Iran to bury slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as week-long funeral ceremonies draw to a close
Iran's slain ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday will be buried at the country's holiest shrine in Mashhad after a week of mass funeral processions, rallies and mourning ceremonies that has coincided with a flare-up in conflict with the US. Khamenei's son and successor, Supreme»»»
Rehab center becomes lifeline for thousands maimed in Gaza war
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip: Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza now live with permanent injuries after more than two years of war, as a shattered healthcare system struggles with severe shortages of medical supplies and rehabilitation equipment. At the Palestine Red Crescent Society Rehabilitati»»»
NBS retains key policy rate at 5.75 pct
BELGRADE - The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) Executive Board decided on Thursday to keep the key policy rate at 5.75 pct, and also kept the deposit facility and lending facility rates at 4.5 and 7.0 pct, respectively. "In making this decision, the Executive Board primarily took into account actual »»»
Kuwait intercepts 3 ballistic missiles, 10 drones: Defense Ministry
Kuwait City: Kuwait's armed forces successfully intercepted three ballistic missiles, one cruise missile, and 10 hostile drones that entered the country's airspace early Thursday, the Defense Ministry said. Col. Staff Saud Al Atwan, the ministry's official spokesperson, said the interceptions resul»»»
NATO touts $50 billion in arms deals as leaders meet in Ankara
Defense companies from NATO member states gathered in Ankara this week for an industry forum held alongside the alliance’s annual summit, where officials touted more than $50 billion in defense procurement and industrial agreements as allies sought to demonstrate their commitment to bolstering mi»»»
BTA Director General Presents Agency’s 2025 Report to MPs, Calls for Higher Funding for Public Media in 2026
Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev presented the Agency's report for 2025 to MPs in Parliament on Thursday. He expressed hope that the 2026 state budget will increase funding for BTA, Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian National Television in order to guarantee higher sal»»»
Parliament Ratifies Bulgaria-Mongolia Agreement on International Road Transport
Parliament unanimously passed Thursday at first and second reading in a single sitting a bill ratifying an agreement between the governments of Bulgaria and Mongolia on the international carriage of passengers and goods by road, signed in Sofia on November 21, 2025. The parliamentary Transport and »»»
Court Issues Final Ruling Keeping Evelin "Brendo" Banev in Prison
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»»»
Russia bans oil exports as Ukraine strikes cause fuel shortages
On July 8, Russia imposed a ban on diesel exports in response to widespread domestic gasoline and diesel supply issues caused by ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure by Kiev. Ukraine has also been striking ships, as part of a new strategy to bring the war back to Russia by increasing the pain e»»»
Western Europe records its hottest June after searing heatwave
EU's climate monitor said Thursday that Western Europe this year experienced its hottest month of June on record as an intense heatwave swept across the world's fastest-warming continent. A "heat dome" weather effect – a high-pressure system acting like a lid on a boiling pot – »»»
US gives Ukraine licence to build Patriot missiles for its air defence system
Russian strikes on Ukraine on July 8 killed at least seven people as Kyiv's army said it had hit several Russian tankers, in fresh overnight attacks ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky at a NATO summit. During the meeting Trump said that the US will»»»
EU moves closer to kicking kids off social media
Brussels, Belgium: Restrictions on children's use of social media in the European Union could come as early as this summer, as a long-awaited expert report next week is expected to recommend limiting minors' access to online platforms. After Australia became the first country in the world to ban un»»»
Western Europe records its hottest June as heatwaves surge: EU monitor
Paris, France: Western Europe this year experienced its hottest June on record as a searing heatwave swept across a continent facing increasingly frequent and intense heat extremes, the EU's climate monitor said Thursday. The report comes as a new heatwave is battering Europe this week, following a»»»
Inside Iran's ‘golden weapon’: The real story behind Tehran’s tanker attacks
SDubai: When three commercial tankers came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz this week, many saw it as another act of escalation in the long-running confrontation between Iran and the United States. But analysts say the attacks were driven by a deeper concern in Tehran: A growing belief that it »»»
Man says 'I love you' after wife wakes him from 7-year vegetative state by biting his toes
For seven years, every morning, Song Mei did the same thing. She spoke to her husband as though he could hear every word. She massaged his arms and legs, played familiar voices and sounds, and gently bit his toes before the day was over. It wasn't desperation. It had become routine. Get updated fas»»»
US-Iran escalation raises market volatility risk for investors and defensive sectors
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»»»
Parliament Approves Amendment to Stryker Investment Project
Parliament approved on Thursday an amendment to the investment expenditure project related to acquisition of Stryker combat vehicles. The reason for the change is a price increase requested by the US side. A total of 156 MPs voted in favour and 11 Vazrazhdane MPs voted against. Defence Minister Dim»»»
Parliament Adopts Unanimously BTA Director General's Report for 2025
At its sitting on Thursday, Parliament unanimously approved, with 153 votes in favour, the 2025 report by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. The report includes information on the Bulgarian News Agency’s progress toward its strategic goals, the development of its correspondent network, personnel p»»»
Woman arrested in Japan for sewing shut housemate's lips
Tokyo: Japanese police arrested a woman near Tokyo for allegedly sewing shut the lips of her housemate, officials said Thursday. The 42-year-old female victim escaped the house in the city of Koga, rushed to a nearby shop and held up a piece of paper that read "please help me", Makoto Hiyama, a sen»»»
Vucic, Botsan-Kharchenko discuss Serbia-Russia cooperation, regional and global affairs
BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko on Thursday to discuss bilateral cooperation between Serbia and Russia, as well as regional and global affairs. "A very good discussion with the ambassador of the Russian Federation, Al»»»
Rosatom Hits New Milestone With Egyptian El Dabaa Nuclear Plant
The installation of the reactor vessel for the second unit of Egypt’s El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant has begun in northern Egypt, marking another stage in building the country’s first nuclear power station. The ceremony was attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity»»»
Bulgaria Ranks Among EU Leaders in Household Electricity Use and Renewable HeatingOpinions
Bulgarian households are among the most electricity-dependent in the European Union, while also ranking among the bloc’s leading countries in the use of renewable energy sources for heating homes, according to the latest Eurostat data on household energy consumption in 2024. The figures highlight B»»»
Australian sprint star Gout out of U20 worlds with hamstring tear
Sydney: Teenage Australian sprint star Gout Gout on Thursday pulled out of next month's under-20 world championships after suffering a serious hamstring injury in training. The 18-year-old has set the athletics world alight with a series of scorching runs. He won the 200m at the Australian champion»»»
Rising temperatures expected across Tunisia
Tunis, July 9 (TAP) – The weather will be clear to partly cloudy across the country's various regions Thursday, according to the forecast issued by the National Institute of Meteorology (INM).Winds will be from the northwest in the north and central...»»»
Communication Technologies Minister participates in AI for Good Summit and WSIS Forum
Tunis, July 9 (TAP) – Minister of Communication Technologies Sofiene Hemissi participated in the AI for Good Global Summit and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in...»»»
Mitri stresses to Iranian delegation intention to extend state control
Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri on Thursday met with a visiting Iranian delegation, which included the Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular and Parliamentary Affairs and Iranians Abroad, Vahid Jalalzadeh, accompanied by Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General for West Asia and North Afric»»»
Wizz Air Launches Direct Flights between Varna and Basel
Wizz Air is launching direct flights between Varna and Basel, Switzerland, the airline's press centre said on Thursday. Flights on the new route will start on October 27 and will operate twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The airline said the new service expands travel opportunities between B»»»
Prime Minister receives phone call from Turkish Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye HE Hakan Fidan. During the call, they discussed the latest developments in the military escalation»»»
Pakistan authorities searching for 5 aircrew after cargo plane crash - UPI.com
Pakistani search and rescue personnel bring aircraft wreckage aboard a Pakistan Maritime Security Agency vessel in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday. Photo courtesy Pakistan Airports Authority/EPA July 9 (UPI) -- Pakistan authorities were continuing a major search and rescue operation to locate five air»»»
Hungarian health minister Zsolt Hegedűs on New York Times' list of most stylish people
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 »»»
'It is extraordinary': Timothée Chalamet reflects on filming in Abu Dhabi
Dubai: Denis Villeneuve took over cinema screens worldwide today for a global fan event tied to the first trailer for Dune: Part Three, appearing live via satellite in front of audiences linked in Chicago, Dallas, Montreal, Toronto, London, Berlin and Abu Dhabi. Then came the surprise: Timothée Cha»»»
Prime minister, UAE deputy PM discuss de-escalation efforts
DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly State of the United Arab Emirates HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During the call, the»»»
Prime Minister meets United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Doha, Qatar: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, met on Thursday, July 9, 2026, HE Dr Barham Salih, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who is currently visiting the country. During the meeting, the relations of »»»
ING Bank and Dedeman integrate RoPay into online shopping platform
ING Bank Romania and Dedeman have integrated RoPay into the retailer’s e-commerce platform, allowing customers to use the national instant payment service for online purchases on the Dedeman website. Customers can select RoPay at checkout and authorise the payment directly from their bank’s mobile »»»
Tunisias fruit exports reach 27 markets worldwide, generating over 88 mln dinars
Tunis, July 9 (TAP) – Tunisia's fruit exports reached 18,873 tonnes worth 88.07 million dinars between the start of 2026 and July 8, compared with 15,738 tonnes valued at 76.67 million dinars during the same period in 2025, posting growth of 20% in...»»»
Gaza’s Health Ministry warns laboratories and blood banks risk complete shutdown as shortages of consumables and testing materials deepen - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Gaza’s Health Ministry warns laboratories and blood banks risk complete shutdown as shortages of consumables and testing materials deepen 0»»»
Foreign Buying Absorbs EGX Profit-Taking Amid Reform Momentum
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»»»
Iraq will not leave OPEC but seeks fair output quota, PM says
Iraq will not leave OPEC, but is seeking a fair output quota within the oil producer group, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi said in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, according to his office. Reuters reported in an exclusive in June that Iraq, the group’s second-largest produ»»»
Russia says it will respond to Italy’s expulsion of two of its military attaches, RIA reports
MOSCOW: Russia will respond to Italy’s expulsion of two of its military attaches who had been working at the Russian embassy in Rome, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday, the RIA state news agency reported.The Italian government has decided to expel two military »»»
Saudi Arabia, Canada trade nears $18bn over 5 years
RIYADH: Trade between Saudi Arabia and Canada reached approximately SR11 billion ($2.93 billion) in 2025, while total bilateral trade amounted to around SR66.3 billion over the past five years (2021-2025), reflecting continued commercial ties and diversified trade flows between the two countries. A»»»
Digital future: Philippines offers AI training for overseas workers
Dubai: As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries and workplaces worldwide, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are being given an opportunity to gain new digital skills through a government-backed training programme from the Philippines. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) ha»»»
Indian techie arrested for killing wife in US, sending body photo to lover in India
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»»»
Romanians’ view of public administration improves, but bureaucracy remains high – APSAP study
Nearly half of respondents in a national study conducted by APSAP Training Centre, cited by Agerpres, describe their experience with public services as mediocre, while more than 8 in 10 said they had queued at public institution counters over the past year. The overall perception has become more mo»»»
Timothee Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve unveil ‘Dune: Part Three’ trailer
ABU DHABI: Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and actor Timothee Chalamet have unveiled a new, action-packed trailer for “Dune: Part Three.” The IMAX fan event on Wednesday offered audiences their most extensive glimpse yet of the eagerly awaited conclusion to the director’s sci-fi trilogy. The film sees C»»»
Crowds wreck army conscription car in Ukraine, angering officials
KYIV: Crowds of people have surrounded and overturned an army conscription vehicle in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, drawing criticism from authorities who called on citizens to direct their anger toward Russia. Ukraine has seen a steady increase in clashes between citizens and army conscription polic»»»
Media Review: July 9
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»»»
Sofia Mayor Expects Solution within Week for Separate Waste Collection in 14 Sofia Boroughs after Ecobulpak Fire
A solution should be found within a week for servicing the separate waste collection containers in 14 Sofia boroughs following last Wednesday's fire at Ecobulpak's facility, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said in a Facebook post on Thursday. He said that the fire confronted Sofia with an unexpected and»»»
Parliament Passes Amendments to Credit Institutions Act
Parliament on Thursday gave final approval to amendments to the Credit Institutions Act, transposing two EU directives into Bulgarian law, one of which has already prompted the European Commission to launch infringement proceedings against Bulgaria. The amendments strengthen requirements concerning»»»
Prime Minister receives phone call from UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, received a phone call on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emira»»»
Prime minister, Omani foreign minister review US-Iran military escalation
DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held a phone call with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly Sultanate of Oman HE Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi. During the call, they reviewed the latest developments in »»»