Damascus, July 26 (SANA) Syrian Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh met with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) consultation mission led by Ron van Rooden, Deputy Director of the IMF‘s Middle East and Central Asia Department, at the conclusion of the mission’s visit to Syria to review economic »»»

Beirut, July 26 (SANA) Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji said on Sunday that the government remains committed to extending state authority across the country and disarming groups operating outside state institutions, describing the effort as an irreversible national priority. In an interview w»»»

Dubai: Major Chinese banks ended some precious-metals trading services for individual customers by July 24, fuelling claims that China was banning “paper gold”, forcing investors into physical bullion and preparing to send prices sharply higher. None of that happened on Friday. Here's why.. Get upd»»»

ABU DHABI: The Octagon will return to the UAE capital in October, with UFC 33 taking place at Etihad Arena on Oct. 24, UFC and the Department of Culture and Tourism have announced. Abu Dhabi Showdown Week also returns to Yas Island this October with more mixed martial arts and fan experiences. With»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army on Sunday condemned ongoing Israeli military activities in the country’s south that it said were preventing its full deployment under a framework deal reached with Israel last month. “Israeli occupation forces continue their attacks and violations of current understandings an»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia raised $49.34 billion through 58 bond and sukuk issuances in the first half of 2026, up 1.6 percent from a year earlier, accounting for nearly half of Gulf debt issuance, a new analysis showed. The Kingdom represented 48 percent of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s primary debt ma»»»

DUBAI: Saudi dark comedy “A Matter of Life and Death” screened in New York on Saturday, after showing in two Scandinavian locations earlier this year. Starring Saudi actor Sarah Taibah and directed by Anas Ba-Tahaf, the film screened at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York. It was»»»

A Romanian fighter jet on Sunday shot down the third drone flying into the country's airspace in as many days, the defence minister said. A government investigation reportedly identified the first of the three drones as a Shahed model used by Russia in its war with Ukraine.  Romania on Sunday »»»

Armenian attitudes toward the LGBTQ community have transformed in recent years, in part due to the war in Ukraine. While a queer club in Yerevan was firebombed in 2012, the capital is now home to a thriving underground drag scene. But despite these events attracting hundreds, police raids and famil»»»

At least 11 people were killed, including five children, in an overnight drone attack on a holiday camp in a Russian-held part of Ukraine's ‌Zaporizhzhia region, Russian installed local authorities said on Saturday, ⁠accusing Ukraine of deliberately attacking civilians.»»»

TUNIS, July 26 (TAP) – The weather will be partly cloudy across the country on Sunday, with localized thundery cells developing in the afternoon over the western highlands of the north and central regions. These storms will be accompanied by...»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Customs Authority announced the release of an enhanced version of 'Al-Nadeeb' application for government agencies. The updated application includes several key features, chief among them a modern, customizable interface that provides a more flexible and easier experience. The»»»

New York, July 26 (SANA) U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday that Syria’s Sednayah military prison stands as a symbol of the brutality of the repression carried out by the country’s deposed regime, adding that Syria now has an opportunity to recover from years of conflict and bui»»»

The Bulgarian passport ranks 11th worldwide in terms of travel freedom, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, placing it just one position behind the United States passport. The ranking shows that Bulgarian citizens can travel visa-free to 178 countries, only two fewer than holders of US p»»»

Vessel traffic into Ukrainian Black Sea ports has been fully suspended because of the threat of Russian attacks, Agrarian Policy Minister Taras Vysotskyi said on July 23, as occupied Crimea entered its third month of a deepening, Ukrainian-engineered power collapse. Ports close As recently as the p»»»

DOHA: The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) has administratively closed two travel and air cargo agencies and deregistered 10 others as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen oversight and enforce compliance within the country's air transport sector. In a statement, the QCAA said the enforce»»»

The 2026 state budget is unconstitutional and GERB will challenge it before the Constitutional Court, GERB Chair Boyko Borissov said at a party event in Varna on Sunday. He argued that the budget adopted by Parliament violates fiscal rules concerning the permissible budget deficit, which is set at »»»

The majority of Germans do not believe their armed forces are capable of protecting the country, a recent YouGov survey has found. According to the International Flagship Survey published on Friday, 70% of respondents in Germany said they are not confident their armed forces are strong enough to fe»»»

What is it with British ‘knights of the realm’ that they seem to be forever mired in corruption, scandal, and disgrace? Former Olympian Sebastian Coe can never avoid all three of those ‘specialities’, yet like his fellow Lords, Ladies, Sirs, and Dames, he appears to think that sitting high upon tha»»»

RIYADH: Egypt exported more than 2.3 million tonnes of petroleum products worth about $2.3 billion in the first half of 2026, matching its total export volume for all of last year, official data showed. The Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ministry said exports of products including jet fuel, naphth»»»

DUBAI: Award-winning Palestinian poet and writer Mosab Abu Toha has paid tribute to Chris Affleck, the mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck, following news of her death, remembering her as “like a mother” to his family during their time living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was 83 and had been »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at his office in Lusail Palace HE Dr. Faiq Zaidan, President of the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Iraq, who offered his condolences to the Amir on the demise of the Father Amir His Hi»»»

Damascus, July 27 (SANA) Syria’s Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh met with a delegation from the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the SIGMA Programme to discuss technical assistance for the country’s public financial management reform agend»»»

Another night has passed without further US air strikes on Iran after nearly two weeks of nightly bombardments. US media reports that Washington's concerns over dwindling stockpiles of Patriot interceptors and other air defence munitions could be behind the pause in fighting.  Iran passed anot»»»

DOHA: Speaker of the Shura Council HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim received a written message from Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan HE Sahiba Gafarova, about bilateral relations and ways to enhance joint coordination between the two sides. The message was delivered by»»»

In tonight's show, Ghanaian nationals submit request to the ICC calling for an investigation into months of Xenophobic violence against migrants in South Africa. Also, around 20 people die in AFD attack in Eastern DRC as the Islamic state affiliated group steps up attacks. And Coconut trees, once a»»»

Stefan Doerr, the director of the Centre for Wildfire Research at Swansea University, speaks to FRANCE 24 about some of the reasons why fire seasons across the world seem to be getting more and more severe.»»»

The D-Day landing beaches in Normandy were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List Sunday. The 80-kilometre stretch of coastline in northwest France served as the site for Allied forces' landing in Europe in June 1944, marking a decisive moment in the war against Nazi Germany and its fascist allies i»»»

German authorities on Sunday issued a wanted notice for a fugitive suspect in the van rammingnear Berlin’s Pride festival that left one person dead and injured at l»»»

Bordeaux: Fire crews in France and Spain battling unchecked wildfires that have forced more than 300,000 people to flee were overwhelmed on Sunday as the unpredictable blazes advanced. France's southwestern city of Bordeaux, at the heart of a region of vineyards, was under threat, with a major high»»»

Doha, Qatar: Speaker of the Shura Council HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim received a written message from Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan HE Sahiba Gafarova, pertaining to bilateral relations and ways to enhance joint coordination between the two sides. The message w»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud. During the call, the two sides reviewed bilateral coope»»»

Peach growers in Bulgaria’s Sliven region are considering abandoning their orchards as low purchase prices and rising production costs push many farmers to the edge of survival. In the country’s so-called “Valley of Peaches,” processing companies are currently buying peaches for compote production »»»

Bulgaria recorded the biggest annual increase in fuel prices among all European Union countries in June, according to data from Eurostat. Prices of fuels and lubricants for personal vehicles across the EU rose by 13.7% in June compared with the same month in 2025. The increase was registered in eve»»»

Dubai: Oman's Tax Authority has introduced amendments to the Executive Regulation of the Income Tax Law, setting new conditions for the deduction of certain corporate expenses and announcing mandatory use of the THEQA digital identity application to access its electronic portal from August 1, 2026.»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi received on Sunday a copy of the credentials of Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Qatar HE Bakhyt Batyrshayev. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs wished the Ambassador success in his duti»»»

Dubai: Dubai Municipality has opened the Animal Welfare Shelter, a new integrated pet shelter at the Birds and Pets Market in the Warsan area, expanding the emirate's veterinary services while promoting animal welfare, responsible pet ownership and adoption. The project is designed to provide a saf»»»

The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani, has demanded that Saudi Arabia immediately lift its nearly 12-year-long blockade on Yemen, advising Riyadh to draw critical lessons from what he characterized as Washington’s “unwise and c»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) has announced the Qatar Diamond Exchange (QDE), a fully integrated platform for the trade of rough and polished diamonds and precious stones hosted within Ras Bufontas Free Zone. Bringing together trading, membership, vaulting, certification, and indust»»»

RIYADH: Bilateral trade between the UAE and Canada is set to receive a boost through lower tariffs and improved market access after the two countries concluded negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The CEPA is set to enhance the already significant bilateral trade, which r»»»

"He who is admired by Saudi Arabia is admired by the whole world, and it seems Saudi Arabia admires me more than some Lebanese people," Speaker Nabih Berri has said. "I've always said it, and I still say it: we in Lebanon need a tripartite guarantee comprised of Saudi Arabia, the United States and »»»

As millions of travellers prepare for the peak summer holiday season, the July 2026 Henley Passport Index highlights how global mobility has transformed over the past two decades. The 20th anniversary edition shows that the average passport now offers visa-free access to 108 destinations worldwide,»»»

Egypt’s petroleum sector, in cooperation with British Petroleum company (BP), is preparing to bring the North Fayoum-4 gas well in the Mediterranean Sea online in the near term, with expected production estimated at around 80 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The move comes as part of the »»»

Doha, Qatar: Mohammed Ali arrived in Qatar on April 4, 1976, marking a remarkable 50-year journey in the country. Over the decades, he built a distinguished career, serving with the Qatar National Bank (QNB) for 31 years before going on to become a founder and lead the Civium Group as its Managing »»»

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed profound pessimism regarding the prospects of achieving decisive and positive results from the so-called framework agreement between the Lebanese government and ‘Israel’, pointing to relentless military activity in the country’s south as a major»»»

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Former International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan will no longer enjoy immunity as an international official in the states that are party to the Rome Statute, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Sunday. On July 24, the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Stat»»»

The Hungarian forint strengthened on Friday against all three major foreign currencies, recovering from recent losses and ending the week on a firmer footing. While the domestic currency remains weaker than it was at the start of June, it has posted solid gains since the beginning of the year. Fori»»»

Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) Chairman Radan Kanev said President Iliana Iotova's presidential bid was intended to leave the government without a check for the next nearly four years. Kanev said Iotova's decision to run had come as no surprise because it had long been expected. "She has merel»»»

Syrian state media said Israeli forces carried out an incursion into the country's south on Sunday, a day after the visiting U.N. chief urged an end to Israeli violations and respect for Syria's sovereignty. State news agency SANA said that "Israeli occupation forces carried out an incursion early »»»