False videos are circulating after the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv. One fake “BBC” report falsely claims an Indian passenger was behind the incident and links him to the stabbed pilot, Smit Machchhar. The video though, is an AI-generated deepfake: the BBC nev»»»

UN debate highlights Iran's misuse of death penalty to silence peaceful expression Forty-six sovereign states condemned Iran’s escalating use of the death penalty, saying it is being used “to instill fear, suppress dissent and deter peaceful expression and assembly.” Liechtenstein delivered the joi»»»

Explosions rock Yemen's capital amid renewed hostilities Loud explosions were heard Thursday evening in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which is controlled by pro-Iranian Houthi forces, an AFP correspondent said. The Saba agency, which is affiliated with the anti-government fighters, spoke of "Saudi aggr»»»

WASHINGTON: The US Defense Department on Thursday announced the award of a $24.4 billion contract for Raytheon, an RTX unit, to accelerate production of SM-6 missiles as Washington works to replace the large amount of munitions expended during the Iran war. The missiles are "critical anti-air and a»»»

Pentagon awards $24.4 billion deal to boost missile production amid inventory strain The Pentagon on Thursday announced the award of a $24.4-billion contract for Raytheon to accelerate production of SM-6 missiles as Washington works to replace the large amount of munitions expended during the Iran »»»

JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that if Iran is linked to the copilot who tried to crash an Israel-bound flight, the Islamic Republic would be struck “very hard” for the attempt on the lives of more than 180 people aboard the jet. Trump issued the warning as investigators worked »»»

Hormuz disruptions push Murban crude to $109.40, Brent climbs sharply Oil prices climbed sharply on Friday (Oct. 2, 2026), with Brent crude reaching $102.30 a barrel and Murban crude rising to $109.40, as of 8:06 am Tokyo time. WTI crude was at $93.05. The rally, tracked by OilPrice, came as market»»»

Tennessee’s failed attempt at executing Christa Pike despite administering two doses of a lethal drug in the state’s death chamber has left her in critical condition, according to her attorneys. Pike, 50, was still in the hospital Thursday and her lawyers said they did not know her long-term chance»»»

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: Four astronauts pulled up at the International Space Station on Thursday after launching on an eight-hour express that set a US speed record. The fresh arrivals include a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he’s away. SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her »»»

Massive troop deployment signals heightened US readiness in the Gulf The US is dispatching roughly 9,000 sailors and Marines aboard a flotilla of warships to the Middle East, a major naval buildup that could bring three American aircraft carriers to the region by late October or November as Preside»»»

WASHINGTON: A Department of Energy electrical engineer has been arrested on charges of providing support to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, including by buying materials for homemade explosives and drones and traveling to Yemen, the Justice Department said Thursday. Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of»»»

Christa Pike survives execution attempt, calls for clemency intensify A condemned female murderer who survived two lethal injections during a botched execution by the US state of Tennessee was in critical condition and receiving "life-saving care," her lawyer said Thursday. In an extraordinary chai»»»

British police on Thursday arrested a British-Iranian dual national in connection with the security incident at the Fairford airbase Wednesday. Five other men initially arrested over the incidence were later released without charge on bail. British counter-terrorism police investigating a suspected»»»

WASHINGTON: Kentucky Democrats say they have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to flip a US Senate seat in a Republican stronghold. But a couple of things are missing: their governor and money. Kentucky is one of several states that President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2024 ​where Republ»»»

The restrictions are intended to protect wildlife, preserve vegetation and safeguard the natural features of these sites, he said, adding that field monitoring would focus not only on compliance but also on awareness and guidance to encourage responsible use of camping areas. The ministry will stre»»»

Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot whose co-pilot allegedly stabbed him during the Israel-bound flight, was hailed as a "hero" by his friends and neighbours in Dubai Thursday. The Indian embassy in the United Arab Emirates said that he was "in good health". Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was hailed as a»»»

RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made clear during his annual address to Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council on Wednesday that Riyadh remained committed to diplomacy and de-escalation, but would respond firmly to threats against the Kingdom. “We are making every possible effort to reduce escalatio»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia provided “logistical and necessary assistance” to all the passengers and crew on board the Israel-bound FlyDubai flight forced to land in Tabuk, the Kingdom’s interior ministry said on Thursday. Flight FZ1073 was over the Jordanian border when it plunged thousands of meters bef»»»

RIYADH: The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said its forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles and four drones launched into southern Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday. One ballistic missile and the four drones were intercepted and destroyed over Kh»»»

RIYADH: Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles and four drones launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis toward southern areas of the Kingdom on Thursday, the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said. One ballistic missile was intercepted over Khamis Mushait and anot»»»

WASHINGTON: The US military is dispatching roughly 9,000 troops aboard a group of ships to the Middle East, a US official said Thursday. The bolstering of the American military presence comes as President Donald Trump warned anew that new strikes against Iran could be on the horizon. He also said e»»»

Sermon stresses sincerity, knowledge, kindness and good character in education First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is due to Allah, who has elevated the standing of teachers and bestowed upon them abundant reward and recompense. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, and I bear witnes»»»

Washington, Oct. 1 (SANA) The United States has removed Syria from the list of countries subject to a comprehensive policy of denial for licenses and other approvals related to defense trade under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The US Department of State announced on Thursday»»»

National Assembly Chair Michaela Dotsova described State Agency for Child Protection staff as Bulgaria's unsung heroes on the agency's 25th anniversary, Parliament's press service said on Thursday. She said their work was measured by the number of smiles they brought, rather than the number of repo»»»

Politicians, academics and entrepreneurs discussed the benefits, risks and requirements for introducing and using artificial intelligence (AI) effectively in Bulgaria at a national forum on Thursday. The forum, Building with Artificial Intelligence: From Campus to Smart City, was organized by the U»»»

Cape Town: India will meet defending champions Australia and bitter rivals Pakistan in their first two matches at the 2027 Cricket World Cup, the International Cricket Council announced on Thursday. The India-Australia match, a repeat of the 2023 final, will be in Cape Town on October 7 and the Ind»»»

Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has said Moscow hopes Hungary will continue its economic cooperation with Russia, while warning that Budapest’s recent actions could affect bilateral ties. Kremlin hopes Hungary will continue economic cooperation The Kremlin hopes “reason will prevail” in Hungary and that»»»

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Thursday imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, targeting its rail and automotive conglomerates and international suppliers to the sectors, the Treasury Department said, in the latest US push to isolate Tehran economically. The sanctions are part of the department’»»»

Three teams track complaints from the 04 platform to final resolution Dubai: Dubai Police has launched a dedicated “Pulse” Room to accelerate the handling of customer complaints, strengthen follow-up and ensure cases are resolved and closed in line with strict quality standards. The facility, which»»»

Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign finally got the dramatic election-season image it had been waiting for when the Israeli occupation prime minister appeared at Ben Gurion Airport to greet Zionist passengers who had just survived a “potentially catastrophic Flydubai flight,” according to the Zionist pol»»»

BEIRUT: The deputy director-general of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization told AFP on Thursday that she was “deeply concerned” about the impact of the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict on agriculture in south Lebanon. The latest war “puts additional pressure on farmers and rural communities »»»

Some stories do not end when they are published; they remain open, and years later they return to you, or you return to them. You discover that what you thought you knew then was only part of a much bigger story. The story of Israeli spy Eli Cohen in Syria is one such example. In March 2004, I inte»»»

The last US troops belonging to the global coalition to fight the Islamic State (IS) have left Iraq, where they were stationed at Victoria Base at the Baghdad International Airport. But in reality, many had already left well before the 30 September 2026 deadline, starting when Israel attacked Iran »»»

Polish stocks fell broadly on Oct. 1, giving the WIG20 and WIG indexes their steepest losses since Aug. 27. The WIG20 dropped 1.9% to 4,102 points, while the WIG lost 1.6%. Seventeen of the 20 blue chips declined, and nearly 60% of listed stocks finished lower. Banks and Allegro were among the weak»»»

Since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, Iraq has undergone a qualitative shift in regional and international balances of power. The two main players in the Iraqi arena are the US and Iran, and both compete for influence. Iran has invested patiently a»»»

LONDON: Smit Machchhar, the FlyDubai captain who was attacked mid-air by his co-pilot, has been moved from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi for continued medical treatment.The Indian pilot was initially taken to hospital in Tabuk, where the flight made an emergency landing on Wednesday morning after he wa»»»

PARIS: A high school entrance hall caught fire in one French city and teenage protesters blocked trams in another on Thursday, as secondary pupils upped their strike over what they denounce as poor learning conditions. The movement in the lycees, which students aged 15 to 18 attend for their final »»»

Moscow: Russia would consider using "all types of weapons" if its exclave of Kaliningrad was attacked, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, while insisting that Moscow had "no intention of attacking anyone". "If it comes to a direct attack on the Russian Federation ... then, of course, t»»»

AL-MUKALLA: At least 30 Houthis were reportedly killed over the past 24 hours in Yemen’s Taiz province after government forces repelled what officials described as the largest and most coordinated offensive by the Iran-backed group against government-held areas of the province in years. Heavy morta»»»

After football and fishing, France's third-favourite pastime is hunting. The ancestral activity is popular but also divisive, with passions running high between those who defend hunting traditions and a growing number of animal rights activists. Though it's become statistically safer, a majority of»»»

MOSCOW: Russia would consider using “all types of weapons”, if its exclave of Kaliningrad was attacked, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, while insisting that Moscow had “no intention of attacking anyone”. “If it comes to a direct attack on the Russian Federation ... then, of course, »»»

Russia launched its heaviest combined assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in months on Wednesday, killing seven people and triggering emergency power cuts in Kyiv and nearby regions. The strikes came as officials warned of a difficult winter amid Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power and heatin»»»

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has welcomed the US withdrawal from Iraq, adding that the Americans should also leave all other countries in the region. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that the last American troops had departed from Iraq after being there for 23 years. In its s»»»

TUNIS, Oct 1, 2026 (TAP) - The Tunisian Water Observatory called for launching an emergency investment programme to renew drinking water and irrigation networks and reduce water leaks.At a conference held Thursday on the water situation after the...»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian caretaker Interior Minister Ivica Dacic and his Angolan counterpart Manuel Gomes da Conceicao Homem, who is on an official visit to Serbia, signed on Thursday in Belgrade a MoU between their ministries on civil defence and firefighting and rescue services. The MoU was signed at t»»»

Fresh official figures show a sharp deterioration in Hungary’s government balance compared with a year earlier, while the government has significantly revised its full-year deficit expectations. Deficit more than nine times higher than a year earlier Hungary’s general government sector recorded a H»»»

Flight EK31 landed safely after declaring a general emergency en route to Heathrow Dubai: An Emirates A380 flying from Dubai to London Heathrow diverted to Frankfurt on Thursday after a passenger suffered a medical emergency on board, the airline confirmed. Flight EK31 landed safely at Frankfurt Ai»»»

ROME: A senior official at the UN’s agriculture agency said Wednesday he had lost his job for criticising Israeli policies in Gaza, as the body’s head condemned staff who “play the game of human rights”. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) director Ben Davis told AFP he had been informed in Jul»»»

European NATO members should have been able to attack Iran instead of relying on the US and Israel, according to Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the head of the self-described defensive alliance. Iran has been attacked twice in two years, both times over allegations that it seeks to develop nuclear w»»»

RIYADH: Coffee is not merely a beverage but a deeply rooted part of Saudi culture, with a story that extends from the land and farms to gatherings, hospitality and national identity. As the UN marks Oct. 1, 2026 as International Coffee Day for the first time, Saudi Arabia joins in celebrating the r»»»