Israel is considered to be a world leader when it comes to solar energy, agricultural technology and desalination. The country has now set an ambitious goal for its climate initiatives ahead of the UN's climate conference.

New Israel minister lays out government's climate agenda ahead of UN Conference

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

Tension is running high between the United States and Iran over Tehran's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-to-announce-more-cuts-to-nuclear-deal-commitments-on-sunday-report-233659"> nuclear programme</a> and Washington has blamed Iranian forces for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf region, a charge Tehran denies.

The two nations came close to conflict last month when Iran shot down a US drone, prompting Washington to order retaliatory airstrikes which was called off at the last minute.

Zarif will attend a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York and would then travel to Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, the report added quoting IRNA.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in June that Washington would impose sanctions on top Iranian officials, including Zarif, a step that could have impeded any diplomatic efforts to resolve their disagreements.

But two sources familiar with the matter told on Thursday the United States had decided not to impose sanctions on Zarif for now, in a sign that Washington might be holding a door open for diplomacy.

President Donald Trump withdrew the United States last year from a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/be-careful-iran-threats-will-come-back-to-bite-you-warns-trump-232882">2015 accord</a> between Iran and world powers that had aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.

Washington has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran since then, driving Iranian oil exports sharply lower.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran. Tension is running high between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme and Washington has blamed Iranian forces for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf region, a charge Tehran denies. The two nations came close to conflict last month when Iran shot down a US drone, prompting Washington to order retaliatory airstrikes which was called off at the last minute. Zarif will attend a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York and would then travel to Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, the report added quoting IRNA. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in June that Washington would impose sanctions on top Iranian officials, including Zarif, a step that could have impeded any diplomatic efforts to resolve their disagreements. But two sources familiar with the matter told on Thursday the United States had decided not to impose sanctions on Zarif for now, in a sign that Washington might be holding a door open for diplomacy. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States last year from a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers that had aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear programme. Washington has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran since then, driving Iranian oil exports sharply lower.

Iranian foreign minister heads to New York for UN conference amid soaring tension with US: Report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-president-ashraf-ghani-makes-investment-pitch-at-un-conference-179818">Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani </a>has formed a 12-strong negotiating team to seek a peace agreement that would include the Taliban in a democratic and inclusive society that respects the rights of women, he told a UN conference on Wednesday.

"I'm pleased to announce today that after several months of intensive consultation with our citizens across the country, we have formulated a roadmap for peace negotiations," Ghani said.

"We have formed the required bodies and mechanisms to pursue a peace agreement. We are now moving ahead into the next chapter of the peace process."

Ghani made an investment pitch at a UN conference on Tuesday, describing the business opportunities and challenges in a country where millions are displaced or close to starvation.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has formed a 12-strong negotiating team to seek a peace agreement that would include the Taliban in a democratic and inclusive society that respects the rights of women, he told a UN conference on Wednesday.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has formed a 12-strong negotiating team to seek a peace agreement that would include the Taliban in a democratic and inclusive society that respects the rights of women, he told a UN conference on Wednesday. "I'm pleased to announce today that after several months of intensive consultation with our citizens across the country, we have formulated a roadmap for peace negotiations," Ghani said. "We have formed the required bodies and mechanisms to pursue a peace agreement. We are now moving ahead into the next chapter of the peace process." Ghani made an investment pitch at a UN conference on Tuesday, describing the business opportunities and challenges in a country where millions are displaced or close to starvation.

Afghan president forms team to negotiate peace with Taliban

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani made an investment pitch at a UN&nbsp;conference on Tuesday, describing the business opportunities and challenges in a country where millions are displaced or close to starvation.

The two-day conference, jointly hosted by the Afghan government and the United Nations, will evaluate whether strategies and aid are helping to resolve the quagmire created by Afghanistan's 17-year war, clearing the way for the withdrawal of foreign troops.

"It's a different Afghanistan. We're open for business, I hope you're open for partnership," Ghani said, setting out a vision that would enable growth of "nine per cent and in double digits".

Afghanistan needed to focus on "market building", with individual entrepreneurs forming creditworthy companies that could build value chains to take advantage of available trade preferences.

"The main problem of the market is the firm," he said. "What we require is a national strategy of competition."

He said Afghanistan needed help with the renewables revolution to exploit its "amazing potential of 220,000 megaWatts of solar and 80,000 megaWatts of wind".

"We need to make a jump in energy, the way we took a jump in telecoms, going directly to mobiles instead of (land)lines," Ghani said.

The country also had $1 trillion in natural resources, and new mining and hydrocarbon laws have finally created the stable policy environment needed for investment, he said.

In a stark reminder of security challenges, three U.S. service members were killed and three wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated on Tuesday near the central Afghan city of Ghazni, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement. The Taliban, who control large parts of Ghazni province, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Presidential Banking and Finance Adviser Ajmal Ahmady said laws passed in the last year had made it easier to start, invest in and close a business, and the next focus would be on making it easier to operate a business.

"We feel we’re finally ready to move from potential to production in our natural resources sector," Ahmady said.

The government has ended its monopoly in telecoms and planned to do the same in land development and other sectors this year and next, he said.

Afghanistan's location would also be "solid gold" in the next 50 years, at the crossroads of south, central and west Asia, a potential market of 4 billion people, Ghani said.

However, Afghanistan has the wrong education system to take advantage of the opportunities, and entrepreneurs could not get started because they lacked access to credit.

"Monetary policy is killing us," Ghani said. "In this environment entrepreneurial energy cannot be individual, it needs to become collective and supported."

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani made an investment pitch at a UN conference on Tuesday, describing the business opportunities and challenges in a country where millions are displaced or close to starvation.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani made an investment pitch at a UN conference on Tuesday, describing the business opportunities and challenges in a country where millions are displaced or close to starvation. The two-day conference, jointly hosted by the Afghan government and the United Nations, will evaluate whether strategies and aid are helping to resolve the quagmire created by Afghanistan's 17-year war, clearing the way for the withdrawal of foreign troops. "It's a different Afghanistan. We're open for business, I hope you're open for partnership," Ghani said, setting out a vision that would enable growth of "nine per cent and in double digits". Afghanistan needed to focus on "market building", with individual entrepreneurs forming creditworthy companies that could build value chains to take advantage of available trade preferences. "The main problem of the market is the firm," he said. "What we require is a national strategy of competition." He said Afghanistan needed help with the renewables revolution to exploit its "amazing potential of 220,000 megaWatts of solar and 80,000 megaWatts of wind". "We need to make a jump in energy, the way we took a jump in telecoms, going directly to mobiles instead of (land)lines," Ghani said. The country also had $1 trillion in natural resources, and new mining and hydrocarbon laws have finally created the stable policy environment needed for investment, he said. In a stark reminder of security challenges, three U.S. service members were killed and three wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated on Tuesday near the central Afghan city of Ghazni, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement. The Taliban, who control large parts of Ghazni province, claimed responsibility for the attack. Presidential Banking and Finance Adviser Ajmal Ahmady said laws passed in the last year had made it easier to start, invest in and close a business, and the next focus would be on making it easier to operate a business. "We feel we’re finally ready to move from potential to production in our natural resources sector," Ahmady said. The government has ended its monopoly in telecoms and planned to do the same in land development and other sectors this year and next, he said. Afghanistan's location would also be "solid gold" in the next 50 years, at the crossroads of south, central and west Asia, a potential market of 4 billion people, Ghani said. However, Afghanistan has the wrong education system to take advantage of the opportunities, and entrepreneurs could not get started because they lacked access to credit. "Monetary policy is killing us," Ghani said. "In this environment entrepreneurial energy cannot be individual, it needs to become collective and supported."

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani makes investment pitch at UN conference

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New Israel minister lays out government's climate agenda ahead of UN Conference

Iranian foreign minister heads to New York for UN conference amid soaring tension with US: Report

Afghan president forms team to negotiate peace with Taliban

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani makes investment pitch at UN conference