Dubai: Gold buyers may get some breathing room in the second half of 2026 after prices cooled from January’s record highs, but the metal could still break higher if geopolitics flare up, rate expectations change or bargain hunters return in force, according to the World Gold Council. Sign up for ou»»»

A large wildfire raged in southern France on Wednesday, forcing scores of people to be evacuated, emergency services said. Hundreds of firefighters mobilised to battle the blaze in the Herault and Aude departments, fuelled by drought and strong winds. It came a year after major blazes in the Corbie»»»

A federal judge has barred the Department of Defense, under Secretary Pete Hegseth, from enforcing a policy that required reporters to have escorts within the Pentagon building. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 1 (UPI) -- A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Defense Departm»»»

Dubai: Temperatures are forecast to climb to 47 degrees Celsius inland across the UAE over the coming days, while fresh winds are expected to raise blowing dust from the weekend, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said. The NCM said today's weather would be fair in general, with low clouds de»»»

NEW YORK: A daredevil couple scaled the Empire State Building’s antenna Wednesday and unfurled a banner about “the power of love” and peace, apparently as part of an audacious, high-altitude marriage proposal — soon followed by their arrest. The Russian climbers, who go by Angela Nikolau and Ivan B»»»

SANTA CLARA: Folarin Balogun scored and was sent off as the United States beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 to reach the last 16 of the World Cup on Wednesday. The co-hosts’ first World Cup knockout victory in nearly a quarter-century — and only their second ever — sets up a clash with Belgium in Sea»»»

Manila: The Philippines has officially achieved Upper Middle Income Country (UMIC) status, marking a major economic milestone after years of sustained growth and bringing the country into a new league of developing economies recognised by the World Bank. In its latest annual income classification r»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s sweeping water-sector reforms have transformed the Kingdom’s water scarcity challenges into development opportunities, with experts and officials at Saudi Water Week highlighting advances in sustainability, digital transformation and international cooperation to strengthen gl»»»

France’s lower chamber of parliament has approved a controversial assisted dying bill that would allow some seriously ill adults to request a lethal injection. The legislation has been backed by French President Emmanuel Macron but has met strong opposition from conservative parties and the Catholi»»»

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that indirect talks with Iran in Qatar were making progress, offering a tentative sign that diplomacy was holding after recent exchanges of fire threatened efforts to end the Middle East war. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who led Tehran's»»»

Authorities say they rescued 16 children from "deplorable conditions" this week in a small town in rural Ohio. The parents and two grandparents now face charges. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 1 (UPI) -- Officials in Ohio said Wednesday that they found 16 children from 1 to 18 y»»»

Dubai: UAE motorists are seeing fuel prices move lower again after July's reduction, reflecting the easing in global oil prices following months of exceptional volatility triggered by the Middle East conflict. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The U»»»

Modern life came with a promise: measure more, improve more, feel better. We took it seriously. We track our sleep, count our steps, log our calories, and score our productivity before 9am. Our leisure time has a purpose. Our rest has a metric. Even our holidays have content strategies. The evidenc»»»

A giraffe named Gracie is missing in Texas, and the search for her has become a tall order. Gracie, who is about 3 years old, has been missing for nearly two weeks after escaping her enclosure at Cedar Hollow Ranch in the Texas Hill Country, said Vick Jones, who owns the remote property about 100 m»»»

Russians are concerned above all with a swift end to "military action," German Gref, chief executive of Russia's largest state-controlled lender Sberbank, said, state media RBC reported on July 1. The remarks are notable given how rarely senior Russian executives comment publicly on the war in»»»

WASHINGTON: Tourists from Chattanooga check into beach resorts in Cancun. Canadian auto parts feed factories in the American Midwest – and vice versa. Happy hour revelers raise glasses of Mexican tequila and mezcal at bars in Seattle. It adds up. The United States trades $1.9 trillion a year — $5 b»»»

Abu Dhabi: The latest announcement requiring Indian expats in the UAE to walk into the premises of their embassy and consulate without appointments for passport and attestation services from today, July 2, was not a routine administrative reshuffle, Gulf News has learnt. It was late on Wednesday ev»»»

A fire broke out in central Kyiv on Wednesday after an explosion during an air raid alert, an AFP reporter saw. The journalist heard a detonation and saw a cloud of smoke and flames. Fire crews and ambulances arrived promptly at the scene. About 50 minutes after the first blast, AFP journalists wit»»»

Pop star Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce are set to marry this week in New York, with celebrations expected at Madison Square Garden, according to US media reports. The closely guarded festivities are due to begin on Thursday with an exclusive dinner attended by about 100 invited guests. &nb»»»

The US Supreme Court has dealt a major blow to Donald Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship, ruling children born in the US are citizens under the Constitution regardless of their parents' immigration status. The decision also casts fresh scrutiny on Trump's repeated claims about the policy, in»»»

Some days they talk. Some days they fight. Iran and the United States have settled into a pattern since the truce signed last month. This Wednesday in Doha... they’re sort of talking. Both sides present in indirect negotiations. Whatever comes of that, the attention's now shifting to Tehran,&n»»»

The anti-migrant protesters in South Africa blame foreigners for the nation's unemployment and high crime. It's a familiar story for South Africans -- this is the biggest such demonstrations since 2008, when a wave of anti-migrant violence spread across the country. Nearly two decades earlier, in M»»»

Dubai: Dubai tenants looking to move may have a better chance of negotiating rent in the second half of 2026, especially in apartment-heavy communities where new supply is increasing competition for landlords. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Property experts say Dubai’»»»

SEATTLE: Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty ​as Belgium rallied from two goals down and defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last 32 clash in Seattle on Wednesday to keep alive their title hopes that had looked dead and buried. Senegal’s Lamine Camara slid in on Tiele»»»

CARACAS: Authorities in Venezuela late on Wednesday said the death toll has risen to over 2,000 people as Venezuela marked a week since the deadly earthquakes hit the country. Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Wednesday that deaths had risen to 2,300, and more than 11,»»»

President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on mail-in voting March 31 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, a federal judge blocked the U.S. Postal Service from its plan to follow that order. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo July 1 (UPI) -- A »»»

Global oil prices extended their decline on Thursday morning (July 2, 2026, 8:12 am Tokyo time) as easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the gradual reopening of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continued to ease concerns over supply disruptions. According to OilPrice.com, West T»»»

Commercial shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz is gradually recovering, but traffic remains significantly below normal levels following the recent US-Iran conflict. According to MarineTraffic vessel-tracking data, 34 ships transited the strait on Tuesday, marking a modest impr»»»

Seattle: Youri Tielemans scored the latest winner in World Cup history as Belgium mounted an incredible comeback from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 and qualify for the last 16 of the World Cup on Wednesday. Senegal appeared on course for a first win in a World Cup knockout match since their 20»»»

ABHA: Al-Habala Park in Saudi Arabia’s Asir Region is attracting large numbers of domestic and international tourists this summer, offering panoramic mountain views, cultural heritage attractions and a wide range of recreational activities. Located more than 50 km southeast of Abha, the park is amo»»»

NEW YORK CITY: The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after more than 100 days of shipping disruption will bring relief to global energy and trade flows, but the world’s most vulnerable economies face a longer, costlier and more uneven path to recovery, the UN Conference on Trade and Development sai»»»

NEW YORK CITY: A UN scientific panel warned on Wednesday that safeguards on artificial intelligence were failing to keep pace with the rapidly growing capabilities of the technology. It came as the panel released the first independent global assessment of the risks and benefits of AI, which found t»»»

Student debt relief activists march in June 2023 near the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. This week, a pair of federal judges blocked Trump administration changes to a student loan forgiveness program that detractors say would have made it into an ideological "loyalty test." File Photo by Ken Ceden»»»

Doha: The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) is executing a program meant to impart expertise during the FIFA World Cup 2026 held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is part of its role in supporting the organization of this tournament and in keeping pace with the state-of-th»»»

BusinessNorth AmericaUS declines to renew USMCA trade pact with Mexico, CanadaWesley Rahn with AFP, AP, dpa, ReutersLengthy negotiations are expected as the Trump administration seeks changes to a trade deal with Mexico and Canada that has streamlined supply chains across North America. https://p.d»»»

TEL AVIV: The ‌International Monetary Fund lowered its estimate for Israel’s economic growth in 2026 to 3.5 percent from a prior 4.8 percent, it said on Wednesday citing ​regional tensions. In a report, the IMF also expects inflation to rise temporarily due to higher energy prices and supply constr»»»

WASHINGTON, United States: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused more than two million military casualties, with Moscow’s forces bearing the brunt of the losses, according to a study published Wednesday by a US think tank. “Combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties have exceeded 2 million,” the C»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his acting spy chief has wide permission to declassify records, including any tied to the 2020 election, even though his close ally is only at the intelligence helm for a short time. Trump appointed Bill Pulte as acting director of nation»»»

QNA Doha Qatari Diar has announced the registration of two world records in the Guinness World Records related to the district cooling system in Lusail City. This is a new global milestone added to Qatar’s record of achievements in the fields of infrastructure and sustainable development, the compa»»»

QNA Doha With its final meeting next week, the Shura Council will be concluding the first ordinary session of its second legislative term, corresponding to its 54th annual session, marking numerous significant achievements in both its legislative and oversight capacities. These milestones align clo»»»

Tribune News Network Doha As Qatar continues building a knowledge-based economy, investment in digital infrastructure, advanced connectivity and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and smart infrastructure is creating new opportunities for innovation, growth and digital t»»»

Ashraf Siddiqui Doha China’s pursuit of high-quality development is creating new opportunities not only for its own growth but also for partners around the world, including Qatar, according to Ambassador of China to Qatar HE Cao Xiaolin. The envoy said that, in recent years, the China-Qatar Strateg»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has announced the launch of its Annual Health Check SMS Awareness Campaign, effective from Tuesday, June 30. The initiative forms part of PHCC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare services, improve accessibility, and »»»

QNA Doha The Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM) has signed a funding agreement with QatarDebate Center- founded by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development - to support local debating leagues and championships and expand the centre’s educational publications. Under t»»»

Tribune News Network Doha As part of its ongoing efforts to support livelihoods and promote economic development in vulnerable communities, Qatar Charity (QC), through its Mali branch, has implemented a qualitative project aimed at empowering 68 beneficiaries, including women, youth, and low-income»»»

Tribune News Network Doha A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Smart Grid Living Lab and advance collaboration in energy innovation, applied research, and workforce development was signed by the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) with Siemens in Qatar in the presence»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026 during a graduation ceremony on June 30 to mark its fourth Medical Education Day. The Class of 2026 comprises 75 graduates who completed residency, fellowship, undergraduate and »»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar National Library (QNL) has launched its annual Membership Campaign, inviting community members across Qatar to make the Library their summer home. For families and individuals heading away during the break, the Library travels with them: its mobile app and digital of»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), has opened registration for the eighth edition of “My Career – My Future” 2026, its flagship job-shadowing programme for high school students in Qatar.Registration will remain open until July 30, 202»»»

QNA Doha The Legal and Judicial Studies Center at the Ministry of Justice is hosting a training programme on combating money laundering and terrorism financing. This comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to strengthen the legal capabilities of employees working in ministries and government entiti»»»