LONDON: For decades, governments seeking to influence foreign public opinion have relied on familiar tools: advertising campaigns, lobbying firms, television appearances, social media and carefully placed opinion pieces. Now a new target has emerged — artificial intelligence. Israel has launched an»»»

LONDON: The party of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has grouped New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan together with the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah in a campaign poster depicting Israel’s enemies. The giant Likud billboard in Tel Aviv for the October electi»»»

AL-MUKALLA: A barrage of missiles and drones from Iran-backed Houthi has again struck Yemen’s government-controlled city of Mokha, intensifying an assault on the strategically located Red Sea port that has already forced it to suspend operations. Residents and the National Resistance Forces, which »»»

Damascus, Aug. 16 (SANA) Foreign and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani discussed in a phone call on Sunday recent regional developments and their implications for the Arab region with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The two»»»

Doha: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, and HE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic, held a telephone conversation, where they reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and streng»»»

LONDON: An Israeli airstrike on Saturday in the southern Lebanese village of Deir Al-Zahrani killed a senior Hezbollah commander following a drone attack by the Iran-backed group that seriously wounded three Israeli soldiers, the Israeli military said. The military identified the commander as Ali M»»»

ABUJA: Secretary-General of the Muslim World League Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa was received by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja on Saturday. The Nigerian president commended the league’s initiative for social peace in West Africa, “affirming his full support for the Abuja Declaration, its ac»»»

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper has praised the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln, highlighting their teamwork, resilience and focus on wellbeing during a visit aboard the aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea. Cooper described his time on the ship as “awe-inspiring”, »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Foundation has welcomed more than 800 university students to its unique ecosystem of knowledge at Marhaba – the annual orientation event that kicks off a new academic year at Education City. Designed for students joining Qatar Foundation’s (QF) ecosystem of eight universities, Ma»»»

An E-2D Hawkeye prepares to launch from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in 2018. U.S. Central Command Adm. Brad Cooper visited the ship on Saturday. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeff Sherman. Aug. 16 (UPI) -- The commander of U.»»»

Al Salem Holding plans to expand its investment portfolio in Egypt from more than EGP 15bn currently to EGP 50bn over the next five years, representing a 234% increase, Chairperson Bahaa Salem said. The announcement was made during a media site visit to the group’s Blue Side Hub at Marina 5 on the »»»

The deadline set under a memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran in June expires on Monday, with no indications at the time of writing that it will be extended, as negotiations remain stalled and tensions rise over the future of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. T»»»

CAIRO: Donald Trump’s envoys met with Egyptian, ​Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo on Sunday, a diplomatic source said, in a bid to advance the US president’s Gaza peace plan, even as Israel pressed on with airstrikes in the enclave. Hamas officials were present at some of the meetings between »»»

Dubai: Turkish police have seized a large quantity of gold worth millions of US dollars and detained senior figures from the influential Süleymancılar religious community, including its leader Alihan Kuriş, in a sweeping investigation into alleged financial crimes, fraud and money laundering. Polic»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has banned mobile vendors from operating in nine types of locations, including road intersections, busy roads, cycle lanes and public parking areas, under updated regulations aimed at improving safety and organising mobile commercial activities. The Ministry of Municipalities an»»»

Dubai: An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a massive mud-brick wall, ancient stone roads and an inscription bearing the titles of King Ramses II at Tell Abu Seifi in Ismailia province, shedding new light on the ancient Horus military route and its role in defending Egypt’s eastern fron»»»

DOHA: The Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Republic of Egypt have condemned Israel's public rejection of»»»

CAIRO: Five Arab ​countries, together with Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia, on ‌Sunday ‌condemned ​Israel’s rejection ‌of ⁠US ​President Donald ⁠Trump’s plan for Gaza. In a ⁠joint statement, ‌the countries, including Egypt, ‌Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, said ‌the rejection threatened Trump’s intens»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Foreign Ministers of Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, KSA, and Egypt condemn the declared Israeli rejection of the Road Map for completing the implementation of US President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, as endorsed by UN Security Council Res»»»

AMMAN — The information and communications technology sector has grown into a $3.6 billion industry employing more than 46,000 people, underscoring its expanding role in investment, exports and the Kingdom’s broader economic modernisation drive.The figures were presented as the Information and Comm»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) launched the "Back to School 2026–2027" campaign, which brings together interactive activities and booths for students and families, along with training workshops aimed at preparing teachers, school leaders, and the educational com»»»

MANILA: Malou Elsa Bacay used to leave Manila every week to visit her mother in the province, but since the Iran war dealt a blow to the Philippine economy, such trips can take place only once a month. The Philippines is highly dependent on imported fuel, so disruption to supplies from Gulf countri»»»

JERUSALEM: An extremist Israeli lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition publicly advocated for killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza each night, comments that surfaced Sunday and were quickly shared by Palestinian media. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir made the statement»»»

Fujairah Environment Authority has seized 21 illegal fishing traps during an inspection campaign near marine reserves off Dibba Al Fujairah, as authorities step up efforts to protect marine biodiversity and fish stocks. The field campaign was conducted within three nautical miles of Dibba Al Fujair»»»

Dubai: Iraqi authorities have recovered more than $20 million in cash, 200 million Iraqi dinars, 60kg of gold and seven vehicles in the widening corruption investigation involving detained Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Affairs Adnan Al Jumaili, the judiciary said. Investigating Judge Diaa Jaafar»»»

MAKKAH: The highlands of Taif rank among Saudi Arabia’s most prominent natural tourist destinations, where unique mountain geography and a temperate climate combine to create an ideal environment for growing the finest fruits and seasonal flowers. The region in recent years has undergone a qualitat»»»

LONDON: Britain’s minister of state for the Middle East on Saturday condemned what he called “settler terrorism” in the occupied West Bank, after reports that Israeli settlers had surrounded at least two Palestinian homes in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus. Stephen Doughty said the violence m»»»

Dubai: The Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC Dubai), in partnership with the Consulate General of India in Dubai, celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with an evening highlighting the country’s growing global influence and its increasingly close ties with the UAE. Held at InterContin»»»

Dubai: It began with a post from an X account in India. Within hours, a fabricated quotation attributed to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander had travelled through Israeli social media and television, entered a speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and crossed the Atlantic to US politician»»»

RIYADH: King Abdulaziz University, in partnership with the Transport General Authority, has launched Saudi Arabia’s first specialized bachelor’s degree programs in railway transport, aiming to prepare national talent for the Kingdom’s expanding rail and logistics sector. The official launch took pl»»»

Abu Dhabi City Municipality planted more than 14 million seasonal flowers and completed a series of park and green-space projects in 2025 as part of efforts to enhance quality of life and improve the city’s urban landscape. According to the municipality’s recently issued annual achievements report,»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has approved updated regulations and classification standards for accommodation facilities serving pilgrims during the Hajj season, as part of preparations for the 2027 pilgrimage. The ministry also approved a schedule of violations covering facilities desi»»»

A Hamas delegation began a meeting with Egypt's spy chief on Sunday to discuss ways to advance the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, an official from the Palestinian group told AFP. A Hamas delegation began talks on Sunday in Egypt with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, a Hamas o»»»

The top US military commander in the Middle East visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day tour in the region that concluded on Saturday, US Central Command said. Adm. Brad Cooper visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues »»»

RIYADH: The Middle East and North Africa region is projected to return to growth in 2027, expanding 8.5 percent, after a contraction this year, according to a forecast from BMI, a Fitch Solutions company. BMI expects the MENA economy to contract by 3.3 percent in 2026, a sharper decline than the 0.»»»

Dubai: Saudi security authorities arrested 14,542 people for violating residency, border security and labour laws during nationwide inspection campaigns conducted over one week, the Ministry of Interior said. The arrests were made during joint field campaigns carried out by security forces and rele»»»

Cairo: A Hamas delegation met Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad on Sunday to discuss ways to advance the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, Egypt’s state news agency reported. The Middle East News Agency said the delegation led by Hamas chief Khalil Al-Hayya “reaffirmed commitment »»»

JEDDAH: Calligraphy is an integral part of Saudi culture, and Ibrahim Zaki, a Dubai-based multidisciplinary designer and calligrapher, says that the Kingdom has made immense efforts in recent years to preserve and promote the art form. “There is serious investment in preservation, documentation, ed»»»

Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people Saturday, some of the deadliest since deals in June eased hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel's military said the strikes were in retaliation for an attack by Hezbollah on its troops in the country's south and the Iran-ba»»»

CAIRO: An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered new evidence at Tell Abu Seifi in Qantara East, Ismailia Governorate, shedding fresh light on the ancient Horus Military Road and the city of Mesen. The discoveries include a lintel dating to the reign of King Ramesses II, new architectural ev»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A delegation from the Palestinian Hamas movement has arrived in Cairo and is holding talks with the head of Egyptian intelligence, Saudi Arabia's Al-Hadath television channel reported on Sunday, citing the movement's source. "A Hamas delegation, led by Khalil al-Hayya, a member o»»»

US President Donald Trump has shared a photo of his 2019 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, renewing his claim that the two leaders have a good personal relationship. Trump posted the image on Truth Social on Saturday, showing the pair meeting at Panmunjom, the village on the heavily for»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have honoured an Arab resident for alerting authorities after noticing suspicious behaviour, saying his vigilance helped officers take the necessary action and demonstrated the importance of public co-operation in preventing crime. The resident was recognised by Sharjah Poli»»»

Arab Finance: GB Corp recorded a 24.54% year-on-year (YoY) drop in consolidated net profits after tax attributable to the shareholders for the first half (H1) of 2026, reaching EGP 1.262 billion from EGP 1.672 billion, according to the financial results. Operating revenues jumped by 35.2% to EGP 48»»»

Israel vowed Sunday it would hit Hezbollah again if threatened, as it identified what it described as a commander killed in strikes a day earlier that also left several children dead. Israeli strikes on Saturday killed 11 people in southern Lebanon, according to authorities, in the deadliest attack»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Enemy Proceeds Attacks on Ali Al-Taher in Southern Lebanon 16-08-2026 12:07 PM Smoke rises after Israeli strike on the area between»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Arab League says Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon threatens to derail settlement efforts 16-08-2026 10:52 AM Latest News Urgent News »»»

Abu Dhabi: BRIDGE Summit will return to Abu Dhabi in late November or early December 2027, with the BRIDGE Alliance Board approving a new development road map aimed at turning the event into a year-round global platform. The second edition will be held on Yas Island in collaboration with Miral, and»»»

Abu Dhabi: Finance and tax professionals gathered in Abu Dhabi for an e-invoicing boot camp organised by the UAE Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP), as businesses prepare for the UAE’s next phase of digital tax transformation. The UAE E-Invoicing Boot Camp 2026, he»»»

NEW YORK CITY: Five years after the Taliban swept into Kabul, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, is not walking back Defense Minister Khawaja Asif’s February declaration that the two countries are in “open war.” “The trends are posing grave concern,” Ahmad told Arab News in an in»»»