Lebanese lawmakers attend a parliamentary session to discuss the abolition of the death penalty in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday. Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Lebanese lawmakers have approved legislation prohibiting the death penalty, making Lebanon the first Middle Eastern country to en»»»

Leaving your computer unlocked for just a minute, opening a sensitive document in a lift or simply holding the office door open for someone may appear harmless, but these everyday actions could create an opportunity for a security breach. The Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi has high»»»

At least 169 people died and more than 600 were injured in the earthquake that struck Colombia, according to a tally released Tuesday by the Association of Mayors. The deaths were concentrated in the western cities of Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdo. Colombian mayors also reported 165 building»»»

”The consumer price index for July 2026 compared with June 2026 was 100.58%. The year-to-date inflation rate (July 2026 compared with December 2025) was 4.4%. The annual inflation rate in July 2026 compared with July 2025 was 8.2%. The average rate of change in consumer prices over the last 12 mont»»»

Beijing: Oil prices rose Wednesday amid concerns about supply disruptions in the Middle East, despite an increase in US crude oil inventories. Brent crude futures rose $1.10 to $90.01 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 71 cents, or 0.85%, to $83.91. Both benchmark crudes »»»

Singapore: The dollar traded sideways at the start of the Asian session on Wednesday, as currency markets awaited the release of inflation data later in the global day. The yen was flat against the dollar at 159.275 yen, hovering around its weakest levels of the month despite the recent joint inter»»»

Washington, USA: Google's Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) system has surpassed one billion users, according to an announcement by CEO Sundar Pichai. Pichai said in a social media post that Gemini is the company's fastest-growing product and its fourteenth to reach one billion users, explaining »»»

DUBAI: Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who celebrated getting married in his native Portugal on Tuesday night, is set to miss the club’s first two matches of the new season, Arabic daily newspaper Arriyadiyah has reported. According to the publication’s sources, Al-Nassr will begin the 2026-27 »»»

Somali referee ‌Omar Artan urged aspiring officials to “never stop dreaming” ahead of making history as the first non-European to referee the ​UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday in Salzburg. The 34-year-old has emerged as one of African football’s leading referees, becoming the first Somali to officiate a»»»

MOSCOW: Russia’s Defense Ministry ‌said ‌on Wednesday ​it ‌had ⁠intercepted ​and destroyed ⁠502 Ukrainian drones over various regions overnight ⁠and ‌had hit ‌a ​fuel ‌depot in ‌the port of Odesa, which ‌it said was used ⁠to ⁠supply the Ukrainian army. Reuters could not independently verify the min»»»

Zhanarbek Akayev, the mayor of Osh, met with Liu Ming Ge, the Chinese Consul General in Osh. The parties discussed the development of Kyrgyzstan — China cooperation and new joint projects, the City Hall reported. They focused on trade, economic, and investment cooperation, transport logistics, and »»»

Criminal investigation officers in Osh city detained two Uzbek nationals who were on an international wanted list, the city’s police department reported. The first man, 38, was detained on August 6 at an apartment on Masaliev Street. According to police, he is a resident of Andijan and had previous»»»

Germany and Japan are reviving practices reminiscent of the Gestapo and Japan’s Tokko secret police, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova writes on social media. “Two former WWII Axis powers returned in unison in July to surveillance practices from which they were forcibly weaned i»»»

Three reactors at the Gravelines nuclear power plant in northern France were shut down late on Monday due to a massive ​swarm of ‌jellyfish, triggering preventative measures put in place last year after the entire ⁠plant went offline, operator EDF said.  A nuclear plant in northern France shut»»»

Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he had the "full support" of his ruling National Party on Wednesday after surviving a leadership challenge called with less than three months until a general election. Luxon has led New Zealand since 2023 but has been unable to reverse h»»»

Mumbai: Natarajan Chandrasekaran has stepped down as chairman of Tata Sons Pvt. ahead of a contentious annual shareholder vote, according to a person familiar with the matter, throwing the salt-to-software conglomerate into uncertainty at a time when it’s spearheading the country’s push into high-t»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM) has signed a financing agreement with Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation, to support the Youth Labour Market Readiness Programme. Under the agreement, the Fund will provide a financial contribution to suppor»»»

The Gabrovo District Prosecutor's Office is investigating whether an ignition source was deliberately or carelessly introduced at the EMCO weapons plant near Tryavna, as part of an inquiry into the explosions that destroyed a warehouse in the village of Belitsa. Gabrovo District Prosecutor Tihomir »»»

A gunpowder charge that may have been ignited by an external factor is currently considered the possible cause of the explosions that destroyed an ammunition warehouse at the EMCO plant near the village of Belitsa in the Tryavna area, according to plant director Slavcho Demiev. Demiev said the asse»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library (QNL) is hosting a Language Exchange Meetup today Wednesday, August 12, bringing together native speakers and language learners in a multicultural setting to practise languages through conversation. The self-led meetup, which will take place from 4.30pm to 6.30pm»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has inaugurated a 920-m2 one-story dialysis centre at Ibn Khaldoun Hospital in Al-Hawtah, Lahej Governorate, Yemen. Being the governorate’s first specialised dialysis facility, the centre was constructed and highly equipped at a total cost of $1,366,57»»»

The enemy unleashed a sweeping wave of airstrikes, artillery bombardments, and large-scale ground demolitions across southern Lebanon early Wednesday, pounding multiple towns and strategic hilltops while a drone strike claimed a civilian life near Nabatieh, according to Lebanese state media. The Na»»»

In a video address on Facebook, Labour and Social Policy Minister Natalia Efremova Wednesday congratulated young Bulgarians on International Youth Day. "On this day, we celebrate your energy and the courage to dream,” she said in her message. “I know that each of you is following your own path - so»»»

Dubai: Emirates has been voted the preferred airline in the Middle East and Africa in the 2026 Flyers’ Choice Awards, while Etihad Airways took third place in the regional ranking. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The awards, organised by AirlineRatings.com, are based e»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ has announced the completion of more than 65 percent of the Rumailah Hospital Safety and Security Systems Upgrade Project, being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). The project aims to modernise the hospital’s lif»»»

Doha, Qatar: City University Qatar (CUQ) to welcome academics from Ulster University to its Lusail campus tomorrow to co-deliver ‘Build Your First Game’, an interactive event workshop designed to introduce students and aspiring developers to the exciting world of game development. The event will be»»»

Doha, Qatar: Seven scholars from leading universities around the world will join the Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South at Northwestern University in Qatar (#IAS_NUQ) during the 2026–27 academic year, strengthening the University’s role as a global hub for research, dialogue, and know»»»

Doha, Qatar: Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has successfully concluded the qualifying round of the third edition of the ‘Awal Al-Awael’ International Quran Competition, the international segment of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Quran Competition. The qualifyin»»»

The Bishkek Heating and Power Plant (HPP) plans to purchase 200,000 tons of imported coal for the upcoming heating season. A corresponding tender has been posted on the state procurement portal. The planned cost of the fuel purchase is 1,398.4 billion soms. The capital’s HPP intends to purchase coa»»»

The Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration informs citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic currently staying or planning to stay in Moscow and Moscow Oblast of Russia about changes to the migration registration procedure for foreigners. Starting September 1, the list of foreign citizens subject »»»

Doha, Qatar: As the world marks International Youth Day, Qatar continues to strengthen efforts to empower young people, develop their capabilities and ensure their active participation in shaping the country’s future, with youth development forming an important component of Qatar National Vision 20»»»

All possible causes of the explosions at an EMKO storage facility near the village of Belitsa, Tryavna Municipality, are being investigated, and a leading theory is expected to emerge after the site is inspected, Gabrovo District Prosecutor Tihomir Petkov said on Wednesday. The pre-trial investigat»»»

Dubai: Emirates Global Aluminium reported an 11% increase in adjusted EBITDA to Dh4.506 billion in the first half of 2026, while restoration work at its Al Taweelah operations continued following the March disruption. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The aluminium produ»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Centre for Legal and Judicial Studies at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is organising a specialised qualifying programme for public legal positions. The programme includes three specialised tracks and targets legal professionals working in government and semi-government entities. Th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Team Qatar are holding a training camp in Turkiye as they prepare for the second phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 Asian qualifiers and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Led by Turkish coach Hakan Demir, the squad are focusing on improving their technical and physical »»»

KHARTOUM: Drones attacked the Sudanese capital and two northern cities at dawn on Wednesday, an AFP correspondent and witnesses reported, in what appeared to be a coordinated strike after months of calm in Khartoum. Since April 2023, Sudan has been ravaged by war between the Sudanese military, led »»»

Arab Finance: Misr Hotels Company reported a 4.95% year-on-year (YoY) increase in net profit after tax to EGP 1.374 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025/2026, according to financial indicators filed with the Egyptian Exchange (EGX). The company’s net profit rose from EGP 1.31 billion in the previous fi»»»

Doha, Qatar: Barely three weeks after the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, European club football roars back to life this week – and fans across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will not miss a moment, with beIN Sports (beIN) broadcasting the new season live and exclusive across 24 MENA markets. F»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Central Bank (QCB) yesterday reported that the Qatari economy demonstrated solid resilience throughout 2025, bolstered by strong non-hydrocarbon sector performance. In its Annual Macroeconomic Review, QCB reiterated that the overall real GDP expanded by 2.9 percent last year, lar»»»

Harare, Zimbabwe: At least 15 people were killed and 27 remain missing when an overcrowed ferry on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba capsized, authorities said on Wednesday, noting 77 passengers were rescued. The boat, which overturned Tuesday after hitting strong waves, was carrying 114 adult passengers, 5 c»»»

July 2026 was the second-hottest July globally since records began, while sea surface temperatures in the world’s oceans reached a record high for the month. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the average global»»»

North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the East Sea Wednesday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. In this photo, people watch a news report on the launch at Seoul Station. Photo by Yonhap SEOUL, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, the m»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ambassador of Angola H E António Coelho Ramos da Cruz has praised Qatar’s efforts in combating cybercrime, saying they deserve great applause. Speaking at the opening of a UNODC ransomware investigation training in Lusail, he highlighted the State’s strong partnership with the Unit»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar has solidified its position as a global hub for digital innovation and cybersecurity as the third edition of the 20-day Youth Cyber Security Camp wrapped up yesterday, equipping young talent with essential online defense skills and aligning with Qatar’s 2030 strategic vision to r»»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company reported a 14.6% year-on-year decline in first-half profit after tax to Dh201 million, with geopolitical risks, flood-related claims and short-term investment market volatility weighing on earnings. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bal»»»

A former US military veteran who was imprisoned in Russia for more than four years on disputed charges and under abusive conditions was released on Tuesday. A group advocating for him said he was gravely ill and at risk of dying. Russia has released an American military veteran who spent more than »»»

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The race for the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin's governor between democratic socialist Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was too close to call early Wednesday, as primary ballots were being counted in six states. Wisconsin While primaries were being »»»

MATARAM, Indonesia: A navy vessel and other ships rushed in Wednesday to rescue over 100 people from a ferry on fire off the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, officials said, in the second such incident in days.There were no immediate reports of casualties among the passengers and crew, with at le»»»

SINGAPORE: The ‌tally of vessels tracked in the Strait of Hormuz fell to a one-week ​low of eight on Tuesday, shipping data showed, as owners avoided the key waterway amid continued hostilities in the Middle East. The United States and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis reported separate attacks as ‌pros»»»

Energy costs are emerging as the biggest "financial surprise" for chief executives worldwide in 2026, surpassing all other cost pressures, according to the global PwC CEO Survey Mid-Year Snapshot released on Tuesday.The survey shows that almost one in five executives (19%) reported increases of mor»»»