Israel's top diplomat in Dubai has said he is hopeful a deal to ship Emirati oil will clear environmental hurdles as trade booms after the groundbreaking opening of ties.

Ilan Sztulman Starosta, who heads Israel's first consulate in the UAE economic hub, told AFP that trade between the two countries would "easily" surpass $1 billion within a year if the Covid pandemic abates.

Israel on Wednesday approved a series of measures easing its blockade of the Gaza Strip, including opening the main commercial crossing with the Palestinian enclave to imports.

The announcement came a day after Israeli officials allowed the import of crucial construction material needed for the Gaza Strip's rebuilding following the recent conflict in May. Tensions have run high in recent weeks as Hamas activists have launched incendiary balloons into Israel, sparking a number of wildfires across the border, and staged a series of sometimes violent demonstrations along the border fence with Israel.

Hugely popular online games and celebrity culture in China are the latest targets in the ruling Communist Party's campaign to encourage the public to fall in line with its vision for a powerful, more wholesome country.

The message? Play less, study and work more.

Google said Tuesday that it is investing 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) by 2030 to expand its cloud computing infrastructure in Germany and to increase the use of renewable energy.

The internet giant said it plans to add new cloud computing centers in the Berlin region and in the town of Hanau, close to the DE-CIX data exchange in Frankfurt.

Ukraine's leader is traveling to the United States this week in hopes of bolstering security ties with Washington and persuading the administration to ramp up sanctions against a new Russian natural gas pipeline that bypasses his country.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called Washington's failure to block the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany a grave political error, and he is expected to again raise the issue during his talks Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden.

Roula Mrad wanted to give her children a head start in life with a private education, but Lebanon's economic crisis is forcing her to move them to the substandard state system.

Global shares were higher Monday, as investors interpreted comments from the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve as signaling low interest rates were here to stay for some time.

France's CAC 40 rose less than 0.1% in early trading to 6,684.18, while Germany's DAX edged up 0.1% to 15,870.46. Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.3% to 7,148.01. U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up nearly 0.1% at 35,420.00. S&P 500 futures gained 0.1% to 4,508.75.

Universal Studios announced Monday that its first theme park in China will open in the country's capital in September.

The company set the opening date for Sept. 20, according to a statement and video posted on the Chinese social media site WeChat.

Russia on Monday called on the United States to release Afghan central bank reserves that Washington blocked after the Taliban's takeover of Kabul earlier this month.

Some 2 million French workers in restaurants and other service jobs must now show a health pass to go to work, as part of government virus-fighting efforts.

The public is already required to show the pass to go to French restaurants, tourist sites and many other public venues.