Dubai: UAE airports are preparing for higher passenger numbers as the summer holiday period ends, while regional flight schedules remain subject to change because of the wider Middle East situation. Dubai’s General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs has increased operational readiness a»»»

GADAREF, Sudan: Along the bone-dry riverbanks of the Nile in Sudan, farmers struggle to pull water to their crops. Others gather to pray for rainfall over cracked earth. Across the country, farmland that could feed the world’s largest hunger crisis many times over lies fallow, as weary farmers once»»»

Arab Finance: Chinese hygiene products manufacturer Jieya Egypt has laid the foundation stone for a $67 million industrial complex in the Ain Sokhna Integrated Zone, with production scheduled to begin within two years, as per a statement. The project, a subsidiary of Tongling Jieya Biologic Technol»»»

Dubai: Dubai Customs has deployed a comprehensive operational plan featuring round-the-clock staffing, advanced screening technology, and digital declaration tools to manage the influx of returning residents and international visitors following the summer break. The plan focuses on ramping up field»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is leveraging its Red Sea infrastructure to advance its logistics ambitions, with a potential expansion of the East-West Crude Oil Pipeline, or Petroline, highlighting the growing convergence of energy security. The nearly 1,200 km Petroline is increasingly viewed as more than »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector is emerging into a new era as the Kingdom aims to expand its global connectivity through the introduction of Riyadh Air alongside the established Saudia Airlines. The growth in the Kingdom’s airline sector has sparked conversation on the difference in airline »»»

US sailors conducted nighttime flight operations aboard the USS George Washington as the aircraft carrier sailed through the Arabian Sea, highlighting the continued US military presence in the region amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. US Central Command (CENTCOM) shared images on Friday showing s»»»

As part of his working visit to Issyk-Kul region, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev participated in the opening ceremonies of a history museum and park in the city of Karakol. According to the Cabinet’s press service, a comprehensive renovation of the local histo»»»

Tensions between the US and Iran remain high, with the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the latest developments. President Donald Trump has stepped up economic pressure on Tehran, while Iran has rejected the measures and Oman continues diplomatic efforts over the strategic waterway. For UAE reside»»»

US forces have assisted approximately 1,300 commercial vessels in transiting the Strait of Hormuz since early May 2026, enabling the movement of more than 660 million barrels of crude oil, the Central Command (CentCom) reported on Friday. Recent activity implies an average of roughly 7 million barr»»»

Dubai: The first thing Shyam Ghimire learned about building a future in Dubai was that sometimes, you have to start with the jobs nobody dreams of doing. Ghimire has come to the UAE from Nepal with a simple purpose, to find better opportunities, build a future, and support his family. At the same t»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s iconic Toyota Building on Sheikh Zayed Road is set to be demolished in 2027, with almost 70 per cent of its tenants having already moved out but the situation has also brought wider questions over tenant rights, illegal partitions and the rules governing shared housing in the emirate»»»

Abu Dhabi City Municipality has announced the reopening of its parks, recreational facilities and affiliated beaches after temporarily closing them as a precaution during unstable weather. Abu Dhabi City Municipality said the facilities have reopened following the improvement in weather conditions.»»»

HOUSTON, Texas: International and US crude oil futures rose on Friday after US President Donald Trump threatened economic sanctions on Iran’s trading partners, raising expectations of tighter supply in the coming weeks. International benchmark Brent crude futures settled at $94.39 a barrel, up 61 c»»»

Dubai: Rain, strong winds and blowing dust are forecast across parts of the UAE on Saturday as unstable weather continues into the new week, with further chances of showers expected on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The National Centre of Meteorology forecasts fair to partly cloudy conditions on Sa»»»

For decades, warehousing was largely viewed as a necessary cost of doing business. Warehouses were designed to receive inventory, store pallets and dispatch products when required. That view no longer reflects reality. Today, the warehouse sits at the heart of the customer experience, business resi»»»

SAN FRANCISCO, United States: TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit with the US Department of Justice over claims that the video-sharing platform violated federal children’s privacy laws, the department announced on Friday. Regulators around the world have been ramping up enforc»»»

Dubai: Living farther from work could become a more practical option for Dubai residents once Etihad Rail and the Metro Blue and Gold Lines connect more communities directly to business districts and transport hubs. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here»»»

ABUJA, Nigeria: Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Friday ordered an investigation into a man accused of creating and running a fake government agency, the second such agency uncovered in the country in recent weeks. Musa Adamu Aliyu, the head of the country’s corruption watchdog, announced the inv»»»

LONDON: This year’s El Nino weather pattern will be the biggest in over a century and could make 2027 the hottest year globally, Britain’s national weather agency predicted Friday. An El Nino weather event happens when warming sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific trigger worldwi»»»

DAMASCUS: Syria on Friday said it had requested to join the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons on the anniversary of a 2013 chemical attack on a suburb of the capital Damascus. In a joint statement with France, Syria announced its bid to join the partnership »»»

CHICAGO: It is a great start, but the US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will have to do more than simply tell settler extremists not to take Palestinian Americans’ land in the West Bank. Israeli settlers, often with the backing of the Israel Defense Forces, have accelerated the annexation of la»»»

Turkey said Friday it is seeking an international arrest warrant from Interpol for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a domestic criminal case over Israel's interception and detention of dozens of activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip in May. »»»

EDINGBURG: The State of Qatar is participating in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2026, hosted in the Scottish capital from August 7 to 29. The festival was attended by Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, and Legal Adviser to»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is expanding its integrated supply chain infrastructure in 2026, consolidating maritime, land, air, rail, and free zone operations to maintain global trade flows and enhance transit adaptability. Transitioning from a traditional import-export hub into an end-to-end logistics plat»»»

RIYADH: The Buraidah International Dates Carnival has launched a daily tourist bus tour that allows visitors to explore Buraidah’s history and cultural, heritage and economic landmarks, as well as the carnival itself. After leaving the Palm Center, the event’s main venue, the tour visits several pr»»»

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rejected the U.S. justifications for imposing new tariffs, calling them "unfounded" in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday. Photo by Andre Borges/EPA Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he spoke by pho»»»

The interim leadership of Hungary's public media has published a 482-page dossier documenting what its authors describe as more than a decade of political interference in the work of the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), including orders to suppress, alter, delay or produce reports for political reasons»»»

Edinburgh: The State of Qatar is participating in the activities of the “Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2026,” hosted by the Scottish capital, from August 7 to 29. The festival was attended by H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingd»»»

Declining water levels due to climate change and 20 years of ongoing drought have reshaped Lake Mead's shorelines as seen in this file photo from Nov. 16, 2022. The Department of the Interior on Friday published a new framework under which three Lower Basin states will face reduced water deliveries»»»

A meeting in Kalofer (Central Bulgaria) on Friday aimed to raise awareness among pasture users of the threat poison baits pose to wildlife, particularly protected species like vultures and other birds of pray. The event was organized at the initiative of the Environment and Water Ministry and the C»»»

China has refused to join a US plan to “squash” Iran’s economy, rejecting Washington’s push to be part of the “toughest sanctions in history” against the Islamic Republic. On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on American allies and other countries to choose sides and stop doing b»»»

Riyadh: Saudi Minister of Energy and of Industry and Mineral Resources Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and Minister of Finance Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Jadaan met on Friday with Iraq's Finance Minister Falih Abdul Hassan Al Hadri and Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair Al Abadi to discuss»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has closed all public parks, recreational facilities and municipal beaches until further notice as the emirate prepares for expected unstable weather. Abu Dhabi City Municipality announced the precautionary measure on Friday through its Instagram account, saying all events at t»»»

Slovenia's biggest bank has lost its year-long fight for Austria's Addiko, but the defeat has done nothing to dim its appetite for deals across the former Yugoslavia. Nova Ljubljanska banka (LJSE: NLBR), the Ljubljana-listed group that controls roughly a third of Slovenia's banking assets, failed o»»»

ALKHOBAR: When Nadeen Kaaki learned in 2020 that girls could play organized football in Saudi Arabia, she did not need much convincing to be one of them. The Saudi footballer, now 21, joined a small academy called Tigers and began a journey that would take her from youth football to a national team»»»

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned the latest economic threats issued by US officials, saying President Donald Trump’s claim of an “Economic D-Day” aims to divert attention from America’s deepening financial crisis. In a post on his X account on Thursday, Araghchi responded to the latest»»»

LONDON: The EU is preparing sanctions against Israel spanning trade, academic, security and diplomatic ties if construction begins on the controversial E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, Israeli media reported. Channel 13, citing two Western diplomats, said Brussels had drawn up an in»»»

Bulgaria’s newly purchased anti-drone systems cannot provide a comprehensive shield for the country’s territory or borders, according to Todor Ivandzhikov, chairman of the Association of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry. He said the country needs a layered defense system, better coordination between»»»

"I want to assure the Bulgarian prosecution service that under my leadership, the Interior Ministry and its officers will not break the law under any circumstances," Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told journalists in Belitsa, responding to a position issued by the prosecution service. The prose»»»

Bratislava: Secretary-General of the Qatar Air Sports Committee (QASC) Captain Hazza Hamad Al Attiya said the participation of Qatar's national skydiving team in the Military World Skydiving Championship in Slovakia represents an important opportunity to enhance the team's level through competition»»»

Milena Gamozova, a prosecutor at the Varna Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, has been nominated as a candidate for an elected seat on the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) representing the prosecutors’ quota, the SJC press centre said Friday. Gamozova was nominated by magistrates from the Varna Appellate»»»

Russia offers extensive nuclear partnership opportunities across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, presenting a model that stands in marked contrast to Western nuclear projects, energy expert and former deputy chairman of the Egyptian Nuclear Power Plants Authority, Ali Abdel Nabi, told Sputnik. “»»»

Major Hristo Anchev, administrative head of the Military District Prosecutor’s Office in Plovdiv, has been nominated for an elected member of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) from the prosecutors’ quota, the SJC press office said here Friday. He was nominated by magistrates from the Military Appe»»»

Russia–Central Asia–Indian Ocean rail corridor through Afghanistan and Pakistan could slash delivery times from 35 days to just five. A proposed railway network linking Russia with Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan could unlock trade potential exceeding that of the Suez Canal, according to Pa»»»

Dubai: The Middle East remained tense on Friday as pressure on Iran intensified, Hezbollah rejected fresh US sanctions and Israel carried out a new strike in southern Lebanon. Iran called for an end to the months-long war, while China opposed further sanctions and regional airlines continued to adj»»»

Latvia has begun publicly naming companies that continue to trade with Russia and Belarus, publishing an initial list of 170 businesses as part of efforts to increase pressure on commercial links with the two countries, Latvia’s national broadcaster LSM.lv reported on August 20. The Central Statist»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia will develop its defense industry with Chinese support, as the two countries agreed to expand joint drills and deepen military technology cooperation on Friday after talks between their defense and foreign ministers in Jakarta. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Defense Minister D»»»

RIYADH: Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the National Transport Safety Center Board of Directors Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser inaugurated NTSC’s headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday. In a statement the ministry said the headquarters “includes the engineering laboratory, speci»»»

Hezbollah on Friday hit back at the U.S. administration over its announcement that the group is under the control of Iran’s Quds Force, the expeditionary arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. "The U.S. administration, through the Treasury Department and the State Department, claimed yesterday tha»»»