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News Brief

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Raisi: Iran 'never has hope' in Vienna talks

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has struck a pessimistic tone commenting on the nuclear talks between Iran and world powers.

Passengers from Iran arrive to Najaf airport after it reopened on July 16, 2018.

Iraq receives 145% more foreign visitors in 2021

Iraq waived the visa requirements for citizens of many economically powerful countries last year in a bid to attract tourists and businesspeople.

Dubai expo

Saudi Arabia building support for Expo 2030 bid

The kingdom wants to host the international cultural forum, which is currently being held in Dubai.

Saudi tech

Saudi IT industry to work with German software firm SAP on cloud technology

The memorandum of understanding is the latest to come out of the LEAP technology forum in Riyadh, and reflects the kingdom’s diversification efforts.

Latest News

Turkish technology fair comes to Azerbaijan

A Turkish boy uses a Turkish unmanned aircraft (ANKA) simulation unit on Sept. 20, 2018 at the Istanbul's new international airport, during the Teknofest aviation, space and technology fair.

US voices concern after Tunisia's Saied disbands judicial watchdog

Tunisia court

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World Bank gives Palestinian Authority new grant to fight COVID-19

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Iran talks to resume Tuesday as negotiations enter final phase

ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY JENNY VAUGHAN - Ethiopian immigrants returning from Saudi Arabia arrive at Addis Ababas Bole International Airport on December 10, 2013. Ethiopia has repatriated over 120,000 in the last month the largest human airlift in recent history after a seven-month amnesty period for undocumented Ethiopians expired last month, on December 10, 2013. At least 150,000 in total are expected, though numbers continue to swell daily. Ethiopia said three of its citizens died in clashes with police

Migrants allege abuse, degrading conditions in Saudi deportation center

A new report from Human Rights Watch describes squalid conditions at a facility detaining mostly Ethiopian migrants in Riyadh.

A picture taken on June 5, 2017 shows a man walking past the Qatar National Bank (QNB) branch in the Saudi capital Riyadh, following a severing of relations between major gulf states and gas-rich Qatar. - Arab nations including Saudi Arabia and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting extremism, in the biggest diplomatic crisis to hit the region in years. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Second US lawsuit hits Qatar National Bank over terrorist finances

A new lawsuit filed in the United States naming institutions tied to Qatar's royal family is seeking damages for victims of terrorist attacks in Israel

Doha named 2030 Asian Games host, Riyadh gets 2034

Gulf rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia were both vying for 2030 hosting rights.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 15: Special adviser to the president Jared Kushner (L) and Ivanka Trump arrive to the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. Witnessed by President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu signed a peace deal with the UAE and a declaration of intent to make peace with Bahrain. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

White House's Kushner to visit Israel, Morocco following normalization agreement

Senior Trump administration adviser Jared Kushner will lead a US and Israeli delegation to Morocco next week.

Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi gives a press conference on November 3, 2020 in Tunis, after his meeting with several economic experts. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP) (Photo by FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel-Tunisia normalization ‘not on the agenda,’ Tunisian PM says

Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi said that he respects Morocco's choice to recognize the Jewish state but that Tunisia is not considering doing the same.

A woman stands in front of a makeshift memorial at the Boryspil airport outside Kiev, on January 11, 2020, as she pays tribute for the victims of the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 that crashed near the Iranian capital Teheran. - Ukraine demanded on January 11, 2020 that Iran punishes those guilty for the downing of a Ukrainian airliner and compensate victims while praising Tehran for cooperating with the "objective" investigation. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AF

Iran not forthcoming on investigation into downed airliner, Canada’s government says

Iranian officials have accused Canada of exploiting the incident for political purposes.

TOPSHOT - A worker of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA waves an Iranian flag as the Iranian-flagged oil tanker Fortune docks at the El Palito refinery in Puerto Cabello, in the northern state of Carabobo, Venezuela, on May 25, 2020. - The first of five Iranian tankers carrying much-needed gasoline and oil derivatives docked in Venezuela on Monday, Caracas announced amid concern in Washington over the burgeoning relationship between countries it sees as international pariahs. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo

Iran using disguised ship to load Venezuelan oil

The tanker reportedly hid its real name. The United States sanctions the oil industries of both Iran and Venezuela.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani delivers a speech during the inaugural session of the new parliament following February elections, in Tehran on May 27, 2020. - The 11th legislature since the Islamic revolution of 1979 opened as the country's economy, which has been hard hit by the novel coronavirus, gradually returns to normal. Rouhani, who is in the final year of his second and final term, called on MPs, collectively and individually, to place the "national interest above special interests", "party intere

Iran’s Rouhani dismisses outcry over journalist’s execution

Iran hanged journalist and blogger Ruhollah Zam on Saturday after a court found him guilty of "corruption on earth."

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: The U.S. Department of State is seen on January 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Tensions are high in the middle-east after a U.S. air strike in Iraq killed Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian military leader. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

US designates Bahraini terror group linked to Iran

The outgoing US administration is continuing to pressure Iran and its allies in its final weeks in office.

Turkey arrests 11 over abduction of Iranian dissident

Turkish intelligence believe Habib Chaab was lured to Istanbul and abducted by a group working on behalf of Iran.

This picture taken on December 11, 2019, shows a Saudi security boat patrolling by an oil tanker at the port of Ras al-Khair, about 185 kilometres north of Dammam in Saudi Arabia's eastern province overlooking the Gulf. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Fuel tanker in Saudi Arabia hit by explosion

The incident follows other recent attacks on the country's oil industry from the Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.

Members of the Iraqi-Kurdish Peshmerga forces attend a handover and US military and logistic assistance distribution ceremony to the Peshmerga Ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the Arbil the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq on November 10, 2020. (Photo by SAFIN HAMED / AFP) (Photo by SAFIN HAMED/AFP via Getty Images)

One reported dead in fight between Kurdish groups in Iraq

A peshmerga soldier in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq reportedly died during a fight with the PKK on Sunday amid tensions between the two groups as well as with Turkey.