Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA) Speaker of the Syrian People’s Assembly Abdul Hamid al-Awak received a French Senate delegation headed by Olivier Cigolotti, with members of the Assembly’s Bureau attending the meeting. The People’s Assembly said on its Telegram channel Wednesday that the talks focused on »»»

Russia would make short work of European nations if they decided to attack it, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. Some European nations, including Germany, Poland, and the Baltic states, have increasingly claimed that Russia could target NATO territory in the next few years, urging more milit»»»

Doha, Qatar: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari participated today in the Washington D.C. Forum, organized by Concordia in partnership with the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States of America. Du»»»

American political scientist John Mearsheimer has claimed that the Ukraine conflict can’t be resolved diplomatically because the two sides’ goals remain irreconcilable and it will ultimately be settled on the battlefield. Mearsheimer made the remarks during a visit to Moscow in an interview with Fy»»»

Doha: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al-Thani met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore HE Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan and his accompanying delegation, during their visit to the State of Qatar. »»»

The US war with Iran cost the Pentagon approximately $38 billion in its first five months, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill could rise by another $2 billion to $3 billion for every additional month of fighting – and by more if hostilities intensify. In a report released »»»

Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova opened an exhibition at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday marking the 150th death anniversary of Bulgarian freedom-fighter and poet Hristo Botev. The exhibition was prepared by the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies in Sofia»»»

DOHA: The Qatar Central Bank announced an increase in its deposit interest rate (QCBDR) by 25 basis points to 4.10 percent, following an assessment of the State of Qatar's current monetary policy. QCB said in a post on X that the Monetary Policy Committee decided to raise the lending rate (QCBLR) b»»»

TOKYO: The Qatari flag was hoisted aloft on Wednesday at the Athletes' Village for the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which Japan will host from Sept 9 through Oct 4.The Games will mark a record participation of 17,000 athletes and officials representing 45 nations and regions, including Olym»»»

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA) Chairman of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce Alaa al-Ali discussed with Turkish Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yilmaz on Wednesday prospects for developing and strengthening trade relations between Syria and Türkiye. During a meeting at the Turkish Embassy in Dama»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has launched a range of advanced digital services and solutions in a new step toward a more efficient and competitive business environment, helping improve the investor experience, streamline business formation and operations, facilitate access to »»»

Toronto: The State of Qatar participated in the Canada Investment Summit, held in Toronto on Sep. 14-15, with the attendance of officials, decision-makers, investors, and representatives of financial and economic institutions. Minister of Finance HE Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari represented the State of »»»

During a Premier League match between Chelsea and Brighton, social media users started spreading rumours that 20-year-old Ivorian footballer Malick Yalcouyé is older than he claims to be. The rumours gained such proportion that the youth club where he trained decided to post photos of Yalcouyé thro»»»

With a US president who talks of making Canada the 51st state, its leader in Europe where it’s not quite the EU's 28th state on offer, but something the president of the European Commission is calling ‘associate membership’. We’ll ask what that means, how it differs from the close status afforded t»»»

Turkish courts have jailed more LGBTQ activists and supporters, raising to 62 the number remanded in custody following a weekend crackdown, a legal rights group said on Wednesday. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Koen Slootmaeckers, Reader in International Politics at City St George's, Universi»»»

Sweden's centre-left opposition has defeated the incumbent right-wing governing bloc by the slimmest of margins, public broadcaster ​SVT ‌said on Wednesday, after 99% ⁠of the votes in Sunday's parliamentary election had been counted. FRANCE 24's Paul Rhys reports.»»»

Geneva: The Sultanate of Oman has reaffirmed the necessity of ensuring safe, unhindered navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in compliance with international law and the UN Law of the Sea. Addressing a UN session, Permanent Representative Ambassador Idris bin Abdul Rahman Al Khanjari warned that»»»

The US military says it has attacked two boats that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly used in an attempt to seize an American drone. Iranian media previously reported that several fishermen were missing following a US attack off the coast of the southern port city of Kargan »»»

DOHA: Managing Director of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Hassan Al Thawadi participated in the Visit Qatar 2026-2027 Qatar Calendar launch event, which unveiled the country's upcoming roster of events spanning sport, culture and entertainment. During the event, Al Thawadi took pa»»»

Major General Warner Ross, Adjutant General for the Tennessee National Guard, has received the Bulgarian Defence Ministry's Badge of Honour, First Class. The distinction was presented to him in Sofia on Wednesday by Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, the ministry's press centre said. The award »»»

May El Nahrawy is Founder and Chairperson of The Marketing House, a former Board Member of the Egyptian Junior Business Association, and former Advisor for Marketing at the Alexandria Governorate. She specialises in nation branding, healthcare events, and export marketing. In Egypt, where history m»»»

Egypt and Sudan discussed developing joint agricultural projects on Sudanese land and cooperating on the production and supply of strategic crops as the two countries seek to strengthen food security and deepen agricultural integration. The talks brought together Egyptian Minister of Water Resource»»»

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA) Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Qutaiba Kadish met with Naif al-Shammari, director of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) office in Syria, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and coord»»»

YEKATERINBURG, Russia, (Sputnik) - The International Youth Festival has become a unique platform for establishing contacts and fostering friendship, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday. "I believe everyone agrees that the International Youth Festival has become a highly valuabl»»»

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA) Director of the European Affairs Department at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry Sally Shobat met on Wednesday with the Netherlands’ Chargé d’Affaires Alexander Geerts, accompanied by a delegation from the Dutch ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice and Security. Th»»»

TUNIS, Sept. 16, 2026 (TAP) - Campaigns of incitement, defamation, and denigration targeting journalists in Tunisia have exceeded 20 since the beginning of the year, the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) indicated on Wednesday.These...»»»

Higher rates may affect mortgages, new loans and savings, depending on your bank Dubai: Interest rates are moving higher again in the UAE after the Central Bank raised its base rate by 25 basis points to 3.9%, following the US Federal Reserve’s first rate increase since 2023. Get updated faster and»»»

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Bulgaria is Europe's connectivity gateway and expressed confidence that the country would successfully host a summit on international connectivity. She was speaking on the sidelines of Wednesday's sitting of the European Parliament in Strasb»»»

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA) Economy and Industry Minister Nidal al-Shaar will travel to Uzbekistan on Thursday, accompanied by an economic delegation, for talks aimed at strengthening economic ties and exploring new opportunities for trade, investment and business partnerships between the two countri»»»

An increasing number of babies are being born with congenital syphilis in Hungary, prompting the National Public Health and Pharmacy Centre (NNGYK) to introduce new, nationwide procedures. The number of cases has risen significantly since 2021: 91 cases were recorded in 2025, while 100 were reporte»»»

Washington, United States: The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points Wednesday, its first hike in three years as the central bank battles high inflation with a move sure to anger President Donald Trump. The Fed's Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to raise rates t»»»

Visiting Strasbourg on Wednesday, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova held meetings with senior officials of the Council of Europe and the European Union, discussing the reform of the Council of Europe, human rights, the EU's future budget, security, migration and European connectivity. Iotova held m»»»

Talks focus on UAE-US strategic ties, Africa and developments in the Middle East Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, received Massad Boulos, US President's Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs. During the meeting, held in Abu»»»

PARIS: Lusail International Circuit in Qatar has retained its place on the calendar for the 78th edition of the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2027, which was announced on Wednesday to give fans an early look at where and when their favorite races will take place. The Fédération Internationa»»»

Doha: Qatar Central Bank (QCB) announced that, following an assessment of the current monetary policy of the State of Qatar, it has decided to increase the current interest for the QCB Deposit Rate, QCB Lending Rate, and the QCB Repo Rate. According to an official statement issued by the central ba»»»

Tunis, Sept. 16 (TAP) - The three-day visit by a delegation from Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to Tunisia concluded on Wednesday, following working sessions on the various stages of the electoral process, as well as field...»»»

TUNIS, September 16, 2026 (TAP) – Minister of National Defence Khaled Sehili met on Wednesday at the ministry’s headquarters with Commander of the US Sixth Fleet Rear Admiral Jeffrey Anderson, who is visiting Tunisia as the country hosts the...»»»

Against the backdrop of the Hurghada Youth Film Festival, Egyptian actress Abeer Sabry – who was a member of the jury for its fourth edition – spoke to Daily News Egypt about her latest projects, artistic ambitions, and enduring dreams. In an extensive interview, she discussed her vision of cinema,»»»

TUNIS, Sept. 16, 2026 (TAP) - The Tunisian-Algerian summer university for media and societal immunity, "Joussour", organised by the National Union of Algerian Journalists and Media Workers (UNJIA), kicked off on Wednesday in Hammamet (Nabeul...»»»

BELGRADE - In a public address following a Hague-based court's convictions of war criminals from the so-called "Kosovo Liberation Army", Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday evening preservation of peace and stability was crucial for Serbia, but that the first-instance ruling did no»»»

Emergency crews use helicopter in unusual rescue after animal becomes stuck in mud Dubai: Spanish emergency crews carried out an unusual rescue operation after a horse became trapped in a muddy marsh and was unable to free itself. The animal had become partially submerged in thick mud, leaving resc»»»

In a report released Wednesday, Amnesty International said Iranian authorities committed “crimes against humanity” during the violent crackdown on the 2022 protests known as the movement “Woman, Life, Freedom” that was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Iranian authorities committed crimes agains»»»

BREAKING NEWSFed signals one more hike this year after unanimous 25-basis-point increase Dubai: The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, delivering its first increase since 2023 amid persistent inflation pressures. The decision was unanimous. Fed officials also sig»»»

CBUAE lifts its base rate by 25 basis points to 3.9%, effective September 17 Dubai: The UAE Central Bank has raised its base rate by 25 basis points to 3.9%, following a similar increase by the US Federal Reserve. The Central Bank of the UAE said on Wednesday that the Base Rate applicable to its Ov»»»

AMMAN — Agriculture Minister Saeb Khreisat and his Lebanese counterpart Nizar Hani on Wednesday discussed ways to strengthen agricultural cooperation and expand agricultural trade between Jordan and Lebanon.The two ministers stressed the importance of closer coordination in the agricultural sector »»»

AMMAN — Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah, said that the total exports grew by more than 14 per cent in the first half of 2026.He said that the exports increase resulted from extending last year's gains as the government moves to open new markets in Africa and Central Asia and adva»»»

AMMAN — Jordan is participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai from Sept. 14 to 17 through a national pavilion organised by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB).The pavilion will bring together representatives from the Jordanian Consulate in Dubai, travel agencies, hotels, the Aqaba Special »»»

German Chancellor Freidrich Merz has reportedly canceled his planned trip to the UN General Assembly in New York, as his political future hangs in the balance after a landslide loss to the right-wing AfD in state elections.Merz was scheduled to travel to New York next week, where high-level meeting»»»

Bulgaria's National Assembly Chair Mihaela Dotsova and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis have discussed opportunities to expand bilateral parliamentary and economic cooperation, Parliament's press centre said on Wednesday. Babis is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of Prime Ministe»»»

Tunis, Sept. 16 (TAP) - Eleven Tunisian companies operating in the agri-food sector are taking part in the 35th edition of WorldFood Moscow, held from September 15 to 18, 2026, in Moscow, Russia, said the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX).The...»»»