Planning a summer getaway or a winter holiday? Pakistani passport holders have several destinations to choose from, with entry available through visa-free access, visa on arrival (VOA), electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and e-visa schemes. The latest Henley Passport Index gives Pakistani passpo»»»

RIYADH: Across the Middle East and North Africa, homegrown fintechs are addressing financial exclusion from two entirely different starting points, and two platforms illustrate that divide well: Valu in Egypt, and Arib in Saudi Arabia. Valu is an Egyptian buy now, pay later and consumer finance pla»»»

It has been a busy week for headlines across the region and beyond. UAE residents can look forward to an upcoming three-day weekend, while Oman opens its doors wider with a free 14-day visa. In local news, a tragic gas cylinder blast in Dubai drew emergency responses, while travel rules take centre»»»

Dubai: For many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), returning to the UAE after a holiday in the Philippines should be as simple as checking in, clearing immigration, and boarding the flight. But for some, one document can make the difference between a smooth departure and multiple trips across the ai»»»

Washington, DC: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine has spent recent weeks privately advising top US President Donald Trump administration officials that the United States must seek an "off-ramp" from the conflict with Iran. Citing sources familiar with the matter, CNN reported that Cain»»»

Ljubljana: Qatar's under-20 national football team defeated Austria's Kapfenberger 7-0 in a friendly match on Friday as part of their ongoing training camp in Slovenia. The camp forms part of Qatar's preparations for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, scheduled to be held from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, w»»»

A passenger was arrested after allegedly trying to open the emergency exit door of a Batik Air flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi while the aircraft was in the air, police said. The incident took place on Batik Air flight OD231 on Wednesday night. The aircraft landed safely at Cochin International A»»»

Russia has destroyed more than half of the Kyiv region's pre-war warehouse capacity since its full-scale invasion began, after strikes overnight on August 5 hit 10 warehouse facilities totalling about 100,000 square metres, according to Ukrainian real estate analysts cited by Ukraine Business News.»»»

Heavy rain brought Delhi-NCR to a standstill on Friday, with flooded roads, waterlogging and long traffic queues disrupting daily travel across the region. According to media reports, commuters faced severe delays as vehicles struggled through waterlogged stretches, with slow traffic movement repor»»»

Artificial intelligence has crossed another scientific milestone by designing entirely new viruses that have never existed in nature, a breakthrough that could accelerate medical research while intensifying concerns about the misuse of the technology. The work, published on Thursday in the journal »»»

1 of 2 | Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, walks to a procedural vote in January at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Murkowski said Friday that she will vote against the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's pick as U.S. attorney general. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Phot»»»

MOSCOW: Russian online ‌retailer Wildberries said on Friday it was seeking partners to open new storage hubs, after three weeks of relentless Ukrainian drone strikes on its warehouses. It was Wildberries’ first publicly announced move to address the huge logistical challenge posed by the near-night»»»

The meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council concluded today, August 7, in Cholpon-Ata. The Heads of Government of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states signed a package of documents covering electronic trade, access for brokers to exchanges in EAEU countries, and mutual recogni»»»

The Minister of Commerce and Industry H E Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, visited the second edition of the ‘Blending with Nature’ exhibition at Hosh Gallery, where he viewed artistic works presented by 57 male and female artists from Qatar and various parts of the world. The Minister »»»

DOHA: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)’s relationship with Qatar has entered a new phase of strategic engagement, with both sides poised to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, digital transformation, energy, education and regional connectivity, according to a publication »»»

DOHA: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), concluded yesterday the eighth and largest edition of its flagship “My Career – My Future” job-shadowing programme, organised in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the Ministry of L»»»

Under the patronage and in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs H E Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani, and with the attendance of Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces, H E Staff Lt. Gen. (Pilot) Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai, the Qatari»»»

A major package of amendments to the Tax Code and legislation on non-tax revenues has been adopted in Kyrgyzstan. The changes affect businesses, foreign companies, banks, catering establishments, developers, users of electronic platforms, as well as the procedure for tax audits and debt write-offs.»»»

NEW YORK CITY: The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned in the strongest terms a suicide bombing outside a police station in Kabal, Swat District, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, calling it a “heinous and cowardly” act of terrorism. The attack, which took place on Aug. 2, killed at »»»

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: China and the United States are clashing diplomatically in Argentina as President Javier Milei seeks to preserve his close alliance with Washington while pursuing deeper economic ties with Beijing. China’s embassy in Buenos Aires accused the United States of hypocrisy on Th»»»

KYIV: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday condemned both sides for attacks on civilian areas as Ukraine and Russia kept up their artillery war. Ukraine struck two Russian oil refineries hundreds of kilometers from the border in an overnight attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Th»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic met with UAE Ambassador to Belgrade Ahmed AlMenhali on Wednesday. "At the meeting they discussed possibilities for improving the provisions of the existing Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Driving Licences between Serbia and the U»»»

Brazil and China have launched a pilot program that will allow Chinese tourists and consumers to pay with the UnionPay app at Brazilian businesses that accept Pix. Photo courtesy of Pix Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Brazil and China have launched a pilot program that will allow Chinese tourists and consumers to »»»

Santiago, Chile and Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, and Years of Culture, an annual initiative celebrating cross-cultural exchange, announced that Your Ghosts Are Mine: Expanded Cinemas, Amplified Voices opened in Chile for its first present»»»

US President Donald Trump has dismissed reports of ammunition shortages, warning of action against alleged “leakers”, as Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, oil prices are hovering near $80 a barrel, gold continues its upward run to reach Dh516.25 p»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic engagement in the Middle East, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarking on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. The visit comes as Islamabad pushes for de-escalation in the Gulf, supports renewed dialogue between the United States and Iran, »»»

Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Finance has introduced a minimum excise price for liquids used in electronic smoking devices and tools, with the new measure set to take effect from September 1, 2026. The ministry announced on Thursday that it had issued a decision establishing a minimum excise price of »»»

The majority of English rivers, lakes and waters off the country's coast remain in a challenging state with none free of chemical pollution and only 14% receiving a good ecological bill of health, the Environment Agency said Thursday. File Photo by Abbasi1111/Wikimedia Commons Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The m»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Labour has announced that some electronic services available through its Individuals and Establishments Portals will be temporarily affected over the weekend due to scheduled system maintenance and updates. In a statement, the ministry said the temporary disruption is part of »»»

At least six people were killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight into Thursday, including three in the city ​of ‌Balakliia in the Kharkiv region and another three in the northern region of Sumy, local authorities said. A Russian ​attack also damaged ​a foreign-flagge»»»

Ukraine and Russia traded fire overnight with 4 people hurt in strikes targeting two major oil refineries in Russia while Russian attacks in the other direction killed 6 and injured dozens in Ukraine. File photo by Russian Emergencies Ministry/EPA-EFE Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Ukraine said Thursday that it h»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s consumer spending rose 6.8 percent year on year to SR425 billion ($113.3 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, supported by resilient demand, stable inflation and continued non-oil economic growth, Knight Frank said. The consultancy firm’s Saudi Arabia Retail Market Overview»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic met with UAE Ambassador to Belgrade Ahmed AlMenhali on Wednesday. "At the meeting they discussed possibilities for improving the provisions of the existing Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Driving Licences between Serbia and the U»»»

RIYADH: Saudi food and retail group Savola reported a 36 percent increase in 2026 first-half net profit, driven by stronger operational performance in its food processing business and resilient retail performance despite a competitive market environment. Net profit rose to SR401 million ($106.9 mil»»»

OMV Petrom Group’s CCA operating result excluding special items was 3 billion lei in the first half of the year, up 21%, in a market environment with high commodity prices. The result was supported by higher contributions from the Gas and Energy (G&E) and Refining and Marketing (R&M) divisions, the»»»

MOSCOW: Russia shot down 605 Ukrainian drones during the night over its territory and the annexed Crimean Peninsula, the defense ministry said Thursday. “During the night … air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 605 Ukrainian aerial drones,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry fla»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Doha held a press briefing yesterday regarding the current developments in Sudan, delivered by the Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to the State of Qatar H E Badreddine Abdullah Mohammed Ahmed. At the beginning of the press conference, His Exc»»»

NEW YORK: Parasitic illness cases in 15 states have been linked to iceberg lettuce, U.S. health officials said Wednesday. Cyclospora cases have been reported in at least 47 states this year, and investigators have continued to probe how many could be linked to a common contaminated source. The Cent»»»

The electronic system for controlled medicines for travellers can be accessed through MoPH’s website. To apply for the electronic permit, users must access the electronic system through the National Authentication System, submit the application, and attach the required documents specified in the sy»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US and Pakistan discussed strengthening border security and enhancing counterterrorism cooperation during the recent counterterrorism dialogue, according to a joint statement published on the US Department of State's website. "The United States and Pakistan convened for t»»»

The Bulgarian government’s decision to approve the transfer of a 33% stake in the Black Sea Khan Tervel exploration block to Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company Ltd. has triggered debate over energy security, national interests and foreign participation in strategic resources. The decision of the Co»»»

The “whitelist” mode - under which mobile internet access is restricted to services approved by Russia's Ministry of Digital Development - has shifted from an emergency measure to a permanent fact of life across central Russia. In July, only 30.5% of mobile-network user sessions in the Central Fede»»»

Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least 17 people and wounded dozens more in Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, authorities said Wednesday. Kyiv was unable to shoot down any of the Russian missiles amid intensifying attacks that have prompted Kyiv to plead for more US-ma»»»

Dubai: The Indian Consulate in Dubai has assured Indian expats that it is working to eliminate delays in urgent passport applications following the recent transition to a new outsourced service provider, while clarifying that the Tatkal scheme is available only to eligible applicants. Speaking duri»»»

Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation is reshaping regional and global trade flows. Its position between Asia, Europe, and Africa gives the Kingdom a strategic advantage, while Vision 2030 has turned that geography into a long-term logistics and industrial strategy. Supported by the National Indus»»»

As the European Central Bank weighs how its new euro banknotes will look, NATO’s airborne surveillance unit has a novel suggestion: plaster the European notes with images of American military hardware. In a recent post on its Facebook page, NATO’s Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWACS) Force sh»»»

This photo, taken Wednesday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in Seoul as South Korean stocks rose by more than 3.5 percent on easing AI concerns and hope for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Photo by Yonhap Seoul shares soared by more than 3.5 percent Wednesday as easing concerns over the»»»

Ukrainian firefighters tackle a blaze early Wednesday at the site of Russian missile strike on a postal logistics center in Kyiv. Photo by Maxym Marusenko/EPA Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A Russian airborne assault targeting civilian commerce and infrastructure in Ukraine's Kyiv region in the early hours of Wed»»»

Dubai: Tourists visiting the UAE can now access VAT refunds through more than 19,300 retail outlets, 100 self-service kiosks and eligible purchases made on the Noon e-commerce platform. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The number of stores connected to the Federal Tax A»»»

Russia’s services sector remained under pressure in July as weak consumer demand and falling purchasing power continued to weigh on business activity, while fuel shortages pushed up transport costs and renewed inflationary pressures across the economy. (chart) The latest S&P Global Russia »»»