Business

Dubai, Dec 11 (PTI) The UAE-based Lulu Group International has announced a plan to set up a food processing centre in Srinagar for sourcing a wide range of agri products from Jammu and Kashmir.

The announcement was made by Lulu group chairman Yusuffali MA on Thursday during a meeting with a delegation from Jammu and Kashmir headed by its Principal Secretary (Agriculture Production and Horticulture) Navin Kumar Choudhary on the sidelines of the UAE India Food Security Summit 2020.

Brussels, Dec 11 (AP-PTI) European Union leaders early Friday gave the green light for the expansion of sanctions against Turkey over its exploration of gas reserves in Mediterranean waters claimed by EU members Greece and Cyprus.

Regrettably, Turkey has engaged in unilateral actions and provocations and escalated its rhetoric against the EU, EU member states and European leaders, they said in a statement from their summit in Brussels.

New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) Farmer leaders on Thursday insisted that their ongoing protest against the Centre's new farm laws is "apolitical", after photos of protestors at the Tikri Border went viral in which they were seen holding posters demanding the release of writers, intellectuals and rationalists on the Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Day was observed on Thursday.

10 Dec 2020; MEMO: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the United States does not need time or negotiations to rejoin the 2015 nuclear agreement, only a "signature", the Fars news agency reported.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting yesterday, Rouhani said if the other parties rejoined the nuclear agreement, Iran would also return to all its obligations.

10 Dec 2020; MEMO:  The value of Iran's exports to Arab countries reached $8.565 billion during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year which started in March, the Fars news agency reported a senior trade official saying.

10 Dec 2020; MEMO:  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that his country is not concerned by any economic sanctions the European Union might impose against Ankara, Anadolu reported.

"Officially, since 1963, the EU has already been implementing sanctions on us constantly. The EU has never been honest and never stood behind its promises. But we've always been patient," Erdogan told reporters ahead of his visit to Azerbaijan.

Beijing, Dec 10 (AP-PTI) China's government on Thursday slapped more taxes on wine from Australia, stepping up pressure in a bitter diplomatic conflict over the coronavirus, territorial disputes and other irritants.

China, Australia's biggest export market, already has blocked imports of its wine, barley, beef and other goods since the Australian government expressed support for a probe into the origin of the coronavirus pandemic that began in China last December.

09 Dec 2020; MEMO:  Russia is ready to produce a coronavirus vaccine in Algeria, Russian Ambassador to the North African country, Igor Belyaev, announced yesterday.

"Russia is ready to cooperate with Algeria to design a vaccine on the local level," Belyaev told Sputnik, adding that he had discussed the matter with the Algerian health and pharmaceutical industry minister.

09 Dec 2020; MEMO:  UAE companies signed deals to buy products from illegal Israeli settlements even before the normalisation agreement was announced, the Jerusalem Post revealed on Tuesday. The details emerged in a story about a new deal signed with Dubai-based FAM Holding to export products from Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to Brussels on Wednesday for talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a push to secure a trade deal and avoid a turbulent breakup in three weeks.

With growing fears of a chaotic no-deal finale to the five-year Brexit crisis when the United Kingdom finally leaves the European Union’s orbit on Dec. 31, the 1800 GMT meeting over dinner is cast as a chance to unlock the stalled trade talks.