As the global race toward a digital economy accelerates and the world enters a new era driven by algorithms, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a key player in the future of advanced technologies. The Saudi Cabinet has declared 2026 the “Year of Artificial Intelligence,” a decision that reflects»»»

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) - New Beginning parliamentary group Thursday tabled in Parliament a draft resolution obliging the Council of Ministers to take measures to compensate individuals and businesses for high fuel prices resulting from the military action in Iran. Speaking to re»»»

When US President Donald Trump began strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the process, he told Iranians to "take over your government". "It will be yours to take," Trump said. "This will be probably your only chance for generations." But as the war between the US and Is»»»

NEW YORK – Lazard Ltd has released its annual in-depth analyses comparing the costs of energy from various generation technologies and of energy storage technologies for different applications. Lazard’s latest annual Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis shows a continued decline in the cost of generat»»»

Four employees of Greece’s HEDNO power distribution network operator have been summoned to testify as suspects in connection with a wildfire near Athens last summer that killed one man. Fire service officials believe the blaze was started by sparks from an electricity pole whose fittings were alleg»»»

Dubai: The United Nations (UN) has warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East is costing around $1 billion a day, while humanitarian agencies struggle with a severe shortage of funding to assist millions of vulnerable people worldwide. According to UN relief chief Tom Fletcher, the Midd»»»

Dubai: Pope Leo XIV has urged people around the world to pray for peace amid the ongoing regional tensions and has expressed sorrow for victims of violence. During his weekly general audience at the Vatican, the pope has called on the faithful to offer prayers that can bring comfort to those who ar»»»

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan is combating fake accounts that spread false information about the government or the actions of high-ranking officials. Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Nurbek Abdiev announced at a meeting of the Zhogorku Kenesh (Parliament) during a discussion of »»»

Dubai: More than 4,000 Emirati families have received essential goods and support following the conclusion of the third season of the ‘Gift It Forward’ initiative, a community programme that distributed items valued at more than Dh14 million. The six-day event, held at Al Twar Hall in late February»»»

Dubai: Authorities in Dubai are responding to a minor incident after debris from a successful air defence interception struck the facade of a building on Sheikh Zayed Road. Officials confirmed that no injuries were reported.»»»

A new initiative designed to support local entrepreneurship along the iconic hiking route Via Transilvanica has been launched by Asociația Tășuleasa Social in partnership with ADV România. The program, titled “Acceleratorul de întreprinderi sociale pe Via Transilvanica”, aims to support the creatio»»»

The confrontation between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other has entered a phase of mutual attrition, shifting from temporary military escalation to a sustained pattern of operations, deterrence and endurance. According to a report released Wednesday by the Gulf Research»»»

The Fiscal Council has assessed that a 25% surge in global oil prices would constitute a moderate external shock for Bulgaria, primarily impacting the economy through higher energy import costs, rising inflation, and a potential slowdown in external demand. In its 2026 fiscal outlook simulation, th»»»

Reports say Cuba obtains billions of dollars a year through exporting professional services, including health specialists. File Photo by Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA March 12 (UPI) -- Several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have begun to end or review medical cooperation agreements with Cub»»»

Citibank will close its branches and financial centers in the United Arab Emirates through March 14 as a precautionary measure, the bank's website showed on Thursday, following a wave of banks sending staff home as the crisis in the Middle East deepens. The ⁠US bank plans ⁠to reopen all affected br»»»

Two teenagers have been arrested in the northern city of Thessaloniki for allegedly stealing €40,000 worth of specialized electrical engineering equipment, police said Thursday. A police statement said the suspects, aged 15 and 17, were detained on suspicion of taking the equipment from a parked tr»»»

Lolade Adewuyi | Sandra QuialaThe war in Iran is pushing global oil prices higher. But could Nigeria’s massive Dangote refinery and Angola’s stable oil output help cushion the blow for Africa? https://p.dw.com/p/5ABN3AdvertisementThe US-Israel war in Iran has already driven global oil prices up by »»»

On March 12, the Zhogorku Kenesh adopted in three readings a bill ratifying the agreement between Kyrgyzstan and the Benelux countries on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The agreement was signed on June 18, 2025, in Brussels. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Alma»»»

Bishkek ranked first in the World Air Quality ranking of the world’s largest cities by air quality as of 1:45 p.m. The city was rated as «unhealthy.» According to the website, the air quality index (AQI) is 190. Information is available in real time. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is divided into six »»»

Hong Kong aviation giant Cathay Pacific announced new fuel surcharges for most routes Thursday that are roughly double the existing ones. The company revealed a detailed list of affected routes in a statement titled "Fuel surcharge updates", a day after warning that fuel prices had soared in March »»»

Oil prices climbed back above $100 per barrel Thursday after attacks on commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf. This photo, taken March 10, shows a motorist refueling a car in London. Photo by Neil Hall/EPA March 12 (UPI) -- Oil prices climbed back above $100 per barrel Thursday after attacks on c»»»

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has maintained, for the seventh consecutive month, its 2026-2027 global oil demand growth projections unchanged. OPEC kept its forecast for global oil demand growth at 1.38 million bpd for 2026 and at 1.3 million bpd for 2027. The Iran war ha»»»

A 34-year-old man faces charges of online slander over a video posted on social media that allegedly targeted Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. A police statement Thursday said that, following a complaint over the post, the suspect was identified by the cybercrime squad as the administrator of the»»»

China is asking Kyrgyzstan to be the first to introduce a visa-free regime for Chinese citizens. Deputy Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Almaz Imangaziev said at a meeting of Parliament. He made the statement while responding to a question from MP Zhumabek Salymbekov, who asked why China had already »»»

On March 13 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., activists Tolekan Ismailova and Bermet Borubaeva will organize a peaceful rally near the entrance to the building of Pervomaisky District Administration in Bishkek. The event will focus on protecting the fundamental right of citizens to freedom of peaceful assem»»»

Dubai: With airspace disruptions and heightened geopolitical tensions affecting parts of West Asia, travel insurance is back in the spotlight for UAE travellers. Stay updated: Get the latest faster by downloading the Gulf News app - it's completely free. Click here for Apple or here for Android. Yo»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s property market recorded a major transaction on Thursday with the sale of a luxury villa on the World Islands for Dh220 million, highlighting strong demand and sustained momentum in the emirate’s real estate sector. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Accord»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Israel to halt its ground offensive in Lebanon and on Hezbollah to "immediately" stop attacks. "Hezbollah made a major mistake in dragging Lebanon into a confrontation with Israel. It must immediately cease its attack," Macron posted on X. "For its pa»»»

Dubai: The UAE Public Prosecution has identified misleading and unlawful content circulating on social media platforms, including videos and scenes that occurred outside the country but were falsely attributed to the UAE, a senior prosecutor said. Khalid Al Madhani, Attorney General of the Federal »»»

The US has launched a new investigation into some of its biggest trading partners after the Supreme Court struck down a key part of President Donald Trump's tariffs policies last month. On Wednesday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the Section 301 unfair trade practices probe could lead»»»

The head chef of Noma, one of the highest-rated restaurants in the world, has resigned amid allegations of abuse. René Redzepi announced his exit on social media, saying: "After more than two decades of building and leading this restaurant, I've decided to step away and allow our extraordinary lead»»»

An outbreak of bird flu has been detected at a duck farm in the village of Kasnakovo near Dimitrovgrad, Georgi Iliev, Director of the Regional Food Safety Directorate in Haskovo, told the Bulgarian News Agency. The farm raises around 30,000 Mulards. It is a subsidiary of а poultry farm near the vil»»»

Dubai: Kerala child actor Hari Murali was found dead at his residence in Kerala. He was 27, according to a report on Manorama Online. The cause of his death hasn't been confirmed by his family. Hari Murali was the son of Payyannur Murali, who had been active in theatre circles for around three deca»»»

Video game addiction has become increasingly common among youngsters, and many parents are understandably worried. Hours can disappear while levelling up characters, completing quests, and unlocking rewards. Gaming is deeply engaging, but when it begins to overshadow studies, work, and relationship»»»

An Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs overnight, after Hezb»»»

The Cluj-based companies Winners Holding Investments and Finas Group, active investors in the development of renewable energy projects, signed on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sieyuan Electric Co., Ltd. (China), one of the international suppliers of electrical »»»

The number of domestic and small industrial prosumers in Romania has exceeded 300,000, and the dynamics of this phenomenon have been spectacular, stimulated by existing support schemes but also limited by their termination, according to a study conducted by AFEER and coordinated by Viorel Pintea, S»»»

A report published by Energynomics on the photovoltaic projects market in Romania shows that solar capacity development is significant on paper, but most projects are still in the early stages, while the transition to actual electricity production remains ...»»»

Greenvolt Next, part of Greenvolt Group, announces the completion of five photovoltaic projects for the commercial and industrial sector in the Moldova region, with a cumulative installed capacity of 1.32 MW. Four of the projects are already operational, while the fifth is in the final phase of imp»»»

The European Commission (EC) has approved a EUR 150 million (RON 764 million) Romanian scheme to support electricity storage, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal, the EC reported in a press statement on Friday.This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero ec»»»

Recent increases in gas prices on the European TTF hub in Amsterdam highlight the vulnerability of Eastern European economies to external shocks and bring back into focus the need to diversify supply sources, including through the development of the Vertical Corridor, shows an analysis by consultan»»»

A permanent 10% rise of oil price will have an annual impact of 0.3% on inflation, which would completely cancel estimates on present inflation, said Cosmin Marinescu, vice governor of the National Bank of Romania, on Tuesday. “Estimates on the macroeconomic impact of oil price increase indicate ce»»»

Nuclear energy is one of the few sources capable of covering the clean energy deficit, and Romania has the best-performing nuclear reactors in the world in the scoreboard of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Over the next ten years, the country will almost triple its production capacity, acco»»»

Bulgaria’s caretaker Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov assured that the United States will not seek to use Bulgarian military bases for operations in Iran, unlike the situation in Romania. He made the statement during a parliamentary session, responding to reports from Radio Romania that Romanian P»»»

Bulgaria has raised its air defense to combat readiness despite the overall threat level being assessed as low. The decision followed a missile launch by Iran targeting Turkey, prompting the Bulgarian military to increase the preparedness of its units. As part of the heightened alert, personnel are»»»

In response to comments by MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski regarding the city’s plans to acquire state-owned properties, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev said the capital needs kindergartens, cultural spaces, and parks, not empty, dilapidated buildings. Earlier in the day, MRF - New Beginning sa»»»

The Association for the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex proposes rejecting the Ministry of Health’s proposed increase in excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. The organization shares the need to improve public health and prevent non-communicable diseases. However, according to the o»»»

While attention has focused on oil and LNG tankers blocked in the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Iran is creating a quieter but equally alarming threat: disruptions to global fertilizer shipments and food imports. The Gulf states, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, rel»»»

Sydney, Australia: Australia will adjust fuel quality standards to allow higher sulfur levels for around two months in a move that will release 100 million litres into the domestic supply, officials said Thursday. The country -- reliant on oil imports for fuel -- has seen petrol prices spike since »»»

Acting Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov announced that the Patriot air defense system provided by Greece is already on duty and that Bulgaria currently has full air defense coverage. Speaking to journalists in the National Assembly, he said the system began operating roughly 16 hours after Greece »»»