For years, fintech has promised to transform the way we manage money. We've built budgeting apps, investment platforms and digital banks that have made finance more accessible than ever before. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Yet one question remains: if we have more f»»»

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has cautioned against reducing Lebanon's crisis solely to calls for a ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, urging politicians to couple any demand for an Israeli withdrawal with Hezbollah's disarmament. While acknowledging both as non-negotiable priorities, he ar»»»

The Israeli army is considering a military response to the damage inflicted on an engineering vehicle by a “Hezbollah drone” in the Ali al-Taher heights in southern Lebanon, Israel’s Channel 14 said on Wednesday. “Beirut's southern suburbs will not be a target in the response,” the channel added. I»»»

The United States announced an import ban on new advanced robot models on Tuesday, including humanoid, four-legged robots and bi-peds, as part of a Federal Communications Commission update to a list of products and services that pose a risk to national security. Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Ph»»»

A minister with Yemen's internationally recognized government told AFP on Wednesday that the country's Houthi rebels were working under Iranian guidance to establish a system to impose fees for ships transiting the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Information minister Moammar al-Eryani describ»»»

Doha: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held a phone call with Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah on Wednesday. During the call, the two ministers reviewed the close cooperation relations »»»

Global customer service operations are undergoing a dramatic transformation as generative artificial intelligence takes over routine support tasks, prompting companies to reduce staffing and reshape their workforce. According to a Bloomberg report, leading companies including Commonwealth Bank of A»»»

Kyrgyzstan intends to continue cooperation with the King Abdullah Humanitarian Foundation and the Islamic Development Bank in implementing socially significant projects. These issues were discussed during a meeting between First Deputy Finance Minister Talas Aidarbek uulu and a delegation from the »»»

RIYADH: Women leaders from the Gulf and Europe gathered in Riyadh on Tuesday for the launch of the Women Impact Leaders EU-GCC platform, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cross-regional cooperation and developing joint initiatives across key sectors. The Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commer»»»

An interdepartmental council chaired by Health Minister Katya Ivkova will be set up shortly to oversee and coordinate the National Children's Hospital project, which the government considers to be of national importance, Ivkova told a briefing on Wednesday. Ivkova said the council would include sev»»»

Tunis, July 29 (TAP) - Financing worth US$120 million covered by draft laws No.50 and 51 of 2026, examined at a plenary session held Wednesday by the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP), are aimed at ensuring the supply of raw materials to...»»»

Pelayos de la Presa, Spain: As far as the eye can see, Jose Fernandez spied only burnt furniture, half-collapsed walls and mountains of ash on what used to be his house and land. "I have no money, no documents, no home," said the 74-year-old pensioner, one victim of the wildfires that burned his to»»»

LuLu Exchange, in association with the Dubai Sports Council, has officially launched the Kabayan Basketball League, the largest basketball tournament ever dedicated to the Filipino community in the UAE, created to connect and engage Kabayans across the country. Born out of a shared belief in the po»»»

The total amount of wage arrears in Kyrgyzstan as of June 1, 2026, reached 91.9 million soms. Compared with the same date last year, the figure increased by 18.2 percent, a report by the National Statistical Committee says. Employers also owe significant amounts to workers in Jalal-Abad region (27.»»»

RIYADH: Air connectivity between Egypt and the UAE is set to receive a boost after the two countries agreed to gradually expand bilateral air transport rights, giving airlines greater flexibility to increase services. The memorandum of understanding, signed during the 11th ICAO Africa-Indian Ocean »»»

Dubai: Beyond the security gates of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai's Centre for Harbouring lies a facility that challenges common perceptions of what happens to people who overstay their visas or violate residency rules. Instead of prison cells, there are d»»»

Sofia Municipality will monitor air quality in real time during its "Summer on the Cobblestones" initiative, which runs every weekend in August, the municipal press centre said on Wednesday. A mobile air quality monitoring station will measure levels of particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxid»»»

Iranian state television on Wednesday said the United States struck a city in the country's northwest on the border with Iraq. "A few minutes ago, a location in the Piranshahr border area was attacked by American enemy airstrikes," state television reported. Fars news agency had earlier quoted an o»»»

Jordan's air defenses intercepted five missiles launched from Iran early Wednesday, the country's military said, hours after the U.S. military said it had knocked down an Iranian missile barrage launched against American forces in the Middle East, shattering a brief pause in fighting. In a statemen»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli media: Hezbollah targeted an engineering vehicle with an explosive glider last night after it attempted to operate in Ali al-Taher »»»

BELGRADE - Commenting on the launch of Serbia-US strategic dialogue, the head of the Serbian parliamentary committee on defence and interior affairs Milovan Drecun said on Tuesday the US was unequivocally demonstrating that Serbia was exceptionally important for its policy and its interests in sout»»»

Hungarian police have launched an extensive search for an 81-year-old German national who disappeared from his home near Tapolca on Tuesday afternoon. According to the Veszprém County Police Headquarters, Martin Hofer left his home in the outskirts of Lesenceistvánd, near Tapolca, shortly after 3:0»»»

An Israeli army engineering vehicle was hit overnight by an explosion in the Ali Taher Ridge area in south Lebanon, according to the Israeli army. No injuries are reported in the blast. According to Israeli reports, the military is investigating the possibility that the vehicle was struck by an exp»»»

RIYADH: A Saudi-US alliance has entered the final stage of selecting a host country for a $5 billion integrated refinery and energy export corridor project. This project aims to create a strategic energy export platform that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, Asharq Bloomberg has reported. The alliance»»»

‘Israel’ spent tens of millions of dollars on a digital influence campaign designed to shape how artificial intelligence systems respond to questions about the Gaza war, according to a report published Tuesday by Drop Site News. Brad Parscale, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, and h»»»

US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington D.C on July 28 as Netanyahu flew over for the funeral of US Senator Lindsay Graham. It was the first time the two have met in person since launching their joint war against Iran in February. Despite rumours o»»»

Dubai: DP World has opened its first multi-client third-party logistics warehouse in Saudi Arabia, adding storage and distribution capacity for businesses supplying the Kingdom’s consumer, retail and industrial markets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The 15,250 square»»»

Dubai: Travellers flying between Dubai and Italy will have more options this winter after flydubai increased flights to Naples and announced additional services to Milan-Bergamo in response to growing demand. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Dubai-based airline has »»»

While the fire in the southwest of France in the Gironde department remains stabilised, officials are on edge today, as scorching temperatures hit France again. On July 28, there were some 14 incidents where scorched terrain reignited, sending firefighters racing in. With 42,000 hectares burned, a»»»

The huge fire raging in France's southwest has stabilised, according to French officials, with authorities letting nearly 60,000 evacuees return to their homes - but 14 blazes have also reigniting. Now, firefighters are trying to contain the fires as the fourth heatwave of the year comes in, set to»»»

DOHA: The Qatar Diamond Exchange (QDE) has officially been admitted as a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), the body that unites the world's leading diamond bourses under common trading rules and a shared code of conduct. Qatar Diamond Exchange Director Ghanim Nasser Al Saadi»»»

Moscow on Wednesday said it had issued an international wanted notice for Russian-born Telegram CEO Pavel Durov for "complicity in terrorism". Russian security services accused Durov of failing to remove "channels, chats and bots" on the popular messaging platform allegedly used by Ukraine to recru»»»

In Kyrgyzstan, law enforcement officers detained 12,077 people for various crimes for six months. This is 13.5 percent more than in January — June 2025 (10,636 people). The National Statistical Committee reported, citing data from the Prosecutor General’s Office. Increase in female crime and profil»»»

“Every day, I would be given shock treatment.” Edward was 27 when he started his conversion treatment in London. He would be faced with the photo of a shirtless male, and for six weeks, would get shocked on his arms if he wanted to keep looking at the picture. “I was black and blue. I could never r»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump’s advisor on Arab affairs, Massad Boulos, has said that “Iran wants Hezbollah to remain active in Lebanon.” “We will not allow that,” he added. “Sustainable peace requires sovereign governments, not terrorist proxies, to practice full control over their territories,” Bou»»»

Iran has demanded compensation from Ukraine over a deadly strike on a cargo ship after Kiev’s foreign minister initially claimed that “Iran has no standing to pretend to be a victim,” only to call Tehran a day later and assure it that the attack was unintentional and that Kiev did not seek escalati»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Diamond Exchange (QDE) has officially been admitted as a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), the body that unites the world's leading diamond bourses under common trading rules and a shared code of conduct. Qatar Diamond Exchange Director Ghanim Nasser A»»»

Doha, Qatar: President of the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’, HE Eng. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Meer, conducted an inspection visit to the project for the construction of 14 new schools that has reached approximately 80% completion. The schools are part of the second package of the Qatar Schools »»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is stepping up efforts to monitor the prices of essential goods and strengthen oversight of supply chains as part of measures to protect consumers and maintain market stability. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The move was discussed at the latest mee»»»

Dubai: Rows of curious cats peer through their enclosures, some playful, others cautious, each waiting for a new home. At Dubai Municipality’s recently opened animal shelter in Warsan, nearly 100 cats are currently being cared for, rehabilitated and prepared for adoption as authorities step up effo»»»

AmCham Romania’s latest analysis of Romania–U.S. economic relations, based on updated indicators on bilateral trade, investment, and sectoral cooperation, shows continued expansion of economic exchanges and sustained U.S. investment flows, particularly in technology, business services, and advanced»»»

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION The presidential election will be held on October 25, with a possible second round of voting on November 1, Bulgarian media report. This emerged after the floor leaders of the parliamentary groups met on Wednesday morning. The date is expected to be put to the vote in the Nati»»»

Dubai: Video footage shows the aftermath of US-Saudi airstrikes on bases belonging to Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Diyala province and other locations across the country. The PMF, an alliance of former paramilitary groups now integrated into Iraq's armed forces, said at least 20 of i»»»

Dubai: A stray dog injured 12 people, including young children and elderly residents, after attacking pedestrians in a town in northern Jordan before authorities tracked down and killed the animal, officials said. The attacks unfolded on Monday in Kafr Al Maa, a rural town located in the Al Kourah »»»

US and Saudi warplanes carried out strikes on Tuesday against Iran-backed militants in Iraq who launched more than two dozen drone attacks in recent days, the US military said. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck and halted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz early Wednesd»»»

Jordan's army said it intercepted five Iranian missiles on July 29, Tehran's first regional strike in days following a pause in fighting between it and the United States. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed the attack, saying it was in response to "the aggressive actions" of the United States, wi»»»

In the category of companies with fixed assets exceeding €4 million, the number of insolvencies in the agricultural sector has skyrocketed, from a single company in H1 2025 to 19 companies in H1 2026. These 19 companies account for over €235 million in fixed assets, equivalent to over 57 per cent o»»»

The figures suggest that Romanian travelers continue to seek the best value when planning their summer holidays, with many of the cities recording the strongest passenger growth also benefiting from lower ticket prices. “This summer, Romanian travellers are proving to be both price-conscious and in»»»

Residents began returning to fire-ravaged communities west of Madrid after officials lifted some evacuation orders, while authorities in southwestern France warned a looming heatwave could reignite major blazes and force thousands more from their homes. Spanish residents forced to flee some of the »»»