Rabat, Feb 19 (IANS/MAP) The 24th Casablanca's International Book Fair has closed with a record attendance of 520,000 visitors, an increase of about 50.72 oer cent compared to the previous year.


520K people visited Morocco's international book fair


IANS Automatic

The Indian and Indonesian armies on Monday began the sixth edition of their annual military exercises in the West Java province of the archipelago country.


India, Indonesia joint military drill begins in Bandung


India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday called on Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud at the royal palace here.


Jaitley meets Saudi King Salman


Hamas blamed on Sunday both the US and the Israeli administrations for Gaza's escalating humanitarian crisis.


Hamas blames Israel, US for escalating Gaza crisis


Calling Iran the "greatest threat to our world", Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will act against it "if necessary", media reported.


Don't test us: Netanyahu threatens to act against Iran


The British and the US governments have signed a $365 million bilateral deal to ensure the Royal Air Force fleet of heavy aircraft transporters continue to fly, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced on Saturday.


Deal with US to keep RAF's 'flying warehouses' airborne


India and Iran on Saturday signed nine agreements, including on connectivity and double taxation avoidance, following delegation-level talks led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani here.


India, Iran sign connectivity, double taxation avoidance agreements


Enforcement of the double taxation avoidance agreement and extension of preferential tariff would give a fillip to trade and investment between Iran and India , Masoud Karbasian, Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, Iran said here on Saturday.


Double taxation avoidance agreement to give fillip to India, Iran trade


The European Union's delegation to India on Friday held a hackathon challenge for Indian developers at the  Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here to develop smart city applications (apps).


EU holds hackathon for smart city apps in Bengaluru


Rome, Feb 16 (IANS/AKI) The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development and Sudan signed a $47.5 million dollar accord aimed at boosting farmers' incomes and resilience to climate change in four of the African country's states, IFAD said on Friday.


IFAD, Sudan invest $47.5m to help farmers


Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the annual Munich Security Conference (MSC), has warned against the risk of a military confrontation between the US and Russia on Friday.


Munich Security Conference chief warns of US-Russian confrontation


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that despite scepticism, India is on the path of reducing emission by 20 to 25 per cent over 2005 levels by 2020.


India on track to reduce emissions: Modi


There is a proposal to put Pakistan in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body combating money laundering and terror financing among other things, in its upcoming meeting, a senior official said here on Friday


Pakistan likely to be put in FATF grey list


The government on Friday sought to distance itself from a controversial group photograph featuring absconding businessman Nirav Modi along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some Indian CEOs at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month.


It was 'impromptu', says MEA of Davos photo featuring Nirav Modi


Two days after the $1.8 bn fraud in Punjab National Bank (PNB) broke out, the government on Friday suspended passports of Nirav Modi and Mehul Chinubhai Choksi for four weeks.


Government suspends Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi's passports


The CBI has sought Interpol's help in tracking down billionaire diamond trader Nirav Modi, who has been accused of a multi-crore rupee banking fraud and is reported to have fled the country.


CBI seeks Interpol help to track down Nirav Modi


Brussels, Feb 15 (IANS/AKI) Italy's Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti met her Turkish counterpart Nurettin Canikli here on Thursday amid a bilateral row over the blockade by warships in the Mediterranean of a drill ship owned by Italian energy giant Eni.


Italian, Turkish Defence Ministers meet amid military blockade dispute


Rome, Feb 15 (IANS/AKI) Italy's Foreign Ministry and its foreign trade institute Ice have developed a new project to aimed at supporting the internationalisation of firms, especially small-to-medium-sized companies that want to bid for international projects.


Italy unveils new economic diplomacy project to help companies


Rome, Feb 15 (IANS/AKI) Italy will not send police officers to Syria "as long as the political and military situation remains uncertain", Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti has said.


No Italian police deployed to Syria amid 'uncertainty'


The Odisha government on Thursday invited European nations to be partner countries in Make in Odisha Conclave to be held in November this year.


Odisha invites European nations to partner in Make in Odisha Conclave


Rome, Feb 15 (IANS/AKI) Italy needs to redistribute the troops it deploys world conflict zones and wants military support from other countries for its contingent in western Afghanistan, Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said on Wednesday.

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