Paris, France: World football's governing body FIFA vowed on Friday to press ahead with an "open and democratic" consultation on a proposed private investment plan despite widespread opposition to the proposal. That opposition included a pledge by Europe's governing body UEFA to boycott the World C»»»

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to exempt citizens of the two countries from mandatory registration for 15 days after crossing the border. The protocol was included in a package of agreements signed on July 30 in Issyk-Kul region by Presidents Sadyr Japarov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev. According t»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian Army: We targeted aircraft storage facilities and satellite communications systems at Kuwait’s Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base using drones»»»

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan have decided to elevate their bilateral relations to an alliance level. He made the announcement following talks with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov in Cholpon-Ata. Today, July 31, an official welcoming ceremony for »»»

President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov arrived in Kyrgyzstan to participate in an informal consultative meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the President of Azerbaijan, which will be held in Cholpon-Ata, Issyk-Kul region. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymalie»»»

Washington, July 31 (SANA) Syria’s chargé d’affaires in Washington, Mohammad Kanatri, took part on Thursday in a roundtable discussion on strengthening Syria’s diplomatic engagement during its political transition. The event, titled “Government Transition and Building Diplomatic Engagement in Syria»»»

RIYADH: Abha-based Syrian artist Hatem Al-Ahmad left his lush green backyard to venture to the Kingdom’s bustling capital for his most recent milestone. “Would I ever willingly live in Riyadh? No, never. It is not me, no,” Al-Ahmad tells Arab News. He prefers opening his front door onto picturesque»»»

TORONTO: Egyptian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky’s “The Stories,” which opened this year’s Toronto Arab Film Festival last week, is a love letter of sorts to his homeland, set across three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s. The film follows Ahmad (Amir El-Masry), an aspiring concert pianist from a mid»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal), in cooperation with Al Khor and Al Dhakira Municipality, has successfully implemented a smart irrigation project at Al Tawasul Park and Al Khor Municipality Park, achieving a 25 percent reduction in irrigation water consumption while enhancing the »»»

July 31 (UPI) -- Fourteen nations have backed the formation of a Saudi-led coalition to protect shipping routes from Houthi attacks in and around the Red Sea, drawing more countries into the Iran-U.S. war. The kingdom's defense ministry announced their support for the multinational defensive mariti»»»

Dubai: The UAE Fuel Price Committee has announced the retail prices for petrol and diesel for August 2026. Under the new rates, Super 98 petrol will be priced at Dh3.60 per litre, compared to Dh3.40 in July, while Special 95 petrol will be set at Dh3.49 per litre, against Dh3.29 last month. E-Plus »»»

QUETTA, Pakistan: A blast at a coal mine killed at least 34 workers in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster agency said on Friday, as rescuers searched for more missing miners. The explosion, suspected to be caused by methane gas, tore through the mine near the capital of the resource-rich pr»»»

TEHRAN: Iran’s military said on Friday it launched drone strikes targeting US military facilities in Kuwait, as fighting resumed between Washington and Tehran in the Middle East war after a nearly week-long lull. The army said in a statement it targeted “fighter aircraft shelters, satellite communi»»»

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan signed an agreement on the joint use of Chechme spring, located on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border. The document was included in a package of agreements signed on July 30 in Issyk-Kul region by Presidents Sadyr Japarov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The details of the agreement have not »»»

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude to Kyrgyzstan for its assistance in the restoration of Karabakh. He made this statement at the third meeting of the Interstate Council of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, which is taking place in Cholpon-Ata city. «I would also like to express my gra»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov amended his 2024 decree approving «My Home» state housing program. Military personnel and law enforcement officers are now eligible to participate in the program during their term of service, regardless of their place of service. However, they have to meet all »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has significantly expanded its Community Responsibility Project for private schools and kindergartens, increasing the total number of study seats available under the initiative to 13,627, up from 9,257, in a move aimed at widening »»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) has reinforced its efforts to enhance national cybersecurity capabilities by delivering specialised training programmes focused on cybersecurity policy management and information protection standards. Represented by its Cyber Security Policies »»»

Dubai: EMSTEEL’s net profit rose 157% year on year to Dh262 million in the second quarter of 2026, supported by higher steel and cement prices, cost controls and continued demand from the UAE construction market. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Re»»»

Quetta, Pakistan: A blast at a coal mine killed at least 34 workers in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster agency said on Friday, as rescuers searched for more missing miners. The explosion, suspected to be caused by methane gas, tore through the mine near the capital of the resource-rich pr»»»

Heightened maritime security and air travel snags amid diplomatic uncertainty remain the biggest concerns for the region on Friday as the US and Iran continue their military confrontation. There have been no reports of direct attacks on the UAE. The conflict, however, is affecting regional aviation»»»

Dubai: Spinneys will increase its ownership of its Saudi Arabian subsidiary to 70% through a SAR18 million cash transaction, giving the retailer a larger economic interest in one of its main international growth markets. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click»»»

Archaeologists have studied a rare Kyrgyz burial site dating back to the 9th-early 10th centuries in Altai, where a cremation rite was used. The Information Center of the Greater Altai Scientific and Educational Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies reported. The burial was discovered in Balchikov-3»»»

Kyrgyzstan has reached an agreement with Russia on monthly supplies of 100,000 tons of fuel and lubricants until the end of 2026. First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev announced. According to him, the agreement has already been reached and will remain in effect until»»»

Washington: US President Donald Trump announced that a historic agreement was reached for the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, expressing his gratitude to Qatar and the mediators for their efforts in reaching this agreement. In a post on his official Tr»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed the Law «On Venture Capital Financing,» adopted by the Zhogorku Kenesh in June of this year. The document introduces such concepts as venture funds, venture managers, business angels, venture investors, and so on. The law defines the rights and obligatio»»»

The total volume of remittances from individuals to Kyrgyzstan continues to set new records. According to the results of January-May 2026, the cumulative inflow of funds into the country reached $1,247.4 billion. According to the National Bank, the total capital outflow from the country over the fi»»»

Maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandab Strait, and the Strait of Hormuz is often treated as a regional problem whose principal stakeholders are the Gulf states and other countries bordering these waterways. Yet these routes are global economic arteries, so protecting them is a matter of na»»»

On 22 July 2026, the US Department of Energy announced that Washington and Riyadh had signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement. It took the Middle East largely by surprise because it appeared to allow uranium enrichment, whilst dispensing with the international atomic watchdog’s snap inspection»»»

Since the 1970s, Robert Einhorn has played a prominent role on arms control and nuclear non-proliferation in the United States, either as a federal employee or as a think tank expert. Now a senior fellow at Brookings, he was previously a State Department Assistant Secretary for Non-Proliferation an»»»

Renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja is among 10 missing after an avalanche in northern Pakistan where they were on a climbing expedition, the country's alpine club said. "The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) has received deeply concerning reports of an avalanche that struck a team of climbers on »»»

Dubai: Before we get into misogyny, morality or the increasingly complicated job description of a comedian in 2026, Indian comedian Vir Das is distracted by my gloriously over-branded Zoom backdrop. It's impossible to miss. Every inch of my virtual background is dressed in Gulf News blue and white »»»

1/10Visitors explore one of the expansive aquarium exhibits at SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, home to thousands of marine animals representing diverse ecosystems from around the world.AFP2/10A dolphin glides through its habitat at SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.Virendra Saklani/Gulf News3/10An ani»»»

Bulgarian President and Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Armed Forces Iliana Iotova will attend the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 at the Georgi Rakovski Military Academy at 10:00 a.m., the President's press service said. Iotova will present diplomas and awards to the top graduates of»»»

Abu Dhabi: Borouge’s net profit rose 23% quarter on quarter to $191 million in the second quarter of 2026, while the company maintained its annual dividend intention of 16.2 fils per share. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Revenue increased to $1.4»»»

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to Moscow, Kubanychbek Bokontaev, at his request. The press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. Several current issues in Russi»»»

A blast at a coal mine killed at least 34 workers in southern Pakistan, the provincial disaster agency said on Friday, adding rescuers were searching for more missing miners. The explosion, caused by methane gas, tore through the mine near the capital of the resource-rich province of Balochistan on»»»

US Central Command said Friday that its forces have redirected 24 commercial vessels, disabled two that failed to comply and boarded two others as of July 30 while enforcing a naval blockade on traffic to and from Iranian ports. The figures mark a steady increase since the blockade resumed July 14.»»»

Beginning in the 1950s, the Soviet Union launched an ambitious programme aimed at developing artificial intelligence. While the history of AI today seems to be shaped by the giants of Silicon Valley, ideas originating from behind the Iron Curtain had a significant influence, although they remain la»»»

Bulgaria's National Assembly is set to consider a draft resolution scheduling the country's next presidential election, according to the parliamentary agenda adopted for Friday. Lawmakers from several parliamentary groups have proposed that the election for President and Vice President of Bulgaria »»»

The co-founder of Palestine Action has been granted permission to challenge the group’s prohibition at the British Supreme Court, as police arrested hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists in London. The court ruled on Thursday that Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine Action in 2020, could appeal t»»»

Officers of the Investigative Service of the Department of Internal Affairs of Pervomaisky district in Bishkek detained a suspect in a criminal case on indecent acts against a minor. The press service of the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Bishkek reported. According to the press service, ci»»»

Twenty patients will receive Russia's first skin cancer vaccine by the end of 2026, Alexander Gintsburg, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and scientific director of the Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, told Sputnik. "A total of 20 patients are planne»»»

US President Donald Trump said that an agreement on the full disarmament of Hamas and other groups in the Gaza Strip had been reached. "Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward l»»»

The Iranian Armysaid it struck Al‑Jaber base in Kuwait with attack drones, targeting fighter jet hangars, satellite communication systems, and equipment depots. Al‑Jaber is a key hub for US air and surveillance operations in the region."The decisive, extensive, and large‑scale attacks by the Army a»»»

The Kyrgyz-Czech joint agricultural company Ecoter has leased 20 hectares of land at Mamasyl Tukum farm in Kochkor district of Kyrgyzstan. Iceberg lettuce has been grown on 12 hectares using a modern drip irrigation system. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, harvesting of the first crop has »»»

On July 29, the Oktyabrsky District Court issued a ruling in the case of former Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in Chui region Mirbek Miyarov. He was acquitted under the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic article on bigamy or polygamy due to the absence of elements of a crime in his a»»»

Dubai: An Emirates flight from Dubai to San Francisco was forced to divert to London Heathrow Airport after a passenger suffered a medical emergency onboard. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The airline confirmed that flight EK225, operating on Jul»»»

Dubai: Travellers flying to and from the UAE on Friday, July 31, are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, with Etihad Airways and Air Arabia cancelling several services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia due to operational reasons. Emirates and flydubai have not anno»»»

Due to the low water level of the Danube, the complete shutdown of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant — and the resulting cessation of electricity generation — will become unavoidable within the next 24 to 72 hours, MVM Paksi Atomerőmű Zrt. announced on its website on Thursday in the early afternoon. The»»»