Sub-Saharan Africa's economic expansion is expected to slow modestly in 2026 as higher energy costs, weaker external demand and constrained fiscal space offset gains from structural reforms and improved trade access, according to the World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects report. The World B»»»

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said his country had been cooperating “under the radar” with Somaliland for years, as he met with the breakaway African state’s president. In December, Israel became the first country to recognize the independence of Somaliland since it »»»

Trump threatened Tuesday to block renewal of warrantless surveillance unless it was attached to his voter ID bill in a spat with Congress over key security and law enforcement nominations. Photo by Yoan Valet/EPA June 17 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would not approve any r»»»

RIYADH: World Sea Turtle Day, celebrated annually on June 16, highlights Saudi Arabia’s role in protecting this threatened marine species. Ras Baridi Beach, about 70 km north of Yanbu, is the Kingdom’s most important and well-known sea turtle nesting site. The day was established in 2000, marking t»»»

Frankfurt, Germany: Replica World Cup shirts of several German players were temporarily unavailable due to a shortage of the letter "V" following high demand from fans, Adidas said Wednesday. The sportswear giant, which supplies kits for the German team, said supporters flocking to snap up shirts o»»»

Dubai: Revolut has received Stored Value Facilities and Retail Payment Services licences from the Central Bank of the UAE, clearing a major regulatory step before the global fintech launches its local product offering. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The approval follo»»»

Nivea Sun, a leading sun care brand from Nivea, has announced a strategic partnership agreement with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City, two world-class entertainment destinations redefining thrills and water adventures in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030. As per the collaboration, Nivea Sun has be»»»

Dubai: Residents and visitors in Dubai can now have greater confidence in the food on their plates. Dubai Municipality has launched a state-of-the-art laboratory that can detect prohibited substances and potentially harmful nanoparticles—including titanium dioxide, a common additive used to whiten »»»

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched “Dubai-It”, a new initiative aimed at embedding Dubai’s distinctive work culture of rapid execution, excellence and results-driven delivery across government inst»»»

The Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Department of Plovdiv Municipality Wednesday welcomed a delegation from Kreativ EU (Knowledge & Creativity European University), Plovdiv Municipality said. Deputy Mayor Plamen Panov and Assoc. Prof. Marusya Smokova-Stefanova greeted the guests, who too»»»

NYON - Serbian football champions Red Star Belgrade were on Wednesday drawn to play the winner of the tie between San Marino outfit Tre Fiori and Northern Ireland's Larne in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. Red Star will play the first leg away from home on July 21 or 22. The retu»»»

Dubai: Global banks could see profit pools fall by $170 billion by 2030 unless they move faster on AI, data and digital-first operating models, according to a new DIFC report that describes the industry’s biggest structural shift since the 2008 financial crisis. Sign up for our daily business newsl»»»

Dubai: Telegram founder Pavel Durov has criticised India's temporary ban on the messaging platform, arguing that the move has "punished" more than 150 million users in the country without preventing the spread of leaked examination materials. In a post on his Telegram channel on Tuesday, Durov said»»»

Copenhagen: Danish company Clever is trying something it believes is clever indeed: it has done away with bosses to foster creativity and boost group performance. At its Copenhagen headquarters in a former industrial district, Denmark's leading operator of electric car charging stations has no hier»»»

Poland, which is regularly targeted by Russian hybrid attacks, takes the threat of war with Moscow very seriously. The country now spends nearly 5 percent of its GDP on defence, and aims to train its civilians too, so they will know how to react if war breaks out. To this end, it has introduced a p»»»

A 50-year-old man has died in the town of Iskar after being attacked over an unpaid restaurant bill of €33.50, according to bTV. Two individuals have been detained in connection with the incident, which occurred during the town’s holiday celebrations, but questions remain over the official account »»»

Gravediggers in a southern Lebanon village prepare tombs for the dead in Israeli strikes during the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, near those killed in the previous conflicts between the foes. In front of recent graves bearing three huge portraits in Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, Shourouk Hariri, 32, wept for»»»

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has directed the implementation of a Dh300 million expansion project for University Hospital Sharjah, aimed at doubling the facility's capacity and enhancing healthcare services in the emirate. Abdula»»»

Media outlets in Kyrgyzstan can also take advantage of the benefits provided by the presidential decree exempting the creative sector from taxes. According to Almambet Shykmamatov, Chairman of the State Tax Service, the decree applies to «services for the production, placement, and distribution of »»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that under-16s will be banned from social media, and adults will have to verify their identity to use major platforms. Critics say it’s an opportunity for Starmer to fulfil his long-term goal of introducing digital ID by the back door. Starmer annou»»»

Jeffrey Epstein attempted suicide at least three times before his death in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019, according to the New York Times. Investigators reportedly found multiple nooses in his cell after his death, a report detailing the convicted sex offender’s final days in federal custody has re»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held phone talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and discussed the preparations for the signing of the Iran-US memorandum, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. "The head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry informed about »»»

Doha, Qatar: Plan your weekend getaway activities with an exciting lineup of live shows, family-friendly activities, and thrilling sporting events. Treat yourself to a weekend of refreshing fun and make the most of your time in Qatar. Find out more about the various activities! Tamer Ashour Live in»»»

Dubai: The UAE and wider Gulf economies are expected to bounce back strongly in 2027 after absorbing the impact of regional conflict, with GCC GDP forecast to expand by 8.1 per cent. This would happen as energy trade routes normalise, tourism demand returns and business confidence improves, accordi»»»

Dubai: Oil prices could take 4 to 8 weeks to stabilise even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens on Friday, as tanker backlogs, elevated insurance costs, low inventories and doubts over the ceasefire continue to keep a risk premium in energy markets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & »»»

Israel and Lebanon are nearing a permanent ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, following significant progress in recent talks held in Washington, Israel's Channel 12 reported overnight. According to the report, the details of the agreement are currently being finalized, and the Leban»»»

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Haiti on Tuesday as gang violence deepens a humanitarian crisis, with more than one in 10 Haitians displaced. The United Nations said 2,300 people have been killed and 100 kidnapped this year, while 1.5 million have been forced from their homes, includi»»»

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on several areas in south Lebanon on June 17 despite an agreement on a peace deal in the Middle East war that includes Lebanon. But the contents of the deal have yet to be revealed, although the US has confirmed Israel will not have to withdraw to the internati»»»

Bulgaria has indicated that it is opposing elements of the European Union’s 21st sanctions package against Russia, according to reporting by Politico citing two diplomatic sources. The package, presented by the European Commission on June 9, is currently under discussion among member states and is »»»

Border crossings between Bulgaria and North Macedonia are set to be temporarily blocked in a coordinated protest against what organizers describe as pressure and repression targeting people with Bulgarian identity in the neighboring country. The action is scheduled for Sunday, June 21, and will las»»»

Iran will immediately take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once a tentative deal with the U.S. to end the war is signed and will be allowed to sell its oil without restrictions, according to leaked copies of an interim agreement that officials say broadly matches the document. The accord, due »»»

BOSTON: Generations of Boston families played and picnicked on the grassy, sloping lawns of the Bunker Hill Monument. Musket balls and other artifacts from one of the American Revolution’s most consequential battles were buried just below their feet the whole time. Inspired by a centuries-old map, »»»

Doha, Qatar: ​With reference to reports circulating about suspected cases of food poisoning in one of the restaurants, the Ministry of Public Health clarified that it has dealt directly with a number of reports in this regard and as a precautionary measures has ordered the closure of the restaurant»»»

Dubai: Alaan, the UAE's leading spend management platform, today launched a business bank account with built-in intelligence, powered by ruya. With this launch, Alaan becomes the first fintech in the region to combine corporate cards, domestic and cross-border supplier payments, invoice automation,»»»

The term ‘Axis of Defiance’ was once associated with a number of Arab states opposed to any peace agreement with Israel, particularly after the defeat of 1967. However, as political alignments evolved, the concept gradually transformed. Over time, its meaning progressively narrowed to the ‘Axis of »»»

Only a small number of bloggers in Kyrgyzstan earn income from advertising and pay taxes, the head of the State Tax Service, Alambet Shykmamatov, said at a meeting in Bishkek where tax reform, specifically tax exemptions for the creative sector, were discussed. He noted that after criticism of the »»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) announced that the UAE’s private sector workforce expanded by 2.5% during the first quarter of 2026, while the number of skilled workers increased by 1.5% over the same period. According to data released by the Labour Market Obser»»»

The Chinese engineering company China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. has been selected as the EPC contractor for the construction of key production facilities at Togolok gold deposit. According to the Chairman of the Board of Kumtor Operating Company Kanimet Toktosunov, the company was chosen through »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Deputy Amir His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani received the credentials of two new ambassadors to the State of Qatar at his office in the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. His Highness received the credentials of HE Dr. Tauisi Minute Taupo, Ambassador of Tuvalu,»»»

Paris, France: The Louvre museum is struggling to find funding to upgrade its ageing facilities, its new director said Wednesday, following a litany of problems that included a brazen $100-million jewellery heist. "Despite its imposing majesty, despite the daily commitment of its staff, the Louvre »»»

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the digital world, deepfake technology has emerged as one of the most significant cybersecurity and misinformation challenges of our time. The ability to generate highly realistic images, videos, and audio recordings has created new risks for governme»»»

The government ordered an immediate internal investigation at the tax and customs authority NAV, the Anti-Terrorism Centre and other agencies involved in the so-called “gold convoy” case, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Facebook on Wednesday. The seized Ukrainian assets. Photo: MTI/Magyarország»»»

Bishkek Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev reviewed the Elebesov Street reconstruction project, which will be part of a large-scale road infrastructure upgrade in Dordoi market area. According to the municipality, a 1.5-kilometer section is planned for reconstruction. Upon completion, the street will be wid»»»

Ajman: Ajman is seeking to attract more visitors from Germany and strengthen cultural ties with Europe after senior officials from the emirate met senior officials ff the German government and business community to explore new avenues of cooperation. Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of th»»»

BELGRADE - The US Department of the Treasury issued on Tuesday a new specific license to the Serbian oil company NIS that allows it to continue operations until July 1, 2026, the company has announced. "This licence allows for the maintenance of business operations, contracts and other agreements i»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian Tankers Punch Through US Naval Blockade with 4.8M Barrels 17-06-2026 12:34 PM Iranian supertankers have successfully broken the nea»»»

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s main opposition leader said her tour of the United States aimed at mustering support for her stance on China “exceeded expectations,” without detailing any tangible outcomes. Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng Li-wun returned to Taipei this week to sharp questions over the island’s »»»

Countries seeking to join the EU could face major limits on their ability to dissent against Brussels’ decisions after accession, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has warned. The EU is looking to speed up the admission of new states amid concerns that growing economic problems and global politica»»»

Vancouver, Canada: The Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Canada HE Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari affirmed that the Qatari diplomatic mission secured all its logistical and service capabilities to provide comprehensive support to the Qatari national football team and the Qatari fans who will travel to»»»

Kinshasa: In 1976, young Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe was sent to a remote village to look into a mysterious illness and found himself confronting Ebola, a deadly virus the world did not yet know. Just back in the Democratic Republic of Congo after studying in Belgium, he had been called t»»»