An international operation involving Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and the Netherlands has led to the arrest of seven members of an organized criminal group involved in migrant smuggling, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior said. Among those detained are the group’s leaders and coordinators. A total of»»»

RIYADH: Reforms across logistics, governance and business environment could see trade more than double between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Caucasus and Central Asia regions. A report published by the International Monetary Fund, and supported by experts speaking to Arab News, set out that »»»

A 17-year-old student worker has died in a tragic workplace accident at an industrial company in Szeged, southern Hungary, after being pulled into an industrial cutting machine. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the incident. According to local newspaper Délmagyar, the fatal a»»»

President Joseph Aoun on Saturday left Beirut for Washington, where he is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, the Lebanese presidency said, after talks between Lebanon and Israel wrapped up in Italy. Aoun will hold discussions "with several American officials on the situation in Lebanon a»»»

DUBAI: French guard Elie Okobo will play for Dubai Basketball after reaching an agreement with the team on a multi-year deal. The 28-year-old joins from AS Monaco, where he spent the past four seasons (2022-26), following a one-year stint with fellow French side LDLC ASVEL (2021-22). He becomes the»»»

The United Nations looks set to list a Biblical site, Lebanese castles, an antelope migration path and the world's deepest lake as world treasures under threat, including from war or climate change. The 196 members states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNES»»»

RIYADH: Five Saudi women have been recognized among the world’s most influential figures in women’s sport, highlighting the Kingdom’s growing role in shaping the sector both regionally and internationally. Adwa Al-Arifi, Rasha Al-Khamis, Princess Nouf Al-Saud, Alanoud Althonayan and Lamia Bahaian h»»»

DRAMMEN: A major fire in southern Norway destroyed more than 100 homes Friday and forced hundreds of people to evacuate the area, according to police and the country’s public broadcaster. The blaze started in a townhouse in the city of Drammen around 3:30 p.m. Friday, police said. It then spread th»»»

ALMATY: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team made a strong start to the 10th Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship by winning nine medals in the men’s competition, including three gold, five silver and one bronze, on the opening day at Almaty Arena on Friday, where the championship continues until July 19. The a»»»

Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid confirmed on Friday, July 17, 2026, that the ministry is committed to strengthening ties with the Bank of New York (BNY) and other international financial institutions. The minister explained that the move aims to develop financing tools, expan»»»

More than 5,000 people were killed in the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month, officials said, adding that the country would tap $346 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for reconstruction. The coastal state of La Guaira, located north of Caracas, was decimated in the q»»»

More than 800 wildfires are burning across Canada, including around 190 in northern Ontario, with the surge in fires widely linked to climate change. Thick smoke has created hazardous air quality not only across parts of Canada but also in several US states, including Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan »»»

The Trump administration’s waiver of environmental laws to speed up border barrier construction in Texas’s Big Bend National Park has sparked an outcry from local residents and authorities. With sheer cliffs towering hundreds of metres above the waters of the Rio Grande, vast desert landscapes, and»»»

Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina promises to be a classic, pitting Europe against South America and rising star Lamine Yamal against Lionel Messi. Spain head into the showdown unbeaten in 37 matches, while Argentina have built a reputation for producing some of the tournament's »»»

Kuwait said on Saturday that an Iranian attack hit a water and electricity plant one day after a similar strike damaged another plant. Tehran launched attacks on US military sites hosted by several of its Gulf neighbours in response to a seventh night of US strikes on Iran overnight on Fr»»»

Kuwait reported Friday an Iranian attack on a power and water plant on Friday, while Bahrain and Qatar also said they had intercepted missiles after the U.S. attacked power infrastructure in Iran. Kuwait said that a power and water plant had been damaged by an Iranian attack, as the war in the Midd»»»

Iraq signed 48 agreements and partnerships with American companies, many in the oil sector, during a visit to the U.S. by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, his office said Saturday. Oil-rich Iraq has been trying to move past decades of war and unrest, but still suffers from poor infrastructure, failing »»»

The U.S. State Department reported a major oil pipeline between Iraq and Syria, which has been closed for decades, will be restored by the two countries. "The United States welcomes the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic's intent to advance the rehabil»»»

Authorities in the Paris region recorded "1,565 more deaths than expected" over a one-week period in June as the country grappled with a protracted heatwave that broke all-time temperature records, France's public health agency said in a report released on Friday, adding that people over 65 account»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre has warned residents about fraudulent ads and messages offering jobs, residency, or visit visas in exchange for money. The centre said these scams are usually spread through social media and messaging apps, often using the names of unlicensed companies or pos»»»

Vologda (Russia) (AFP) – Russian couple Yelena and Dmitry passed four petrol stations before finally finding one that actually had fuel as they returned to the city of Vologda, some 300 miles (480 kilometres) north of Moscow, from their country allotment plot. Like all but a few»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, reaffirmed the nation's commitment to preserving the principles of unity and safeguarding the achievements of the Union»»»

Beirut, Lebanon: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday left Beirut for Washington, where he is expected to meet US President Donald Trump, the Lebanese presidency said, after talks between Lebanon and Israel wrapped up in Italy. Aoun will hold discussions "with several American officials on th»»»

Tokyo: A Canadian tourist was injured Friday after a bear attacked her in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, local media reported. The woman in her 30s was strolling alone at Goshikinuma Ponds, a popular tourist spot in the foothills of Mount Bandai, when the bear scratched her face and righ»»»

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s jiu-jitsu team raised its medal tally at the Asian Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan to nine after winning two golds, one silver and one bronze in the men’s division on Friday. Brothers Omar and Abdullah Nada claimed gold medals in the 94 kg and 85 kg categories, the Saudi Ji»»»

MOSCOW: Waves ​of Ukrainian drone attacks killed seven warehouse workers and injured dozens more, while another attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the wider capital region, regional governors said on Saturday. Governor Evgeniy Pervyshov said 25 people were injured ‌after Ukrainian drones slam»»»

Kazakhstan and China have signed more than 70 commercial agreements and memoranda worth over $15bn spanning artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, transport, manufacturing, energy and critical minerals. Deals were inked as Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a working visit to Sha»»»

This year the Bulgarian Air Force has provided six helicopters to be available during the fire-risk season, Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov, head of the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of the Population, said in a televised interview. Last year, the number of available heli»»»

Russia's Investigative Committee has opened criminal cases on terrorism following Ukrainian drone strikes on logistics centers in the Russian cities of Kotovsk and Elektrostal, the committee's spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told Sputnik on Saturday. Ukrainian drones targeted logistics centers belong»»»

New York, USA: Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said he wants his teammates to take the spotlight ahead of Sunday's World Cup final against Spain, playing down his own role in the team's bid for back-to-back titles. "I don't want to be making the headlines," the 33-year-old told reporters on »»»

DUBAI: French Algerian model Loli Bahia has landed a starring role in Saint Laurent’s new summer campaign, appearing alongside Danish model Mona Tougaard, who is of Somali, Turkish and Ethiopian descent. Titled “Respiro,” the campaign was described by the French house as a “visual love letter to th»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday left Beirut for Washington, where he is expected to meet Donald Trump, the Lebanese presidency said, after talks between Lebanon and Israel wrapped up in Italy. Aoun will hold discussions “with several American officials on the situation in Lebanon and way»»»

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s jiu-jitsu team raised its medal tally at the Asian Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan to nine after winning two golds, one silver and one bronze in the men’s division on Friday. Brothers Omar and Abdullah Nada claimed gold medals in the 94 kg and 85 kg categories, the Saudi Ji»»»

Reuters has retracted a July 16 report claiming witnesses heard booms in Downtown Dubai, acknowledging that the story did not meet its editorial standards and that it could not determine where the sounds came from or what significance, if any, they carried. In a statement dated July 17, Reuters sai»»»

Egypt's iron and steel industry is a strategic pillar of the country's industrial sector, playing a vital role in economic growth, infrastructure development, and export performance. Since the establishment of the first iron and steel company in 1936, the industry has expanded significantly, positi»»»

Tunis, July 18 (TAP) - Temperatures are expected to drop on Saturday with highs ranging between 36°C and 41°C in coastal regions and heights and between 42°C and 47°C elsewhere, reaching 48°C in the far south-west with sirocco blows. The weather is...»»»

The long-delayed demolition of abandoned railway workers’ housing in Budapest’s Rákosrendező district could begin soon after the state-owned railway company MÁV reached an agreement with the Budapest Municipality. Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced that MÁV has now granted all»»»

Hanoi: Torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides in northern Vietnam's Lai Chau province, leaving four people dead, seven others injured and four others missing, the Vietnam News Agency reported Saturday. The disaster destroyed 13 houses in the locality, while nearly 100 other homes re»»»

It isn't every day that you visit a centuries-old Christian monastery and discover that one of the people responsible for preserving it was a ruler from the UAE. Yet that's exactly the story waiting to be uncovered at Haghartsin Monastery, one of Armenia's most treasured religious and cultural land»»»

Dubai: A high-paying job abroad. A quick departure. A recruiter promising a better life in just a few weeks. For many jobseekers, these offers can appear to be the opportunity they have been waiting for. But behind some attractive promises are illegal recruitment schemes that can lead to exploitati»»»

Vientiane: Laos authorities said on Saturday they could not determine blame or the cause of the deaths in 2024 of six tourists previously linked to methanol-tainted alcohol. Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died following what media reports said was a night out on the »»»

Ankara: A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck several provinces in southeastern Turkiye on Saturday, with no casualties or damage reported. Turkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said in a statement that the earthquake was centered in the Battalgazi district of Malatya province an»»»

New Delhi: India scripted a historic chapter in its space journey on Saturday as Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, the country's first privately developed orbital rocket, under Mission Aagaman, making India only the third nation after the United States and China to h»»»

On July 18, 1976, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci became the first person in Olympic Games history to be awarded the score of a perfect 10 in gymnastics. 1 of 5 | Romania's Nadia Comaneci, 14, won three gold metals and received seven perfect scores at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. The multiple exp»»»

Arab Finance: Egypt's Cabinet approved proceeding with contracting procedures with Elsewedy Electric to establish a manufacturing project for all types of electrical wiring harnesses and their components on a 22.6-feddan plot in the Manshaat Kamal area of Fayoum Governorate, as per a statement. The»»»

Doha, Qatar: Kuwait's Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said another power generation and water desalination station came under attack on Saturday, July 18, triggering a fire and prompting emergency measures to safeguard the country's electricity and water services. In a statement»»»

Nitrogen dioxide pollution occurs throughout the year and exceeds permissible levels, especially along Sofia’s major thoroughfares. The city’s low-emission zone for vehicles, which currently operates for three months, should be made a year-round measure, Ivaylo Hlebarov, a consultant to the Sofia M»»»

Opposition Fidesz is turning to the Constitutional Court in four cases, lawmaker and former Justice Minister Bence Tuzson said on Friday. Tuzson said on Facebook that they were challenging a law “which sacrifices Hungary’s sovereignty, cynically using ‘EU funds’ as an excuse”, the sixteenth amendme»»»

Doha, Qatar: Bahrain said its defence forces have intercepted and destroyed several Iranian aerial attacks. “The General Command affirms that all its weapons systems and units are at the highest level of readiness and remain fully prepared to defend the Kingdom,” the defence forces said in a statem»»»

A fire broke out at one of Kuwait's power stations and water desalination plants on Saturday, the country's Ministry of Electricity and Water announced, attributing the incident to what it called "criminal Iranian aggression." In a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the ministry sa»»»