What makes Lord Allan Velasco and Wen stand out, and why they're under scrutiny Manila: Former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his wife, Wen Velasco are at the centre of an investigation by the Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) following explosive whistle-blower allegations. »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Second Doha Dialogue on Labour Mobility got under way in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Advancing Fair and Sustainable Labour Mobility between Africa and GCC+”. Hosted by Tanzania on October 5-6, the second edition brings together Ministers of »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces struck naval vessels involved in supporting the Ukrainian armed forces overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "As a result of a massive strike with precision weapons of land, sea and air bases, and unmanned aerial vehicles last night, »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s recycling sector has expanded to 61 factories, as the sixth Recycling Towards Sustainability Conference and Exhibition 2026 opened in Doha yesterday, highlighting the country’s growing efforts to turn waste into resources and accelerate its transition towards a circular economy»»»

Governor Malhotra cites West Asia conflict and crude volatility for persistent inflation Dubai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised its policy rate by 25 basis points on October 7. The repo rate now stands at 5.50 per cent from 5.25 per cent. The central bank has also changed its policy to "cali»»»

President Iliana Iotova has convened a meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security (CCNS) for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the President's press secretariat said. The meeting will focus on current risks and threats to Bulgaria's maritime security and critical infrastructure in the context of t»»»

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Lionel Messi described his retirement from international football as the "saddest day of my career" on Tuesday after playing his final game for Argentina in a 3-0 defeat of Benin. Messi, who scored a goal and provided two assists in the victory at the Monumental Stadium, to»»»

Former German intelligence chief August Hanning has been arrested on charges of espionage and treason, amid accusations that he recruited the former head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency to carry out a child kidnapping. Hanning, who headed the BND from 1998 to 2005, was arrested on Tuesday along with »»»

The African Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) - a project endorsed by African leaders in 2018 – will be headquartered in Mauritius and rate governments, banks and companies. The African Union says AfCRA will:assess African economies using local data, expertise and conditionsgive investors more context-s»»»

The UAE experience offers a blueprint for South Asia’s next generation of investment hubs When the UAE began developing its free zone model, the proposition was relatively straightforward: businesses could establish themselves in a supportive regulatory environment, benefit from efficient processes»»»

Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Monday denied allegations related to an investment by Chinese automaker BYD. Szijjártó’s remarks come in the wake of an investigation by a national security committee, which decided in September of this year to clarify the circumstances surroundi»»»

UAE airports remain operational despite ongoing Gulf disruptions As the US–Iran conflict enters its 220th day (Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026), amid a spiralling war of narratives, day-to-day businesses and UAE airports remain fully open and operational. President Donald Trump told US media that his "bigg»»»

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar: The leader of Myanmar’s military-backed government was traveling to Malaysia for talks with its leaders Wednesday, as the two Southeast Asian nations work to repatriate thousands of Myanmar nationals despite international criticism of the transfers. State-run MRTV television sai»»»

Central bank defers Dh15.9 billion in loans for individuals, SMEs and large corporates Dubai: The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has granted financial relief to 155,970 bank customers nationwide. The measures cover loans worth Dh15.9 billion ($4.33 billion) and run through the end of August. Indiv»»»

Central bank defers Dh15.9 billion in loans for individuals, SMEs and large corporates Dubai: The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has granted financial relief to 155,970 bank customers nationwide. The measures cover loans worth Dh15.9 billion ($4.33 billion) and run through the end of August. Indiv»»»

Motorists face slow traffic from Sharjah to Abu Hail and across key Dubai routes Dubai: Accidents, construction work and heavy congestion are slowing Wednesday morning traffic across several major Dubai routes, according to Google Maps. Delays are affecting Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), Al Khail Road (E»»»

NETANYA, Israel: Israelis are gathering Wednesday to commemorate the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people, saw 251 taken hostage, and sparked a devastating war in Gaza that Palestinians still grapple with. In southern Israel, families will mourn at intersections, bomb shelters, and the sit»»»

US President Donald Trump said that he is going to hold a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future. "I have a call scheduled," Trump told reporters. "Very soon," he added.President Trump confirmed that he is still working on resolving the conflict between Russia a»»»

Ukraine's external public debt has increased by nearly 500% since late May 2019, when Vladimir Zelensky came to power, according to statistical data analyzed by Sputnik. According to the Ukrainian Finance Ministry, the external public debt stood at 1.3 trillion hryvnias ($29 billion) at the end of »»»

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the use of force by French police against student protesters. "It is considered normal in Paris for the police to beat up their own children. What about the concerns and human rights issues at the Elysee Palace? I don’t hear a peep from»»»

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Israel carried out new strikes in Gaza on Wednesday as it marked the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks by Hamas, with Palestinian officials reporting two dead. Loud bangs across the border in Gaza were audible from the site of the Nova music festival jus»»»

FAIRBANKS, Alaska: US Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in ​its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries’ seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negoti»»»

One batch ordered off shelves after two lab tests found excess pesticide residues New Delhi: India’s food safety regulator has ordered a specific batch of Everest cumin powder off the shelves after laboratory tests detected pesticide residues above permitted levels. The Food Safety and Standards Au»»»

In August 2026, the volume of retail trade in both raw and calendar-adjusted data was 2.4% higher than in the same month of the previous year. Compared to the same period of the previous year, calendar-adjusted sale volumes expanded by 0.5% in specialized and non-specialized food shops, by 5.0% in »»»

The government has decided on the details of the wealth tax, the expansion of kata taxation, and the abolition of tax relief for professional footballers and other athletes — Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on Tuesday on Facebook. The billionaires’ wealth tax will be introduced from 2027, set»»»

The number of signatures collected in the nationwide referendum initiative — organised by the Trade Employees' Union to declare 24 December a public holiday — remained below one hundred thousand, the National Election Commission (NVB) established at its Tuesday session. The Trade Employees’ Union i»»»

Convicted murderer Christa Pike regained consciousness and began speaking Tuesday after surviving a botched execution by lethal injection. Pike, the first woman the state of Tennessee has attempted to put to death in 200 years, remains hospitalised with severe injuries to both arms. Convicted kille»»»

Former German spy chief August Hanning was detained Tuesday on suspicion of treason and espionage after prosecutors accused him of paying for secret intelligence documents and using them to prepare an analysis for a foreign intelligence service, in a case that could strain Berlin’s ties with allied»»»

Ex-German intelligence chief accused of espionage and treasonous activities BERLIN: A former head of Germany 's foreign intelligence service was arrested Tuesday on suspicion that he had passed state secrets to a foreign intelligence service, the federal prosecutor's office said. August Hanning, wh»»»

From receptionist to mascot maker, she is now pursuing her childhood dream of flying Dubai: For years, MJ Tenchavez has made children smile by bringing colourful mascots to parties and community events across the UAE. But behind the costumes and celebrations is another dream. Tenchavez, a Filipino »»»

Convective clouds may bring rain on Wednesday, with fog or mist possible through Sunday Dubai: Parts of the UAE could see rain on Wednesday as temperatures rise, while fog and mist are forecast over some areas through the weekend, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). Wednesday wil»»»

Armed gangs retaliate against miners, sparking violence in Zamfara state Armed gangs stormed an illegal mining site and a village in northwestern Nigeria's Zamfara state, killing 17 people, local authorities told AFP on Tuesday. Bandits have for years terrorised rural communities in northwest and c»»»

Security screening at Hyderabad airport detected live round in the traveller’s baggage Hyderabad: An Abu Dhabi-bound passenger was stopped at Hyderabad airport after security officers found a live round of ammunition in his checked baggage, according to an Indian media report citing airport sources»»»

RIYADH: Saudi air defenses shot down a Houthi ballistic missile north of Riyadh, the coalition to support Yemen’s sovereignty said early Wednesday. Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, the coalition’s spokesperson, said on X that the launch platform was being tracked by the Coalition’s intelligence system in»»»

29 companies list this week as India's IPO market outpaces its struggling stocks Dubai: The Indian stock market is having a difficult year, however its IPO market is telling a completely different story. According to a recent Reuters report, the Nifty 50 posted its eighth consecutive weekly decline»»»

EXCLUSIVEShe held on to the seven-year-old boy until rescue teams arrived Fujairah: A 25-year-old Ethiopian domestic worker held on to a seven-year-old boy and refused to let go despite suffering a fractured leg after both fell into a well when its cover collapsed at a house in the Merashid area of»»»

AfCRA promises fair ratings, addressing informal economies and reforms Africa will launch its own credit rating agency on Wednesday, aimed at countering what many see as unfair assessments by global institutions that make it more expensive for African nations to borrow money. The Africa Credit Rati»»»

'Unprecedented': She is believed to be the only known person to survive lethal injection NASHVILLE: Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike is awake, conscious, and speaking six days after surviving a failed lethal injection execution, her legal team confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. Pike, 50, r»»»

US pushes Iran for nuclear concessions amid escalating Middle East tensions US President Donald Trump stated that the US must "finish up" the war with Iran, adding that Washington will soon decide whether to bring the conflict to an end the "nice way or the not-so-nice way." During an address at an»»»

The number of Germans seeking conscientious objector status has risen sharply amid Berlin’s military buildup and debate over reinstating conscription, the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on Tuesday. According to RND, whose parent company is partly owned by the ruling coalition’s Socia»»»

Prizes can motivate students, but they can also change the reason children want to learn Recently, at a community event, a group of teenagers was invited to take part in a learning challenge. They were asked to read, answer questions and collect points. Those who read regularly, answered correctly »»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would speak very soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the reported plague death of a laboratory technician, as Washington and the United Nations called for transparency from Moscow. Russian authorities denied that they were imposing a»»»

Kosovo ends political crisis with election of new president Kosovo parliament voted to curb the powers of its special war crimes court in a last-minute session that narrowly avoided another governmental collapse in the early hours of Wednesday (Oct. 7, 2026). The amendment, which was tightly negoti»»»

FAIRBANKS, Alaska: US Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in ​its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries’ seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negoti»»»

In August, US employment in roles most exposed to AI for people aged between 22 and 25 shrank by 4.4 percent year-on-year. This means there's been a contraction every single month since October 2023, about a year after ChatGPT was first released. The high impact of AI on younger workers is one of t»»»

MOSCOW: Ukraine struck an oil tanker off the southern Russian coast on Tuesday evening, triggering a huge fire and black smoke cloud that blanketed parts of the resort city of Sochi. Both sides have heavily targeted commercial shipping around the Black Sea since the start of the conflict in 2022, w»»»

MIAMI: The Trump administration is creating a team of attorneys to represent children who traveled alone to the United States in immigration proceedings, which critics say would deprive them of having lawyers who aren’t employed by the government and could put them at greater risk of deportation. T»»»

Trump to discuss Siberian plague case with Putin amid global health concerns WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he has a call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible case of plague at a Siberian research institute. Speaking to reporters at the White Hou»»»

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has vowed to retake territory held by the Houthis, raising the prospect of a new phase in a conflict that has ravaged the country for more than a decade. The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has ordered its armed forces and security formations to b»»»