The State Intelligence Agency should use virtual space more actively to identify potential agents, said nominee for State Intelligence Agency Chair Antoan Gechev at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday. Gechev is seeking a second term as the Agency’s head. The hearing was held by Parliament’s Commit»»»

LONDON: Recent appointments to Syria’s parliament by interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa appear designed to project a broader, more inclusive political tent, bringing in prominent figures such as Kurdish politician Abdul Hakim Bashar and Druze leader Laith Al-Balous. On Wednesday, Al-Sharaa named the»»»

DAR ES SALAAM: The ‌United States has signed a memorandum of understanding with Tanzania to invest more than $1.3 billion in its health sector over the next five years, the latest in a series of deals that have caused controversy in some African countries. The agreement, signed late on Wednesday, i»»»

LONDON: Last year’s semifinalist Taylor Fritz continued his smooth progress at Wimbledon by mowing down fellow American Patrick Kypson 6-2 6-2 7-5 to make the third round on Thursday and remain on course for a maiden Grand Slam title. Fritz ‌recorded his best ‌result at the ‌All ⁠England Club 12 ⁠m»»»

The Ukrainian millionaire targeted in the Monaco bombing this week had become a nuisance to Kiev, former French intelligence agent Claude Moniquet has told Nice-Matin. Vadim Ermolaev was seriously wounded on Monday evening when an explosive device hidden in a backpack detonated at the entrance to a»»»

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: For the first time in 17 years, hundreds of Indian expats in the UAE queued up without appointments at their embassy and consulate on Thursday to submit passport applications in person, a scene unseen since India first outsourced its overseas consular services in 2009. The Indian E»»»

DRESDEN, Germany — German semiconductor giant Infineon opened a five-billion-euro ($5.7 billion) microchip plant Thursday, as Europe seeks to bolster its high-tech autonomy.The "Smart Power Fab" in the eastern city of Dresden, completed three months ahead of schedule, has been hailed as a symbol of»»»

The State Intelligence Agency should use virtual space more actively to identify potential agents, State Intelligence Agency Chair Antoan Gechev said at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday. Gechev is seeking a second term as the Agency’s chair. Gechev said most of his proposals for the Agency’s dev»»»

Algerians on Thursday voted in parliamentary elections amid concerns over turnout after a campaign season marked by low attendance at official campaign events. Electoral authorities barred 269 candidates from running for the 407-seat lower house of parliament ahead of the vote. Voters in Algeria&nb»»»

DUBAI: Pacer Samaira Dharnidharka will lead the 14-member UAE Women’s U19 team in the 13-team ACC Women’s U19 Premier Cup 2026 which begins in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Saturday, 11 July. The tournament is the qualifier for the ACC Women’s U19 Asia Cup 2026 which will be played later this year. The»»»

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: For the first time in 15 years, hundreds of Indian expats in the UAE queued up without appointments at their embassy and consulate on Thursday to submit passport applications in person, a scene unseen since India first outsourced its overseas consular services in 2009. The Indian E»»»

It's the 1,000th day of war since a Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza. Other conflicts have emerged in the region, and fragile ceasefires show scars of persistent attacks. Both Israelis and Palestinians are weary of the strain. The fate of over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, »»»

Last year we launched this series in which we summed up news from the Hungarian election campaign on a weekly basis. The series continues so we can report on developments after these historically-significant elections, and on the steps taken by the Tisza government. This week we cover the following»»»

BERLIN: Germany plans to give its spy agencies powers to hack, disrupt and deceive foreign attackers in a major overhaul of post-war intelligence limits, aiming to harden its response to growing cyber and hybrid threats, according to a draft law seen by Reuters. German spy agencies are ‌more tightl»»»

The European Court of Justice on Thursday dismissed Google's appeal against a record fine imposed by EU antitrust regulators eight years ago for using its Android operating system to block rivals, in a ruling likely to boost Europe's crackdown on Big Tech. The EU's top court upheld Thursday a recor»»»

Dubai: Board examination marks could soon account for 50 per cent of the admission score for professional courses such as medicine and engineering, as the Centre considers sweeping reforms aimed at reducing students' dependence on high-stakes entrance exams and coaching centres. The proposal, accor»»»

Albania's ruling majority on Thursday approved amendments to the country's National Intelligence Service (SHISH) law with 72 votes in favor during a parliamentary session boycotted by the opposition, while clashes erupted between protesters and police outside the Parliament building. Lawmakers from»»»

Sharjah: What may look like a simple medicine box linked to healing can, when misused, become a gateway to addiction, Sharjah Police has warned as it launched a new interactive awareness platform aimed at tackling drug abuse through simulation and digital engagement. The initiative, introduced by t»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reassured critics that the US-brokered framework agreement with Israel does not prevent Lebanon from pursuing legal action over alleged Israeli war crimes, insisting the accord merely suspends such action while negotiations proceed in good faith. The clar»»»

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball has extended the contract of McKinley Wright IV until 2029, securing the future of one of the team’s most influential players. Despite already being under contract for the 2026/27 season, both sides agreed to extend their partnership following an outstanding campaign. In his»»»

Authorities are investigating the routes, financing and passengers of private flights taken by Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Delyan Peevski, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told Parliament on Thursday, saying inquiries are under way in cooperation with several countries. Demerdzh»»»

LONDON: Catherine, Britain’s Princess of Wales, mingled with the crowds at Wimbledon on Thursday and lent her support to ​the British hopefuls playing in the warm London sunshine. Dressed in a blue trouser suit, the 44-year-old wife of heir to the throne Prince William watched Arthur Fery, one of t»»»

TAIF: Taif University has climbed 500 places from last year in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026 to rank among the world’s top 1,000 universities. The achievement reflects the university’s strong academic and research performance, as well as its commitment to advancing the UN sustaina»»»

LONDON: Catherine, Britain’s Princess of Wales, mingled with the crowds at Wimbledon on Thursday and lent her support to ​the British hopefuls playing in the warm London sunshine. Dressed in a blue trouser suit, the 44-year-old wife of heir to the throne Prince William watched Arthur Fery, one of t»»»

The European Union’s in-house pollsters have concluded that their citizens overwhelmingly support the decisions made in Brussels, and want more of what the EU is giving them. It doesn’t take much digging to discover that someone is cooking the books. The topline results from the latest Eurobaromete»»»

The European justice is keeping a close eye at France's far-right National Rally. A series of searches were carried out as part of a probe into alleged embezzlement of funds, targeting the far-right group which Jordan Bardella once sat in at the European Parliament. Meanwhile, Jordan Bardella has d»»»

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Lebanon's president on Thursday that Damascus had no intention of intervening militarily in his country, despite U.S. pressure to do so, according to the Lebanese presidency. Shaibani, who also invited President Joseph Aoun to Syria, is visiting Beirut»»»

BERLIN: German prosecutors said Thursday that the Ukrainian state ordered a 2022 bomb attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, complicating relations between Kyiv and its key military backer Berlin. The sabotage, never claimed by any actor, destroyed three of the four Baltic seafloor pipelines of t»»»

LONDON: Syria and Lebanon agreed on Thursday to establish a joint ministerial committee aimed at strengthening security coordination, expanding economic cooperation and advancing bilateral ties. The agreement was signed in the Lebanese capital Beirut by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and»»»

WARSAW: A Warsaw court has upheld criminal charges against Poland’s former justice minister, opening up the potential for his extradition from the United States, prosecutors confirmed to AFP Thursday. Zbigniew Ziobro — who served as justice minister and public prosecutor general between 2015 and 20»»»

Budapest has moved a major step closer to creating a greener Danube-side promenade on the Pest lower embankment after the Managing Authority approved funding for two long-planned riverfront projects, the Budapest Transport Centre, BKK, announced. The decision means the capital may receive more than»»»

Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova discussed care for older adults residing in long-term care facilities in Bulgaria with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty, who is visiting Bulgaria, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy announced on Thursday. Bu»»»

The Israeli military-industrial complex will surely have significant problems in sustaining the never-ending wars that the country has launched, Ambassador Marco Carnelos, former Italian Diplomat and Middle East Adviser to Prime Ministers Prodi and Berlusconi, tells Sputnik. Carnelos warned that Is»»»

The third and final stage of the 2026 women’s T20 World Cup generated some compelling cricket, not all of it flawless. One of the most noteworthy outcomes was Ireland’s first ever T20 World Cup victory. The team had almost achieved that historic landmark against New Zealand on June 19, failing to s»»»

Justice Minister Nikolay Naydenov reaffirmed Bulgaria's commitment to upholding human rights during a meeting with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Michael O'Flaherty. "I assure you of the Bulgarian Government's commitment to the protection of human rights, particularly t»»»

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has urged Pakistan to overhaul the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award by revising both the vertical and horizontal revenue-sharing formula and adopting a fiscal equalisation model based on provinces’ spending needs and revenue capacity. According to The News, the»»»

The office of Polish President Karol Nawrocki has accused Vladimir Zelensky of further aggravating the rift over the honoring of Nazi collaborators in Ukraine. Relations between Warsaw and Kiev have grown increasingly strained since the Ukrainian leader named a military unit after the ‘Heroes of th»»»

Tunis, July 2 (TAP)- The correctional chamber at the Tunis Court of Appeal upheld in absentia the first-instance judgement against Anas Hmaidi (president of the Tunisian Judges’ Association).Hmaidi had been sentenced to one year in prison for...»»»

Democratic Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane on Thursday called on Constitutional Court Judge Desislava Atanasova to resign. "When will Desislava Atanasova resign as a Constitutional Court judge?" Democratic Bulgaria MP Ivaylo Mirchev said, calling on the former GERB parliamentary group chair to step down. »»»

Oviedo, Spain: Former Arsenal and Spain playmaker Santi Cazorla retired from football at the age of 41 on Thursday after more than two decades in the game. The diminutive Asturian helped his local team Oviedo reach La Liga in 2025 and played his final season with them in the Spanish top flight. "No»»»

François Picard is pleased to welcome Thibault Muzergues, political director for Shared Ground and author of "The Woke Right". France enters the final 300 days before its presidential election amid a politically combustible convergence of judicial investigations, institutional distrust and an incre»»»

Iran's joint military command warned Thursday that all oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must use its approved routes or face a "forceful response," again ratcheting up tensions over a waterway crucial for international energy supplies. The strait, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf»»»

Dubai: Bank of Baroda has agreed to pay $600 million (approximately Dh2.2 billion) to settle litigation linked to the collapse of UAE healthcare giant NMC Health, bringing an end to years of legal proceedings against the Indian lender in Abu Dhabi and London. Sign up for our daily business newslett»»»

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev has reported that Bulgarian oligarch, media mogul and DPS leader Delyan Peevski has taken 227 flights from Sofia Airport since 2018, with 181 of them operated on private or charter aircraft, according to data presented during a parliamentary hearing based on infor»»»

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged up to €200mn ($228mn) in grants for connectivity projects in the South Caucasus during a visit to Baku on July 1, as Azerbaijan and Armenia move towards a peace agreement that both leaders described as having already changed conditions on t»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s state driving school, which began operating in March this year, has held its first graduation ceremony. Trainees who successfully completed retraining for category CE licenses and training for category A licenses were awarded certificates. The ceremony was attended by the Presidential »»»

BELGRADE - Deputy head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Milos Terzic said on Thursday the experiences of Serbs arrested at Gazimestan on St Vitus's day were horrifying and disturbing and testified of brutal police violence. "What we have heard from our people testifies of brutal»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam: We signed an agreement to form a joint Lebanese-Syrian high committee to enhance cooperation between t»»»

Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters Major General Ali Abdollahi warned the enemies against making any miscalculations. “We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the United States, the Zionist regime, and their regional and extra-regional accomplices, to avoid any miscalculations»»»

This photo, taken Thursday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul as South Korean stocks plunged by almost eight percent on a sharp sell-off in semiconductor shares. Photo by Yonhap South Korean stocks dipped nearly 8 percent Thursday, dragged down by a sharp sell-off in semiconductor shares»»»