TEHRAN, IRAN - A minibus carrying mountaineers in Iran plunged into a ravine, killing 10 people, state media reported on Saturday. The accident occurred on Friday near the city of Varzaghan, in East Azerbaijan province, said the provincial emergency services spokesman, Vahid Shadinia, according to state news agency IRNA. The minibus...

AMMAN, JORDAN - President of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Khalil Al-Haj Tawfiq on Saturday discussed with Director General of the Federation of Yemen Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FYCCI) Taha Ahmed Mahbashi, mechanisms for activating work of the Joint Business Council. The Joint Business Council of the two...

Florida, US--NASA and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft blasted off on Saturday carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station. The Crew-7 mission is commanded by American Jasmin Moghbeli and includes Andreas Mogensen of Denmark, Satoshi Furukawa of Japan and Konstantin Borisov of Russia. The Dragon spacecraft carried by a Falcon 9...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s foreign trade soared to $172 billion last year, the Saudi Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Foreign Trade, Dr Majid Al-Qasabi said during the August 24-25 G20 Trade and Investment Ministers' meeting held in India...

Amman, Jordan--Jordan has succeeded in securing US$1.9 billion in foreign aid and negotiations are underway to ramp it to $3.2 billion by the end of the year. Addressing Jordan's financial assistance at a forum convened by the government on the shores of the Dead Sea on Friday, Minister of Planning...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission has announced significant discoveries made at the Al-Abla site in Asir region during the seventh season of archaeological excavation there. The new discoveries, including architectural features of residential and industrial units with gypsum-coated walls and floors, are an extension of previous discoveries over the...

ABU DHABI, UAE - Borouge's Chief Operating Officer Dr. Hasan Karam has said the fifth polypropylene unit (PP5) played a significant role in H1 2023, contributing US$209 million (AED767 million) representing 22 percent of the company's propylene sales and 10 percent of our overall turnover. In a statement to the...

LIVERPOOL, UK - Liverpool manager dismissed suggestions on Friday that Mohamed Salah could become the latest star name to depart European football for Saudi Arabia. According to reports, Al-Ittihad are trying to lure the Egyptian to the Gulf state with a huge salary offer that would rival the deals that enticed...

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Algerian Minister of Finance Laaziz Faid discussed with South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwan, ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting on Thursday, the two ministers discussed the available opportunities to enhance trade exchange and joint investment, with the aim of...

Sharjah, UAE – Sultan Mohammed Khalifa Al Yahyai has been elected president of the Regional Group 7 of the International Equestrian Federation. The International Equestrian Federation conducted the elections virtually where Al Yahyai won 10 votes. “The UAE's election to the presidency of the International Equestrian Federation's Regional Group 7...

TEHRAN/ JOHANNESBURG, IRAN/ SOUTH AFRICA - The Iranian and Chinese presidents stressed the need to bolster bilateral cooperation and the trend of multilateralism especially within the framework of BRICS. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS+ Summit on Thursday to...

MILWAUKEE, US - A crowded stage of talkative Republican politicians produced a messy debate in the race to be the party's presidential candidate, and also it created a few moments of surprise and curiosity.    The Trump tie? Donald Trump may have turned down his invitation to join the debate, but...

DUBAI, UAE - Dubai Chambers has contributed to the emirate’s drive for sustainability by saving a total of 72,239 litres of water between June 2022 and June 2023, equivalent to 3,822 five-gallon bottles. The savings were achieved as part of the chambers’ participation in ‘Dubai Can’, a sustainability initiative launched...

Athens, Greece--Hundreds of firefighters in Greece struggled Thursday to gain the upper hand against major wildfires burning unchecked for a sixth day, leaving 20 dead. A dangerous blaze continued to burn on Mount Parnitha near Athens, in the largest forest adjoining the capital, threatening a national park for a second day....

Cairo, Egypt--Egypt's unemployment rate fell slightly by 0.1 percent to 7 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to the country's statistics agency CAPMAS report on Tuesday. More than two million Egyptians were without a job, including 1.2 million men and 941,000 women, the data revealed, adding that 61.8...

Istanbul, Turkey - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin are likely to discuss a deal on supplying Russia's flour to African countries, according to TASS. "Both leaders spoke earlier about plans to process Russian grain into flour in Turkey and sending it to the poor nations...

The meteorology center warned of further storms on Wednesday bringing rain, wind and thunder to the Mecca region and elsewhere in western Saudi Arabia.

Moscow, Russia -- One fourth of all investors in state securities have been forced to leave the Russian market due to sanctions, Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at a meeting of the Council for strategic development and national projects headed by President Vladimir Putin. "We see that a considerable...

The fire forced the evacuation of a local university and closure of a highway running through the blaze. The Turkish coast guard reopened southbound traffic along the strait after more than two dozen aircraft managed to largely contain the blaze by Tuesday night.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  -  Saudi Arabia and Germany have decided to strengthen cooperation in the industrial and mining sectors.   A delegation from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, led by Eng. Fares Al-Saqaabi, the Undersecretary of the Ministry for Human Capacity Development, engaged in a series of productive...

Tehran, Iran-- Iran will boost military cooperation with Russia as the two countries look to strengthen strategic partnership. According to the commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Force Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari, "the Iranian army is ready to boost military cooperation with Russia." Heidari made the remark in a meeting...

DUBAI, UAE - The Customs Intelligence Management within Dubai Customs has successfully thwarted two separate attempts to smuggle controlled drugs and restricted medications via air shipments into the country. The total haul amounted to 171,600 pills and these operations underscore the department's resolute stance against illicit activities. In the first...

One of the changes announced by Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, includes giving European users of Facebook and Instagram the option to view different types of content not based on profiling, a requirement under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

Ajman, UAE -- Ajman real estate market grew 15.6 percent year-on-year to AED 7.17 billion ($1.95 billion) in the first half of 2023, according to data released by the emirate's Department of Lands and Real Estate Regulation. Omar bin Omair Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Department of Lands and Real...

Tehran, Iran -- Iran exported $2.9 billion worth of non-oil products to Iraq in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year, an official with the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) said, adding that the country’s export to Iraq will reach $10.5 billion by the yearend. Iran’s...

Kuwait City, Kuwait-- Kuwait is looking to strengthen cooperation with the World Health Organization in all health services, according to the oil-rich country's Health Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi. According to Kuwait News Agency, the minister met with Dr. Hanan Balkhy, assistant director for antimicrobial resistance at the WHO, to discuss...

Nairobi, Kenya--African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and Qatar have signed a partnership agreement to strengthen cooperation in the aviation field. This came during the activities of the 8th Africa and Indian Ocean (AFI) Aviation Week, organized by the AFCAC in cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Nairobi,...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--UAE stocks generated strong cash flows on Monday as the International Holding Company (IHC) maintained robust performance and closed at AED400.6, following more than $59.14 million worth of transactions. Multiply Group gained $43.75 million in liquidity, closing high at AED3.670. Emirates Insurance Company (EIC) was the best performer...

Beirut, Lebanon - Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets again on Monday in Syria's southern city of Sweida, local media and an activist reported, as dire living conditions stoke discontent in regime-held areas. Days of rare protests have erupted in the south after the government lifted fuel subsidies last week,...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai International Chamber hosted a B2B event during the Wuxi – Dubai Economic & Trade Exchange Conference to explore business and investment opportunities between Dubai and Wuxi City. The event was organized in partnership with the Wuxi Municipal Government and Wuxi National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. It...

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Russia still has not heard any reaction from international organizations regarding the assassination of journalist Darya Dugina as well as other ‘atrocities’ committed against media representatives, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday. "A year after the tragic death of Darya Dugina we have not heard...

ABU DHABI, UAE - The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) to foster the robust economic collaboration between the two sides. The MoU also aims to establish a framework for cooperation that advances trade, investment and economic...

Algiers, Algeria - Abdelkader Bengrina, the leader of Algeria's National Construction Movement and a member of the government coalition, has reiterated his criticism of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) involvement in the Maghreb and Sahel region, citing concerns over the tensions it creates for Algeria. Speaking during the National Symposium...

The incident comes two days after an Israeli father and son were gunned down at a car wash in the town of Huwara, also in the West Bank, amid rising violence in the territory. The Magen David Adom emergency service said in a statement that a woman was "confirmed dead"...

Tehran, Iran - Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has expressed his eagerness to expedite the completion of the port at Chabahar, a strategic port city in Iran's southeastern region. Talking to Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi on the phone, Modi hailed the bilateral cooperation between the two nations and emphasized the...

Amman, Jordan--Jordanian security forces have scuttled an attempt to smuggle narcotics from Syrian territories to Jordan. According to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the border guards, in coordination with the Anti-Narcotics Department and other military apparatuses, thwarted an attempt by a group of smugglers who tried to cross the Syrian-Jordanian...

Tehran, Iran--Iran-China bilateral relations and the 25-year strategic cooperation program between the two countries are moving forward in the right direction, according to the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. In a telephone conversation between the foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the People's Republic of China, the...

Tehran, Iran -- Trade between Iran and the European Union member states reached 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in the first half of 2023, according to Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat). Trade between Iran and Germany accounted for half the value, Tasnim News Agency reported, adding the Iran-EU...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Afro-Arab Esports League, which opened Saturday in Saudi Arabia, will see participation from over 25 national teams. These teams will compete for three days in a variety of tournaments tailored for both men and women, covering popular games such as eFootball and Valorant. The inauguration...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister and Chairman of KAUST Board of Trustees, launched on Sunday a new strategy of the university. The strategy aims to transform research into economically productive innovations by focusing on the national priorities for research, development,...

Asif Khan finished off the job with an unbeaten 48 as he smacked New Zealand skipper Tim Southee for three boundaries in the 16th over to seal a famous victory with 26 balls to spare. Mark Chapman's 63 was the standout contribution in New Zealand's 142-8.

Jakarta, Indonesia--Indonesian President Joko Widodo departed for South Africa on Sunday to attend the BRICS summit in Johannesburg amid speculation that the country could join the group as its latest member. The meeting, which brings together major emerging economies countries led by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, will be...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had spoken with British Columbia Premier David Eby about the "rapidly evolving and incredibly devastating wildfire situation" and pledged federal resources in responding to the disaster. Blazes far away in the neighboring Northwest Territories have meanwhile prompted the evacuation of regional capital Yellowknife, leaving...

Tehran, Iran-- China's ambassador to Iran has affirmed that his country's cooperation with Iran is at its best in various fields, voicing hope that both sides will further improve ties. Chang Hua made the remarks in a Saturday meeting with the governor of the northwestern Iranian province of West Azarbaijan...

Idlib, Syria - Thousands of fans in Syria's last opposition bastion have packed into a stadium for the frenzied final of a football cup -- an escape valve amid years of conflict and misery. "I'm really happy today," said Mohammed al-Zeer, 28, from the northwestern city of Idlib. "Between the war...

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - UAE Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Mohammed Salem Al Rashidi said that the historical relations between the two countries have witnessed remarkable progress over the past few years. This reflects the distinguished friendship between the leaderships of the two countries, and the exchange...

The monarch is credited with effectively maintaining stability in a volatile region -- in part through suppressing criticism -- as well as modernising the economy and pursuing assertive diplomacy. But his efforts have fallen short in addressing the profound inequalities that continue to plague Moroccan society.

Moscow, Russia - Moscow has expanded its stop-list as a retaliatory measure barring 54 UK citizens from entering Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, quoted by Russian news agency TASS. The list now includes Lucy Frazer, UK secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, "who is promoting Russia’s...

The United States exploded off the blocks, opening up a 13-point gap on the Greeks six minutes into the first quarter. Despite questionable turnovers during patches of the game, the USA were a class apart as they extended their perfect record in World Cup tune-ups to 4-0 in games played...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- As the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits Ethiopia to strengthen relations with the African country, the non-oil trade between the two nations has expanded to US$1.4 billion in 2022. According to Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, the UAE’s...