Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the financial sector from a back-office support tool into a front-line participant in customer service. AI agents analyze data in real time, respond contextually, and independently handle simple requests, allowing employees to focus on more complex ta»»»

Doha, Qatar: Microsoft Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates Foundation) HE Bill Gates emphasized that the strategic partnership between his foundation and the State of Qatar has greatly contributed to supporting programs in health, social development, and global p»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, received on Saturday co-founder of Microsoft, HE Bill Gates, on the occasion of his visit to the country to participate in the Doha Forum 2025, currently underway at the Sheraton Doha Hotel. During the meeting, they reviewed prospects for de»»»

Bulgaria’s messages for the new winter season focus on the introduction of the euro, safe holidays and natural conditions, said Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev, who Saturday opened the BG TOURISM – WINTER 2025/2026 forum in Pamporovo. The forum is organized by BTA in part»»»

The Scope Ratings European Rating Agency has concluded the monitoring of Bulgaria's credit rating and confirms the country's long-term A-/Stable ratings, the rating agency said on its website. The country's short-term ratings are S-1/Stable. Bulgaria’s A-/Stable ratings are underpinned by the follo»»»

From major economic shifts to life-changing lottery wins, this week’s headlines capture the UAE at its most dynamic. A new federal decree will update VAT rules from January 1, 2026, while a Dh25 million Big Ticket prize has gone to an Indian expat working in Saudi Arabia. Government services contin»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov has signed a decree «On Measures to Support Certain Sectors of the Economy». The presidential press service reported. The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to submit to the Zhogorku Kenesh within one month a draft law to support jewelers. In particular, »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani inaugurated the 23rd edition of the Doha Forum 2025, held under the theme ''Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress'' at the Sheraton Doha Hotel on Saturday morning. The opening ceremony was attended by a number of their highnesses and»»»

For the first time in a decade, hunters armed with rifles and crossbows are fanning out across Florida's swamps and flatwoods to legally hunt the Florida black bear, over the vocal opposition of critics. The state-sanctioned hunt began Saturday, after drawing more than 160,000 applications for a fa»»»

There is a joyful chaos this time of year that I’ve finally learned to embrace. A big part of the mayhem is that it’s nearly impossible to predict who will be around for dinner. There is a head-spinning array of holiday gatherings between my daughter’s, my husband’s and my calendars. Plus, I like t»»»

Elon Musk's social media company X was fined 120 million euros ($140 million) by EU tech regulators on Friday for breaching online content rules, the first sanction under landmark legislation that once again drew criticism from the US government. X's rival TikTok staved off a penalty with concessio»»»

On Dec. 6, 1969, the Altamont Speedway Free Festival was held in Northern California. 1 of 4 | A crowd of rock fans, estimated at 300,000 to 500,000, gathered at Altamont Speedway for a rock concert by the Rolling Stones and other musical groups on December 6, 1969. UPI File Photo Dec. 6 (UPI) -- O»»»

The Ministry of Finance published the new draft state budget for 2026 and the Updated Medium-Term Budget Forecast for 2026-2028 on its official website late on Friday, hours after trade unions, businesses, and the government reached agreement on the main parametres of the draft. The initial draft b»»»

Yurt restaurant was opened in Hong Kong in early December. The founding team is from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The Kazakh portal Kursiv.media reports. The restaurant’s signature dish is beshbarmak. According to the chefs, Yurt will offer both tasting menus and à la carte dishes, allow»»»

Lawmakers in the lower house of the French parliament approved the taxation part of the country's overall 2026 social security budget on Friday. Debates on the rest of the highly-contested budget are ongoing in parliament, with a final vote taking place next Tuesday. Lawmakers in the lower house of»»»

At 6ft tall and plus-size, shop-bought clothes had never fitted Maree O'Connor well. Sewing offered her a solution - allowing her to use beautiful fabrics to make garments that fit just right. One day, while on the lookout for colourful prints to make new dresses, she spotted some "amazing" fabrics»»»

Dubai: The way money moves is changing fast. In its latest report, Mastercard puts it plainly: “The next wave of payments innovation uses tech to put people first, making money movement more secure, smarter and more personal.” Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.UAE consum»»»

Tunis, Dec. 6 (TAP) - Members of the National Council of Regions and Districts approved late Friday, the articles of the 2026 Finance Bill, in its amended version prepared by the Committee on Finance and Budget (62 articles), which were presented to...»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Thousands of school students took to the streets in major German cities on Friday in a show of protest against a new bill on the modernization of military service, German media reported. The bill was adopted by the federal parliament earlier in the day in a 323-272 vote with one »»»

1 of 2 | The Department of Transportation announced it has selected a company to oversee upgrades to the federal air traffic control system and keep it on an ambitious three-year timetable. Photo by Caroline Brehman/EPA Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The Department of Transportation announced it selected an integ»»»

A US judge has ordered the unsealing of grand jury transcripts from the 2005 and 2007 investigation into convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Florida judge granted the justice department's request for the material following Congress' passage last month of a bill ordering the release of all fil»»»

Tunis, Dec. 5 (TAP) - Speaker of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP), Brahim Bouderbala, affirmed Friday afternoon, during the opening of the joint plenary session dedicated to voting on the provisions of the Finance Bill by members of...»»»

A CDC panel voted on Friday to end a universal recommendation for newborns to receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, instead recommending shared decision-making to determine when or if a baby will start the three-shot series. File Photo by BIll Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Dec.»»»

Tunis, Dec. 5 (TAP) - Most of the contentious points regarding the 2026 Finance Bill have been resolved within the joint Finance and Budget Committee, head of the Finance Committee at the National Council of Regions and Districts, Slim Salem, stated...»»»

Tunis, Dec 5 (TAP) – The National Council of Regions and Districts (CNRD) on Friday held a joint plenary session with the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) to examine the 2026 Finance Bill, which the ARP had approved on Thursday...»»»

1 of 2 | Flags stand as part of an instillation in support of more research, treatment options and funding for colorectal cancer on the National Mall in Washington, in March 2024. A push in Congress to provide coverage for new multi-cancer early detection tests under Medicare is gaining momentum, b»»»

PoliticsIndiaIndia's elaborate welcome of Putin strains Western tiesMurali Krishnan New DelhiVladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi was heavy with symbolism and carefully calibrated optics, signaling to the US and its allies that India will pursue its own course towards Moscow. https://p.dw.com/p/54ql»»»

Elon Musk's X was just fined $140 million by the European Commission for failing to follow Digital Services Act rules. File Photo by Francis Chung/UPI | License Photo Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The European Commission on fined X $140 million for not verifying its "verified" users, lack of transparency in adve»»»

A group of 61 MPs from opposition parties "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), "Alliance for Rights and Freedoms" (APS) and "Morality, Unity, Honor" (MECH) filed a vote of no confidence against the Bulgarian government, arguing that its economic policies have failed and triggered »»»

BRUSSELS, Dec 5 (KUNA) -- The European Commission accepted on Friday the commitments submitted by the 'TikTok' platform to ensure the provision of advertising repositories that offer full transparency regarding the ads displayed on its services, in compliance with the requirements of the Digital Se»»»

MADRID, Dec 5 (KUNA) -- Spain declared on Friday withdrawing from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest due in the Austrian capital Vienna in retaliation for allowing the Israeli occupation to partake in it.Spain's Public Radio (RTVE) said Spain pulled out of the contest after the European Broadcasting »»»

Thursday marked the biggest crisis in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. Four countries pulled out over Israel's continued participation in the competition, and more may follow. The boycott includes Ireland, which has won seven times - a tally matched only by Sweden - and five-time winner »»»

The government, unions and employer organizations confirmed that they have reached a shared position on the key elements of the revised Budget 2026, following several days of intensive talks. Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova described the discussions as productive, noting that all sides managed »»»

Elon Musk's social media platform X has been fined €120m (£105m) by the EU over its blue tick badges. The European Commission said by allowing people to pay for a blue verified check mark on their profile, the social media platform "deceives users" because the firm is not "meaningfully verifying" w»»»

Trade unions, employer organizations, and the government have reached agreement on the main parameters of the draft budget for 2026, Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said at a news briefing at her Ministry following a meeting with the social partners on Friday. She noted that the National Counci»»»

Friday's news media are dominated by Bulgaria’s economic outlook amid the 2026 budget debate, highlighting both public concern and political contention. ECONOMY 24 Chasa publishes an interview with Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Governor Dimitar Radev, who comments on the forthcoming euro area entry»»»

Kerala has recorded 170 cases and 42 deaths from amoebic meningoencephalitis — commonly known as brain-eating amoeba infection — in 2025, the government informed Parliament on Friday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav said the state has reported “211 cases »»»

Excuse my French but the EC’s push to assure Ukraine’s financing, and to keep it in the war, despite the US pulling back, is turning into a bit of a shit show. To recap, the IMF and the EC determined that with the US stepping back from financing Ukraine, and given the assumption of an extended war,»»»

Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to introduce voluntary military service, in a move aimed at boosting national defences after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It marks a significant shift in Germany's approach to its military and follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz's push to cre»»»

Nearly 60% of the pork available on the Bulgarian market comes from domestic producers, according to Dr. Dilyana Popova, executive director of the Association of Meat Processors in Bulgaria (AMB), in an interview with BGNES. This figure refers to fresh pork, which remains insufficient to fully meet»»»

Dubai: Eton Solutions, a global leader in wealth management technology and services, has been awarded the “Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence” honour at the WealthBriefing MENA Awards 2025 for its AI-powered platform, EtonAI. The recognition was announced at the gala ceremony held at the Arm»»»

Dubai: At least four IndiGo Airlines flights departing from the UAE on Friday have been cancelled, airline sources and travel agents confirmed to Gulf News. The flights are: Fujairah - Kannur Abu Dhabi – Kannur Abu Dhabi – Kochi and Abu Dhabi – Vishakapatam IndiGo flight 6E1518 to Cochin, Kerala, s»»»

South Korea and the United States on Friday officially launched a visa support desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. People waiting to receive visas lined up at the embassy on Friday. Photo by Yonhap South Korea and the United States on Friday officially launched a visa support desk at the U.S. Embass»»»

The cost of Russia’s traditional Olivier salad has risen 4% ahead of the 2026 New Year holidays, according to new data published by TASS on December 5, citing research from financial services marketplace Sravni. The average price for an eight-serving portion of the salad now stands at RUB416 ($4.64»»»

Dubai: The UAE Lottery has announced new rules after transforming its Lucky Day draw with a new weekly format and refreshed prize structure, bringing players more frequent chances to win. The revamped game, which begins tomorrow, December 6, features a Dh30 million jackpot, an enhanced Dh5 million »»»

Dubai: A civil court in Dubai has ordered an Arab family to vacate a hotel room they had occupied for two years without settling the full cost of their stay. The court also directed the family to pay Dh155,000 in outstanding dues and fees as of October 1, in addition to daily accommodation charges »»»

A depressing pattern has taken hold in the way parts of the Western press cover Russia: take a volatile subject, strip it of the conditional language that contains it, and then act surprised when the public grows more fearful, more hardline, and less able to distinguish deterrent rhetoric from an i»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court has ordered a woman to repay Dh125,000 to a man who lent her the money in multiple installments, ruling that she failed to provide any evidence that the debt had been settled. According to Emarat Al Youm, the case began when the man filed a lawsuit demand»»»

Dubai: A federal court has convicted a man for submitting forged documents to a UAE bank, including falsified salary statements and a high-value housing lease approval. These documents led the bank to settle his debts with two financial institutions, paying over Dh882,000 before the fraud was disco»»»

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Texas may use its redrawn maps. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The conservative-leaning Supreme Court on Thursday permitted Texas to use new congressional maps in the next midterm elections that were redrawn to favor the Rep»»»