Kandali, Afghanistan (AFP): Locusts have descended on crops in northern Afghanistan, under the helpless gaze of farmers and their families already stalked by famine. In the village of Kandali in northern Balkh, one of eight affected provinces in the country’s breadbasket, a staggering swarm of grey insects has amassed on a fallow wheat f...
TRENTON, Canada (AA): An Indigenous First Nation in the Canadian province of Manitoba has announced that it is seeking CAN$5 billion ($3.74 billion) from the Canadian government for failing to provide adequate housing. The St. Theresa Point First Nation said in a news release that Ottawa provided funds to build 20 two-bedroom houses last year,...
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA): The first cargo of discounted crude oil from Russia arranged under a new deal between Islamabad and Moscow arrived in Pakistan on Sunday, said the Ministry of Ports and Shipping. The development, which followed a series of negotiations between the two sides, was celebrated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who...
Tunis, Tunisia (AFP): The European Union is ready to offer Tunisia a package that includes up to 900 million euros in financial assistance, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday. Von der Leyen told a news conference in Tunis the aid was part of a five-point programme, which includes support in the fight […]
TEHRAN, Iran (AA): Iraq has agreed to release $2.7 billion in Iranian funds frozen in the Arab country after Baghdad received a sanctions waiver from the United States, according to officials of the two countries. Yahya Al-e Es’hagh, head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce, said Baghdad had released $2.7 billion in gas and […]
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AA): Saudi Arabia said Sunday it seeks to benefit from China’s advanced capabilities in renewable energy. “Saudi Arabia does not compete with China in the energy sector,” Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the 10th Arab-China Business Conference, held in the capital Riyadh. He said Saudi Arabia has a l...
LAGOS, Nigeria (AA): Nigeria has announced the suspension of its central bank head. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has been directed by the president to hand over his office immediately “to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), who will act as the Central Bank Governor pending the conclusion of an investigation ...
Karachi, Pakistan (AFP): Pakistan’s cash-strapped government unveiled a 14.5 trillion rupee (around $50.5 billion) budget Friday, with over half set aside to service 7.3 trillion rupees of debt. Pakistan’s economy has been stricken by a balance-of-payments crisis as it attempts to service crippling external debt, while months of po...
TEHRAN (AA): Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi will lead a high-ranking government delegation on a maiden three-nation tour of Latin America on Sunday as his administration seeks expansion of ties with “friendly countries.” Accompanied by ministers of foreign affairs, defense, oil, and health, Raisi will visit Venezuela, Cuba an...
TEHRAN, Iran (AA): Iran is building two new reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power plant to fulfill the country’s growing electricity needs. Bushehr Governor Ahmad Mohammadizadeh said the new reactors, being built by young Iranian engineers without any help from foreign experts, would each have a capacity of 1,800 megawatts. Bushehr nucle...
