• UN Security Council to vote this Thursday on full Palestinian membership

    Against the backdrop of the grinding conflict in Gaza, a city largely devastated by more than six months of war and a siege on its 2.4 million people, the Security Council is expected to take up the matter of full Palestinian UN membership this Thursday, several diplomatic sources told AFP....
  • 70% of jet fuels at EU airports will have to be green by 2050

    Brussels, Belgium--On Wednesday, Members of European Parliament (MEPs) approved a new law to increase the uptake of sustainable fuels, such as advanced biofuels or hydrogen, in the aviation sector. The RefuelEU aviation rules are part of the “Fit for 55 package”, the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by...
  • EU chief wants global experts panel to confront AI challenges

    Von der Leyen said the proposed AI group should be similar to the UN's IPCC panel, whose reports establish scientific consensus on climate change. "I believe we need a similar body for AI –- on the risks and its benefits for humanity. Yes, with scientists, but also tech companies and...
  • ‘Historic’ EU-Middle East-India trade plan launched

    At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, the US, EU, Saudi Arabia, and UAE have launched an ambitious trade initiative to connect railways, ports, and energy networks globally.
  • Turkiye and EU to modernize the customs union agreement

    Ankara, Turkey - Turkiye and European Union (EU) on Wednesday discussed the resumption of talks to modernize the customs union agreement between Ankara and Brussels. Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said that his country, alongside the EU, was determined to enhance cooperation in the field of trade and economy. Following...
  • 2023 likely to be hottest year in human history, says EU climate monitor

    "2023 is the year that climate records were not just broken but smashed," said Mark Maslin, a professor of climatology at University College London.
  • Jordan exhorts ‘companies, institutions’ to switch to renewable energy

    Amman, Jordan--Jordan is urging "companies and institutions" to switch to renewable and sustainable energy to reduce operating costs. In this regard, the kingdom's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh said Tuesday opportunities exist for cooperation to cut energy consumption across various sectors through implementing programs similar to those...
  • Meta to seek user permission for targeted advertisement

    European regulators in January had dismissed the previous legal basis -- "legitimate interest" -- Meta had used to justify gathering users' personal data for targeted advertising.
  • Jordan’s exports to EU climb 23.4% to US$192m in first five months of 2023

    Amman, Jordan--Jordan's exports to the European Union (EU) shot up 23.4 per cent during the first five months of 2023 to $192 million compared to $155 million for the same period last year. According to Jordan News Agency (Petra), foreign trade data issued by the Department of Statistics indicated an...
  • UAE president meets with Arab and EU leaders in Italy

    The president met with a string of leaders from the Arab world and the European Union and discussed ways to deepen partnerships with these countries. During the meetings, Sheikh Mohamed explored ways with the leaders to support and develop these relations for the benefit of the people of all countries...
  • VMware takeover by Broadcom okayed

    Broadcom is seeking to expand into the software market.
  • Tunisia and EU sign ‘strategic’ deal on economy, migration

    The deal between the two countries will include partnership on irregular migration, economic development and renewable energy. Tunisia has been criticized over its treatment of migrants after President Kais Saied accused "hordes" of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries of a "plot" to change the country's demographic makeup.
  • Wagner crisis shows Ukraine war is ‘cracking’ Russian power: EU

    EU foreign ministers were scrambling to digest the fall-out from the uprising at their regular meeting in Luxembourg. Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said the unrest was an "internal affair" for Russia. He insisted that the "most important thing" was supporting Ukraine so it can win back its territory.
  • ‘EU acknowledges, appreciates Qatar’s labor reforms’

    The EU also lauds the exceptional execution of FIFA 2022 in Qatar. It helped refine Qatar's reputation and correct misconceptions. The EU is commitment to strengthening relations with Islamic and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and seeks to combat Islamophobia in Europe, Stano points out.
  • US exhorts Tunisia to agree to IMF reforms after EU offer

    The EU offered a 900-billion-euro aid package -- contingent on Tunisia reaching an IMF deal. But Tunisian President Kais Saied has repeatedly refused "diktats" from the IMF and the US has led accusations that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is falling to authoritarianism after the dissolution of parliament and...
  • Tunisia visit: EU chief to discuss economic and migration concerns

    "Discussions will focus on the bilateral relations between the EU and to Tunisia," Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said. "An agreement on cooperation in the areas of the economy, energy and migration will be at the heart of those discussions."
  • Eurozone in recession after two successive quarters of shrinking GDP

    The eurozone entered into a technical recession at the start of the year, shrinking by 0.1 percent for a second consecutive quarter, figures from the EU's statistic agency showed. Eurostat revised down an earlier forecast that had predicted slight growth, after economic powerhouse Germany said last month it had fallen...
  • Twitter ‘chose confrontation’ over EU disinformation code

    The European Commission announced May 27 that Twitter had decided to leave the code of practice, to which other major online platforms such as Google, Microsoft and TikTok continue to adhere.
  • Moscow issues 1.5m passports in occupied Ukraine territories

    Russia has for years been issuing passports to people living in the eastern Donbas areas held by pro-Moscow separatists since 2014 as well as in annexed Crimea.
  • Russian oil exports hit post-invasion high, says IEA

    PARIS, FRANCE -  Russia's oil exports rose in April to the highest level since its invasion of Ukraine, boosting revenues by US$1.7 billion despite Western sanctions, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday. The Paris-based organization said Russian exports increased by 50,000 barrels per day to 8.3 million bpd last month, estimating...
  • EU boosts 2023 growth outlook for region

    BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -  The European Commission boosted its 2023 economic growth outlook for the eurozone on Monday but it also raised the inflation forecast for the single currency area. The EU executive's spring forecast is more optimistic than that issued late last year, despite inflation proving "stickier than expected" in its...
  • EU’s imports in high-tech products worth $524bn in 2022

    BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -  The EU imported US$524 billion (€482 billion) worth of high-tech products from extra-EU countries in 2022 (+22 percent compared with 2021), according to an estimate published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union . Exports to these countries reached US$485 billion (€446 billion) (+16 percent...
  • Dubai Chambers briefs EU Missions about UAE Corporate Tax Law

    DUBAI, UAE - Dubai Chambers has hosted a workshop for commercial attachés of EU Diplomatic Missions to provide them with an overview and key highlights of the UAE's Corporate Tax Law. The workshop, organized  in collaboration with Al Tamimi & Company Law Firm, brought together 13 officials representing the commercial...
  • Iran-EU trade posts 9.2% drop to US$847mn in first two months of 2023

    Tehran, Iran--Iran and the European Union traded $847 million worth of goods during the first two months of 2023, registering a 9.2% fall compared with the same period of the year before. Data released by Eurostat show Germany was the top trading partner of Iran in the EU region during...
  • Jordan’s exports to EU nations in January,  February 2023 rose to US$87m

    AMMAN, JORDAN - Value of Jordanian exports to European Union countries increased during January-February period of 2023, by 108.5 percent to reach about US$87 million (JD62 million), compared to about US$42 million (JD30 million) for the same period last year.According to foreign trade data issued by the Department of Statistics...
  • Iran imposes sanctions on UK, EU individuals, entities

    Tehran, Iran— Iran has announced new sanctions against the UK and European Union “individuals and entities” for supporting what it terms as terrorist groups in the Islamic Republic. According to MEHR News Agency, sanctions have been imposed on 17 individuals and four entities for inciting and encouraging terrorist acts and...
  • Air pollution causes more than 1,200 deaths a year: EU agency

    The EU environmental agency said that air pollution is responsible for causing more than 1,200 premature deaths a year in under 18's across Europe and raises the risk of chronic disease later in life. It said that in spite of recent improvements, "the level of key air pollutants remain stubbornly...
  • EU foreign policy chief asks European navies to patrol Taiwan Strait

    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...
  • Canada to allot US$9.8bn in subsidies for Volkswagen battery plant

    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...
  • Tunisia shuts offices of opposition party Ennahdha

    The move came a day after the arrest of the party's leader, Rached Ghannouchi, 81, at his home in the capital Tunis, the latest in a string of opposition figures held. Ennahdha was the largest party in Tunisia's parliament before President Kais Saied dissolved the chamber in July 2021.
  • Boeing delivers 130 aircraft in Q1

    It edged out its rival Airbus by just three aircraft.
  • This March sets a temperature record for second-warmest month ever

    Paris, France--Earth had its second-warmest March on record with Antarctic sea ice shrinking to its second-lowest extent, the EU's climate monitoring agency said on Thursday. "The month was jointly the second warmest March globally," said a report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The report is based on computer-generated analyses...
  • French, EU leaders to push China for active role in Ukraine peace process

    Beijing, China--French and EU leaders will on Thursday seek to make Europe's case for bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine in a Beijing meeting with Xi Jinping, a close ally of Vladimir Putin. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will be greeted late...
  • US, EU vow to keep energy markets stable, maintain Russia sanctions

    A joint statement issued after the tenth US-EU Energy Council in Brussels said competitive, liquid and transparent global energy markets remain critical to ensuring a reliable, sustainable, affordable, and secure energy supply for Europe to serve the transition to climate neutrality. The Council asked Russia to withdraw its forces from...
  • EU bloc records highest ever trade deficit in 2022

    BRUSSELS, BELGIUM  - The EU trade in goods registered a large deficit of US$469 billion (€432 billion) in 2022, reaching its lowest level since the start of the time series in 2002. The deficit was due, in particular, to a steep rise in the value of energy imports, which started...
  • Greek PM calls on EU to pay for fence extension along Turkey border

    Athens, Greece--Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday called on the European Union to "seriously consider" providing financial aid to help extend an anti-migrant steel fence along the border with Turkey. "I think it's about time for the EU to seriously consider providing European funds for these types of projects," the...
  • Tunisia appeals to Europe for ‘more understanding’

    Calling for "constructive discourse" from the European Union after many leaders warned the country is facing a crisis that could impact the 27-member bloc, Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar said that he had invited the European side to "show more understanding of this particular phase through which our country is...
  • Russia to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus: Putin

    Moscow, Russia--Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus, bringing the arms to a country at the gates of the European Union. Putin has previously issued thinly veiled warnings that he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine if Russia were threatened, reviving...
  • EU, Germany reach deal on fossil fuel car phaseout

    BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - The European Union and Germany on Saturday said they had struck a deal after a dispute over the planned phaseout by 2035 of the sale of cars using fossil fuels. A landmark deal to prohibit new sales of fossil fuel cars from 2035 is key to the bloc's...
  • EU and Algeria look to consolidate energy, security ties

    The 27-country bloc would like to develop the partnership with Algeria "looking at the future, by prioritizing European investments in the renewable energy sector", Josep Borrell added in a statement. European governments, scrambling to find alternatives to Russian gas since last year's invasion of Ukraine that has sent prices soaring,...
  • Six EU countries urge Israel to stop settlement expansion in West Bank

    LONDON, UK-  Six European countries on Saturday called on Israel to stop expanding its settlements in  Palestine's West Bank. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland have also jointly condemned the recent attack on Israeli citizens by Palestinian groups. In a joint statement, they said, "We urge the Israeli government...
  • EU and Britain agree on Northern Ireland trade deal

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen adopted the deal at a meeting in Windsor, west of London. The deal follows more than a year of tense talks over the "Northern Ireland Protocol", which has unsettled the province 25 years on from a historic peace...
  • Germany’s Scholz arrives in India to expand business ties

    New Delhi, India--German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in India on Saturday seeking to deepen business ties between the world's number four and five economies and push for progress on an EU trade deal despite differences over Ukraine. "We want to further strengthen our bilateral relationship with India and our cooperation on...
  • Iran hits back at EU and Britain, imposes retaliatory sanctions

    Taking retaliatory action for imposition of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Iran has slapped 36 individuals and entities from the European Union and Britain with sanctions. According to the Iranian foreign ministry, Tehran has placed the names on its "sanctions list for supporting terrorism and terrorist groups" as well as...
  • EU says Israel deporting MEP ‘deeply disappointing’

    The EU called it "deeply disappointing" and "surprising" that Israel stopped and deported a Spanish MEP who had arrived for an official trip to the Palestinian territories. European Parliament lawmaker Ana Miranda tweeted that the action by Israeli authorities against her was a "diplomatic affront" and showed "disrespect" to the...
  • Kuwait FM meets EU’s Josep Borrell in Munich to discuss ties

    Munich, Germany--Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on the sidelines of the 59th Munich Security Conference. During the meeting, Sheikh Salem explained the stance of Kuwait on the issue of Schengen visa waiver...
  • Ukraine and IMF reach deal paving way for ‘full-fledged’ loan

    Washington, United States--The IMF said Friday it has reached a staff-level agreement with Ukrainian authorities that opens doors to a full-fledged loan, which would also support the country's bid to join the European Union. Ukraine was seen to have "strong" performance under a four-month program with the International Monetary Fund, meeting...
  • Morocco criticizes ‘unjust’ EU campaign over Pegasus spyware

    Rabat, Morocco--The Moroccan parliament decried Wednesday an "unjust campaign" against it at the European Parliament ahead of a hearing in Brussels over the North African country's alleged use of Pegasus spyware. The European Parliament is set to hear from experts, human rights defenders and journalists on Thursday on claims that Morocco...
  • Morocco hands migrants more jail time over Melilla tragedy

    Rabat, Morocco--A Moroccan appeals court has increased the prison sentences of eight migrants over a deadly attempted crossing into the Spanish enclave of Melilla, their lawyer said Tuesday. Around 2,000 people, many of them Sudanese, stormed the frontier on June 24 in a bid to reach Spanish territory across one...
  • European Union provides US$70m in financing to Jordan

    Amman, Jordan-- The European Union (EU) has signed two agreements with Jordan to provide it with a $70 million in financing. The first agreement will finance a $43 million program: "EU support to the Rule of Law in Jordan", in support of the Ministry of Justice, Judicial Council, Judicial Institute,...
  • Qatar and EU discuss ways to enhance economic and trade ties

    Doha, Qatar-- Qatar and European Union have discussed means to enhance economic and commercial relations in a meeting between Qatar Chamber First Vice-Chairman Mohamed bin Twar Al Kuwari and Thomas Jurgensen, Minister Counselor and the new head of Trade and Economic Affairs Section at the European Union During their meeting...