The era of “fly and flop” holidays is fading, replaced by the “skilliday” as almost half of Europeans (48%) want to learn a new skill while travelling, according to a Mastercard survey of over 27,000 travellers across 28 European countries. More than a third (37%) have already booked a holiday this»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, met today with Deputy National Security Adviser of the United Kingdom, HE Barbara Woodward who is currently visiting the State of Qatar. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed»»»

The newly ratified framework agreement between ‘Israel’ and Lebanon is a “beautiful” diplomatic document on paper, but its prospects for tangible implementation remain critically slim, according to a pointed analysis published Tuesday by the Israeli daily Maariv. The newspaper characterized the acc»»»

In Tashkent, at a meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund constituency group, Finance Minister of Kyrgyzstan Ruslan Suinaliev presented Kyrgyzstan’s position on macroeconomic development, regional cooperation, and engagement with international financial institutions, the Ministry »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday he had discussed the future of the EU and Serbia's European path with the leaders of the EU and chief EU member states at a recent summit in Tivat, Montenegro. Vucic said this in response to an Informer TV request to comment on a repor»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia wants the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be strengthened based on the principles of independence and impartiality, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday. "Of course, we want to strengthen the International Committee of the Red Cross b»»»

Damascus, July 1 (SANA) Syria’s Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections on Wednesday announced the names of the members of the new People’s Assembly, including those elected by voters and those appointed by the President of the Republic in accordance with his constitutional powers. Speakin»»»

The Council of Ministers has approved the draft state budget for 2026, with Finance Minister Galab Donev saying the proposal now moves to the National Assembly for detailed debate and amendments, where he expects “serious, responsible and meaningful work” on its final shape. Presenting the main par»»»

Bulgaria is launching a new phase in the management of its tourism sector, with the government and industry representatives beginning joint work on long-standing problems through a new reform framework. Speaking ahead of the inaugural meeting of the Council for Tourism Reforms at the Council of Min»»»

Steadily but surely, almost imperceptibly, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has in the past two years broken from his accommodation with Vladimir Putin. At least that’s the contention of a good many Turkey analysts as the country’s president prepares to host the July 7-8 Nato leaders’ summit that should at lon»»»

Steadily but surely, almost imperceptibly, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has in the past two years broken from his accommodation with Vladimir Putin. At least that’s the contention of a good many Turkey analysts as the country’s president prepares to host the July 7-8 Nato leaders’ summit that should at lon»»»

Pariah no longer, since the war in Ukraine started, Russian and Chinese money has poured into Pyongyang, fuelling a rapid economic development and unexpected real estate boom in a country better known for repression and poverty. Decades of sanctions, international isolation and chronic shortages le»»»

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) has filed a report with the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office requesting an investigation into whether the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) unlawfully collected information on MRF Chair Delyan Peevski or used special surveillance mean»»»

Mexico City: Sebastian Beccacece announced he would step down as Ecuador manager after his side's elimination from the World Cup by Mexico on Tuesday. "My contract ends as soon as the World Cup is over, and since we didn't achieve what we promised, the best thing is to step aside," Beccacece told r»»»

Doha, Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani received HE Barbara Woodward, Deputy National Security Adviser for International Affairs at the UK Cabinet Office, and her accompanying delegation during her visit to th»»»

Global shares were mixed on Wednesday as uncertainty persisted over conflict in the Middle East and access to the crucial Strait of Hormuz despite an initial deal to end the U.S.-Iran war. France's CAC 40 declined 0.3% in early trading to 8,379.92, while the German DAX added 0.3% to 25,069.53. Brit»»»

Tourists from Chattanooga check into beach resorts in Cancun. Canadian auto parts feed factories in the American Midwest – and vice versa. Happy Hour revelers raise glasses of Mexican tequila and mezcal at bars in Seattle. It adds up. The United States trades $1.9 trillion a year -- $5 billion a da»»»

Anthropic said on Tuesday it would restore global access to its most advanced AI models after the US government lifted export restrictions imposed earlier this month over national security concerns. The decision marks a reversal after the company worked with Washington to strengthen safeguards arou»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have taken control of the settlement of Ukrainskoye in the Kharkov region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "As a result of active and decisive actions, units of Battlegroup Sever established control over the Ukrainskoye settlement of the K»»»

JERUSALEM: Israel’s defense minister said Wednesday that Israeli forces would remain in self-proclaimed “security zones” established in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, without any timeline for withdrawal. “The IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely in order to protec»»»

PARIS: France on Wednesday launched new paid leave for both mothers and fathers, as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to boost the country’s sluggish birth rate. In 2024, Macron unveiled a plan to combat infertility and the declining birth rate, saying it would help pave the way toward what he descri»»»

MEXICO ‌CITY: Two people died from suffocation as thousands of fans crowded Mexico City streets during World Cup celebrations, the capital’s ‌health secretariat ‌said in ‌the ⁠early hours of ⁠Wednesday. The incident occurred on Hamburgo and Lancaster Streets, near the Angel of Independence ⁠landmar»»»

Dubai: A fresh shipment of 18 tonnes of Philippine MD2 pineapples has arrived in the Emirates, marking what exporters say is the start of regular deliveries to meet growing demand for tropical fruit in the UAE. The shipment, made up of 1,500 boxes of pineapples grown in South Cotabato in the southe»»»

Minister of Labor Hassan Raddad reaffirmed on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the government’s commitment to enhancing its partnership with the private sector, saying stable employment and safe working conditions are key to sustaining production and attracting investment. During a visit to Rameda Pharmaceu»»»

Dubai: Oman will subsidise 50% of the fuel and insurance costs for food shipments transported by Asyad Shipping, the maritime arm of Asyad Group, on the maritime route between India and the Sultanate for up to six months, as part of government measures to strengthen food security and reduce logisti»»»

Dubai: Oman's state-owned logistics group Asyad and French shipping giant CMA CGM have signed a $400 million agreement to develop a major logistics terminal at Sohar Port, in a move aimed at transforming the industrial city into a leading regional and international trade hub. The agreement was sign»»»

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon takes the oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at Seoul City Hall on Wednesday. Pool Photo by Yonhap Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon promised Wednesday to provide more opportunities for the younger generation, who are facing severe economic threats, including drastic change»»»

Over the five years leading up to 2025, Russia climbed to second place globally in household asset growth, according to the 2026 UBS Global Wealth Report. Wealth, as defined in the report, is the total value of financial and real assets minus all outstanding liabilities, with all figures adjusted f»»»

Israel's defense minister said Wednesday that Israeli forces would remain in so-called security zones established in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, without any timeline for withdrawal. "The IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely in order to protect our residents and»»»

“This is a landmark moment for Banca Transilvania as well, confirming our ability to support local champions and large-scale projects. We are ready to support projects that have a direct impact on millions of customers and the entire business environment. We thank our client, Pavăl Holding, for the»»»

HEADLINES The leading topics across Bulgarian media on Wednesday are the government’s efforts to stabilize Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, the debate over road safety and guardrail contracts after recent fatal crashes, and criticism of the draft 2026 State Budget. Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and T»»»

Russian citizens have donated 17 off-road vehicles in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Gennadiy Vorobyov of the Bessarabian Front told journalists in Sofia on Wednesday. The vehicles, bearing Ukrainian flags on their windscreens, were parked in the morning near the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathe»»»

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (C) poses for a photo during a meeting of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council at a hotel in Incheon on Wednesday. Pool Photo by Yonhap President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday the government will pursue sustained efforts to engage North Korea and replace the»»»

STOKHOLM: More than 100 organizations are planning a climate protest in Sweden weeks before a September general election, sharpening criticism of a government long accused of failing to act on pledges to reduce CO2 emissions.Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing government has cut petrol taxe»»»

RIYADH: Jordan’s real gross domestic product grew 2.9 percent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 2.7 percent a year earlier, despite regional challenges stemming from the war, official data showed. According to quarterly estimates released by the Department of Statistics, agriculture recorded th»»»

”Going forward, various specialised units will operate together under the clearly defined roxit umbrella brand, delivering services such as joint sealing and milling in road construction, concrete production, the manufacture of mineral-based construction and insulation materials, as well as recycli»»»

Romanians remain broadly positive about the European Union and see membership as beneficial, but they are significantly less satisfied with their quality of life than the EU average, according to the European Parliament’s Spring 2026 Eurobarometer. The survey, carried out between April 9 and May 4 »»»

The National Assembly rejected at first reading proposed amendments to the Social Security Code submitted by Continue the Change, which sought to increase compensation from 50% to 100% for mothers who return to work before the end of their maternity leave, thereby foregoing leave related to pregnan»»»

Ihab Saeed, managing Director at Osool ESB Securities Brokerage, said that Egyptian Exchange (EGX) benchmark index EGX30 is facing a new support level at 7425 points, during this week’s trading. In case it failed to remain above it, it will probably keep falling downward at 7280 points. In a statem»»»

Doha, Qatar: Region Trade Bank (RTB) has announced the appointment of a new Board of Directors comprising internationally recognised experts in financial integrity, banking supervision, sanctions policy and payment systems, reinforcing the bank's commitment to international best practice as Iraq's »»»

Cairo, Egypt: The Shura Council participated in the plenary session of the Arab Parliament, held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo. The Shura Council was represented at the session by HE Amina bint Youssef Al Jaidah, HE Nasser bin Mohammed Al Nuaim»»»

The redevelopment of a public golf course, extensions to the White House and dreams of a triumphal arch: Donald Trump seems to have a growing spate of building projects on the boil in Washington. So what’s driving the president to remake the US capital in his image? For US President Donald Trump, g»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s fuel and lubricant supply remains stable, and Russia’s temporary restrictions on gasoline and aviation kerosene exports should not lead to a fuel shortage, the Antimonopoly Regulation Service stated. The agency assured that measures are being taken to contain prices and ensure uninterr»»»

Kyrgyzstan has begun negotiations with several countries to expand its fuel and lubricant supplies. Authorities explain this move by the need to diversify fuel imports amid the unstable global energy market. The Ministry of Energy told 24.kg news agency that official requests have already been sent»»»

The implementation of a medicines database has been completed in Kyrgyzstan. Nuradin Karataev, head of the Department of Medicines and Medical Products, told journalists. According to him, the database primarily helps combat smuggling. All medicines imported into the country through this system are»»»

RIYADH: Middle East airlines showed signs of recovery in May as passenger demand decline eased to 28.4 percent from 46.6 percent a month earlier despite the ongoing conflict. The improvement helped limit the global decline in air passenger demand to 2.2 percent from 3.4 percent in April, as disrupt»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (2-R) sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) on the 105th founding anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, state media reported Wednesday. In this photo, Xi and Kim are seen at a welcoming ceremony in Pyongyang in June. File Photo by KC»»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.3578 dinars for one euro on Wednesday, which is a slight change relative to Tuesday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is steady against the euro m-o-m, down by 0.2 pct y-o-y and down by 0.1 pct relative »»»

BELGRADE - The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has extended an operating licence for the Serbian oil company NIS for 30 more days - until July 31, Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic announced on Tuesday evening. "We have just been informed by the OFAC that»»»

Thousands of people marched across South Africa on Tuesday to demand the departure of undocumented foreign nationals after a weeks-long campaign that has sent thousands fleeing and claimed four lives. Police were out in force for nationwide protests which capped demonstrations led by citizen-led gr»»»