BELGRADE - The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.3582 dinars for one euro on Friday, which is a slight change relative to Thursday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is steady against the euro m-o-m, down by 0.2 pct y-o-y and down by 0.1 pct relative to»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday evening his discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will pay an official visit to Serbia on Saturday, would address several important topics, including the EU path of Ukraine and Serbia, bilateral economic cooperat»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The situation with air defense systems in Ukraine has become the worst since the beginning of the conflict, in part due to Russia's increased production of ballistic missiles, Deputy Chairperson of the Ukrainian parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligen»»»

A few months ago, we launched our series in which we provided weekly summaries of the news from Hungary’s election campaign. The series continues so that we can report on developments following the historic election and on the steps taken by the new Tisza government. This week, we cover the followi»»»

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was the result of a carefully planned conspiracy that began months before the examination, with coaching operators allegedly cultivating National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts to obtain confidential questi»»»

The Hungarian journalist who has reported extensively on the Georgian Dream government’s excesses – and its ever-closer ties to the Orbán administration and Moscow – has been effectively expelled from the Caucasian country. Local authorities cite irregularities in his residence permit; back home, n»»»

President Iliana Iotova said on Friday Stefan Tsanev's writing urges people to seek meaning in the time they live in and to be guided by the moral compass of conscience. She made the remarks in a congratulatory address to the prominent Bulgarian playwright, writer and poet on his 90th birthday, the»»»

US authorities have moved to shut down an organ donation group accused of pressing ahead with an operation despite a donor showing signs of life. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the move on Wednesday as part of a broader overhaul of the US organ procurement syste»»»

A deal between Iran and Oman on reopening commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is close to being finalized, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tehran. Around one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil has historically passed through the strategic waterway. The proposed agreement would esta»»»

PoliticsGermanyGermany news: Exports and factory data lift economic outlookRichard Connor with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, KNA, epd, SIDGerman exports hit a record high in June, while industrial production rose for a third month in a row. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 pigs have died in a fire at a farm in »»»

Dubai: ADNOC’s international investment arm XRG is beginning to see earnings contributions across its expanded chemicals portfolio, with Borouge International, Covestro and Fertiglobe reporting resilient results during the second quarter of 2026. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques &»»»

Around 32,800 applicants have been admitted to higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan following four rounds of the admissions campaign. According to the automated information system Abiturient Online, as of August 7, 26,000 applicants, or 79.4 percent, were admitted on a fee-paying basis. Abou»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have struck an engine assembly facility for long-range attack UAVs with a Geran drone in the city of Akhtyrka in the Sumy region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "In the city of Akhtyrka in the Sumy region, the Geran UAV struck an object wher»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian consular offices in France issued nearly 200 so-called traditional values visas to French citizens in the past year and a half, the Russian Embassy in Paris told RIA Novosti. "In 2025, about 140 such visas were issued to French citizens, and around 50 in the first half of»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Spanish Interior Ministry will be ready to handle a new attempt by illegal migrants to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, the 20minutos newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources within the ministry. On Wednesday, the Spanish government's representative in Ceu»»»

Muscat: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) have arrested several expat women of African and Asian nationalities in Muscat Governorate on allegations of violating public decency, wearing clothing deemed inconsistent with public morals, and breaching labour and residency laws. Police said the arrests were c»»»

London: A video showing UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warmly greeting His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, during a meeting in London has gone viral on social media, with many praising the leaders' hum»»»

Two Bulgarian Air Force Cougar helicopters joined efforts to contain a large wildfire near the village of Slavovitsa in the Pazardzhik region on Thursday, helping firefighters battle the blaze from the air. The fire broke out near the 69th kilometre of the Trakia Motorway, close to the turnoff for »»»

IN BRIEF The Bulgarian media focus heavily on the dismantling of an illegal fentanyl laboratory near Sofia and the investigation into the network behind it. The media also cover the acquisition of F-16 fighters from the US and the issues surrounding the Bulgarian Air Force’s ageing MiG-29s. Other p»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli light attack drone drops stun grenade towards a Lebanese Army bulldozer while working to clear road to Al-Mansouri: Al-Manar report»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) is selling Dh674 million worth of non-core real estate and financial assets as it sharpens its focus on aviation and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, even as the group ended the first half of 2026 with a Dh900 million net cash position. The Abu »»»

Colombo: Sri Lanka deployed troops to its main maximum-security prison in Colombo and two other jails on Friday, following unsuccessful breakout attempts in which three inmates were killed and 23 wounded, a government minister said. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said an inmate was killed»»»

RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 diversification agenda, green finance is emerging as an increasingly important mechanism for funding the country’s ambitious sustainability projects while supporting long-term economic growth. From renewable energy and green hydrogen to sustainable i»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s total point-of-sale transactions reached SR16.3 billion ($4.35 billion) in the week ending Aug. 1, a 33 percent jump from the previous week, according to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA. The total number of transactions also climbed sharply, ri»»»

Iran has significantly advanced its ballistic missile capabilities, with the Kheibar Shekan projectile now featuring a sophisticated jamming-resistant guidance system that poses a direct challenge to the multi-layered air-defense architectures of the United States and Israel, according to a detaile»»»

Abu Dhabi: Finance House PJSC and its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as Finance House Group (FH Group), reported a total comprehensive profit of Dh25.55 million for the half year ended 30 June 2026, an increase of 179% from Dh9.15 million in the corresponding period of the previous year. Th»»»

New York: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has documented the reported deaths of at least 300 children in the Gaza Strip during the 300 days since the ceasefire came into effect last October. UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, stated that th»»»

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said that simultaneous membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union is impossible. According to his statement, made at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Cholpon-Ata, the law adopted in 2024 on the beginning of»»»

US-backed negotiations between Venezuela's interim government and a faction of the opposition began on Thursday after nearly a week of delays, the two sides said. The talks aim to reshape the country's political system and lay the groundwork for eventual elections after years of political turmoil. »»»

DAMASCUS: Syria’s Health Ministry said Friday that 14 people were wounded, three of them critically, but that there were no fatalities in the explosion of a minivan taxi a day earlier in a Damascus suburb. The Health Ministry had said Thursday night that two people were killed in the blast. In a st»»»

Syria's Health Ministry said Friday that 14 people were wounded, three of them critically, but that there were no fatalities in the explosion of a minivan taxi a day earlier in a Damascus suburb. The Health Ministry had said Thursday night that two people were killed in the blast. In a statement Fr»»»

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev said that Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states need to strengthen joint efforts to ensure food security amid rising global food prices. He made the remarks at the 47th meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, he»»»

RIYADH: The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development is working to attract Saudi investors as part of its sustainable bond initiative, building on more than $1 billion in bonds issued in capital markets since 2022 to generate social and environmental impact. Dina Saleh, IFAD’s special e»»»

Australian specialist aviation operator Skytraders evacuated an American from McMurdo Station in Antartica on July 31. The American was transported to Christchurch, New Zealand, where they were receiving medical treatment as of Friday. Photo courtesy Skytraders Aug. 7 (UPI) -- An American was evacu»»»

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has rolled out a new campaign aimed at protecting delivery riders from the dangers of extreme summer heat, partnering with food delivery platform Keeta on the initiative titled 'Safe and Healthy Summer for Delivery Riders'. Running throughout August, the »»»

Yemen's Houthis late Thursday wounded 11 people in an attack on southern Saudi Arabia, a Riyadh-led coalition said, the highest toll in the kingdom from an attack by the rebels in years. The attacks come as Yemen is increasingly drawn into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, with the rebels stepping up»»»

A Russian disinformation campaign has targeted French presidential candidate Gabriel Attal, the latest such report in recent weeks. The alleged interference comes as France prepares for next year's presidential election. Similar disinformation campaigns have also been launched against presidential »»»

The 47th meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council (EIC) is held in Cholpon-Ata. The heads of government of the Eurasian Economic Union countries participate in the event: Adylbek Kasymaliev — Kyrgyzstan, Nikol Pashinyan — Armenia, Alexander Turchin — Belarus, Olzhas Bektenov — Kazakhstan, »»»

Building an economy often takes decades of patient labour. Yet the collapse of political institutions, or the eruption of conflict in the aftermath of revolutions and coups, can cancel out years of growth with startling speed, condemning nations to a long and punishing struggle to recover what they»»»

K-pop group BLACKPINK will hold a fan event in Seoul for the tenth anniversary of its debut, sources said Friday. In this August 2022 photo, members (L-R) Lisa, Jisoo, Jennie and Rose arrive at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards in Newark. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo K-pop girl gr»»»

Delayed disbursement of funding is a major issue in the cultural sector, Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev said on Bulgarian National Television Friday morning. He said this was a bigger problem than the overall amount of funding allocated to culture. "Many people working in the cultural sector say t»»»

Oil and gas extraction in the Black Sea is not a good idea, Greenpeace Bulgaria Campaigns Manager Desislava Mikova said on Friday. Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise icebreaker arrived in Varna for a two-day port call as part of the organization's campaign to protect oceans, the climate and vulnerable mar»»»

Dubai: Small businesses in the UAE with annual revenue of up to Dh3 million will be able to continue claiming Small Business Relief for corporate tax purposes until the end of 2029. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Ministry of Finance said on Friday that Ministerial»»»

Doha, Qatar: With summer temperatures remaining high across the country, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has urged the public to follow safe food preparation, storage and ordering practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. In Qatar, where summer temperatures routinely exceed 40°C, pr»»»

U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Lesslie Viguerie handed over 19 sets of night vision devices and thermal imaging equipment, as well as two portable MX-908 chemical detectors, to the State Border Service of Kyrgyzstan, the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan reported. The equipment was handed over during a mee»»»

South Korean activists who visited North Korean POWs in Ukraine were charged by police for violating passport laws, the activist group's leader said Friday. This January 2025 photo shows a North Korean POW captured by Ukraine. File Photo via President of Ukraine/UPI | License Photo Six South Korean»»»

Dubai: The UAE Government Media Office announced that Friday, August 28, 2026, will be a paid public holiday for employees in the federal government and private sector to mark the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Mawlid Al Nabawi). With the holiday falling on a Friday, employees in the federal governme»»»

The US dollar edged higher on Friday, against both the Japanese yen and the euro, extending gains from the previous session as growing doubts over reaching a peace deal with Iran bolstered the greenback’s safe-haven appeal. The dollar also gained additional support from rising US Treasury yields fo»»»

The timely disbursement of funding is a major issue in the cultural sector, Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev said on Bulgarian National Television Friday morning. He said this was a bigger problem than the overall amount of funding allocated to culture. "Many people working in the cultural sector sa»»»

The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned the continued Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, including the ongoing targeting of civilians, vital facilities, and civilian infrastructure, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Or»»»