LONDON: Syrian authorities on Wednesday arrested two drug traffickers and seized 186,000 captagon pills during an operation in the Afrin area of Aleppo province in the north of the country. The Drug Enforcement Department said that authorities seized the pills from 186 bags with a combined weight o»»»

NAIROBI: ‌Five Kenyan security officers were killed in a clash with suspected ​Al-Shabab militants in the county of Mandera near the Somali border, police said. The militant group has been battling for years to overthrow Somalia’s central government ‌and establish ‌its rule ​in ‌the ⁠Horn of ​Afric»»»

Doha, Qatar, 29th July 2026: Baladna Q.P.S.C., Qatar’s leading dairy and juice company, today announced its financial results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2026. The Company delivered continued growth in revenue and profitability, supported by the strong performance of its core business, r»»»

The Bureau of Information and Economic Cycles (BIEC) has raised concerns over Poland's labor market after its July Labor Market Index (WRP) increased to 77.7 points, signaling a greater risk of rising unemployment in the months ahead. Although the registered unemployment rate fell to 5.8% in June, »»»

Poland's chronic underinvestment in healthcare may be contributing to more than 10,000 avoidable deaths each year, according to experts cited in a new report highlighting the economic and human cost of insufficient health spending. The analysis argues that limited funding has led to longer waiting »»»

Bulgaria is seeking spare parts for its MiG-29 fighter aircraft and exploring options to acquire used F-16 or JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, Minister of Defence Dimitar Stoyanov said on Wednesday, drawing criticism from parliamentary groups. The Defence Ministry said that it had sent inquiries to Poland, »»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar strongly condemned the Iranian attacks on the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a brazen breach of international law and the United Nations Charter. In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Forei»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has launched the 'Zad Al-Mubta'ath' National Program for the Preparation and Education of Scholarship Students.It is the first comprehensive national programme aimed at preparing scholarship students set for travel, providing them with su»»»

Dubai: The US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, though the decision revealed divisions among policymakers as inflation remained elevated in the world's largest economy. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Most investors expec»»»

Three successful da Vinci procedures launched robotic surgery at Medica University Hospital in Ruse, the hospital said on Wednesday. The first procedures using the da Vinci system were performed on July 27 and 28 by Dr Tsanko Yotsov and Dr Paolina Kamenova, under the mentorship of former European S»»»

Doha, Qatar: The weekend in Qatar offers a variety of fantastic ways to stay entertained while keeping cool. Here are the top events you shouldn't miss happening around Doha this weekend. Qatar Toy Festival Until August 4, 2026 From 2 PM to 10 PM (weekdays) | 2 PM to 11 PM (Thursday to Saturday) Do»»»

ROME: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for action on Wednesday to hold Israeli settlers accountable for violence against Palestinians, warning that continued attacks and illegal settlement expansions were threatening the prospects of a two-state solution. Speaking at a high-le»»»

Palestinians inspect a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in Gaza, Tuesday. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said at least four people were killed in Israeli attacks across the territory on Tuesday. Photo by Mohammed Saber/EPA July 29 (UPI) -- The Israeli military on Wednesday accus»»»

Hungary’s parliamentary Immunity Committee has recommended lifting the parliamentary immunity of Tisza Party MP Lőrinc Varga in connection with a drink-driving offence committed in 2024, before he became a member of parliament. Committee chair Edit Sasi-Nagy, also a Tisza Party MP, told the Hungari»»»

Tunis, July 29, 2026 (TAP) - Tunisia's Financial Market Council (CMF) held a meeting on Wednesday to review developments in the financial market following the decline recorded by the Tunis Stock Exchange's benchmark index during July 28 trading...»»»

Stuart Norval welcomes Jean-Luc Gleyze, President of the Departmental Council of the Gironde, and Stéphane Delpeyrat-Vincent, former firefighter and founder of WARUCENE, a research firm specialising in wildfire prevention. The Gironde wildfires expose the growing challenges of land management in a »»»

The Orbán government’s Bethlen Gábor Fund (BGA) distributed HUF 255.9 million (approximately EUR 705,000) in discretionary grants to Hungarian diaspora organisations outside Europe between July 2025 and the end of April 2026, according to documents obtained through a freedom of information request.»»»

Dubai: A fire broke out aboard two vessels at Egypt's Damietta Port on Wednesday, but the country's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources denied reports that the incident was caused by a drone attack, saying no injuries or fatalities had been recorded. The ministry said the fire was brought u»»»

Record Shanghai listing fuels semiconductor ambitions, though company still trails South Korean and U.S. rivals technologically A large screen shows the latest stock exchange and economy data in Shanghai, China, 15 June 2026. Photo by ALEX PLAVEVSKI / EPA July 28 (Asia Today) -- China's successful »»»

"We should not focus on restoring old defense equipment," MP Radoslav Ribarski of Continue the Change party told journalists in Parliament on Wednesday. He was commenting on the Ministry of Defence's request for a possible purchase of MiG-29 aircraft for spare parts. "We are for real modernization »»»

Doha: Qatar's General Directorate of Civil Defense has intensified fire prevention efforts during the summer season, focusing on public awareness campaigns and compliance with safety requirements to reduce risks to lives and property. Despite increased awareness, officials said some unsafe practice»»»

The European Union needs a coalition of key member states to overcome political divisions and prepare the bloc for its next enlargement wave, including the possible accession of Ukraine, Moldova and Western Balkan countries, a report by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) said. The rep»»»

In the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, few historical figures are as awkwardly placed as artist Ivan Aivazovsky. Born in Feodosia, Crimea, on the Black Sea coast in 1817, the city of Aivazovsky’s birth now under Russian occupation but still internationally recognised as part of Ukraine. In »»»

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has appointed Dr. Rajeh bin Tami Al-Baqami as its new ambassador to Pakistan, replacing Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, as the longtime allies deepen cooperation on defense, investment and regional security amid growing instability in the Middle East. Al-Baqami was among eight newl»»»

Dubai: An explosion struck the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Egypt's Damietta Port during cargo discharge on Wednesday, with Egyptian security sources saying gas storage tankers at the port might have been targeted by drones. British maritime security firm Ambrey said a US- owned and oper»»»

OpenAI released an update Wednesday on a July 22 cyberattack by one of its bots into another company's system. File Photo by Adam Vaughan/EPA July 29 (UPI) -- OpenAI released an update on its investigation into a recent breach by its AI model into another company's data, saying the bot was used for»»»

The technical service life of Bulgaria’s MiG-29 fighter jets extends until 2029, when they are due to be retired from service, while the Su-25 attack aircraft are scheduled to be retired next year, GERB–UDF MP Hristo Gadzhev told reporters in Parliament. Gadzhev was commenting on statements by the »»»

The Afghan Taliban's growing investment in drone technology is a direct response to their lack of a conventional air force, and Pakistan's defence establishment — built around fighter jets, tanks and artillery — is struggling to keep pace, Umair Jamal of the Diplomat Risk Intelligence consultancy a»»»

The European Union needs a coalition of key member states to overcome political divisions and prepare the bloc for its next enlargement wave, including the possible accession of Ukraine, Moldova and Western Balkan countries, a report by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) said. The rep»»»

PRISTINA - A basic court in Pristina placed two Serb men arrested in Zubin Potok, Kosovo-Metohija, on suspicion of allegedly committing a war crime against civilians in 1999 in 30-day custody on Wednesday. Their defence announced it would appeal the decision, made by a preliminary proceedings judge»»»

San Francisco: ChatGPT maker OpenAI has revealed that an autonomous artificial intelligence agent which hacked a popular platform for computer programmers also attempted to breach four other companies during the incident. In an update late Tuesday to a blog post detailing its probe into the inciden»»»

LONDON: Dusseldorf became the fourth European city — after Amsterdam, Bucharest, and Moscow — to be directly connected to the Syrian Arab Republic following a flight on Wednesday by German carrier LEAV Aviation that landed at Damascus International Airport. The flight restored a direct aviation rou»»»

Geneva: Two years after the International Court of Justice said Israel’s occupation of the West Bank was unlawful, settler violence and territorial annexation is “only getting worse”, the UN said Wednesday. The United Nations’ human rights office said that with attacks by Israeli settlers and the c»»»

NAHARIYA, Israel: The Israeli military was about to launch a nighttime strike on a group of men in southern Syria when the soldiers noticed the long curls dangling from the temples of their targets. The troops held their fire. These were not Syrian militants attempting to breach Israel’s border, bu»»»

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday issued another round of Iran-related sanctions, taking aim at Iran’s efforts to “monetize the Strait ​of Hormuz” with designations of 10 entities and eight more tankers, the US Treasury Department said. Six of the entities targeted for sanctions were based»»»

A sightseeing boat capsized Tuesday during a Macuco Safari excursion on the Iguazu River inside Brazil's Iguazu National Park, prompting authorities to suspend the attraction's operations and begin an investigation. File Photo by Carlos Moreno/EPA July 29 (UPI) -- A Dutch tourist died after a sight»»»

Zawtar Al Gharbieh: Mahasen Faqih and her husband returned this week to their village in southern Lebanon, digging through the debris of their home in search of their belongings, as part of the US-brokered “pilot zones” agreement in which Israel agreed to withdraw in exchange for the disarmament of»»»

Residents in the UAE can now earn rewards worth more than AED3,000 by simply inviting family members and friends from overseas to visit Dubai under a new tourism initiative launched by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Called "A Dubai Invite," the programme encourages UAE residents»»»

Doha: President of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) HE Eng. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Meer said that Ashghal is committed to delivering more projects using the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. This came during His Excellency's visit to inspect the project of constructing 14 new schools, »»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian May average net monthly wage was 118,398 dinars, up by 9.9 pct y-o-y in nominal terms and by 6.2 pct y-o-y in real terms, according to figures released by the national statistical office RZS. The May average gross wage was 163,470 dinars, up by 9.8 pct y-o-y in nominal terms »»»

The Council of Ministers approved the 2025 Report on the Implementation of the Defence Investment Programme through 2032, which will be submitted to Parliament for adoption, the Government Information Service said on Wednesday. The report reviews the implementation of the programme's objectives and»»»

The Islamic Republic publicly executed two Iranian protesters in Isfahan at dawn on July 28. Several hundred people gathered near a stage set up in the city’s Alikhani Square, but instead of cheering the execution, they chanted slogans against the police, prompting anti-riot units to disperse the c»»»

Some 1,500 French soldiers have been deployed to help combat the Gironde fire. A team of France Television reporters was granted permission to embed with some of them to see how they help support local firefighters. From widening forest trails to helping identify hotspots, potential looters or civi»»»

Raging wildfires four times the size of Paris have forced thousands to evacuate their homes in the fire-ravaged region of Gironde in southwestern France. Many of the evacuees were forced to leave their pets behind amid the ensuing chaos. Our special correspondent in Gironde reports on the volunteer»»»

DOHA: Qatar Calendar has announced the extension of the Qatar Toy Festival 2026, held in collaboration with Spacetoon Group, until August 4, giving families and children more time to enjoy the festival. A statement issued by Qatar Tourism confirmed that the festival, taking place at the Doha Exhibi»»»

Muscat: The official price of Oman crude oil for September delivery rose on Wednesday by USD 2.56 to USD 79.60 per barrel, compared to Tuesday's price of USD 77.04. The monthly average price for Oman crude oil for July delivery stood at USD 102 pb, marking a drop of USD 2.73 from the June delivery »»»

LONDON: Israeli settlers cut down more than 20 lemon and orange trees in Wadi Qana near Deir Istiya, northwest of Salfit in the central West Bank, local sources said. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that dozens of settlers entered the area and uprooted trees belonging to resident Salah Yo»»»

The Council of Ministers approved the implementation of a feasibility study for the construction of a fuel pipeline on Bulgarian territory, the Government Information Service said on Wednesday. The funding, amounting to EUR 10 million, will be provided by the Ministry of Defence under the NATO Secu»»»

Chair of the Federal Reserve Kevin Warsh looks on during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the Federal Reserve's semi-annual monetary policy report at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 15. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 29 (UPI) -- The stock»»»

The lull did not last. After several days in which direct fighting had eased, the conflict accelerated again on Wednesday. Iran fired missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, where US forces are stationed. Washington and Riyadh launched strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq. Iran's Revolution»»»