Spain imposes border checks on Italian travellers amid migrant dispute
Spain on Saturday introduced temporary border checks on travellers arriving from Italy, escalating a dispute between the EU partners over migration. The move follows Italy’s decision to impose similar controls after more than 70,000 migrants crossed into Spain’s Ceuta enclave from Morocco, most of »»»
Spain imposes border checks on Italian travelers in tit-for-tat move over Ceuta migrants row
MADRID: A diplomatic spat between Spain and Italy over the rush of tens of thousands of migrants to the Spanish territory of Ceuta escalated on Saturday after the government in Madrid announced border controls on Italian travelers in response to Rome’s decision to impose sanctions on visitors from »»»
Startup wrap — Saudi Arabia leads MENA investments in July
RIYADH: Startups operating in the Middle East and North Africa region raised $172.6 million across 45 deals in July, a monthly increase of 16 percent. According to Wamda data, Saudi Arabia regained the top spot in July after ranking outside the lead for the entire first half of the year, with start»»»
Spain imposes border checks on Italy amid Ceuta migration row
Spain announced Friday that it would introduce border controls for travellers arriving from Italy in retaliation for Rome imposing similar measures. The rare spat between the EU nations came after tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco to Spain's North African territory Ceuta&nb»»»
EU tells Meta, TikTok to boost monitoring, fact-checking
Brussels, Belgium: The EU's tech chief called on Meta and TikTok to "act decisively" to stem disinformation at times of crisis, saying the European Commission held talks with both platforms Friday following last week's Ceuta migrant surge. A wave of social media disinformation is believed to have p»»»
EU tells Meta, TikTok to boost monitoring, fact-checking
BRUSSELS: The EU’s tech chief called on Meta and TikTok to “act decisively” to stem disinformation at times of crisis, saying the European Commission held talks with both platforms Friday following last week’s Ceuta migrant surge. A wave of social media disinformation is believed to have played a l»»»
Rwanda in ‘initial’ migration talks with European nations
KIGALI: Rwanda and some European nations are holding migration talks, Kigali’s spokesperson said Friday, a week after dramatic scenes of thousands crossing the Morocco-Spain border reignited the migration debate in Europe. In June European lawmakers approved tougher migration rules, notably enablin»»»
Spain imposes border controls for Italy: Ministry
Spain will introduce temporary border checks on travellers from Italy in response to Rome imposing similar measures after a mass migrant rush into Ceuta, the interior ministry said on Friday. The checks, which come "amid the persistent irregular migration pressure" facing Italy, will start at midni»»»
Spain threatens to retaliate if Rome maintains border controls - UPI.com
Young men who returned from Spain gather at the Bab Sebta border crossing near Fnideq, Morocco, on July 31. The rush of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa has led to an escalating border dispute between Spain and Italy. Photo by Jalal Morchidi/EPA Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Spain has t»»»
A ‘harsh’ first ruling in Morocco after Ceuta surge with 7 taxi drivers jailed, union says
CASABLANCA, Morocco: Seven Moroccan taxi drivers were sentenced to up to six months in prison and fined $1,070 each for aiding irregular migration by driving people to the Spanish border in Ceuta. It marked the first ruling in Morocco tied to the surge of more than 70,000 people crossing into the t»»»
Spanish-led police raid smashes a vast Mediterranean smuggling network, arresting 78
THE HAGUE: An international police operation led by Spanish authorities dismantled a major criminal network involved in trafficking migrants, drugs and weapons across the Western Mediterranean, the European Union police agency Europol and Spain’s Civil Guard announced Friday. The takedown of the gr»»»
Ghana draw with Mali and reach WAFCON quarter-finals
JOHANNESBURG: Ghana claimed the last quarter-finals place in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after drawing 1-1 with Mali in Rabat on Thursday. The Black Queens began the Group D match knowing a point would suffice as their goal difference was superior to that of the Female Eagles. Camero»»»
Actress, engineer, militant’s widow among Syria’s new women MPs
DAMASCUS: In Syria’s first post-Assad parliament, women lawmakers stand out more for their diversity than their numbers: a famous actress, a Christian engineer, a Kurdish leader and the widow of a hard-line Islamist commander. Women hold 22 of the 207 current seats in Syria’s parliament, or just ov»»»
Environment ministry launches farmers’ festival in Rafha to advance food security objectives
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s branch in the Northern Borders Region has launched the Farmers’ Market Festival in Rafha with the participation of several government and non-government entities to advance agricultural development and food security objectives. The four-d»»»
Six Awards Presented to Bulgaria's Most Successful Commercial and Economic Affairs Offices for 2025
The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), jointly with the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Industry, held its traditional annual awards ceremony honouring the most successful Commercial and Economic Affairs Offices (CEAO) for 2025, organized after the annual meeting of the heads of»»»
Infantino gains backing from allies as UEFA maintains hard-line stance
Football looked to be heading for a long standoff on Friday with FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s allies coming out in support of him and UEFA standing firm in their threat to boycott all events organized by the global governing body. Confederations and national associations continued to choose si»»»
Another Ceuta Breach May Be Coming and Spain Insists It’s Prepared
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Spanish Interior Ministry will be ready to handle a new attempt by illegal migrants to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, the 20minutos newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources within the ministry. On Wednesday, the Spanish government's representative in Ceu»»»
UN’s Agricultural Development Fund aims to attract Saudi investors in sustainable bonds, says special envoy
RIYADH: The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development is working to attract Saudi investors as part of its sustainable bond initiative, building on more than $1 billion in bonds issued in capital markets since 2022 to generate social and environmental impact. Dina Saleh, IFAD’s special e»»»
Death toll from Ceuta migrant rush hits 80
The death toll from an unprecedented rush by tens of thousands of migrants to Spain's north African territory of Ceuta has climbed by two to 80, legal authorities said on Thursday. Many people drowned as they tried to swim around a barrier in the Mediterranean Sea from July 30 in scenes that sparke»»»
What is underwater hockey? Meet the Filipino expats growing the sport in Dubai
Dubai: It looks more like a synchronised dive than a hockey match. A group of players disappears beneath the surface of a swimming pool, armed with small curved sticks as they race after a bright pink puck. Seconds later, they pop up for air before diving straight back into the action. There are no»»»
Support from Africa for beleaguered FIFA chief as UEFA keeps boycott threat alive
PARIS: Pressure built on FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday over his canceled plan to bring private finance into football’s World Cup, with European governing body UEFA reiterating a threat to boycott tournaments. The 56-year-old Swiss official has also been criticized by South American bo»»»
Support from Africa for beleaguered FIFA chief as UEFA keeps boycott threat alive
PARIS: Pressure built on FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday over his canceled plan to bring private finance into football’s World Cup, with European governing body UEFA reiterating a threat to boycott tournaments.The 56-year-old Swiss official has also been criticized by South American bod»»»
Qatar Armed Forces promotes outstanding cadets toSecond Lieutenant rank
Tribune News Network Doha Under the patronage and in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani and Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces His Excellency Lieutenant-General (Pilot) Jassim»»»
FIFA closes ranks round Infantino amid mounting leadership crisis
European football's governing body (UEFA) on Thursday reaffirmed its boycott of the World Cup despite FIFA's apology a day earlier for "errors" over its now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in the tournament to private investors. The proposal, championed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has plunged»»»
Europol says three arrested over suspected Syrian migrant-smuggling network
BRUSSELS: European police arrested three suspected members of Syrian smuggling networks after an operation spanning Germany and Serbia, Europol said on Thursday. The arrests come as Europe grapples with the aftermath of last week’s crisis when more than 70,000 migrants surged into the Spanish»»»
Around 3,000-5,000 Migrants Remain in Spain's Ceuta – City Mayor
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants still remain in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, and the situation has not improved yet, the city's Mayor Juan Jesus Vivas said on Thursday. "The situation in Ceuta has not yet returned to normal, as still between three and five thousand people who e»»»
Kingdom's exports reach JD4.5b in seven months with 7% increase — ACI
AMMAN — Exports from the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) surpassed the JD4 billion mark during the first seven months of 2026, registering a 7 per cent growth compared with the same period in 2025, according to statistical data released by the chamber.The ACI reported that exports rose to JD4.506 b»»»
France bans unsolicited telemarketing calls to protect consumers
France has banned unsolicited telemarketing calls under a new law to protect consumers and shield vulnerable people from fraudulent commercial practices. Individuals who make illegal calls can be fined up to €75,000 per call once the new law comes into effect on August 11. France next week will ban»»»
Uganda approves sending troops for international force in Gaza
KAMPALA, Uganda: Ugandan authorities sought and won parliamentary approval Thursday to deploy troops to Gaza as part of the international force proposed by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to secure the territory following the devastating Israel-Hamas war. The successful motion, brought b»»»
Macut, Moroccan ambassador discuss bilateral cooperation
BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met with Moroccan Ambassador to Belgrade Omar Amghar on Thursday to discuss strengthening and deepening of cooperation between the two countries, which will mark the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year. "The Prime Minister and the Ambassador ag»»»
Qatari Armed Forces promotes top officer, agent cadets to second lieutenant
DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani on Thursday patronised the Qatari Armed Forces' ceremony to promote a number of outstanding officer and agent cadets to the rank of second lieutenant. The ceremony was also atte»»»
Who benefits from the migrant chaos in Spain?
What happened in the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week was tragic for everyone involved. So let’s make it a regular thing, the EU apparently decided – at least judging by its actions. I’m not saying that anybody overtly wants migrants from all over Africa to routinely storm the borde»»»
France is banning unsolicited telemarketing calls starting next week
France next week will ban unsolicited telemarketing calls under a new law aimed at protecting consumers from intrusive sales pitches and shielding vulnerable people from fraudulent commercial practices. The law backed by President Emmanuel Macron's government enters into force on Aug. 11. While sev»»»
Spain confident it will host the 2030 World Cup final because it ‘deserves’ it
MADRID: The Spanish government remained confident the final of the 2030 World Cup will be in Spain. Speaking after a report that FIFA allegedly awarded the final to co-host Morocco, sports minister Milagros Tolón said Spain “deserved” to host the title game. “We are the reigning men’s and women’s W»»»
Philippines, GCC strengthen medical screening system for overseas workers
Dubai: The Philippines and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are strengthening cooperation on the medical screening of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with plans to expand the number of accredited health facilities conducting mandatory pre-departure medical examinations for workers bound for Gul»»»
UAE labour claims centre handles 3.4 million calls in first six months of 2026
The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE)’s Labour Claims and Advisory Centre engaged with more than 3.4 million calls in the first half of the year. This included over 1.119 million inbound calls and more than 2.3 million outbound calls, states a performance report. The figur»»»
Mada Center promotes inclusion and digital accessibility for elderly
Doha, Qatar: As part of its ongoing efforts to advance digital accessibility and empower older persons to independently access and benefit from digital services, Mada Assistive Technology Center delivered two specialised training workshops in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Mini»»»
Awqaf Ministry unveils app to enhance mosque services and administration
Doha, Qatar: In line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ strategic plan for digital transformation and institutional excellence, the ministry has launched Hadir, a new smart application designed to enhance administrative and field services across mosques i»»»
Events in Ceuta trigger panic in Europe
The Schengen Agreement has made travel within the European Union a lot easier since it came into force. It allows its 29 member states to relax their border controls. Or at least it does, so long as those states are feeling relaxed. Oddly enough, the arrangement is now in trouble because of an even»»»
Kyrgyzstan hosts CIS Military Shooting Championship - | 24.KG
A ceremony marking the opening of the Military Service Weapon Shooting Championship was held in Kyrgyzstan on August 5. According to the Ministry of Defense, the competition is being held as part of the 17th Spartakiad of the Friendly Armies of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Colonel »»»
FIFA back Infantino, apologize for World Cup privatization plan
RABAT: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received the “full support” of senior directors on Wednesday but world football’s governing body apologized for the controversy of the now-shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment. Facing a barrage of criticism following the aborted plan, F»»»
Mada Centre promotes inclusion, digital accessibility for the elderly
QNA Doha As part of its ongoing efforts to advance digital accessibility and empower older persons to independently access and benefit from digital services, Mada Assistive Technology Centre delivered two specialised training workshops in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry»»»
36 African migrants deported from US to Cameroon seek protection
LIBREVILLE, Gabon: Thirty-six Africans deported from the United States to Cameroon have started legal proceedings in the west African nation seeking to live there legally and avoid repatriation to their home countries, their lawyer said Wednesday. The deportations took place under a controversial U»»»
UN expert welcomes moves to extradite Tate brothers
GENEVA: The United Nations’ special rapporteur on violence against women and girls on Wednesday welcomed moves toward extraditing radical social media influencer Andrew Tate, saying nobody should be above the law, regardless of status. Tate is one of the most prominent proponents of the so-called “»»»
Arab, Islamic states launch mechanism to document Jerusalem violations, warn of religious conflict
Arab and Islamic foreign ministers agreed on Wednesday to launch a joint operational mechanism to document Israeli violations in Jerusalem, warning that escalations at holy sites could provoke a religious conflict with global repercussions. Meeting in Amman at the invitation of Jordan, the Arab Min»»»
Arab Ministerial Committee meeting in Amman issues joint Statement
Amman: The meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with mobilizing international action in response to illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held in Jordan on Wednesday, issued a joint statement following the meeting. The statement read as follows: At the invitation »»»
Women spearheading resistance to Infantino as FIFA faces governance crisis
MANCHESTER: As FIFA President Gianni Infantino battles the biggest challenge of his decade in power, two of the most prominent voices in the revolt against him have been women. Wales’ Laura McAllister and Norway’s Lise Klaveness, the only women on UEFA’s executive committee, have emerged as outspok»»»
Arab ministerial committee calls for global action against Israeli policies in occupied Jerusalem
AMMAN: The meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with mobilizing international action in response to illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held in Jordan on Wednesday, issued a joint statement following the meeting. The statement read as follows: At the invitation »»»
Ceuta appeals for aid as child migrant crisis becomes 'unsustainable'
Ceuta (Spain) (AFP) – Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta has appealed for urgent government assistance after hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children overwhelmed its reception system following last week's mass border crossing from Morocco. Local authorities have warned tha»»»