FARNBOROUGH, UK: As Europe ramps up its rearmament drive, US aerospace giant Boeing is seeking a foothold in the emerging market for autonomous fighter aircraft, showcasing its capabilities at the Farnborough airshow this week. Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat is an uncrewed aircraft, developed with the Ro»»»

DUBAI: Oscar-winning US actress Zoe Saldana has signed on as an executive producer of “It’s Complicated,” a short film centered on Palestinian womanhood that will have its world premiere at Los Angeles’ HollyShorts Film Festival in August. The film was written by and stars US Palestinian filmmaker »»»

IRBIL, Iraq: Drones carrying explosives targeted a city in northern Iraq on Friday where US forces are stationed. The attack took place hours after the American military said it finished its 13th night of strikes against Iran. The conflict has flared again over the past week, as the US pounded Iran»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE's airlines are significantly expanding their global footprint in 2026, adding new international destinations, increasing flight frequencies on high-demand routes and deepening commercial partnerships that allow passengers to reach hundreds of cities beyond their own networks. The»»»

Bulgaria's National Assembly gave final approval to the 2026 state budget on Friday, ending a monthlong legislative process that opened with a record 5.7% deficit and closed with the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party abolishing the automatic wage and minimum-wage formulas that have driven public sp»»»

1 of 2 | The Gordie Howe International Bridge is scheduled to open on Monday. Canada is having a scaled-down opening ceremony on Friday. Photo by Gordie Howe International Bridge July 24 (UPI) -- The new Gordie Howe Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Detroit is set to open to traffic Mond»»»

The vote on Bulgaria's 2026 state budget, which was adopted by the National Assembly conclusively on Friday, showed that there is no pilot in the cockpit, Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Martin Dimitrov told reporters. "There is no pilot, no governing programme and no plan for reforms. This leaves Bulg»»»

The EU preliminarily found TikTok at fault in exposing minors to danger online on Friday (24 July), with issues with the Chinese social media giant’s account settings possibly to result in a fine. TikTok is under investigation for the privacy settings of its 13-18 year old users, with the European »»»

Sweden said that it plans to ban so-called “forever chemicals”, technically known as PFAS, in consumer products such as clothing and kitchenware from 2028. “Sweden has no intention of standing by while ‘forever chemicals’ continue to spread in our homes, in nature and in our bodies,” environment an»»»

In Japan, many people see Marine Day as a chance to get away. Families go to the beach. Office workers take a real break. Trains are crowded with people hoping to escape the summer heat, even if just for a little while. But Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi used the day to catch up on something differe»»»

It has now been made official that the Groupama Arena will host a prestigious international pre-season fixture this summer, as Ferencváros welcome Real Madrid to Budapest on Saturday, 8 August. The encounter will form part of the Spanish giants’ Austrian training programme and is set to rank among »»»

Bulgaria is not a target and will not become one, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on Friday at a news briefing after meeting mayors from the southeastern region of Yambol to discuss the upcoming deployment of US aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. Asked where the aircraft would be»»»

Parliament on Friday voted 144-8, with one abstention, to terminate Plamen Tonchev's mandate as chair of the Committee for Disclosing the Documents and Announcing Affiliation of Bulgarian Citizens to State Security and to the Intelligence Services of the Bulgarian National Army (informally known as»»»

The National Assembly on Friday approved the development of a new mechanism for determining the country's minimum wage. Until the new system is adopted, the minimum wage will remain at its 2026 level of EUR 620.20 per month. The decision came as MPs approved provisions in the 2026 State Budget Bill»»»

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) proposed introducing optical ballot scanners, the party said on Friday. The proposal was submitted between the bill’s first and second readings. MRF said the scanners combined the advantages of paper and machine voting and had proved reliable, having been »»»

MANILA - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Friday a Serbian delegation at an ASEAN conference in Manila had accomplished all of its three objectives, including a confirmation of support by several Southeast Asian countries for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia. Speaking to reporters»»»

The National Health Map should be updated and digitalized so that it provides up-to-date information on healthcare needs across the country, Health Minister Katya Ivkova said on Friday during a visit to Silistra. She noted that the current National Health Map was adopted in 2018 and needs to be upd»»»

Dubai: Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, is planning to open an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), marking its return to Dubai six years after relocating its regional base to Abu Dhabi, according to Reuters, citing two people familiar with the matter»»»

BUCHAREST: Romania has not ​yet identified the origin or purpose of a drone shot ‌down ‌by ​a fighter ‌jet ⁠over ​its airspace ⁠on Friday, but it appeared to be ⁠a Shahed, the ‌army’s ‌chief ​of ‌staff ‌said. “Visually, the pilots reported the drone looked ‌to be a Shahed type,” ⁠the Army’s ⁠Chief »»»

LONDON: Politicians in Ireland have insisted that the government send observers to Germany ahead of the trial of an Irish citizen detained over an incident at an Israeli-owned arms factory. Daniel Tatlow-Devally is one of five pro-Palestine activists who entered the facility owned by Elbit Systems »»»

LONDON: Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty Friday to affray over an altercation in a London nightclub in a fight that injured a music producer. Brown, 37, made the change of plea during a hearing at London’s Southwark Crown Court. He had previously denied more serious charges over wha»»»

Opening of a central park took place in the city of Talas. The ceremony was attended by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev during a working visit to Talas region. At least 165 million soms were allocated from the budget for the park’s construction. Modern amusement rides, green»»»

Dubai: Dubai has recorded the fastest climb in the global rankings of cities attracting wealthy individuals, with the emirate now home to 81,200 millionaires, including 237 centi-millionaires, people with investable wealth exceeding $100 million, and 20 billionaires, according to the Henley & Partn»»»

Higher tobacco excise duties were approved by Parliament at second reading of the 2026 State Budget Bill on Friday. Excise duty on smoking tobacco, including pipe and cigarette tobacco, will be set at EUR 130 per kilogram from August 1, 2026, EUR 138 per kilogram from March 1, 2027, and EUR 146 per»»»

A road in Lege-Cap-Ferret in southwestern France is engulfed by an inferno late Thursday as a huge wildfire threatens the Cap Feret Peninsula, prompting authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers. Photo by Damien Rembert/Gironde Department Fire and Rescue Service/EPA J»»»

The Israeli military shot and killed four Palestinians in the village of Tell in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Friday, raising tensions in the occupied territory after an Israeli settler was killed in a confrontation with local residents. Two other Israelis and four m»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a forceful response Friday after a clash in the West Bank killed an Israeli and four Palestinians, while the military announced preparations for a new operation in the occupied area. Violence in the West Bank has surged since the Gaza war began with H»»»

Dhaka: Bangladesh's president, a close ally of former premier Sheikh Hasina, resigned from the largely ceremonial role on Friday citing ill health, according to a letter seen by AFP. President Mohammed Shahabuddin confirmed he was stepping down in a call with AFP. "Yes, I have resigned," Shahabuddi»»»

July 24, 2026, marks the 243rd anniversary of the birth of Simón Bolívar, the great liberator of Latin America and a man whose name became a symbol of the continent’s struggle for independence and unity. He was born in Caracas in 1783 into a wealthy Creole aristocratic family. His background seemed»»»

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Authority for the Care of People with Disabilities on Friday launched the sixth edition of Purple Saturday, with support from government bodies, private companies, nonprofit organizations and several Gulf Cooperation Council states. The campaign encourages retailers and servi»»»

Minister of Defence Dimitar told reporters here on Friday that he sent letters to both his Polish and Hungarian counterparts to inquire what Poland and Hungary intend to do with their MiG-29 aircraft and whether Bulgaria can obtain spare parts from them. Once Stoyanov receives a reply, his Ministry»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met with Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom HE Ed Miliband, who is currently visiting the country. At the outset of the meeting, the Prime Minister »»»

Moscow: Ukraine has hit the warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries -- Moscow's equivalent of Amazon -- at least three times in a week, killing several employees, causing fires and business losses. Kyiv accuses the e-commerce giant -- which employs thousands of people and has bec»»»

EKN Solutions, a company specialized in marketing and technology solutions and part of the multinational Numatec group, expanded its activities in Romania, one of the most competitive and challenging markets in the CEE region. BR sat down with Olimpia Norsesovici, Country Manager, and discussed the»»»

July 23 (UPI) -- A South Carolina zoo revealed the animal whose escape prompted the facility to remain closed Thursday was an Amur leopard. The Greenville Zoo said on social media that Irina, a 4-year-old Amur leopard, left her enclosure Thursday morning and was loose within the zoo grounds. The le»»»

July 23 (UPI) -- A pink stuffed donkey found on a British Columbia ferry is back with its 5-year-old owner after taking an adventure chronicled on social media. BC Ferries posted photos of the toy to social media after it was found aboard the Salish Raven ferry following a trip between Victoria and»»»

Swiss prosecutors have requested a life sentence for a right-wing politician who backed multiple child-protection bills and now faces charges including drugging and raping a minor. Patrick Frei, formerly of the Swiss People’s Party, allegedly sedated a woman and her daughter, who was underage at th»»»

President Joseph Aoun called Friday on the European Union to support the implementation of a framework agreement reached in late June with Israel. Aoun said Lebanon is committed to the path of reforms, despite being under Israeli attacks since October 2023, when Hezbollah joined the Gaza war in sup»»»

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Russia is waiting for new proposals from the United States on a settlement in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that new ideas and proposals are needed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. "We will wait fo»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke by phone with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday about further advancement of bilateral relations and strengthening of economic cooperation focusing on boosting bilateral trade and investment. "A good and substantial discussion with Pres»»»

Madrid: Firefighters raced Friday to prevent two major wildfires from merging west of Madrid, where some residents awoke to the smell of smoke drifting in from blazes burning out of control near the Spanish capital. Strong winds were expected to hamper efforts to contain the blazes, which authoriti»»»

AL-AHSA: Al-Ahsa Governorate is renowned for the rich diversity of its summer produce. During this season, local markets come alive with an abundant supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, attracting growing demand from across the Eastern Province and neighboring countries, particularly for Al-Ahsa »»»

Only a full statutory working day will count as one day of employment service from January 1, 2027, Parliament decided conclusively on Friday. Parliament adopted the change at second reading through Labour Code amendments in the 2026 State Budget Bill. For part-time work, length of service will be »»»

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) sent an open letter to Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva requesting that she refers certain provisions of the 2026 State Budget Act relating to the minimum wage and length of service to the Constitutional Court. The trade union said that »»»

Brussels: The European Commission on Friday said it found TikTok had not adequately protected children's privacy rights on its platform by allowing adults to view the accounts of minors. The action exposed children to cyberbullying, unwanted contact and predatory behavior, commission spokesperson T»»»

Budget-funded organizations will suspend the planning, spending and transfer of funds for festive, entertainment and sporting events for their employees, MPs decided on Friday. The decision was adopted on second reading as part of the 2026 State Budget Bill. Budget-funded organizations will stop ho»»»

In this edition of Europe Rendezvous, we travel to Italy, one of the European Union's founding members, to examine how the country's democratic institutions have come under increasing pressure. It may be the season of la dolce vita, but life ha»»»

Migration was at the heart of Giorgia Meloni's successful 2022 election campaign. Promising a tougher approach to irregular migration helped propel her to power, but what has her government achieved since then? One of its flagship policies was&»»»

Bozhidar Bozhanov, a lawmaker from Democratic Bulgaria, claimed the United States pressured Bulgaria into accepting the deployment of American tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base, arguing that the country risked fuel shortages if it refused. Speaking to bTV, Bozhanov said, "Everyone knows this was n»»»

Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the planned deployment of US military tanker aircraft at Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base has been delayed and is now expected to begin next week rather than as originally scheduled. Stoyanov made the announcement after meeting with mayors from municipalities in the»»»