BELGRADE/ZURICH - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says he has decided in favour of early elections for several reasons, including a need to have a legitimate government and people with legitimacy. In an interview for the Swiss Weltwoche weekly, Vucic said that, during last year's protests in the»»»

After two days of debate and voting, Parliament adopted the 2026 State Budget Act at second reading on Friday, approving a budget framework with a projected deficit of 5.7%. The bill was passed by a vote of 125 to 84, with no abstentions, following more than five hours of voting and over 12 hours o»»»

London: Enzo Maresca said Friday it is a "privilege" to follow Pep Guardiola as manager of Manchester City. Former Chelsea and Leicester boss Maresca was named as Guardiola's successor after the Catalan stepped down at the end of last season, having won 20 trophies during a superbly successful 10-y»»»

Germany is paying five times as much for imported gas as it did before abandoning its long-term Russian supply contracts as part of the EU sanctions, Berliner Zeitung has reported. Berlin now has to rely on the volatile international energy market, which is reeling from the de facto closure of the »»»

Dubai: Etihad Rail, UAE’s first national passenger rail service officially began operations on June 30, 2026, with the launch of the Abu Dhabi–Fujairah route, marking a major milestone in the country’s transport network. The inaugural service connects Mohammed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi with Fujai»»»

The 2026 State Budget takes Bulgaria back to the GERB era, Vazrazhdane MP Tsoncho Ganev told reporters on Friday after Parliament gave the budget final approval. Ganev said the budget froze all social benefits and shifted the main burden of what he called financial stability onto pensioners, mother»»»

FARNBOROUGH, UK: As Europe ramps up its rearmament drive, US aerospace giant Boeing is seeking a foothold in the emerging market for autonomous fighter aircraft, showcasing its capabilities at the Farnborough airshow this week. Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat is an uncrewed aircraft, developed with the Ro»»»

IRBIL, Iraq: Drones carrying explosives targeted a city in northern Iraq on Friday where US forces are stationed. The attack took place hours after the American military said it finished its 13th night of strikes against Iran. The conflict has flared again over the past week, as the US pounded Iran»»»

Bulgaria's National Assembly gave final approval to the 2026 state budget on Friday, ending a monthlong legislative process that opened with a record 5.7% deficit and closed with the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party abolishing the automatic wage and minimum-wage formulas that have driven public sp»»»

1 of 2 | The Gordie Howe International Bridge is scheduled to open on Monday. Canada is having a scaled-down opening ceremony on Friday. Photo by Gordie Howe International Bridge July 24 (UPI) -- The new Gordie Howe Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Detroit is set to open to traffic Mond»»»

The vote on Bulgaria's 2026 state budget, which was adopted by the National Assembly conclusively on Friday, showed that there is no pilot in the cockpit, Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Martin Dimitrov told reporters. "There is no pilot, no governing programme and no plan for reforms. This leaves Bulg»»»

Sweden said that it plans to ban so-called “forever chemicals”, technically known as PFAS, in consumer products such as clothing and kitchenware from 2028. “Sweden has no intention of standing by while ‘forever chemicals’ continue to spread in our homes, in nature and in our bodies,” environment an»»»

In Japan, many people see Marine Day as a chance to get away. Families go to the beach. Office workers take a real break. Trains are crowded with people hoping to escape the summer heat, even if just for a little while. But Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi used the day to catch up on something differe»»»

It has now been made official that the Groupama Arena will host a prestigious international pre-season fixture this summer, as Ferencváros welcome Real Madrid to Budapest on Saturday, 8 August. The encounter will form part of the Spanish giants’ Austrian training programme and is set to rank among »»»

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday called for dialogue and de-escalation to end the renewed conflict between the United States and Iran, telling his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Washington and Tehran should build on the Islamabad Memorandum of Under»»»

Bulgaria is not a target and will not become one, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on Friday at a news briefing after meeting mayors from the southeastern region of Yambol to discuss the upcoming deployment of US aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. Asked where the aircraft would be»»»

Parliament on Friday voted 144-8, with one abstention, to terminate Plamen Tonchev's mandate as chair of the Committee for Disclosing the Documents and Announcing Affiliation of Bulgarian Citizens to State Security and to the Intelligence Services of the Bulgarian National Army (informally known as»»»

Dubai: Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, is planning to open an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), marking its return to Dubai six years after relocating its regional base to Abu Dhabi, according to Reuters, citing two people familiar with the matter»»»

LONDON: Politicians in Ireland have insisted that the government send observers to Germany ahead of the trial of an Irish citizen detained over an incident at an Israeli-owned arms factory. Daniel Tatlow-Devally is one of five pro-Palestine activists who entered the facility owned by Elbit Systems »»»

LONDON: Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty Friday to affray over an altercation in a London nightclub in a fight that injured a music producer. Brown, 37, made the change of plea during a hearing at London’s Southwark Crown Court. He had previously denied more serious charges over wha»»»

Dubai: Dubai has recorded the fastest climb in the global rankings of cities attracting wealthy individuals, with the emirate now home to 81,200 millionaires, including 237 centi-millionaires, people with investable wealth exceeding $100 million, and 20 billionaires, according to the Henley & Partn»»»

A road in Lege-Cap-Ferret in southwestern France is engulfed by an inferno late Thursday as a huge wildfire threatens the Cap Feret Peninsula, prompting authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers. Photo by Damien Rembert/Gironde Department Fire and Rescue Service/EPA J»»»

The Israeli military shot and killed four Palestinians in the village of Tell in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Friday, raising tensions in the occupied territory after an Israeli settler was killed in a confrontation with local residents. Two other Israelis and four m»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a forceful response Friday after a clash in the West Bank killed an Israeli and four Palestinians, while the military announced preparations for a new operation in the occupied area. Violence in the West Bank has surged since the Gaza war began with H»»»

July 24, 2026, marks the 243rd anniversary of the birth of Simón Bolívar, the great liberator of Latin America and a man whose name became a symbol of the continent’s struggle for independence and unity. He was born in Caracas in 1783 into a wealthy Creole aristocratic family. His background seemed»»»

Minister of Defence Dimitar told reporters here on Friday that he sent letters to both his Polish and Hungarian counterparts to inquire what Poland and Hungary intend to do with their MiG-29 aircraft and whether Bulgaria can obtain spare parts from them. Once Stoyanov receives a reply, his Ministry»»»

Moscow: Ukraine has hit the warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries -- Moscow's equivalent of Amazon -- at least three times in a week, killing several employees, causing fires and business losses. Kyiv accuses the e-commerce giant -- which employs thousands of people and has bec»»»

July 23 (UPI) -- A South Carolina zoo revealed the animal whose escape prompted the facility to remain closed Thursday was an Amur leopard. The Greenville Zoo said on social media that Irina, a 4-year-old Amur leopard, left her enclosure Thursday morning and was loose within the zoo grounds. The le»»»

July 23 (UPI) -- A pink stuffed donkey found on a British Columbia ferry is back with its 5-year-old owner after taking an adventure chronicled on social media. BC Ferries posted photos of the toy to social media after it was found aboard the Salish Raven ferry following a trip between Victoria and»»»

Dubai: Gulf News is mourning the passing of former colleague Patrick Gayong Masahud, a respected newsroom professional whose dedication and commitment helped shape the organisation's transition from print to digital over more than three decades. Patrick passed away on July 19 after a courageous bat»»»

Swiss prosecutors have requested a life sentence for a right-wing politician who backed multiple child-protection bills and now faces charges including drugging and raping a minor. Patrick Frei, formerly of the Swiss People’s Party, allegedly sedated a woman and her daughter, who was underage at th»»»

President Joseph Aoun called Friday on the European Union to support the implementation of a framework agreement reached in late June with Israel. Aoun said Lebanon is committed to the path of reforms, despite being under Israeli attacks since October 2023, when Hezbollah joined the Gaza war in sup»»»

Six candidates vying to become the next UN secretary-general presented their visions for the organisation on Thursday, as the United Nations faces a financial and confidence crisis ahead of a selection process that will determine its leadership from January 2027. France 24 International affairs edi»»»

AL-AHSA: Al-Ahsa Governorate is renowned for the rich diversity of its summer produce. During this season, local markets come alive with an abundant supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, attracting growing demand from across the Eastern Province and neighboring countries, particularly for Al-Ahsa »»»

Bozhidar Bozhanov, a lawmaker from Democratic Bulgaria, claimed the United States pressured Bulgaria into accepting the deployment of American tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base, arguing that the country risked fuel shortages if it refused. Speaking to bTV, Bozhanov said, "Everyone knows this was n»»»

Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the planned deployment of US military tanker aircraft at Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base has been delayed and is now expected to begin next week rather than as originally scheduled. Stoyanov made the announcement after meeting with mayors from municipalities in the»»»

Dubai: A Kuwaiti court has sentenced a Kuwaiti national to life imprisonment after overturning an earlier 10-year jail term in a case involving espionage for Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah. The State Security Court of Appeal found the defendant guilty of seeking to cooperate with foreign ent»»»

Fujairah: As part of following up on the nomination file for Wadi Wurayah to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the UAE delegation, including the Ministry of Culture and the Government of Fujairah, is participating in the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Natio»»»

Dubai: PRYPCO MINT, the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)-licensed platform for tokenised real estate, has cut its minimum investment requirement from Dh2,000 to Dh1,000, lowering the entry threshold for investors seeking exposure to Dubai's digital property market. In a message to c»»»

The head of the Lawyers’ Circle, Lóránt Horváth, said on the programme Konkrétan with Egon Rónai that he is convinced the case of the Ukrainian gold convoy lies behind the resignation of chief prosecutor Gábor Bálint Nagy, and that the affair could eventually reach Orbán himself. Gold convoy case: »»»

GENEVA: The UN World Food Programme warned on Friday it would have to make deeper cuts to its aid in Gaza, where it supports 70 percent of the population, unless additional funding is secured. The comments come after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the global hunger monitor, said»»»

President Sadyr Japarov has signed a law amending the procedure for terminating criminal cases and clarifying rules for insurance payments to military personnel. Under the new provisions, a criminal case cannot be terminated if its resolution requires a court decision confirming the defendant’s gui»»»

Budapest: Hungary is investigating the "total chaos" surrounding a herd of zebras that became a symbol of alleged corruption and excesses under nationalist ex-leader Viktor Orban, the environment minister said Friday. References to the animals became a mainstay of anti-government demonstrations, af»»»

Bahrain activated its sirens early Friday, warning residents to shelter from detected fire hours after the U.S. military said it had wrapped up its 13th night of strikes against Iran. The Gulf states have come under frequent fire over the past week as the U.S. and Iran exchange escalating strikes i»»»

DHAKA: Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned, local media reported on Friday. Shahabuddin, who has been the president ‌of the ‌South Asian nation ‌since ⁠April 2023, oversaw ⁠the country during a volatile period after Prime Minister ⁠Sheikh Hasina was ‌ousted ‌in August 2024 ‌by yo»»»

Security forces have detained Zamirbek Orozbaev, the former founder and director of Vision Group construction company (with an office in Osh), own sources informed 24.kg news agency. Officers from the Main Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained the businessman this mo»»»

First Sermon (Khutbah One) All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, Who has commanded us to invoke blessings and peace upon the Seal of the Prophets. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah alone, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet, Muḥammad, is the M»»»

A project to neutralize hazardous chemical waste stored for over 15 years on the site of the former Crystal plant has begun in Tash-Kumyr. Practical work will begin in November 2026, and completion is planned for 2027. The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyzs»»»

TradeUnited States of AmericaWhy Trump's 'forced labor' tariffs leave the world puzzledNik MartinAfter the US Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump's emergency tariffs, the White House has turned to another trade law linked to alleged human rights abuses. DW explains the new tariffs and the debate»»»

The Gironde region around Bordeaux is once again battling major wildfires, four years after a devastating blaze swept through the area. As Morgan Ayre explains, a combination of high-risk factors, including vast forests of maritime pine, persistent drought and heavy tourist traffic, has made the re»»»