Coca-Cola formally has opened its first factory in the Gaza Strip, the company announced Wednesday, in a move that could create hundreds of jobs in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave.

As part of the UK’s ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs, British Ambassador Hugo Shorter returned to the Bekaa to inaugurate four additional UK funded projects under the Lebanon Host Communities Support Program, a close partnership between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the United Nations Development Program, a press release said Thursday.

Oil prices resumed their rise Thursday and held above the $50 barrier following OPEC's decision to carry out its first output cut in eight years.

The OPEC oil cartel defied expectations Wednesday and nailed down its first joint output cut since 2008 after tough talks in Vienna, sending oil prices soaring.

In late London trade Brent North Sea crude for January delivery was up $3.98 at $50.36, the first time it rose above $50 in a month. West Texas Intermediate was up $4.53 at $49.76.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump picked an investor with such a history of investing in dying industries that he was known as the "King of Bankruptcy" to head the Commerce Department.

Wilbur Ross, a billionaire known for taking over ailing steel and coal companies and selling them for profit, will help handle trade disputes with countries like China, including complaints about the dumping of cheap metals into the U.S. market.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister said Wednesday that an "optimistic" sentiment prevailed at an OPEC meeting meant to agree the cartel's first oil output cut in eight years.

"We don't know (if a deal will be reached)," Khaled al-Falih told reporters in Vienna as the talks started. "We will find out during the meeting. I think the sentiment generally is optimistic and positive."

Eurozone inflation rose to a two-and-half year high in November as Europe moved further away from the low consumer prices that have put a fragile economic recovery under threat.

The Eurostat statistics agency on Wednesday said consumer prices in the 19-country currency bloc rose by 0.6 percent this month, the first time it has hit that level since April 2014.

Six months after the launch of Génération Orient the cultural project, a partnership between SGBL and L'Orient-le Jour, the closing of the first season and the awards ceremony took place at the O1NE in the presence of the artists and a large audience. Painter Hala Ezzedine was handed the 1st prize from SGBL's Deputy CEO Philippe Dubois; dancer Ali Chahrour received the 2nd prize while the 3rd prize was finally attributed to designer Marc Dibeh.

With « Génération Orient », both SGBL, a partner of ‪‎Culture and Youth, and l’Orient-Le Jour, the daily newspaper of reference, are catalysts of young artistic talents, highlighting every month their ‪art and their passion.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Thus, during 6 months, we had the chance to know and assess the story and the path of six young artists in various fields: Mir Jean Bou Chaaya (movies), Rayya Morcos (fashion), Hala Ezzedine (painting), Ali Chahrour (dance), Marc Dibeh (design) et Blu Fiefer (music). The winners were then selected with 50% on facebook and 50% by a jury of experts as well as representatives from both OLJ and SGBL.

OPEC sought Wednesday to defy expectations and finalise a deal reducing its oil output for the first time in eight years, in an effort to boost painfully low crude prices.

"As I told you yesterday everyone is working very hard," said Emirati Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei before the start of talks. "I think we are looking at a very positive meeting and hopefully we will tell you the good news when we finish."

At first glance, Mashvisor is just one of thousands of websites specialising in US real estate.

But it has a unique feature, undetectable to customers: its designers created it in the West Bank and it is run from the Israel-occupied Palestinian territory.