RIYADH: Foreign direct investment in Oman rose 8.7 percent year on year by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to 32.19 billion Omani rials ($83.7 billion), according to preliminary official data. Figures from the National Centre for Statistics and Information showed a continued concentration of f»»»

New Delhi: The wife of an Indian hunger strike activist taken to hospital against his will accused the government on Sunday of "illegal detention" disguised as medical care. Police cited a court order and "deteriorating health condition" on Saturday when they picked up Sonam Wangchuk, who had refus»»»

Lebanon President Joseph Aoun arrived in the US capital for an official visit at the invitation of President Donald Trump, but the welcome awaiting him at Andrews Air Force Base appeared far more restrained than the “significance” attached to the trip. Aoun and First Lady Neemat Aoun were received »»»

Tokyo: Indian badminton star Pusarla Venkata Sindhu ended a title drought of almost two years at the Japan Open on Sunday and said winning would give her "a lot of confidence". Sindhu, a world champion in 2019 and Olympic silver medallist in 2016, beat Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in Tokyo »»»

Andy Burnham arrives in Downing Street with something few incoming British prime ministers enjoy - political momentum and public goodwill. After years away from Westminster, the former Greater Manchester mayor has returned to national politics promising to revive the economy, spread opportunity bey»»»

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it intercepted and destroyed a US MQ9 drone in Ahvaz, a city in the eastern Khuzestan region that borders Iraq, Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB reported on Sunday. An MQ-9 is a large, remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicle designed primarily for intelligence, sur»»»

TAIF: The second round of the 2026 Saudi Toyota Championship Hill Climb ended on Saturday after 46 competitors battled it out in 10 classes, in addition to the Ladies Cup taking place. The event was held under the supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation at Aqabat Al-Muhammadiy»»»

ALMATY: The UAE Women’s Jiu-Jitsu National Team continued the country’s strong campaign at the 10th Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship by winning six medals in the women’s competition on Saturday at Almaty Arena in Kazakhstan. The two gold, one silver and three bronze medals took the UAE’s overall tally »»»

Doha, Qatar: Lionel Messi has dazzled once again on football’s biggest stage and now stands just one victory away from ending his remarkable World Cup journey in perfect fashion as defending champions Argentina take on European champions Spain in what promises to be a spectacular FIFA World Cup fin»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stars League has announced the schedule for first half of the top flight Qatar Stars League 2026-27 season which begins on August 20th. The dates and timings of matches for the first three weeks have been finalised. The schedule for matches from week four through week eleven »»»

On July 19, 2010, a speeding express train slammed into the rear of a train preparing to leave a West Bengal station in India, killing more than 60 people and injuring about 100 others. 1 of 5 | Members of the emergency services work at the site of a train accident near Sainthia station in India on»»»

The Hungarian government has announced a major overhaul of environmental and corporate tax rules that is expected to have significant implications for companies from China operating in the country’s fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) industry. Government unveils sweeping reforms affecting battery a»»»

Dubai: Gwendoline Meliz Soriano of Baguio City was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2026 during the 62nd Binibining Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night, held Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Soriano, who also won the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards during the coronati»»»

JAKARTA: Five survivors from a passenger boat that sank off eastern Indonesia, including a seven-year-old girl, have been rescued after floating at sea for three days, a rescue official said on Sunday. The vessel, which was carrying more than 70 people, sank on Wednesday as it sailed near Selayar, »»»

Egypt’s industrial economy is confronting a new frontier of climate risk, with rising temperatures threatening not only worker productivity but also machinery reliability, energy security and investor confidence. Heat stress is already draining productivity and hiking maintenance costs in industrie»»»

Kyiv, Ukraine: Russian strikes killed one person and wounded 13 others in Ukraine's capital on Sunday after Kyiv launched a deadly wave of drones that struck e-commerce warehouses in Russia. The latest bombardment highlights a dual challenge for Ukraine in its fifth year of war, facing almost daily»»»

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters slammed Western governments for pushing for war with Russia and banning RT so the warmongering “propaganda of the ruling class” can be freely disseminated. Appearing on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, published on Friday, Waters expressed dismay that “some people in the»»»

New York City Mayor Zohran Mandani said his government is reviewing whether it could legally arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over accusations of war crimes. Photo by Anna Connors/UPI | License Photo July 18 (UPI) -- New York City Mayor Zohran Mandani on Saturday said his government»»»

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, whose social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarizing Internet personalities, were arrested Saturday in Miami as British authorities sought their extradition on rape and sex trafficking ch»»»

MIAMI: England beat France 6-4 in a chaotic World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday as Kylian Mbappe became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. Both teams had higher aspirations at the 2026 tournament but suffered painful semifinal exits — France were outplayed by Spain while Englan»»»

Miami, United States: England beat France 6-4 in a chaotic World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday as Kylian Mbappe became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. Both teams had higher aspirations at the 2026 tournament but suffered painful semi-final exits -- France were outplayed by S»»»

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Kylian Mbappé moved past Lionel Messi for the career World Cup scoring record on Saturday, scoring twice for France in the third-place match against England to reach 22 goals. Mbappé has 10 goals in this World Cup, two more than Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, which i»»»

Agencies New York Spain and Argentina will both be aiming to create more history when they square off in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Lionel Messi’s Argentina are bidding to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back FIFA World Cups»»»

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for a coup attempt, was placed under further restrictions on Friday for breaching conditions of his house arrest. File Photo by Andre Borger/EPA-EFE July 18 (UPI) -- Brazil's top court on Saturday denied a request from for»»»

Agencies East Rutherford Spain and Argentina will both be aiming to create more history when they square off in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Lionel Messi’s Argentina are bidding to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back FIFA Wor»»»

Darlene Regis Broadway Princess. People’s Choice Award winner. Pinoy Popstar Qatar Top 15 finalist. At just 17 years old, Marthylda Jameel Flores has already earned accolades that have established her as one of the Filipino community’s most promising young performers in Qatar. But beyond the titles»»»

LONDON: Once a bustling trading hub linking Darfur, Kordofan, and central Sudan, El-Obeid now finds itself trapped in an ever-tightening noose as the Rapid Support Forces gradually impose a siege that could echo the horrors of El-Fasher. Warnings of what may lie ahead intensified on Wednesday when »»»

A landslide in central China has killed eight people, and 34 are still missing. Image courtesy of UPI July 18 (UPI) -- At least eight people are dead and 34 are missing after a massive landslide fell in Chongqing, China, Friday morning. Rocks and soil slid down the mountain and buried more than 10 »»»

MUSCAT: Qatar advanced to the semifinals of the Second West Asia Men's Volleyball Championship, currently underway in Muscat, Oman. The team secured the second victory of the tournament by defeating Kuwait in straight sets in Group A. The tournament runs through July 22. Qatar's players sealed the »»»

Dubai: Several participants have walked away with cash prizes in the latest UAE Lottery Lucky Day draw held on Saturday. In Lucky Day Draw No. 260718, the winning numbers in the Days section were 13, 8, 10, 30, 31, 22, while the winning number in the Months section was 2. Three lucky participants h»»»

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is in talks over whether to try to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an upcoming UN summit, he said in an interview published Saturday -- prompting a sharp rebuke from Netanyahu's camp. "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague»»»

Karim Malash, chairperson and chief executive officer of M squared, has been named one of CNBC Arabia’s Top 100 Business Leaders for 2026. The ranking identifies executives, founders, and innovators based on their measurable performance and tangible impact on Middle Eastern economies and markets, r»»»

Jens Spahn, the parliamentary head of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU faction, resigned on Saturday amid mounting pressure over his use of a surrogate mother in the US despite a surrogacy ban in Germany. Spahn and his husband welcomed the child earlier this week, sparking criticism»»»

Poland’s Air Navigation Services Agency has challenged Pfizer in a Brussels court over the seizure of funds linked to Eurocontrol air traffic fees. The agency was not a party to the vaccine contract at the center of Pfizer’s approximately €1.3 bn claim against Poland. Polish authorities argue that »»»

The National Bank of Poland kept its reference rate unchanged at 3.75% in July, but a rate cut later in 2026 remains possible. According to the Polish Economic Institute, the decision will depend mainly on the conflict in the Middle East and its effect on energy prices. The NBP expects inflation to»»»

US President Donald Trump’s social network Truth Social will start selling investors early access to posts from prominent accounts, most likely including his own, the holding company has announced. Critics argue that the move could create an unprecedented new way for the president to profit from hi»»»

The EU is set to use a multibillion-euro antitrust fine imposed on Google to help ease pressure on the bloc’s budget after years of increased military spending and aid for Ukraine. The US tech giant has paid €4.6 billion ($5.4 billion), including interest, after losing a years-long legal battle ove»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said former foreign minister Peter Szijjarto's appointment at Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD would not affect the government's relationship with the company, but raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest, Index.hu wrote after Magyar's July 16 pre»»»

Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has signed the 17th amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law, confirming that his own presidential mandate will end the day after the legislation is officially published in the Hungarian Gazette. Sulyok announced the decision on his Facebook page on Saturday. The amen»»»

Construction has begun on the Big Boy high-rise in Gdańsk’s Przymorze Wielkie district. Developed by the Hossa Group, the building was originally announced in 2007 as a 202-meter tower but was later reduced to 99 meters. It will have 29 above-ground floors, one underground level, and nearly 25,000 »»»

Construction of Galeria Podhalańska in Nowy Targ is nearing completion, and leasing has begun. The shopping and entertainment center will offer about 80 stores across 25,000 square meters, along with a multiplex cinema, family areas, and a food court overlooking the Tatra Mountains. An underground »»»

NEW DELHI: Authorities in India’s capital Delhi moved social activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital against his wish on Saturday, after his condition worsened on the 21st day of a hunger strike launched to demand the resignation of the federal education minister. Wangchuk, 59, had been fasting since J»»»

Ukraine just got a new Prime Minister, Serhii Koretskyi, an oil and gas man that cut his teeth as an oil trader in the private sector before going to run Ukraine’s two biggest energy companies: Ukrnafta and Naftogaz. This is very good news. He is not a Zelenskiy loyalist and doesn’t really have any»»»

Bolivia has become the third Andean country this year to discover its own citizens fighting – and dying – in Russia's war on Ukraine. Prosecutors in La Paz opened a criminal investigation on July 14 into a recruitment network accused of luring Bolivian men abroad with fake construction jo»»»

PARIS: The World Cup has engaged punters like never before with an 80 percent increase in betting volume compared to the 2022 edition, even taking into account the higher number of matches for a 48-team tournament, a betting expert told AFP. Although many football fans were skeptical about the incr»»»

Hungary has launched diplomatic efforts in Washington in an attempt to avert potential US tariffs that could severely affect the country’s exports if new sanctions targeting buyers of Russian energy are approved. Márton Hajdu, chairman of the Hungarian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said h»»»

Each degree above 30°C may reduce labor productivity by about 3% and increase energy consumption by 1.2%, according to Allianz Trade. The greatest long-term damage, however, comes from lower business investment rather than temporary production losses. Companies facing weaker profits may postpone sp»»»

Fuel prices in Poland are expected to rise further next week if oil and wholesale fuel prices remain near current levels. Diesel could climb to PLN 7.80–7.90 per liter, while regular gasoline may reach PLN 7.30. Prices have already risen sharply since early July due to a VAT increase and higher fue»»»

Hungary is looking to deepen its partnership with Germany’s state of Baden-Württemberg after a series of high-level meetings in Budapest, with economic cooperation, youth exchanges and regional development among the key priorities. Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced on Facebook that she had wel»»»

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s recent summit in Ankara has produced a decision that demands scrutiny. NATO member states have committed to providing Ukraine with military assistance worth €70 billion for 2026. This is not an emergency measure. This is the institutionalization of a permane»»»