Dubai: Pakistan has decided to phase out machine-readable passports and transition fully to e-passports, a move aimed at enhancing security, reducing fraud and improving international travel, according to reports by Dawn and Pakistan Today. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced the decision whil»»»

TOKYO/TAIPEI: The CEO of UFORCE, a Ukrainian producer of attack drones, flew to Tokyo in April with a pitch for Japanese officials and defense contractors: build thousands of our drones to defend yourself and allies. Days earlier, US troops had used waterborne UFORCE drones to sink a ship during a »»»

Dubai: ClearTax UAE, a leading global tax compliance technology company and Federal Tax Authority (FTA)-approved Accredited Service Provider (ASP), released the UAE E-Invoicing Readiness Index 2026, a comprehensive nationwide study of more than 500 CFOs, Tax Directors and Financial Controllers. The»»»

With Romania playing an increasingly important role within Nestlé’s South-East Europe operations, Giuseppe Carella recently took over as the new Country Manager at a moment of strong momentum and growing regional relevance. Drawing on leadership experience across some of the world’s most complex ma»»»

Umm Al Quwain: A student who lost both parents in a tragic road accident has graduated from secondary school after years of support provided under directives from His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain. The support was extended to the family»»»

Romania’s media market reached an estimated net value of €838 million in 2025, up 5.4% compared to the previous year, according to Media Fact Book 2026, an annual report by Initiative. For 2026, forecasts indicate a stable market evolution, against an economic and political backdrop that continues »»»

Dubai: Big Ticket has unveiled a major revamp of its long-running promotional draw with the launch of The Big Spin, a refreshed format that offers a simplified entry process, a live spin-wheel experience, and a top cash prize of up to Dh1 million. The new structure has replaced the earlier The Big »»»

Three of the most established technology companies in South-Eastern Europe - Next Consult (Bulgaria), btProvider (Romania) and C4 Nexus (Bulgaria) - have announced the formation of a strategic alliance under a new brand, Trimaranix, creating one of the largest technology consulting groups in the re»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Chamber (QC) participated in the activities of the 29th Arab-German Business Forum, which kicked off yesterday in the German capital Berlin, with broad participation from senior government officials, business leaders, and investors from Arab countries and Germany. The forum is he»»»

Doha: The Attorneys’ Admission Committee held a meeting yesterday chaired by Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Attorneys’ Admission Committee H E Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi, at the Committee’s headquarters in the Ministry of Justice. The committee r»»»

Doha, Qatar: The third edition of the Indian Mango Festival (locally known as the Hamba Exhibition) opened yesterday at the Eastern Square of Souq Waqif, bringing together premium Indian mango varieties, food products, cultural experiences and business opportunities in one of Qatar’s most anticipat»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Municipality, H E Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah headed the State of Qatar’s delegation at the 39th Session of the General Assembly of the Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development (AOAD), held yesterday via videoconference. The General Assembly reviewed nu»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Media Corporation (QMC), represented by Qatar Television and Qatar Business Channel (QBC), welcomed Director General of the Gulf Radio and Television Organisation H E Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Hazzaa, as part of an official visit aimed at exploring the latest technolog»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, yesterday announced a wide-ranging fall 2026 programme of exhibitions, public art presentations, and initiatives designed to spark global cultural exchange and dialogue. Featuring openings from September throu»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) signed a cooperation programme with ExxonMobil Research Qatar Ltd to study biodiversity and prepare seabed maps in the northwestern areas of the State of Qatar, as part of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two side»»»

Abidjan: Forward Elye Wahi will miss Ivory Coast's second World Cup match against Germany after he was denied a visa to enter Canada, the Ivorian football federation said on Thursday. "The administrative authorisations necessary for his entry into Canadian territory have not been obtained at this s»»»

ABIDJAN: Forward Elye Wahi will miss Ivory Coast’s second World Cup match against Germany after he was denied a visa to enter Canada, the Ivorian federation said on Thursday. “The administrative authorizations necessary for his entry into Canadian territory have not been obtained at this stage,” th»»»

Amazon.com Inc has agreed in principle to buy Dubai-based internet retailer Souq.com, one of the best-known names in the Middle East’s online shopping market, sources familiar with the deal said on Wednesday. Souq.com, which sells consumer electronics, fashion, household items and other goods, lays»»»

Until the adoption of the 2026 State Budget Act, the Council of Ministers may incur new state debt of up to EUR 3.8 billion to finance the budget deficit, including refinancing under Bulgaria's National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Parliament decided on Thursday by adopting at second reading amend»»»

At least 250,000 British girls suffered sickening sexual abuse by Pakistani gangs, who were enabled by police, social workers, and even Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to commit “child rape on an industrial scale,” British MP Rupert Lowe’s ‘Rape Gang Report’ has detailed. Published on Tuesday, the 218»»»

According to European Commission data, 4.6 billion low-value parcels entered EU member states in 2024 alone, with 91% originating from China. Starting July 1, 2026, this exemption will be abolished. A flat 3 euro fee will apply to shipments from third countries valued at up to 150 euro, for each ca»»»

Dubai: The UAE has become the latest nation to ban children under 15 from social media, following strict new under-16 restrictions in the UK and Australia. Driven by rising concerns over cyberbullying, mental health, and online predators, a growing wave of global governments are shifting away from »»»

Doha, Qatar: Walking through the halls of the Arab Postal Stamps Museum in Building 22 at Katara Cultural Village, visitors are met with hundreds of miniature works of art, each one a small window into a larger world. For 15-year-old collector Youssef Ftouhi, these stamps are far more than paper; t»»»

Doha, Qatar: India has praised Qatar’s pivotal diplomatic efforts in helping secure an understanding between the United States and Iran to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia, said Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul. “India has welcomed the understanding reached between the US and Iran on end»»»

Doha, Qatar: Ambassador of Malaysian to Qatar H E Faizal Razali, hosted the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) Alumni Gala and Networking Event in Doha, bringing together MTCP alumni, diplomats, and government officials to celebrate decades of international cooperation, capacity-build»»»

Director-General of Qatar News Agency (QNA) Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi met yesterday with Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Qatar H E Muhammad Aamer. During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the media.»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Indian Business & Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar, under the aegis of the Embassy of India in Qatar, successfully hosted the India - Qatar Virtual Energy Conference 2026, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, business executives, manufacturers, technology providers, »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by the Human Resources Department, organised a workshop on attaches and staffers seconded from ministries and government authorities. The event was attended by Director of the Ministry’s Human Resources Department, H E Abdulaziz bin Abdul Qa»»»

Beijing: The Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) explored opportunities for cooperation in logistics services and e-commerce with China’s JD.com, as part of its ongoing roadshow in the People’s Republic of China, QFZ Chief Executive Officer, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Faisal Al-Thani met with Chief»»»

AMMAN — The value of outgoing transfers from e-wallets in Jordan reached JD3.09 billion since the beginning of 2026, carried out through nearly 63.7 million transactions, according to a report by the Jordan Payments and Clearing Company (JoPACC).The report showed that transactions via the JoMoPay e»»»

Elsewedy Electric Group has secured a significant engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the development of Hungary’s largest combined cycle power plant (CCPP). This landmark project, awarded by MVM Matra Energia Zrt., a subsidiary of the Hungarian Electric Company (MVM), sig»»»

The Central Bank of Oman will issue a silver commemorative coin marking the FIFA World Cup 2026. The bank said the coin was produced in cooperation with football's world governing body FIFA and minted to high technical standards using 99.9 per cent pure silver. Get updated faster and for FREE: Down»»»

Ashraf Siddiqui Doha A condolence meeting for renowned Urdu poet Bashir Badr was organised by Bazm-e-Alig, Doha, recently. Badr passed away on May 28, 2026 at the age of 91. The event, organised by the Indian community forum of Qatar- based old students of Aligarh Muslim University, brought togethe»»»

Sharjah: A major Dh750 million road development project aimed at transforming travel between Sharjah and Dubai is moving ahead, with the first phase scheduled to open in November 2026. The ambitious scheme, ordered by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and »»»

Online shopping cart: What do Romanians prefer? In 2025 alone, 10 million items were ordered through auchan.ro. Among the most sought-after products are water, bananas, soft drinks, and coffee beans. Additionally, in the private label category, Auchan croissants rank among consumers’ top preference»»»

A Hungarian father-of-three was brutally killed after confronting revellers outside his Toronto home when his children were unable to sleep, in a case described as shockingly savage — and all the more disturbing for who was involved. The gruesome killing risks casting a shadow over Toronto’s Hungar»»»

Dubai: Revolut has received Stored Value Facilities and Retail Payment Services licences from the Central Bank of the UAE, clearing a major regulatory step before the global fintech launches its local product offering. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The approval follo»»»

The European Commission (EC) published on Wednesday the fourth State of the Digital Decade 2026 report, which evaluates progress made by the EU in its digitalisation across the board, including in critical infrastructures, digitalisation of business, digital skills, and digitalisation of public ser»»»

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi separately received yesterday copies of the credentials of Ambassador of Tuvalu (pictured), non-resident, to Qatar H E Dr. Tauisi Minute Taupo and Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda (non-resident) to Qatar H E T»»»

Dubai: The Central Bank of the UAE has completed Project Aperta, a cross-border open finance initiative designed to make international financial data exchange faster, safer and more efficient for businesses and financial institutions. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Th»»»

Minister of State for Interior Affairs H E Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Thani met yesterday with Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates H E Major General Khalifa bin Hareb Al Khaili and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed as»»»

Doha, Qatar: The French Republic yesterday awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour (France’s highest national decoration) to H E Reem Mohammed Al Mansoori, Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), in recogn»»»

Geneva: The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva, in cooperation with Qatar Foundation and Qatar Sports Investments, organised a high-level event on ‘Empowering Women and Girls In and Through Sport - From Words to Deeds’, on the sidelines of the 62nd Sessio»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) and the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to collaborate in the areas of justice and human rights. The move is part of efforts to reinforce national cooperation and joint action aimed at cons»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the French Embassy in Doha, hosted a special screening of the documentary Inside Gaza at the Museum of Islamic Art on Tuesday, drawing attention to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the challenges faced by journali»»»

Doha, Qatar: The 12th Doha Islamic Finance Conference opened yesterday with the theme ‘Islamic Finance in the Age of Agentic Systems’ under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The conference was inaugurated in the »»»

Dubai: Expats whose residence permits are cancelled must leave Qatar within 14 days of the cancellation date or face financial penalties, a Ministry of Interior official has said. Speaking during a webinar on safe travel procedures organised by the ministry’s Public Relations Department, Captain Al»»»

Dubai: Four Kerala expatriates have won Dh25,000 each in Big Ticket’s first weekly e-draw for June, turning ordinary days into memorable moments with a single phone call. The winners have all described feelings of disbelief and excitement after learning they had struck lucky. Get updated faster and»»»

TEHRAN: The first tankers carrying Iranian oil exited a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a tracking website said on Wednesday, two days before Washington and Tehran launch talks on an agreed peace deal still scant on details — including Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. The t»»»

Arlindo Chissale, a journalist and political activist in Mozambique, disappeared without a trace on January 7, 2025, in Cabo Delgado, a region in the grips of an Islamist insurrection. Chissale’s public stance and worrying signs in the days leading up to his disappearance make his loved ones suspec»»»