JEDDAH: For most people, the human eye is simply a feature of the face. For Saudi photographer Ashraf Habib, it is a canvas of extraordinary beauty. “The Gate of Sights” exhibition, which concludes on Saturday at Galleria Center in Jeddah, is dedicated to iris photography and is an extension of the»»»

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 Friday. Morg»»»

Kuwaiti firefighters have contained two fires that erupted this afternoon as a result of Iranian attacks, according to the Kuwait Fire Force. The force’s spokesman, Mohammed Bader Ibrahim, said several firefighters and an oil worker were injured in one of the affected areas, which was targeted agai»»»

The US is on the path to revolution because President Donald Trump has betrayed Americans by putting foreign interests ahead of those of his own country, journalist Tucker Carlson has said. In an interview on Bloomberg’s The Mishal Husain Show aired on Friday, the conservative commentator – once am»»»

US President Donald Trump’s social network Truth Social will start selling investors early access to posts from prominent accounts, most likely including his own, the holding company has announced. Critics argue that the move could create an unprecedented new way for the president to profit from hi»»»

The EU is set to use a multibillion-euro antitrust fine imposed on Google to help ease pressure on the bloc’s budget after years of increased military spending and aid for Ukraine. The US tech giant has paid €4.6 billion ($5.4 billion), including interest, after losing a years-long legal battle ove»»»

Seven people have been arrested following a coordinated international operation targeting an organized criminal network accused of smuggling migrants through Bulgaria to other European Union countries. The action involved law enforcement authorities from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and the Netherland»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said former foreign minister Peter Szijjarto's appointment at Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD would not affect the government's relationship with the company, but raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest, Index.hu wrote after Magyar's July 16 pre»»»

Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has signed the 17th amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law, confirming that his own presidential mandate will end the day after the legislation is officially published in the Hungarian Gazette. Sulyok announced the decision on his Facebook page on Saturday. The amen»»»

Bulgaria and Ukraine are close to signing an agreement on natural gas transit, according to Petar Vitanov, chairman of the Progressive Bulgaria parliamentary group. Speaking on BNT's Panorama program, Vitanov said the deal is being prepared between the two countries' state gas companies, Bulgargaz »»»

Sharjah: The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) has completed a project to connect natural gas services to Dibba Al Hisn at a total cost of Dh35 million. The project was implemented in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supr»»»

The Ukrainian public is exhausted by the conflict, and defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov promised them a “less bloody…cleaner, more organized, less corrupt” and “technological approach” toward fighting, prolific military and geopolitical analyst Scott Ritter told Sputnik. Instead, his flashy, style»»»

Construction has begun on the Big Boy high-rise in Gdańsk’s Przymorze Wielkie district. Developed by the Hossa Group, the building was originally announced in 2007 as a 202-meter tower but was later reduced to 99 meters. It will have 29 above-ground floors, one underground level, and nearly 25,000 »»»

Construction of Galeria Podhalańska in Nowy Targ is nearing completion, and leasing has begun. The shopping and entertainment center will offer about 80 stores across 25,000 square meters, along with a multiplex cinema, family areas, and a food court overlooking the Tatra Mountains. An underground »»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has pledged $5 million to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, reinforcing its commitment to expanding access to quality education and empowering children and young people around the world. The contribution will support the Fund's efforts to improve educational opportunities t»»»

AMMAN — The Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF) increased its assets to approximately JD19.7 billion by the end of June 2026, up from JD18.7 billion at the end of 2025, marking growth of JD1 billion, or 5.4 per cent, during the first six months of the year.The fund said in a statement that the i»»»

AMMAN — Truck movement to and from the Aqaba Special Economic Zone increased by 23 per cent during the first four months of a new truck entry and exit management system, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said on Sunday.The system, operated by Maqta Ayla, recorded approximately 445,0»»»

AMMAN — Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) has reported “strong” operational and commercial performance during the first half of 2026, driven by growth in cargo volumes, continued infrastructure investments, high safety standards, and progress toward its sustainability and community development goals.I»»»

US House Democrats were divided into a near-even split by a vote this week over whether to cut military aid to Israel, which was defeated through almost total opposition from the Republican party. Ahead of November's midterm elections, the vote reflects a sharp erosion in support for Israel among l»»»

The UN refugee agency and the Ethiopian government have opened a new support centre in Addis Ababa to provide refugees with free legal advice and access to essential services. The initiative aims to help refugees navigate bureaucracy, obtain vital documents and improve their chances of finding work»»»

After a leak of confidential documents revealed how Russian agents have been placing hundreds of articles in French-speaking media outlets in West and Central Africa, FRANCE 24 travelled to Dakar, Senegal, to investigate this secret operation. "When you read articles like this, you definitely get t»»»

Last year, the aggressive genre of Drill could only be heard on social media in Ethiopia. But over the last few months the fast-paced, often matched with violent lyrics, style of hip hop has exploded on the streets of Addis Ababa, taking over mainstream bars and nightclubs. For some, its rapid popu»»»

Police in India have forcibly taken an activist to hospital after a 20-day hunger strike protesting the country's examination system. The case has drawn widespread attention and renewed debate over education reforms and the handling of public protests. France 24 correspondent Navodita Kumari report»»»

Japan's parliament on Friday enacted changes to imperial succession rules, allowing male distant relatives to rejoin the imperial family and women to retain royal status after marrying commoners. The legislation, however, keeps the ban on female emperors despite opinion polls showing broad public s»»»

NEW DELHI: Authorities in India’s capital Delhi moved social activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital against his wish on Saturday, after his condition worsened on the 21st day of a hunger strike launched to demand the resignation of the federal education minister. Wangchuk, 59, had been fasting since J»»»

NEW YORK: For some fans following this World Cup, the calculation has been ‌simple: support whoever is playing against Argentina. Across the tournament, that has meant wearing the green of Algeria, the blue of Cape Verde, or the red of Switzerland. Even the often maligned England got a boost in glo»»»

WASHINGTON: Iraq has announced its readiness to play a mediating role between the United States and Iran as part of a diplomatic effort aimed at ending the war and paving the way for renewed dialogue, with Baghdad expressing its willingness to help bridge differences, particularly on economic issue»»»

RIYADH: Iraq increased oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz and the Ceyhan pipeline in July, Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said, as Baghdad sought to recover revenue lost during the disruption of its main export route. Average shipments through the two outlets reached about 1.5 million b»»»

DOHA: Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has paid a glowing tribute to HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in an article under the title ‘Yuba’ – My dear father. The full article reads as follows. “المقياس قطر (The measure is Qatar)” There is no liter»»»

An Iranian woman walks next to a huge anti-United States billboard featuring President Donald Trump in a coffin, accompanied by a sentence in Persian that reads: "We kill Trump" displayed at the Enghelab Square in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday. Photo by Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA July 18 (UPI) -- The United»»»

Overnight Ukrainian drone attacks on two sprawling warehouses in Russia killed eight people and wounded more than 60 others, local officials said Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes hit “significant logistical facilities” in Russia that were used to produce drones and »»»

Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov visited the Zapad battlegroup command, received reports on the operational situation and the results of combat missions, and praised the battlegoup's successes in liberating the Donetsk People's Republic while setting tasks for further actions, th»»»

Ghana's rural banking sector has grown into a GHS26bn ($2.2bn) industry with 147 licensed institutions serving more than 8mn customers, Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Asiama said, Citi News reported on July 17. The figures land as the central bank overhauls a 50-year-old financial inclusion model w»»»

Ukraine just got a new Prime Minister, Serhii Koretskyi, an oil and gas man that cut his teeth as an oil trader in the private sector before going to run Ukraine’s two biggest energy companies: Ukrnafta and Naftogaz. This is very good news. He is not a Zelenskiy loyalist and doesn’t really have any»»»

Bolivia has become the third Andean country this year to discover its own citizens fighting – and dying – in Russia's war on Ukraine. Prosecutors in La Paz opened a criminal investigation on July 14 into a recruitment network accused of luring Bolivian men abroad with fake construction jo»»»

Ukrainian drones killed seven employees of online retailer Wildberries at its logistics centre in Kotovsk in Russia's Tambov region overnight, regional governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said on July 18. The strike is among the deadliest on a civilian commercial site inside Russia since the full-scale war »»»

Some 2,700 Russian companies whose main business is tourism were liquidated in the first half of 2026, up 52.3% year on year, Emerging Travel reported on July 18, citing data from the Russian corporate registry service. The closures signal the end of Russia's post-pandemic domestic travel boom, wit»»»

Design work is starting on the six-kilometre section of the Sofia Ring Road between Struma Motorway and the Buxton borough after nearly two years without substantial progress, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov told Dari Radio on Saturday. Shishkov said a detailed developm»»»

Kuwait City: Kuwait said on Saturday that Iran struck a power and water plant as well as an oil facility, accusing it of targeting civilian infrastructure as the Middle East war escalates. "Another electricity and water distillation plant was targeted by a hostile attack that led to a fire erupting»»»

Dubai, July 18 (SANA) Most Gulf stock markets ended the trading week lower as rising military tensions between the United States and Iran weighed on investor sentiment following a new round of U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) gained 0»»»

PARIS: The World Cup has engaged punters like never before with an 80 percent increase in betting volume compared to the 2022 edition, even taking into account the higher number of matches for a 48-team tournament, a betting expert told AFP. Although many football fans were skeptical about the incr»»»

ANKARA: Turkiye’s interior ministry said on Saturday that authorities had arrested 119 people across the country accused of links to the Daesh group. “(The) 199 suspects were arrested in a police operation carried out in 30 provinces against the Daesh terrorist organization,” including in Istanbul »»»

Hungary has launched diplomatic efforts in Washington in an attempt to avert potential US tariffs that could severely affect the country’s exports if new sanctions targeting buyers of Russian energy are approved. Márton Hajdu, chairman of the Hungarian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said h»»»

Each degree above 30°C may reduce labor productivity by about 3% and increase energy consumption by 1.2%, according to Allianz Trade. The greatest long-term damage, however, comes from lower business investment rather than temporary production losses. Companies facing weaker profits may postpone sp»»»

Creotech Instruments has been selected by OrbitFab to participate in the ASTRAL project, developed with the European Space Agency. Creotech will supply two of its HyperSat satellite platforms for an orbital refueling demonstration scheduled for 2028–2029. The platforms will support a servicing spac»»»

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has declared the results of the Class 10 Second Board Examination 2026. Students can check their results through the DigiLocker Results Portal using their credentials. The second board examination was introduced from 2026 in line with the recommendati»»»

Israel has reportedly reclassified Nile crocodiles as “tended” animals, potentially clearing the way for their use as part of prison security. The controversial proposal to surround prisons with crocodile-filled moats was reportedly floated late last year by far-right National Security Minister Ita»»»

NEW DELHI: India’s space startup Skyroot Aerospace completed its first orbital flight on Saturday, making India the third country in the world with a private company capable of such a feat. The Vikram-1 rocket lifted off at 12.05 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, an island of»»»

MOSCOW: The foreign minister of North Korea, which supports Russia’s war against Ukraine, was due in Moscow on Saturday for talks with her counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the latter’s office said. The Russian foreign ministry said North Korea’s Choe Son Hui would “arrive in the Russian Federation on Ju»»»

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia has launched the pilot phase of its new Tourism Package Visa, allowing visitors to obtain an electronic visa as part of a single package that includes flights, accommodation and insurance booked through authorized travel providers. The initiative, introduced by the Ministry of »»»