Tunis, June 17 (TAP/ Meriem Khadhraoui) – Tunisia is preparing to scale up its wind energy sector with the planned launch of tenders for 2 GW of new capacity starting in 2026 (equivalent to enough energy to supply around 1.5 million households)....»»»

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung asked US President Donald Trump to take the lead in seeking a peaceful resolution of tensions with North Korea during a brief exchange at the Group of Seven summit on Tuesday, Lee’s office said. The two leaders greeted each other during a G7 leaders’ grou»»»

DUBAI: Eight months into a ceasefire that has failed to stop Israeli attacks or fully open Gaza’s borders, the 2.1 million Palestinians inside the besieged enclave are entering a summer that aid agencies warn could accelerate an already unfolding public health catastrophe. As summer temperatures so»»»

The Department of Justice is trying to block a lawsuit against Elon Musk's xAI. File Photo by Fazry Ismail/EPA June 17 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice is trying to quash a lawsuit against a power plant that supports an xAI data center and is arguing that the turbines are essential to national se»»»

At its regular sitting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers appointed State Intelligence Agency (SIA) Deputy Chair Assen Tutekov acting head of the Agency, the Government Information Service reported. He will serve as acting SIA Chair until a new head is elected. The Cabinet also appointed Nikola»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that his country's negotiations with Israel in Washington were independent of the US-Iran deal to bring an end to the Middle East conflict. Lebanon and Israel have been holding direct talks in Washington since April, seeking to end the hostilities betwe»»»

A purported draft of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding circulating online suggests that Washington could grant Tehran sweeping sanctions relief and access to frozen assets while leaving key nuclear issues to future negotiations. The 14-point list emerged on Tuesday as the administration of US»»»

By Sherif Abdel Ghaffar I read an article for an expat who used to live in Egypt from 2002 till 2014, this writer apparently also started an English-speaking magazine in Egypt when she lived there. The article in so many words was bashing up the new capital city project in Egypt. I was filled with »»»

The Council of Europe's Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL) Wednesday said that it has closed the 5th evaluation round for Bulgaria. The country has implemented all 40 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations a»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s NHC Innovation, the digital and technological arm of the National Housing Co., signed three strategic partnership agreements with Huawei, Lenovo, and ByteDance in Shenzhen, China. The agreements come as part of the official visit to China by Minister of Municipalities and Hou»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Wednesday, losing 30.65 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 11,114.90. The total trading turnover of the benchmark index reached SR4.23 billion ($1.12 billion), with 72 stocks advancing and 182 retreating. Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel »»»

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 and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic HE Antonio Tajani. During the call, the two sides discuss»»»

ALAVERDI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday a visit to the Alaverdi St George monastery, with which he concluded a three-day official trip to Georgia, would remain one of his most beautiful memories from the country. Vucic, who was accompanied on the visit to the monastery by hi»»»

Dubai: The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) has crossed a market capitalisation of Dh1 trillion, with its General Index reaching 6,115.97 points, the Dubai Media Office announced Wednesday. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The milestone comes as UAE markets recorded gains f»»»

Dubai: Motorists are heading into a busy evening rush, and according to Google Maps, congestion is building across northern Dubai and along the approaches to the Sharjah border as the working day ends. Real-time conditions can be tracked on Google Maps and Waze, both of which update congestion and »»»

Bulgaria has presented its position over the arson of Bulgarian diplomatic cars in Skopje in all possible formats, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova told journalists on Wednesday before a meeting of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy. The Bulgarian State, and the Foreign Ministry in par»»»

RIYADH: The chandelier-lit halls of Riyadh’s Four Seasons Hotel sparkled this week with an exhibition of some of the world’s finest gemstones. The “Jewels of the World” exhibition brought with it fine jewelry and displays of high-end craftsmanship. More than 100 of the world’s most celebrated jewel»»»

Dubai: Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President said discussions about any new regional arrangements must acknowledge Iran's direct aggression against the UAE and other GCC countries. Writing on X, Gargash was responding to comments by former Arab League Secretary-General »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar's Cabinet has welcomed HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's participation in the G7 Summit in France, describing the invitation as recognition of the country's growing international role in promoting peace, development and regional stability. The Cabinet meeting, chaired»»»

Hungarian police have appealed to the public for assistance in tracing 45-year-old British businessman John Robert Joseph Tovell, whose whereabouts remain unknown after he left a nightclub in the early hours of the morning in the Erzsébetváros district. Businessman disappears after night out Accord»»»

Doha The Cabinet has welcomed His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's participation in the G7 Summit in France, describing the invitation as recognition of the country's growing international role in promoting peace, development and regional stability. The Cabi»»»

Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Finance has launched the country’s first Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk programme, allowing citizens and residents to invest in government-backed Sharia-compliant securities. A T-Sukuk is a type of Sharia-compliant government investment certificate. The “T” stands for Treasury,»»»

Dubai: Arada has started the pre-launch phase of 100 Avenue Road, a 172-apartment residential development in London’s Swiss Cottage, marking the UAE-headquartered developer’s first London product after its acquisition of Regal last year. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances»»»

GENEVA: UN experts on Wednesday expressed grave concern for two Britons convicted in Iran of espionage who are now on hunger strike in jail. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were sentenced to 10 years in prison in February on espionage charges, which they deny. Their family said a failed appeal hearing th»»»

Dubai: Eighteen months ago, Claire Francis received the news that every family dreads. The head of physical education at Nord Anglia International School in Dubai had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. In an instant, life became a blur of hospital appointments, major surgery, chemotherapy, radi»»»

Doha, Qatar: 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 and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, HE Antonio Tajani. During the call, the two side»»»

DUBAI: Arab celebrities have been taking their football fandom to Instagram as supporters across the region rally behind the national teams competing at the FIFA World Cup. Among the most prominent voices is Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna, who has enjoyed a particularly high-profile tournament.»»»

LONDON: Police in France are exploiting broad powers to issue spot fines against Arab youth as a new form of racial profiling, a new report has warned. Published on Wednesday by Human Rights Watch, (RE)CLAIM and Maison Communautaire pour un Developpement Solidaire, the 60-page report documents a co»»»

Genoa: The new Africa and Gulf Area of the Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad is taking shape. It is a coordination body that brings together the Italian Chambers operating in Angola, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Mozambique, Qatar, South Africa and Tunisia. This was announced by the m»»»

Washington: US President Donald Trump is facing criticism over a proposed reconstruction and investment fund for Iran that could be worth up to $300 billion, with opponents arguing it resembles arrangements he fiercely criticised under former president Barack Obama, according to a CNN analysis. The»»»

The Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC) has cleared Sofia Municipality to provisionally implement new sanitation contracts in Zones 3 and 4, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said at a City Hall briefing on Wednesday. The CPC decisions, issued on Tuesday, cover Slatina, Poduyane and Izgrev, as w»»»

Bulgaria’s state gas supplier Bulgargaz has proposed a higher natural gas price for July, suggesting a rate of 37.70 euros per megawatt hour (MWh), excluding transmission, access charges, excise duty, and VAT. The proposal has been submitted to the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) and »»»

Bulgaria recorded an annual inflation rate of 6.3% in May 2026, according to revised data from Eurostat using the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). The figure marks the highest level since September 2023 and places the country among the top inflation performers in the European Union, seco»»»

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»»»

Arab Finance: Egypt’s El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company and the Chinese central state-owned automobile manufacturer FAW have signed a partnership to manufacture a range of vehicles under the “Nasr” brand, as per a statement. The signing ceremony took place at the government headquarters in t»»»

ALAVERDI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday a visit to the Alaverdi St George monastery, with which he concluded a three-day official trip to Georgia, would remain one of his most beautiful memories from the country. Vucic, who was accompanied on the visit to the monastery by hi»»»

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 »»»

DUBAI: For nearly three decades, Pixar’s “Toy Story” films have managed something few franchises ever achieve: consistency. Across five films, the series has rarely missed a beat, delivering stories that are funny, emotionally resonant and surprisingly insightful about growing up, letting go and fi»»»

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»»»

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Adylbek Kasymaliev, addressed the plenary session of the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum, where he declared the country’s readiness to expand cooperation in the mining, energy, transport, and logistics sectors. «A new space of»»»

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»»»

The European Commission (EC) published on Wednesday the fourth State of the Digital Decade 2026 report, which evaluates progress made by the EU in its digitalisation across the board, including in critical infrastructures, digitalisation of business, digital skills, and digitalisation of public ser»»»

Arab Finance: Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy has mulled over expansion opportunities in hotel investment across Egypt's tourist destinations with Misr Italia Properties, as per a statement. During a meeting with Karim El Assal and Mohamed Elassal‏, CEOs and Managing Directors of M»»»

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»»»

Chairman of the National Agency for Virtual Assets and Blockchain Technologies under the President of Kyrgyzstan, Farkhat Iminov, held a meeting with the founder of Vietnam’s ROX Group, Tran Anh Tuan. According to the agency, the parties discussed prospects for cooperation in the fields of virtual »»»