WASHINGTON, US- The United States placed sanctions on Tuesday on several Chinese and Hong Kong firms it said were supplying Iran's ballistic missile program. The US Treasury said the Chinese companies shipped centrifuges for producing fuels, non-ferrous metals with potential military use, electronics and gyroscopes to already-sanctioned Iranian government bodies and...

"We consider today an important day in the relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Bigdeli told a flag-raising ceremony. "The cooperation between the countries is entering a new era."

The United States and India agreed a roadmap for military industrial cooperation, as New Delhi seeks to reduce its reliance on key arms supplier Russia. "We established an ambitious new roadmap for defense industrial cooperation, which will fast track high priority co-development and co-production projects," US Secretary of Defense Lloyd...

The last truce was agreed to allow desperately needed humanitarian aid and safe passages into areas of Sudan ravaged by the fighting, but like all that preceded it was routinely violated by both sides.

Three major chemical manufacturers announced that they will pay nearly $1.2 billion to settle claims that they contaminated water sources across the United States with harmful "forever chemicals" known as PFAS. Chemours, DuPont and Corteva said that they had "reached an agreement in principle to resolve all PFAS-related drinking water...

Hiring in the United States heated up again in May, according to government data released, with the strong labor market defying expectations of a slowdown amid efforts to cool the world's biggest economy. The jobs market has been surprisingly robust even as regulators have worked to ease demand and tamp...

The key deadline is June 5 -- when, according to Treasury estimates, the government will no longer have the funds required to pay all its debts and bills.

President Joe Biden and Republican leader Kevin McCarthy announced a deal to raise the debt ceiling, dragging the United States back from the precipice of default with only a few days to spare. Congress will vote on the deal to extend the government's borrowing authority on Wednesday, just shy of...

WASHINGTON, US - President Joe Biden said that Democratic and Republican negotiators were on the verge of resolving a debt ceiling standoff, as the deadline for a potentially catastrophic US default was pushed back to June 5. "It's very close and I'm optimistic," Biden told reporters at the White House on...

Washington, USA -- The Saudi faculty member at Michigan State University Dr. Yasser Al-Dhamin, received a patent from the US Patent Office for an innovation that stimulates the functioning of immune cells within cancer blocks and increases the effectiveness of vaccines. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA),...

Washington, United States - US economic output increased by more than previously thought in the first quarter of this year, the Commerce Department said Thursday, although it still indicates the economy is weakening. The US economy has cooled this year as the impact of multiple rounds of interest-rate hikes to tackle inflation...

Oman has close ties with Iran and played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington in the build-up to a nuclear deal reached in 2015. Stop-start talks began in April last year to restore the deal, after the US unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, prompting Tehran to roll back...

President Joe Biden slammed Republican demands in negotiations to resolve the US debt ceiling standoff as "unacceptable" but said a solution can still be found before a disastrous default. Biden said he would talk directly with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during his Air Force One flight back to Washington.

Retail sales in the United States returned to growth in April fueled by a rebound in motor vehicle sales, data released showed, but not by as much as many expected. The US Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates 10 times in a row since last year in a bid to...

President Joe Biden's administration again warned of "catastrophic" consequences for the US economy including huge job losses if the country defaults, as negotiations to forge a debt deal are expected to resume this coming week. For weeks US policymakers, bankers and the White House have warned that the country is...

The United States said it was sending reinforcements to the Gulf after what it called increasing harassment by Iran of ships in the oil-rich waters. "The Department of Defense will be making a series of moves to bolster our defensive posture" in the Gulf, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby...

The International Monetary Fund warned of severe consequences if the US defaults on its debt, ahead of a rapidly-approaching deadline for the country to raise or suspend its borrowing limit. Republicans and Democrats remain sharply divided over the debt ceiling. Republicans in Congress insist that President Joe Biden's administration agree...

Unlike other companies that use vertical-launch rockets, Virgin Galactic uses a carrier aircraft that takes off from a runway, gains high altitude, and drops a rocket-powered plane that soars into space before gliding back to Earth.

Responders, distressed witnesses and police described scenes of panic and horror in Allen, where video footage shared online showed the shooter exiting a sedan in an outlet mall parking lot Saturday and firing a semi-automatic rifle at people walking nearby. The officer in the mall "heard gunshots, went to the...

AMMAN, JORDAN -  The ninth session of the Joint Jordanian-American Committee, which was held in the United States, discussed cooperation in trade, agriculture, food security and labor.Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Dana Zoubi chaired Jordan's delegation and Deputy Representative of US Trade Jayme White represented...

Washington, United States - Improving trade relations between African countries could provide a major boost to economic output (GDP) across the continent and help tackle challenges like climate change, the International Monetary Fund said Friday. The new IMF report found that reforming the "fragmented" trade policy landscape and better implementating existing...

The US Federal Reserve called for greater banking oversight while admitting to its own failures in a report published into the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last month. "Following Silicon Valley Bank’s failure, we must strengthen the Federal Reserve’s supervision and regulation," Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision Michael Barr...

US economic growth lost steam in the first quarter this year, said the Commerce Department, as the possibility of a mild recession brews while consumer spending weakens. Consumption provided a boost to the world's biggest economy, giving it a strong start to 2023, but banking sector turmoil and rising interest...

US consumer confidence fell more than many predicted in April, fueled by a deterioration in expectations among Americans over 55 and households with annual incomes over $50,000, according to survey data released. The pessimistic results may ease some of the pressure on the Federal Reserve as it prepares to consider...

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...

The US should continue tightening monetary policy to bring down inflation while assessing the impact of last month's financial turmoil on bank lending, a top Federal Reserve official said. "How much further will depend on incoming data on inflation, the real economy and the tightening credit conditions," Federal Reserve governor...

Countries must do more to avert the costly consequences of growing global trade fragmentation, and help avert a "second Cold War," the International Monetary Fund's managing director said. "I know what are the consequences of a Cold War: it is loss of talent and contribution to the world," Kristalina Georgieva...

Global government debt is on track to reach levels not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Monetary Fund warned. China and the United States are responsible for the vast majority of the expected debt increase over the next five years, the head of the IMF's Fiscal...

The two leaders talked about de-escalation in the region and maintaining deterrence against threats from Iran and elsewhere.

US job gains eased in March for a second straight month, government data showed, adding to signs that the economy is cooling as policymakers push on in their fight against inflation. The country added 236,000 jobs in March, slightly less than expected, while the unemployment rate inched down to 3.5...

Senior officials from the Biden administration have confirmed the authenticity of the documents, which have been posted on Twitter and Telegram, a platform widely available in Russia. “We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the department is reviewing the matter,” said Sabrina Singh, the deputy press...

A continued slowdown in almost all the world's advanced economies is expected to drag global growth below three percent this year, the International Monetary Fund's managing director warned. "With rising geopolitical tensions and high inflation, a robust recovery remains elusive," Kristalina Georgieva said in remarks ahead of the IMF and...

Washington, USA - International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved SDR 3.7262 billion ($5 billion) on a two-year arrangement for Morocco under the Flexible Credit Line (FCL). Morocco has benefited from four Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) arrangements since 2012, each totaling about $3 billion. The first PLL was approved on August...

A case in point is the royal palace's reaction after the opposition Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) "deplored" the Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita for allegedly defending Israel publicly, even as it commits "criminal aggression against our Palestinian brothers". King Mohammed VI's office hit back, accusing the PJD of voicing...

The US president sought to lower the temperature on Friday, saying the United States "does not seek conflict with Iran, but is prepared to act forcefully to protect our people". Hours after the strikes, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said 10 rockets were fired at American and coalition forces at...

"There are no Palestinians, because there are no Palestinian people," far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said at an event in Paris. Smotrich and his Religious Zionism group have a history of making incendiary remarks about Palestinians.

US consumer inflation edged down in February but remains elevated, according to government data, adding pressure to the Federal Reserve as it balances its inflation fight with financial stability concerns. The central bank has been on an aggressive campaign to tame inflation, raising interest rates eight times since early last...

WASHINGTON DC, US -  UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President Designate Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber met with key US government leaders at the White House to discuss global climate issues. During the meeting on Thursday, which was convened by US Special Presidential Envoy for...

US interest rates will likely peak at a higher level than previously anticipated due to economic data that came in stronger than recent trends suggested, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said. He said that January figures for employment, consumer spending, manufacturing production and inflation pointed to a partial reversal of...

Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the trip would "reaffirm the enduring US commitment to the Middle East region."

Moscow, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will be deployed this year following US reports that the weapon failed a recent test. The Sarmat -- dubbed Satan 2 by Western analysts -- is capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and is among Russia's...

Russian president said that he realized China has its own domestic political agenda and that the two countries were working to sort out all related issues.

Top Palestinian official Hussein Al Sheikh decried the incursion as a "massacre" and called for "international protection for our people". The Palestinian health ministry said those killed "as a result of the occupation's aggression on Nablus" were aged between 16 and 72.

Al Khater said that the total direct Qatari investments in the US amounted to about $69 billion, and that 856 US companies operate in the Qatari market.

TEHRAN, IRAN - A Tehran court Tuesday sentenced to death an Iranian-German dual national accused of being the leader of a "terrorist" group behind a deadly 2008 mosque bombing, the judiciary said. "The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Jamshid Sharmahd, the leader of the Tondar terrorist group, to death on the...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Turkey to show support to the earthquake-hit country and NATO ally which has had tumultuous ties with Washington. His visit comes after a 7.8-magnitude tremor hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria killing nearly 45,000 people but his trip had been planned before...

WASHINGTON, US - An explosion wounded four American military personnel during a raid that killed a senior Islamic State (IS) group leader in Syria, the US military's Central Command said Friday. "Last night, during a partnered US and Syrian Democratic Forces helicopter raid in northeastern Syria, an explosion on target resulted...

The White House said Thursday it is "deeply dismayed" by Israeli plans for a major expansion of settlements in occupied Palestinian lands. "We are deeply dismayed by the Israelis' announcement," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. President Joe Biden's administration maintains its "firm opposition to the settlement expansion," she added.

US trade gap widened to a record in 2022, though expanding less than expected in December, government data said, capping off the year on robust imports and strong spending. The overall trade gap grew US$103 billion from 2021 to $948.1 billion last year, according to Commerce Department data, on a...

US job gains surged unexpectedly last month as unemployment slipped to its lowest rate in over five decades, government data showed. The world's biggest economy added 517,000 jobs in January after a five-month slowdown in hiring, as the jobless rate edged down to 3.4 percent, said the Labor Department in...