At the initiative of Assen Medjidiev, Deputy Governor and, currently, acting Governor of Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), a working meeting was held with Martin Atanasov, founder of the Diagnosis Bulgaria platform, the NHIF said in a press release on Thursday. The meeting was also »»»

MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday hit out at the United States for saying Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy sites could help end the war between Moscow and Kyiv. Ukraine has mounted a retaliatory strike campaign using long-range drones against Russian energy and military facilities, in what Kyiv calls f»»»

MOYGASHEL, UK: Northern Irish police arrested a man on Thursday after a replica mosque was placed on a bonfire in an anti-Islam stunt in a village in the UK province. Bonfires made up of wooden pallets are lit across Northern Ireland every year in the run-up to Orange Order traditional parades on J»»»

A Budapest court has sentenced an Irish man to 14 years in prison for the murder of 31-year-old American tourist Mackenzie Elizabeth Michalski, whose death in the Hungarian capital in November 2024 gained international attention. Court finds defendant guilty of homicide The Budapest-Capital Regiona»»»

Dubai: A 69-year-old man from Tamil Nadu has been arrested for allegedly cheating more than 300 luxury hotels across India over the past three decades by using fake identities, enjoying five-star facilities and leaving without paying his bills, NDTV reported. The accused, Bingson John, allegedly po»»»

The Sofia Appellate Court has upheld a lower court ruling dismissing Evelin "Brendo" Banev’s request for conditional early release from prison, the court said on Thursday. The ruling is final and cannot be appealed. In April 2026, the Sofia Appellate Court rejected a proposal by the then head of th»»»

Dubai: Investors facing renewed US-Iran tensions should avoid chasing sudden market moves and focus on diversification, liquidity, and defensive sectors that tend to hold up better during periods of geopolitical stress, analysts advised. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances»»»

Hungarian Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs has landed an unlikely place on The New York Times’ annual list of the 39 Most Stylish People of 2026, joining an eclectic lineup of actors, musicians, athletes and world leaders. Viral dance earns unexpected international recognition Rather than recognising »»»

Egyptian equities retreated on Wednesday, July 8, as investors took profits after a strong rally, while renewed regional tension weighed on risk appetite. The benchmark EGX30 fell 1.84% to 52,028.37 points, after opening at 53,006.11 points and touching an intraday low of 51,820.41 points, accordin»»»

Dubai: A 30-year-old Indian software engineer has been arrested in the United States for allegedly murdering his wife nearly nine months after she was found dead at their apartment, NDTV reported, citing court documents and police. According to the Bellevue Police Department, Avinash Narne is accus»»»

No single topic dominates the news media on Thursday. POLITICS Commenting on the proposed amendments to the Election Code, Dimitar Petrov from Progressive Bulgaria told Bulgarian National Television's morning programme that these will ensure more transparent and fair presidential elections later th»»»

South Korea's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a seven-year prison sentence handed down to former president Yoon Suk Yeol o charges of obstruction and other crimes tied to his botched 2024 martial law declaration. The disgraced former president has insisted his martial law declaratio»»»

Dubai: Emirates will introduce its flagship A380 to Delhi from October 25, making the Indian capital its third A380 destination in India after Mumbai and Bengaluru. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The double-decker aircraft will operate on flights EK512 and EK513 in a »»»

ABU DHABI: The UFC, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has announced two additional bouts for UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Rountree Jr., taking place on Saturday, July 25, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. Making his highly anticipated UFC debut, lightweight Magome»»»

The Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) unanimously decided on Thursday that the election of members from the professional quota for the new composition of the Council should be completed on November 21. The prosecutors will hold their general meeting on October 17 and vote on November 24.»»»

Ukraine arrived at this week's key Nato summit in Turkey determined to persuade US President Donald Trump that the momentum in the war has shifted in Kyiv's favour, despite Russian forces continuing to make slow but steady territorial gains in the Donbas. Trump struck an optimistic tone ahead of th»»»

Kazakhstan's Constitutional Court ruled on July 7 that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev would be eligible to run for another presidential term under the country's newly adopted constitution. The ruling follows Tokayev's own request for a constitutional interpretation after Kazakhstan approved a new »»»

TEHRAN: Iran summoned the British ambassador to Tehran to protest what it called “baseless accusations,” state media said on Thursday, after a London court jailed two people for a knife attack it said was carried out at Iran’s behest. “Following the repetition of false and baseless accusations by B»»»

The Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) unanimously decided on Thursday that the election of members from the professional quota for the new composition of the Council should be completed on November 21. The prosecutors will hold their general meeting on October 17 and vote on November 24.»»»

Aspirational luxury clients – those who strategically purchase luxury goods and services rather than the ultra-high-net-worth individuals who habitually engage with luxury – are increasingly turning to new ownership models, experiences and AI-powered personalization to shape how they engage with br»»»

UK police drew batons amid a clash with enraged locals at a protest in Glasgow, Scotland on Tuesday, as officers evacuated two men accused of being involved in a rape away from the furious crowd. The protesters gathered outside an apartment block in the city’s East End over concerns that someone li»»»

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's trial on obstruction of justice charges is broadcast live on a television screen at Seoul Station on Thursday. The Supreme Court upheld a seven-year prison term. Photo by Yonhap The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a seven-year prison term for former Pr»»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi student Dana Adel Al Zarooni was crowned the UAE champion of the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge on Thursday after outperforming more than 830,000 students who took part in the competition from schools across the country. The winner was announced during a ceremony held a»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Arab Investment & Trade Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman) revealed that the average Arab ranking remained stable at 102nd place globally in its composite index of investment climate components for 2025. This reflects the continued gap from the global average ranking of about 23»»»

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today arrived in the State of Kuwait on a fraternal visit. His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, received His Highness and the accompanying delegation upon arrival at the Amiri Airport. Accom»»»

Doha, Qatar: As the world celebrates World Volleyball Day, Qatar Foundation’s Creating Pathways programme is using volleyball to help empower the next generation of girls in Qatar, building confidence, leadership and lifelong skills both on and off the court. Volleyball is one of five sports offere»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Center of Legal and Judicial Studies at Ministry of Justice will organise two specialised training courses from July 12 to 16, 2026, targeting legal professionals working in ministries and government entities. The courses form part of the Center’s 2026 training plan and are designe»»»

North Korea on Thursday condemned growing military cooperation between South Korea and Japan. In this June 28 photo, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back inspect honor guards at the Defense Ministry in Seoul. File Pool Photo by Kim Hong-ji/EPA Ju»»»

RIYADH: Housing finance market developer Saudi Real Estate Refinance Co. announced the pricing completion for its third issuance of international sukuk guaranteed by the government, with a total value of $2.75 billion. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Public Investment Fund-owned company sp»»»

The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Persian Gulf. The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recen»»»

President Donald Trump flew partway home from a NATO summit in Turkey on an old baby blue Air Force One plane instead of the new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted red, white and navy blue jet he arrived in, a surprise swap that came as the US and Iran once again began trading strikes. Get updated faste»»»

Dubai: Emmy-winning Indian comedian Vir Das will headline the seventh edition of the Dubai Comedy Festival, returning to the city from October 9 to 18 with a packed programme featuring more than 40 shows in eight languages. The organisers on Wednesday unveiled the first wave of performers, with Bri»»»

Every three years, millions of Filipinos line up under the tropical sun to vote. Political campaigns are loud, competitive and fiercely contested. Election turnout routinely exceeds that of many established democracies. Governments change without military coups. Courts remain open. The press is vib»»»

CAIRO: He is the grandson of an influential Shiite cleric, born in Qom — the heart of religious studies in Iran — and raised in a traditional family that embraced the theocracy. But by his late 20s, he had stopped praying and given up on clerical rule. Now, he can barely discuss politics or religio»»»

The European Commission decided, on Wednesday to send Romania to the EU Court of Justice for failing to ensure that the CNAS (National Health Insurance House)makes payments to pharmacy operators within the time limits set by the Late Payment Directive (Directive 2011/7/EU.According to a press relea»»»

On July 9, 2011, after more than half a century of struggle and violence that claimed an estimated 2 million lives, the Republic of South Sudan declared its independence from Sudan and became Africa's 54th nation. 1 of 3 | A Southern Sudanese refugee waves a South Sudan flag during independence cel»»»

BUENOS AIRES: An Argentine court convicted a senior former naval officer on Wednesday over the 2017 implosion of a submarine in the South Atlantic in which all 44 crew members perished. The wreck of the ARA San Juan was the Argentine navy’s deadliest disaster in peacetime. Claudio Villamide, comman»»»

Seoul: South Korea's highest court on Thursday upheld ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's seven year prison sentence over crimes tied to his botched 2024 martial law declaration and its chaotic aftermath. The case covered accusations that Yoon had obstructed cabinet deliberations and used forged signature»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs H E Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi has affirmed that the country’s institutions have demonstrated a high level of readiness and their ability to deal efficiently with regional developments and exceptional circumstances as part»»»

The Irish EU presidency should recuse itself from any legislative files on tax because of its “questionable track record regarding the protection of EU digital rights and the EU’s fiscal base,” a group of 60 leading academics urged on Wednesday (8 July). In a letter seen by EUobserver, the group of»»»

Geekay Group, one of the Middle East's leading gaming and entertainment companies, today announced a major milestone in its esports journey as Geekay Esports secured qualification across ten titles for the Esports World Cup 2026. The achievement marks another significant step in Geekay Group's long»»»

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s plans to build a skyline-altering arch in the nation’s capital is getting another review from the federal commission whose approval he needs, but the agency’s staff says the project should be revised before it gets the go-ahead. The National Capital Planning Com»»»

This year's budget inventory has been completed; according to the schedule, the new deficit target will be set at the end of August and a comprehensive legislative amendment covering 2026 will be submitted, while the 2027 budget and a medium-term fiscal plan will be submitted by the end of October,»»»

The US military launched a new round of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, following President Donald Trump's assertion that the fragile ceasefire between the two countries was over. Trump warned that the attacks could get "much worse" if Iran perpetrated further attacks on ships in the Strait of H»»»

Dubai: Every grain of rice mattered in Bobby Sutanto's childhood home. Growing up in an underprivileged family in Indonesia, wasting food has never been an option. No one started eating until everyone has gathered around the table. Meals have been shared from dishes placed in the centre, leftovers »»»

The email arrived with the flat courtesy of all such messages. “Dear Customer,” it began, before announcing a change to the monthly Fall-Below Fee — the charge a bank applies when your balance slips beneath a required minimum — taking effect this September. Unremarkable, until it jogged loose somet»»»

DUBAI: Kuwait sounded its missile alert sirens early Thursday morning after Bahrain and Qatar, warning of an Iranian attack after the United States launched a new round of airstrikes targeting Iran. There was no immediate word of damage in the three Gulf Arab countries. Kuwait’s military said it wa»»»

SYDNEY: Indian ‌Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Melbourne on Thursday, with the two leaders expected to discuss critical ​minerals, trade, defense and security cooperation. Modi, who previously visited Australia in 2023, touched down Wednesday n»»»

Manila: On Wednedsay (July 8, 2026), The third day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial shifted from dramatic witness testimony to increasingly contentious legal sparring. Senate presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero admonished both prosecutors and defence lawyers to avoid turning»»»

PROVO, Utah: Prosecutors played a video clip in court Wednesday of suspect Tyler Robinson after he had turned himself in to Utah authorities a day after the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The video showed Robinson standing in a room at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office wearing»»»