Colombia on Wednesday declared three days of mourning after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed more than 200 people in the west of the country. Monday's quake was the strongest to hit Colombia this century, and the search for survivors under the rubble is ongoing.  Colombia on Wednesday declare»»»

Mark Zuckerberg’s tech giant Meta is facing a $1.4 trillion lawsuit over allegations that it deliberately designed addictive features on its platforms to keep children hooked. Parents have long raised concerns about the impact of Facebook and Instagram on young people’s mental health, and jury sele»»»

Beirut, Lebanon: Lebanon's parliament on Wednesday passed an amnesty law, the first of its kind since 1991, that is expected to benefit thousands of prisoners and wanted people. The legislation is largely aimed at easing prison overcrowding but critics say it is the result of bargaining among secta»»»

Lebanon's parliament on Wednesday passed a general amnesty law reducing sentences for inmates and people detained for more than 12 years without charges in a bid to reduce prison overcrowding. The legislation was passed a day after Lebanon became the first Middle Eastern country to abolish the deat»»»

Damascus, Aug. 12 (SANA) Agriculture Minister Basel al-Suwaidan on Wednesday discussed with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Representative to Syria Tawfiq el-Zabri the projects implemented by the fund in Syria and its plans for the next phase. During the meeting, al-Suwaidan »»»

AL-MUKALLA: Two Houthi missiles struck Yemen’s Red Sea port of Mocha on Wednesday, causing further damage to the government-controlled facility as the Iran-backed militia targeted the city and its strategic port for the fourth consecutive day, local government and military officials said. Abdul Mal»»»

BERLIN: The German government Wednesday signed off on a major overhaul of the country’s intelligence agencies to give them broad new powers to conduct covert operations and take action against foreign threats. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced a “new era” for Germany’s secret services,»»»

The Bulgarian government adopted its Governance Program for 2026-2030 at a meeting on August 12, setting out its priorities for the remainder of the current term and the country's longer-term development. The document is based on the election program of the ruling Progressive Bulgaria coalition and»»»

A young girl helps her mother deposit her ballot in a drop box for the 2020 general election in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, a judge expanded a block on the USPS managing who gets mail-in ballots. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo Aug. 12 (UPI) -- A federal judge expanded a block on Presiden»»»

LONDON: A vast oil spill in the Gulf is quickly becoming one of the world’s ​worst in years after being allowed to spread almost unchecked for weeks, according to international agencies, satellite imagery and environmental groups. The slick off the coast of Oman from a grounded tanker carrying Russ»»»

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz visited southern Lebanon on Wednesday, vowing to destroy infrastructure and keep troops in a so-called “security zone” as well as in Syria and Gaza. The comments came almost two months after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-sponsored framework deal »»»

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia will respond in kind if European countries start to seize Russian merchant vessels and the commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet said his forces were ready to “inspect and detain” foreign vessels from what he called hostile states. The co»»»

BEIRUT: Relatives of Lebanese seized by Israel during its last two wars with Hezbollah held a rally in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Beirut on Wednesday to demand information. Israel is estimated to have seized dozens of people in Lebanon since 2024, including Hezbollah f»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain discussed the longstanding fraternal ties between the two countries and ways to further strengthen cooperation across various fields, particularly the economy and dev»»»

TUNIS, Aug. 12, 2026 (TAP) — A small ministerial council meeting Wednesday at La Kasbah decided to renew Tunisie Autoroutes’ concession to operate the A1 motorway (Hammam-Lif–M’saken) and grant the company a new concession for the A2 motorway...»»»

PoliticsEritreaEritrea: Key player in the geopolitical gamble at the HornMartina SchwikowskiAmid growing tensions and security risks at the Horn of Africa, Eritrea, with its strategically important coastal points on the Red Sea and a perceived lack of conflict, is emerging as important player in th»»»

ANKARA: Longing to be reunited with her son, Ayten Elhaman was glued to the television all day as Turkiye’s parliament debated and passed a law this week enabling Kurdish militants to return home under a peace process to end their decades-old insurgency. She recalled how Bayram had left his job in »»»

MANILA: Filipino journalists are facing a backlash at home after joining Israel-sponsored press trips, with the main trade union saying that participation in such media tours may amount to complicity in the Israeli genocide in Palestine. The Israeli government has organized several media junkets fo»»»

BAKU: Azerbaijan’s ‌President Ilham Aliyev has said his country could supply electricity to neighboring Armenia, saying Yerevan will not be able to extend the life of its aging Metsamor nuclear power plant indefinitely. There was no immediate comment from the Armenian government on Aliyev’s proposa»»»

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States is in control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz and will "keep it." "The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Our Naval Blockade »»»

New York: Introducing a finder tag, an upgraded watch that checks for respiratory problems and the latest artificial intelligence superpowers in smartphones, Google on Wednesday will unveil its newest Pixel offerings. The tech giant has organized a press launch event in New York to present the Pixe»»»

LONDON: The EU said on Wednesday that it does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, reaffirming its support for Syria’s independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. “In line with international law and UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497, th»»»

Poland’s eastern regions are gradually closing the economic gap with the rest of the country despite increased geopolitical risk following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Between 2019 and 2024, business investment per capita in Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie rose 51%, while county own-source r»»»

Poland recorded 80,566 new business registrations in Q2 2026, down 9.2% y/y from 88,728, according to Statistics Poland. Bankruptcies rose slightly to 94 from 90 a year earlier. Services accounted for 25.7% of registrations, followed by construction at 19.5% and trade and vehicle repair at 12.6%. R»»»

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski convened an emergency meeting of the Joint Cybersecurity Operations Center on August 12 following a cyberattack on healthcare technology company MyDr. Authorities are investigating whether patient data was stolen, how the»»»

A person shops for groceries at an independent food market in Los Angeles on May 9, 2024. Three of six key grocery store categories notched decreases in July's Consumer Price Index by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. File Photo by Allison Dinner/EPA Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The annual rate of inflation»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump ​on Wednesday said the United States in is control of ‌the Strait ‌of ​Hormuz. “The ‌USA. ⁠has ​total control ⁠over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE ⁠WILL KEEP ‌IT! ‌Our ​Naval ‌Blockade is ‌being called, by everyone, “A WALL OF STEEL,” and ‌there is nothing Ir»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s government digital platforms and services reached an “Advanced” maturity level in the Digital Experience Maturity Index in 2026, with the overall score rising to 87.06 percent compared to 86.71 in the previous year. The annual assessment by the Digital Government Authority co»»»

Kuwait: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior on Wednesday foiled a terrorist plot targeting a vital facility in the country and arrested a Kuwaiti national affiliated with Daesh before executing his plan, following intensive security monitoring and surveillance. This came in a statement by the ministry»»»

Doha, Qatar: Skywatchers across parts of the Northern Hemisphere will witness a solar eclipse today, August 12, with the Moon completely blocking the Sun along a narrow path through Greenland, Iceland and Spain, while millions elsewhere will see a partial eclipse. According to NASA, the path of tot»»»

The Cabinet has adopted the rules on the organization of the Ministry of Economy, Investments and Industry and the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation, approved the establishment of the European Funds for Competitiveness Executive Agency and adopted the agency’s organizational regulat»»»

The government amended and supplemented three regulatory instruments setting out rules governing relations in connection with the implementation of Bulgaria's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), funded through the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility, the government press service said on Wednesday»»»

Tunis, Aug.12 (TAP)- The trade deficit amounted to TND 14,957.6 million at the end of July 2026 against TND 11,904.2 million in July 2025, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) said.The deficit is traced down to the group of energy products...»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe PM Salam: Israeli Attacks in South Lebanon Comprise Violation of International Law 12-08-2026 17:59 PM Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam said,»»»

GENEVA: Half of Afghan women now leave their homes only once or twice a month as Taliban-imposed restrictions curtail their freedom of movement and participation in public life, according to data released by UN Women on Wednesday. As the Taliban prepare to mark the fifth anniversary of their return»»»

Dubai: The regional security situation continues to shape daily life, from flight schedules and fuel prices to shipping routes through the Gulf. Here's a round-up of Wednesday's key developments and what they mean for residents, whether you're flying out tonight, tracking the markets, or simply sta»»»

Jakarta: The Indonesian government has urged beef importers to accelerate their import realization to help curb rising domestic prices, the country's Trade Minister Budi Santoso said here Wednesday. Official data showed that the national average beef price has recently exceeded the government's ref»»»

Proposed changes to the Interreg VI-A Romania-Bulgaria Programme 2021-2027 were endorsed by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday. Romania’s Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration submitted the proposal as Managing Authority and lead body for programme management and control. The »»»

London: The oil spill from the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which ran aground in Omani territorial waters off the Hallaniyat Islands in Dhofar Governorate, has expanded, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said in a statement Wednesday. The UN agency added that oil is drifting off the northea»»»

Muscat: The Muscat Stock Exchange 30 index closed on Wednesday at 7,481.70 points, up 15.2 points, or 0.20 percent, compared to the last trading session which closed at 7,466.53 points. Trading value reached OMR 43,597,987, a decrease of 14.1 percent, compared to the last trading session, which amo»»»

LONDON: A British serial sex attacker was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail on Wednesday, after he was convicted of two murders and rape following an escalating spree of sexual offenses which police and prosecutors failed to stop. Simon Levy, 40, was found guilty last week of the murd»»»

QUSRA, Palestinian territories: The Israeli military failed in an attempt on Wednesday to remove occupied West Bank settlers who for days have blockaded Palestinian homes, an eyewitness and an AFP photographer reported.The siege began on Sunday, when a group of settlers set up a makeshift tent near»»»

LONDON: The University of Cambridge’s top administrator on Wednesday called a scandal over a black professor who has resigned amid accusations of plagiarism “an aberration” and vowed a thorough investigation. The prestigious British university’s former professor of sociology of education, Jason Ard»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stressed Wednesday that the Israeli army will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon. During a visit to Israeli forces in occupied southern Lebanon, he stated: "I have instructed the Israeli army to take all necessary steps for a long-term prese»»»

Lebanon's parliament on Wednesday passed an amnesty law, the first of its kind since 1991, that is expected to benefit thousands of prisoners and wanted people. The legislation is largely aimed at easing prison overcrowding but critics say it is the result of bargaining among sectarian groups and p»»»

A preliminary agreement has been reached for a new round of negotiations to be held between Lebanon and Israel at the beginning of September, sources told Al-Arabiya television. They noted that the United States is considering forming a committee comprised of officers from several countries to moni»»»

Today, high-precision air-launched weapons and strike drones engaged several targets, Russian Defense Ministry said. Fuel and lubricant storage tanks and port infrastructure facilities used for unloading and storing military-purpose cargo (in Chernomorsk)A dry cargo vessel carrying military equipme»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed efforts to strengthen regional security and stability on Tuesday, as Cairo highlighted its solidarity with Gulf states amid continued Iranian attacks. During a phone call, Prince Faisal and»»»

Kuwait: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior on Wednesday foiled a terrorist plot targeting a vital facility in the country and arrested a Kuwaiti national affiliated with Daesh before executing his plan, following intensive security monitoring and surveillance. This came in a statement by the ministry»»»

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to dialogue and diplomacy to promote peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East. A statement by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would bend every effort to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating t»»»