December 7, 2022

*) Xi set to arrive in Riyadh to meet Saudi and Arab leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping is embarking on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia where he will hold meetings with regional leaders likely focused on energy. The overseas trip is only Xi's third since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. It is also his first to Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude oil exporter, since 2016. *) US says it has not 'enabled' Ukraine strikes inside Russia The United States says it hadn't "enabled" Ukraine to carry out strikes inside Russia. This comes after a spate of drone attacks on military-linked facilities deep within Russian territory. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters the US has “neither encouraged nor enabled the Ukrainians to strike inside of Russia." Kiev did not directly claim responsibility but neither did it criticise the action, which killed three people, according to reports from Russia. *) China announces nationwide loosening of Covid-19 restrictions China has announced a nationwide loosening of Covid-19 restrictions following protests against the hardline strategy that grew into calls for greater political freedoms. Under the new guidelines announced by the National Health Commission, the frequency and scope of PCR testing will be reduced. Lockdowns will also be scaled down and people with non-severe Covid cases can isolate at home instead of centralised government facilities. *) Honduras suspends rights in two largest cities to fight gangs Honduran police have moved en masse into poor urban areas to tackle criminal gangs after a decree by the president to temporarily suspend certain rights. The 30-day lifting of constitutional guarantees allows police to make arrests without warrants in 89 districts of the capital and 73 districts of San Pedro Sula, the industrial capital. President Xiomara Castro, a leftist, declared last week the lifting of the constitutional rights due to what she called a "national emergency" over gang violence. *) Morocco dump Spain out of World Cup