Qatar banking assets see 1.2% rise

RIYADH: A surge in domestic investment and credit led Qatar's bank assets to see monthly growth of 1.2 percent in June, to reach 1.99 trillion Qatari riyals ($546.4 billion). According to QNB Financial Services, this growth contributed to a 1.5 percent increase in banking sector assets in 2024, compared to 1.96 trillion riyals recorded in … Read more

China urges citizens to take ‘caution’ in Lebanon travel

BEIJING: China's embassy in Beirut urged citizens to “travel with caution” if visiting Lebanon, warning they face “higher security risks” as fears of a regional conflict rise. In a statement issued on Monday evening Beijing time, the embassy warned citizens that the situation in the country was “serious and complex”. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs … Read more

Farmers innovate to save Iraq’s rice production

NAJAF, Iraq: After seeing his once-lush rice fields shrink in recent years due to relentless drought, Iraqi farmer Muntazer Al-Joufi fought back with tougher seeds and water-saving irrigation techniques. “It's the first time we're using modern techniques that use less water” to grow rice, Joufi, 40, said as he surveyed his land in the central … Read more