Beijing, China (AFP): President Xi Jinping has condemned what he branded an America-led “suppression of China”, as he urged the country’s private sector to boost innovation and become more self-reliant. China’s technology ambitions have been hit with a raft of restrictions by the United States and its Western allies, an...
ANKARA (AA) – Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with Türkiye on Monday to deposit $5 billion in the Turkish Central Bank. A statement by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) said the agreement was signed by SFD chairman Ahmed Al-Khateeb and bank governor Sahap Kavcioglu. “This deposit comes as an extension of the historic relations ...
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) – A Lebanese investigating judge has summoned central bank governor Riad Salameh for questioning on March 15 on corruption charges. Judge Charbel Abou Samra will also question Salameh’s brother Raja and his assistant Mariane Hoayek on accusations of embezzlement, money laundering, illicit enrichment and tax evasion, the of...
BAGHDAD (AA) – Iraq has banned imports of alcoholic beverages amid criticism from Christian lawmakers. In a statement, the Iraqi General Authority of Customs said all customs points were ordered to ban the entry of all kinds of alcoholic beverages. It cited the 2023 Municipal Imports Law, which bans the import, production and sale of […...
KANO, Nigeria (AA) – The Nigeria Supreme Court has ruled that N200, N500 and N1,000 naira notes will remain in circulation until the end of 2023. The ruling came in a suit against the federal government on the naira redesign policy. The suit was filed by 16 states to challenge the legality of the policy. […]
ANKARA (AA) – The trade volume between Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates will reach $25 billion in five years thanks to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the two countries, the Turkish president said on Friday. Speaking at the signing ceremony via video link, Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined that the econo...
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) – At least 12 people were killed Friday after a pipeline explosion and fire raged near an illegal oil refinery in Nigeria’s Delta region, according to police. Police spokeswoman Grace Iringe-Koko said the explosion occurred when people involved in bunkering activities attempted to steal crude from a pipeline...
ISTANBUL (AA) – The “stable” supply of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) from Oman is “extremely important” for Japan, the country’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has said. Hayashi made the comments during his meeting with Oman’s top diplomat Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi in Indian capital New Delhi on the sidelines of the G-20 Foreign [&hel...
Beirut, Lebanon (AFP): Supermarkets in Lebanon started pricing items in US dollars on Wednesday instead of the nose-diving local currency, after a government announcement allowing the practice in a country heavily reliant on imports. Since late 2019, Lebanon has been facing an economic crisis that has seen poverty rates climb to reach more tha...
ISTANBUL (AA) – Azerbaijan has criticized comments by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding a decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the situation surrounding the Lachin corridor. “It is regrettable that the Prime Minister could not accept the rejection of Armenia’s two main claims,” the Azerbaijani For...
