Dubai: Filipinos planning overseas holidays this summer have more destinations they can visit with fewer visa requirements. The Philippine passport climbed three places to 72nd in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, up from 75th last year and its best showing since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Filipin»»»

Dubai: Major Chinese banks ended some precious-metals trading services for individual customers by July 24, fuelling claims that China was banning “paper gold”, forcing investors into physical bullion and preparing to send prices sharply higher. None of that happened on Friday. Here's why.. Get upd»»»

Armenian attitudes toward the LGBTQ community have transformed in recent years, in part due to the war in Ukraine. While a queer club in Yerevan was firebombed in 2012, the capital is now home to a thriving underground drag scene. But despite these events attracting hundreds, police raids and famil»»»

The majority of Germans do not believe their armed forces are capable of protecting the country, a recent YouGov survey has found. According to the International Flagship Survey published on Friday, 70% of respondents in Germany said they are not confident their armed forces are strong enough to fe»»»

Dubai: Oman's Tax Authority has introduced amendments to the Executive Regulation of the Income Tax Law, setting new conditions for the deduction of certain corporate expenses and announcing mandatory use of the THEQA digital identity application to access its electronic portal from August 1, 2026.»»»

"He who is admired by Saudi Arabia is admired by the whole world, and it seems Saudi Arabia admires me more than some Lebanese people," Speaker Nabih Berri has said. "I've always said it, and I still say it: we in Lebanon need a tripartite guarantee comprised of Saudi Arabia, the United States and »»»

Military pressures, diplomacy and political realities have combined to slow the US campaign against Iran, but none of the underlying drivers of the conflict have disappeared. By the end of last week, the rhythm of the conflict had become familiar. American aircraft struck Iranian targets night afte»»»

India’s passport now offers visa-free, visa-on-arrival or simplified entry access to 55 destinations, but four countries changed their rules in 2026, making travel more complicated for Indian holidaymakers. With summer travel season underway, many Indians are planning international holidays, family»»»

San Diego: Superhero movie fans will officially return to the world of Wakanda in "Black Panther III," the newest entry in the Marvel film franchise, the studio announced at Comic-Con on Saturday. British actor David Jonsson will play the lead role in the film, due out on December 15, 2028. Known f»»»

Oscar-nominated Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova will join the Ministry of Tourism’s campaign to promote Bulgaria internationally, taking part in the initiative free of charge as an ambassador for the country’s tourism. During a meeting with Tourism Minister Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, Bakalova accepted the»»»

Arab Finance: As Egypt accelerates its industrialization agenda and intensifies efforts to expand non-oil exports, the ready-made garments (RMG) sector has emerged as one of the country's fastest-growing manufacturing industries and a key source of foreign currency earnings. Benefiting from strateg»»»

Dubai: Ask any adult to sit a competitive exam today, and most would struggle. Now imagine sitting it twice, months apart, with a war breaking out in between. That is what nearly 1,900 students across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi went through this year, after India’s National Eligibility cum Entran»»»

WASHINGTON: One hundred days before the US midterm elections, President Donald Trump’s Republicans are staring down polling that points to the loss of the House of Representatives and a ferocious battle to retain the Senate. Trump will not appear on the ballot on November 3, but the stakes for his »»»

An apparent pause in US-Iran strikes and progress in Oman-led talks over reopening the Strait of Hormuz have eased immediate tensions, as UAE residents follow the latest regional developments. Diplomatic efforts are continuing, while airlines maintain schedule changes and cancellations on some regi»»»

Travellers flying to and from the UAE on Sunday, July 26, 2026, are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as some regional routes continue to face cancellations, delays and schedule changes amid ongoing regional tensions. While UAE airports remain operational, airlines»»»

A federal appeals court ruled on Saturday that the Trump administration cannot put into effect an executive order to create lists of eligible voters and prevent the postal service from delivering them to people who do not appear on the lists. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 25 (U»»»

WASHINGTON: The US military has paused its airstrikes on Iran after nearly two weeks of intensifying bombing, while diplomatic efforts have pushed forward to try to avert a return to all-out war.But it remains to be seen whether the US and Iran are at an inflection point in a mercurial conflict tha»»»

JEDDAH: Former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua recovered from two knockdowns to knock out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a dramatic non-title heavyweight fight on Saturday. Fighting for the first time since two of his best friends died in a car crash in Nigeria in December in which h»»»

LONDON: The fears of many came to fruition as, following further Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea, the Iran-backed Yemeni militia entered the war by imposing a blockade on the Bab Al-Mandab Strait. The aim was a further tightening on global oil supplies already being exercised by T»»»

RIYADH: The Middle East does not have a shortage of startups pitching for capital, but investors are still struggling to find companies with the market knowledge, traction and technological differentiation required to justify an investment, according to Hussein Attar, CEO of Tech Invest Com. Ventur»»»

Concern over pesticides, PFAS “forever chemicals”, cadmium and other contaminants has been on the rise since a March report revealed French residents are up to four times more likely to register unsafe levels of cadmium than their European counterparts. For many, reducing exposure to these chemical»»»

I didn’t watch a single full game of this FIFA World Cup and was asleep before the final kicked off on Sunday. It would have been awkward watching a match wanting both teams to lose. The best things to witness at this jamboree were the mindbending, moral amnesia of the anti-Trump and pro-Palestine »»»

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree delivers a televised statement in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday. Yemen's Houthis claimed to have launched missile and drone attacks against facilities belonging to Aramco, Saudi Arabia's state-run oil company, in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on the Yemeni port cit»»»

People gather for a pro-government demonstration in Tehran on Friday. Friday night, there were no attacks between the United States and Iran reported. Photo by Behnam Tofighi/UPI | License Photo July 25 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Friday that he's ready to continue talks with Iran or escal»»»

At more than 6,000 metres above sea level, oxygen levels are roughly half of what they are at sea level. Temperatures plunge below freezing. Winds are relentless. For most mammals—including humans—survival is nearly impossible. Yet one tiny mouse has made the volcanic peaks of the Andes its home. G»»»

"This is like Diwali for us.". Those were the first words Rhiya Ahir shared with Gulf News in an ecstatic video message moments after India's education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned in the wake of India's student protests. But even as she celebrated what many saw as a landmark victory, Rhiya»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attacks by Israeli settlers on a number of villages in the occupied West Bank, considering them an extension of Israeli policies aimed at escalating violence against the brotherly Palestinian people, and a flagrant v»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar expressed on Saturday its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against several villages in the occupied West Bank, considering them an extension of Israeli policies aimed at escalating violence against the brotherly Pale»»»

LONDON: The UK Home Office has stopped the mother of a London-based Palestinian Jerusalemite from visiting him. Karim Abdallah, who has lived in London since 2019, learned that his mother Therese Abdallah was not deemed a “genuine visitor” and had been denied a visa. His father Ghassan Abdallah, ho»»»

US President Donald Trump delivered an at-times rambling speech at the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner Friday, three months after an alleged assassination attempt brought the annual event to an abrupt halt. Trump notably joked about running for a third presidential term in 2028, whic»»»

El Escorial, Spain: Out-of-control wildfires in Spain and France that have forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 people raged on Saturday near Madrid and Bordeaux, with Paris mobilising its military to help overstretched firefighters. Thick black ash coated roof terraces of houses in the north»»»

Very few countries can claim to have hosted more than 40 consecutive races at the same track and under the same name. The Hungaroring and the Hungarian Grand Prix are among them, and over four decades, they have produced some remarkable statistics. Several of the drivers currently on the starting g»»»

ROME: Italian ‌Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said he has offered Mykhailo Fedorov, recently sacked as ​Ukraine’s defense minister, a role as an adviser in Italy. “I called him the day after his dismissal and said: When do you want to come to Rome and work ‌with me ‌as an adviser?” Crosetto ​told »»»

Nearly three months after a botched shooting cut the annual White House press gala short, US President Donald Trump is expected to speak at a rescheduled dinner held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel Friday. The event will take place under heightened security. US President Donald Trump will address the »»»

Saudi Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammed Al-Jaber said on Saturday that the Houthi militia has turned Yemen into a bargaining chip in the hands of foreign parties aiming to achieve their interests at the expense of its security and stability despite the suffering of its people. In a series of twee»»»

In an interview for the Bulgarian National Television aired on Sunday night, President Iliana Iotova said that Bulgaria must participate within the existing structures of the EU and NATO, in accordance with the Bulgarian government’s decision from December 2022. She added that what has been missing»»»

The hot climate in Tucson, Arizona (US), and the need to absorb a vast amount of information are the main challenges facing Bulgarian pilots training on the F-16, pilots Captain Svetoslav Angelov and First Lieutenant Dimitar Tashev shared with BTA. Both are currently in the active phase of their fi»»»

Washington, United States: Massive wildfires in Europe on Friday forced NASA to evacuate one of its three global deep space communications facilities in Spain, impacting the agency's ability to communicate with space probes. The Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) is located in Robledo»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump returned to the White House Correspondents' Dinner amid heightened security Friday, three months after an alleged assassination attempt forced his chaotic evacuation from the event. Defying threats from what he called "lunatics," Trump is set to »»»

Growing up with a chronically ill mother in a remote village in India, Rema Begum aspired to become a doctor until her dream was cut short by her own tragic death. After years of studying and costly coaching classes, the 20-year-old believed she had finally done enough to win a coveted seat at a go»»»

Lège-Cap-Ferret, France: France and Spain evacuated more than 160,000 people as unprecedented forest fires ravaged areas on Saturday near Madrid and Bordeaux, a French city flanked by tourist havens and world-renowned vineyards. French President Emmanuel Macron asked the army on Friday to mobilise »»»

UAE residents are being advised to stay alert and follow official updates as the US-Iran conflict continues to drive regional security concerns, affecting travel, airline operations and shipping activity across the Gulf. While UAE airports remain operational, some regional flights are facing cancel»»»

Travellers flying to and from the UAE on Saturday are advised to check their flight status before leaving for the airport, as some regional routes continue to face cancellations, delays and schedule changes. While UAE airports remain largely operational, airlines are urging passengers to follow off»»»

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump poked fun at the press and honored the Secret Service for ​protecting him at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Friday, returning to the event celebrating press freedom after a shooting forced the suspension of the original event in April. Trump»»»

The Directorate of Saudi Civil Defence has announced that the danger in Yanbu Governorate has passed. In an update, the authority urged residents to continue following Civil Defence instructions, avoid gathering in affected areas and refrain from filming. It also reminded the public to call 911 in »»»

IRBIL, Iraq: The US military said Friday that it fired on another merchant vessel that was trying to breach its blockade of Iran’s ports, while the Islamic Republic targeted American strongholds around the Arabian Gulf.The US and Iran showed no sign of backing away from their conflict after a 13th »»»

Share: The U.S. government has begun the process of allowing American airlines to resume direct flights to Lebanon for the first time in more than four decades. However, flights will not begin immediately, as security assessments, regulatory approvals and airline decisions are still required before»»»

RIYADH/SANAA: The Saudi-led coalition in ​Yemen said it carried out airstrikes targeting Houthi military sites in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on Friday that were linked to attacks on Saudi shipping. “We carried out a proportionate military response operation against legitimate military targets»»»

LONDON: Across Syria’s war-scarred landscape, reconstruction efforts have largely centered on shattered cities and critical infrastructure, even as other initiatives aim to extend recovery beyond urban areas. One such effort, led by Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the UN Development Programme, is shi»»»

We condemn in the strongest terms the rising illegal settler terrorism in the occupied Palestinian territories. The killing of four Palestinians today (24 July) by settler terrorists encouraged by the Netanyahu government is a consequence of Israel's ongoing genocidal policy. We reiterate our call »»»