A send-off ceremony for a Bulgarian Armed Forces unit deploying to the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) will take place in Stara Zagora (Southern Bulgaria) on Thursday, the Defence Ministry said. The contingent comprises 97 military personnel, mainly from the Land Forces' 2nd Tundzha Mechanized Brigade»»»

BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi condemned a “drone attack” that violated the airspace of Erbil in the northern Kurdistan region, his office said Thursday, after several drones were shot down. “We have directed the relevant security agencies … in coordination with the Region’s security fo»»»

GENEVA: The United Nations warned Thursday that more than 500 people were feared dead following reports of two large shipwrecks off Myanmar since late June. The UN’s International Organization for Migration and its refugee agency UNHCR voiced alarm in a joint statement at reports “that two boats ca»»»

The EU has agreed to stop granting temporary protection to newly arriving Ukrainians liable for military service while extending the scheme for others who fled the conflict with Russia, according to the Council of the European Union. The restriction will take effect in March 2027, while the broader»»»

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»»»

WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.” The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ req»»»

The presence of carbon monoxide was confirmed in a parked vehicle in Toledo, Ohio, where five people were found unresponsive and three of them died Wednesday in what an official described as an accident. The Ford Explorer had pulled over with a flat tire into a parking lot, and the victims were dis»»»

RIYADH: World Shark Day is drawing attention to the crucial role sharks play in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, with the Red Sea providing an important refuge for several species, including the endangered whale shark, according to a report carried by the Saudi Press Agency. One of the Red Se»»»

Dubai: The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) has clarified the requirements for the UAE's five-year multiple-entry tourist visa, which allows visitors of all nationalities to enter the country multiple times without the need for a sponsor or host. The self-sponsor»»»

The conflict between the US and Iran entered a new phase overnight on Thursday (July 16, 2026), with fresh US airstrikes, a tougher naval blockade, Iranian retaliation against Gulf states, and growing concerns over shipping, oil prices and regional security. Get updated faster and for FREE: Downloa»»»

WASHINGTON: More than half the House Democrats voted Wednesday to strip $3.3 billion in US aid from Israel, the most substantial signal yet that once rock-solid bipartisan support for the country is disintegrating in the aftermath of its war in Gaza that has killed thousands of Palestinians.The vot»»»

After weeks of speculation over his health after he hadn’t been seen in weeks, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell shared a "proof of life" photo showing himself alive and well in an apparent bid to silence the rumours. Instead, it fuelled a fresh wave of conspiracy theories.  For weeks, questi»»»

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»»»

A search for three people missing after their boat capsized in waters off the island of Alcatraz on Tuesday is to be suspended at sunset Wednesday, the Coast Guard said. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo July 15 (UPI) -- A search for three people missing in San Francisco Bay after the»»»

WASHINGTON: The world has largely viewed the US more favourably than China for years. Those opinions have flipped in Beijing's favour this year, according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, a remarkable shift driven in part by tensions between the Trump administration and US allies. Get upda»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set for another hot and partly cloudy day on Thursday, with temperatures climbing to 48°C inland and a chance of convective clouds bringing rainfall to eastern and southern areas, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). NCM said a surface low-pressure system extendi»»»

KHAN YUNIS, Palestinian Territories: Armed with paintbrushes and wearing surgical gloves, volunteers inside a large tent in Gaza delicately brushed dust from a stone mosaic before placing it into storage, part of an effort to preserve cultural heritage hit by war. More than 160 historic and cultura»»»

The United States has resumed enforcing a naval blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports, marking one of the most aggressive maritime pressure campaigns against Tehran in decades. The latest escalation came after US forces disabled an unladen oil tanker that officials said attempted to»»»

You’re sleeping enough. You’re eating well. You’re trying to take care of yourself. So why do you still feel exhausted? Why is your brain fog persisting, your hair shedding more than usual, and a simple flight of stairs suddenly leaving you drained? It is easy to blame stress, and many people do. B»»»

Dubai: In June, Kuwait introduced a new 15-year Golden Residency Permit designed to attract foreign investment and strengthen the country's position as a regional business and investment hub. The programme represents one of the latest initiatives by GCC countries to attract and retain high-value in»»»

UNITED NATIONS, United States: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday named a senior international official from Bangladesh, Rabab Fatima, as the new head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA. A career diplomat who served in several capitals before represent»»»

DUBAI: Iranian attacks targeted Bahrain and Kuwait early Thursday after the US reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and intensified its airstrike campaign in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The American strikes hit an Iranian army barracks, kille»»»

Share: President Joseph Aoun told a delegation of lawmakers on Wednesday that the framework formula is the best possible option and has begun to yield results. “The framework formula is the best possible and has begun to yield its effects, and Washington has started to listen to us, with the Lebane»»»

Explosions have been reported in the Tehran area amid the latest wave of US strikes on Iran, which appear to be expanding beyond previous targets. Get — updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click hereAs of 5am Gulf Standard Time (GST) on Thursday (July 16, 2026), the»»»

The US military on Wednesday launched rare daytime attacks on Iran, including a 90-minute wave of strikes, as it reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Tehran responded with strikes on “US military targets” in Gulf states and threatened to halt energy exports in the region. The ​US conducted »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is making steady progress in restoring the red-necked ostrich to its historic range, with new breeding successes at the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve adding momentum to a coordinated national rewilding effort spanning several protected areas across the Kingdom, acco»»»

President Donald Trump signs an executive order Monday in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night, Trump said Iran released a U.S. citizen who'd been detained in the country since December 2024. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo July 15 (UPI) -- U.S. Preside»»»

As a clinician, I have spent most of my career on the treatment side of medicine. But anyone who has cared for international patients knows a quiet truth: for someone travelling across borders for care, the hardest part of the journey often has nothing to do with the operation itself. It is everyth»»»

The United States said it has stepped up enforcement of its renewed naval blockade against Iran, announcing that it disabled an oil tanker after the vessel allegedly ignored repeated warnings while sailing towards an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gu»»»

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Israeli airstrikes have killed at least a dozen people in Gaza over the past two days, local health officials said, as strikes continue almost daily despite a months-old ceasefire with Hamas. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click h»»»

US President Donald Trump is shown Tuesday in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. The United States military struck Iran for the fifth straight day Wednesday, with Trump saying Iran's leaders "better behave." Photo by Graeme Sloan/UPI | License Photo July 15 (UPI) -- The United S»»»

Share: A man rides past the rubble of buildings damaged in Israeli strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs in Beirut, Lebanon, July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir BEIRUT – Lebanon and Israel concluded U.S.-brokered talks in Rome on Wednesday, with a U.S. official saying they had made progress on impl»»»

BUNIA, Congo: The number of confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo has reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to government data released overnight in what authorities say is the fastest-growing outbreak on record. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click he»»»

OMAHA, Nebraska: Billionaire Warren Buffett said Wednesday that his decision to cut the Gates Foundation out of his charitable giving is more about believing his three kids are ready to handle giving away his entire fortune than it is about Bill Gates ' ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstei»»»

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»»»

WASHINGTON: The United States said Wednesday it was instituting a “Do Not Board” order for American citizens who have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, an effort to prevent Ebola’s spread. The order will prevent passengers from boarding commercial flights to the US unless the individual»»»

TORONTO/NEW YORK: Toronto’s air quality ranked the worst among major cities globally on Wednesday as wildfire smoke from northwestern Ontario blackened skies and spread into the northeastern United States, prompting health warnings and calls for residents to limit outdoor activities. Environment Ca»»»

The US Mint will begin producing $1 coins with President Donald Trump’s face on the ​front as part of its commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday. The design, which also features the words “Liberty,” “In God We Trust” and “1776-2026” on th»»»

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»»»

MOSCOW: ‌The chief engineer at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been killed by a Ukrainian drone near the station, ​the head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Wednesday. Alexei Likhachev said in a statement that a Ukrainian drone had struck a service c»»»

Dubai: A polished résumé and a confident interview were once among the strongest signals that a candidate was ready for the job. That assumption is now under growing pressure as artificial intelligence becomes deeply embedded in the hiring process. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf»»»

Two projectiles struck the southeastern Iranian cities of Rask and Chabahar in Sistan and Baluchestan province late on Wednesday, with Iranian media reporting explosions. Few immediate details were provided on the damage or casualties. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now»»»

The EU and UK should abandon their ambitions to act as independent “middle powers” and accept their role as “vassals” under the US, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev has said. Dmitriev made the remarks on X on Wednesday while commenting on a series of posts by US Under Secretary of War for»»»

Manila: The Senate impeachment court on Wednesday deferred a decision on whether to compel Vice President Sara Duterte to produce her bank records, tax returns and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents, as Day 6 of proceedings focused on legal arguments rather than witness testimony. After»»»

The U.S. Capitol Building is shown Monday. On Wednesday, more than 100 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted for an unsuccessful measure to cut billions in military aid to Israel. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday vote»»»

1 of 5 | Jay Clayton speaks Wednesday during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on his nomination at national intelligence director at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Clayton's nomination hearing last month was postponed when President Donald Trump directed Clayton to not appear in front »»»

More people have favourable views of China than the United States in 25 out of 36 countries and territories surveyed, including Canada and Mexico, according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center released on Wednesday. Views were also more favourable of Chinese leader Xi Jinping than US Pres»»»

US President Donald Trump has openly threatened Pickaxe Mountain and Kharg Island. The US leader declared that the US would eventually "take out" the underground tunnel complexes deeply buried near Natanz, Iran, that Western analysts believe could support future nuclear activities. Experts say the »»»

The World Health Organization launched the first clinical trial on Tuesday to test whether an antiviral drug can prevent infection in people exposed to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the outbreak continues to outpace response efforts and spread beyond known c»»»

In tonight's edition, after years of waiting, Kenya's Rastafarians lose a landmark court battle over the religious use of cannabis. Also, the continent's top cocoa producers join forces to process more cocoa at home instead of exporting it raw. And on the beaches of Dakar, an environmental activist»»»