Porto Germeno, Greece: Greece on Sunday faced multiple fronts and a growing damage toll after a week of wildfires devastated over 12,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land, experts said. The National Observatory's climate tracker meteo.gr said early estimates indicated that over 6,500 hectare»»»

ATHENS: Greece on Sunday faced multiple fronts and a growing damage toll after a week of wildfires devastated over 12,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land, experts said. The National Observatory’s climate tracker meteo.gr said over 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) had been burned in separate f»»»

The United Nations has expressed concern over Israel's ongoing demolitions in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah. "The scale of the detonations and demolitions taking place in south Lebanon is deeply concerning, with a devastating impact on civilian infrastructure, cultu»»»

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump discussed regional developments and the need for diplomatic solutions during a phone call, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. During the conversation, the Crown Prince stressed the need to prioritise dialogue and redu»»»

RIYADH: The civil nuclear cooperation agreement between Saudi Arabia and the US is expected to usher in a new phase of economic and technological partnership that extends well beyond the construction of nuclear reactors and electricity generation, encompassing the localization of high-value industr»»»

Muscat: Oman has introduced a free 14-day tourist visa for nationals of selected countries under amendments to the executive regulations of the Foreigners' Residence Law, in a move aimed at facilitating short-term visits and boosting tourism. The changes were introduced under Royal Oman Police Deci»»»

Dubai: UAE skywatchers are in for a treat this month, as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of August 12-13, bringing up to 100 meteors an hour blazing across the desert sky, according to the Dubai Astronomy Group. This year's display arrives with a bonus: it also falls on a ne»»»

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it killed several Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon and that an Israeli soldier was injured there despite a ceasefire. The military said it identified several Hezbollah fighters overnight inside what Israel has labelled a "security zone" in southern L»»»

The Spanish authorities said on Saturday that they were installing a floating barrier on the sea border between  its North African territory of Ceuta and neighboring Morocco, after a surge of tens of thousands of migrants into the territory earlier in the week prompted alarm across t»»»

Overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza hit multiple residential buildings and killed at least eight people, authorities said Sunday, despite Hamas saying it agreed to the latest stage of a deal to end the war. Hamas said Friday it had agreed to a plan championed by U.S. President Donald Trump that inclu»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Arabi star Pablo Sarabia believes the Qatar Stars League is making consistent progress, praising the growing quality of players and coaches while stressing the need to keep building on that momentum. The former Spain international said Qatar’s football project is moving in the right»»»

Doha, Qatar: The draw for the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup placed Qatar in Group C alongside China, Iran and Sri Lanka, setting up a challenging campaign for the young Qatari team at the continental tournament, which will be held in Ahmedabad, India, from August 13 to 23. The draw presents Qatar with a m»»»

Dubai: Dubai Metro has cemented its position as the emirate’s most popular mode of transport, carrying 136.5 million passengers in the first six months of 2026 and accounting for nearly four out of every 10 public transport journeys, as Dubai’s integrated mobility network recorded a total of 348.1 »»»

Doha, Qatar: The recent passing of former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan provides an opportunity to reflect on how US monetary policymaking has evolved over the past twenty years. A central debate is how much guidance a central bank should provide regarding the path of interest rates. Greater»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) recently announced the launch of the Business Guidance and Establishment Office, an initiative aimed at simplifying the business setup process and providing investors and entrepreneurs with dedicated support throughout their investment journ»»»

Doha: Doha Festival City, Qatar’s leading retail, leisure and lifestyle destination, has announced a combined investment of up to QR400m by Doha Festival City and participating retail partners to deliver its most ambitious transformation since opening. The programme reflects the destination’s long-»»»

Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja’s final expedition began with an unexpected decision — one that could have taken him closer to another historic mountaineering achievement. Days before he was killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan, the British-Nepali mountaineer revealed that the climb was not part»»»

Abu Dhabi: In one of the region's largest environmental restoration initiatives, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) is set to disperse 10 million native seeds by air in a landmark project aimed at rehabilitating natural habitats, restoring native vegetation, enhancing biodiversity, and streng»»»

On Aug. 2, 1776, the Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, was signed by members of the Continental Congress. 1 of 5 | A woman looks at a rare historic copy of the Declaration of Independence written in Thomas Jefferson's hand at the New York Public Library in New York City on July 3, 201»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Trump Halts ‘WWII-Level’ Strikes on Iran Amid Last-Ditch Diplomatic Push; Tehran Warns of Unrestricted Retaliation 02-08-2026 09:43 AM US P»»»

Doha, Qatar: As part of its strategic vision to prepare a new generation of leaders in finance and investment, Dukhan Bank organised the Next-Gen 26 Program, an integrated two-week learning experience spanning Doha and Geneva. The programme was designed to equip the children of its key Private Bank»»»

Doha, Qatar: Residents and visitors can look forward to a vibrant month of entertainment, sport and cultural activities as Qatar Calendar rolls out a diverse line-up of events throughout August, offering experiences for families, sports enthusiasts and art lovers across the country. Families will c»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Foundation’s annual Mukhayamna Summer Programme is equipping young people with future-ready skills by introducing them to emerging fields such as quantum computing, coding, business and leadership, while combining these with sports, arts and creative activities to foster well-rou»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Tourism has concluded a series of training workshops designed to support applicants for the fourth edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards 2026, providing practical guidance on the application process ahead of the September deadline. According to posts on Qatar Tourism social media a»»»

Doha, Qatar: Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Chair of the Board of Directors of Visit Qatar H E Saad bin Ali Al Kharji participated as a keynote speaker in the Goodwood Summit, held on the sidelines of the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar 2026. In his opening remarks, His Excellency u»»»

South Korea registered on Sunday its highest temperature since records began more than a century ago, according to the state weather agency. The southeastern city of Yangsan saw the temperature reach 42.5C at 1:26 pm (0426 GMT), the Korea Meteorological Administration said on its website. Yangsan h»»»

Egypt’s labor market is improving on paper, but its underlying challenges remain structural. Universities continue to graduate students faster than curricula evolve to meet employer needs, creating a persistent mismatch between education and the technical, digital, language, and soft skills demande»»»

Arab Finance: Egypt’s small and medium enterprise (SME) sector faces an estimated $10 billion factoring gap and a broader $48 billion MENA region financing shortfall. Despite representing the backbone of economic growth and employment, SMEs in Egypt remain severely underserved by traditional bankin»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s transportation infrastructure construction industry is entering a new phase of long-term, strategy-led growth, with the sector projected to expand to $13.12bn (QR47.82bn) this year from $12.48bn (QR45.48bn) in 2025, according to a recent market analysis by Mordor Intelligence. »»»

Bulgaria’s business climate improved slightly in July, with the strongest positive movement recorded in the construction sector, while services reported a decline, according to data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). The overall business climate indicator rose by 0.7 points compared wit»»»

Al Majalla devotes this issue to the US-Saudi nuclear agreement signed this month, because it lies at the intersection of security, energy, economics, and geopolitics. The deal came after America concluded that losing Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear programme to Beijing or Moscow would carry conseq»»»

With Hamas having finally decided to disarm in Gaza, it can now be revealed why Russia stepped back from its support for the Palestinian group, as new details emerge about the Kremlin’s thinking. Speaking anonymously, diplomatic sources say several interrelated factors contributed to Moscow’s wanin»»»

Arab Finance: The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy has kept electricity prices unchanged for the first residential consumption bracket while approving a new tariff for the remaining household consumption brackets, with an average increase of 12%, the ministry announced in a statement. T»»»

My previous columns covered the logic of Budapest’s premium market – from the step-by-step purchase process and discreet transactions to inheritance and the golden visa reality. This piece moves one step beyond the capital. Premium property at Lake Balaton has quietly overtaken Budapest in a tellin»»»

US President Donald Trump said the United States and Israel will pause planned strikes on Iran after claiming that Middle Eastern countries had helped outline a possible deal to end the months-long conflict. The announcement came after days of warnings that Washington was preparing further military»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he will order American forces to hold off on new strikes against Iran, claiming Mideast allies had reached the parameters of a deal to end the five-month old war. The emerging deal “would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STR»»»

Flight status today: UAE airline schedules and cancellations Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The US State Department has also issued a travel warning for the Middle East, including the UAE, advising citizens to be prepared for possible flight canc»»»

US-Iran tensions continue to keep the region on alert, with US President Donald Trump saying he has paused planned strikes on Iran after claiming a deal framework had been reached with Middle Eastern allies. For UAE residents, the developments come amid security concerns, travel advisories and airl»»»

Dubai: Every independent artist today faces the same problem: millions of songs, one algorithm, and almost no way to stand out. In the UAE, a small but determined community has found an answer in a familiar, but unlikely place — vinyl. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.J»»»

The US can take “pretty much whatever we want” from Ukraine’s rare earth deposits under a minerals agreement signed last year, President Donald Trump has said, adding that profits from the agreement could ultimately exceed total American aid to Kiev since 2022. Trump made the remarks in an intervie»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s clear desert skies, low levels of light pollution and growing interest in astronomy are reinforcing the Kingdom’s reputation as a year-round destination for stargazing, with August bringing one of the busiest calendars of celestial events this year. The Jeddah Astronomy Socie»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set for another hot day on Sunday, with temperatures climbing to 48C in inland areas as the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) forecasts fair to partly cloudy skies and the possibility of afternoon showers over eastern parts of the country. Light to moderate south-easterly winds»»»

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rain and strong winds in parts of Kerala over the next three hours as the state continues to battle rain-related disasters that have claimed seven lives. In an alert issued at 2:30am on Sunday, the IMD forecast heavy rainfall in Idukki, »»»

A gunman opened fire at a fast-food restaurant in the western US state of Idaho on Saturday, killing an as yet unknown number of people, police said, adding that the suspect was also dead. The shooting at the In-N-Out Burger restaurant "resulted in fatalities," but authorities were still working to»»»

WASHINGTON: A heat wave gripped large swaths of the Western US on Saturday as temperatures hovered near record highs, heightening wildfire risks in areas that already are dry or burning and prompting warnings for people to stay inside. A ridge of high pressure is holding heat close to the ground — »»»

OpenAI has uncovered additional cases in which its autonomous AI models breached containment and acted without human instruction, Reuters has reported, citing sources. The findings come as the company expands its investigation into a hacking incident last month in which an AI bot went rogue while a»»»

WASHINGTON: The Justice Department has subpoenaed the records of a freelance journalist for the ​New York Times as part of a probe into the sourcing of a 2025 story about a botched U.S. military operation in North Korea, the newspaper said on Saturday. Freelancer Matthew Cole was subpoenaed in Febr»»»

CAIRO: Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza ‌for a second straight day on Sunday, killing at least four Palestinians, despite US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a breakthrough in ​efforts to implement last year’s Gaza ceasefire agreement. Palestinian health officials said Israeli warplanes»»»

British-Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja, 42, was among 10 climbers who were swept away by a deadly avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. File Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA-EFE Aug. 1 (UPI) -- World-renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja and nine others were killed during an avalanche on Pakistan's Broa»»»

CAIRO: Iran warned ​this weekend against any “adventurous action” by the US and said it would retaliate decisively if American forces follow through on President Donald Trump’s threats of fresh attacks on Iranian targets.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi’s comments in separate phone calls on Sa»»»