Hanoi: The State Bank of Vietnam has directed commercial banks to cut deposit interest rates by a minimum of 0.5 percentage points, according to a report published by local media outlet Dan Tri on Sunday. Under the directive, banks are required to lower their listed annual deposit rates for deposit»»»

QNA Doha The National Sport Day Committee unveiled details for the 2027 edition of National Sport Day scheduled to take place across the country in February 2027. For the first time, the event will coincide with the holy month of Ramadan, held under the theme ‘Ramadan .. A golden opportunity’. The »»»

TIRANA: Albanian police fired water cannon and tear gas Sunday as violent anti-government protests entered a sixth day and Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected demonstrators’ demands that he resign. Violent demonstrations have rocked Tirana since Tuesday with protesters calling for action over poor uni»»»

Liwa Festival celebrates Emirati heritage, culture, sport and entertainment each year The Liwa International Festival 2027 (Liwa 2027) will run from December 11, 2026, to January 2, 2027, in the Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region, bringing together motorsports competitions, cultural experi»»»

Washington, Oct. 18 (SANA) US consumers are increasingly concerned about how restaurant chains and major retailers set prices, as digital price tags and artificial intelligence tools become more widespread, raising questions about transparency, personal data and the possibility of different custome»»»

AMMAN — The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE), with support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has continued to monitor the implementation of its Regulatory Framework and Rules for Climate-Related Disclosures, issued in 2025.The IFC also is monitoring ASE's Climate-Related Disclosure Guidan»»»

Nottingham: Noni Madueke's late goal sealed Arsenal's 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday as the champions survived a scrappy display to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City. Mikel Arteta's side were well below their best at the City Ground and did not register a shot on tar»»»

Philippine hotel developers invest ₱387 billion despite economic challenges Manila: Despite a 30% jump in construction material prices, tighter financing and slower-than-expected foreign arrivals, Philippine hotel developers have not pulled back—they have doubled down. The 2026 Philippine Accommoda»»»

Egypt’s real estate sector needs a clearer regulatory framework to protect buyers, strengthen developer accountability and support sustainable investment, participants at the second Osoul Masr forum said, as government officials and industry executives discussed proposals to address delayed deliver»»»

Doha: Brazil is just a few days away from the Oct. 25 presidential runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his rival, Flavio Bolsonaro, in a fiercely contested race that has drawn market attention to the next president's fiscal and economic policy agenda. Brazilians will re»»»

Tirana, Albania: Albania's capital saw protests Sunday for a sixth day in a row as Prime Minister Edi Rama ruled out resigning, the main demand of the protesters. Violent demonstrations have rocked Tirana since Tuesday, with thousands of protesters calling for Rama to step down as they rally agains»»»

Bulgaria is seeking enhanced NATO support for its air defence capabilities while prioritizing diplomacy to address security incidents in the Black Sea, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said here on Sunday. Bulgaria has sent two letters to NATO, at the end of August and on October 13, requesting en»»»

Pope's discharge on Saturday capped days of uncertainty that rattled the world's Catholics Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV addressed thousands of people in St Peter's Square on Sunday, smiling and saying he would resume work "gradually" in his first major public appearance since undergoing lung cancer s»»»

Gqeberha: Rain delayed the start of play after Australia won the toss and decided to bowl in the second Test against South Africa at St George's Park on Sunday. Play eventually got under way at noon, two hours after the scheduled start, with 75 overs due to be bowled in the day. South Africa reache»»»

Sisi chairs defence council meeting, with MPs due to debate a defensive mission on Sunday Cairo: Egypt’s National Defence Council has approved sending troops to Saudi Arabia on a defensive mission, an Egyptian MP announced on Sunday, with parliament due to consider the deployment at an emergency se»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Index opened Sunday's trading session down 102.45 points, or 1.16%, to 8,707 points, weighed by losses across five sectors. QSE data showed a positive performance for Insurance (+0.06%), while Telecoms was stable at (0.00%). Meanwhile, performance was neg»»»

President Joseph Aoun has met visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Baabda, saying he would welcome any effort to prevent a security vacuum in the south if U.N. peacekeepers withdraw as planned at the end of the year. Barrot is in Beirut for a two-day visit to discuss "mechanisms for»»»

Schools in Mecca, Eastern Province, Tabuk and Najran will test scheduled online classes Dubai: Saudi Arabia is preparing to introduce up to 10 days of remote learning during the school year in four education regions, as part of efforts to integrate online education into the regular school system ra»»»

Four-day event will explore AI, smart cities, sustainability and crisis readiness Dubai: How can ambitious ideas be turned into successful projects that improve people’s lives? This will be a key focus of the 12th Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF), scheduled to take place from Ja»»»

Travel warnings issued amid UAE-Saudi flight cancellations and delays UAE travellers face another unsettled day of air travel on Sunday, October 18, as cancellations and schedule changes affect flights between the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, alongside delays on other international routes. Emirates, »»»

Tokyo: Japanese scientists are readying a mission to Mars's moons to retrieve samples that could help unlock the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth, in what aims to be the first round trip to the Martian region. The unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) probe, a collaboration with US »»»

Doha, Qatar: Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, yesterday opened the second edition of the MENA Microbiome Conference 2026 in Doha, bringing together leading researchers, physicians, scientists, industry experts, partners, and sponsors to explore the latest advances in microbiome science»»»

Prosecutors from across the country held a General Assembly on Saturday to elect representatives to the new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) from the prosecutors’ professional quota. During the assembly, the chairperson and members of the election commission were elected, polling stations were design»»»

Public schools return on October 19 while some private schools follow their own calendars Abu Dhabi: Thousands of students across the UAE will return to classrooms on Monday, October 19, following the first-term mid-term break, as public and private schools that observed the holiday resume lessons »»»

Arab Finance: Travel and tourism contributed $11.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025, equivalent to 9.8% of global gross domestic product (GDP), and supported 366 million jobs worldwide, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). However, the sector’s economic importance comes wit»»»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Bahrain, where on Sunday he will take part in the ninth round of the strategic dialogue between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a Sputnik correspondent has reported. On Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that foreign minist»»»

Pope Leo XIV was released from the hospital on Saturday after lung cancer surgery. Doctors removed part of the 71-year-old's right lung last week to extract a cancerous tumour.  Pope Leo XIV will leave the Rome hospital on Saturday, where he has been recovering from lung cancer surgery af»»»

12 detained, including organisers; Modi announces aid as leaders mourn victims At least 19 people were killed and 25 others injured in a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, eastern India, on Saturday evening, prompting an investigation and compensation announcements from the state and centr»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation opened the second edition of the MENA Microbiome Conference 2026 in Doha, bringing together leading researchers, physicians, scientists, industry experts, partners, and sponsors to explore the latest advances in microbiome scien»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Saturday, saying he would welcome any effort to prevent a security vacuum in the south if UN peacekeepers withdraw as planned at the end of the year. Barrot is in Beirut for a two-day visit to discuss “m»»»


BANGKOK — International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Saturday this year's Annual Meetings with global policymakers were marked by "optimism and worry" about the global economic outlook as the event wound down in Bangkok.

Georgieva also said her organisation had a "responsibili»»»

Bangkok, Oct. 17 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh held Saturday a series of high-level meetings with international financial institutions and banks on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, advancing Syria’s reintegration into the global financial system, secur»»»

MIDYAN Developments has unveiled its 2027–2030 growth strategy, targeting expansion into new asset classes and geographic locations while adding one asset to its operating portfolio annually under its built-to-own model. Established in 2017, the group has a portfolio spanning K-12 education, univer»»»

Still recovering, Flydubai captain thanks UAE Government for medical care Dubai: A flydubai captain has revealed how his co-pilot repeatedly struck him inside the cockpit during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, leaving him bleeding, slipping in and out of consciousness and desperately trying to sum»»»

Lucky Day Draw No. 261017 sees multiple participants take home cash prizes Dubai: Tonight marks a milestone for the UAE Lottery, with its Lucky Day draw reaching its 100th edition as participants continue to compete for the Dh30 million grand prize and other cash rewards. In the latest Lucky Day Dr»»»

Hotel accommodation is being arranged for affected passengers Dubai: Passengers waiting to fly from Delhi to Dubai on Saturday face an overnight delay after the Emirates aircraft scheduled to bring them back was hit by a bird strike as it landed in the Indian capital. The airline said the aircraft »»»

Doha, Qatar: Apple's first foldable iPhone has seen overwhelming demand just hours after preorders opened, with customers now facing delivery waits of more than three months for the company's newest and most expensive smartphone. The iPhone Duo, which starts at USD 1,999 in the United States, sold »»»

Tunis, Oct. 17 (TAP) – The increase in the reserve requirement ratio decided by the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) is primarily aimed at stabilising the banking system and curbing inflation to ensure price stability, economic and financial analyst...»»»

Dubai airport pledges to reunite missing cat with owner despite lengthy search A woman travelling from Dubai to Sri Lanka is waiting for news of her missing cat after the cat went missing at Dubai International Airport on October 11, leaving her anxious to learn whether he will be found and reunite»»»

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV will leave the Rome hospital Saturday where he has been recovering from lung cancer surgery, the Vatican said, after doctors deemed him “fit for discharge.” Leo, 71, has been at the Gemelli hospital north of the Vatican since Tuesday, where doctors removed part of his rig»»»

PARIS: Demonstrations began across France on Saturday in what is expected to turn into widespread nationwide protests against high prices and the erosion of a model aimed at providing a minimum of opportunities and social security. The protests started last month in high schools in the poor norther»»»

Mohammed bin Rashid says mercy is the foundation of society in a new letter from his book Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has shared a new letter stressing the importance of mercy and compassion, describing »»»

Mecca executions, Muscat housing ban and MrBeast surprise among top stories Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s nationwide crackdown on residency violations, the execution of two Bangladeshis in Mecca and BR Shetty’s $15 billion lawsuit lead this weekend’s digest. Elsewhere, Muscat tightens housing rules, while »»»

UAE prioritizes cooperation and sustainability in global financial strategies Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the UAE’s Governor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said the country's banking sector maintains strong financial indicators and high leve»»»

Bangkok: Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has hosted its annual reception for Qatari banks in Bangkok, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group. The meetings are being held from October 12 to 18, bringing together government officials an»»»

Doha, Qatar: Poland's reclassification from an emerging market to a developed market reflects three decades of economic and institutional progress, supported by market reforms, European Union membership and deeper integration into Western European supply chains, Qatar National Bank (QNB) said in it»»»

CJP’s Ratna Singh calls Dipke’s arrest a violation of fundamental rights New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke, who was detained by Delhi Police ahead of the planned ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ rally in the national capital, is scheduled to be produced before the Special Executive M»»»

The General Assembly of Prosecutors has begun its proceedings to elect members of the new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) from the prosecutors’ professional quota. The assembly started an hour later than scheduled because there was no quorum at the initial count. During Saturday’s General Assembly o»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The suspension of some provisions of the law on sanctions against Russia by the administration of US President Donald Trump is an important and truly historic moment, Russian special presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries Kirill Dmitriev»»»

Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia cancel flights to Saudi cities amid disruptions UAE travellers face another unsettled day of air travel on Saturday, October 17, as cancellations and schedule changes continue to affect flights between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh remains a major disru»»»