Hopes of a lasting peace deal between Iran and the US are fading fast following a week that has seen consistent exchange of fire between the two sides. The US resumed its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz firing at a ship that attempted to breach it. For its part, Iran retaliated by launching strike»»»

The United States and Iran continued to trade blows for a sixth day on July 16, as the foes battled over the vital Strait of Hormuz, despite a call from mediator Pakistan to resume talks. The renewed fighting and US blockade of Iranian ports came a month after a preliminary deal was signed that aim»»»

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Issues related to the use of artificial intelligence, payment systems and food security will be high on the agenda of the third Russia-Africa summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday. "Priority topics for the third summit will include information and commu»»»

The French Prime Minister along with a retinue of officials has arrived in Morocco. The choice for his first overseas trip is significant - as Paris looks to turn a diplomatic rapprochement into a broader strategic partnership with Rabat. If all goes well - Morocco's Mohammed VI could potentially v»»»

In this edition, FRANCE 24’s François Picard speaks to Léa Perruchon, Journalist with Forbidden Stories, who details how journalism, France's national security and their complex asylum policy clash. She also addresses Ephrem Yalike-Ngonzo – a participant in Russia's disinformation campaign in the C»»»

In Kenya, a court delivered a closely watched ruling this morning that had been eagerly awaited by the country's Rastafarian community. Since 2021, the court had been considering a petition seeking to decriminalise the use of cannabis by the community, which is officially recognized as a religion i»»»

BASRA: Iraq briefly suspended oil loadings on Thursday before resuming them after a drone hit an oil tanker at its Basra terminal, four Iraqi oil and security sources told Reuters. The drone did not cause damage or fire and it was not immediately clear who launched it, the sources added. The incide»»»

RIYADH: Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar on Thursday received Ambassador of Tanzania to the Kingdom Zena Ahmed Said on the occasion of her appointment. The governor wished the ambassador success in her new role. The two countries are focusing on boosting ties at all levels. In May, Saudi medica»»»

Abu Dhabi: Rain fell across parts of the UAE on Thursday, bringing brief relief from the summer heat as unstable weather developed over southern and eastern areas of the country. Showers were reported near Al Qua'a, south of Al Ain, while light drizzle was recorded in parts of Fujairah and the Shar»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company, Bahri, has opened its first integrated logistics deposit zone at Jeddah Islamic Port, expanding its supply chain capabilities. Developed by Bahri Logistics in partnership with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority and the Saudi Ports Authority, the f»»»

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Russia became second largest importer of both pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the European Union in May, having improved its position compared to April when it was the fourth on the list, according to Eurostat data examined by Sputnik. In terms of total gas supplies »»»

WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) - The US Department of War has been delaying a full investigation into the strike on a school in Iran's Minab district that killed more than 170 people, failing to launch the final phase for months, CNN reported on Thursday, citing sources. According to the report, the first t»»»

LONDON: Two British hackers behind a 2024 cyberattack on London’s public transport body which cost £29 million ($39.16 million) to fix were each sentenced on Thursday to 5-1/2 years in jail. Thalha Jubair, 20, and Owen Flowers, 18, pleaded guilty last month to hacking Transport for London (TfL), wh»»»

Dubai: The UAE Embassy in Wellington has urged Emirati citizens in New Zealand to exercise caution following a strong earthquake that struck north of the town of Te Anau, warning of the potential risk of tsunami activity. In a statement, the embassy advised UAE nationals to strictly follow safety i»»»

It will be Argentina defending its title in the World Cup final on July 19 in the United States. Lionel Messi captained his team to victory over England with Argentina scoring in the final moments of the match. It’s a story that keeps repeating itself for England the inventors of football — who hav»»»

As a visitor to the French capital, there are a lot of choices when it comes to discovering the city: walking tours, bus tours and even boat tours. In this edition, we look at another way to get around Paris: a Solex. If you don't know what a Solex is, you're not alone. Luis Leyva from Le French Wa»»»

An Italian court has found 32 defendants guilty over the deadly Genoa bridge collapse in 2018. Forty-three people ‌died when their vehicles plunged from the flyover in the port city. On the morning of August 14, 2018, during a summer storm, a 200-metre section of the bridge collapsed, sending dozen»»»

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world with some 50 million tourists exploring the French capital every year. Many visitors are coming back for a second or third time, and – having already ticked off the must-see sites – are looking for new ways to see the city. In this edition, Maud »»»

The Trump administration announced Thursday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is investing an additional $100 billion in a deal with the United States. File Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA July 16 (UPI) -- The Trump administration announced Thursday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing C»»»

Noisy-sur-École, France: French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said there would be "zero tolerance" for arson after France was hit by wildfires that have scorched thousands of hectares. Dozens of people have been arrested across the country over starting fires deliberately or by accident as »»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, met on Thursday with the Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan HE Tut Gatluak, who is visiting Qatar with an accompanying delegation. During the meet»»»

First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is due to Allah, the Most Loving (Al-Wadūd), who has commanded us to fulfil our covenants. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that our master and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is His servant and »»»

Tunis, July 16 (TAP) – The number of assaults targeting journalists increased in June compared with May, according to a report released on Thursday by the Monitoring Unit of the Professional Safety Centre of the National Syndicate of Tunisian...»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut on Thursday continued regular consultations with government ministers and discussed with First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali the state of public finances, current economic trends and the government’s priority activities aimed at preserving macroeconomi»»»

“Agricultural exports generate significant profits for the Kiev regime,” and the loss of an industry providing the bulk of the country’s foreign currency income is “a serious blow,” Institute of CIS Countries leading researcher Alexander Dudchak told Sputnik. Russian strikes on port facilities in t»»»

PARIS: France briefly considered acquiring the controversial Israeli-made Pegasus spyware from mid-2019 during a period when Morocco was trying to use it to spy on French ministers, a journalistic investigation said Thursday. An investigation by a consortium of media led by Forbidden Stories first »»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese and Israeli military officials are set to meet virtually on Friday under US sponsorship to finalize a list of pilot zones, agree on a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal from them and expand the Lebanese Army’s deployment in southern Lebanon. The technical talks follow the conclusion»»»

Digi Communications N.V. (BVB: DIGI), one of the leading European telecommunications operators, listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, announces that shares of its Spanish subsidiary, DIGI Spain Telecom S.A.U. (“DIGI Spain”), commenced trading today, 16 July 2026, on the Spanish Stock Exchanges th»»»

The Filip & Company law firm provided legal assistance to the Digi group in relation to the initial public offering and listing of shares of Digi Spain Telecom S.A.U., the group’s Spanish subsidiary, on the stock exchanges in Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, and Valencia. The company is valued at approxi»»»

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a Federal Decree transferring Major General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Hassan Al Marzooqi from the Ministry of Interior and appointing him as the Director-General of the Federal Authority for Ambulance and Civil Defence, with »»»

Dubai: The Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai has announced that all consular services will remain closed on Friday, July 17, due to maintenance work being carried out by the UAE authorities at the Consular Complex. In a public notice issued on Thursday, the consulate informed Pakistani nationa»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on Thursday with representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Office in Serbia and attended the signing of a two-year agreement on cooperation for 2026-2027 that will contribute to advancement of health protection, strengthening of institu»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign AI strategy has been highlighted in an international report, with the Kingdom cited as an example of how governments are building national AI capabilities. The report, “Securing Nations in the Intelligent Economy: Turning AI and Quantum Disruption into Strategic Adv»»»

DHAKA: The Bangladesh government is working on a partnership with Saudi Arabia on strategic projects, officials have said, following a meeting of the Kingdom’s Deputy Minister of Transport Rumaih Al-Rumaih with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. Al-Rumaih and his delegation met with the prime »»»

RABAT: France ​and Morocco are seeking expressions of ‌interest ‌for ​an ‌electricity ⁠interconnection project ​between the ⁠two countries as part ⁠of ‌broader ‌efforts ​to strengthen energy ‌connections ‌between Europe and ‌North Africa, French Prime Minister ⁠Sébastien ⁠Lecornu said in Rabat.»»»

NEW DELHI: India’s maritime regulator has barred ship owners, managers and recruitment agencies from sending Indian nationals to work on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz following a rise in deadly attacks by US and Iranian forces. Ten civilian ships staffed by Indian seafarers — MT Settebell»»»

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Thursday that there is no immediate prospect of resuming peace talks with Ukraine, though it said that Russia remains open to the idea of negotiations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was appreciative of Turkiye’s willingness to help peace efforts, but no new»»»

The fate of Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov hangs in the balance. Less than a year on the job he has already won a reputation as a radical reformer and cracked down on corruption in the notoriously venal procurement process but is also despised by the bulk of Ukraine’s military elite as»»»

RIYADH: The King Salman Royal Reserve has announced a new scientific breakthrough after researchers documented the behavior of a rare Arabian toad, marking what is believed to be the first observation of its kind in the wild. The discovery was made by a team of environmental specialists during a fi»»»

President Donald Trump fires a U.S. attorney in Seattle less than an hour after being sworn in. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 16 (UPI) -- A federal prosecutor in Seattle was fired by President Donald Trump less than one hour after being sworn in. Roger Rogoff, a longtime prosec»»»

Ukrainians protested in their thousand central Kyiv and other cities across the country on Thursday calling for the reinstatement of sacked Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (pictured) ahead of a vote in parliament to replace him with Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. Photo by Olivier Matthys/EPA Ju»»»

Washington, United States: The United States has announced a new 25 percent tariff on various imports from Brazil, accusing the Latin American giant of unfair trade practices and policies. The levy is set to come into effect on July 22 and is shaping up as a major campaign flashpoint three months b»»»

Damascus, July 16 (SANA) Head of the Syrian General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport Omar Hosari said the newly signed air transport agreement with Germany establishes the legal framework for restoring direct air links between the two countries after years of suspension. In a post on »»»

RIYADH: The world will witness one of the longest total solar eclipses of the 21st century, on Aug. 2. It will be a rare astronomical event not seen in Saudi Arabia for more than 75 years that will temporarily turn daylight into darkness. The path of totality will cross large parts of western and s»»»

Madrid: Spain's nuclear safety regulator on Thursday backed extending the operating life of the country's largest atomic power plant to 2030, beyond the government's planned 2028 shutdown. The Almaraz plant, which contributes around seven percent of Spain's electricity production, is slated to clos»»»

Al Ain: The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has temporarily closed Take Restaurant in Al Ain after inspectors identified repeated food safety violations that posed a risk to public health. The establishment, which operates under commercial licence CN-2554094, was ordered to»»»

Wizz Air is marking two decades of operations in Romania with an expanded fleet, a 50 percent market share, and plans to offer approximately 18 million seats on the local market in 2026. The airline is now prioritising higher frequencies and greater network resilience, while preparing additional ro»»»

Dubai: The United States appears to be shifting from trying to degrade Iran’s military capabilities to considering operations that could fundamentally weaken Tehran’s ability to control the Strait of Hormuz, marking what could be a new phase in the conflict. As President Donald Trump weighs broader»»»

Athens: The mayor of Athens on Thursday said construction of a new line for the city's subway network had been halted for safety tests after dozens of residents reported damage to their flats. Haris Doukas told reporters that "the tunnel boring machine has stopped" in the central district of Kypsel»»»

Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the 4th largest jewellery retailer globally with over 445 showrooms across 14 countries, had the privilege of being one of the first importers of jewellery under the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force on 15 July 2026. The shipment of the inaugural co»»»