JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia writer and director Bassmah Abdullah is combining animation and artificial intelligence in “Shama,” a short film that uses AI-generated cultural imagery as the Kingdom expands its investment in creative industries under Vision 2030. The animator has been producing fiction and c»»»

AI agents being tested in an OpenAI lab went rogue, launching an "unprecedented" hacking attack targeting a database of AI models run by a startup in New York. File photo by Adam Vaughan/EPA July 22 (UPI) -- OpenAI said two of its AI bots launched an "unprecedented" attack, hacking into a startup's»»»

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., pushed through a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through December. Most Democrats opposed it. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- House Republicans pushed through a spending bill that would fund the government throu»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Wednesday, gaining 76.65 points, or 0.72 percent, to close at 10,775.46. The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.77 billion ($1 billion), as 160 of the listed stocks advanced, while 93 retreated. The MSCI Tadawul Index also in»»»

RIYADH: The first investment fund for logistics services has been launched to develop a logistics city in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia, with investments totaling SR650 million ($173 million). The project aims to enhance the supply of land and logistics services and bolster Jeddah’s position as a re»»»

Dubai: Fujairah is set to expand its cargo and container handling capacity through two new multipurpose ports developed under a 50-year concession agreement between DP World and the Fujairah Ports Authority. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The agreement covers the deve»»»

The leaders of the Democratic Bulgaria (DB) coalition asked on Wednesday what Progressive Bulgaria (PB) Floor Leader Petar Vitanov meant by saying that the suspension of the BOTAS contract was part of a "major diplomatic furore" involving Turkiye. They raised the question during a joint briefing in»»»

ALGIERS: Wildfires in Algeria have killed six people, the interior ministry announced, with several fires still raging across the North African country gripped by a heatwave. “In the wake of the fires that affected certain provinces of the country in recent days, six deaths have been registered,” t»»»

RABAT: ‌Morocco’s foreign ministry said it was concerned by the death of a national during a police arrest in Bologna in Italy and urged a “thorough investigation.” Moroccan-born Abderrahim Fakir ‌died on ‌Sunday after ‌police were ⁠called to the ⁠Pilastro neighborhood on the outskirts of the north»»»

Nazareth: The last time Mais Al Gharam saw her seven siblings was in the Gaza Strip two months before the war. That was before she left the Palestinian territory to go live in Israel and before an Israeli airstrike on the family’s home killed her parents and younger brother. But on this day, she wa»»»

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky dismissed Mikhail Fedorov over fears that the former defense minister might become a political rival, Ukrainskaya Pravda has reported, citing sources in Kiev. Zelensky justified his decision to sack his sixth defense minister in as many years by pointing to a conflict be»»»

Dubai: Commercial Bank of Dubai’s net loan book crossed Dh100 billion during the first half of 2026 as lending growth and higher non-funded income helped lift profit despite weaker net interest income. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Net loans and advances reached Dh10»»»

Dubai: United Arab Bank reported a net profit of Dh201 million for the first half of 2026, supported by higher income and double-digit growth across lending, investments and customer deposits. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Second-quarter profit reached Dh126 million,»»»

Dubai: The Louvre Museum's Apollo Gallery reopened to visitors on Wednesday, months after it was closed following a spectacular jewellery heist in October 2025. The gallery has welcomed the public back, but its display cases remain empty after the removal of its priceless collection. One of the Lou»»»

“As of today, we have established and will operate a joint contact center at the Promachonas–Kulata border crossing,” said Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis, speaking to journalists following a meeting with Bulgaria’s Minister of the Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev. The meeting »»»

GENEVA: The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday condemned what he described as a further deterioration of civil and political rights in Nicaragua, warning that proposed measures to bar political opponents from elections would deepen an already severe crackdown on dissent. On Sunday Nicar»»»

Tunis: In Tunisia long power outages across the country have added to the strain of an intense heatwave, with temperatures as high as 49C, leaving many fearing for their livelihoods. For days, the STEG state electricity and gas company has been issuing daily heat alerts listing neighbourhoods where»»»

The Bulgarian National Assembly approved the deployment of U.S. military tanker aircraft and personnel at Bezmer Air Base, authorizing support for American operations in the Middle East following a formal diplomatic request from Washington. The resolution passed after nearly three hours of debate, »»»

An Iranian national has been arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing a Bulgarian woman who worked at a casino in the German city of Nuremberg, according to local media reports. Prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for the 45-year-old Iranian man, who is accused of attacking the 35-year-old B»»»

Dubai: The UAE and India are exploring new opportunities to deepen cooperation in tourism, civil aviation, advanced manufacturing and innovation as the two countries seek to build on one of the region's fastest-growing economic partnerships. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and To»»»

Dubai: When someone loses a job, can no longer afford rent, or suddenly has nowhere to stay, JM Avelino often does something many would hesitate to do, he offers them a place in his home. Over the years, the Dubai-based Filipino creative has welcomed fellow expatriates into his apartment in Deira, »»»

Zornitsa Gogan, Chair of the Board of the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad (ABSA), and the Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad (EABA), Rayna Mandzhukova, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Wednesday, during the 19th Annual Conference of the Association. The co»»»

Paris, France: The glittering, vaulted gallery targeted by thieves at the Louvre last October reopened to the public on Wednesday, becoming a novel attraction for tourists even though its priceless exhibits have been removed. The Apollo Gallery, one of the most lavishly decorated rooms of the world»»»

TUNIS: In Tunisia long power outages across the country have added to the strain of an intense heatwave, with temperatures as high as 49C, leaving many fearing for their livelihoods. For days, the STEG state electricity and gas company has been issuing daily heat alerts listing neighborhoods where »»»

KYIV: Ukraine has agreed to export drones to the United States to participate in the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance program, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. The agreement comes as Kyiv and Washington have been negotiating a wider drone deal for Ukrainian unmanned aerial ‌ve»»»

JEDDAH: Three of Saudi Arabia’s leading professional boxers are set for “The Comeback” boxing night on Saturday, July 25, at Jeddah Superdome, which will be headlined by Anthony Joshua taking on undefeated Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga. The participation of the Saudi trio comes as part of th»»»

ROTTERDAM: Two trams collided on a key bridge in Rotterdam on Wednesday leaving at least 15 hurt, one seriously, officials said. The Erasmus Bridge is a major landmark in the Dutch port city, spanning the Maas River, and a major transport hub. Webcam footage of the bridge showed a tram steaming int»»»

Speaker Nabih Berri has stressed that what matters now, after the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Joseph Aoun in Washington, are “the results on the ground, not just the form of the agreement.” “The real test after this meeting is the consolidation of the ceasefire and the »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar's passport has ranked 48th globally and second in the Gulf region in the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, that was released on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. According to the ranking published on the website, Qatari passport holders have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 112 destin»»»

New York, USA: Venezuela's ousted president Nicolas Maduro is set to appear before a New York court Wednesday, his third public hearing since the US military captured him in a stunning nighttime raid in January. The former leader, 63, and wife Cilia Flores have been held in a Brooklyn jail since th»»»

We condemn the Houthi threats to impose a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and once again reaffirm our solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Actions and threats that endanger maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, while targeting maritime transport and g»»»

Phil GayleDonald Trump plans new 50% tariffs on Canadian imports, despite the existing US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. https://p.dw.com/p/5HZDlAdvertisementUS President Donald Trump has announced new 50% tariffs on nearly $20 billion worth of Canadian imports, despite the existing US-Mexico-Canad»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will on Thursday meet with Czech PM Andrej Babis, who will be on an official visit to Serbia from July 22 through 23. Vucic and Babis will hold a tete-a-tete meeting at 11.30 am, to be followed by a plenary meeting of Serbian and Czech delegations they »»»

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud affirmed that the region is at a critical juncture that requires stronger dialogue, diplomacy, and collective action to address regional and international challenges. In a speech delivered via v»»»

Bulgaria's Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev and Greece's Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis have signed agreements and documents concerning the operation of the Kulata-Promachonas Contact Centre and the organization of joint patrols to operate in the border areas on Bulgari»»»

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) has always worked under written editorial standards, BTA Deputy Director General for Information Policy Evgenia Drumeva said during a Council for Electronic Media (CEM) discussion on editorial independence on Wednesday. “I believe this discussion is important. It is »»»

Bulgarian schools abroad, ambassadors, diplomats and representatives of institutions supporting the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad (ABSA) were honoured during a ceremony on Wednesday held during the association's annual conference at Sofia University's St. Kliment Ohridski Rectorate. Award»»»

Doha, Qatar:The Minister of State for International Cooperation HE Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad met on Wednesday with the Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to Qatar HE Cheikh Tidiane Sall. The meeting discussed bilateral cooperation relations and ways to support and strengthen them, par»»»

Hungary’s Public Prosecutor, Gábor Bálint Nagy, submitted his resignation on Wednesday, according to a statement published on the Prosecutor General’s Office website. ‘The prosecution service must not become a political tool’ In a statement also sent to the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), Nagy said sa»»»

The United States has stepped up its naval blockade of Iran, redirecting eight commercial vessels and disabling another ship as its military campaign entered an 11th consecutive night. The escalating conflict is increasing pressure on shipping routes, energy markets, and regional air travel. Brent »»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia has received its first shipment of Russian crude oil as part of a deal to import up to 150 million barrels to stock up national reserves in the wake of shortages in Asia due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Southeast Asia’s biggest economy imported about 60 percent of its »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Minister of State for International Cooperation, HE Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad met on Wednesday with the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Qatar HE Ahmad Abdulrahman Al Shuraim. During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways»»»

The first batches of fuel and lubricants from China have arrived in Kyrgyzstan. A video showing fuel trucks was posted on social media. Earlier, Energy Minister Altynbek Rysbekov announced the start of fuel supplies from China to Kyrgyzstan. He also said that contracts had been signed for fuel impo»»»

Four paramedics in southern Hungary have been charged with repeatedly assaulting an intoxicated patient inside a hospital detoxification unit, allegedly beating him until he lost consciousness three times. According to the Baranya County Prosecutor’s Office, the incident took place in November 2025»»»

1 of 5 | Newly sworn-in Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., participates in a ceremonial swearing in ceremony with Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and her husband, Larry Nordone, in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washingto»»»

Sofia streets are washed according to approved schedules and using different methods depending on pavement type, traffic conditions and the specifics of each area, the Sofia Inspectorate said on Wednesday in response to social media posts questioning the quality of the cleaning work. The inspectora»»»

It is the biggest shake up in Ukraine's military leadership since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine – a shake up designed to end what has also been one of the country's biggest political crises since the invasion. After days of street protests over last week's removal of the defence minister,»»»

The US European Command (EUCOM) said it is monitoring security threats in the region and remains prepared to respond to potential risks against Bulgaria, amid tensions over the possible deployment of American tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base near Yambol. In a statement published on social media, »»»

Kyrgyzstan needs regulated labor migration as the country faces a growing shortage of workers. At the same time, foreign nationals who violate the law must be deported regardless of their citizenship. First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev said in an exclusive intervi»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Wednesday an extension of a US operating licence for the Serbian oil company NIS would enable the Pancevo oil refinery to maximise its output to help to tackle a decline of crude and derivatives imports that was d»»»