OCHA confirms limited improvement in aid entry to Gaza
New York: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday confirmed a limited improvement in the flow of essential supplies into the Gaza Strip recently, despite acknowledging that humanitarian needs remain immense as the population continues to rely heavily »»»
World Bank approves $100 million grant to modernize Syria’s financial sector
LONDON: The World Bank on Friday approved a $100 million grant to help the Syrian Arab Republic build a modern, secure and digitally enabled financial sector. The grant from the International Development Association will finance the Syria Financial Sector Modernization Project, which aims to make t»»»
Palestinian patients face mounting barriers to care in West Bank as NGOs struggle to fill widening gap
LONDON: Sujood Faroun, 29, a mother of two young children, suffered cardiac arrest in late July as an ambulance rushed her toward a hospital in Ramallah. But at the edge of her hometown of Sinjil, the ambulance encountered a closed Israeli army gate guarded by soldiers. Her husband pleaded for help»»»
Exclusive: WFP to extend Palantir contract despite concerns raised in leaked audit
The UN's World Food Programme is finalizing a five-year renewal of its contract with US data software firm Palantir despite “key privacy concerns” raised in a leaked 2025 internal audit. The audit, seen by PassBlue and FRANCE 24, reveals UN misgivings about allowing Palantir to process data for the»»»
US appeals court halts construction of Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project
A federal appeals court on Friday ordered US President Donald Trump’s administration to stop construction of its $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House's demolished East Wing. The court added that a president cannot fundamentally reshape the White House without congressional»»»
Indonesia battles Mount Bromo wildfire
MALANG: Indonesian authorities battled Friday to contain a wildfire that has swept through Mount Bromo National Park on Java island, destroying more than 120 hectares as the country braces itself for an extreme El Nino-fueled dry season. The fire started Monday near Mount Bromo in East Java, one of»»»
'DRC's largest Ebola outbreak on record: Active conflict and armed groups hamper the response'
Sharon Gaffney is pleased to welcome Heather Kerr, Country Director for Congo at the International Rescue Committee. The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is unprecedented, not simply because of its scale, but because it spread undetected for months before it was correc»»»
President of Sopot: Without Airbnb city will divide into tourist ghettos
Poland’s Ministry of Sports and Tourism is considering giving municipalities greater powers to regulate short-term rentals, including Airbnb-style properties. Options include creating restricted zones, introducing licensing systems and setting occupancy limits based on apartment size to prevent ove»»»
Developer drought coming for offices
Poland’s office development pipeline has fallen to historic lows, with less than 200,000 sq. m of new space expected annually in 2026-2027, compared with 700,000 sq. m completed in 2020. Despite the slowdown, the commercial real estate market remains active. Office investment reached EUR 549 mln in»»»
Pole will lead Scandinavia hotel chain Puro Hotell Holding
Przemysław Wieczorek has been appointed president of PURO Hotels and CEO of Puro Hotell Holding, effective from the beginning of August. The management change comes as the Polish hotel chain prepares for its first international openings. Wieczorek, who has been involved with PURO since its launch, »»»
Rental market has negotiable climate but rents high anyway
Poland’s rental housing market is becoming more balanced as a steady supply of listings and weaker demand improve tenants’ negotiating position. According to a Morizon-Gratka survey, 56.4% of respondents consider the number of available rentals balanced or high, suggesting there is no major shortag»»»
PIE: labor costs biggest barrier for companies
Labor costs, economic uncertainty and rising energy prices remain the biggest obstacles facing Polish businesses, according to the Polish Economic Institute’s Monthly Business Climate Index. Labor costs have ranked as the leading barrier since late 2023, cited by about two-thirds of companies, whil»»»
More than 900,000 unemployed recorded in Ministry of Labor estimates
Poland’s registered unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.9% in July from 5.8% in June, according to estimates from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy. At the end of the month, 907,300 unemployed people were registered with labor offices, up 5,800, or 0.6%, from June and 76,500, or 9.2%»»»
OCA, CANOC sign cooperation agreement promoting closer sporting ties
BARCELONA: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) have signed an agreement to foster closer sporting ties between the two regions. OCA President, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani signed on behalf of the Asian governing body while CAN»»»
U.S. sanctions crypto exchanges for laundering Iranian military assets - UPI.com
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran uses a sprawling network of corporate entities to obscure the origin of the funds and launder money to benefit the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, leading to sanctions. File Photo by Graeme Sloan/UPI | License Photo Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The Trump administrat»»»
US tightens travel rules for people returning from Ebola-hit regions
WASHINGTON: The US is temporarily restricting travel for certain passengers who recently visited Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in an effort to reduce the risk of Ebola transmission. The measures are a part of US public health protocols for travelers arriving from a»»»
How settler violence and settlement expansion are impacting life across the West Bank
LONDON: The morning after Israeli settlers descended on Khirbet Al-Tuba, a small shepherding community in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank, the silence was broken only by the crunch of ash underfoot. Three homes had been reduced to blackened shells and several defaced with Hebrew gr»»»
Syria condemns Houthi militia attack on Najran, reaffirms solidarity with Saudi Arabia
Damascus, Aug. 7 (SANA) The Syrian Arab Republic on Friday strongly condemned attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against civilian infrastructure in the Najran region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, saying the assault, which injured several civilians, constituted a flagrant violation of the K»»»
US official: We expect a deal soon between Iran and Oman on Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON: Progress is being made between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz and “we expect a deal soon,” a US official told Reuters on Friday. Once a deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift its blockade of Iranian ports, the of»»»
Plovdiv Court Leaves Teenage Killers in Custody
The Plovdiv District Court has left in custody five teenagers arrested in connection with the killing of a 37-year-old man in the city on August 4. The judges explained their decision by the particularly cruel nature of the crime. The hearing was held behind closed doors. A total of 10 teenagers ag»»»
UK-funded, British Steel-supplied Ankara-Izmir railway project quarter complete after 13 years
The material completion of the Turkish government’s 503-kilometre (313-mile) Ankara to Izmir high-speed rail project stands at just 24%, daily Birgun has reported. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) broke ground on the ambitious project in 2013. Back then, the transport minis»»»
Qatar welcomes release of 15 detainees under Doha Peace Process for Eastern DR Congo
DOHA: The State of Qatar has welcomed the release of 15 detainees by the Congolese authorities and the facilitation by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of their transfer and handover to the Congo River Alliance/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) on August 6 and 7, under the mechanism fo»»»
Israeli fuel denials risk hospital and bakery closures in Gaza, UN warns; shelter aid also still restricted
NEW YORK CITY: Repeated rejections by Israeli authorities of requests to bring engine oil into Gaza threaten to shut down critical operations at hospitals, water-pumping stations and bakeries, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned. Even though overall aid deliveries in»»»
Diaz inspires Bayern to friendly win over Villa
HONG KONG: A wondergoal from Luis Diaz powered a youthful Bayern Munich to a 2-1 win over Aston Villa in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong on Friday. Diaz starred in Colombia’s run to the World Cup last-16 and the winger lit up a sometimes scrappy game between last season’s German double-winners a»»»
Rwanda in ‘initial’ migration talks with European nations
KIGALI: Rwanda and some European nations are holding migration talks, Kigali’s spokesperson said Friday, a week after dramatic scenes of thousands crossing the Morocco-Spain border reignited the migration debate in Europe. In June European lawmakers approved tougher migration rules, notably enablin»»»
Spain imposes border controls for Italy: Ministry
Spain will introduce temporary border checks on travellers from Italy in response to Rome imposing similar measures after a mass migrant rush into Ceuta, the interior ministry said on Friday. The checks, which come "amid the persistent irregular migration pressure" facing Italy, will start at midni»»»
Senate passes bill sanctioning Russia, Iran - UPI.com
The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Friday that imposes new sanctions on Iran and on Russia for its war with Ukraine. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., cosponsored the bill with late Sen. Lindsey Graham. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Fri»»»
Mexican national admits laundering nearly $2M in U.S. drug proceeds - UPI.com
Daniel Gordiano Valenzuela transferred the funds from drug sales in the united States to Mexico through cryptocurrency and wire transfers, the U.S. Justice Department said. Photo by https://kaboompics.compexels Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A Mexican national pleaded guilty in the United States to participating »»»
Where We Are Going Today: Joan’s Bakery in Jeddah
Joan’s Bakery in Al Shatea has a relaxed atmosphere that is ideal for a quiet coffee break or catching up with friends. Located just a short drive from the Jeddah Corniche, the place offers a range of freshly baked goods, specialty coffee, smoothies and other cold drinks. The bakery built its name »»»
Enough with ‘theater diplomacy’ – Iran’s top negotiator Ghalibaf tells Trump
US President Donald Trump should curb his “theater diplomacy” as it will not work with Iran, Tehran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has said. Trump announced on Saturday that he had called off a planned attack on Iran, which, according to him, would have been on a scale “not seen since »»»
OCA, CANOC sign cooperation agreement promoting closer sporting ties
Barcelona: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) have signed an agreement to foster closer sporting ties between the two regions. OCA President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani signed on behalf of the Asian governing body while CANO»»»
Saudi minister receives Kazakhstan’s deputy foreign minister
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs and General Supervisor of the Economic and Development Affairs Deputyship Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issagaliyev and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they »»»
Nigerian artist transforms ordinary clay into intricate works of art
In his Lagos studio, Nigerian artist Emmanuel Olatunde is transforming the way portraits are painted, using clay sourced from the earth beneath his feet. The 39-year-old artist has developed a unique technique that turns natural clay into paint, using his background in science and his passion for a»»»
Chinese brands continue expansion into Polish market
Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding in Poland, accounting for a record 15.5% of new passenger car registrations in July 2026, up from 14.9% in June. BYD nearly tripled registrations in the first seven months of the year to 6,600, while MG and Omoda remained the largest Chinese brands by volume»»»
WSJ: Putin may carry out limited attack on one NATO country
New U.S. intelligence assessments suggest Russian President Vladimir Putin could test NATO’s resolve within the next few years through a limited attack on a member state, according to The Wall Street Journal. Possible scenarios range from cyberattacks and operations by unmarked armed groups to a li»»»
Saudi Crown Prince, Turkish President discuss ties, regional updates
Makkah: Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia HH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met in Makkah on Friday with President of Turkiye HE Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both sides reviewed aspects of bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them in addition to key regional developme»»»
Winemakers across Europe face the challenges of climate change
Winegrowers in France are harvesting their grapes unusually early this season because of the effects of climate change. While the rising global temperatures offer a new chance for winemakers in northern and Scandinavian countries, experts say it’s too early to expect a drastic shift in the viticult»»»
In pictures: Drought exposes Word War II ships, strands boats as Europe’s river levels plunge
Water levels on the Danube River, the second longest in Europe, have dropped so low due to drought and extreme heat over the summer that the hulls of dozens of German warships from World War II are emerging into view and the remains of an ancient mammoth were uncovered in Romania. In Germany, fishi»»»
Kerala passenger arrested after mid-flight exit attempt
A passenger was arrested after allegedly trying to open the emergency exit door of a Batik Air flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi while the aircraft was in the air, police said. The incident took place on Batik Air flight OD231 on Wednesday night. The aircraft landed safely at Cochin International A»»»
Germany holds security meeting over explosive drone amid Russia protest
BERLIN: Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened Germany’s national security council Friday to discuss an explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian cargo plane and the mid-air collision of another aircraft with an unidentified object this week. While Germany has not blamed anyone for the incident at L»»»
WHO urges Ervebo vaccine trial in DR Congo Ebola outbreak
GENEVA: WHO vaccine experts on Friday recommended a full-scale human trial of the only existing approved Ebola vaccine to see if it offers cross-protection against the strain spreading in the DR Congo. The Ervebo vaccine has proven safe and efficacious against the more common Zaire strain of Ebola »»»
Saudi intelligence chief visits Baghdad for talks on regional security
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's General Intelligence chief Khalid Al-Humaidan visited Baghdad on Friday for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi on regional security and bilateral cooperation. During the meeting, Al-Humaidan conveyed a message from the Saudi leadership renewing an invitation for Al-»»»
AfCFTA signs $3.1bn deal to modernise customs across Africa
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has signed a 20-year, $3.1bn concession agreement with Nigerian technology company Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited to modernise customs administration across Africa. The agreement, signed in Abuja on August 6, will supp»»»
Israeli Channel 15: The Israeli army concealed that Hezbollah launched a drone over the past 24 hours toward an Israeli army force in southern Lebanon - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Channel 15: The Israeli army concealed that Hezbollah launched a drone over the past 24 hours toward an Israeli army force in south»»»
MACRO ADVISORY: Russia’s August Angst - 2026
One of our quirkier rituals is to write every year about why Russians view August as some sort of cursed month and to highlight what could happen this year. Or, to paraphrase (ex US Secretary of Defence) Donald Rumsfeld, the “known knowns” and, possibly, the “known unknowns”. But, of course, it is »»»
Russia builds crypto infrastructure, adopts regulation
Russia's Sber is launching crypto trading infrastructure against the backdrop of tightening Western sanctions. Meanwhile, a recently enacted crypto bill is making crypto settlements legal for Russian companies involved in export and import transactions, while making it more difficult for regular ci»»»
Ukraine loses more than half its Kyiv-region warehouse space to Russian strikes
Russia has destroyed more than half of the Kyiv region's pre-war warehouse capacity since its full-scale invasion began, after strikes overnight on August 5 hit 10 warehouse facilities totalling about 100,000 square metres, according to Ukrainian real estate analysts cited by Ukraine Business News.»»»
US Shoots Itself in Foot With Bill on Secondary Sanctions Against Russia - Senator Paul
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US would be shooting itself in the foot with its new bill on secondary sanctions against Russia, Republican Senator Rand Paul said in an article published on Friday. Earlier in the day, the Senate voted 86-11 to pass the bill spearheaded by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (w»»»
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan enter new defense pact - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sign a trilateral defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Friday. Photo by Turkish Presidency/UPI | License Photo Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Officials from Turkey, Saudi Ara»»»
US court orders halt to Trump ballroom construction
An appeals court on Friday upheld an order halting work on Donald Trump's prized White House ballroom, setting up another battle in the Supreme Court over the limits of presidential authority. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, which had allowed construction to continue while it considered»»»