Paramount Skydance on Friday told a court that it will pause its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery to allow a potential trial to happen after 12 state attorneys general sued to prevent the deal. File Photo by Allison Dinner/EPA July 24 (UPI) -- Paramount Skydance said that it has paused its merger»»»

Dubai: Companies across the Middle East returned $29.2 billion to shareholders through dividends during the first quarter of 2026, with Saudi Arabia accounting for almost 84% of the regional total. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Underlying dividend payments in the reg»»»

Share: The U.S. government has begun the process of allowing American airlines to resume direct flights to Lebanon for the first time in more than four decades. However, flights will not begin immediately, as security assessments, regulatory approvals and airline decisions are still required before»»»

Officials in Uzbekistan have denied that a traffic police officer died in a motorcycle collision with a passenger car that took place after a Tashkent road was closed to make way for the presidential motorcade. Not long after the fatal crash (captured by this dashcam footage at about eight&nbs»»»

Share: A destroyed building, as Lebanese army troops deploy in the area following the withdrawal of Israeli forces, under a U.S.-brokered plan, in southern Lebanon, in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, Lebanon July 22, 2026. REUTERS/Aziz Taher Beirut- Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold their next round of»»»

Relatives of Palestinians killed during clashes with Israeli settlers mourn at Nablus hospital in the West Bank. Photo by Alaa Badarneh/EPA July 24 (UPI) -- The Israeli military is launching a major operation in the occupied West Bank after a clash between settlers and Palestinians left six people »»»

RIYADH/SANAA: The Saudi-led coalition in ​Yemen said it carried out airstrikes targeting Houthi military sites in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on Friday that were linked to attacks on Saudi shipping. “We carried out a proportionate military response operation against legitimate military targets»»»

Allegations against Karim Khan first emerged in 2024, when a female ICC lawyer reported that the chief prosecutor had repeatedly sexually harassed and abused her. File Photo courtesy International Criminal Court | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- Chief prosecutor Karim Khan was ousted from the Intern»»»

Since the conflict between Iran and the United States began on February 28, more than 1,000 people have been arrested for attempting to document Iranian strikes in Jordan and Gulf countries allied with Washington. The governments of these countries have sought to deter the circulation of such image»»»

In tonight's edition, North Africa is in the grip of a severe heatwave, with temperatures nearing 49 degrees Celsius. Also, six years after the brutal killing of a 90-year-old woman accused of witchcraft shocked Ghana and the world, activists say the fight for justice remains far from over.&nb»»»

A person talks on a cellphone at Wagner Park with temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit July 3 in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Triple-digit heat is slated to roast a large portion of the central United States through the final days of July as a massive, recor»»»

Tunis, July 24, 2026 (TAP) - Tunisia is preparing to launch its first solar power production project designed to supply the infrastructure of the motorway network, as part of its energy transition strategy, project officials announced on Friday...»»»

An agent watches the crowd from his car outside an ICE facility in Newark, N.J., where detainees started a hunger strike in May to protest what they call inhumane conditions inside the detention center. File Photo by Angelina Katsanis/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- Congressional leaders on Fr»»»

LONDON: Across Syria’s war-scarred landscape, reconstruction efforts have largely centered on shattered cities and critical infrastructure, even as other initiatives aim to extend recovery beyond urban areas. One such effort, led by Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the UN Development Programme, is shi»»»

We condemn in the strongest terms the rising illegal settler terrorism in the occupied Palestinian territories. The killing of four Palestinians today (24 July) by settler terrorists encouraged by the Netanyahu government is a consequence of Israel's ongoing genocidal policy. We reiterate our call »»»

Sean "Diddy" Combs was placed in solitary confinement in New Jersey's Fort Dix prison after he got into a fight with a fellow inmate earlier this week. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has been put in solitary confinement after allegedly b»»»

LONDON: Five London police officers were injured Friday after their boat patrolling the River Thames struck Westminster Bridge and they went into the water, the UK capital’s Metropolitan Police Service said. The force said in a statement that “a boat from the Met’s Marine Policing Unit struck Westm»»»

Nicaragua's government began the process Friday of reforming the Constitution and the legal framework governing the electoral system, File Photo by Jorge Torres/EPA July 24 (UPI) -- Nicaragua's government began the process Friday of reforming the Constitution and the legal framework governing the e»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday that he had not decided on whether to launch major strikes on Iran yet, as Tehran was now getting “serious” in talks with Washington.His comments came after reports that an increasingly frustrated Trump was meeting senior advisers to discuss launchi»»»

LIMA: Peru and Venezuela will resume diplomatic relations after severing ties over now ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s disputed election win in 2024, both foreign ministries announced Friday. Caracas had cut bilateral relations in July of that year after Lima recognized Venezuela’s opposi»»»

PHILADELPHIA: LeBron James’ first “final” decision was that he would retire. Weeks of deep reflection led him to change his mind, however, with all the familiar options in front of him to extend his career; a third trip with Cleveland, a second stop in Miami, maybe even stay in California for a hig»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Export-Import Bank of the US to establish a financing framework worth up to $15 billion to support strategic investments and procurement from US companies. The agreement, announced on Friday, will provid»»»

China’s Ministry of Commerce has imposed export controls on 14 European Union entities in retaliation for the EU’s latest sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong companies. The affected organizations include Polish technology company Vigo Photonics and Wrocław University of Science and Technology, as we»»»

Czech commercial real estate investor NASA Capital is entering Poland through a locally regulated closed-end investment fund managed by Ipopema TFI. The fund will primarily target existing income-producing office buildings and other commercial properties in Warsaw and major regional cities. NASA Ca»»»

Store closures by major retail chains increasingly reflect portfolio optimization rather than a broader market crisis. Retailers are reassessing individual locations, closing weaker outlets, and investing in larger, strategically important stores designed to strengthen the brand experience. Poland’»»»

Poland’s National Debt Register lists 1.9 mln consumers with a combined PLN 40.4 bln in overdue debt. The average debtor owes PLN 21,500, while people aged 36–55 account for 60% of all arrears. Debt collectors hear explanations ranging from genuine financial hardship and illness to forgotten deadli»»»

The Trump administration has announced new tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners, continuing its aggressive trade policy despite recent legal setbacks. Countries accused of failing to enforce forced-labor bans will face a 10% tariff, while most others will be subject to a 12.5% rate. European»»»

Polish authors earn an average of just PLN 2.87 per copy sold, even though the average retail price of a book is about PLN 58.50. The Literary Union is therefore campaigning for a statutory minimum royalty equal to 10% of the cover price. Most publishing contracts currently calculate royalties usin»»»

The Democratic primaries in 2028 will start with South Carolina then Nevada. Iowa was edged out of the early primary schedule. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- South Carolina should be the first state to vote in Democratic primaries in 2028, according to the Democratic»»»

Soldiers stand watch at a Lebanese army checkpoint in Zawtar al-Gharbiya, southern Lebanon, on Friday. Zawtar al-Gharbiya is among the designated pilot zones under the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, from which Israeli forces are scheduled to withdraw. Photo by EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, »»»

President Donald Trump is pressuring Senate Republicans to plow ahead with a $95 billion budget framework before they leave for recess in August. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Friday pressured Senate Republicans to plow ahead with a $95 billion »»»

Chris Brown leaves Southwark Crown Court where he entered a plea of not guilty June 20, 2025, over an alleged assault in February 2023 of a man in a Mayfair night club in London. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Friday. File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- Musician C»»»

RAMALLAH: Palestine Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh called on a number of Arab countries and international states on Friday, urging them to assume their responsibilities and protect the Palestinian people from attacks by Israeli colonists and occupation forces. Al-Sheikh said his urgent plea came »»»

Written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa I have been looking forward to “Daemons of the Shadow Realm” ever since I heard Hiromu Arakawa was getting another anime adaptation. As someone who considers “Fullmetal Alchemist” one of the greatest anime ever made, my expectations were probably unfairly h»»»

SEATTLE, USA: A seaplane carrying 11 people crashed and caught fire on the rocky coast of a remote, forested island near Washington’s border with Canada, but a swift rescue by nearby boats and a helicopter got everyone safely to hospitals. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday one pers»»»

BUDAPEST: Formula One has been driven too much by business decisions and needs to remember it is a sport, according to McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris. With drivers chafing at new regulations that have cramped their speed, particularly at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, the Briton told rep»»»

MONTREAL: Wimbledon champion ‌Jannik Sinner and 24-times Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic have withdrawn from next month’s US Open tune-up event in Montreal, tournament organizers said on Friday. Sinner’s withdrawal is expected to make world number two Alexander Zverev and Canadian Felix Auger-Alia»»»

PATTAYA: Tyson Fury edged closer to a blockbuster heavyweight clash with Anthony Joshua after defeating Poland’s Mariusz Wach by technical knock-out on Friday, but said he was “not convinced” his fellow Briton would face him. Fury, 37, outclassed Wach in front of 1,500 spectators in the Thai resort»»»

A person walks along a street flooded after the Bellavista Canal overflowed in the Mirador de la Hacienda neighborhood of La Serena, Chile, on Monday. President Jose Antonio Kast declared a state of constitutional exception of catastrophe for the Coquimbo Region and Huasco province in response to t»»»

Bulgaria is not participating in a war, and Bulgarian airspace has not been handed over to a foreign power, President Iliana Iotova said in an interview on Bulgarian National Television on Friday. "The Bulgarian government acted honestly. Everyone in the National Assembly had the opportunity to exp»»»

The worst wildfire in the Madrid region's history raged west of the Spanish capital on Friday, with around 40,000 people evacuated or ordered to remain indoors. Strong winds and scorching temperatures hampered efforts to contain the flames, which had destroyed dozens of homes and forced the closure»»»

Washington: Since 2026 began, the United States has already recorded its worst measles outbreak in 35 years, according to official figures released Friday, a serious uptick in cases as vaccine hesitancy grows. In just seven months, 2,318 confirmed cases of the highly contagious illness have been re»»»

A nurse administers a measles vaccine to a child at a public health center in Nejapa, El Salvador, in April. The United States just reached a record high of measles cases this year. File Photo by Javier Aparicio/EPA July 24 (UPI) -- Measles cases have hit a record high in the United States since th»»»

President Iliana Iotova said on Friday she will run for president in the upcoming election in November. Her candidacy will be put forward by a nomination committee. Iotova broke the news in an interview with Bulgarian National Television. Asked which political party she will seek support from, Ioto»»»

President Donald Trump's new round of tariffs stem from an investigation launched by the Office of the United States Trade Representative in March into whether trading partners effectively prohibit imports made with forced labor. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- Governments»»»

The Ministry of Social Relations and Culture has terminated the employment of the directors of the Natural History Museum, the National Széchényi Library and the Museum of Applied Arts, following a comprehensive institutional review of cultural background institutions, aimed at ensuring workplace s»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened the European Union with a substantial tariff and an investigation over the bloc's new fine against US tech giant Google. On Thursday, the European Commission said it had fined Google 890 million euros (nearly $1 billion) for viol»»»

Washington: A US federal court in Virginia has ruled that restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump's administration on the abortion pill mifepristone are "unlawful" and must be reconsidered. The case was brought by the nonprofit Center for Reproductive Rights in May 2023 on behalf of abortion»»»

New Delhi: India said Friday that one of its nationals was killed in an attack last week on a commercial vessel transiting the Black Sea. The foreign ministry condemned the strike, saying that the MV Omorfi -- which had three Indian nationals on board -- was attacked on July 18 "while transiting th»»»

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to hit the European Union with tariffs and a formal trade investigation over Brussels' latest antitrust penalty against Google. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the bloc "will pay a very big price for this illegal and high»»»