ANKARA: Turkiye will take steps to strengthen its medium-term economic program and the three main priorities are to increase public savings, prioritize investments and accelerate structural reforms, President Tayyip Erdogan said. Speaking on Tuesday evening after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan said his economic team had made preparations for such steps to strengthen the program, MTP, … Read more
LONDON: The East London Mosque & London Muslim Center has been serving more than 1,000 iftar meals a day during Ramadan as people in the British capital grapple with the cost of living crisis. The holy month is a time when Muslims increase their charitable giving and worshippers at the mosque, as in previous years, … Read more
BUCHAREST: Bulgaria and Romania joined Europe’s vast Schengen area of free movement on Sunday, opening up travel by air and sea without border checks after a 13-year wait. A veto by Austria, however, means the new status will not apply to land routes, after Vienna expressed concerns over a potential influx of asylum seekers. Despite … Read more
Netanyahu cancels diplomats’ visit to Washington in protest over UN ceasefire vote TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled a planned visit to Washington by a high-level delegation to protest Monday’s UN Security Council decision calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.The resolution passed 14-0 on Monday after the US decided not to … Read more
DAMASCUS: Families in northwestern Syria are celebrating Ramadan in bomb-ravaged houses against the backdrop of a dire economic crisis, surging rents, and the ongoing 13-year civil war. During the holy month, Muslims traditionally go without food or drink from dawn to dusk, then break their daily fast with iftar, a meal after sunset. But the … Read more
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday urged Russians to vote for him at a “difficult” time for the country, hours before polls open and as Kyiv launched a barrage of deadly attacks on Russian border regions. The former KGB agent is set to extend his rule by another six years this weekend in a … Read more
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb has issued instructions for an increase in inspections of tourist hospitality facilities, including hotels and serviced apartments, in Makkah and Madinah during the holy month of Ramadan. This initiative is part of the “Our Guests are a Priority” campaign, which sets out to ensure adherence to the … Read more
How Israeli settlers are exploiting Gaza conflict to seize more Palestinian land in the West Bank LONDON: As Israel’s military campaign in Gaza approaches its sixth month, Western governments have upped the pressure on “extremist” settlers who critics say are taking advantage of the conflict to illegally occupy more Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. … Read more
LONDON: Liverpool will face Chelsea in the League Cup final after surviving a scare in their 1-1 draw against Fulham in the semifinal second leg on Wednesday. Holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, Liverpool took the lead through Luis Diaz early in the first half at Craven Cottage. That should have been the signal … Read more
DUBAI: In times of war — when people are dying by the thousands and hospitals and schools are bombed, as they are in Gaza at this moment — it’s easy to wonder if the arts have any real relevance or role to play. In the face of such pain and destruction, art of any kind can … Read more