Bulgaria has urgently recalled its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Ivan Yordanov, following allegations that a company owned by his father was involved in financing private flights taken by Delyan Peevski. Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova has summoned Yordanov to Sofia and ordered an insp»»»

Tokyo: The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.25 percent on Friday, the highest level in 31 years, while signaling that further hikes still remain on the table. The central bank lifted the rate again after bringing it up to 1.0 percent in June, marking the shor»»»

Eligible babies born in government-run hospitals will receive a one-gram gold ring Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will launch the state’s one-gram gold ring scheme for newborns on September 28, with 1.28 lakh rings procured for the first phase of the programme, the state government said o»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin voted in the State Duma elections in an online format on Friday. The head of state chose the electronic voting format for the sixth time and voted from his office in the Kremlin.Elections to the ninth State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament»»»

Cadets will train in Europe and the US before progressing towards flydubai flight decks Dubai: flydubai is expanding the training pipeline for its future pilots through new partnerships with Egnatia Aviation and Skyborne Airline Academy, giving cadets a route from initial training towards becoming »»»

Cash flow, governance and funding become harder to manage as SMEs expand Small and medium-sized enterprises play an important role in economic growth, employment and innovation. Across the UAE and the wider Middle East, many SMEs have been built by entrepreneurs who identified an opportunity, under»»»

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree on Thursday increasing benefits under his flagship welfare program by 15%, weeks before the first round of the presidential elections. The minimum monthly benefit per family of Bolsa Familia, or Family Grant, will rise to 691 reais ($134»»»

Airline says Dubai schedule could change depending on developments in the Middle East Dubai: Air Astana will resume scheduled flights to Dubai from its two main hubs in Kazakhstan in early October, restoring services that have been suspended since July because of regional security concerns. Flights»»»

Networking, expert insights and flexible study options for career-focused professionals For graduates and professionals ready for their next career step, advanced degrees and specialised qualifications can build the skills to progress, switch fields or take on leadership roles. Gulf News LevelUP br»»»

Food SecurityIndiaIndia: Are food safety rules too much to swallow?Murali Krishnan in New DelhiRecent raids at India's luxury hotels and a wider crackdown on its food companies have renewed the debate about food safety standards and their enforcement in the country. https://p.dw.com/p/5MpssConsumer»»»

Wizz Air is set to return in October, while several major carriers remain suspended Dubai: When will international airlines return to the UAE? After months of suspensions and restrictions linked to the US-Iran war, carriers are gradually rebuilding their schedules — but the return is staggered, wit»»»

Romania’s political parties have begun negotiations over a new government after Siegfried Mureșan’s nomination for prime minister, with fiscal policy, public-sector reform and the country’s economic direction emerging as central points of contention. Mureșan appeared on Friday alongside PNL leader »»»

Techmart World expands reach after a two-month Swiss Military power bank rollout Dubai: Techmart brings the future of battery technology to the Middle East with solid-state batteries. Solid-state battery technology, widely seen as one of the next advances in energy storage, is beginning to reach ev»»»

Nov. 3 election includes votes for governor and state legislature in most states Henrico: In-person voting for this year’s midterm elections begins Friday, ushering in the final six weeks for Americans to decide who they trust to lead Congress through a cost-of-living crisis, a prolonged war in Ira»»»

In-person early voting for the US midterm elections begins Friday, six weeks ahead of the final November 3 vote, which will determine whether Republicans will maintain their majority in the US House and Senate. Some of the main issues American voters are deciding on are how to navigate the cost-of-»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying a military satellite has been successfully launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "A combat crew from the space forces successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b medium-class carrier rocket with a satellite on boar»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened the Council of Security at the Council of Ministers, where ministers and senior security officials discussed the need for additional funding for anti-drone systems, stronger protection of critical infrastructure and tighter security at facilities producing and st»»»

The new Al Yalayis Station will connect Dubai with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Fujairah Dubai: Excitement is building as Dubai prepares to join the UAE’s national passenger rail network, with Etihad Rail’s Al Yalayis Station scheduled to open on September 30, 2026. The opening will mark the next major s»»»

Washington, Sept. 18 (SANA) Early voting in the U.S. midterm elections began Friday, with voters in Virginia and several other states able to start casting ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Virginia began in-person early voting Friday, while voters in states including Idaho, Minnesota and South»»»

Low-cost Filipino medical devices bring automated dialysis and rehab beyond hospitals Two Filipino student teams have developed low-cost medical devices aimed at helping dialysis and stroke patients manage treatment and rehabilitation — and won the top two Philippine prizes in the 2026 James Dyson »»»

The frictions in Russia's wartime economy are growing, as massive military spending balloons the budget deficit. Consumers and businesses are gloomier. Growth has slowed. None of that, however, signals an imminent financial crisis or economic collapse, economists say. With crucial oil export revenu»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar participated in the 16th meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Economic and Development Affairs Authority of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which was held today via videoconference. Dr Saud bin Abdullah Al Attiyah (pictured), Deputy Undersecretary for Eco»»»

DOHA: Qatar is taking a measured approach to developing its financial sector, with a strong focus on putting the right banking, payments and data infrastructure in place. Highlighting Qatar’s fintech sector and the opportunities emerging as the country builds out its financial infrastructure, Stive»»»

The date for the next presidential election in Kyrgyzstan has been changed in the Zhogorku Kenesh’s rules of procedure. The document now specifies the fourth Wednesday of January instead of the third Sunday of October. Head of State Sadyr Japarov signed the amendments. The amendment concerns Articl»»»

The National Assembly is expected today, September 18, to hold a first-reading debate on a bill amending the Digital Content and Digital Services and Sale of Goods Act, submitted by the Council of Ministers, according to Parliament's weekly programme. The amendments aim to encourage repairs both wi»»»

A concert featuring international stars will be held at Bishkek Arena today, September 18. The concert is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Shuttle buses will be provided to transport concertgoers to the stadium, the Bishkek City Hall reported. According to the municipality, they will run from 3 p.m. to»»»

Travellers urged to check airlines as delays, cancellations hit regional flights Dubai: Flight operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) remain largely operational on Friday, with several Emirates, Etihad and flydubai services showing revised »»»

Tribune News Network West Sussex, UK Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, vice-chairperson of Qatar Foundation, has called on international sporting, government, policy, development, and civil society leaders to join a global coalition focused on harnessing sport as a driver of social d»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar participated in the 76th meeting of the Committee of Undersecretaries of the Ministries of Finance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states and the 16th meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the GCC Economic and Development Affairs Authority, hel»»»

Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA) The International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates hosted a roundtable with a World Bank technical team on Thursday to discuss the current state of Syria’s housing and mortgage finance sector and prospects for its development. Parti»»»

The award-winning documentary "NAZA" featuring anonymous military sources speaking about Israel's mass killing of civilians in Gaza has sparked a political firestorm in Israel. The film's directors and their families have received a wave of threats, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced»»»

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh, alongside Jordan Securities Commission Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Emad Abu Haltam, participated in the J.P. Morgan Emerging and Frontier Markets Opportunities Conference in London from September »»»

Budapest says it may be able to cover October salaries, but November pay could be at risk if the city fails to reach an agreement with the government over its finances. The warning comes after the capital repaid a HUF 67 billion (EUR 185 million) bank loan and faces another major payment in October»»»

FIA axes Saudi desert finale, targets WRC return in 2027 amid regional unrest The final round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Saudi Arabia in November has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced on Thursday. The conflic»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Central Bank on Thursday challenged an EU regulation that prevents it from recovering 200 billion euros ($229.8 billion) from the Belgium-based Euroclear depository, which has indefinitely frozen Russian sovereign assets. Earlier in the day, the Russian regulator said»»»

Paris, France: The final round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Saudi Arabia in November has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced on Thursday. The conflict has disrupted motorsports competitions throughout the region »»»

Doha, Qatar: The public is invited to watch the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games at the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sport Museum on Saturday, September 19. The free screening is open to the public from 12pm at Level 7 outside the esports lounge of the museum. Qatar will be represented by 243 at»»»

Help AG unveils quantum-safe roadmap and AI security tools at GISEC 2026 Cybersecurity company Help AG, an e& enterprise company, has used GISEC 2026 today in Dubai to launch two new services -Quantum 360 and Help AG.AI- aimed at preparing businesses and governments for the next wave of technology:»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday his speech at the UN General Assembly session in New York, scheduled for next week, would address Serbia's position and what the country had been through in the past 30 years. "I will speak about Serbia's position and all we have been t»»»

The Bank of England kept interest rates on hold Thursday while indicating that it could raise them soon in order to dampen inflationary pressures emanating from the fallout of the Iran war. The decision was widely anticipated, with six members of the Monetary Policy Committee voting to keep rates u»»»

The US central bank raised its benchmark rate by .25 percent, with new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh defying President Donald Trump's desire for lower rates. Consumer banks and bond markets react. Also, OpenAI reveals new incidents of AI misconduct as fears grow that the technology could escape human contr»»»

Developers adapt to regional challenges as buyers gain flexibility, new projects continue Dubai: Dubai’s property market is entering a new phase in which financial discipline, construction capacity and the ability to adapt to changing buyer behaviour are becoming increasingly important. The shift i»»»

Chitila Plazza retail park, developed by Rădăcini Estate, the real estate division of Rădăcini Group, has recently opened. Located on Șoseaua Chitilei, in the immediate vicinity of Bucharest’s ring road, with direct access and visibility from it, the retail centre will serve both residents of Chiti»»»

Romania’s international workforce has been growing steadily for several years, and the numbers now tell a clear story. Yet for many of the professionals, engineers and service workers who relocate here, moving money around Romania turns out to be easier than borrowing it. Opening a bank account is,»»»

Second retail sukuk follows strong demand, with the profit rate due September 22 Abu Dhabi: The UAE is launching a five-year retail T-Sukuk after its first sovereign offering attracted Dh445 million in orders, nearly nine times the initial issuance target. Sign up for our daily business newsletter,»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Thursday the Interior Ministry should not become a party to the political process or influence the election outcome, but should ensure that every citizen can vote freely. He was speaking at a national meeting of the Ministry's leadership on the preparations for th»»»

The Ministry of Interior held a national meeting of its senior leadership here on Thursday to discuss preparations for the presidential election scheduled for October 25. Attending the meeting were the Ministry's senior leadership, Prime Minister Rumen Radev, State Agency for National Security Chai»»»

LONDON: Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani has called on international sporting, government, policy, development, and civil society leaders to join a global coalition focused on harnessing sport as a driver of social development at a high-level dialogue hosted »»»

Romania is set to introduce a new type of tax-advantaged investment account aimed at encouraging individuals to build long-term savings through capital markets, after Parliament approved the legislation this week. The new Savings and Investment Accounts, known by their Romanian acronym CEI, will al»»»

Six GCC states invited for talks that could expand to other Arab and Muslim leaders Dubai: US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders in New York next week to discuss the next phase of the Iran war, as Washington begins looking beyond the nearly seven-month conflict towards a possib»»»