Manama: An AFP correspondent in the Bahraini capital Manama heard explosions on Thursday as air-raid sirens were activated for a third time, hours after Iranian attacks in the night. "The siren has been sounded... Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place," »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Arab Investment & Trade Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman) revealed that the average Arab ranking remained stable at 102nd place globally in its composite index of investment climate components for 2025. This reflects the continued gap from the global average ranking of about 23»»»

Doha, Qatar: Dukhan Bank announced its financial results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2026, reporting net profit of QR812.8m. Despite the challenging geopolitical situation, the Group delivered solid financial results in the first half of 2026, underscoring the successful execution of its»»»

DOHA: Qatar Chamber (QC) hosted yesterday, a delegation representing the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, comprising Mohamad Mourad, Vice President for International Relations, and Rafael Solimeo, Director and Head of the International Office. The delegation was received by Mohamed bin Ahmed Al »»»

Dubai: Nasdaq Dubai has recorded 33 new fixed-income listings worth $13.8 billion since the beginning of 2026, with international issuers accounting for 40% of the total, strengthening Dubai’s position in sukuk and debt capital markets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Millions Flood Mashhad for Historic Burial of Ayatollah Imam Sayyed Khamenei as Iran Bids Final Farewell 09-07-2026 11:48 AM The holy city »»»

U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa met Friday with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker Nabih Berri, ahead of a new round of talks between Lebanon and Israel this month in Rome. The two sides had previously met for five rounds of U.S.-sponsored talks in Washington aimed at ending »»»

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today arrived in the State of Kuwait on a fraternal visit. His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, received His Highness and the accompanying delegation upon arrival at the Amiri Airport. Accom»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Business Confidence Index rose to 56.6 in June from 55.6 in May, marking a third consecutive monthly gain as confidence improved across the non-oil economy. The June reading, released by the General Authority for Statistics, remained well above the neutral 50-point mark, indi»»»

Doha, Qatar: As the world celebrates World Volleyball Day, Qatar Foundation’s Creating Pathways programme is using volleyball to help empower the next generation of girls in Qatar, building confidence, leadership and lifelong skills both on and off the court. Volleyball is one of five sports offere»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has launched its specialised Quranic initiative, the “Tamkeen” programme. Designed to encourage the continuous narration and recitation of the Holy Quran, the programme provides structured Quranic circles where participants can demonstrate thei»»»

Lebanon demands Israel's withdrawal from two "pilot zones" in the south as a condition for participating in the next round of direct negotiations in Rome next week, a diplomatic source familiar with the talks told AFP on Wednesday. The two sides had previously met for five rounds of U.S.-sponsored »»»

Beirut: Lebanese Minister of Information Dr. Paul Morcos praised the State of Qatar’s efforts to reduce tension and its pivotal role in achieving the desired stability. In a statement to QNA, the Lebanese Minister of Information also commended Qatar’s role in promoting stability in Lebanon, alongsi»»»

Doha: The Division of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently held a faculty development workshop on assessment in competency-based medical education (CBME). The two-day virtual course was designed to provide participants with a better understandin»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s industrial production rebounded 3.2 percent in May from April, led by broad gains across mining, manufacturing and utilities, official data showed. Despite the monthly gain, industrial activity remained weaker than a year earlier — down 18.7 percent — as lower oil-related pro»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - US strikes on Iran's territory constitute war crimes, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the aggressive attacks by the terrorist army of the United States ... which undoubtedly constitute a grave war crime, and underl»»»

Doha: The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Culture, will be the guest of honour at the 40th edition of the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Held under the theme “A Legacy That Endures... Generations Meet,” the Festival will run from July 22 to A»»»

Doha, Qatar: Safari Hypermarket, one of Qatar’s leading hypermarket chains, has officially launched its Fruit Festival and Juice Junction. The four-day festival is being held from July 8 to 11, 2026. The inauguration ceremony took place at Safari Mall, where the ceremonial cake cutting was jointly »»»

Washington, July 9 (SANA) The United States and Iran exchanged strikes on Wednesday as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington would intensify its military campaign if Tehran continued targeting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.In a post on social media, Trump said the latest »»»

The Israeli military on Wednesday said its troops had seized a Hezbollah militant during an encounter in southern Lebanon a day earlier and transferred him to Israel for questioning. The militant was captured in the Bint Jbeil area on Tuesday, where Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah fighters. "»»»

The Hague: The State of Qatar affirmed its commitment to supporting the efforts of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to strengthen the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), contributing to the promotion of international peace and security. This came »»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Planning Council and the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation and exchange expertise across a range of research and training fields. The MoU aims to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise between the tw»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality, represented by the General Cleanness Department, has launched its Beaches and Islands Cleaning Campaign for July 2026, inviting members of the public to take part in a series of volunteer cleanup activities aimed at protecting Qatar’s coastal environment a»»»

North Korea on Thursday condemned growing military cooperation between South Korea and Japan. In this June 28 photo, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back inspect honor guards at the Defense Ministry in Seoul. File Pool Photo by Kim Hong-ji/EPA Ju»»»

Geneva: Qatar’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology H E Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai held a series of bilateral meetings yesterday with ministers and heads of international organisations on the sidelines of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, currently underway in Geneva. His Exce»»»

Following the success of 10 editions of Gulf News Edufair, Gulf News is expanding its education portfolio with the launch of Gulf News LevelUP, a new two-day expo designed to support working professionals seeking to upskill, reskill and advance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Taking plac»»»

Binance, the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and digital asset infrastructure provider, announced that stock trading on its platform has surpassed $1 billion in assets under management (AUM) in 30 days since launch. The milestone is accompanied by more than $3 billion in total trading volume s»»»

Amnesty International on Thursday accused Israel of wiping out families in its strikes on Lebanon during its war with Hezbollah, calling for these attacks to be investigated as war crimes. Amnesty analyzed three strikes on civilian homes between March 6 and 13, in which 24 civilians were killed, 12»»»

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said, in a statement on Thursday, that the Israeli military's operations in Lebanon were a response to attacks by Hezbollah. "The terrorist organization Hezbollah has attacked Israel twice on its own initiative," Katz said. "Israel responded with force and, ove»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Thursday that agreements reached with Turkiye after recent talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will position Bulgaria as a gateway for energy supplies to Central and Eastern Europe. Radev was speaking at the start of the government's regular meeting. Radev h»»»

Authorities said a bus collided with a building in Pikesville, Md., on Wednesday evening. Photo courtesy of Baltimore County Fire Department/X July 9 (UPI) -- Officials have declared a mass casualty event in the Maryland city of Pikesville following a multi-vehicle crash that included a bus collidi»»»

RIYADH: Housing finance market developer Saudi Real Estate Refinance Co. announced the pricing completion for its third issuance of international sukuk guaranteed by the government, with a total value of $2.75 billion. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Public Investment Fund-owned company sp»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, participated in the 42nd meeting of the Standing Committee of Experts in Islamic Affairs and Endowments in GCC countries, and the 13th meeting of the committee tasked with studying the presentation of the tru»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg, held in collaboration with Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry will convene a special leadership gathering alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York on September 20, 2026. The gathering, titled QEF: UNGA»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education, represented by its Higher Education Affairs Sector, organised an introductory session for talented students interested in joining the Sports Track under the Government Scholarship Programme. The event was attended by students and their pa»»»

AFI has completed the acquisition of a portfolio of six retail parks in Romania and is launching AFI Value Park, the company’s new retail park network on the local market. The transaction, valued at approximately EUR 282 million, follows the signing of the acquisition agreement at the end of May 20»»»

Dubai: DP World has acquired 700 trucks to expand its road freight network across the GCC, giving businesses more capacity to move cargo between ports, warehouses, economic zones and final delivery points. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The investment will add up to 3»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Qalibaf Warns US: ‘If You Strike, You Will Be Struck’; Hormuz Only on Tehran’s Terms 09-07-2026 11:00 AM – Iranian Parliament Speaker Moham»»»

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s touring dance production, “Thikra: Night of Remembering,” returns to US stages in October, with performances scheduled across South Carolina, California and New Mexico. The dates follow the show’s New York debut in July. Performances will take place at the Charleston Gaillard »»»

The government has taken important steps over the past seven days, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said at the start of the Cabinet meeting on Thursday. "We inherited a plundered treasury, but social payments are guaranteed and people can rest assured," Radev said, adding that the government was already»»»

Doha, Qatar: Northwesterly winds are expected to remain fresh throughout the weekend of July 10–11, 2026, said the weather authority in Qatar. The Qatar Meteorology Department said this as it shared weather charts for sea wave height and wind intensity on Thursday, July 9, 2026. It said that during»»»

Dubai: The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai is stepping up efforts to promote emergency preparedness among overseas Filipinos through a new life-saving skills training programme that will equip community members with practical knowledge to respond during medical emergencies. In collaboration w»»»

Wolf Theiss has advised Revetas Capital together with funds and accounts managed by Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (“Cerberus”) on securing a EUR 123.2 million senior credit facility to refinance their investment in the Radisson Blu Hotel Complex, a landmark hospitality destination in central Bu»»»

ConflictsIranIs the Strait of Hormuz still Iran's trump card?Nik MartinIran's latest attacks show it can easily disrupt shipping, energy markets and draw in Gulf neighbors. DW asks how much leverage Tehran really has over Washington and if its high-risk strategy could backfire. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved proposals to strengthen Uzbekistan's efforts to combat desertification between 2026 and 2030 and launch the Green Samarkand initiative aimed at transforming the city into a climate-resilient urban centre. The proposals, reviewed by the president, come as Uz»»»

Prime Minister Péter Magyar said in a Facebook post on Wednesday evening that he had represented Hungary effectively at a successful NATO summit in Ankara. Prime Minister Péter Magyar travelled to Ankara with his Foreign and Defence Minister He attended the two-day summit with Defence Minister Romu»»»

Damascus, July 9 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh and Central Bank of Syria Governor Mohammad Safwat Raslan on Wednesday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to begin the process of rescinding Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, describing the move as a major»»»

DHAKA: Authorities in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh used loudspeakers and a network of volunteers and community leaders to relocate people from risky areas to safety Thursday after landslides killed at least 13 refugees in the past few days. At least five children died Wednesday when a lands»»»

The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Persian Gulf. The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recen»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran HE Abbas Araghchi. During the call, the latest developments in the military escalation between th»»»