From greeting foreign leaders to heading regional summits, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking over the reins from his elderly father and becoming Saudi Arabia's uncrowned king.
With increased concerns over the 86-year-old King Salman's health, Prince Mohammed is taking charge of presidential meetings and reception of dignitaries, with the king rarely making public appearances.
While Prince Mohammed has been considered the de facto leader since his appointment as heir to the throne in June 2017, his growing prominence has never been more apparent than when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in early December, and led the Gulf Cooperation Council summit.
UK Signs Free Trade Deal with Australia
The UK signed a free trade deal with Australia which it says will benefit consumers and businesses.
It is described as the first post-Brexit deal negotiated from scratch and not rolled over from trade terms that the UK enjoyed while in the EU.
The government estimated it would unlock £10.4bn of additional trade while ending tariffs on all UK exports.
However, some UK farmers have expressed concern that they could be undercut by cheap imports.
As per the government, the deal was also a gateway into the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region and would boost the UK's bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of the largest free trade areas in the world.
Australia has also praised the deal, its second-largest trade contract with another country.
Dec 18, 2021
India, Iran and Uzbekistan Hold Discussion on Chabahar Port
India, Iran and Uzbekistan discussed the further development of the transit and transportation corridor centred round the Iranian port of Chabahar during a trilateral meeting on the joint use of the port on the Gulf of Oman.
This was the second virtual meeting of the trilateral working group on the joint use of Chabahar Port, and it was held exactly a year after the first meeting.
The participants underlined the important role played by Chabahar Port during humanitarian crises as well as in enhancing regional connectivity. They also took note of the increase in transit traffic between Central Asia and South Asia through the Shahid Behesti Terminal, Chabahar Port and discussed further development of transportation corridor.
Nicholas Burns is US Envoy to China
The US Senate confirmed veteran diplomat Nicholas Burns as ambassador to Beijing, filling a position vacant for more than a year despite Washington's growing focus on China.
The Senate reached the key 50-vote threshold to approve Burns in an ongoing confirmation that took place after Senator Marco Rubio lifted objections. The final vote was 75-18.
Burns, a former US ambassador to Greece and NATO, at his Senate hearing in October called China an "aggressor" in the region and vowed to "compete vigorously," while also seeking cooperation on areas such as climate change.
Dec 17, 2021
IAEA, Iran Agree to Replace Surveillance Cameras at Karaj Nuclear Site
As per reports, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides.
The agreement was concluded by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and the Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami.
The agreement with Iran is an important development for the IAEA's verification and monitoring activities in the country.
EU Leaders Consider New Sanctions against Russia to Deter Attack on Ukraine
The European Union is being assaulted on multiple fronts by Russia and must unite behind new economic sanctions, Baltic and central European leaders said, with Lithuania citing possible Russian military strikes from Belarus.
The warnings at an EU summit were some of the most direct in recent weeks as the United States and its NATO allies seek to deter any possible Russian attack on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said that Russia submitted draft documents outlining security arrangements it wants to negotiate with the United States and its NATO allies.
Nepal Defence Minister Minendra Rijal Exits after Defeat in Party Election
Nepal's Defence Minister Minendra Rijal resigned after he was defeated by younger leaders in the election to the post of general secretary of the ruling Nepali Congress party.
The Nepali Congress (NC) delegates elected its youth leaders Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma as general secretaries during the 14th General Convention of the country's largest democratic party.
The election came a day after Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was re-elected as the president of the party for a consecutive second four year term after defeating his rival Shekhar Koirala in a run-off.
Dec 16, 2021
Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba Secures Second Tenure as Party President
Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba secured a comfortable majority securing the post of party president for the second consecutive term after the second round of voting in the ongoing General Convention of the ruling Nepali Congress.
The leader, who has become Prime Minister five times, secured 2733 votes leaving his contender Dr Shekhar Koirala behind with 1855 votes, as per the final results published by the election committee.
Dec 15, 2021
Tunisian President Kais Saied Announces Constitutional Referendum
Tunisian President Kais Saied he would call a constitutional referendum next July, a year to the day after he seized broad powers in moves his opponents call a coup, and that parliamentary elections would follow at the end of 2022.
Laying out the timeline for his proposed political changes in a televised speech, Saied said that the referendum would take place on July 25, following an online public consultation that will start in January.
Saied's announcement of a road map out of the crisis has been awaited since he suspended parliament, dismissed the prime minister and assumed executive authority.
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