JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia emerged as the top-performing nation at the International Nuclear Science Olympiad, securing first place and the title of “Nuclear Science Ambassador,” as four members of the Kingdom’s team won international medals at the competition’s third edition. The event, held at King Abd»»»

A home was destroyed in Pukhivkathe, which is in the region surrounding Kyiv, Ukraine, after a Russian attack. Two grandparents and their 3-year-old grandson were killed. Image courtesy of Ukraine state emergency service via President Volodymyr Zelensky on X Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Overnight Russian attack»»»

Washington: The US Senate has confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States. The Senate approved Blanche's nomination by a narrow 50-49 vote, formally elevating him from acting attorney general to permanently lead the US Department of Justice. All Senate Democrats opposed Blanche'»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - French farmers will need billions of euros in aid to offset losses from extreme heat and the wildfires and drought it has caused, Arnaud Rousseau, chairman of the National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FNSEA), said on Saturday. "We are talking about billions of euros… Obviously,»»»

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its condemnation of the repeated attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which constitute a violation of international law and the sovereignty of territorial waters, and pose a threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security and sta»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Vice President JD Vance claimed on Saturday that the United States had made "some" progress in negotiations with Iran over the past few days. "They want this thing to be over. The question is whether they are able, their system is able to give the things that are necessary»»»

Former US President Joe Biden 's prostate cancer has spread to other parts of his body and is causing him pain, even as he continues to speak out on public issues, his son Hunter said in an interview. In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC broadcast late Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he »»»

Bangkok: A 12-year-old girl wounded in a school shooting in Thailand died on Saturday, the health ministry said, bringing the death toll to eight, including the teen assailant's grandparents killed in their home. On Friday, 14-year-old boy shot his grandparents before going on a killing spree at hi»»»

Beijing, Aug. 8 (SANA) China’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $3.4188 trillion at the end of July 2026, an increase of $2.5 billion, or 0.07 percent, from the end of June, according to official data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). SAFE attributed the slight incr»»»

Jaipur: Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, participated in the 2026 BRICS Trade Ministers Meeting (TMM), held at Maharani Mahal, Hotel Sawai Man Mahal, in Jaipur, India. Hosted by India under its BRICS Chairmanship, the meeting brought together trade ministers and senior offi»»»

Cairo: An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a burial ground dating from the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman era, as well as a settlement from the Second Intermediate Period, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. The discoveries were made at the Kom El Khilgan archaeologica»»»

Sofia: Prime Minister of Bulgaria Rumen Radev announced that a drone entered Bulgarian airspace Saturday morning and exploded near the border with Romania and the gas pipeline linking Turkiye to Ukraine through the Balkans. In a video posted by the Bulgarian government on social media, Radev said t»»»

The Israeli military continued its incursions and the demolition of homes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, despite the Lebanese president announcing that a senior United States general will soon arrive in Beirut to address a ceasefire. The ongoing military operations come despite a positive atmosph»»»

New right-wing Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn into office on Friday, vowing in his inaugural address to launch a fierce crackdown on drug trafficking, end peace talks with armed groups, and implement strict austerity measures to restore economic confidence. De la Espriella, »»»

MIDBANK has launched the “MID Plus” savings certificate, offering individuals a secure investment option with a variable annual return of up to 19.65% paid monthly or up to 19.5% paid daily, with a guaranteed minimum return of 17%. The certificate has a three-year tenor. The launch comes as part of»»»

Abu Dhabi: Shoppers at The Galleria Al Maryah Island, one of Abu Dhabi's busiest shopping destinations, were met with an unexpected sight on Saturday as UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was seen walking through the mall alongside a group of senior officials. Videos shar»»»

Nahla Khalifa woke on April 15, 2023, to the sound of artillery in Omdurman. She could not have known that the war that sent her and her five children scrambling under beds and tables would upend even the most basic aspects of their lives: food, water and medicine. At first, the family survived on »»»

Gaza: The death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has risen to 73,384 martyrs and 174,242 wounded. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that hospitals in the Strip received two martyrs who succumbed to their injuries in the pa»»»

Muscat: The benchmark index of the Muscat Stock Exchange extended its gains for a second consecutive week, supported by increases in a number of leading stocks across the listed sectors. The index gained around 90 points over last week's trading, following a 160-point increase in the previous week,»»»

North Korea earned as much as $22bn in foreign currency between 2022 and 2025, nearly four times the total for the previous four-year period, according to a Bloomberg Economics analysis of trade data and intelligence published August 7. The windfall has coincided with a third straight year of North»»»

The Fidesz parliamentary group leader has launched a sharp attack on András Baka, the former president of Hungary’s Supreme Court, after the Tisza Party nominated him as the country’s next president. János Bóka said on Saturday that Fidesz considers the election of a new head of state illegitimate,»»»

The Strait of Hormuz remains the primary source of concern as Iran and Oman negotiate a temporary shipping deal, while an ADNOC vessel is targeted by a missile strike and US forces intensify a blockade surrounding Iranian ports. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reiterated that Tehran is open»»»

BELGRADE: President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia’s latest deadly attacks on Kyiv on Saturday as he visited Serbia, one of the few European countries that has maintained friendly relations with Moscow throughout its invasion of Ukraine. Four people, including a child, were killed in the overn»»»

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Jorge Messi, the father and agent of Lionel Messi, has died aged 68, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's childhood club Newell's Old Boys announced on Saturday. Argentinian media reported Jorge Messi had passed away on Friday in a hospital in Rosario. "His constant companio»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the passing of the mother of HH Prince Bandar bin Mansour bin Abdullah bin Jalawi Al Saud.»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Nearly 50% of Germans see former Chancellor Angela Merkel as the best person to fill the largely ceremonial role of the federal president, a Forsa poll published on Saturday has found. Merkel has dismissed rumors that she is planning to run for the post in the election, which is »»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is confronting mounting internal party pressure and speculation of an early replacement ahead of critical September regional elections, reflecting an unprecedented state of political turmoil in a country long considered a pillar of European stability, according to P»»»

Emirates has warned passengers of flight delays to and from Shanghai and Hangzhou due to adverse weather conditions caused by Typhoon Dolphin. The airline said several flights operating between Dubai and the two Chinese cities have been rescheduled as weather conditions are expected to affect opera»»»

Riyadh: A defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan heralded a new security alliance seeking to deter a bellicose Iran, offset an unreliable US and send a message to Israel, analysts say. As the Middle East war drags on, this alliance binds three powerful Sunni countries that are strat»»»

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday, aimed at strengthening collective deterrence. Under the pact, an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all. Simon Moritz tells us more about what’s in the agreement.»»»

CAIRO/WASHINGTON/RIYADH: Iran said on Saturday that a deal with Oman on control of the Strait of Hormuz was close but would not be enough to free up ​the waterway. A US official, who declined to be identified, said on Friday that Washington anticipated an agreement soon between Iran and Oman, which»»»

GERB-UDF MP Hristo Gadjev, member of the parliamentary defence committee, commenting on Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s announcement that a drone had entered Bulgarian airspace near Kardam and exploded, wrote on Facebook, "Let’s see how Rumen Radev’s government will defend our national interest." Gadj»»»

Planning a summer getaway or a winter holiday? Pakistani passport holders have several destinations to choose from, with entry available through visa-free access, visa on arrival (VOA), electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and e-visa schemes. The latest Henley Passport Index gives Pakistani passpo»»»

London: Arsenal have signed Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes for a reported fee of £75 million ($101.2 million), the two Premier League clubs announced Saturday. The Brazil international, who spent four-and-a-half seasons with Newcastle, has signed a "long-term contract" with English champions Ars»»»

RIYADH: The first auction night of the International Falcon Breeders Auction saw two falcons from JW Falcons sold for a total of SR540,000 ($144,000), amid a strong turnout of falconers and visitors interested in the heritage. Organized by the National Center for Falcons at its headquarters in Malh»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia condemned on Saturday the targeting of state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, expressing full solidarity with the UAE. The Kingdom stressed that the “unacceptable attacks” on shipping threatened maritime security and glo»»»

More than 40,000 people have been affected by flooding from July 30 to Aug. 7 following the breach of the Ngawun River embankment in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady region, a spokesperson for the president's office said, citing the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. The embankment breach occ»»»

Gaza City: Hamas said on Saturday it remained ready to proceed with a US-backed Gaza peace plan and urged pressure on Israel, which insists it did not agree to the latest part of the deal. Hamas informed US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace that it stood by the latest stage of the plan, under»»»

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a message addressed to the neighboring countries, stressed that the time has come to rely on ourselves and embrace true brotherhood. In a post on his X account, Araghchi wrote that Iran’s Powerful Armed Forces have shown their readiness, capability, and m»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar strongly condemned the Iranian attack that targeted an Emirati tanker belonging to ADNOC as it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, considering it a flagrant violation of international law and freedom of navigation, as well as a clear breach of UN Security Council Re»»»

JEDDAH: As the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad draws to a close in Jeddah, Saudi team members say the competition marks the beginning of a longer journey toward contributing to Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in nuclear science, energy and medicine. For the young Saudis who earned the right t»»»

Several three-star and five-star hotels in Bengaluru are facing action after a special food safety inspection drive uncovered expired food, fungal growth on vegetables and unhygienic storage and handling practices. The Food Safety Wing of Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration Department d»»»

KINSHASA: Militants affiliated with the Daesh group attacked a village in Congo near the border with Uganda early Saturday, killing at least 13 people and burning and looting homes, a local civil society group said. The attacks occurred in the village of Banana École, a suburb of the territorial ca»»»

Washington: The US Senate confirmed President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Todd Blanche as attorney general early Saturday after Republican lawmakers shrugged off Democratic concerns over politicization of the Department of Justice. Blanche, who has already been serving as the top US law e»»»

Pope Leo XIV will meet with victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church during his planned trip to France from September 25 to 28, the Vatican said Friday. The Holy See did not immediately provide details about the meeting, which comes after the pontiff vowed to further efforts within t»»»

MANILA: The Philippines and the Gulf Cooperation Council are in talks to open more accredited medical centers and clinics in the Southeast Asian country, as they seek to improve health screening for Filipino workers headed for the Gulf. More than a million Filipino nationals are living and working »»»

Doha: Qatar’s Permanent Unified Committee for the Selection of Officer Candidates for Military Entities announced the opening of registration for Qatari men and women holding a General Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent to join diploma programmes offered by military entities. According »»»

Hungary’s ruling Tisza Party is set to decide on its candidate for the country’s next president, with three names reportedly under consideration ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary vote. The Tisza parliamentary group held a key meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the presidential nomination. “We ar»»»

Hungary’s ruling Tisza Party has nominated András Baka, the former president of the country’s Supreme Court, as its candidate for President of the Republic. The party’s parliamentary group made the decision in a secret vote on Saturday, selecting the 73-year-old legal scholar from three potential c»»»

Sharjah: Rain fell across the Al Madam area in Sharjah's Central Region on Saturday as unstable weather continued to affect parts of the UAE, with forecasters predicting further showers over the coming days. The rainfall followed moderate to heavy showers on Friday in several parts of the country, »»»