KISVARDA/GDANSK: Facing a choice between upsetting businesses and a public opinion backlash, the Polish and Hungarian ruling centrists are opting for curbs on foreign labor — something economists warn may hurt the two countries’ growth prospects. Both Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who won »»»

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Delaware: US President Donald Trump attended a ceremony for four US service members who returned to American soil in flag-draped caskets on Wednesday after being killed in Iranian attacks in the Middle East. The ceremony, known as a “dignified transfer” of the bodies, comes am»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold their ​next round of US-brokered talks on August 4 in Italy, a Lebanese official told Reuters on Wednesday, as the two countries begin implementing a plan for Israeli withdrawals and Lebanese army deployments in southern Lebanon. The two longtime foe»»»

BERLIN: Germany’s Deutsche Bank said Wednesday that prosecutors had searched its headquarters in Frankfurt, with media reports saying the probe is linked to alleged “cum-cum” tax avoidance. Cum-cum cases involve investors temporarily transferring ownership of shares to lower tax jurisdictions aroun»»»

VILNIUS: Latvian soldiers used tear gas and fired a warning shot to stop migrants trying to enter from Belarus, the army said on Wednesday, as the prime minister said Latvians were worried about a rising number of migrants trying to cross the border. Latvia, along with Poland and Lithuania, has acc»»»

PARIS: A French modelling scout with close ties to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home outside Paris, prosecutors and his lawyer said on Wednesday. Under investigation in France, Daniel Siad, 69, was one of several French men accused of aiding the convicted sex»»»

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday that his administration did not have the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he had planned, and called on US federal authorities to do so. The Democratic mayor had said earlier this month that he was exploring the l»»»

According to US media, the Trump administration is expected to announce a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia later this Wednesday. While the White House claims the nuclear deal will bring billions to American companies and pave the way for Saudis to have a civilian nuclear program and nuclear power, cr»»»

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee that the Pentagon needs nearly 70 billion dollars in additional funding for the war in Iran. The hearing turned combative as Senators demanded explanations as to the military's strategy to win or otherwise end the war. Story by Bryan Quinn.»»»

The cost of the US military campaign against Iran has already cost 37.5 billion dollars. The figure was revealed by the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as he appeared before the Senate to make the case for the war and ask for an additional 67 billion dollars worth of funding. The move drew critic»»»

A European citizen’s initiative launched earlier this year by two white supremacists seeking the mass deportation of people through so-called ‘remigration’ has been formally rejected by the European Commission. “It will not be registered by the commission,” said Roxana Mînzatu, the EU commissioner »»»

Mali’s military has suffered one of its deadliest losses in years. At least 50 soldiers were killed in an ambush near the northern town of Anefis, in an attack claimed by Tuareg separatists and Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists. The assault is the latest in a string of setbacks, with militants also targeti»»»

In tonight's edition, a deadly ambush in northern Mali leaves at least 50 soldiers dead. Also, Nigeria is facing a new challenge in its fight against jihadist insurgents as foreign fighters join armed groups. And Senegalese President Bassi»»»

After 17 years, the Nigeria military’s efforts to contend a Jihadist insurgency do not seem to be successful. The military is facing fresh hurdles with foreign fighters, including those from the Middle East joining the insurgents. The foreigners are bringing skills and technology that have proved v»»»

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Christopher Marinello, veteran lawyer , founder of Art Recovery International and one of the world's foremost experts in recovering stolen, looted, and missing works of art. The reopening of the Apollo Gallery at the Louvre, nine months after one of the most braz»»»

France's environment minister will remain in her post despite her disagreement with a bill reintroducing controversial pesticides, given the "urgency" to act on climate change, her team said Wednesday. Monique Barbut had submitted her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, but he refused it. Exp»»»

The leaders of India's youth-led Cockroach movement are vowing to continue protesting a day after police cracked down on demonstrators. They have been demanding the country's education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, resign amid repeated leaks for entrance tests to medical schools. While two of the m»»»

Protests continue for a third day in the Indian capital, New Delhi, as pressure mounts on Narendra Modi to sack his education minister. The youth-led movement remains defiant even after Monday's heavy handed police crackdown. While the minister in question says the government remains committed to r»»»

A screen displays the results of the vote on a bill to ban young teens from social media in the French National Assembly in Paris Wednesday. Photo by Teresa Suarez/EPA July 21 (UPI) -- The French parliament passed a new law to ban children younger than 15 from using social media. The law was a pet »»»

A Mexican national serving a decades-long prison sentence for murdering a Michigan woman has filed a federal lawsuit against US President Donald Trump, seeking $75 million in damages, a public apology, and American citizenship after claiming his case was exploited for political gain. Brandon Ortiz-»»»

The state-owned airline Aerolíneas Argentinas in May unveiled the plane that was to take the Argentine national football team to the 2026 World Cup. It featured a design that incorporates the No. 10 jersey of the team's captain and star player, Lionel Messi. File Photo by Juan Ignacio/EPA BUENOS AI»»»

Budapest’s busiest metro line is set to be extended after the Hungarian government confirmed funding for the long-awaited northern expansion of the M3 metro. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy during the presentation of the government’s new Baro»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have arrested a driver who was caught driving his vehicle on a public road while using a sunshade that blocked his view, in a dangerous traffic violation that threatened his safety and the lives of other road users. The police said the driver’s actions significantly reduced »»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police has strengthened its field capabilities with the addition of 130 modern security vehicles to its operational fleet, as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance public safety, improve emergency response times and provide more efficient police services to the community. The flee»»»

Dubai: Dubai's General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs has urged residents wishing to host relatives or friends to take advantage of its family and friends visit visa service, offering flexible single and multiple-entry options to make travelling to the emirate easier. The appeal is »»»

PARIS: French Environment Minister Monique Barbut, who handed in her resignation in protest after parliament’s approval of a farm bill allowing the temporary reintroduction of two pesticides suspected of harming bees, will remain in the government, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said on Wedne»»»

BRAUNAU AM INN, Austria: Adolf Hitler’s birthplace in Austria was officially inaugurated as a police station on Wednesday in an effort to destroy the building’s appeal as a site of pilgrimage for people who glorify the Nazi dictator. A memorial stone is to remain in place outside the house in Braun»»»

TEHRAN: US President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to knock out one Iranian bridge or power plant in return for each attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, warning he was “not finished” with a war that has already cost Washington $37.5 billion. Fighting over the strait led to the collapse »»»

Dubai: A luxury off-plan apartment in Dubai has sold for Dh166.07 million, reflecting the sustained demand for ultra-prime homes in the emirate. According to data from the Dubai Land Department's Dubai REST application, the apartment is located in Jumeirah Second within the Aman Residences Dubai de»»»

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and top army commander Oleksandr Syrsky were both sacked after none of the initiatives they backed helped turn the tide of the conflict in Ukraine’s favor, military expert Alexey Anpilogov tells Sputnik. Syrsky’s insistence in press ganging more Ukrainian»»»

Doha, Qatar: Philippine passport holders can now travel to 65 destinations without obtaining a visa, according to the latest Henley Passport Index released as part of its 20th anniversary edition. The Philippines ranked 72nd globally in the latest passport ranking, sharing the position with Benin R»»»

Humanes, Spain: You can smell the fire dozens of kilometres away, and its smoke has partly blocked out the sun: the huge wildfire north of Madrid has unnerved officials and evacuees alike. For seven days now, hundreds of firefighters backed by dozens of aircraft have been battling the blaze in Guad»»»

RIYADH: The Centre for Cyber Economics, a joint initiative between the Global Cybersecurity Forum and the World Economic Forum, has outlined its strategic research priorities as it seeks to deepen global understanding of the economic impact of cyber threats. The priorities were agreed during the CC»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has strongly condemned renewed Iranian attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq’s Kurdistan Region with missiles and drones, calling them a serious violation of the sovereignty of neighbouring states. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks pose»»»

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Airports recorded 51 million passenger movements across its network of airports in Malaysia during the first half (H1) of 2026, an increase of 1.8 percent compared to the corresponding period last year, the airport operator said on Wednesday. In June alone, Malaysia Airports »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic met with Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko on Wednesday, noting that the two countries maintained active political dialogue based on years-long friendship and successful bilateral and multilateral cooperation. D»»»

Jakarta: Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture has set a target to develop 151,554 hectares of coconut downstream production areas in 2026 to boost industrial raw material supply and increase the commodity's added value, an official said Wednesday. The target for 2026 is supported by a budget of arou»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday condemned the continued Iranian attacks on Kuwait and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s full support for its Gulf neighbor, the Saudi Press Agency reported. During a telephone call with Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the cr»»»

Doha, Qatar: Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi met on Wednesday with the Non-Resident Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the State of Qatar HE Natalia Al Mansour, on the occasion of the end of her tenure. HE the Secretary-General of the Minis»»»

New York, USA: Wall Street stocks were mixed early Wednesday as markets weighed the latest rise in oil prices amid increased US-Iran tension in the Middle East. Crude prices were up more than two percent early Wednesday. About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2 per»»»

Havana: Cuba's population fell in 2025, official statistics show, extending a downward streak as the country faces an unprecedented wave of migration. The communist island is reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades -- one made worse by a fuel blockade and sanctions imposed by US President»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed Wednesday's trading session down 40.85 points, or 0.40%, to settle at 10,066.51 points. A total of 113,958,317 shares were traded during the session, with a total value of QAR 321,696,120.641 across 22,745 transactions in all sectors. Shares of 16 c»»»

Microsoft has announced that it is investing $60 million to advance AI for the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission on Wednesday. File Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- Microsoft has announced that it is investing $60 million to advance AI for the Department of Energy's Gen»»»

Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán insisted that “we’re fine” as Fidesz sought to regroup after its heavy election defeat, unveiling a new strategy that frames the party as the leader of a nationwide “resistance” against what it calls Hungary’s new “authoritarian” political system. Speaking outside»»»

ATHENS: ‌Greece has advised Greek-flagged commercial ships to upgrade security measures when sailing in the Black Sea following a string of attacks on tankers over the past days, according to a shipping ministry advisory seen by Reuters. Greek-operated ships are among the world’s largest fleets of »»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia writer and director Bassmah Abdullah is combining animation and artificial intelligence in “Shama,” a short film that uses AI-generated cultural imagery as the Kingdom expands its investment in creative industries under Vision 2030. The animator has been producing fiction and c»»»

LONDON: Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has been charged by the Football Association over the spying scandal that led to his side being kicked out of the Championship play-offs. In a stunning controversy that rocked English football last season, Southampton admitted spying on a training session he»»»

HAVANA: Cuba’s population fell in 2025, official statistics show, extending a downward streak as the country faces an unprecedented wave of migration. The communist island is reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades — one made worse by a fuel blockade and sanctions imposed by US President »»»

Manama: Bahrain announced the interception of several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks on Wednesday. In a statement, the General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force stated that Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through its unlawful attacks targeting civilians in Bahrain, adding that»»»

RIYADH: Most Arab stock exchanges closed the second quarter of 2026 on the up, even as the Arab Monetary Fund’s composite index slipped 0.16 percent, its latest quarterly bulletin shows. Arab equity markets broadly advanced during the quarter, with 13 of the 16 exchanges tracked by the AMF recordin»»»