Baghdad, Iraq -- The Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce FICC has said that Iraq offers promising investment opportunities and its entry into the SWIFT platform gave a positive message to all countries of the world. "Iraq has thousands of promising investment opportunities in oil, agro-industries, commercial and tourism," the...

Tehran, Iran-- Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid will make an official visit to Iran in the near future as the two countries seek to consolidate their relations amid the warming of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The visit of the Iraqi president to Iran was confirmed in a phone...

Doha, Qatar-- Qatar expects a big boost in hotel occupancy rates by at least 80 percent during the Eid holidays in the country. The boost is expected in the wake of the launch of the Haya platform in its new look, which allows 4 types of visas for visitors, and...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Arab music and culture fans in Al Ain were treated to a special Eid al Fitr celebration with pop singer Yara and hit-maker Fouad Abdul Wahed taking to the stage in a thrilling concert at Al Ain Convention Centre. Pop singer Yara opened proceedings on the...

ALGIERS, ALGERIA -  Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will visit France in June, his office said Sunday, weeks after a diplomatic spat over a French-Algerian activist. The visit had initially been due to take place in May, but was pushed back to June following a phone call between Tebboune and his French...

SHARJAH, UAE -  India is among the UAE's most significant investment partners, with substantial mutual investments. Iron and steel rank among the top commodities exported from the UAE to India, the director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) said. HFZA director made the remarks after the team successfully participated in...

MIYAZAKI, JAPAN  -  With hunger levels rising and food prices soaring in most of the world, collective actions are necessary for immediate and long-term global food security objectives, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Sunday. Director-General of FAO Qu Dongyu made the remarks at the G7 Ministers of Agriculture...

To meet the estimated energy demand from hydrogen and electric aircraft in 2050 would require the amount of energy produced from 10-25 of the world’s largest wind farms, or a solar farm half the size of Belgium, WEF says.

LONDON, UK - The UK will conduct its first test of a new emergency alert service on Sunday, with millions of mobile phones set to emit a loud alarm and vibrate at 3:00pm (1400 GMT). The national system, modeled on similar schemes in Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States,...

Morocco is the world's largest producer of cannabis resin according to the United Nations, and police seized nearly 100 tonnes last year. Police in recent years have also made multiple large seizures of cocaine, with South American cartels using the North African nation as a smuggling transit hub for Europe.

Many who unwillingly gained blue ticks made it clear that they had not subscribed, as the badge became a symbol of support for Musk. Many official media accounts regained a tick, including AFP, which has not subscribed to Twitter Blue.

Paris, France--EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on European navies to patrol the disputed Taiwan Strait, in a opinion piece in a French weekly published Sunday. Borrell's comments in the Journal Du Dimanche, echo comments he made last week when he stressed how crucial Taiwan is to Europe. Taiwan "concerns...

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman on Saturday announced the expulsion of "more than 20" German diplomats as a retaliatory measure for "mass expulsion" of Russian embassy staff from Berlin. Maria Zakharova told state-run television Zvezda that Moscow had decided to expel "more than 20" diplomats. Her statement came...

NEW YORK, US -  UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement calling for urgent action to protect the environment and combat climate change on the occasion of International Mother Earth Day. Guterres highlighted the crucial relationship between humanity and the natural world, stating that our health and survival depend on...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud discussed bilateral relations in a phone call  with Russian President Vladimir Putin  on Friday. The two leaders exchanged views on a number of issues of common concern, Saudi Press Agency reported.  The...

New York, United States -  Qatar wants to put the private sector at the centre of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani said at a UN event on sustainable development on Friday.  Speaking at a panel discussion...

Ottawa, Canada--Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday up to 13.2 billion Canadian dollars ($9.8 billion) in subsidies over 10 years for Volkswagen's first overseas battery plant, to be built in St. Thomas, Ontario. The production support matches incentives by US President Joe Biden's administration, as Washington's trading partners work to keep...

London, United Kingdom -- From digital bank Revolut to money-transfer group Wise and payments company Checkout, London is Europe's fintech champion and intends on keeping its crown. "Before Brexit, the UK was a great place" for the sector developing financial technology, Revolut's global head of government affairs, Adam Gagen, told UK...

Geneva, Switzerland -- Researchers from around the world have embarked on an effort to try to build a system allowing humanity to anticipate violent conflicts before they erupt -- and thus potentially prevent them. They will examine dramatic advances in artificial intelligence and how the decisions taken by the world's...

Launched by the World Economic Forum, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the World Bank Group, the scheme aims to help participating countries, including least-developed countries, to use trade to meet their climate targets.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amir-Abdollahian, during which they discussed a number of issues of common interest between the two countries. The two sides discussed the next steps in light of...

Customers at a Bahrain jewellery store study displays of pearls that are, unusually, 100 percent natural -- the result of attempts to preserve a centuries-old industry. While rare elsewhere, natural pearls prised from seabed oysters by divers are the only variety produced in the Gulf kingdom, which is fiercely proud...

"(We're a) group of people that wants to end the situation of violence and the hatred between members of the two populations," said Khaled Abu Awad, the Palestinian partner in the initiative. Alaa, a 25-year-old Palestinian from Jerusalem, said he was attending for the first time and did not feel...

Dubai, UAE – Dubai’s real estate sector recorded deals worth AED157 billion ($42.75 billion) in the first quarter of 2023, an 80 percent increase from the same period last year. Transactions worth AED528 billion were recorded during the year 2022, a 44.7 percent  increase in volume and 76.5 percent increase...

TEHRAN, IRAN- Iran said on Thursday it had "forced" a US submarine to surface as it was crossing the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf, a claim the Americans promptly denied. Admiral Shahram Irani, the commander of Iran's navy, told state TV the USS Florida nuclear submarine was "approaching and...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - EU lawmakers this week adopted new laws boosting Europe's climate change fight, but a parallel drive to protect biodiversity in bills to be finalized before the end of next year looks to be on shakier ground. Negotiations between the European Commission, EU member states and the European Parliament...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank Group (WBG) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Thursday launched an initiative to help developing economies meet their climate change mitigation and adaptation goals through trade. The initiative Action on Climate and Trade (ACT) . which starts with...

48% of the bond went to central banks and official institutions.

Dubai, UAE -  Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, has signed a collaboration agreement with Mastercard that aims to drive digital transformation through partnerships with innovative FinTech companies. The partnership between DIFC and Mastercard will provide FinTech...

"We affirm our readiness to meet and talk with the Syrian government and with all Syrian parties to hold discussions and present initiatives for a solution," the Kurdish authorities said.

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - A former Iraqi religious official convicted of corruption has escaped police custody, prompting the arrest of more than two dozen officers suspected of helping him flee, the government said Wednesday. Saad Qambash was once head of Iraq's Sunni Waqf, the state body overseeing religious and civilian properties for...

Dubai, UAE -- The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) Wednesday announced a new $100 million Culinary Investment Fund that will help introduce iconic brands to the UAE capital. DCT said in a statement that the fund will support building and establishing a Culinary School...

Dubai, UAE – Dubai's real estate market recorded real estate transactions worth AED1.9 billion ($517 million) on Wednesday, Dubai Land Department said. The transactions included 505 sales transactions worth AED1.57 billion on Wednesday, in addition to 109 mortgage deals totaling AED278.53 million, and 10 gift deals amounting to AED48.1 million....

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - More eurozone interest rate increases will be appropriate to tame high inflation if conditions remain as expected, the European Central Bank's chief economist said Wednesday. The ECB has hiked rates by 3.5 percentage points since July last year in an unprecedented campaign of monetary tightening to bring soaring...

Jakarta, Indonesia -- On motorcycles, cars, buses, planes or by boat, millions of Indonesians are travelling to their hometowns in the annual Eid holiday exodus that is expected to peak by Thursday. Major seaports and toll roads are packed, while airports and bus terminals are also full of travellers looking forward...

If China successfully mediates the Israel-Palestine peace talks, it will cement its status as a global peacemaker, a role that has long been reserved for the United States.

Baghdad, Iraq--Iraqi police arrested overnight almost 200 people in raids on illegal casinos where alcohol was served in defiance of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the interior ministry said Tuesday. The raids targeted four locations in Baghdad where games of blackjack and roulette had been underway, ministry spokesman Saad Maan...

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released on Tuesday a stark new assessment of 2022 data estimating 34 million Afghans were living below the poverty line. The figure is a staggering increase of 15 million on 2020, the last full year of rule by the Western-backed government that crumbled in...

NABLUS, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Israeli forces shot and wounded seven people in a raid Tuesday in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said as the Israeli army confirmed an operation was underway. The ministry reported "six minor injuries from live fire" reached Jenin governmental hospital, while another person shot...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - Environmental groups lodged a lawsuit against the European Commission on Tuesday to challenge its definition of natural gas as a "green" energy source. In addition, one other non-governmental organization, Greenpeace, sued the EU executive separately for deciding that nuclear energy was worthy of its sustainable investment label. The legal...

TRIPOLI, LIBYA - Libyan authorities have imposed "severe restrictions" on local and international civil society groups, obstructing their work in the war-scarred country, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday. "Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) and other authorities are cracking down on non-governmental domestic and foreign organizations," the New York-based rights...

ISTANBUL, TURKEY -  President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief rival in next month's election defended Kurdish rights on Tuesday and accused the Turkish leader of inflating ethnic tensions for political gain. Kemal Kilicdaroglu's comments followed weeks of attempts by Erdogan to link the opposition with Kurdish militants who have been fighting against...

Tokyo, Japan--Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has signed two agreements with Japanese partners to strengthen the low-carbon hydrogen value chain between the UAE and Japan. The signing of the deal was witnessed by the UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al Jaber and Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry NISHIMURA...

Dubai, UAE -- The World Bank and Jordan have signed two financing agreements worth $650 million for the programs of inclusive, transparent and climate-responsive investments in the kingdom besides enhancing the efficiency of the electricity sector in the kingdom. The agreements were signed on behalf of the Jordanian government by...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--ACWA Power will construct a 1,000 megawatt solar power plant in Iraq, the first clean energy project in the country.     According to its electricity minister, the joint venture project will be developed in Central Iraq’s Najaf city, around 160 km south of the capital, Baghdad.   “The Saudi firm has agreed...

Dubai, UAE - The US dollar could record some gains as markets increasingly see a higher probability that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates one more time at their next meeting, Wael Makarem, Senior Market Strategist, MENA at Exness said on Monday.  The constant surprises in US economic data...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai's real estate market recorded real estate deals worth AED1.8 billion on Monday, Dubai Land Department said. The deals include 496 sales transactions worth AED1.67 billion ($450m) on Monday, in addition to 107 mortgage deals totaling AED169.05 million ($46m), and 13 gift deals amounting to AED32.08 million...

Dubai, UAE -- The Charitable Jood Eskan Subscription, Saudi Arabia's campaign for providing housing for low-income families, has entered the Guinness World Records for realizing the highest target for an electronic charitable campaign in one month. The campaign was launched by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saudi and Crown Prince...

PARIS, FRANCE -  Air France and plane manufacturer Airbus were acquitted Monday over the 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris flight after a French court ruled their errors could not be proven as the disaster's cause. While the ruling was expected after prosecutors recommended to the Paris court not to seek a...

Dubai, UAE – Jordan’s tourism revenue increased by 88.4 percent in the first quarter of 2023 to reach 1.18 billion Jordanian dinars ($1.66 billion) as nearly 1.5 million tourists visited the country. The Central Bank of Jordan said the tourism income during March grew by 49 percent year on year...