Dubai: A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced former President Bashar Al Assad to death in absentia, alongside his brother Maher and former senior security official Atef Najib, in a landmark case linked to the violent crackdown during Syria’s 2011 uprising. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus handed»»»

Colombian volunteers and rescuers cleared rubble with their bare hands and buckets to search for survivors early Tuesday after the country's strongest earthquake in a decade killed at least 132 people and smashed dozens of buildings. The 7.4-magnitude quake struck cities across Colombia's western r»»»

Arab Finance: Egyptian Transport and Commercial Services Co (EGYtrans NOSCO) posted consolidated net profits after tax of EGP 85.004 million in the first half (H1) of 2026, 401.7% higher than EGP 16.941 million in H1 2025, according to the financial results. Consolidated revenues climbed to EGP 802»»»

Among all the challenges across the Middle East, water security seldom makes the headlines, yet it can keep policymakers awake at night. The Gulf states are among the world’s highest consumers of water per capita but endure some of the most acute water scarcity on the planet. According to the World»»»

Dubai: The region must move beyond its prolonged state of “no war, no peace”, towards sustainable stability founded on international law, peaceful coexistence and respect for sovereignty, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said. In a post on X, Gargash said clarity »»»

Arab Finance: Net profits after tax of Misr El-Gedida for Housing and Development soared by 111.49% year-on-year (YoY) to EGP 1.354 billion in the first half (H1) of 2026 from EGP 640.291 million, according to the financial results. Operating revenues climbed to EGP 2.240 billion from EGP 732.797 m»»»

DUBAI: Doctors are warning against a growing demand for extreme cosmetic surgery in the Gulf, which combines dramatic weight loss with high-volume body augmentation — a combination one surgeon described as the “XS–XL look.” Dubai-based Russian plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dmitry Melnikov, a m»»»

DUBAI: People attacked government premises in the Syrian city of Ain Al-Arab, also known as Kobani, in the eastern Aleppo countryside, and removed the Syrian flag from outside the Internal Security Command during protests, state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya Syria reported on Tuesday. The protests broke»»»

Dubai will host the inaugural Dubai Environment Conference and Exhibition 2026 (DECE) on September 7-8, bringing together policymakers, experts, businesses and academics to discuss environmental challenges, climate action and emerging technologies. The two-day event, organised by the Dubai Environm»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has banned cosmetic products for external use from being sold in syringe-style packaging from January 1, 2027, as part of new measures aimed at preventing cosmetics from being mistaken for injectable pharmaceutical products. In a circular to cosm»»»

Dubai: A 44-year-old patient died at Tuz Khurmatu General Hospital in Iraq’s Salahuddin province after his condition deteriorated suddenly following a heavy meal shortly after surgery, prompting the hospital to deny claims of a medication error. The patient had been admitted with a condition requir»»»

In an elaborate security operation that remained hidden for weeks, President Donald Trump left a NATO summit in Turkey last month not on the plane the White House publicly described, but on a smaller military jet after slipping away via an airport catering truck. The move, prompted by a credible Ir»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) will host the 2026 MEPRA Qatar Leadership Majlis on September 10 in Doha bringing together senior leaders to explore the changing nature of influence and what it means for organisations across the region. Held under the theme “The Ne»»»

President Nicusor Dan will meet on Tuesday at the Cotroceni Palace with the leaders of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) for consultations on the draft public-sector pay law.Accordin»»»

Arab Finance: Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd jointly announced a structural change to their Gemini Cooperation’s AE19 service, shifting the route from the Cape of Good Hope back to the Suez Canal and Red Sea, according to a statement. The change will begin with the Berlin Maersk on westbound voyage 628W an»»»

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a mutual-defence pact in Mecca on August 7 explicitly modelled on Nato's Article 5, but the agreement's first 48 hours — a Houthi strike on Saudi energy infrastructure that neither Ankara nor Islamabad answered — have already tested how much protection it ac»»»

Iran's five-month war with the US and Israel is edging toward a negotiated pause over the Strait of Hormuz even as its side effects keep spreading — with Yemen's Houthis hitting Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure twice in 24 hours and a still-unclaimed drone strike reaching as far as a refinery i»»»

Six years ago on August 9 2020, Belarusians went to the polls in a presidential election that Alexander Lukashenko rigged so brazenly — awarding himself over 80% of the vote against a political novice, former English teacher Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya) — that it triggered the »»»

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a mutual-defence pact in Mecca on August 7 explicitly modelled on Nato's Article 5, but the agreement's first 48 hours — a Houthi strike on Saudi energy infrastructure that neither Ankara nor Islamabad answered — have already tested how much protection it ac»»»

Ukraine's ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has given President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a deadline of August 18 to reinstate him to the post or face mass protests, in the most direct political challenge the president has faced since taking office in 2019. "If our goal is to stop the war, then we»»»

Six years ago on August 9 2020, Belarusians went to the polls in a presidential election that Alexander Lukashenko rigged so brazenly — awarding himself over 80% of the vote against a political novice, former English teacher Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya) — that it triggered the »»»

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on August 7 that cooperation between members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and third countries should not be viewed as a zero-sum game, as Yerevan seeks to maintain ties with the bloc while developing closer relations with the European Union. Rel»»»

Doha, Qatar: Government-led development initiatives continue to serve as a “vital anchor” for Qatar’s industrial and infrastructure landscape, driving cross-sector investment and strategic partnerships across key non-oil sectors, according to regional analysts. Speaking to The Peninsula, Mohammed A»»»

After a bruising campaign in which the traditional Democratic establishment and its allies among Jewish and pro-Israel lobbying organisations spent tens of millions of dollars supporting their preferred candidate, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a 41-year-old Egyptian American epidemiologist, Abdulrah»»»

The Makkah Mutual Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan is more than a new military accord among three major states. It points to a broader reshaping of the region’s security landscape after the wars and upheavals of recent years. For the “new Syria”, it carries particular si»»»

Among all the challenges across the Middle East, water security seldom makes the headlines, yet it can keep policymakers awake at night. The Gulf states are among the world’s highest consumers of water per capita but endure some of the most acute water scarcity on the planet. According to the World»»»

President Donald Trump secretly flew out of last month’s NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, on an alternate military aircraft while the White House made it appear that the Republican president was flying on Air Force One, according to a report published by The Washington Post on Monday. The Post said »»»

AMMAN — The manufacturing sector's gross domestic product (GDP) reached JD1.6 billion during the first quarter of 2026, according to a report on the executive programme of the Economic Modernisation Vision (2026–2029).Key achievements included publishing Jordan Ecolabel Regulations No. 1 of 2026, a»»»

Israel on Sunday rejected a deal announced by US President Donald Trump last month for Gaza. Netanyahu said Israel's military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and rejected the 15-point document agreed to by Hamas.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu »»»

Total solar eclipse (2/4) A total solar eclipse will sweep across northern Spain on August 12 in one of Europe's most anticipated astronomical events of the decade. From the Sun's corona to animal behaviour and human emotions, these rare celestial events continue to provide scientists with valuable»»»

Daniel Kinahan, one of Ireland's most high-profile organised crime suspects, was extradited from Dubai and charged with directing a criminal organisation on Monday, ending years of efforts to bring the alleged Kinahan cartel leader before an Irish court. An Irish court on Sunday charged alleged car»»»

Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, the US-backed Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza, has defended a 15-point plan for the territory as the only way to prevent a repeat of the October 7, 2023, attack, despite its rejection by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The option we ar»»»

Dubai: Temperatures are expected to fall gradually across the UAE today, particularly in coastal areas, while winds could reach 40km/h and cause blowing dust, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said. Conditions will be fair to partly cloudy at times, with clouds developing over eastern areas »»»

Abdullah Ocalan, jailed founder of the Kurdish militant PKK group, is an icon for many Kurds but a reviled terrorist for many Turks who is now at the heart of the biggest push for peace in over a decade. The militant leader, who oversaw decades of violence against the Turkish state, last year threw»»»

JERUSALEM: Donald Trump’s latest plan to end the Gaza war calls on Hamas to ‌lay down its arms as Israel withdraws from the territory, terms endorsed by the militants but rejected by Israel, which says it will not pull back until the group’s disarmament is complete. WHAT IS TRUMP’S LATEST PLAN FOR »»»

WASHINGTON, United States: President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “very good” despite the Israeli leader’s rejection of a US-led Gaza plan. “The relationship is very good,” Trump said in response to a shouted question from a journal»»»

Satyendra Pathak Doha The Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) accorded a warm farewell to Dr Eish Singhal, First Secretary at the Embassy of India, Qatar, and its outgoing Coordinating Officer, as he returns to India following the successful completion of his tenure in Qatar. The farewell gath»»»

Tribune News Network Abu Dhabi, UAE/ Doha, Qatar The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) will host the 2026 MEPRA Qatar Leadership Majlis on 10 September at W Doha, bringing together senior leaders to explore the changing nature of influence and what it means for organisations across t»»»

Damascus, Aug. 10 (SANA) After two years of rapid security shifts that have redrawn the balance of power in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have moved beyond political coordination by signing the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” a trilateral framework for collective deterrence a»»»

LONDON: More than three years after Sudan descended into civil war, army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan is pushing for a broad national dialogue aimed at rebuilding the country’s political institutions and laying the foundations for a civilian transition. Talks could begin as early as August, wi»»»

ALEXANDRIA: An 18-year-old man died while attempting to help rescue six people from drowning at El-Baitash beach in Alexandria, Egypt, on Saturday, local authorities said. The Central Administration for Tourism and Resorts in Alexandria said on Sunday that the beach was among those closed to swimme»»»

RIYADH: It is not a good time to be an Al-Nassr fan. While that might sound like a bizarre statement to make, considering the club ended a seven-year title drought by beating Al-Hilal to the Saudi Pro League title last season, they face a stark reality as they prepare to defend their title. The clu»»»

Peace Council High Representative Nikolay Mladenov stated that a 15-point plan to disarm the Gaza Strip is the “only way forward” and relies on verifiable steps rather than trust in the Hamas movement, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of the proposal. Mladenov’s remar»»»

Safa Abdo, an Egyptian nuclear physicist, certified nuclear security specialist, and international youth and climate trainer, has recently joined Impact Team 2050, the International Youth Advisory Council to Alexey Likhachev, Director General of ROSATOM. Impact Team 2050 brings together 13 young le»»»

MAKKAH: Cradled among dramatic mountain ridges, lush valleys and cool highland breezes, Taif is rapidly cementing its reputation as one of Saudi Arabia’s premier outdoor destinations — with mountain hiking leading its eco-tourism surge. Driven by growing domestic interest in outdoor recreation unde»»»

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 111 people and damaging hundreds of buildings, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella. The earthquake struck at 7:34am local time, with its epicentre in the Chocó region. The Colombian Geological Servic»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has officially launched the Higher Education Institutions Indicators Compass. This secure, unified national electronic platform empowers higher education institutions (HEIs) across the UAE to monitor institutional performa»»»

WASHINGTON: The ​peace plan for Gaza is still operative ‌and ‌discussions ​with ‌Israel ⁠are ​continuing, a Board ⁠of Peace official told Reuters ⁠on ‌Monday ‌after ​Prime Minister Benjamin ‌Netanyahu ‌rejected an Israeli withdrawal ‌until the Palestinian militant ⁠group Hamas ⁠is “genuinely disarm»»»

RIYADH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday for the recent signing of a regional defense agreement. Zelensky said he hopes the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement signed between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan last week will c»»»

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast's agenda includes more than 30 bills aimed at strengthening efforts to combat criminal organizations. Photo by Adrian Thomasa/EPA SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Chilean President José Antonio Kast signed a constitutional reform bill Monday that lays the ground»»»