshidi, President of Oman Investment Authority, also met the visiting minister and his delegation to review opportunities aligned with the priorities of both countries and explore avenues for joint initiatives. The Uzbek delegation – comprising senior officials and business leaders – will hold meetings with Omani counterparts during their two-day visit, focusing on logistics, banking, textiles and oil and gas. The talks were attended by H E Pankaj Khimji, Advisor for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at MoCIIP; H E Abdul Salam Khatamov, Ambassador-designate of Uzbekistan to Oman; Eng Nasser bin Khalifa al Kindi, CEO of Invest in Oman; and a number of other officials. During a separate meeting with Uzbek business leaders, H E al Yousef presented investment opportunities in Oman, addressing trade challenges and highlighting the country's competitive investment environment. A presentation on 'Invest in Oman' showcased incentives for investors, benefits of the residency programme, and opportunities within special economic and free zones. The delegation is also scheduled to visit the 'Invest in Oman' lounge to review services, procedures and facilities available to investors. The visit reflects MoCIIP's efforts to position Oman as a leading investment destination and to expand partnerships with friendly countries to achieve mutual economic growth.
Times of Oman
a few seconds ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
"US boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine": White House
Washington, DC: US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) said that US President Donald Trump ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees. Leavitt, during her press briefing, said that other options, however, remain open, including the skies. "The president has definitively stated US boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies. The president understands that security guarantees are crucial to ensuring a lasting peace. He has directed his national security team to coordinate with our friends in Europe and also to continue to cooperate and discuss these matters with Ukraine and Russia as well," she said. Upon being asked if the US would provide 'air' as a security option, Leavitt said that it was a possibility. "It is an option and a possibility. I certainly won't rule out anything as far as military options that the president has at his disposal. I'll let him do that. I can tell you he's ruled out boots on the ground," she said. Upon being pressed for further details on the security guarantees for Ukraine, she said, "President Trump has directed his team to come up with a framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war," she said. On being asked how US President Donald Trump guarantees the non-spending of the taxpayer money to Ukraine, Leavitt said that Trump proposed that NATO purchase the weapons for Ukraine. "Well, the president is very sensitive to the needs of the American taxpayer. And immediately upon entering office back in January, he made it very clear that we're not going to continue writing blank checks to fund a war very far away, which is why he came up with the very creative solution to have NATO purchase American weaponry, because it is the best in the world. And then to backfill the needs of the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people and their military. So that's the solution the president has come up with. We'll continue to see that forward. As for any additional sales, I'll have to defer you to the Department of Defense," she said. Leavitt said that Trump has learnt a lot while solving the war crises, including how to move the ball forward with diplomacy. "Well, the president has learned a lot, which is part of the reason he opened up this dialogue. the previous administration who oversaw the beginning of this war refused to talk and President Trump has always said in order to learn to move the ball forward with diplomacy and towards peace you have to have open dialogue and so that's why the president has had several conversations by phone and of course an in-person meeting last Friday with President Putin," he said. Leavitt added that due to Trump, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to talk to each other after several years. "He has also talked to President Zelenskyy dozens of times, had him here at the White House yesterday, and he's understanding what both sides want. What both sides are going to have to give up, and he has always said that in order to get a good deal, both sides are going to have to walk away a little bit unhappy. So he continues to learn a lot throughout these conversations which is why we've seen progress from both sides and I would also just add when it come comes to learning and moving the ball forward look at how both Russia and Ukraine have actually talked directly for the first time in many years thanks to the efforts of this president and this administration," she said. Leavitt said that the US is gaining respect on the world stage, as Trump brokered peace on several occasions. She again falsely credited Trump with brokering a peace deal between India and Pakistan. "Russia and all countries around this world actually respect the United States again, and the president is using the might of American strength to demand that respect from our allies, our friends, our adversaries all around the world. And we've seen that not just lead to progress with Russia and Ukraine, but also we've seen it in the closing of seven global conflicts around the world as well. We've seen it with the release of hostages in Gaza. You've seen it with the end of the conflict between India and Pakistan, which could have resulted in a nuclear war if we had not had a president who believed in the strength and the leverage that comes with the job of being the president of the United States of America," she said. Leavitt said that the US is willing to help Russia and Ukraine sit down and negotiate. "Well, look, the president has spoken to both leaders about this and both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other. Our national security team will help both countries do that. Ultimately, the president has always said that there are areas of disagreement in this war that will have to be discussed and decided upon by these two countries. And so, he wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy. He's said that from the very beginning, which is why he's agreeable to the idea of having President Zelenskyy and President Putin get together and I understand accommodations for that meeting are underway," she said.
Times of Oman
a few seconds ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
India, China to resume direct flights: MEA
Beijing: India and China agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest, as a part of the discussions upon Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi's visit. Both sides agreed to finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. "Both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between Chinese mainland and India at the earliest, and finalize an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions," the statement read. The flights were suspended after the Doklam crisis and the Covid pandemic. On Tuesday, both sides agreed to continue and further expand the scale of the Indian pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash/Gang Renpoche and Lake Manasarovar/Mapam Yun Tso in Tibet starting in 2026. The matter of reopening the Nathula route for the yatra was earlier raised in Parliament by Sikkim Rajya Sabha MP DT Lepcha, prompting coordinated efforts between the Government of India and the Government of Sikkim. The resumption of the yatra through Nathula is expected to provide a spiritual avenue for pilgrims, while also boosting tourism and strengthening local economies along the route. On August 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee, at the Prime Minister's Office in Delhi, a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry read. PM Modi asked Wang Yi to convey his cordial greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, and expressed his great anticipation of attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tianjin Summit in China and meeting with President Xi Jinping. India will fully support China's work as the rotating chair of the SCO and ensure the summit's complete success. PM Modi noted that both India and China are ancient civilisations with a long history of friendly exchanges. The meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Kazan last October marked a turning point in the improvement and development of bilateral relations. India and China are partners, not rivals, and both face the common task of accelerating development. They should strengthen exchanges, enhance understanding, and expand cooperation to showcase the enormous potential and bright prospects of India-China cooperation to the world. Both sides should also prudently manage and handle border issues and prevent differences from becoming disputes, as per the statement.
Times of Oman
a few seconds ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to mobilise 4.5 million militia fighters after US raises bounty
Caracas: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced plans to deploy more than four million militia fighters in response to what he called new "threats" from the United States, after Washington raised a bounty for his arrest and launched anti-drug operations in the Caribbean. "This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to ensure coverage of the entire national territory - militias that are prepared, activated and armed," Maduro said in a televised address, Al Jazeera reported. Venezuela's civilian militia was first established by former President Hugo Chavez and is officially listed as having around five million members, though analysts believe the actual numbers may be significantly lower. The country's population currently stands at about 30 million. Maduro lashed out at the United States, denouncing what he described as "extravagant, bizarre and outlandish threats" from Washington. According to Al Jazeera, his remarks followed the decision of US President Donald Trump's administration to double its reward for his capture to USD 50 million. Washington accuses him of running a cocaine smuggling ring known as the Cartel de los Soles. The United States, which has refused to recognise Maduro's last two electoral victories, has imposed multiple sanctions targeting his administration as well as individuals allegedly linked to the cartel. However, Al Jazeera noted that US authorities have not presented evidence tying Maduro directly to drug trafficking operations. In parallel, the US military dispatched three guided-missile destroyers to the southern Caribbean as part of its expanded campaign against drug cartels in Latin America. "We are also deployed throughout the Caribbean ... in our sea, our property, Venezuelan territory," Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said, as cited by Al Jazeera. Maduro urged his supporters to broaden the network of worker and peasant militias and pledged to equip them with "rifles and missiles" to safeguard the nation's sovereignty. Despite the escalating standoff, he thanked international voices that opposed Washington's stance, dismissing the US rhetoric as a "rotten refrain."
Times of Oman
a few seconds ago
- Climate
- Times of Oman
Spain declares Galicia wildfire zones disaster as record heatwave fuels devastation
Madrid: The Spanish government will declare areas affected by the deadly wildfires in northern Galicia province as disaster zones, Euro News reported. On Tuesday, firefighters were working for a 10th consecutive day to contain a dozen fires that have collectively burned nearly 4,000 square kilometres of Spanish woodlands, Euro News reported. The fires are among Spain's most destructive in recent decades and continue despite falling temperatures across the Iberian Peninsula following a record-setting European heatwave. Thousands of firefighters, aided by soldiers and water-bombing aircraft, are battling blazes that have hit north-western Spain particularly hard, where the national weather agency AEMET reported a still "very high or extreme" fire risk, Euro News reported. The wildfires in Galicia have devastated small, sparsely populated towns, often forcing locals to intervene before firefighters arrive. Firefighting units from Germany arrived in northern Spain on Tuesday to assist, according to Spain's Interior Ministry. Additionally, more than 20 vehicles were deployed to fight an ongoing blaze in Jarilla in the Extremadura region, bordering Portugal. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the area on Tuesday, highlighting the unprecedented heat that has fueled the fires. Over the past days, Galicia recorded average daily temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius. "Science tells us, common sense tells us too, especially that of farmers and ranchers, of those who live in rural areas, that the climate is changing, that the climate emergency is becoming more and more recurrent, more frequent and has an ever greater impact," Sanchez said. The fires have claimed four lives in Spain this year and destroyed over 3,800 square kilometres, more than twice the size of metropolitan London, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. Many of the fires have been linked to human activity, with 23 people detained for suspected arson and 89 others under investigation. In neighbouring Portugal, more than 3,700 firefighters are battling flames, including four major active wildfires in central and northern regions. Fires there have affected 2,350 square kilometres and killed at least two people, Euro News reported, a five-fold increase over the almost two-decade average for this period. Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying heat and dryness across parts of Europe, increasing wildfire risks and calling for urgent action.
