BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of European Integration Nemanja Starovic said on Wednesday Serbia had received another positive recommendation from the European Commission (EC) for opening Cluster 3 in its EU accession talks, and noted that Serbia had met all the technical requirements but that a final»»»

Dubai: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on a petition filed by Class 12 students from Gulf and West Asian countries seeking relief over disruptions to the 2026 board examinations caused by the regional conflict. A Be»»»

Dubai: The UAE attracted a record Dh177.3 billion in foreign direct investment inflows in 2025, lifting the country to ninth place globally among destinations for inbound FDI, according to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The figur»»»

Brussels, Belgium: The European Union on Wednesday said "decisions about the future of Greenland are for Greenlanders and Danes" after US President Donald Trump said he still wanted the Arctic island. "Territorial integrity, national sovereignty and inviolability of borders are fundamental principl»»»

London, United Kingdom: Almost 6,000 seafarers "remain stranded" in the Gulf, the head of the International Maritime Organization said Wednesday as he called for "maximum restraint and de-escalation". "I condemn the attacks over the past two days against several ships transiting the Strait of Hormu»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian VP Mohammad Reza Aref: The mass funeral processions in Najaf and Karbala reflect the deep-rooted cultural and religious bonds betwe»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Trump Throws Open NATO’s Door to Turkey Again, Pledges F-35 Sales and Sanctions Lift 08-07-2026 14:01 PM US President Donald trump in an im»»»

The mixed system of machine voting and paper ballots works, and we believe it is a good system for holding future elections, GERB-UDF MP Stefan Arsov said on the sidelines of Parliament on Wednesday. "We will oppose the section on mixed voting in Progressive Bulgaria's proposals for amendments to t»»»

The General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) will be empowered to order the removal of terrorist content and block access to it online under amendments to the Ministry of Interior Act adopted at second reading by Parliament on Wednesday. In connection with its powers, the GDCOC mus»»»

JEDDAH: Oman and Jordan have agreed to establish a 38.5 million Omani rial ($100 million) joint investment company targeting strategic sectors including energy, mining, technology, and pharmaceuticals as both countries pursue economic diversification. The company, jointly owned by Oman Investment A»»»

Colombo: Sri Lanka plans to open a new prison in a disused hospital building, the justice ministry announced Wednesday after a riot killed 20 inmates and eight guards at an overcrowded jail. The deadly violence has intensified scrutiny of Sri Lanka's chronically overcrowded jails, with official fig»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Trump “Thinks” MoU with Iran is “Over” 08-07-2026 13:49 PM Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs after meeting with Republican sen»»»

Democratic Bulgaria (DB) Floor Leader Nadejda Iordanova said here Wednesday that the ruling majority supports two proposals long advocated by DB: restoring machine voting as the main voting method in Bulgaria and removing the limit on the number of voting sections in countries outside the European »»»

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding between Bulgaria, Belgium and the Netherlands on the acquisition of seven mine countermeasure vessels, the Defence Ministry said in a press release. The document was also signed by the defence ministers of Belgium a»»»

London: The 1,000-year-old Bayeux Tapestry depicting the last successful military invasion of England will arrive in London in the coming days by dead of night and under "police protection", the UK envoy helping to coordinate the historic transfer told AFP. But Peter Ricketts, the UK's Bayeux Tapes»»»

ANKARA: US President DonaldTrumpon Wednesday said he considers the ceasefire between the US and Iran to be over following a flare-up of hostilities overnight, but left the door open for negotiations to continue. "To me, I think it (the ceasefire) is over,"Trumpsaid, speaking alongside NATO Secretar»»»

Dubai: Emirates Skywards has launched a 5 million Miles giveaway for Dubai Summer Surprises 2026, giving members the chance to win 10,000 Skywards Miles when they spend Dh200 or more through eligible retail, dining and online shopping partners. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & B»»»

In a significant boost to Egypt’s automotive sector, General Motors (GM) has commenced the production of the much-anticipated 2025 Chevy Optra at its 6th of October City plant. This marks a new chapter for the Chevy Optra, following its official unveiling in Egypt three months ago. The announcement»»»

The Administrative Court in Plovdiv has declared void the Karlovo Municipal Council's decision to hold a local referendum on a planned gunpowder factory, the municipal administration said on Wednesday. The court ruled that the proposed referendum questions concern national defense and security rath»»»

Foxborough, United States: When Mohamed Ouahbi was a student a professor told him he lacked the necessary skills to become a physical education teacher. In coaching Morocco to the World Cup quarter-finals with an attractive brand of football, Ouahbi has comprehensively proved him wrong. The 49-year»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is searching for a Boeing cargo aircraft missing over the Arabian Sea with five crew members on board. The Karachi-bound 737-400 plane operated by a Pakistani carrier took off from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and lost contact with air traffic control about 9:18pm (16:18 »»»

RIYADH: Qatar Central Bank’s foreign currency reserves and liquidity climbed 1.24 percent year on year in June, reaching 262.1 billion Qatari riyals ($71.7 billion), according to official data. Figures published by the institution showed that official international reserves rose 1.48 percent year o»»»

Barcelona: The morning sun beats down on Antonio Reina as he tends to a public garden in Barcelona, but he works reassured that a simple wristband protects him in the summer heat. The device contains a sensor that detects body temperature. If Reina gets dangerously hot at the risk of making a poten»»»

Abu Marawat Gold Mines Company is targeting the start of commercial production in 2026, a move expected to boost Egypt’s gold output, attract further mining investments, create direct and indirect job opportunities and support economic and social development plans in the Red Sea and Qena governorat»»»

Brussels, July 8 (SANA) European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday, describing them as “unacceptable” and warning that escalating tensions between the United States and Iran risk undermining efforts to end the conflict in the Mid»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani rescuers scoured the waters around the presumed crash site of a Boeing cargo plane on Wednesday, hours after it lost contact with air traffic control on its way to Karachi with five crew members on board, Pakistan authorities said.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorit»»»

On the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, Ukraine and Russia seemed to be locked in a competition to see who can torch more of the opponent’s capital. Russia won. On the night of July 7, Kiev launched over 430 UAVs at Moscow and the Moscow region – the biggest such attack in the past two years. Acco»»»

The Netherlands has run out of options for continued direct military assistance to Ukraine, Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius has said. The EU and NATO member has been an active supporter of Kiev in its conflict with Moscow, including by supplying US-made F-16 fighter jets as part of a schem»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has revealed that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed to meet in the near future, with the talks potentially taking place in either Budapest or Kyiv before the two leaders travel together to Transcarpathia. Speaking in a Facebook video ah»»»

The UAE topped the list of Arab destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025, attracting US$48.2 billion, representing 40.4 percent of the total. It also ranked first in the Arab world and 17th globally in Dhaman's 2025 Composite Investment Climate Index, improving by two places compare»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said on Wednesday European Parliament (EP) rapporteur Tonino Picula's insistence on punishment for Serbia had nothing to do with reforms on the country's EU path, but with the pro-Serbian policy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. "In Tonino Picu»»»

Arab Finance: EgyptAir, the national carrier and official airline of Egypt's national football team during its participation in the 2026 World Cup, operated a special flight on Wednesday, July 8th, to transport the Pharaohs' delegation from the US back to Egypt following the conclusion of their tou»»»

Tunis, July 8 (TAP) – The General Directorate of the National Guard on Wednesday marked the eighth anniversary of the deaths of six National Guard officers killed in a terrorist attack in the Essaraya area of Jendouba Governorate on July 8, 2018.In...»»»

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday advised airlines to avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon amid rising regional tensions. The directive, valid until August 31 unless reviewed earlier, was issued over concerns about the fragile ceasefire and the risk of further mi»»»

London, July 8 (SANA) European stocks extended losses on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran had ended, adding to renewed concerns over tensions in the Middle East. CNBC reported that the pan-European STOXX 600 index fe»»»

DUBAI: Nearly 9,300 cases of chickenpox were reported in Gaza in just two weeks, with over half in Khan Younis alone, according to a recent report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “The situation remains critical, with an urgent need to restore supplies to prevent furth»»»

Dubai: The UAE attracted a record Dh177.3 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in 2025, a 6 per cent increase from the previous year, while the country's total FDI stock climbed to Dh1.17 trillion, according to the latest World Investment Report. Announcing the results in a post on X,»»»

Dubai: Dubai Chambers has launched the Business in Dubai platform, giving companies one digital gateway to access 65 corporate services from seven accredited partners. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The platform is aimed at businesses looking to set up, grow or expand»»»

Two Georgian nationals were arrested during a police operation targeting a rise in thefts from parked cars in Bulgaria's Burgas region, the Burgas police said on Wednesday. Police officers arrested the first Georgian citizen in the town of Aheloy while he was allegedly attempting to steal from a pa»»»

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said that his Ministry's resources are better suited to review both the machine software and the counting software utilized for the voting process compared to the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation. The Minister's»»»

Atlanta: Lionel Messi once retired from international football after blasting a penalty into the American sky to lose a Copa America final 10 years ago. A decade on, Messi's problems from the spot persist on US soil, but his magic is more than masking that flaw as he continues to lead the Argentina»»»

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store shake hands during their talks in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday. Photo by Yonhap South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held talks Wednesday on ways to deepen cooperatio»»»

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday said they had targeted US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for Washington's strikes on Iran after it struck merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The regional crossfire raised the risk that an interim agreement to halt fighting could bre»»»

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced his willingness to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets, a move which is likely to face strong resistance in Congress and which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would "destroy" the balance of power in the Middle East. Trump on Tuesday became the»»»

Liulan, China: Rescuers scoured flooded parts of China for survivors on Wednesday after storms killed 17 people and caused dozens of rivers to overflow and a reservoir dam to burst, with officials warning of more rain. Extreme weather has wreaked havoc on southern and central China this week, with »»»

Coworking operator Supertree Workspaces & More and office real estate firm Globalworth are expanding their partnership through the development of a new corporate events hub within Globalworth BOC Tower. The project marks the expansion of Supertree’s business through the launch of a new service line»»»

Dubai: President Donald Trump has declared that he believes the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is “over”, signalling the possible collapse of the fragile agreement that had halted weeks of fighting and briefly reopened the Strait of Hormuz. His remarks came after a dramatic overnight esc»»»

Dacia has unveiled Striker, a new C-segment crossover designed to expand the brand’s presence beyond its current SUV line-up and attract both retail and business customers. The model was announced as part of Dacia’s 2030 strategic plan, presented in March, and will sit alongside Bigster in the bran»»»

JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is planning a pilot “humanitarian zone” in southern Gaza which would aim to accommodate tens of thousands of vetted Palestinian civilians, a board official told AFP. The official said the zone could act as a “starting point” for the Palestinian »»»

Dubai: Ras Al Khaimah has 25,600 new residential units in the pipeline between now and 2030, with apartments accounting for 97% of future supply, according to Cavendish Maxwell. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The emirate delivered 170 homes in the first quarter of 202»»»