RIYADH: Makkah and Madinah’s hospitality sectors demonstrated resilience in early 2026, weathering regional travel disruptions as the Kingdom continues to expand accommodation capacity for religious visitors, according to Knight Frank. The consultancy’s Saudi Hospitality and Religious Tourism Repor»»»

Abu Dhabi: New business licences issued in Abu Dhabi rose by 21 per cent in the first three months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, officials announced Monday. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the business reg»»»

Two Palestinians were martyred and several others wounded on Monday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in central Gaza City, the latest in a series of ceasefire violations that continue to shatter the fragile truce. Local sources reported that Israeli warplanes conducted at least three str»»»

Doha, Qatar: Director of Projects Affairs at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Eng. Khalid Saif Al Khayareen affirmed Ashghal's commitment to implementing the ban on work in open areas during the specified period from 10am until 3:30pm from June 1 to September 15 of each year, while monitoring »»»

The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic announced the launch of an automated information system (AIS) «Single Window» starting July 1, 2026. As part of efforts to digitize public services and improve transparency and convenience for citizens, the »»»

OMV Petrom, the largest integrated energy producer in South-Eastern Europe, has commissioned a new aromatics unit at the Petrobrazi refinery, following an investment of around EUR 140 million. The project will allow the company to expand its production capacity for feedstocks used in the petrochemi»»»

Not a single topic dominates Monday’s news media. The coverage focuses on the presidential race, with parties weighing possible candidates before the autumn 2026 election, Bulgaria’s position on the EU’s planned new sanctions package against Russia, and the pressure on public finances. Other major »»»

Seoul: A Korean Republic court sentenced a former justice minister to 25 years in prison on Monday for his role in ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's brief and disastrous declaration of martial law in 2024. Park Sung-jae was found guilty of involvement in "insurrection" by the Seoul Central District Cour»»»

Dubai: HSBC has launched its Tokenised Deposit Service in the UAE, giving eligible corporate and institutional clients a new way to move money instantly across domestic and cross-border accounts. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The service allows companies to transfer »»»

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said partnerships between the Egyptian private sector and investors from sisterly countries reflect growing confidence in the Egyptian economy and underscore the market’s ability to attract more high-quality investments that support sustainable development goals. Mad»»»

Dubai: The United States and Iran have agreed to establish a direct communication line for the Strait of Hormuz as negotiators wrapped up a second day of talks in Switzerland aimed at securing a broader agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme and regional security issues. The mechanism, announced b»»»

Dubai: For thousands of aspiring doctors, Sunday was meant to be a second chance. Instead, for at least three students in Bengaluru, it ended in heartbreak at the gates of their examination centres. As candidates across India appeared for the NEET-UG re-test, traffic congestion allegedly linked to »»»

Seoul: A South Korean court sentenced a former justice minister to 25 years in prison on Monday for his role in ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's brief and disastrous declaration of martial law in 2024. Park Sung-jae was found guilty of involvement in "insurrection" by the Seoul Central District Court, »»»

A bomb threat was reported at the Government House on the Old Square in Bishkek on June 22, prompting the evacuation of employees from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan and the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, which are currently located in the building. Officials from both ministries »»»

More than 15 reports of alleged explosive devices at government facilities were received in a short period of time in Bishkek, the Main Internal Affairs Department of Bishkek reported. Following the alerts, police cordoned off the affected areas, evacuated staff and visitors, and deployed investiga»»»

RIYADH: Oman’s consumer prices rose 3.8 percent year on year in May, with transport and miscellaneous personal goods and services recording the sharpest increases, official data showed. According to the National Center for Statistics and Information, the average inflation rate for the January-May p»»»

Dubai: Emirates passengers travelling to or through Dubai this summer can get a complimentary stay at the five-star JW Marriott Marquis, along with access to hundreds of city discounts through My Emirates Pass. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The airline has launched a»»»

A boarding school incident has escalated into a national scandal after it emerged that a 15-year-old pupil was repeatedly struck in the stomach by a monk serving as prefect at the St Anthony Franciscan Grammar School and Boarding House in Esztergom. The boy was reportedly dragged towards the shower»»»

Watt Unit, in collaboration with its partner Schneider Electric, has modernised the Băneasa Drinking Water Treatment Station by implementing an integrated industrial automation and advanced SCADA monitoring solution. The project contributes to increasing operational reliability, process safety, and»»»

This photo, taken Monday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul as South Korean stocks closed above the 9,100-point mark on a semiconductor rally and optimism over a U.S.-Iran deal. Photo by Yonhap South Korean stocks finished at an all-time high Monday on a continued rally in semiconductor »»»

Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae appears for his trial on charges of playing a key role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid at the Seoul Central District Court on Monday. Photo by Yonhap Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae was sentenced to 25 years in prison Monday after a di»»»

Others are looking for something more exclusive. They use their bank more often, want greater cashback rewards, invest regularly, or simply have different expectations from their banking relationship. For them, Salt Bank is introducing Salt Everyday and Salt Premium, two plans that build on the Sal»»»

Dubai: Most filmmakers, after delivering the biggest Malayalam blockbuster of the year, would probably have Mohanlal, Mammootty and every major Indian star on speed dial. But acclaimed South Indian filmmaker Chidambaram S Poduval did something stranger. Instead of cashing in his Manjummel Boys good»»»

Thus, the average monthly instalment on the mortgage needed to buy a one-bedroom apartment in Bucharest, completed at least 30 years ago and located outside semi-central areas, currently accounts for approximately 40% of the net average wage recorded locally. The Ipotecare.ro analysis considered th»»»

ROME: The leaders of Europe’s top military powers will meet Wednesday in Berlin, Italy said on Monday, as Europe aims to play a bigger role in trying to end the Ukraine war. The government said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni would attend the meeting with her British, French, German and Polish counte»»»