From medieval towns to Adriatic beaches: Here's what a Montenegro trip looks like and costs
Dubai: Montenegro is one of those places that feels far bigger than it is. In a country roughly the size of a large emirate, you get medieval walled towns, a fjord-like bay, mountain national parks and a whole strip of Adriatic beaches, all within a couple of hours' drive of each other. For UAE res»»»
Trump announces deal for Hamas to disarm in Gaza
Washington: President Donald Trump said Thursday that a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza, but many hurdles, conditions and long timelines remained to wind down the war in the Palestinian territory. Neither Hamas nor Israel gave immediate indicati»»»
₱500K in real time, automatic bills, easier cash-ins: 3 new Philippine payment services explained
Manila: The Philippines has launched three new interoperable digital-payment services designed to make it easier for consumers and businesses to move money between banks and e-wallets, automate recurring payments and handle larger real-time business transactions. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and»»»
UAE-based NRIs could face fewer identity checks under India’s new KYC system
Dubai: Indian expatriates in the UAE could face fewer repetitive identity checks when opening or updating financial accounts in India under an upgraded central Know Your Customer system expected to begin rolling out in August 2026. Known as Central KYC 2.0, the framework will allow participating fi»»»
A four-hour clinic visit inspired this 25-year-old Dubai founder to build Neulink
Dubai: A clinic visit that stretched from 11 am until 3.30 pm gave two Dubai entrepreneurs the idea for a healthcare technology business designed to reduce the time doctors, pharmacists and patients lose to outdated systems. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply c»»»
Pakistan says US-Iran talks still alive despite fresh wave of US strikes
The renewed fighting has widened fears of a broader regional conflict, with Egypt hit for the first time and Gulf states scrambling to secure key shipping routes. Mediator Pakistan insisted Thursday that negotiations between Iran and the United States were ongoing, even as Washington carried out a »»»
France, Spain eye respite from wildfires as other blazes break out in Europe
A massive wildfire that has devastated southwestern France was no longer advancing on Thursday, local authorities said, raising hopes the crisis was easing. In Spain, most of the tens of thousands of people evacuated from areas west of Madrid were cleared to return home after the state of emergency»»»
Trump claims his Board of Peace reached ‘historic’ Gaza deal
US President Donald Trump has claimed that his Board of Peace reached a “historic agreement” on the complete disarmament of Hamas and every other armed group in Gaza, although neither the Palestinian movement nor Israel immediately confirmed that a final deal had been concluded. Trump announced the»»»
Iran says tanker 'broke' blockade — Washington says 'not true'
Iranian state media reported that the commercial oil tanker M/T Nora had successfully broken through the US naval blockade. On Friday, however, US Central Command (CentCom) rejected the claim, saying the tanker had not breached the blockade. CentCom said US warships, hundreds of aircraft and thousa»»»
US Treasury sanctions networks in China, India, Russia and Iran supporting IRGC, Mahan Air
The US Treasury Department late on Thursday announced the imposition of sanctions on six entities and individuals across China, India, Russia and Iran for providing sales, logistics and commercial support to Mahan Air, the Iranian airline long accused of ferrying personnel, weapons and equipment fo»»»
Italian Mafia seeks war drones as 800,000 guns vanish in Ukraine
The Italian mafia is seeking to buy up some of the 800,000 firearms reportedly missing or stolen from Ukraine since 2022, including drones and other advanced arms, senior prosecutors have warned. Some 780,465 items sent to Ukraine have reportedly disappeared since the escalation of the conflict, in»»»
Interior Minister receives phone call from French counterpart
Doha, Qatar: H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force “Lekhwiya,” received a phone call from HE Laurent Nuñez, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of France.»»»
Palestinians face new limits on settlement fuel access amid West Bank shortages
LONDON: As fuel shortages deepen across the occupied West Bank, Palestinians who had turned to nearby Israeli settlements for gasoline now face new restrictions that could further limit mobility and work. Palestinian employees at the Barkan Industrial Park in the northern West Bank said they were t»»»
Uzbekistan's 1H foreign trade reaches $41bn as trade deficit widens to $9.3bn
Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover reached $41.01bn in January to June, with the outcome up 7.4% y/y, according to preliminary data released by the national statistical committee. Exports declined 8.8% y/y to $15.86bn, while imports increased 21.0% y/y to $25.15bn, resulting in a trade deficit of »»»
Ongoing dialogue between Lebanon and Syria benefits both countries, Erdogan tells Aoun
BEIRUT: The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said on Thursday that Lebanon stands to benefit from a more stable Middle East. Standing alongside his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, following talks in Ankara, Erdogan said Turkiye supports all efforts to strengthen Lebanese-Syrian ties, and»»»
CBJ maintains policy rate at 5.75 per cent amid solid economic indicators
AMMAN — The Open Market Operations Committee at the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) on Thursday decided to keep the main policy interest rate unchanged at 5.75 per cent, in line with its objective of maintaining monetary stability, preserving the attractiveness of Jordanian dinar-denominated assets, a»»»
Friday sermon calls on Muslims to embrace humility
First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, who has elevated the rank of the humble and condemned the traits of the arrogant. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the Messen»»»
Warsaw blames Moscow after a missile crashes in Poland
Polish authorities are investigating an object that came down in eastern Poland overnight and is thought to be a Russian missile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday. The discovery followed reports of an explosion, with investigators finding a crater and debris scattered across a nearby fie»»»
Temporary tunnel closure at Mesaimeer Interchange this weekend
DOHA: Qatar's Ministry of Interior announced a temporary traffic closure of the tunnel at Mesaimeer Interchange (Exit 33) this weekend as part of road works. According to the ministry, the closure will take place according to the following schedule: -Friday, July 31, 2026: From 2am to 10am -Saturda»»»
Brazil's Amazonia Theaters join UNESCO World Heritage list - UPI.com
July 30 (UPI) -- UNESCO added 25 World Heritage sites during its annual committee meeting in Busan, South Korea, this week, with Brazil's Amazonia Theaters becoming Latin America's only new addition. It joins a regional collection that includes some of the world's most recognizable cultural and nat»»»
Leading Chinese vehicle brand FOTON available in Hungary!
Author: György Sipos Since its founding in 1996, FOTON has grown into one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers: in 30 years, it has conquered the markets of nearly 150 countries, and has held the market leader position in China for 21 consecutive years. FOTON available in Hungary»»»
Renewed Iran war raises US missile supply concerns
Washington: Tehran's forces have carried out frequent missile and drone attacks in the Middle East since the breakdown of the US-Iran ceasefire, raising renewed concerns about Washington's supply of the weapons needed to intercept them. Highlighting the issue, the US military said it shot down mult»»»
Seoul shares again dip over 1 pct after 2-day deep rout amid AI spending concerns - UPI.com
This photo, taken Thursday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul as South Korean stocks fell by over one percent following two days of deep declines amid AI spending concerns. Photo by Yonhap Seoul shares fell by more than 1 percent Thursday as retail investors heavily sold tech stocks foll»»»
Egypt port strike shows US interests vulnerable across region: Analysts
Cairo: A drone strike on the Egyptian port of Damietta, the first attack on the country since the US-Iran war broke out, could be a high-risk message for American interests everywhere in the Middle East, analysts say. No party has claimed the strike on the Mediterranean port and Egypt has not assig»»»
Zawtar al-Gharbieh examplfies Israel's destruction in southern Lebanon - UPI.com
Lebanese soldiers stand guard as the Army deploys to Zawtar al-Gharbiya in southern Lebanon on July 23. Lebanon sent troops to take control of so-called pilot zones in southern Lebanon from which Israeli troops are to withdraw. Photo by EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 30 (UPI) -- The widespread destructi»»»
RT opens submissions for 2026 Khaled Alkhateb International Memorial Awards
RT has opened submissions for the 2026 Khaled Alkhateb International Memorial Awards, which honor outstanding war reporters working in conflict zones around the world. This year’s contest will accept news reports or series of reports from conflict zones, with a maximum running time of ten minutes. »»»
Father of Georgia school shooter gets 15 years in prison - UPI.com
Student Jose Ortiz, 14, accepts an embrace from chaplain Ronald Clark at a makeshift memorial, one day after a deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., in September 2024. Four people were killed by Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time. On Thursday, his father was sentenced to 15»»»
Qatar Interior Minister announces departure of search and rescue team to assist in Spain wildfire response
DOHA: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, announced the departure of the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group, affiliated with the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), to the Kingdom of Spain to partic»»»
Trump Says Will Resume Full-Scale War Unless Iran Meets All US Demands
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would resume a full-scale war against Iran unless the United States receives 100% of what it wants. "If we don't get 100% of what we want, absolutely," Trump told French LCI news channel, when asked whether he was considering resu»»»
Ministry warns against a slimming product containing undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients
DOHA, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health warned the public against buying, trading or consuming the Eatless – Natural Slimming Formula, after the laboratory results confirmed that it contains two undeclared pharmaceutical substances, Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein, making it a counterfeit produc»»»
Qatar Airways extends suspension of flights to Kuwait, Bahrain and Erbil
Doha: Qatar Airways announced today that it has extended the temporary suspension of its flights to the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait and Erbil in Iraq until Aug. 7. The announcement was published on the national carrier's official website. The decision follows the airline's announcement »»»
US Senate warns Trump against pardoning Epstein-linked sex trafficker
The US Senate has unanimously urged President Donald Trump not to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker who helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit and abuse underage girls. Maxwell, the daughter of disgraced British newspaper tycoon and former MP Robert Maxwell, who had suspected ties to I»»»
Protest against Deployment of US Aircraft in Bezmer Air Base Held in Yambol
Citizens staged a protest outside the Regional Administration building in Yambol on Thursday against the deployment of US military aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. They called for the reversal of the decision adopted by the Government and approved by Parliament. Participants included representatives of»»»
GCC Secretary-General Condemns Drone Attack Targeting Egypt's Port of Damietta
Riyadh: Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, on Thursday strongly condemned the drone attack targeting Egypt's Port of Damietta. In a statement, Albudaiwi stated that such terrorist acts and attacks are aimed at undermining regional security and stability»»»
Qatar welcomes Ireland's enactment of law banning import of goods from Israeli settlements
Doha: The State of Qatar welcomed the Republic of Ireland's enactment of a law banning the import of goods from Israeli settlements, describing it an important step that supports efforts to deter the occupation's settlement policies, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law, parti»»»
Qatar condemns targeting of two LNG carriers off Egypt's Damietta Port
Doha: The State of Qatar strongly condemned the targeting of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers off the Port of Damietta in the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt, considering it a direct threat to global energy supplies, a clear and flagrant violation of international law, and an irresponsible »»»
Russian Foreign Ministry Calls Ukraine's Attack on Ships at CPC Marine Terminal Terrorist
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine's overnight attack with UAVs on ships at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal is of terrorist nature, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, the CPC said that the Niffos Sifnos tanker flying the flag of »»»
Car driven by woman ploughs into café at Ain Sokhna’s Lasirena Resort in Egypt, injuring 17
Dubai- Seventeen people were injured after a car driven by an Egyptian woman crashed into an open-air café at the Lasirena Resort in Ain Sokhna, authorities said on Thursday, in an accident that eyewitnesses said turned a quiet afternoon into panic. Preliminary investigations indicated that the wom»»»
Palestinian Authority floats launching petrol company to tackle fuel crisis
RAMALLAH: Palestinian finance minister Estaphan Salameh on Wednesday floated a slate of proposals to deal with a severe fuel crisis in the occupied West Bank, including the creation of a public petrol company. For nearly two weeks, scenes of cars lined up at petrol stations have become ubiquitous t»»»
Minister of State at Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds phone call with Foreign Minister of Guyana
Doha: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi held a telephone conversation on Thursday with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana HE Hugh Hilton Todd. During the call, they di»»»
Vucic presents Serbia's EXPO 2027 vision to bin Zayed
BELGRADE - At Thursday's meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic presented Serbia's vision for the specialised EXPO 2027. "I presented Serbia's vision for the EXPO 2027 and plans for the largest-ever international event to be hosted by »»»
Seattle mayor fires police chief, sources say - UPI.com
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson speaks to the media at the scene after a fatal shooting during the Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center in Seattle on Sunday. Photo by Genna Martin/EPA July 30 (UPI) -- Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has fired Seattle Police Department Chief Shon Barnes, local news»»»
Spain lifts national state of emergency as wildfire situation improves
Madrid: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced today that Spain has lifted the national state of emergency imposed in response to major wildfires near Madrid, following significant progress in containing the blazes. Speaking during a visit to an emergency operations centre in the town of Na»»»
Gulf Football Federation unveils new brand identity, official name
Doha: The Gulf Football Federation today unveiled its new visual identity and announced the adoption of its new official name, Gulf Football Federation, replacing its previous title, the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation. In a statement, the federation said the new identity reflects the core val»»»
Players guilty of discrimination face minimum 10-match ban: English FA
London: Players found guilty of discrimination will face a minimum 10-match suspension under new English Football Association rules. The FA have increased the punishment for discrimination after bans ranged from six to 12 games in previous seasons. The revamped rules also apply to managers and othe»»»
Stocks diverge on earnings, as oil steadies
LONDON — Global stock markets diverged Thursday as traders tracked major earnings and central bank updates, while oil prices steadied after recent volatility caused by the Middle East war.The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady Wednesday, weighing on the dollar, though three policymakers »»»
Samsung operating profit up 1,800% in second quarter on AI boom
SEOUL — South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics posted on Thursday a massive 19-fold jump in second-quarter operating profit from last year, buoyed by sustained AI-driven demand for memory chips.Samsung and other leading memory chipmakers have seen profits skyrocket in 2026, but their sha»»»
Dubai Financial Market posts Dh443 million profit in H1, 2026
Dubai: Dubai Financial Market (DFM) on Thursday reported a net profit before tax of Dh443.2 million for the first six months of 2026, supported by strong trading activity and increased investor participation. The DFM said that trading activity grew significantly during the first half of the year, w»»»
Arab League condemns targeting Egyptian ships, warns of attempts to expand conflict
Cairo: The League of Arab States on Thursday expressed strong condemnation of the targeting of two ships in the Egyptian port of Damietta, which -according to the Egyptian Cabinet's findings- was carried out by a drone. In a statement, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy stressed that this ta»»»
Selection process for next UN chief begins
United Nations, United States: The UN Security Council began the process of selecting the UN's next secretary-general, holding a first "straw poll" to gauge the seven candidates' support for the high-profile global statesman role. Four women and three men are so far in the running to succeed Antoni»»»