GABORONE, Botswana: An “alarming” number of Botswana nationals are being forced into combat in Russia’s war against Ukraine after falling for deceptive recruitment schemes, the government said Saturday. Several African countries have in recent months reported that their citizens have been duped int»»»

QNA Cairo The State of Qatar participated on Saturday in an international conference on Jerusalem, entitled “Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key to Achieving a Just and Lasting Peace,” held by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of »»»

Tribune News Network Doha A delegation of members and representatives of the Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani (may God have mercy on him) Quran Recitation and Memorisation Competition affiliated with the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs participated in the opening of the 18th »»»

Capitals, July 18 (SANA) Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the Arab League on Saturday condemned Iranian attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and other Arab countries, saying the escalation threatened regional stability and violated international law. Saudi Arabia condemned the continued Iranian»»»

RIYADH: Startups in the Middle East and North Africa raised $1.7 billion across 242 funding rounds in the first half of 2026, as investors continued to deploy capital despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty, according to Wamda’s H1 2026 report. The figure represents an 18 percent decline from t»»»

RIYADH: Venture capital across the Middle East and North Africa has been trapped in a paradox: more money, more international attention and more government-backed ambition, yet still a market that looks small beside the economies it is meant to help transform. Startups in the region raised $3.8 bil»»»

CAIRO: In the labyrinthine alleyways of Cairo’s Garbage City, recycling specialist Peter Romany finds himself fielding calls from factories scrambling for plastic to plug supply shortfalls caused by the Iran war. The 25-year-old is among the hundreds of recyclers and manufacturers across Egypt bene»»»

Egypt’s microfinance sector maintained strong growth during the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, with the total outstanding microfinance portfolio approaching EGP 108bn, according to Hala Abu Elsaad, Chairperson of the Egyptian Federation for Financing Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEF). The to»»»

Orascom Development Egypt (ODE), one of Egypt’s leading real estate and tourism developers, announced that its subsidiary, Orascom Real Estate, has secured a 10-year syndicated financing facility worth EGP 18bn from the Commercial International Bank-Egypt (CIB), Banque Misr, and the National Bank o»»»

DHAKA: There are rooftops draped in blue and white and murals of Lionel Messi everywhere — but this is not Argentina, it is Bangladesh where football-crazy fans are again celebrating their unique bond with the South American giants. The craze for Argentina has endured for decades in a country of 17»»»

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: Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi on Saturday condemned Iran’s recent attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, describing the strikes on civilian infrastructure as “war crimes.” He also said Iran’s actions “constitute a highly dangerous escalation, a grave vi»»»

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 »»»

Cairo: The State of Qatar participated on Saturday in an international conference on Jerusalem, entitled "Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key to Achieving a Just and Lasting Peace," held by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the»»»

Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid confirmed on Friday, July 17, 2026, that the ministry is committed to strengthening ties with the Bank of New York (BNY) and other international financial institutions. The minister explained that the move aims to develop financing tools, expan»»»

New York, USA: Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said he wants his teammates to take the spotlight ahead of Sunday's World Cup final against Spain, playing down his own role in the team's bid for back-to-back titles. "I don't want to be making the headlines," the 33-year-old told reporters on »»»

Egypt's iron and steel industry is a strategic pillar of the country's industrial sector, playing a vital role in economic growth, infrastructure development, and export performance. Since the establishment of the first iron and steel company in 1936, the industry has expanded significantly, positi»»»

Arab Finance: Egypt's Cabinet approved proceeding with contracting procedures with Elsewedy Electric to establish a manufacturing project for all types of electrical wiring harnesses and their components on a 22.6-feddan plot in the Manshaat Kamal area of Fayoum Governorate, as per a statement. The»»»

Dubai: A proposal by Iran and Oman to introduce transit charges for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz could create one of the world's largest maritime revenue streams while adding a fresh cost to global energy trade. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The propose»»»

WASHINGTON: The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday will be refereed by Slavko Vinčić of Slovenia, two years after he was in charge of a Champions League final. FIFA announced the pick late Thursday. It’s the second straight World Cup final where Argentina, now the defending champ»»»

Russia continues to recruit Africans to fight on the front in Ukraine. The Stop Russian Recruiters platform, which is linked to Urkaine's Ministry of Defence, has now identified nearly 3,000 recruits. Around one in six has already been killed. Among the countries most affected are Cameroon, Ghana, »»»

A major migrant smuggling network operating along the route from the Greek-Turkish border to other European Union countries has been dismantled in an international operation involving Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and the Netherlands, with support from Europol and the South East European Law Enforcemen»»»

Arab Finance: Telecom Egypt's (ETEL) board of directors has decided not to proceed with a proposed transaction to sell a 75% to 80% stake in a subsidiary that would own its Regional Data Center Hub (RDH) to Helios Investments after certain conditions required to complete the deal were not met, as p»»»

Arab Finance: Orascom Development Egypt announced that one of its subsidiaries has signed a 10-year syndicated loan agreement worth EGP 18 billion with the National Bank of Egypt (NBE), Banque Misr, and Commercial International Bank (CIB) to support the development of its O West project in 6th of O»»»

Fighting between the U.S. and Iran has intensified over control of the Strait of Hormuz, but hopes for a possible diplomatic solution have shown stubborn signs of life. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Thursday rejected suggestions that Islamabad had abandoned efforts to bring Washington and Tehran b»»»

The brick-and-mortar travel agency caters to the needs of a diverse range of travelers. TUI consultants can assist both those seeking affordable last-minute vacations to destinations served by charter flights and those interested in vacations to exotic destinations, with additional benefits tailore»»»

Central Bank of Egypt Egypt’s financial sector will observe a long weekend next week, as the Central Bank of Egypt announced that all banks operating in the country will close on Thursday, July 23, 2026, to mark the anniversary of the July 23 Revolution. Transactions and regular banking services ar»»»

DUBAI: Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final has been billed as a showdown pitting Lionel Messi against Lamine Yamal, defending champions Argentina against European champions Spain; and perhaps the final appearance of football’s greatest player in the sport’s premier showcase. Yet one of the most intriguin»»»

DUBAI: Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final has been billed as a showdown pitting Lionel Messi against Lamine Yamal, defending champions Argentina against European champions Spain; and perhaps the final appearance of football’s greatest player in the sport’s premier showcase. Yet one of the most intriguin»»»

Doha, Qatar: Four years ago, Lionel Messi led Argentina to glory in Qatar at the FIFA World Cup, and he is one step away from repeating that feat and making Argentina the first team to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962. On Wednesday night, under the lights of Atlanta, the Messi Magic was unlea»»»

The opening of Egypt’s Strategic Command Headquarters last week shows what Egypt has learned from its recent past and how it intends to deal with the changes impacting both geopolitics and the way that wars are fought. The multibillion-dollar project was opened by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al»»»

Türkiye first recognised Israel in 1949, shortly after Zionist leaders like David Ben-Gurion proclaimed a Jewish state in Palestine. In so doing, it became the first Muslim-majority nation to do so (Iran was the second, its recognition coming in 1950). Six decades later, trade was booming and relat»»»

LONDON: When a team of Egyptian archaeologists revealed details last month of excavations at an ancient burial ground on the east bank of the Nile, there was the usual flurry of international media excitement at the prospect of yet another breakthrough in our understanding of how the great pyramids»»»

LONDON: Authorities in Syria seized a further 200,000 captagon pills on Thursday. They were confiscated by the country’s Drug Enforcement Administration during a raid on a criminal network in the southern province of Daraa, along the border with Jordan. Six balloons used to smuggle drugs across the»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has uncovered a cemetery dating back to the large Wadi Suq era and the Late Bronze Age (c. 2000-1300 BCE) within the Pre-Islamic Qattarah Necropolis in Al Ain Region. The latest discovery offers significant insights into t»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia is set to witness one of the most remarkable astronomical events of the 21st century when a rare total solar eclipse crosses large swathes of the kingdom on August 2, 2027, bringing one of the century's longest eclipses into view for millions of residents and visitors. The eclip»»»

RIYADH: The world will witness one of the longest total solar eclipses of the 21st century, on Aug. 2. It will be a rare astronomical event not seen in Saudi Arabia for more than 75 years that will temporarily turn daylight into darkness. The path of totality will cross large parts of western and s»»»

Wizz Air is marking two decades of operations in Romania with an expanded fleet, a 50 percent market share, and plans to offer approximately 18 million seats on the local market in 2026. The airline is now prioritising higher frequencies and greater network resilience, while preparing additional ro»»»

Egypt is finalising procedures for four state-owned companies under its stock-market offering programme as it seeks to accelerate privatisation and reduce the government’s role in the economy. Twenty of the 30 companies covered by the programme have already secured temporary listings on the Egyptia»»»

ATLANTA: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni saluted his team’s never-say-die mentality after another come-from-behind victory on Wednesday powered them past England into the World Cup final. Scaloni said his team had scented victory as England sat back after taking a 1-0 lead in their semifinal in Atla»»»

Fuel prices have increased sharply across Africa, rising between 15% and 40%. Francis Kokoroko/Reuters Economist Mostafa Badra warned that persistent global conflicts and regional escalations could trigger a hike in domestic fuel prices. His analysis came as Egypt’s Fuel Automatic Pricing Committee»»»

Fuel prices have increased sharply across Africa, rising between 15% and 40%. Francis Kokoroko/Reuters Economist Mostafa Badra warned that persistent global conflicts and regional escalations could trigger a hike in domestic fuel prices. His analysis came as Egypt’s Fuel Automatic Pricing Committee»»»

Dubai: Uber Technologies has agreed to acquire Germany's Delivery Hero SE in a deal valuing the global food delivery company at about €12.9 billion ($14.8 billion), marking one of the biggest transactions in the food delivery sector as the industry continues to consolidate. Get updated faster and f»»»

Dubai: The hospitality industry has had little time to catch its breath over the past five years. A pandemic, supply chain disruptions, inflation, geopolitical tensions and shifting travel patterns have forced hotel operators to rethink how they build, staff and run their businesses. Sign up for ou»»»

By Mahmoud fouda Tarik Bin Ziyad is one of the most admired leaders and heroes of the Arab world, the rock of Gibraltar was named after him (Jabal Tarek). Some say that he had all the ships burned so that his soldiers literally had two options. Either they fought for life against their enemy, or th»»»

NEW YORK CITY: For one afternoon, the corridors of the UN traded the vocabulary of resolutions and official statements for the international language of football. The World Cup semifinal between Argentina and England was showing on two large screens in the delegates lounge on Wednesday, distracting»»»

ATLANTA: Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday and set up a final with European champions Spain. England had been on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Antho»»»

Khaled Al Hameidi Doha The passing of the Father Amir HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has inspired an extraordinary wave of reflection across the Arab world and beyond, as political observers, diplomats, journalists, and academics revisit the remarkable transformation that unfolded under his l»»»

Atlanta: Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday and set up a final with European champions Spain. England had been on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Antho»»»

Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid has pledged to streamline regulations and resolve operational hurdles for French businesses during a meeting with the heads of 22 major French companies to discuss expansion plans and boost exports. The meeting, attended by French Amba»»»