RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Wednesday, gaining 14.11 points, or 0.13 percent, to close at 10,925.69. The total trading turnover on the benchmark index was SR3.7 billion ($989 million), as 123 stocks advanced and 130 retreated. The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 10.37»»»

The Central Election Commission (CEC) decided at its meeting on Wednesday to invite Innovation and Digital Transformation Minister Ivan Vasilev to a meeting on the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 25, 2026. CEC Chair Georgi Horozov proposed that the meeting with the minister be »»»

Up to EUR 180 million will be invested in Bulgarian innovative companies and small and medium-sized enterprises through the European JEREMIE initiative. This will be made possible following Parliament's ratification of amended agreements between Bulgaria and the European Investment Fund (EIF) for t»»»

At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers approved a decision endorsing the Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Principality of Andorra and the Republic of San Marino, respectively, on the other. The Agreement provides»»»

Doha, Qatar: The development of Qatar Aeronautical Academy in Ras Abu Abboud is taking shape, as the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) continues to implement the project as part of its efforts to advance educational and training infrastructure based on the highest international standards. The projec»»»

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said Wednesday that the continent could not afford to miss out on the artificial intelligence revolution as the continent's growth model comes under increasing pressure. The United States and China are seen leading the AI race, with their companies prod»»»

Harvard University settled a class-action lawsuit for $53 million after a former employee of the medical school sold body parts from donated cadavers. File Photo by CJ Gunther/EPA Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Harvard University settled a class-action lawsuit for $53 million to families of those whose donated b»»»

Pedestrians wear protective face masks in Madison Square Park in New York City on Dec. 2, 2021. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo Aug. 19 (UPI) -- David Morens, a former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases employee, pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to hide fed»»»

Tensions between the US and Iran remain high nearly six months into the conflict, with Iran warning Gulf states against assisting US forces, fresh concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, continued disruption to Gulf flights and the UAE pushing back on false claims about visa cancellations. Here are the»»»

Janelle DumalaonWhen Deonna Nungaray's mother was detained after a traffic stop in Valley Brook, Oklahoma, it not only upended an immigration case years in the making but also her family's finances. https://p.dw.com/p/5J36dAdvertisementAn immigration detention case in Oklahoma has turned into a cos»»»

Continue the Change (CC) Wednesday said that within 100 days in office, the Radev government had managed to drag the country into a war. The statement was published on Facebook following a Financial Times report that Iran is considering military targets in Europe, including Bulgaria, if US Presiden»»»

The draft National Concept for Regional and Spatial Development of the Republic of Bulgaria for 2026-2040 (NCRSD) envisages reducing territorial disparities and achieving more balanced, competitive and sustainable development across all regions, with improved living standards and access to quality »»»

The Council of Ministers adopted a decision on Wednesday launching a new procedure for the selection of Bulgaria's candidates for the post of European Public Prosecutor, based on clear, pre-announced and verifiable rules, and with guarantees of the selection committee's professional independence an»»»

The Council of Ministers approved a Programme for Supporting Bulgarian Communities, Organizations and Media Abroad for the 2026-2028 period, the Government Information Service reported Wednesday. The Programme is aimed at Bulgarian communities and organizations abroad, which play an important role »»»

Look, Queen Ursula, we need to talk, girlfriend. Yes, I’m addressing you directly, EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, because I’m not going to pretend that there’s anyone in charge in Europe who’s actually elected by the people and crafting EU policy. And since you’ve apparently been mor»»»

Dubai: More UAE companies are now accepting Jaywan, the country's domestic card scheme, with national airline Etihad Airways becoming the first airline to allow customers to use Jaywan cards to book flights. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & BalancesThe expansion now includes Maj»»»

The strategy also targets raising investment’s contribution to gross domestic product from 22 percent in 2019 to 30 percent by 2030. Sectors of particular importance include green energy, technology, and health care as well as biotechnology, advanced mobility and logistics. RIYADH: Saudi Arabia iss»»»

BERLIN: Germany and France on Wednesday condemned remarks by Israel’s far-right national security minister, who declared that Israel should kill “30 or 40” people every night in the Palestinian territory of Gaza. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz “strongly condemns the inhumane appeals made by Minis»»»

Israeli informed U.S. General Joseph Clearfield of its rejection of any agreement on a new pilot zone in south Lebanon, Lebanese sources involved in the deliberations said. The sources added, in remarks to al-Liwaa newspaper, that Israel’s priorities are “expanding the occupied strip, erecting mili»»»

Brasília: A head-on collision between a bus carrying medical patients and a truck killed at least 23 people early Wednesday in southern Brazil, highway police said. The crash occurred at 3:30 am local time (6:30 GMT) when the truck veered into the other vehicle's lane in the municipality of Ipirang»»»

Pantsir-SMD – the new version of Russia’s Pantsir SAM & AA system, has undergone modernization work that “touched on virtually all” of its elements, “including radar station, missile guidance and most crucially, the missiles themselves,” military expert and air defense historian Yuri Knutov told Sp»»»

SEOUL (Sputnik) - Kim Yo Jong, the director of the General Department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said on Wednesday that North Korea is completely uninterested in the US-South Korea decision to halve their joint milita»»»

Abu Dhabi: First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE’s global bank and one of the world’s largest and safest financial institutions, has announced that Payit, its digital financial platform, has launched Send Now Pay Later (SNPL), giving eligible customers greater flexibility and control over how they se»»»

CAIRO: An Israeli airstrike killed nine Palestinians at a police station in Gaza on Wednesday, medics said, two days after US envoy Jared Kushner ended a trip to the region that failed to push forward Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in the enclave. Medics and police sources said several officers»»»

The Cabinet Wednesday adopted a 2026-2030 Action Plan for Bulgaria's National Financial Literacy Strategy. The Plan sets out the main activities to be carried out over the five-year period to improve financial literacy among children and students, young people, the economically active population an»»»

ADEN: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, has handed over vaccine cold-chain equipment to Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population. The shipment includes 32 solar-powered refrigerators and 12 freezers as part of a project to strengthen the cold-»»»

RIYADH: Falcon breeders at an international auction in Riyadh are highlighting the different criteria used to select birds for hunting and breeding, with performance, build, size and bloodlines all playing a role. The International Falcon Breeders Auction, organized by the National Center for Falco»»»

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Public Security has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabia Financial Investigation Unit at the Presidency of State Security to enhance cooperation in combating money laundering and associated predicate offenses. Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, di»»»

Lawyers for Australian Erin Patterson, who is serving life for poisoning three relatives and the attempted murder of a fourth person, opened an appeal in a Melbourne court on Wednesday by saying her conviction was unsafe because the jury, prosecutors and a key witness had shared the same hotel duri»»»

Heavy evening traffic is building across Dubai and Sharjah on Wednesday, with major delays reported on Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Dubai trafficSheikh Zayed Road (E11) is hea»»»

Sikka, Indonesia: A paralysed 84-year-old woman has been found alive three days after a strong earthquake flattened her home on an Indonesian island, an official said Wednesday, as the death toll rose to 73. More than 900 people were injured and nearly 60,000 displaced by the 7.7-magnitude quake th»»»

RIYADH: Net loans at Saudi Arabia’s 10 listed banks rose 7 percent year on year to SR3.25 trillion ($865.2 billion) by the end of the second quarter of 2026, while deposit growth outpaced lending for a second consecutive quarter, according to Al Rajhi Capital. Deposits increased 9 percent to SR3.15»»»

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has announced the success of new mediation efforts between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, resulting in the release of 103 captives from each side, bringing the total number of captives exchanged between the two countries through UAE-mediated »»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon said Wednesday it had received an invitation from France for a meeting to prepare for an international conference on support for the Lebanese army, an event postponed by the Middle East war. The conference in Paris was supposed to take place in March but was delayed after militant g»»»

LONDON: Weeks into US-backed talks meant to trade an Israeli withdrawal for Hezbollah’s disarmament, renewed strikes and evacuation orders in southern Lebanon are raising a difficult question: Is there anything meaningful left to negotiate? The US said on Aug. 11 that the next round of Israel-Leban»»»

LONDON: In May 2024, a furious Gilad Erdan, then Israel’s ambassador to the UN, stood in front of the General Assembly in New York and proceeded to feed a facsimile of the UN Charter into a tiny electric shredder. The assembly was poised to vote to adopt a resolution urging the Security Council to »»»

LONDON: Mikel Arteta will sign a new contract with Premier League champions Arsenal “very shortly,” the club’s chief executive Richard Garlick said on Wednesday. Arteta ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait to win the Premier League last season, but the Spaniard has entered the final 12 months of his curren»»»

Burgas will host the XXV International Geography Olympiad in 2029, after a decision to that affect was made during a International Geography Union meeting in Istanbul, said Burgas Municipality here on Wednesday. Among the other candidates were cities like Porto Seguro (Brazil) and Nicosia (Cyprus).»»»

At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision on the organizational and technical preparations for the October 25, 2026 election of President and Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria. The government assigned the Innovation and Digital Transformation Minister»»»

Continue the Change (CC) Wednesday said that within 100 days in office, the Radev government had managed to drag the country into a war. The statement was published on Facebook following a Financial Times report that Iran is considering military targets in Europe, including Bulgaria, if US Presiden»»»

Dubai: UAE shoppers visiting Bicester Village in the UK can now have their luxury purchases delivered directly to their doorstep in the UAE, under a new partnership between Emirates Delivers and famed outlet shopping destination. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & BalancesThe serv»»»

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov Wednesday said the policies of the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party are destroying Bulgarian sovereignty. This position comes in response to media reports that Iran is allegedly considering strikes on US military targets in Europe, Vazrazhdane said. "Promotin»»»

DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) is continuing work on the Qatar Aeronautical Academy development project in the Ras Abu Aboud area. The project aims to create a specialized educational and training environment that meets the latest standards, supporting the development of national talent»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia bolstered its long-term commitment to Yemen during the second quarter of 2026, rolling out a sweeping series of development, infrastructure, and capacity-building projects designed to drive economic recovery. Executed by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yeme»»»

El-Alamein (Egypt): A preparatory meeting of senior officials for the Qatari-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee in its seven session was held on Wednesday, in the city of El-Alamein, Egypt, in preparation for the session scheduled to be held on Thursday (August 20, 2026), with the participation of a l»»»

UAE citizens can now receive government scholarships to study academic programmes delivered entirely online, under new regulations issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR). Under Ministerial Resolution No. 179 of 2026, scholarships may be granted for fully distanc»»»

Dubai: Community initiatives by Dubai Police generated an estimated social return of Dh647.9 million between 2017 and 2026, according to a study assessing 80 programmes that reached 3.8 million people. The Social Return on Investment (SROI) study, conducted by the Future Foresight Centre at Dubai P»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) organized an introductory session open to the public on Law No. (10) of 2026 Regulating Unmanned Aircraft on August 19, 2026, as part of its efforts to raise awareness of the Law and its key provisions and requirements. The session highlighted »»»

Attacks on Russia’s infrastructure have not caused, do not cause and cannot cause critical consequences, but they do inflict damage, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. "It is clear that a number of factors affect economic growth, including external pressure and terrorist attacks on industrial a»»»

Kyiv: Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies announced Wednesday that they are investigating senior officials in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, a day after the country’s recently fired defence minister called for national elections despite the ongoing fight against Russia’s attack. The revelat»»»