The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has generated an unprecedented level of spending, with more than $21 trillion committed to fighting the coronavirus so far, much of it falling under emergency measures that bypass bureaucratic hurdles and expedite the flow of funds. The speed and scale of this spending …

At the end of this week, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield will be in Tokyo, leading the U.S. delegation at the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics. At first glance, Olympic sports and U.N. committee meetings may not seem to have much in common. But the …

Iran’s hard-line foreign minister said Tehran will only pursue talks that bear tangible outcomes. Iran’s newly appointed foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said his country will not accept protraction in talks with the United States over the revival of the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of …

Iranian officials say talks with Riyadh counterparts will resume in Baghdad soon. Iran will soon resume talks with regional rival Saudi Arabia, Iranian officials said, marking an expected fourth round of negotiations to be held in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said last night he spoke about …

The military exercise was the first since President Ebrahim Raisi took office. Iran tested a domestically made missile system on Tuesday. The Mersad 16 anti-aircraft system was fully developed in Iran. Tehran says it can identify targets at any altitude and transmit data to a command center for their destruction. …

Hundreds of international observers are gearing up for the legislative elections in Iraq on Oct. 10 in an attempt to help Iraqis conduct transparent and fair elections. With Iraq’s general elections quickly approaching in October, the country has invited international observers to ensure transparency and trust in the vote. Judge …

Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush said the Dec. 24 elections could be postponed if lawmakers fail to agree on the electoral law. Libya’s foreign minister hinted on Tuesday at the possibility that nationwide elections scheduled for the end of the year could be postponed if lawmakers in the North African country …

Former Iraqi interpreters already hunted because of their faith say the rush to rescue wartime allies from Taliban-run Afghanistan should serve as a cautionary tale. After the hurried evacuation from Afghanistan left behind countless at-risk allies, former Yazidi interpreters who worked with the US military in Iraq are begging for …

Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani helped facilitate a recent phone call between Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) de facto ruler Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nayhan have spoken on the …

LUKOIL said Tuesday it has produced the 2-billionth tonne of oil since the beginning of commercial development of West Siberian fields. This milestone event took place on the cusp of the Company’s 30th anniversary. The first billionth tonne of oil was produced in the region in 1999. Nowadays, LUKOIL operates …