Romania’s retail real estate sector is undergoing a profound structural rebalancing as robust domestic capital and institutional funding step in to drive consolidation amid macroeconomic headwinds. Facing a revised 2026 GDP growth forecast adjusted downwards to 0.1% and the European Union’s highest»»»

HEADLINES Thursday’s media coverage is dominated by Parliament’s authorization of the temporary deployment of up to eight US aerial refuelling aircraft and 250 military personnel at Bezmer Air Base. Trud reports on the vote, while Nova TV, bTV and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) examined the po»»»

Doha: The Qatar Cultural Center for the Blind organised a cultural seminar titled “Artificial Intelligence: Between Assistance and Reliance,” aimed at raising awareness about the optimal use of AI tools and their conscious and responsible application. Mohammed Shafi’ Al Fahida, a member of the cent»»»

RIYADH: The International Islamic Trade Finance Corp., a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, has signed a $100 million financing agreement with Hamkorbank of Uzbekistan, marking the largest standalone Islamic trade finance deal granted to a bank based in the country. The ITFC explained th»»»

Dubai: The conversations that will shape the future of Arab media began with a step forward, quite literally. Before the region’s leading media figures gather in September for the Arab Media Summit 2026, over 350 journalists, content creators, influencers and industry professionals have come togeth»»»

MANILA: The Philippines accused China’s coast guard of firing water cannon and using a “dangerous maneuver” on Thursday to block vessels bringing aid to Filipino fishermen near a disputed South China Sea reef. The incident took place near Scarborough Shoal, hours before Manila hosted a regional sec»»»

The number of measles cases reported across the US this year has climbed to 2,295, the highest annual total since 1991, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory disease that was officially eliminated in the US in 2000 following a successful mass »»»

Washington is controlled by a “closeted gay mafia” largely made up of Republican politicians, former US President Joe Biden’s scandal-plagued son, Hunter, has claimed, alleging that “everybody knew” late Senator Lindsey Graham was gay. Longtime Russia hawk Lindsey Graham died earlier this month at »»»

The rule of Vladimir Zelensky has been a catastrophe for Ukraine, and that is how it will be remembered once the dust of relentless info war campaigns in his favor – and against his critics – settles. While the corruption of the Zelensky regime is stupendous, that fact – sad as it is – is not what »»»

Two Chinese-operated oil tankers carrying nearly full cargoes of crude were on course on Thursday (July 23, 2026) to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait a day after two Saudi-owned ships were attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Bloomberg reported. Ship-tracking data showed the Xin Long Yang nearin»»»

Doha: Widam Food, a Qatari public shareholding company and the main operator of Al Wakrah Central Abattoir and private abattoirs in the country, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Qatar Livestock Society (Anaam). The MOU aims to market livestock products from Qatari breeders by»»»

Dubai: Jana Nayagan, out in the UAE cinemas today, isn't just another film release for Thalapathy Vijay's fans and it's being treated like a farewell celebration. The film, widely believed to be Vijay's final movie before he shifts his focus completely to Tamil Nadu politics, has sparked extraordin»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatari officials continue to play an increasingly influential role on football’s biggest stage, with the FIFA World Cup 2026 once again highlighting the country’s growing contribution beyond hosting major tournaments. From organising global events to shaping key areas of football admin»»»

LONDON: The Saudi Digital Advertising Maturity Framework, launched by Snap Inc. and Kearney, identifies an eight-percentage-point gap between growth in digital advertising spending and e-commerce growth in the Kingdom, pointing to scope for more efficient investment and a clearer link to measurable»»»

Dubai: Dubai Airports has appointed three senior leaders to strengthen the operational and technology teams responsible for Dubai International and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The changes cover airport operati»»»

DUBAI: Mexican chef Victor Martinez’s journey has been shaped as much by circumstance as by ambition. Hurricanes, specifically, have been a “transformative force” in his life — pushing him toward career-shaping opportunities, he tells Arab News. “I started my culinary journey at 17 (at culinary sch»»»

Manila: Vice President Sara Duterte's bank accounts and Income Tax Returns (ITRs) are set to be opened on July 30, following long-standing allegations that she has billions of pesos in bank deposits. As early as 2016, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV alleged that Vice President Duterte and her f»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Capital Intelligence Ratings (CI Ratings or CI) announced yesterday that it has affirmed the Long-Term Foreign Currency Rating (LT FCR) and LT Local Currency Rating (LT LCR) of Qatar at ‘AA’. At the same time, CI Ratings has affirmed the sovereign’s Short-Term (ST) FCR and ST LCR a»»»

July 23 (UPI) -- Arizona health officials have confirmed the state's first infection of an mpox strain responsible for a global outbreak, identifying the case as having been infected while traveling outside the United States. The Arizona Department of Health and Services said in a statement Wednesd»»»

Dubai: Emirates NBD expanded its loan book by Dh114 billion during the first half of 2026, taking gross lending to Dh771 billion after strong growth across its core markets and the consolidation of RBL Bank. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Dubai-based lender report»»»

Chief Prosecutor Gábor Bálint Nagy submitted his resignation on Wednesday; the announcement was published on the prosecution service's website. In a statement also sent to MTI, Gábor Bálint Nagy wrote that safeguarding the independence and authority of the justice system, including the prosecution »»»

The war between the US and Iran has entered a more dangerous phase, with fighting spreading across the Gulf, Red Sea and key shipping lanes that are critical to the Gulf and regional security, and the global economy. While the UAE has not been directly targeted, residents are closely watching devel»»»

ROME: Wildfires swept across parts of Italy, France and Spain on Wednesday, killing three firefighters and forcing thousands to flee as scorching temperatures and strong winds fueled the blazes. The fires come as southern Europe endures another spell of severe heat, with temperatures topping 40°C i»»»

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives passed a massive defense spending bill on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- House Republicans narrowly passed a massive $1.15 trillion defense authorization bill Wednesday, despite strong Democratic opposition to th»»»

Poland’s retail sector delivered a stronger-than-expected performance in June, reinforcing signs that domestic consumption remains a key driver of economic growth. According to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), retail sales rose 6.2% year-on-year in constant prices, comfortably exceeding econom»»»

India’s passport ranking has fluctuated over the past two decades, reflecting changing global mobility trends, visa policies and diplomatic ties. In the latest Henley Passport Index 2026, India ranks 81st globally, with passport holders having access to 55 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations.»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is set for a spell of settled summer weather, with fair skies, light winds and calm seas expected to dominate through the weekend, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). Low clouds are forecast to form over eastern areas during the morning hours, while northwester»»»

GLASGOW: The president of Commonwealth Sport, Dr. Donald Rukare, told AFP the Commonwealth Games remains a stage “where champions are made” as Glasgow prepares to host a slimmed down version of the event. The Games were plunged into crisis when the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as hosts in »»»

VOIRON, France: Dutch corner is known for being the biggest and craziest party in cycling. Thousands of orange-clad, booze-fueled cycling enthusiasts and young revellers flock to corner seven of Alpe d’Huez every time the Tour de France climbs the iconic mountain. And they create a unique, noisy an»»»

WASHINGTON: The House adopted a Republican-only $95 billion budget proposal Wednesday, a long-shot effort to fund the Iran war and other White House priorities over objections from Democrats and a few GOP holdouts in a final push before the midterm elections. House Republicans were divided over the»»»

Manila: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Iran’s continued attacks on commercial shipping have rendered a recent agreement with Tehran "invalid" -- even as he stressed that Washington remains "open" to future diplomacy if Iran complies with its commitments. Rubio’s remarks, made»»»

Qatari talent continues to solidify its presence at the world’s biggest sporting events, confirming the status that Qatar has achieved, not only in hosting and organizing major tournaments but also in strengthening the international sports system with national talents who assume leadership roles in»»»

QNA Doha The Qatar Cultural Center for the Blind organised a cultural seminar titled “Artificial Intelligence: Between Assistance and Reliance”, aimed at raising awareness about the optimal use of AI tools and their conscious and responsible application. At the beginning of the seminar, Mohammed Sh»»»

Sea surface temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region of the tropical Pacific have remained above the +2.0°C threshold for a "super" El Niño for more than a week, reaching an anomaly of around +2.1°C by mid-July — more than a month earlier than the 1997/98 and 2015/16 events that mark the previous benchm»»»

Russia's Presidential Administration has lowered its targets for turnout and United Russia's vote share in September's State Duma election, climbing down from the 50% turnout and 55% party-support benchmarks set in February, according to Russian media reports cited by Riddle Russia analyst Ksenia S»»»

Russia is increasingly deploying jet-powered strike drones with speeds far beyond the reach of Ukraine's own interceptor drones, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said, as Moscow's newest models close in on the performance of cruise missiles. In the escalting tit-for-tat missile war, an »»»

Spain midfielder Gavi doesn’t feel ‌Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes should be suspended for his postgame tirade following Spain’s 1-0 victory in ​Sunday’s World Cup final. Tensions were high after the match and Paredes had a hand in elevating them further. While players were mixing it up, Pare»»»

NAZARETH, Israel: The last time Mais Al-Gharam saw her seven siblings was in the Gaza Strip two months before the war. That was before she left the Palestinian territory to go live in Israel and before an Israeli airstrike on the family’s home killed her parents and younger brother. But on this day»»»

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters is shown in Atlanta, Ga. On Wednesday, The CDC increased its count of cyclosporiasis cases in the country. File Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE July 22 (UPI) -- On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased it»»»

SANTIAGO: Heavy rains sweeping central and southern Chile have left three people dead in addition to power cuts, multiple floods and road closures, authorities said Wednesday. President Jose Antonio Kast traveled to the Biobio region, one of the hardest-hit areas, as the storm system brought strong»»»

MEXICO CITY: Nicaragua’s lawmakers said they will carry out a plan by President Daniel Ortega to abolish elections in the Central American country, prompting renewed criticisms Wednesday by the international community. The move was announced in a statement Tuesday by Nicaragua’s congress, which is »»»

Earlier this week, Andy Burnham traipsed out to Buckingham Palace, symbolically kissed the hands of King Charles III – as tradition demanded – and the “King of the North” was duly anointed the new UK prime minister. Amidst the subsequent euphoria within the Labour Party, the fact that Burnham’s swi»»»

Dubai: A holiday in northern Turkey ended in tragedy after a Saudi tourist was swept away by a fast-flowing river while posing for a photograph in the popular Black Sea destination of Uzungöl, despite desperate rescue attempts by his younger brother and nearby visitors. Abdulaziz Al Harbi, 39, lost»»»

Beirut July 22 (SANA)- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed on Wednesday that his country will continue its political and diplomatic efforts to achieve a complete Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory, considering the start of the withdrawal from the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya as t»»»

Democrats grilled US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over the Iran War during his testimony before the US Senate as the White House requested additional funding for operations in the Middle East. The US and Iran resumed regular exchanges of strikes earlier this month, with both sides saying the truce»»»

Dubai: A father's journey from Egypt to Germany was abruptly halted after airport authorities deemed his passport invalid because of a handwritten message left by his young daughter, turning an affectionate gesture into an unexpected travel ordeal. The Egyptian traveller, who lives in Germany, said»»»

Guyana Prime Minister Mark Anthony Phillips said an independent inquiry will be established "as early as possible" to determine what happened before the MV Barima departed and whether operating procedures were followed. File Photo by Nathalia Aguilar/EPA July 22 (UPI) -- Guyana will establish an in»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The situation in the Russian economy is stable, despite the external attempts to destabilize the situation in fuel and energy sector of the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. "Immediately, at the beginning of our meeting, I would like to note that the st»»»

New Delhi: The political confrontation over the NEET-UG paper leak intensified on Wednesday, with India’s Parliament remaining deadlocked as the Opposition renewed its demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. The government insisted it was prepared for a full debate but rejec»»»

Germany's environment ministry on Wednesday approved a French-Russian project to produce fuel rods used in Russian-designed reactors in the northwestern German town of Lingen. The joint venture project by a subsidiary of French company Framatome and Russia's state-owned Rosatom sparked fears o»»»