BEIJING, CHINA – The head of the International Monetary Fund on Sunday called on China to implement "a comprehensive package of pro-market reforms" to boost a sluggish economy beset by a housing market crisis, low domestic demand and persistently high youth unemployment. Chinese policymakers have so far resisted calls to juice...

ABU DHABI, UAE – Minister of Economy and Chairman of Investopia Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri attended the unveiling of a new investment fund valued at US$10 million by the IOTA Ecosystem DLT Foundation during Investopia 2024. The fund's primary goal is to promote the development of TradeTech solutions and...

The company said that net profit, however, dropped 35% in Q4.

After four years of drought, Iraqi farmer Mohammed Sami was about to abandon his father's parched land, but then a water-saving irrigation system revived his crops and his hopes. He is among hundreds of farmers in the country battered by heatwaves, scarce rain and depleted rivers to benefit from new...

Sameh Makki's soup kitchen is barely 100 meters from the market, but it can take two hours to make the journey through Sudan's war-torn streets, often through hails of bullets. The 43-year-old, his family and local volunteers have risked everything to get supplies to feed around 150 families caught in...

The Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned and operated Huang Pu issued a distress call but did not request assistance, US Central Command said. The rebels, who control much of Yemen's Red Sea coast, have launched dozens of missile and drone strikes on shipping over the past four months, actions they say are in...

Cairo, Egypt-- UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his counterpart from Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met in Cairo to discuss the close bonds between the two countries and ways to expand them further. The two leaders explored opportunities for further collaboration within the framework of the strategic...

Israel has been launching air strikes deeper into Lebanese territory for several weeks against Hizbollah positions, heightening the threat of open warfare and an expansion of the conflict in Gaza. However, the strike at al-Osseira, some 100 kms from the Israeli-Lebanese border, ended a period of relative calm that had...

Erdogan has entrusted his former environment minister Murat Kurum to run for mayor of Istanbul in the March 31 polls as he looks to avenge the worst political defeat of his two-decade rule when CHP arch rival Ekrem Imamoglu took the town hall. The president bounced back last year to...

Jerusalem--A top Israeli commander has said troops will continue their operation at Gaza's largest hospital Al-Shifa until the last Hamas fighter is "in their hands". Israeli forces launched the operation in and around Al-Shifa hospital on Monday, saying senior Hamas operatives were based at the sprawling compound. Days of heavy...

“The activation of the maritime corridor is crucial. It will serve as an essential lifeline for the people of Gaza, speeding up the delivery of critical supplies to those in urgent need, especially in northern Gaza. It will provide a vital supplementary route in addition to the existing land crossings,"...

Montreal, Canada--The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) projected that passenger air traffic levels will be around 2 percent higher In the first quarter of 2024 than in 2019, with airlines expected to sustain their operating profitability seen in 2023. Demand this year is forecast to be around 3 percent above...

An official from the Palestinian resistance group with knowledge of the talks said that there is a deep divergence in positions in the negotiations between Hamas and Israel. The official said that Israel wanted to reach a temporary ceasefire "so that it can resume its aggression against our people."

Madrid-based Halo Space Company has selected Saudi Arabia as its launch site for space tourism, offering tours at $164,000 per person for a unique stratospheric Earth view.

Rafah, Egypt - UN chief Antonio Guterres, on a visit to the doorstep of Gaza, on Saturday said the world has seen enough of the war's horrors and appealed for a ceasefire to allow in more aid. "Palestinians in Gaza -- children, women, men -- remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare,"...

Palestinian Territories - The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Israeli fire on Saturday killed nine people and wounded dozens more as they were waiting at an aid distribution point in the territory's north. "At least nine martyrs and dozens injured by Israeli occupation army tank fire and shells. They...

JERUSALEM - Israel's foreign minister said on Saturday the United Nations had become an "anti-Israeli body" under Antonio Guterres, after the UN chief called for a ceasefire on a visit to Gaza's border. International outrage over the heavy civilian toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel battles Hamas fighters,...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – In the fourth quarter of 2023, the EU imported US$120.5 billion (€111.3 billion) worth of energy products amounting to a total of 187.9 million tonnes. Compared with the same period in 2022, imports decreased both in value (-34.2 percent) and in net mass (-11.7 percent), according to...

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to punish those behind a "barbaric terrorist attack" on a Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133, saying Russia had arrested four gunmen who were trying to flee to Ukraine. Kyiv has denied any connection, and Putin made no reference to the Islamic State...

MONTREAL, CANADA – In the first quarter of 2024, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) projected that passenger air traffic levels will be around 2 percent higher than in 2019, with airlines expected to sustain their operating profitability seen in 2023. Demand this year is forecast to be around 3...

VIENNA, AUSTRIA – The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) is extending a US$50 million loan to Türkiye to support the agricultural and food production sectors, prioritizing 11 cities hit by the devastating earthquakes of February 2023. The Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye (TKYB) will on-lend the funds...

German newspapers reported that the American sports equipment giant overcame their rival's home advantage with a bid of around 100 million euros ($108 million) a year. Adidas reportedly offered a final bid of between 60-65 million euros. The deal left the German Football Federation (DFB) defending themselves from accusations from...

The Houthis began attacking ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in November, a campaign they say is intended to signal solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. They have vowed to target Israeli, British and American ships, as well as vessels heading to Israeli ports, disrupting traffic through...

Eight of the council's 10 non-permanent members have been working on the draft, which also calls for the "immediate and unconditional" release of hostages seized by Hamas and the lifting of "all barriers" to humanitarian aid flowing into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) today announced that its operations and maintenance subsidiary, Nawah Energy Company, has safely and successfully connected Unit 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant to the UAE’s transmission grid. The grid connection of the fourth reactor at the nuclear energy...

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.8 percent.

Ankara, Turkey - Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on Friday the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Turkiye and Turkmenistan, focusing on collaboration in the natural gas sector and hydrocarbon partnerships. Under the agreement, the initial phase will involve the transportation of up to two...

On Saturday, UN chief Guterres plans to meet with aid workers on the Egyptian side of Rafah, just across the border from the Gazan city where 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge. International efforts to pause the almost six months of fighting have grown increasingly desperate, with the Hamas-run health...

“Water is the fundamental element of life, enabling human societies to stabilize, develop civilizations, and achieve prosperity. Water is the most valuable resource on our planet; it serves as a vital link between humans, food, nature, and climate. However, today, we face significant challenges due to the scarcity of water,"...

Meanwhile, the fire at a Moscow concert hall has been "mostly eliminated", the Russian capital's governor said on Saturday. "There are still some pockets of fire, but the fire has been mostly eliminated. Rescuers were able to enter the auditorium," Moscow Governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Telegram.

India is poised to revolutionize its energy landscape by linking its power grid with Saudi Arabia and the UAE via undersea cables.

Beirut, Lebanon - A UN official on Friday appealed for about $4 billion in humanitarian assistance for Syria, warning funding was almost non-existent and that lack of support would push more Syrians to emigrate. Syria's war, which began 13 years ago with the repression of anti-government protests, has killed more than...

Washington, US – President Joe Biden will welcome Iraq's prime minister on April 15 for talks on the US troop presence, the White House announced on Friday, as tensions subside following US clashes with pro-Iran militias. It will mark the first trip to Washington by Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani, who...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – The EU will put more pressure on the most popular online platforms, like X and TikTok, to tackle the risk of election disinformation or face fines, an EU official said on Friday. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, is expected to adopt new guidelines, likely on Tuesday,...

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Russia's central bank held interest rates unchanged on Friday as Moscow's military offensive on Ukraine has led to stubbornly high inflation and labor shortages. The central bank raised rates to 16 percent in a series of hikes last year to cool the pace of price rises. Analysts are...

The Archives for the Unexplained (AFU) claims to be the world's biggest library of paranormal phenomena, with 4.2 kilometers of shelves running underground.

Israel plans to send troops into Gaza's Rafah even without US support, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Antony Blinken, as Washington failed to pass a UN resolution on an "immediate" ceasefire. Almost six months of Israeli bombardment since Hamas's October 7 attack has brought Gaza to its knees with many...

The Group's profit increased by 68% YoY to $13.52 million.

Tripoli, Libya - Libya's shutdown of its main border crossing with Tunisia this week will remain in force until authorities put an end to smuggling involving powerful armed groups, an official said on Friday. Authorities aim to "ensure the security of the borders and combat crime and smuggling," Interior Minister Imad...

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared as "state lands" the area in the northern Jordan Valley. Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said the size of the seized area is the largest since 1993's Oslo Accords, and that "2024 marks a peak in the extent of declarations of state land".

Australia, Canada and Sweden, which were among those states, announced earlier this month they were resuming aid. Ten percent of the Finnish funding will be allocated to risk management, the minister said.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – US will no longer be able to dictate oil prices in the Middle East, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Sergey Naryshkin said. The Russian official made the statement in the documentary "Oil" on the premier online platform. “The ‘hegemon’ has lost a step. It is...

Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's Industrial Production index (IPI) in January 2024 reached 108.7 points, an increase of 4 percent compared to December 2023 and an increase of 5.5 percent compared to January 2023. The Planning and Statistics Authority has issued the press release of industrial production index for January 2024,...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with General Atomics (GA), a leading US advanced technology solutions company, to collaborate on using advanced technologies and materials for nuclear energy supply. They will also cooperate on prospects that utilise...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's aviation sector soared to new heights in 2023, with a significant increase in both flight numbers and passenger traffic, according to a report by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). In a statement released by GACA, it was revealed that the Kingdom experienced...

“These efforts ensure sustainable development across all sectors, promising a bright future for generations to come,” he adds, referring to the 2023-24 Human Development Index report by the United Nations Development Programme in which the United Arab Emirates topped the regional countries.

Adelaide, Australia--Britain and Australia declared the need for an "immediate cessation of fighting" in Gaza, as diplomatic pressure built on Israel Friday to ditch a planned ground assault on the southern city of Rafah. After a meeting of Australian and UK foreign and defence ministers in Adelaide, the allies issued a...

Ankara, Turkey-- The Gulf Cooperation Council and Turkey have started off free trade negotiations to deepen their ties further. In this connection, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of GCC, and Dr. Omer Bolat, Minister of Trade of Turkey, signed a joint statement to initiate negotiations between the GCC and Turkey....

Israel's hopes of reaching the European Championships for the first time against the background of bloody conflict at home were shattered by a 4-1 defeat to Iceland on Thursday while war-torn Ukraine stayed on course for the finals with a last-gasp comeback. Due to the ongoing conflict with Hamas, Israel's...

Its net profit spiked to US$3.7 billion in 2023.