Abu Dhabi: The UAE has climbed to 17th place globally and retained its position as the highest-ranked country in the region in the QS World Future Skills Index 2027, highlighting the country’s efforts to align higher education with the needs of the future economy. The Ministry of Higher Education a»»»

Dubai: The UAE has introduced a unified national framework to regulate the licensing of universities and colleges, a move aimed at raising academic standards, strengthening governance and simplifying oversight across the country’s higher education sector, including institutions in free zones. Appro»»»

Bulgarian companies are among the least indebted in the European Union, according to the latest Eurostat data for the end of 2025. Corporate debt among non-financial enterprises in Bulgaria stands at 45% of gross domestic product, significantly below the EU average of 70.1% and the euro area averag»»»

Ukraine is likely to get a new Prime Minister today and a much more pragmatic government as a result of the surprise reshuffle that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy triggered by asking the current Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to step down at the weekend. Under the Ukrainian constitution »»»

The Kremlin is pushing the Far East as a major investment opportunity thanks to a sanctions-driven surge in trade with China and a broader wave of investment from across the continent and the Global South. For most of the past decade, Russia's pivot to Asia has been measured in barrels of oil, cubi»»»

Damascus, July 16 (SANA) Director General of the Syrian Investment Authority Talal al-Hilali met Indian Chargé d’Affaires Renu Yadav on Thursday to discuss expanding economic and investment cooperation between Syria and India. According to the Syrian Investment Authority, the talks focused on oppor»»»

Official data released on Wednesday shows China's GDP grew 4.3 percent in the second quarter, compared to a year prior. The last time quarterly growth was that weak was in late 2022, when China was feeling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Slow consumer demand, despite a surge in exports, helps »»»

Last week’s column ended with reference to my interviews with members of the Afghan women’s cricket team, which had been touring England. Since then, there have been developments in plans for their future. After the International Cricket Council’s Annual Conference in Edinburgh between July 8 and 1»»»

Seoul: South Korea's central bank delivered a quarter-percentage-point interest rate hike Thursday, as widely expected, to tackle high inflation amid lingering Middle East uncertainties. The Bank of Korea (BOK) convened a Monetary Policy Board meeting and lifted the benchmark rate from 2.5 % to 2.7»»»

Dubai: The UAE has taken another step to preserve its modern history by adding the historic Union House in Dubai to the National Register of Modern Architectural Heritage, recognising the landmark where the country's founding leaders signed the declaration of the Union in 1971. The announcement was»»»

CAIRO: Israeli strikes killed at least five Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Palestinian health officials said, as a US-based research group reported a surge in Israeli attacks to levels not seen since the latest truce took effect in October. Medics said an Israeli airstrike killed two p»»»

NEW DELHI: A New Delhi court ordered government doctors on Thursday to monitor activist Sonam Wangchuk’s health daily, as supporters fear for his life after nearly three weeks of hunger strike to protest India’s examination system. Wangchuk, 59, has been fasting since June 28, demanding the resigna»»»

TEHRAN: Tehran on Thursday accused the United States of carrying out a “barbaric attack” after a cancer hospital in Iran’s southwest was forced to evacuate due to nearby strikes.“This barbaric attack, reminiscent of Israel’s atrocities against health care facilities, caused severe suffering and anx»»»

Manama: The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) announced that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several Iranian aerial attacks. In a statement, the BDF's General Command said that Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through its criminal attacks targeting c»»»

Dubai: Indian community groups in the UAE have called for a permanent solution to the ongoing difficulties faced by Indian expats in accessing passport and attestation services, along with the recent hike in passport fees. Their demands come amid uncertainty over the future of passport and attestat»»»

The paradox comes at a particularly challenging time for the Romanian economy. The European Commission forecasts GDP growth of just 0.1% in 2026, while inflation is expected to remain around 7%, continuing to erode household purchasing power and consumer spending. At the same time, fiscal consolida»»»

RIYADH: The Middle East plays a crucial role in global supply chains for critical materials, particularly aluminum, sulfur and helium, with the region accounting for about 8 percent of global primary aluminum output, a new analysis showed. According to the International Energy Agency’s Global Criti»»»

BUCHAREST - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said Friday would be a historic day for Serbia-US relations due to the launch of strategic dialogue between the two countries, and noted that there were also plans to sign a MoU on cooperation in the energy sector. "We a»»»

Two earthquakes of rare magnitude struck Venezuela on June 24, seconds apart. The state of La Guaira on the Caribbean coast was by far the hardest hit, with entire buildings collapsing there in seconds. Tens of thousands of people are still missing but help still has not arrived. In the absence of »»»

Tehran warned Thursday it would target regional infrastructure if the United States carried out threats to attack Iran's infrastructure. Earlier in the day, Iran said it carried out drone attacks on US military bases and facilities in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain after the US completed a new wav»»»

Students and teachers at a primary school in the Israeli-occupied West Bank demonstrated on July 15 against its expected demolition by Israeli forces. Israel has in recent years destroyed thousands of Palestinian-owned homes & vital infrastructures, usually citing a lack of building permits. Ac»»»

The transaction reflects Vastint Romania’s ability to support tenants throughout different stages of their development by offering workspace solutions tailored to evolving business needs. After occupying approximately 380 m²at Timpuri Noi Square, Mogo Romania has relocated to a new office of approx»»»

Hungary is preparing for what could become the country’s biggest wind energy expansion in decades. The government has announced plans to increase domestic wind power capacity from the current 330 MW to between 3,000 and 4,000 MW by 2030, marking a dramatic policy shift after nearly 15 years of virt»»»

A ceremonial send-off was held Thursday in Stara Zagora for 97 Bulgarian service members deploying to Kosovo as part of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR). The contingent, primarily drawn from the Second Tundzha Mechanized Brigade, also includes personnel from the Joint Forces Command, Military Police Serv»»»

Gaza: The death toll from the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Gaza Strip has risen to 73,250, with 173,751 others injured, since October 7, 2023. Medical sources in Gaza reported that hospitals across the Strip received the bodies of four martyrs and 28 injured over the past 24 hours. T»»»

Algiers: At least 11 people were killed and 19 others injured in a fire at an orphanage near the Algerian capital on Thursday, the country's Civil Protection authority said. The Authority said in a statement posted on its Facebook page Thursday that 19 people were treated and transported to hospita»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a telephone call today from HRH Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg, who offered his sincere condolences on the passing of the late His Highness the Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. His Highness the Amir, in turn, expre»»»

WARSAW: Poland has ‌charged an 18-year-old Ukrainian man with inciting ethnic tensions by desecrating memorials to Poles killed by Ukrainian nationalists during World War Two, the Internal Security Agency (ABW) said on Thursday. The so-called Volhynia massacres have been a source of tension between»»»

Wellington: New Zealand authorities issued a tsunami warning Thursday following a 5.9-magnitude quake on the western coast of the South Island, warning people there to "move immediately" to high ground. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.People in af»»»

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova did not sign any declaration committing Bulgaria to increase its participation in the so-called coalition of the willing for Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry in Sofia said in a statement to the media on Thursday. Petrova took part in the 5th Ukraine-Southeast Europe »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a telephone call today from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, who offered his condolences on the passing of the late His Highness the Father Em»»»

Dubai: Dubai's coastline, from the Jumeirah beaches to the Palm and Dubai Marina, has made jet skiing one of the most popular water sports for residents and tourists. It's a rush to ride past the skyline with the wind in your face, but the emirate treats it as a regulated maritime activity, not a f»»»

Dubai: India's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the United Kingdom came into force on Thursday, granting duty-free access to nearly all Indian exports to the UK and marking the start of the country's most comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement. The agreement removes tari»»»

Romania’s real estate market is entering a more selective phase, shaped by slower economic growth, persistent permitting constraints, higher financing costs and changing occupier expectations, according to speakers at Business Review’s Realty Forum & Awards Gala 2026. Held on July 15 at Hotel Caro »»»

A fire at an orphanage outside of Algiers claimed the lives of at least 11 people and wounded 19, the country's civil defence announced on Thursday. ​Eleven people were killed and ​19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of ​the ‌Algerian capital early on ⁠Thursday, state media report»»»

In West Africa, plastic waste is a major environmental challenge. In Senegal, activist Modou Fall has taken an unusual approach to raising awareness about plastic pollution. He walks through Dakar and other parts of the country wearing an eye-catching outfit made from discarded plastic waste. His g»»»

Wildfires are raging across Algeria, where extreme heat and prolonged drought have fuelled dozens of blazes. Authorities say more than 130 fires were reported on July 15 alone. At least one person has been killed, and the damage has been devastating— especially for farmers and livestock owners. Wil»»»

With the two wildfires burning southeast of Paris now contained, for investigators, the focus is on how they started. Five people have been arrested, suspected of setting the blazes intentionally, including a volunteer fire fighter. Prosecutors say that a second suspect admitted to accidentally sta»»»

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council has changed the competition formats of two major men’s tournaments, adding a preliminary round before the group stage of the 2027 World Cup and revamping the playoffs for the Twenty20 World Cup in 2028. “The changes were introduced to create more meaning»»»

JERUSALEM: US Vice President JD Vance said some ‌members of the Israeli government had tried to influence US public opinion to oppose a deal by the US to end the war with Iran, in a podcast ​episode with host Joe Rogan posted on Wednesday. The comments echoed earlier criticism of Israeli government»»»

ATLANTA: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni saluted his team’s never-say-die mentality after another come-from-behind victory on Wednesday powered them past England into the World Cup final. Scaloni said his team had scented victory as England sat back after taking a 1-0 lead in their semifinal in Atla»»»

LONDON: The British government on Thursday urged FIFA to investigate Argentina’s team after players posed with a banner claiming sovereignty over the contested Falkland Islands. Argentina beat England 2-1 in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta. During post-match celebrations, Argentine pl»»»

Dubai: Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has been selected to help review how the US Federal Reserve manages its $6.7 trillion balance sheet, as the central bank considers changes to its monetary policy operations. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Raj»»»

Plovdiv residents protested outside the Municipal Council on Thursday, calling for better public transport in the city. Protest organizer Pavel Nachev stressed that Plovdiv is the only major Bulgarian city that relies entirely on a private transport consortium, leaving the Municipality without cont»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have warned motorists of heavy traffic congestion following an accident on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) towards Sharjah. In a post on X, Dubai Police said the accident occurred on the Sharjah-bound route in front of Global Village, causing traffic to build up in the are»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s producer prices climbed 7.5 percent year on year in May as higher manufacturing costs, led by chemicals and refined petroleum products, pushed wholesale prices higher, official data showed. Manufacturing, the largest component of the Producer Price Index, rose 8 percent from »»»

The 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai from July 17 to 20. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote address. Since its inception in 2018, the conference has evolved into a key multilatera»»»

A fatal road accident claimed one life and left two other people injured on Wednesday evening in Budapest’s District XX after two passenger cars collided at the junction of Udvarhely Street and Hunyadi Square in Pesterzsébet. According to the Budapest Police Headquarters (BRFK), the crash occurred »»»

Dubai: India’s space programme is entering one of its most ambitious phases. With the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission nearing key milestones, advanced satellite launches planned and future planetary missions in the pipeline, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for a defin»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is expected to experience an increase in relative humidity levels this weekend, said the Qatar Meteorology Department. It added that during the weekend, Friday and Saturday, July 17 and 18, the rise in humidity could bring mist and fog forming in some parts. Meanwhile, in its wee»»»