Iran's non-oil exports surged 29 percent to nearly $44 billion in the year to mid-March despite tough Western sanctions to rein in Tehran's disputed nuclear drive, according to officials and data.

Overall exports excluding crude oil hit $48 billion, Kiumars Fathollah Kermanshahi, a deputy head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization, told the official IRNA news agency.

Chrysler is recalling about 1,700 small Jeeps because faulty gas tank valves can cause fires.

The recall affects some 2012 all-wheel-drive Jeep Compass and Patriot SUVs.

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. began work on a $100 million technology center in Shanghai, focusing on alternative energy and new materials for the construction and auto sectors.

SABIC's CEO Mohammed Al-Mady said Friday the center would focus on helping design and create next generation alternative energy vehicles.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics Friday estimated first-quarter operating profit at 5.8 trillion won ($5.14 billion), a 97 percent rise from a year earlier.

The world's largest technology firm by revenue was releasing earnings guidance for January-March before its official results.

The last Boeing 747 passenger service operated by Singapore Airlines took off Friday for a commemorative farewell return trip to Hong Kong, the Agence France Presse reported Friday.

Flight SQ747, carrying more than 350 passengers, was due to touch down in Singapore at 7:30 pm (1130 GMT).

Iraq approved a request from Kuwait's Jazeera Airways to operate services to Baghdad and Najaf, more than 20 years after direct flights between the neighbors were halted, officials said Thursday.

"We agreed yesterday to the request of the Kuwaiti Jazeera Airways company to (begin) flights from Kuwait to Iraq," said Nasser Hussein Bandar, the head of Iraq's civil aviation authority.

Iraq resumed pumping oil via a pipeline through Turkey after a fire resulting from an "act of sabotage" was brought under control, the Iraqi oil ministry said on Thursday.

"The pumping of oil was resumed at mid-day (0900 GMT) at the same rate after the fire was brought under control," ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told Agence France Presse.

The fallen Franco-Belgian bank Dexia finalized the sale of a 90 percent stake in its Luxembourg unit to a Qatari investment fund, the bank said Thursday.

"Precision Capital, a Qatari investment group, will acquire 90 percent of Dexia's stake in Banque Internationale Luxembourg," Dexia said in a statement, adding that the state of Luxembourg will acquire the remaining 10 percent as part of the deal.

Oil recovered in Asian trade Thursday after sharp losses in New York triggered by a larger-than-expected jump in US crude stocks, analysts said.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in May, gained 78 cents to $102.25 per barrel in the afternoon while Brent North Sea crude for May rose $1.04 to $123.38.

Fuel began arriving in Gaza on Wednesday as per a new deal between the territory's Hamas government and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, an official said.

"Tanks of fuel holding 45,000 liters each entered through the Kerem Shalom crossing this morning," Raed Futuh, the coordinator on the Palestinian side of the crossing, told Agence France Presse.