OECD warns: Middle East conflict derails global economic growth for 2026
Paris, March 26 (SANA) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued a stark warning on Thursday, stating that the global economy is being knocked off its path of robust growth due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The organization highlighted that the near-to»»»
PM Meets Tourism Branch Organizations to Discuss Cabinet's Crisis-Response Measures
The caretaker government is focusing its efforts on summarizing business proposals, which will be combined with the government's analysis, in order to propose the most effective measures possible to address the consequences of the crisis in the Middle East as stated by caretaker Prime Minister Andr»»»
President of Ukraine Arrives in Jeddah
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine arrived in Jeddah Thursday, SPA reported. At King Abdulaziz International Airport, he was welcomed by Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and several other officials.»»»
Qatar Airways updates flight schedule, allows complimentary date changes until October 31
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways has announced its latest revised schedule, reflecting the gradual increase in flights to and from Doha. The updated schedule is valid until April 15, 2026, and adds additional frequencies to over 90 destinations across Qatar Airways’ global network, covering all continent»»»
EU Court Advocate General Issues Opinion on Requirements for Bulgarian National Bank Leadership
EU law allows a deputy governor of a national central bank to hold shares in a commercial company, provided that national legislation includes mechanisms to assess whether such participation creates a conflict of interest that could affect the bank's independence or public trust, Advocate General N»»»
Widespread showers across Qatar as Ras Laffan records highest rainfall on Wednesday
DOHA: The Qatar Meteorology Department has released the latest rainfall figures recorded across the country on Wednesday, March 25, showing varied precipitation levels across multiple areas. According to the data issued, the highest rainfall was recorded in Ras Laffan at 45.4mm, followed by Barzan »»»
SAMA Licenses Two Companies to Provide Open Banking Services
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced the licensing of “Altknwlwjya aljadydh llhulul albrmjyh” and “lyn tknwlwjyz Company Saudi Arabia litqniyat nuzum almaelumat” to conduct payment services by providing account information—one of the services associated with open banking. The licenses were grant»»»
Turkish tanker carrying Russian crude reportedly damaged in drone attack near Bosphorus
A Turkish oil tanker has reportedly been struck by drones near the Bosphorus after taking on around 140,000 tons of oil at a Russian port, local media reported on Thursday. The ship is blacklisted by the Ukrainian government for transporting Russian goods. The vessel, identified as the Altura, is o»»»
Hezbollah's fate likely linked to US-Iran war outcome
Two days into the US-Israeli war on Iran, Tehran adopted a strategy of widening the geographical scope of its retaliation to maximise its chances of survival against a militarily superior opponent. As a result, it summoned Hezbollah, its Lebanese proxy, to join the battle. But could its entry into »»»
UAE rains: 15-year-old boy rescued after being swept away in Khor Fakkan valley stream
Khor Fakkan: A 15-year-old Arab boy was rescued unharmed after being swept away by strong currents in a valley in the Al Zubarah area of Khor Fakkan, authorities said on Thursday. The incident occurred at around 4.20pm, when the teenager, who was playing near a valley stream, slipped and fell into »»»
Kassandra prison inmate missing, search in progress
A 39-year-old inmate has been reported missing from a prison in northern Greece, authorities said. A search operation is currently underway. The incident took place on Sunday evening at the Kassandra Agricultural Prison, where the man was serving a semi-free sentence under an honor-based supervisio»»»
Anti-Corruption Bloc's Filip Pavlov Deplores Widening Social Inequality
Filip Pavlov, the lead candidate MP of the Anti-Corruption Bloc in Vratsa, warned on Thursday at a meeting with citizens about the deepening social inequality in Bulgaria and called for urgent measures to support households, the Bloc said in a press release. He noted that, according to data on the »»»
HMC updates access routes at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City
Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has announced changes to access routes at several of its facilities within Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City. HMC said that starting Tuesday, March 31, 2026, traffic will be converted to a one-way system at the main entrances of key facilities, including Qa»»»
Iran fortifies Kharg, lays traps as US weighs risky ground operation
Dubai: Almost exactly a month after indirect talks were followed within days by war, Washington is again speaking of negotiations with Iran — even as it weighs a risky ground operation against Kharg Island that could trigger a fresh escalation. Those earlier contacts, involving US envoys and Irania»»»
Heads of Zhogorku Kenesh and State Duma hold talks in Moscow - | 24.KG
Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan, Marlen Mamataliev, held talks in Moscow with Chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin. The press service of the Zhogorku Kenesh reported. The parties discussed strengthening cooperation in energy, transport, and agriculture sectors. Vyache»»»
Cabinet Chairman participates in meeting of Eurasian Intergovernmental Council - | 24.KG
During his working visit to Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Adylbek Kasymaliev, participated in a narrow-format meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council. The Cabinet of Ministers’ press service reported. The meeting addressed a number of issues aimed at furt»»»
Pentagon Mulling Diverting Weapons From Ukraine to Mideast Amid Depleting Stocks - Reports
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Department of War (DoW) is mulling diverting weapons destined for Ukraine to the Middle East as the ongoing conflict with Iran is rapidly depleting critical ammunition reserves, The Washington Post reported on Thursday citing three sources. The decision has yet to be m»»»
Trump Posts About Ukraine's Plan to Give Money to Fund Biden's 2024 Campaign
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump on Thursday posted a link on his Truth Social to a report by Just The News about intercepted messages of Ukrainian officials who in 2022 discussed diverting hundreds of millions of dollars intended for clean energy to support Former US President Joe »»»
China, Russia Should Work Together to Promote Deescalation in Mideast - Special Envoy
BEIJING (Sputnik) - China and Russia should jointly promote deescalation in the Middle East, Chinese Special Envoy for the Middle East Zhai Jun said Thursday at a meeting with Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov. "Russia and China, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, support a ce»»»
World Oil Market to Face Deficit Soon If Strait of Hormuz Blockade Continues - Gazprom Neft
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The global oil market will face a very serious deficit in 2-3 months if the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues, Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft CEO Alexander Dyukov said on Thursday. "The Middle East conflict is already having a significant impact on the global oil mark»»»
Britain's House of Lords votes for under-16s social media ban again - UPI.com
Britain's House of Lords voted Thursday to try to force through a social media ban for children only two weeks after lawmakers in the lower house overturned a previous attempt. Photo by Pixelkult/Pixabay March 26 (UPI) -- Britain's House of Lords revived an effort to ban children younger than 16 fr»»»
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick to face ethics committee on $5M theft charges - UPI.com
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick will go before the House Ethics Committee Thursday for allegations that she stole $5 million in FEMA funds. File Photo by Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/UPI | License Photo March 26 (UPI) -- The House Ethics Committee will have a rare public hearing Thursday on allega»»»
UAE issues fines up to Dh2,000 for unsafe behaviour during rains
Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Interior has warned of strict penalties for unsafe behaviour during rainy and unstable weather, urging the public to adhere to safety regulations to protect lives and property. Stay updated: Get the latest faster by downloading the Gulf News app - it's completely free. Cl»»»
Tunisias date exports rise in first five months of 2025/2026 campaign
Tuinis, March 26 (TAP) – During the first five months of the 2025/2026 crop season, Tunisian date exports reached 94.1 thousand tonnes compared with 90.3 thousand tonnes during the same period last year, marking an increase of 4.2%, according to a...»»»
Sofia University Rector Dismisses Dean and Deputy Deans of Medical Faculty
The Rector of the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Prof. Georgi Valchev, has terminated the contracts of the Dean and Deputy Deans of the Medical Faculty over irregularities in their election, the university’s press center announced Thursday. The decision follows meetings between the Recto»»»
Adylbek Kasymaliev arrives in Shymkent for EAEU Council meeting - | 24.KG
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Adylbek Kasymaliev, arrived in Kazakhstan on a working visit. His plane landed at Shymkent International Airport. He was welcomed there by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kaz»»»
New Deputy Minister of Science appointed in Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
Aziz Mamyrov has been appointed Deputy Minister of Science, Higher Education, and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic. The order was signed by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev, the ministry’s press service reported. Today, the new Deputy Minister was officially introduced to th»»»
Suspects in arson attack on Jewish volunteer ambulances freed on bail - UPI.com
British police said Thursday they had released two men being held in custody on suspicion of carrying out an anti-Semitic arson attack on a Jewish volunteer community organization that destroyed four ambulances. Photo by Andy Rain/EPA March 26 (UPI) -- Two men suspected of arson with intent to enda»»»
Chile implements historic fuel price hike, raising inflation concerns - UPI.com
Vehicles line up for fuel in Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday. The transporters’ union, one of the most powerful in Chile, warned that the historic rise in fuel prices announced by Chile’s new president, José Antonio Kast, will increase costs throughout the country's entire logistics chain. Photo by Elv»»»
Israel says it killed leader of Iran’s navy Alireza Tangsiri - UPI.com
The IRIS Dena, a Moudge Class Frigate of the Iranian Navy, is seen here in a screenshot from video as it was torpedoed by a U.S. Navy submarine in the Indian Ocean on March 4. The Israeli Defense Ministry said Thursday that it has killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Iranian naval commander responsible for»»»
UAE: Heavy rainfall, strong winds forecast tomorrow
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) expects that tomorrow’s weather will be partly cloudy to cloudy, with some convective clouds, accompanied by heavy rainfall over most areas of the country at intervals, and a drop in temperatures. In a statement, the centre noted that winds will be southeast»»»
US stresses importance of fully implementing its brokered Unified Development Programme agreement and establishing a unified budget
The US stressed the importance of the two Libyan western and eastern authorities implementing the unified development spending programme agreement, it had previously brokered in Tunis, and establishing a unified budget. This came after a meeting with the Hafter family in eastern Libya. Specifically»»»
Police Arrests Man Who Allegedly Defrauded Victims of EUR 415,000
Police in Plovdiv arrested the alleged perpetrator of an investment fraud totalling more than EUR 415,000, the Ministry of Interior's Plovdiv Regional Directorate reported on Thursday. Pre-trial proceedings into the case were launched with 10 cases of financial fraud documented. Officers from the E»»»
UAE-based Indian expat social worker dies back home
Dubai: Rich tributes have been paid after an Indian expat social worker and businessman in Dubai died back home on Tuesday evening. Sayyed Shahul Hameed Maliga Thangal, a UAE resident for 30 years and a veteran community volunteer in Dubai, died after a battle with cancer, a family member told Gulf»»»
Advisor to Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs meets EU Special Representative for Gulf Region
Doha, Qatar: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari met Thursday with European Union Special Representative for the Gulf Region HE Luigi Di Maio, who is visiting the country. The meeting discussed the developments»»»
Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry strengthens position: Year results and SCO plans - | 24.KG
An annual meeting of the Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Jeenbek Kulubaev with representatives of the expert community was held in Bishkek. During the event, the minister presented the results of the country’s diplomatic service for 2025 and outlined priorities for the current period. According to K»»»
US vs Iran: Kharg Island Talk — Bluff or Escalation? Ex-Military Officer Weighs In
"An operation towards Kharg Island might happen, but it might as well be a smokescreen or a way for the US to put pressure on Iran," ex-Swedish army officer and defense politician Mikael Valtersson tells Sputnik, commenting on reports about a possible US ground operation against the Islamic Republi»»»
Bulgaria Busts Illegal Slaughterhouses in Kardzhali, Tons of Unchecked Meat Found
Two illegal slaughterhouses were uncovered in the Kardzhali region during a joint operation by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) and the Economic Police. The facilities were located on private properties in the village of Chiflik, within Kardzhali municipality, and are believed to have proces»»»
Friday Sermon, 27 Mar 2026: 'O Allah, You are our trust'
First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. By His bounty, we attach themselves to Him in hope and hold fast to trust by His rope. We bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, and we bear witness that our master Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah.»»»
Hezbollah boycotts cabinet session over Iran ambassador expulsion
Ministers from Hezbollah and its ally Amal boycotted a cabinet session on Thursday in protest over the government declaring the Iranian ambassador persona non grata. The two Shia parties have a combined four ministers, with one independent Shia also represented in the cabinet present at the meeting»»»
Big Tech on trial: Why Meta and YouTube are under fire
Two back-to-back jury verdicts in the United States this week have delivered one of the strongest legal challenges yet to the business models of social media companies, raising fresh questions about accountability, platform design and child safety. In California and New Mexico, juries found Meta — »»»
Lebanon: Hezbollah Boycotts Cabinet Session over Iran Ambassador Expulsion
Ministers from Hezbollah and its ally Amal boycotted Lebanon's cabinet session on Thursday in protest over the government declaring the Iranian ambassador persona non grata, a Lebanese official told AFP. The two Shiite parties have a combined four ministers, with one independent Shiite also represe»»»
Global trading system hit by 'worst disruptions in the past 80 years': WTO chief
Yaoundé: The global trading system is experiencing the "worst disruptions in the past 80 years", World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned as the WTO ministerial conference opened Thursday. "The world order and the multilateral system we use to know has irrevocably changed," she sai»»»
International Alysh Wrestling Tournament kicks off in Bishkek - | 24.KG
The International Alysh Wrestling Grand Prix Tournament kicked off today at the Kaba uulu Kozhomkul Sports Palace in Bishkek. According to the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports, the competition is dedicated to the memory of Bayaman Erkinbaev, the founder of the International Alysh Federa»»»
Cardiovascular diseases - leading cause of death in Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
According to Kyzmat state institution, 2,700 deaths were registered with civil registry offices in January 2026. A report of the National Statistical Committee says. According to the data, the mortality rate was 4.3 per 1,000 people. For comparison, in January 2025, it was 5 per 1,000 people. Of th»»»
Overpass construction underway in Batken to bypass Tajik villages - | 24.KG
Construction of an overpass on Min-Oruk—Samarkandek road has begun in Batken region. The project aims to ensure independent transport connectivity, shorten travel time to Leilek district, and minimize border tensions. According to Azattyk, the new road will run at a height of 16 meters, bypassing t»»»
Tax debts to be automatically deducted from citizens’ bank accounts - | 24.KG
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic has submitted for public discussion a draft Cabinet resolution proposing amendments to the procedure for collecting tax arrears. The document provides for the introduction of a mechanism for the automatic deduction of debts from taxpayers’»»»
Apostolovic: Vucic-Rama proposal should be backed by EU, Kos's position unfair
BELGRADE - Serbian Ambassador to the EU Danijel Apostolovic, who also chairs Serbia' Operating Team for EU Accession, said on Thursday a joint call by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Albanian PM Edi Rama for fast-tracked integration of candidate countries into the EU single market and the Sc»»»
Islamic Resistance fighters fired barrages of rockets targeting the Israeli settlements of Avivim, Shtula and Al-Malkiyeh: Hezbollah Military Media statement no. 36, 37, 38 - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters fired barrages of rockets targeting the Israeli settlements of Avivim, Shtula and Al-Malkiyeh: Hezbollah Milita»»»