Doha, Qatar: Qatar has maintained a strong position in global digital development, scoring 98.4 out of 100 in the 2026 edition of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ICT Development Index (IDI). In a statement by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), the achievement reflects »»»

Kyrgyzstan’s financial sector ended the first half of 2026 with a profit of 22,637.6 billion soms. The sector’s gross revenue totaled 116,734.8 billion soms, while expenses amounted to 94,318.4 billion soms. The National Statistical Committee reported. According to its data, 302 companies turned ou»»»

U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack went further on the defensive on Sunday, responding to criticism of his assessment of ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah. He had said "there are two people missing »»»

Two young men were killed in an overnight strike on Kfar Remman, the National News Agency said Monday. Hussein Shakaroun and Ahmad Roumani, both 17 years old, were targeted by an Israeli drone while riding their motorbikes. Israeli strikes and shelling had targeted overnight into Monday Nabatieh al»»»

Helsinki: Finland announced on Monday that it would host an EU leaders summit on the Arctic, which has been at the centre of rising tensions, in the northern city of Rovaniemi in September. Claims by US President Donald Trump that the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland should become American »»»

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has launched its first fully automated, paperless personal loan journey, supported by an integration with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR). The new journey transforms FAB’s traditionally manual personal loan application process into an end-to-en»»»

Dubai: Six months after the US-Iran war rattled Gulf airspace, the region's aviation sector is bouncing back — but not evenly, and not without cost. Top aviation analysts Gulf News spoke with say passenger numbers are recovering faster than expected, airport projects remain on track, and confidence»»»

POLITICS In an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), political scientist Lyubomir Stefanov commented on the upcoming presidential elections, saying it was concerning that only three candidates had been announced several weeks before the start of the campaign. He said the opposition par»»»

Russia’s response to Ukrainian strikes on commercial infrastructure is being felt in Kiev every day and will continue to be felt, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “The main thing here, of course, is to recall the president’s words: ‘You yourselves opened Pandora’s box, so now face»»»

Dubai: Power banks catching fire on planes have made headlines. But what about the laptop sitting on your tray table? A passenger’s laptop caught fire aboard an American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Dallas last week, filling part of the cabin with smoke and leaving a passenger with burn injuries»»»

New Delhi: India's top security official arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks on the countries' disputed Himalayan border, ahead of a BRICS summit next month that New Delhi hopes President Xi Jinping will attend. India's foreign ministry said that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will meet Ch»»»

Tokyo: Japan has begun the rollout of the first oncolytic virus drug specifically intended to treat esophageal cancer, following its approval for use. The drug relies on modified viruses that target cancer cells, where they multiply and destroy them while preserving the healthy tissues surrounding »»»

A Turkish sailor who survived a drone attack on one cargo ship was killed when the vessel that rescued him was struck as well, near Russia’s Black Sea coast. Ukraine has been escalating long-range strikes against Russian ports and civilian logistics. According to multiple Turkish news reports on Sa»»»

The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), through the Thai Trade Center in Dubai, has launched “LetsGoThai 2026” in partnership with Letstango.com. The campaign aims to increase the visibility of Thai products in the UAE and strengthen trade relations between the two countries. The in»»»

A simplified narrative often circulates across social media suggesting that there is “no longer any need for the Strait of Hormuz,” as if the UAE’s development of alternative routes implies abandoning one of the world’s most important international waterways. Yet followers of the UAE’s maritime pol»»»

Parliament will hold an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday to pass the Civil Servants Act and protect National Recovery and Resilience Plan funding, Legal Affairs Committee Chair Yanka Tyankova said on Monday. Tyankova, a Progressive Bulgaria MP, spoke before an extraordinary meeting of the Legal Aff»»»

After a summer in which US indices reached new all-time highs, markets are entering a period in which volatility could return to the forefront. Analysts at Freedom24, the European retail broker of Freedom Holding Corp., a financial group listed on Nasdaq, explain which indicators Romanian investors»»»

Foreign direct investments in Kyrgyzstan totaled $1,310.8 billion in 2025, up 27.3 percent from 2024. President Sadyr Japarov announced the figure at the opening of the renovated Ak-Keme Hotel. According to him, the increase in investment demonstrates foreign investors’ confidence in the country’s »»»

The Directorate for National Sports of the Kyrgyz Republic has unveiled the formal and competition uniforms of Kyrgyzstan’s national team for the VI World Nomad Games. The uniforms were designed by Kyrgyz designer Tolgonai Baira. «Every line of these uniforms carries the memory of generations, echo»»»

Iran's currency hit a record low Monday as Washington prepared to announce new sanctions it said would be an "economic D-Day" and would add further pressure on an economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade. The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading»»»

The Ministry of Transport and Communications compiled an electronic catalogue chronicling the history of Bulgarian stamp issuance from 1879 to the present day. Over 5,800 original postage stamps have been digitized and published on the Ministry's website. The digital philatelic gallery provides det»»»

Founders and teams developing solutions for agriculture and the food industry can apply until September 7 for AgriStart, a new programme dedicated to agrifood startups. Organised by Impact Hub Bucharest, in its role as EIT Food Country Representative, with the support of EIT Food and Bayer, the pro»»»

ING Bank Romania is launching ING Depo Invest, a product that combines a term deposit and a mutual fund investment through a single, fully digital process carried out through Home’Bank. The selected amount is split equally: 50% is allocated to a term deposit with a preferential interest rate, while»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is stepping up efforts to develop curricula that equip students with knowledge, life skills and future-ready competencies, while strengthening their national identity and Islamic values, said Director of the Curriculum and Learning Resourc»»»

Beijing: China and India will hold the 25th round of talks between the two countries' special representatives on the boundary question in Beijing on August 25, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday. As agreed between the two sides, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of »»»

A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter jet has crashed near Szolnok for reasons that are currently unknown, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Monday. The pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft. Pilot successfully ejects “For reasons that are currently unknown, one of the Hungarian Defence For»»»

The Ak-Keme Hotel in Bishkek has been leased to a private investor for 15 years. The state will receive $60,000 per month, or $720,000 annually. Total revenue over the lease term will amount to $10.8 million. President Sadyr Japarov said this at the reopening of the hotel following its reconstructi»»»

A weather alert has been issued for Bishkek and Chui region, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan reported. According to the ministry, thunderstorms are expected in the capital and the Chui Valley in the next hour and afternoon. Westerly winds may reach 15-20 meters per second. Reside»»»

Giles Sims, 34, was sick of getting passed over for jobs because he didn’t have a college degree. But with a wife and a widowed mother to help support, he needed a quick solution. So the laid-off web developer turned to one of a growing number of three-year degree programmes. “I can’t afford to be »»»

BusinessIranSpiraling health costs force Iranians to delay careDanyal Babayani A single chemotherapy session in Iran can cost six times the monthly minimum wage. As drug prices soar and medicine is in short supply, doctors say more patients are delaying or abandoning treatment. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»

A tanker caught fire after being struck by an "unknown projectile" off the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia on Monday, a British maritime agency said. "The Company Security Officer reported a tanker has been struck by unknown projectile causing a fire to the vessel on the main deck. All crew are safe »»»

A Syrian court on Monday handed a life sentence to Ahmad Hassoun, the country's former grand mufti under ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, convicting him of crimes including inciting sectarian strife and exploiting his position. Hassoun, the 10th Assad-era figure to be sentenced under the new authorit»»»

An Iraqi security source told “Asharq” on Monday that a joint force from the Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence agencies arrested four members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), including Abu Jaafar, a member of the PMF commission’s staff, from his home in the Al-Baladiyat area in eastern Ba»»»

JEDDAH: Jeddah Corniche Circuit is set to host the opening round of the 2026 Saudi Toyota Championship Time Attack from Aug. 27–29. The championship is held under the supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, the owner of the competition, managed by Bakhashab Motorsport and in »»»

Emirati women continue to play an important role in preserving the UAE’s cultural heritage and sharing the country’s history with younger generations, according to two Emirati women working at Al Ain Museum. Shaikha Al Blooshi, Visitor Experience Supervisor at Al Ain Museum, said the museum is more»»»

A woman in Haryana’s Kurukshetra has been accused of killing her husband and mutilating his body before jumping from the terrace of their rented home after their landlord discovered the scene, police said. The victim, identified as Rajesh, had been living with his wife, Vimla Devi, in a rented hous»»»

Tunis, Aug. 24 (TAP)- The weather on Monday is slighty cloudy in most regions, growing cloudy during the afternoon in northwestern and central western regions.Rain is also expected, according to the National Institute of Meteorology. The wind is...»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli occupation forces carry out demolition operation in Kfar Tibnit in Nabatieh district: Al-Manar reporter in southern Lebanon 24-08-2»»»

Damascus: A Syrian court on Monday handed a life sentence to Ahmed Hassoun, the country’s former grand mufti under ousted leader Bashar Assad, convicting him of crimes including inciting sectarian strife and exploiting his position. Hassoun, the 10th Assad-era figure to be sentenced under the new a»»»

RIYADH: The five largest banks in the UAE reported a combined net profit of 38.1 billion dirhams ($10.37 billion) in the first half of 2026, representing a 7.8 percent year-on-year increase, according to an analysis. These lenders, including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD, and Abu Dhabi Commerc»»»

Dubai, UAE: A tanker caught fire after being struck by an "unknown projectile" off the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia on Monday, a British maritime agency said. "The Company Security Officer reported a tanker has been struck by unknown projectile causing a fire to the vessel on the main deck. All cr»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Oman’s Top Diplomat Heads to Tehran for High-Stakes Hormuz Strait Talks 24-08-2026 11:17 AM Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi meets Omani counterpa»»»

RIYADH: The Middle East and North Africa’s fiscal deficit is forecast to narrow to 4.3 percent of gross domestic product in 2027 after widening to 6.2 percent this year, as oil and non-hydrocarbon revenues recover, BMI said. The research unit, a Fitch Solutions company, raised its 2026 deficit fore»»»

U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack went further on the defensive on Sunday, responding to criticism of his assessment of ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah. He had said "there are two people missing »»»

NATO’s new 5% defence commitment could become one of Europe’s most important fiscal and economic-policy questions over the next decade. For Hungary, the sums involved could run into several billion euros a year, but the economic impact will depend heavily on how much of that additional spending is »»»

Abu Dhabi: An Abu Dhabi observatory has captured a detailed image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, one of the best-known and most structurally complex planetary nebulae, after nine days of observations and more than 36 hours of combined exposure. The image was produced by Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory»»»

Bulgaria is taking emergency measures to protect the operation of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant as the critically low level of the Danube continues to create unusual conditions around the facility. Energy Minister Iva Petrova said there is currently no threat to electricity supplies or to the st»»»

Around 100 fruit producers from Bulgaria's Sliven region blocked a key road near the Rechitsa market in protest against low purchase prices, rising production costs and a lack of markets for their peaches and plums. The farmers briefly halted traffic on the old road linking Sliven with Nova Zagora »»»

A tanker caught fire after being struck by an "unknown projectile" off the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia on Monday, a British maritime agency said. "The Company Security Officer reported a tanker has been struck by unknown projectile causing a fire to the vessel on the main deck. All crew are safe »»»

Brussels, Belgium: The European Union said Monday that it had released another 6.1 billion euros ($7.1 billion) in military aid for Ukraine to boost its air defences against Russian missile attacks. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the move ahead of talks on Monday betwe»»»