Istanbul: Hundreds of Turkish firefighters on Thursday battled to contain wildfires spreading near key tourist regions on the country's Mediterranean coast. Authorities expressed particular concern over fires around the city of Antalya and the Aegean sea resorts of Fethiye, where flames gathered ne»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Thursday that demolition of properties in the Kosovo-Metohija Zubin Potok municipality, illegal works at the Serbian Orthodox monastery of Visoki Decani and administrative barriers hindering pilgrims represented "a deliberate pattern of pressure" on Serb p»»»

NATO-provided air defenses in Ukraine have failed to stop Russia’s ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as the July 30 strikes demonstrated. NATO was caught off guard by “Russia’s ability to transform its Soviet-era legacy into a new generation of high-tech weapons, such as the Zircon, Kinzhal and Or»»»

JERUSALEM: Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas is progressing toward a deal involving the decommissioning of its weapons, sources familiar with the ongoing talks with mediators in Cairo told AFP on Thursday. A Hamas source added, however, that they were still in the process of making amendments to »»»

DUBAI: Adidas and Al-Nassr FC have unveiled the club’s 2026-27 home kit under the theme “We Share Our Identity With the Rest of the World,” celebrating Saudi heritage, culture and the club’s growing global connections. Inspired by Saudi Arabian postage stamps, one of the world’s most recognizable s»»»

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Argentine President Javier Milei on Thursday demanded a bar on foreigners who express "hate" toward the Latin American country. The decree published by the presidency -- which requires parliamentary approval -- would bar or expel foreigners deemed to have "spread or incited»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that it will "punish" the United States for their strikes on Iran. Overnight into Thursday, the US Central Command said that the US military completed a new wave of strikes against Iran, targeting military command cent»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The Iranian military in the early hours of Thursday hit the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait housing US forces, destroying two drone hangars and a fuel storage facility, in response to US attacks on Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said. Overnight into Thursday, »»»

Six of the Tu-95MS strategic bombers that took part in today’s deadly and devastating raids against Ukrainian towns and settlements took off from the Olenya base in the Murmansk region. At least eight people were killed and more than 50 injured in the Russian attacks on 30 July. Residential buildin»»»

DUBAI: The UAE Women’s U-19 team made history at the Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday as they confirmed their qualification for the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 with a thrilling one-run win over the hosts. The win in the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2026 comes at the»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Ankara on Thursday for an official visit to Turkiye, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and senior officials, the Lebanese National News Agency reported. Aoun was received at Ankara Military Airport by Tu»»»

Ankara: Turkiye announced the deployment of five F-16 fighter jets and their crews to Estonia as part of a NATO air policing mission. The Turkish Ministry of Defense stated in a press release that, "within the framework of NATO's enhanced air policing mission, the deployment of five F-16 fighter je»»»

CINCINNATI - Serbia's top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic confirmed on Thursday he will be competing at the upcoming Cincinnati Masters. After reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals and skipping the Montreal Masters, Djokovic will head to Ohio for his last test before the US Open. "I'm happy to ann»»»

The U.S. Department of Justice is testing a long-dormant secretive deportation court on an Afghan woman who had alleged ties to ISIS. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 30 (UPI) -- The Trump administration on Thursday will test a secret, never-used deportation court for alleged terr»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesian nationals have filed a criminal complaint against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, their lawyer said on Thursday, as he seeks a probe over his clients’ reports of torture and illegal detention by Israel forces. The nine men, including activists and journalists, were p»»»

WEST BANK: Workers, under the protection of Israeli forces, have begun clearing and leveling land in the village of Faqqu’a, northeast of Jenin, to prepare the site for a new settlement outpost, Palestinian officials said. Barakat Al-Amri, head of the village council, said the work followed the con»»»

The Defence Ministry has launched a public procurement procedure for the overhaul of up to 10 RD-33 Series 2 engines for MiG-29 fighter aircraft, according to a notice published in the Public Procurement Register. The contract has a maximum estimated value of EUR 17 million, VAT included, and provi»»»

The slow actions of the Bulgarian prosecuting magistracy amount to a direct denial of justice, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said, commenting on the case from earlier this month, when the police arrested employees of the Burgas Water and Sewerage Company, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday»»»

Nairobi: Fifteen elephants found dead over the past month in one of Kenya's best-known wildlife parks were likely poisoned by cyanide, possibly from pesticides used on nearby farms, wildlife officials said Thursday. The deaths occurred in Amboseli National Park near the Tanzanian border, home to so»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Thursday, gaining 45.62 points, or 0.43 percent, to close at 10,589.72. The total trading turnover of the benchmark index reached SR4.60 billion ($1.23 billion), with 112 stocks advancing and 129 declining. Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel mar»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia posted a budget deficit of SR34.2 billion ($9.12 billion) in the second quarter of 2026, as government spending outpaced revenues, according to the Ministry of Finance. Total revenues stood at SR338.8 billion in the three months ended June, while expenditures reached about SR37»»»

A handout photo made available by the Fire and Rescue Departmental Service 33 shows firefighters crew battling a fire near Le Porge, in southwestern France on Wednesday as a wildfire rages through the forest in Gironde. Photo by EPA July 30 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of residents in Spain and Franc»»»

The Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representing the Arab Group and Maldives on the Executive Board, Mohamed Maait, anticipates the transfer of the seventh tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program with Egypt, alongside the second tranche under the Resilienc»»»

LONDON: Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, awarded the “Jerusalem Star Medal,” a rank within the “Order of Jerusalem” decorations, to Nicolas Kassianides, the outgoing French consul general in Jerusalem. The award was presented in recognition of his role in strengthening Pal»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index ended the week down 1.11 percent, shedding 111.79 points from last week's close to finish at 9,920 points. The decline was driven by losses across five sectors, while the transportation and banking and financial services sectors posted gains. Financ»»»

Dubai: Dubai Holding has published "A Legacy of Growth", its first Impact Report, offering a data-driven assessment of the group's contribution to Dubai's economic and social development over the past two decades. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.T»»»

Dubai: Kuwait's Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has launched a new digital service, "Report to Us", through the government's unified Sahel application, allowing workers and employees to report suspected violations of labour laws directly via their smartphones as part of efforts to strengthen wo»»»

The Abu Dhabi Mobility has announced the temporary closure of the left lane on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed International Road (E11) heading towards Abu Dhabi in the Al Dhafra region. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The closure will take effect on Fri»»»

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a new 820-metre pedestrian and cycling bridge linking Al Mamzar and Al Khawaneej via Al Nahda, expanding the emirate's non-motorised transport network and improving connectivity between key residential and recreational areas. The bridge connect»»»

Bulgaria will continue using its MiG-29 fighter jets to protect its airspace and fulfil its allied commitments, including the permanent Air Policing mission, until the new F-16 Block 70 aircraft are fully operational, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said in response to a question from Democratic »»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Interior; Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya); and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Police Academy, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani attended Thursday the graduation ceremony for the second cohort of students in the Master of Law and Ma»»»

Dubai: Botim is extending its reach beyond everyday payments into digital assets after partnering with MultiBank Group’s crypto platform, mb.io, allowing users in the UAE to fund trading accounts directly through the messaging and fintech app. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Ba»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums (QM) has announced its public programme for August 2026, featuring a dynamic lineup of indoor workshops, family-friendly activities, youth initiatives, cultural celebrations and sporting experiences taking place across its network of museums and creative centres throughou»»»

Amman: Jordanian King Abdullah II and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the latest regional developments and means of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire during a phone call today. King Abdullah II stressed the need for an immediate cessation of regional escalation as well as for intensifie»»»

Washington: Most Americans say the war in Iran has not been worth fighting, and President Donald Trump's approval rating on Iran has fallen slightly since last month, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The results are a stark repudiation of the Republican president's approach to the conflict, which h»»»

Staff members prepare for the cleaning of the cruise ship MV Hondius after its arrival in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in May. Several passengers on the Hondius were infected with the hantavirus. Three people on board died. File Photo by Jeffrey Groeneweg/EPA SANTIAGO, Chile, July 30 (UP»»»

Dubai: Dubai residents can now support the welfare of stray cats across the emirate through a new digital donation service linked to the city's innovative smart feeding stations. Digital Dubai in collaboration with Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy has introduced the servi»»»

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Myanmar has agreed to take 5,000 Rohingya asylum seekers currently in Malaysia, where there has recently been tension between the refugees and local communities. Speaking at a campaign rally on Wednesday ahead of regional elections in Negeri»»»

Water levels in the Danube are at historic lows, and the current situation is one of force majeure, unprecedented in recent decades. It is a severe blow to shipping, which has virtually ground to a halt, Ivan Zhekov, Director of River Supervision - Ruse at the Maritime Administration Executive Agen»»»

Riyadh: Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi strongly condemned the renewed Iranian attacks targeting the territories of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Kuwait, stressing that they constitute a flagrant violation of state sovereignty and i»»»

Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met In Cairo on Thursday with Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to discuss the latest regional and international developments, as well as ways to strengthen bilateral relations. Both sides discussed opportu»»»

LONDON: More than 25 Saudi brands are being showcased at Selfridges in London as part of a new initiative aimed at helping homegrown companies reach international consumers. Milaf Global, a Public Investment Fund company, launched the six-week “Saudi: Sky’s The Limit” initiative in partnership with»»»

Abu Dhabi: Healthy Living, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development’s (ADDED) arm for regulating and developing the business sector in the emirate, has launched a new policy redesigning the in-store layouts and online interf»»»

Residents of Krushari Municipality staged a protest against proposed wind farm projects on Thursday, briefly blocking the Dobrich–Krushari road with tractors and other agricultural machinery. The demonstration, organized by the Byalata Lyastovitsa Association, was prompted by ongoing investment pla»»»

Former US Coronavirus czar Dr. Anthony Fauci is facing a state investigation after declining to answer questions during a US Senate hearing on the origins of Covid-19 and the government’s handling of the pandemic. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the probe after Fauci invoked his F»»»

CACAK - All the time, Pristina is attempting to falsify history and, by tearing down weekend homes owned by people loyal to Serbia, it is trying to impose the use of force in Kosovo-Metohija, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday. Vucic was speaking to reporters during a visit to a gl»»»

Tehran: Mediator Pakistan insisted on Thursday that negotiations between Iran and the United States were ongoing, even as Washington carried out a "heavy wave of strikes" on its foe in retaliation for fresh attacks targeting Jordan. The last two days have seen Saudi Arabia join the US in striking m»»»

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova held a phone conversation with her Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi on Thursday. Regarding the deployment of US tanker aircraft in Bulgaria, Petrova stressed that no direct military action related to the conflict in the Middle East would be carried o»»»

The Defence Ministry has launched a public procurement procedure for the overhaul of up to 10 RD-33 Series 2 engines for MiG-29 fighter aircraft, according to a notice published in the Public Procurement Register. The contract has a maximum estimated value of EUR 17 million, VAT included, and provi»»»

Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant has taken measures to ensure the safe and reliable operation of its nuclear facilities due to record-low water levels in the Danube River, the plant said in response to a question from the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) on Thursday. A special task force was esta»»»