SM Investments Corp., one of the largest and most prominent Filipino conglomerates founded by Henry Sy Sr., is leaning on resilient consumers, banking growth and a pipeline of large-scale property and renewable-energy projects as it navigates a more uneven Philippine economy. SM Investments Corp. (»»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) yesterday conducted the seventh edition of its specialised training series focused on the secure adoption and usage cycle of artificial intelligence (AI), bolstering Qatar’s efforts to build a resilient, risk-aware digital infrastructure. Organ»»»

The plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies approved on Wednesday, during an extraordinary session, a bill amending the ordinances on compensation and price-capping schemes for electricity and natural gas in order to speed up the reimbursement from the state of amounts related to energy supplied»»»

The average net salary in Romania increased by 50 lei (0.9%) in June 2026 compared with the previous month, reaching 5,734 lei, while average gross earnings rose by 81 lei (0.9%), according to data published on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).According to the official statisti»»»

Romania has passed the peak of inflation, and the rate could fall toward 5.5% in autumn and even 5% by year-end if the new government avoids measures that fuel price increases, economic consultant Adrian Negrescu said.According to data published Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (IN»»»

The decrease of 2.26 percentage points in a single month is not the result of an improvement in the internal inflationary mechanism, but of the exit from the calculation base of the energy shock in July 2025, says the chairman of the Association of Romania's Financial-Banking Analysts (AAFBR), Flav»»»

Economic pessimism among Romanians intensified in July, with rising concerns about inflation, living standards, interest rates and the labour market, according to the latest monthly economic survey conducted by IRSOP. The survey, conducted between July 27 and 31 among a representative sample of 500»»»

Senate President Mircea Abrudean highlighted that the fall in inflation to 8.2% in July represents an important signal that economic stabilisation measures are beginning to take effect, even amid a complicated international context.'Inflation fell to 8.2% in July, according to data from the Nationa»»»

A reduction in taxes and duties in 2027 would be a great error as it would send a poor signal to those who finance us and it would automatically send Romania in ‘junk’, said the academician Daniel Daianu, chairman of the Fiscal Council in the beginning of the 22nd edition of ‘The Romania-Eurozone M»»»

Rents rose by 42.48% in July 2026 compared with the same month last year, followed by diesel, up 30.7%, and petrol, up 23.15%, according to an analysis by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).'Annual inflation fell by 2.2 percentage points in July 2026 for the first time in the past twelve mo»»»

Romania's annual inflation fell to 8.16% in July, from 10.42% in June, as services prices rose by 13.67%, non-food goods prices by 7.93% and food goods prices by 5.03%, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) data published on Wednesday."The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in July 2026 c»»»

President Nicusor Dan has sent back to Parliament for reconsideration the Law supplementing Article 56š of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 57/2007 on the regime of protected natural areas, the conservation of natural habitats, wild flora and fauna, as well as amending Article 5(1) of Law No. 292»»»

Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruta stated that representatives of the Sadu Mechanical Plant will begin direct negotiations with US Ballistics, a US company looking to lease facilities there and manufacture a new type of ammunition, thereby creating jobs in the area.According to a statement by the »»»

MuresHub and the Suryam Association, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), announced on Wednesday the official launch of the "IncludE UA 2" project, an initiative offering an expanded range of free integration services for Ukrainian refugees living in Mures, Sibiu,»»»

The Ministry of National Defence's (MApN) radar surveillance system detected a group of five airborne targets at 1:27 am on the night of Wednesday to Thursday in the area of the town of Izmail, over Ukrainian territory. Two Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft from the 86th Borcea Air Base were scrambl»»»

NATO ambassadors met on Wednesday to discuss recent airspace violations in Poland and Romania, as well as the latest drone incidents, the Alliance said in a statement, according to Reuters and EFE.Members of the Alliance "expressed their full solidarity and support for the affected allies," the sta»»»

A capsule-laying ceremony was held at the Sary-Chelek State Biosphere Reserve at the construction site of a new checkpoint. The event was attended by Zhenish Seidaliev, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, reserve’s staff, representatives of local governme»»»

Doha, Qatar: High school students from Qatar and abroad aspiring to pursue careers in medicine were given a glimpse of the profession and campus life through the Medical Minds Online Programme (MMOP), a summer initiative organised by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q). In its second edition, the »»»

Dubai: TAQA shareholders will receive a second-quarter interim dividend of 0.8 fils per share, worth approximately Dh899 million, after the Abu Dhabi-listed utility reported a 9.7% increase in first-half net income despite lower revenue. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances»»»

Doha, Qatar: Thirty Qatari and resident students have completed an intensive three-week programme focused on memorising the Holy Quran and studying the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) at the Al Emadi Model Educational Centre. Organised by the Department of Da’wah and Religious Guid»»»

Doha, #Qatar: The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) yesterday on X reinforced the nation’s digital defences through enhanced data governance and information security compliance during a specialised cybersecurity training series for 2026. Organised by the Agency’s National Cyber Strategies and P»»»

Doha, Qatar: Once withdrawn and struggling to communicate, 13-year-old Linai has experienced a remarkable transformation through opportunities provided by the Circle-In Palestine program, finding her voice and a true sense of belonging. Lina, a seventh-grade student with disability and speech diffi»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Sports for All Federation applauded the success of its Sports for All Summer Programme 2026, in which various segments of society and all age groups across more than 65 locations took part. These locations included public parks, sports clubs, youth and commercial centres, nei»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli enemy carries out a new bombing between the two towns of Al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun, South Lebanon: Al-Manar reporter 12-08-2026 2»»»

A magnitude 4 earthquake occurred in Issyk-Kul region, the Institute of Seismology of the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan reported. Tremors were recorded today at 2:49 a.m. local time. The earthquake’s magnitude at its source was 3.5 on the MSK-64 scale. According to preliminary data, th»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Islamic Network, under the Department of Da’wah and Religious Guidance at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, has conducted a series of educational lectures and awareness workshops for more than 400 children and young people participating in summer programmes at several spor»»»

Doha, Qatar: Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, a global foundation for education and development, and the Ministry of Sports and Youth marked the United Nations International Youth Day with a youth-focused public activation at Place Vendôme, creating an interactive platform for young people in »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has launched the Ministry’s Research Priorities Guide for 2027-2030. The guide provides a national framework for directing legal and judicial research toward areas with scientific, social and economic impact. It»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar has outlined a series of legislative, digital, health and social initiatives aimed at strengthening the rights, inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities, building on its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Th»»»

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Kyrgyzstan has appealed the verdict in the «Letter of 75» case and is seeking harsher sentences for the defendants. Lawyer Ikramidin Aitkulov, who represents Kamchybek Tashiev, told journalists this before a hearing at the Bishkek City Court. According to him, wit»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB) yesterday announced significant milestones achieved through its training arm, the Institute of Public Administration, reinforcing the country’s commitment to building national competencies and elevating government performance. A»»»

Dubai: Gold buyers in the UAE saw some relief on Thursday morning after local prices retreated from their highest levels of August, although rates remain well above where they started the month. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and »»»

Vietnam, a country of more than 100 million people, is facing a sharp decline in its birthrate. Once known for large families, the nation's fertility rate has fallen to just 1.9 children per woman. This figure worries the government, which for decades was obsessed with controlling population growth»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov congratulated Andras Baka on his election as the leader of Hungary. In his congratulatory message, the head of state noted the friendly nature of relations between the Kyrgyz Republic and Hungary, based on mutual respect, trust, and the historical and cultural »»»

The US-Iran standoff is deepening as Washington tightens pressure on Tehran and the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted, keeping shipping, oil markets and regional aviation on alert. US forces have now redirected 59 commercial vessels as part of efforts to enforce the Iran blockade, while t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Commercial violations that directly threaten consumers’ health and safety are treated as high-risk cases in Qatar, with authorities taking immediate action that can be completed within hours, a senior Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) official has said. Mohammed Ali Al-Ozba, Ass»»»

Doha, Qatar: As summer temperatures soar in Qatar, children can move from playing outdoors to becoming seriously unwell in a matter of minutes, with dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke among the risks parents need to recognise early, according to Chair of Pediatric Medicine at Sidra Medici»»»

Electric vehicles imported into Kyrgyzstan under the quota are not intended for resale, Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce Sultan Akhmatov said at a press conference. According to him, the additional quota for 10,000 electric vehicles should not be distributed among importers. The increased qu»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s construction and urban development sector recorded stronger activity during the second quarter of 2026, with the Ministry of Municipality reporting a significant rise in building permits, licences, certificates and approved plans compared with the first quarter. According to ne»»»

UAE residents travelling to India around Independence Day on August 15 should plan ahead, with airports across the country stepping up security and warning passengers to expect longer processing times. India will celebrate its 80th Independence Day on Saturday, with enhanced security measures in pl»»»

DUBAI: US intelligence officials were skeptical of an alleged Iranian assassination threat against President Donald Trump during his trip to Turkiye for the NATO summit, which prompted a secretive plan to fly him out of the country in an alternative military aircraft. The assassination threat was r»»»

Rescuers in Bishkek pulled a man out of a sewer manhole, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. The incident occurred on August 12 near a residential building on Chui Avenue. Five rescuers from the Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for Bishkek were dispatched to the scene. »»»

Amsterdam: Former Spain international midfielder Xavi Hernandez has been appointed head coach of the Netherlands national football team, succeeding Ronald Koeman, who resigned following the 2026 World Cup, the Dutch Football Association announced today, Wednesday. The 46-year-old coach, who led Bar»»»

Dubai, UAE: An oil spill from a tanker that ran aground off Oman has reached the coastline, state media reported, while monsoon winds were obstructing containment efforts, the United Nations' maritime agency said on Wednesday. The Oman News Agency (ONA) quoted the country's environment authority as»»»

UAE travellers flying today are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as airlines continue to adjust some regional services while overall operations remain largely stable. Etihad Airways, Emirates, Air Arabia and flydubai continue to operate services across the region,»»»

DUBAI: The Trump administration has criticized Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s comments to keeps troops in southern Lebanon, as his declarations contravened commitments made by the Israeli government under the agreement signed with the US and Lebanon. “The United States expects all parties t»»»

Bioengineers at NUST MISIS have created a new gel for rapid wound healing based on a food thickener derived from algae. The agent helps cells cope with the inflammation that arises immediately after an injury and, under unfavorable conditions, can hinder skin recovery, the university’s press servic»»»

Many see András Baka becoming Hungary’s next president as a form of historical justice after his controversial removal. But does that make the removal of Sulyok any more democratic? The similarities between the removal of András Baka in 2011 and that of Tamás Sulyok in 2026 are difficult to ignore.»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin had lunch with the crew of the Guards missile cruiser Varyag and thanked Pacific Fleet sailors for conducting the fleet’s exercises. “I want to thank the commander, the captain and all of you for the exercises, for organizing the exercises,” Putin said.He stressed t»»»

A US Army-funded artillery plant near Dallas, built to produce 155mm shells for Ukraine, never produced a single usable shell, ProPublica reported. Workers described robots catching fire, machines smashing into equipment, steel cracking beyond repair and giant presses needing to be beaten with a sl»»»