Uzbekistan's Uzum wins place in CNBC-Statista's ranking of world's top fintech companies
Uzbekistan's digital ecosystem operator Uzum has been named among the World's Top Fintech Companies by CNBC and global market research firm Statista for the first time in the 2026 edition of the ranking. Uzum was included in the ranking's Neobanking category. It recognises next-generation digital f»»»
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Is Kazakhstan quietly ditching Russia?
China’s continuously growing leverage over Russia is not in question and reports in recent days have continued to stress the point. For instance, Beijing has apparently flexed a muscle by declining to provide marine propulsion systems needed for Russia's planned expansion of the Northern Sea Route,»»»
Odesa in the crosshairs
Russia has sharply intensified strikes on Odesa, in what appears to be the most sustained campaign against the port since the war began. A merchant vessel leaving Odesa was reportedly struck by a Russian missile, killing four Indian crew and critically injuring another; New Delhi formally protested»»»
Estonian meat producer Rannarootsi denies anti-Russian messaging in grill advert
Estonian meat processor Rannarootsi has rejected accusations that a new advertising campaign carries anti-Russian messaging after critics said it referenced the war in Ukraine and used a derogatory slang term for Russian-speakers, state media reported on July 23. The dispute lands in a country wher»»»
Golfers bid farewell to Indian Ambassador Vipul at QGL tournament
Tribune News Network TNN Members of Qatar Golf Lovers (QGL) paid a warm farewell to their patron HE Vipul, Ambassador of India to Qatar, by organising a special golf tournament in his honour as he prepares to assume his new diplomatic assignment as Ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia. The farewell »»»
UN missing persons chief says search efforts advancing in Syria but still no office in Damascus
NEW YORK CITY: The head of the UN body tasked with finding missing persons in Syria revealed that her agency processed more than 75,000 documents over the past year, a ninefold increase over the previous 12 months. However, authorities in Damascus have yet to grant her a permanent office inside the»»»
Analysis: Could the Saudi-US cooperation result in a nuclear Aramco?
LONDON: While the technical particulars and political conditions of the nuclear agreement between Saudi Arabia and the US are yet to be fully revealed, there has been an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the news among experts and commentators in both countries. And, as a statement on Wednesday f»»»
Kozo Okamoto, Japanese militant who took part in a 1972 Tel Aviv airport attack, dies in Beirut
BEIRUT: Kozo Okamoto, the Japanese militant who took part in a deadly attack on Tel Aviv’s airport more than five decades ago, died Thursday in Beirut, the Palestinian group that had been protecting him said. He was 78. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a faction that is the second»»»
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger in Paris: 'There's no single blueprint for Democratic Party'
A rising star among Democratic Party moderates, Virginia’s first woman governor Abigail Spanberger was elected the same night last November as Democratic Socialist New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani. In a wide-ranging interview with François Picard, Spanberger outlines a pragmatic vision of politic»»»
Total exports rise 11.6% in five months to reach JD5.183b — DoS
AMMAN — National exports rose by 5.8 per cent in the first five months of 2026 to reach JD3.796 billion compared with the same period in 2025, according to a monthly foreign trade report issued on Thursday by the Department of Statistics (DoS).Re-exports also increased significantly by 31.3 per cen»»»
London Stock Exchange welcomes Jordanian business delegation
AMMAN — The London Stock Exchange on Thursday welcomed a Jordanian delegation led by Minister of Investment Tareq Abu Ghazaleh during a visit to the United Kingdom for the Jordan-UK Business Forum.According to a statement from the London Stock Exchange, the forum brings together Jordanian and Briti»»»
Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel
President Donald Trump on Thursday set a new condition to a US-Saudi nuclear deal signed the previous day by insisting the agreement was "totally subject to" the Gulf kingdom joining the Abraham Accords. Riyadh has resisted normalising relations with Israel, especially after the Gaza war, and the n»»»
Middle East war's economic impact 'could get worse' if Houthis join in
US President Donald Trump threatened Yemen's Houthi rebels with "major military punishment" after they launched missile and drone strikes on oil tankers in the Red Sea. Concern has sparked across the globe regarding the rebels' involvement in the war. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.»»»
Why Iran is targeting Kuwait's desalination plants as part of its war strategy
Iranian strikes targeted Kuwait’s desalination and power plants for the fourth consecutive day on Monday. The attacks are putting unprecedented pressure on a Gulf country heavily dependant on desalination for its water supply. Iran is attempting to wage a “psychological war” on a country »»»
Saudi Arabia joins Arab, Muslim nations in condemning Ben-Gvir’s Al-Aqsa raid
LONDON: Foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic countries condemned Israel on Thursday over “escalating actions” after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined thousands of extremist Jews in a raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem. The foreign ministe»»»
Ghana’s president asks for AU debate on South Africa’s ‘escalating xenophobic attacks’
Ghanaian President John Mahama on Thursday called for an African Union (AU) debate to "formally address the escalating xenophobic attacks" on foreign nationals in South Africa. More than 160,000 foreign nationals have left South Africa and several have died over the past two months amid rising»»»
Indian activist Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike
NEW DELHI: Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike after 26 days, he said on Friday. He said in a post on X that he had ended his fast after “a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country.” Wangchuk, 59, had been on a hunge»»»
OIC condemns Al-Aqsa Mosque storming and calls for international action
Jeddah: The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by officials from the Israeli occupation government, accompanied by more than 3,000 settlers and under the protection of Israeli occupation forces. In a statem»»»
Laura Loomer meets Zelensky in Ukraine after her major reversal on the war
KYIV: Laura Loomer, an ardent ally of President Donald Trump with a reputation for incendiary social media commentary, sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday after a dramatic turnaround on the war that could have political reverberations back in Washington. Loomer had spen»»»
Investopia brings together UAE and India business leaders in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad: Investopia launched a new edition of the ‘Investopia Dialogues’ today in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, marking its fifth consecutive edition in India. The event brought together over 500 leaders, senior officials, investors, and entrepreneurs from the UAE and India. The dialogues aim to strengthen»»»
'Like a war zone': Wildfires force 20,000 to flee in southwest France
Le Porge: Black smoke darkened the skies and crackling flames roared through pine trees in a forest in southwest France on Thursday as wildfires have forced more than 20,000 residents and holidaymakers to flee. Around 800 firefighters have been fighting the flames some 50 kilometres (30 miles) west»»»
Fuel prices in Hungary rise slowest in the EU
Fuel prices in Hungary recorded the smallest year-on-year increase in the European Union in June 2026, even as motorists across the bloc faced an average rise of 13.7 percent, according to new Eurostat figures. Prices of fuels and lubricants used for personal transport increased by just 2.3 percent»»»
Iraqi prime minister meets Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf in Tehran - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iraqi prime minister meets Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf in Tehran 23-07-2026 22:13 PM Latest News Urgent News Hezboll»»»
US President warns Iran of 'major military punishment' if Houthi attacks continue
Washington: US President Donald Trump said that the United States would inflict "major military punishment" on Iran if Yemen's Houthi group continues attacking ships in the Red Sea. In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said the United States would hold Iran directly responsible for any futu»»»
Saudi robotics enters its deployment era
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s robotics industry is entering a new phase — one defined less by futuristic concepts than by practical deployment. While robots are often associated with science-fiction humanoids, the Kingdom’s focus is firmly on technologies that deliver measurable value. Drones, autonomous »»»
UAE's Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 honours 600 young Quran memorisers in Gaza
Gaza- Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 organised a ceremony honouring 600 young Quran memorisers in the Gaza Strip in recognition of their efforts to memorise the Holy Quran and to encourage them to continue their educational and religious journey. The event forms part of the operation's humanitarian »»»
Former JP Morgan banker allegedly pushed to keep Epstein as client - UPI.com
Former CEO of Barklay's Jes Staley testified Thursday for the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. File Photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA July 23 (UPI) -- Former JP Morgan Chase investment banking boss Jes Staley pushed the bank to keep Jeffrey Epstein as a client »»»
HOTUREX Syria 2026 for hospitality and hotel equipment kicks off in Aleppo
Aleppo, July 23 (SANA) Syria’s Ministry of Tourism inaugurated on Thursday the first edition of HOTUREX Syria 2026, an exhibition dedicated to hotel equipment, hospitality and tourism, in Aleppo. Held at the Sheraton Aleppo Hotel, the exhibition is intended to showcase the latest hospitality techno»»»
Hormuz, Red Sea crises pull Middle East into ‘widening circle of confrontation,’ UN chief warns
NEW YORK CITY: The UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, warned the Security Council on Thursday that the security crises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea risk pulling the Middle East into “an ever-widening circle of confrontation,” as he called for the full restoration of international na»»»
Watch: 'Human refrigerator' debuts in Japan amid rising temperatures - UPI.com
July 23 (UPI) -- A Japanese company is responding to the country's increasingly hot summer temperatures by unveiling a new "human refrigerator." The Do Hiemon Box, marketed as a "human refrigerator," is roughly the size of a standard Japanese vending machine and can fit one person inside at a time.»»»
PM Magyar unveils pay caps, VAT cuts and wealth probes
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar presented a wide-ranging package of government reforms on Thursday, including salary caps at state-owned companies, possible VAT reductions, retrospective wealth investigations and a review of public-spending oversight. The Péter Magyar press conference also ad»»»
Salman Rushdie testifies at the terrorism trial of the man convicted of stabbing him
NEW YORK: Four years after being stabbed on an amphitheater stage, Salman Rushdie sat across a courtroom from his convicted attacker Thursday and told jurors for a second time about the ambush that nearly killed him. The prize-winning writer recalled feeling what he thought was a punch under his ch»»»
Iran flew IRGC commanders, missile gear to Yemen’s Houthis
Iran flew Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, military advisers and missile- and drone-related equipment into Yemen this month, according to four sources, in a move that suggests Tehran is seeking to strengthen the ability of its Houthi allies to threaten Red Sea shipping. Four so»»»
U.S. monitors Catholic Church distribution of aid in Cuba - UPI.com
Workers load a cargo plane with humanitarian aid destined for Cuba at the 7 Air/World Freight Service Warehouse in the Miami International Airport in Florida on Tuesday. The United States launched the first humanitarian aid flight from Miami to Havana, delivering food and hygiene supplies as part o»»»
EU adds new sanctions against Russia with Greek LNG shipping carve-out - UPI.com
A gravity platform for the production of liquefied gas at the center for the construction of large-tonnage offshore structures of Novatek-Murmansk company stands in the village of Belokamenka in the Murmansk region, Russia, in 2023. The European Union passed new sanctions against Russia Thursday bu»»»
Literary Readings in Sofia Commemorate 84th Death Anniversary of Poet Nikola Vaptsarov
Literary readings marking the 84th anniversary of Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov’s death were held on Thursday at his monument behind the National Art Gallery in Sofia. The event was organized by the Union of Bulgarian Writers (UBW), the Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ) and the Bulgarian Anti-»»»
Climate change, not dams, driving Caspian Sea shrinkage, researcher says
Climate change is the dominant force behind the falling water level of the Caspian Sea and outweighs human intervention such as upstream damming, water policy researcher Anoush Nouri Esfandiari said on July 22. The world's largest enclosed body of water, surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan»»»
Uzbekistan balances secular rule with Islamic revival
The first International Forum of Islamic Civilization earlier this month brought over 450 religious leaders, scholars, diplomats, government officials and other participants from more than 50 countries to Uzbekistan. Across events in Tashkent, Samarkand and Termez on July 7-11, participants discuss»»»
Climate change, not dams, driving Caspian Sea shrinkage, researcher says
Climate change is the dominant force behind the falling water level of the Caspian Sea and outweighs human intervention such as upstream damming, water policy researcher Anoush Nouri Esfandiari said on July 22. The world's largest enclosed body of water, surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan»»»
Fedorov's popularity surges after sacking as Ukraine protests continue
Trust in Mykhailo Fedorov has surged since President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed him as defence minister on July 15 as part of a surprise government reshuffle, with a new Rating Group poll putting him second only to former commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny among Ukraine's most trusted public fig»»»
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Is Kazakhstan quietly ditching Russia?
China’s continuously growing leverage over Russia is not in question and reports in recent days have continued to stress the point. For instance, Beijing has apparently flexed a muscle by declining to provide marine propulsion systems needed for Russia's planned expansion of the Northern Sea Route,»»»
Zelenskyy names young general Drapatyi as Ukraine’s new military chief
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy named Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi in the most significant shake-up of Ukraine's military leadership since 2024, Reuters reported on July 21. Zelenskiy announced the decision on the eve»»»
Ukraine strikes more Wildberries warehouses
Ukrainian drones struck Wildberries logistics hubs in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk overnight, with the Nevinnomyssk facility left fully ablaze, Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim said on Telegram on July 22, adding that staff had been evacuated and some workers injured. The strikes are the latest in an »»»
Modi vows to punish exam fraud fueling student anger in India
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed “stringent punishment” for those involved in exam fraud that has fueled student anger, in his first direct comments tied to major protests challenging his government. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth»»»
Bab El-Mandeb Strait: Another key oil shipping route under threat
LONDON: Yemen’s pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have claimed attacks in the Red Sea on two Saudi oil tankers and say they will blockade the Bab El-Mandeb strait, a crucial passage into the Red Sea, as part of a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. Gateway to the Red Sea Known as the “Gate of Tears” in Arab»»»
Bab El-Mandeb Strait: Another key oil shipping route under threat
LONDON: Yemen’s pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have claimed attacks in the Red Sea on two Saudi oil tankers and say they will blockade the Bab El-Mandeb strait, a crucial passage into the Red Sea, as part of a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. Gateway to the Red Sea Known as the “Gate of Tears” in Arab»»»
Brazil to seek new markets in face of U.S. tariffs, Lula says - UPI.com
July 23 (UPI) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said his government will continue negotiating with the United States despite an additional 25% U.S. tariff on Brazilian products. Lula also said his country will seek to expand exports to other markets if the talks fail. Speaking during»»»
Strumyani-Berovo Border Crossing Expected to Be Completed by 2029, Deputy Regional Development Minister Says
Work is proceeding according to schedule for the Strumyani–Berovo border checkpoint between Bulgaria and North Macedonia to be completed by 2029, Deputy Regional Development and Public Works Minister Desislava Georgieva said on Thursday. She was speaking at a press conference in Blagoevgrad on the »»»
Morocco extends duty aimed at halting soft wheat imports to end-August, traders say
RABAT: Morocco will maintain a customs duty on soft wheat until August 31, effectively extending a halt to imports aimed at protecting the local harvest, the heads of the country’s grain traders association (FNCL) and millers federation (FNM) said on Thursday. Authorities had introduced a 170 perc»»»
Alonso welcomes Aston Martin upgrade, warns against unreal expectations
Budapest: Fernando Alonso on Thursday warned that Aston Martin's long-awaited upgraded chassis, being introduced at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, was unlikely to change their position as tail-enders. But, he said, he believed the team would close the gap and may do better once they understan»»»