Colombo: Sri Lanka plans to open a new prison in a disused hospital building, the justice ministry announced Wednesday after a riot killed 20 inmates and eight guards at an overcrowded jail. The deadly violence has intensified scrutiny of Sri Lanka's chronically overcrowded jails, with official fig»»»

DUBAI: Nearly 9,300 cases of chickenpox were reported in Gaza in just two weeks, with over half in Khan Younis alone, according to a recent report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “The situation remains critical, with an urgent need to restore supplies to prevent furth»»»

JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is planning a pilot “humanitarian zone” in southern Gaza which would aim to accommodate tens of thousands of vetted Palestinian civilians, a board official told AFP. The official said the zone could act as a “starting point” for the Palestinian »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iran Warns US Bears Full Responsibility of Escalating Tensions 08-07-2026 11:55 AM Iranian Foreign Ministry HQ in Tehran (image from archiv»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Sports and Youth has highlighted a wide range of programmes designed to empower young people and strengthen their participation in national and international platforms, reaffirming its commitment to placing youth at the centre of policymaking and development as Qatar ma»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Foreign Trade, H E Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, held meetings with the heads of several international organisations, where discussions focused on ways to strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, as well as a number of economic and trade is»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Council of Economic and Development Affairs held a meeting via video conference, during which it reviewed the monthly report from the Ministry of Economy and Planning. The report included the most prominent developments in the global economic landscape, its growth prospects i»»»

Dubai: Emirates Group has received the UAE’s highest federal recognition for sustainable business impact for the second consecutive cycle, after a year in which the aviation group expanded fuel-saving measures, sustainable aviation fuel purchases, solar energy projects and recycling initiatives acr»»»

Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemned Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker ‘Wedyan’ as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, as well as its attack on the Qatari tanker ‘Al Rekayyat’, stressing that these unacceptable attacks constitute an assault on the security and safety of international nav»»»

It is crucial for Western nations to engage with Afghanistan to prevent the country from sliding back into instability that could have repercussions far beyond its borders, two top United Nations officials said. “The lesson of (the) recent past is that ignoring Afghanistan is not a good thing to do»»»

LONDON: Along a stretch of desert where smugglers’ convoys often move as freely as state patrols, the borders separating Libya, Tunisia and Algeria have become the front line of a rapidly changing regional security crisis. Arms traffickers, extremist groups and migrant smuggling networks now operat»»»

RIYADH: The UN Human Rights Council unanimously adopted a resolution submitted by Saudi Arabia on empowering women in cybersecurity during its 62nd session on Tuesday, drawing praise from the Muslim World League and other Islamic organizations. The resolution builds on the “Women Empowerment in Cyb»»»

Agencies Worldwide foreign direct investment rose in 2025 after two years of decline, the United Nations said Tuesday, warning though that the recovery was “narrow, fragile and uneven”. Foreign direct investment (FDI) swelled by 6.0 percent last year to $1.6 trillion, according to the UN Trade and »»»

DOHA: Several Gulf and Arab countries have strongly condemned the attack on the Qatari oil tanker 'Al Rekayyat' while it was transiting near the Strait of Hormuz, describing the incident as a serious violation of international law and a threat to international maritime navigation and global energy »»»

RIYADH: Saudi ministers discussed various regional and national issues during a Cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Council of Ministers discussed Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Counter-Terrorism Week at the UN last week, highlighting the Kingd»»»

Doha: The State of Qatar strongly condemned the targeting of the Saudi tanker 'Wedyan' as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, calling the incident a grave violation of international maritime safety, a direct threat to global energy supplies, and a clear breach of international law. In a statement is»»»

Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemned Iran's targeting of the Saudi tanker 'Wedyan' as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, as well as its attack on the Qatari tanker 'Al Rekayyat', stressing that these unacceptable attacks constitute an assault on the security and safety of internat»»»

NEW YORK CITY: The UN’s top official for Lebanon began a visit to Israel on Tuesday for talks with senior officials on consolidating the cessation of hostilities and advancing implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, as humanitarian agencies warned that conditions on the ground in Lebano»»»

LONDON: An Omani space technology startup won a bronze award at the International Telecommunication Union’s AI for Good initiative in Geneva on Tuesday. Oman Lens was recognized for its participation in an international project themed “Eradicating Hunger,” which focused on using AI to analyze agric»»»

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the hostile Iranian attack which targeted Qatar’s Al Rakeyyat vessel while transiting near the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reaffirmed that the attack constitutes a grave threat to t»»»

LONDON: Israeli forces raided several Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday, according to media reports. The Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing local sources, reported that Israeli troops raided homes belonging to the Al-Ziraa and Al-Shakhshir families in an area b»»»

Nearly 20 years after taking power in Gaza, Hamas said on Monday it would hand over control of the territory to a committee of Palestinian technocrats. The move is a bid to get the ball rolling on the second phase of a peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump and wrest some control of the ter»»»

Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla speaks at a press conference in Asuncion, Paraguay,on Tuesday, addressing the controversy over her remarks about French soccer player Kylian Mbappe and called on the French captain to retract comments he made in response. Photo by Juan Pablo Pino/EPA ASUNCIÓN, Pa»»»

NEW YORK CITY: UN experts on Tuesday called on Israel to immediately release Palestinian physician Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and all health and care workers held in what they described as arbitrary detention. The experts said Abu Safiya’s continued detention without charge or trial reflects Israel’s sy»»»

Geneva: A Paraguayan lawmaker's "racist and dehumanising" remarks about France's football World Cup star Kylian Mbappe were "despicable", but regrettably not isolated, the United Nations said Tuesday. "Reports of racist incidents during the FIFA World Cup 2026 reflect a wider phenomenon across foot»»»

GENEVA: Misinformation and hate speech are inciting harm to refugees, with artificial intelligence exacerbating the spread, the United Nations warned Monday, as it urged tech giants to help turn the tide. However, if handled the right way, AI could be put to good use in managing humanitarian crises»»»

LONDON: Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, the foreign minister of the Palestinian Authority, met Yvette Cooper, the UK’s foreign secretary, in London on Monday to discuss developments in the Palestinian territories. Shahin said that last year’s recognition of Palestine by the UK had been a crucial step tow»»»

China has urged the US to end its decades-long blockade and sanctions against Cuba, condemning Washington’s “coercion and pressure.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the remarks on Monday when asked about Cuba’s request for a special session of the UN General Assembly, scheduled f»»»

Paris, France: The current El Nino weather phenomenon is expected to break records for its overall strength, a top expert said Tuesday, as regions face the risk of droughts, floods and other extremes linked to the event. El Nino warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacif»»»

GENEVA: The president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, met with UNESCO Director General Khaled El-Enany in Geneva. The meeting took place during the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, held on the sidelines of the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva. The tw»»»

GENEVA: The president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, met with UNESCO Director General Khaled El-Enany in Geneva. The meeting took place during the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, held on the sidelines of the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva. The tw»»»

RIYADH: The Saudi Green Building Forum organized an official sideline event at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at UN headquarters in New York. The event, held in cooperation with international partners, had the theme, “Celebrating the Impact of Volunteering: Youth Leadersh»»»

The Muslim Council of Elders is participating in the inaugural edition of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, organised by the United Nations on 6th-7th July, in Geneva, Switzerland. The event brings together government leaders, UN officials, representatives of the private sector, academia, and c»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia jumped to 13th place globally in attracting foreign direct investment in 2025, climbing from 17th the previous year, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. In its latest report, UNCTAD said that the Kingdom attracted FDI amounting to $33 billion in 2025, repre»»»

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jean Arnault, began Tuesday an official visit to Israel, his office said. He is scheduled to meet with senior Israeli officials for discussions on “the importance of consolidating the cessation of hostilities and the implementation of Security Cou»»»

LONDON: Just 17 percent of people in the UK think Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, according to a new poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Council for Arab-British Understanding. Fifty percent of respondents said they believe genocide is taking place, with the remainder unsure. The f»»»

Doha, Qatar: The international community is turning its spotlight to the Swiss city of Geneva, which is hosting the Global Dialogue on AI Governance on July 6-7, 2026. The event convenes representatives from member states, governments, international organizations, the private sector, academic circl»»»

CARACAS: The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to 3,535, authorities said on Monday, while nearly 18,000 people remain homeless more than a week after the disaster struck the capital and nearby coastal areas. Top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said the latest official tally showed 16»»»

GENEVA: A UN human rights body on Monday called Israel’s detention of Gazan doctor Hussam Abu Safiya arbitrary and urged his immediate release, as rights groups and his lawyer warned that his life was in imminent danger. In its finding, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that Israel’s»»»

RIYADH: The Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) signed a memorandum of understanding in Riyadh on Monday to strengthen cooperation on land rehabilitation and vegetation cover development across the region. The agreement was signed u»»»

The death toll from the back-to-back earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 3,535, official figures released on Monday showed. More than 17,000 people have been left homeless by the twin disasters. The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,535, with more than 1»»»

The deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 500 people, the UN health agency's figures showed Monday. Healthcare workers in Ituri province, the heart of the outbreak, on Sunday issued a 24-hour notice threatening to strike if the government did not improve the»»»

GENEVA: The UN aid chief held a phone call Monday with Sudan’s RSF paramilitary leader on hostilities around El-Obeid, and stressed the need for sustained humanitarian access to the city, his agency said. Tom Fletcher spoke to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces, “to discuss»»»

LONDON: Israel’s row with the UN intensified this month after the world body formally added it to a list of parties accused of conflict-related sexual violence, a move that drew a blistering rebuke from its ambassador and renewed criticism of the UN’s handling of the Gaza war. At a June 19 General »»»

AMMAN — A decline in women’s participation in the labour market could have implications for Jordan’s productivity and long-term growth, according to a UN report.According to a new policy brief by the UN Women Arab States office, women account for around 16 per cent of Jordan's labour force, warning»»»

New York: The UAE participated in United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week, held from 29 June to 2 July 2026. The event convened under the theme “A Future Free from Terrorism: Consolidating the Global Commitment to Multi-Stakeholder Approaches to Counter Terrorism through Member States' Leadership and»»»

RIYADH: Yemen’s armed forces are prepared to handle any field development or escalation by the Houthi militia, spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdu Majly has said. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he condemned the “direct Iranian meddling” in Yemen, which he said was a threat to regional and international secur»»»

LONDON: A delegation from the Syrian Arab Republic is participating in the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, as the country seeks to rebuild and reconnect with the global economy. The delegation, which is led by Khaled Al-Homsi, director general of Syria’s T»»»

Geneva: More than 500 people have now died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, World Health Organization figures showed Monday. Newly updated figures from the UN health agency showed that in the DR Congo, there have been 1,561 confirmed cases in the outbreak declared in mid-M»»»

LONDON: The Israeli military said on Sunday that it had detained several Israeli settlers who tried to cross into Syrian territory through the Mount Hermon area. The group, which calls itself the Bashan Pioneers, posted a brief video on Instagram earlier on Sunday saying its members were “marching »»»