WORLD

Berlin, Germany | Xinhua | FIFA president Gianni Infantino clarified at the 72nd FIFA Congress in Doha, Qatar on Thursday that FIFA has not proposed a biannual World Cup and it needs more time to discuss. Speaking about the speculations on the biannual World Cup, Infantino said the world football governing …

Dubai, UAE | Xinhua | The Expo 2020 Dubai, the first world expo held in the Middle East, closed on Thursday with tens of thousands of visitors attending its official closing ceremony. The ceremony was held at the iconic dome-structured Al Wasl Plaza, the central stage of the Expo’s site, with …

Tehran, Iran | Xinhua | Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Thursday that his country has not withdrawn from the negotiation table in Vienna and will continue the talks on the restoration of the 2015 nuclear deal. “Negotiations are pursued with vigor and dignity, and we have not left the negotiating table,” …

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | The Russian Foreign Ministry announced Thursday that “the top leadership” of the European Union (EU) has been barred from entering Russia in response to Brussels’ massive sanctions. The restrictions apply to a number of European commissioners, heads of EU military structures, and the vast majority of …

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday on new rules of natural gas trade with “unfriendly” countries and regions, vowing to halt existing contracts if these buyers refuse to pay in rubles. “Today I signed a decree … To purchase Russian natural gas, they …

Tehran, Iran | Xinhua | The commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has called on some Gulf states to halt the continuation of normalization relations with Israel, saying that it would endanger the security of the region, Press TV reported on Thursday. The establishment of political and security relations …

New York, U.S. | Xinhua | Oil prices dropped on Thursday as the United States announced a record release from the nation’s crude reserves. The West Texas Intermediate for May delivery lost 7.54 U.S. dollars, or 7 percent, to settle at 100.28 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. …

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | A Russian parliamentary commission held its first meeting on Thursday, announcing the establishment of four working groups to investigate U.S.-controlled biological laboratories in Ukraine. The commission heard information from the Russian Defense Ministry on the investigation into biological research by American specialists in Ukraine, the Russian …

Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is likely to keep evolving as transmission continues globally, but its severity will reduce due to immunity acquired by vaccination and infection, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. Speaking at an online briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros …

OFAC sanctioned an Iran-based agent & his network of companies that procured ballistic missile materials for the IRGC Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on an Iran-based person and his network of companies that Washington accused of facilitating Iran in its effort to get materials …