More than 3.1 million guests visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi during the first half of 2026, as the landmark continued to attract worshippers and visitors from around the world. According to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, the mosque welcomed 3,127,607 guests during the six-mont»»»

Dubai: At least 15 people were killed in two separate disasters involving Hindu pilgrims in eastern India on Monday, with eight dying in a hotel fire in West Bengal and seven in a crowd crush at a temple in neighbouring Bihar, officials said. The incidents occurred during Shravan, a sacred month in»»»

Russia's meat and feed exporters face a choice between two very different markets: Iran, slow and bureaucratic but predictable, and the Philippines, fast-growing but brutal on price. This is what Russia's pivot to Asia looks like at the level of an actual container. Shut out of European agricultura»»»

The EU bought €809mn of Russian liquefied natural gas in June, 57% more than a year earlier, with Belgium the single biggest buyer. That gave Russia 24.1% of the EU's LNG market by value, second only to the US on 54.3% and €1.83bn. Belgium took €268mn worth, its highest since July 2025, ahead of Fr»»»

Russia's meat and feed exporters face a choice between two very different markets: Iran, slow and bureaucratic but predictable, and the Philippines, fast-growing but brutal on price. This is what Russia's pivot to Asia looks like at the level of an actual container. Shut out of European agricultura»»»

The EU bought €809mn of Russian liquefied natural gas in June, 57% more than a year earlier, with Belgium the single biggest buyer. That gave Russia 24.1% of the EU's LNG market by value, second only to the US on 54.3% and €1.83bn. Belgium took €268mn worth, its highest since July 2025, ahead of Fr»»»

Russia's meat and feed exporters face a choice between two very different markets: Iran, slow and bureaucratic but predictable, and the Philippines, fast-growing but brutal on price. This is what Russia's pivot to Asia looks like at the level of an actual container. Shut out of European agricultura»»»

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi welcomed more than 3.12 million guests in the first half of 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the UAE’s most prominent religious and cultural landmarks and an increasingly important destination for international visitors. The Sheikh Zayed Gra»»»

Jyoti Thakur | Daniela RivasAs deadly heat threatens livelihoods, women working in Delhi's informal sector are trying out heat wave insurance that pays out automatically when temperatures spike. https://p.dw.com/p/5ImFwAdvertisementMillions of workers in India face a growing threat from extreme hea»»»

RIYADH: Air freight volumes in the Middle East and South Asia fell 6 percent week on week in the first full week of August, the steepest regional decline, as global air cargo volumes dropped 4 percent, according to the latest WorldACD Weekly Air Cargo Trends report. The decline outpaced the 4 perce»»»

Dubai: Hundreds of Indian expats on Sunday night took a pledge of loyalty and commitment to the UAE and its leadership, in a moving highlight of an event marking India's 80th Independence Day in Dubai. The gathering, organised by the Indian People's Forum (IPF), one of the largest community associa»»»

Dubai: More than 21,000 participants, delegates and visitors from over 165 countries are expected in Dubai next week for the 22nd Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition, DIHAD 2026. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The event will »»»

Dubai: DP World has reached a significant milestone in its US$800 million investment programme to transform the Port of Tartous, completing the delivery of three Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHCs) that will strengthen Syria’s trade infrastructure and support the country’s economic recovery. Sign up for o»»»

Dubai: Before Thaikkudam Bridge took the stage in Dubai, rhythm guitarist Ashok Betty Nelson made me a promise: “If you want to dance, if you want to listen to good melodies, come to our show. You will not be disappointed.” Having now watched them in action at Coca-Cola Arena this weekend as a part»»»

POLITICS On bTV's morning show, former foreign affairs minister Nadezhda Neynsky said Bulgaria was losing its foreign policy influence due to inconsistent actions. According to her, Prime Minister Rumen Radev's governance programme fails to provide a clear development plan for Bulgaria up to 2030. »»»

Shares were mixed in Europe and Asia on Monday after U.S. stocks edged back from their all-time high following a weaker than expected report on the U.S. economy. Oil prices also were mixed. In early European trading, Germany's DAX was nearly unchanged at 26,438.04, while the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.»»»

Dubai: A vast expanse of white marble waste in Kishangarh, Rajasthan, is drawing tourists, photographers and filmmakers to a landscape that resembles a snow-covered valley. Kishangarh, one of India’s major marble-processing centres, generates huge quantities of slurry and discarded stone as marble »»»

Jyoti Thakur | Daniela RivasAs deadly heat threatens livelihoods, women working in Delhi's informal sector are trying out heatwave insurance that pays out automatically when temperatures spike. https://p.dw.com/p/5ImFwAdvertisementMillions of workers in India face a growing threat from extreme heat»»»

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- At least seven Hindu devotees were killed Monday morning in a crowd crush at a Shiva temple in eastern India, where tens of thousands had gathered to take part in a religious observance, according to reports. The incident occurred near Ashok Dham, a famous temple dedicated to Lord »»»

Dubai: There was an unexpected star in the front row at Lucky Ali’s Dubai concert on August 16: rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh. Singh was spotted attending the veteran singer’s live show at the Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday night, and beyond the obvious celebrity-spotting moment, there was something rather h»»»

Doha, Qatar: MES Indian School, Doha, celebrated the 80th Independence Day of India with patriotic fervour and enthusiasm. The celebration was graced by Chief Guest, Hazmal Ismail, President (Officiating), Dr Najeeb K P, General Secretary, Najeeb M A, Director, Shaheed Alungath, Director MES. Gover»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar have been drawn alongside Tunisia, France and Venezuela in Pool A of the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U17 World Championship, which will be hosted in Doha from August 19 to 29. The tournament will bring together 20 teams from around the world, divided into five pools. Pool B featur»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s U-18 national basketball team has not lost hope of reaching the knockout stages of the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship, despite suffering a 66–118 defeat against China at the Veer Savarkar Indoor Hall in Ahmedabad, India. The game was part of Group C’s second-round fixtures in the»»»

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi put young people at the heart of his development agenda in a speech marking India’s Independence Day on Saturday. He announced free online coaching for competitive exams and plans to train 10 million young people in artificial intelligence over the next year. The»»»

Dubai: Flying from the UAE today, August 17? Most UAE flights continue to operate, but travellers should expect possible delays, cancellations and last-minute schedule changes as airlines continue to adjust services amid the ongoing regional security situation. Emirates has partially resumed flight»»»

More than 11 people were rescued this morning from a building in Mumbai after a fire broke out, reported PTI. The blaze affected a four-storey commercial building in Mumbai's Kandivali. There were no casualties, confirmed officers. Also Read: Fire at luxury residential building in Tollygunge, sever»»»

Bihar: Seven people died and many were injured in a stampede-like incident at Ashokdham Temple in the Indian town of Lakhisarai, reports ANI. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Shivam Kumar toldANI, "Seven casualties have been reported. It is being said that an electric pole fell there and people were e»»»

The UAE remains open for business and air travel, but the sharp decline in Hormuz shipping and the recent attacks on three UAE-linked vessels show that the regional security environment remains fragile. With the deadline for a temporary agreement expiring today (Monday, August 17, 2026) the US-Iran»»»

Even in the country most alarmed by it, defence is a top national concern for fewer than one person in three, reports Statista, which asked people in 32 countries whether defence and foreign affairs ranked among the most important issues facing their country. Nowhere did more than about one in thre»»»

Agencies New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Saturday, set a target for India Inc. to have 50 Indian companies on the Fortune 500 list within the coming decade. “We often hear about the Fortune 500. Why shouldn’t our goal be that, within the next decade, 50 of »»»

Tribune News Network Doha MES Indian School, Doha, celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with patriotic fervour and enthusiasm. The celebration was graced by Chief Guest Hazmal Ismail, president (officiating); Dr Najeeb K.P., general secretary; Najeeb M.A., director; Shaheed Alungath, director, »»»

Tribune News Network Doha Birla Public School, Doha celebrated the 80th Independence Day of India on August 15 at the school campus with great patriotic fervour. The celebrations commenced with the unfurling of the Indian National Flag by Director C. V. Rappai, along with management representatives»»»

Tribune News Network Doha MES Indian School (MESIS), Abu Hamour Branch, celebrated the 80th Independence Day of India with great pride and patriotic zeal on its campus. The celebration commenced with the hoisting of the National Flag by the Chief Guest Dr Najeeb K.P., general secretary, M.E.S Gover»»»

Petrol rationing is back across Russia after the peak of the Ukraine-caused fuel crisis seemed to have passed, and this time a governor has admitted his region's refinery will be out of action for six months. Ukrainian drones struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refining complex in Bashkortostan on»»»

Petrol rationing is back across Russia after the peak of the Ukraine-caused fuel crisis seemed to have passed, and this time a governor has admitted his region's refinery will be out of action for six months. Ukrainian drones struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refining complex in Bashkortostan on»»»

New Delhi: The Qatar U18 basketball team lost 66-118 to China in their second Group C match at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup, currently being held in India through August 23. The tournament features 16 teams divided into four groups. China dominated throughout the game, winning all four quarters 32-11, 32-»»»

A 59-year-old woman has been arrested by Kerala Police for allegedly cheating job seekers with promises of lucrative employment in Oman and collecting money for visa processing and other expenses. According to media reports, police identified the accused as L.S., a resident of Vadakara in Kozhikode»»»

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»»»

UAE residents travelling to India should allow extra time at the airport as enhanced security measures remain in place at several major airports until August 20. With additional screening and higher passenger volumes expected, travellers are being advised to plan ahead and avoid last-minute arrival»»»

Dubai: Visakhapatnam’s aviation map changes dramatically from August 17, with a new airport taking over as the region’s commercial passenger gateway. The familiar VTZ code stays, but the airport behind it changes. From where to catch your flight to airport buses, fares and facilities, here’s what p»»»

Some long-distance relationships are messy. And they can get tragically messier during meet-ups. A couple found this out first-hand when the allegedly volatile husband – a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier – returned home only to claim hours later that his wife had fallen off the roof of their ho»»»

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their appearance in an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, saying the campaign may breach food safety regulations. The notices were issued on Friday, asking the ac»»»

Dubai: AD Ports Group expanded alternative sea, road, rail, and air cargo routes across the UAE during the second quarter of 2026 to keep goods moving amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, including critical shipments such as food and pharmaceuticals. Sign up for our daily business newslett»»»

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared a glimpse of his quieter morning routine, posting a video of himself feeding peacocks and cows at his official residence before leaving for Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. In the video shared on Instagram, Modi is seen feeding grains to »»»

An Indian sailor and his family – wife and two children aged three and two months – have been found dead in their Mumbai home. Times of India reported that the sailor is suspected to have died by suicide by hanging at his home in Navy Nagar. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News a»»»

Galle, Sri Lanka: Rain prevented play in the morning session on the second day of the first cricket Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle on Sunday. The heavy downpour in the coastal town denied India an opportunity to build on their good start in the country's 600th Test. The tourists ended th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Birla Public School, Doha celebrated the 80th Independence Day of India yesterday at the school campus. The celebrations commenced with the unfurling of the Indian National Flag by Director C V Rappai, along with Management Representatives Chindhu Rappai, Nevile Lukose, and Siddharth S»»»

Doha, Qatar: LuLu Hypermarket has launched “India Utsav 2026”, a special festival commemorating India’s 80th Independence Day and offering shoppers across Qatar an immersive celebration of the country’s rich culture, cuisine, traditions and craftsmanship. The celebrations were officially inaugurate»»»

In an unusual incident at Varanasi airport, an Air India Express passenger discharged a weapon, injuring two security guards. Times of India reported that a passenger who was on his way to Mumbai with his wife had declared that he was carrying arms. During a check, he fired at two AAICLAS screeners»»»