Colombo: Authorities in Sri Lanka arrested a former navy commander on Friday over allegations he illegally helped secure the recruitment and overseas training of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa's son. Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, 73, was taken into custody by the Bribery Commission ove»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who announced Thursday the creation of a high-level committee tasked with developing economic partnerships and security agreements with Syria, said Friday that the cooperation aims at "strengthening bilateral relations" to achieve the common interests of the two countrie»»»

Authorities in Sri Lanka arrested a former navy commander on Friday over allegations he illegally helped secure the recruitment and overseas training of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa's son. Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, 73, was taken into custody by the Bribery Commission over the 200»»»

La Guaira, Venezuela: In the Venezuelan resort town of La Guaira, a group of rescuers watched as sensors that once detected life under the rubble now showed nothing, as silence gave way to resignation. Friday -- the ninth day since the devastating double earthquakes that killed nearly 2,600 people »»»

Pilot night bus routes will begin operating in Bishkek today, July 3, the municipality announced. The buses will run daily from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Fares have been set at 70 soms for cashless payments, including bank cards, transport cards, and QR code payments, and 90 soms for cash payments. Accordi»»»

After meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Shaibani for the first time, Hezbollah ally and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Lebanon has no choice but to engage with Syria. "Lebanon cannot cooperate with Israel, and if it refuses to deal with Syria, the Lebanese will be left with no choice but t»»»

GENEVA: The United Nations human rights chief ​on Friday said another human rights catastrophe was unfolding in Sudan, in the city ‌of Al-Obeid, ‌in ​North ‌Kordofan, and ⁠urged ​the world ⁠to act. “The signs from Al-Obeid are clear and unmistakable: Another human rights ⁠catastrophe is unfolding ‌»»»

A 26-year-old woman was found dead in a hotel room in Hyderabad in the early hours of Friday after allegedly dying by suicide while on a video call with a friend, according to media reports. The woman, identified as Renuka from Alwal, was found inside a room at Hotel Grand Lodge near MD Lines. Acco»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: Iran will not allow the United States to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz 03-0»»»

Pomorie East Beach has opened the summer season once again with the Blue Flag certification, which flies from the stone breakwater, a popular spot for walks and photos. The beach has held the certification since 2019. The beach features a wide sandy shoreline, lifeguard stations, a medical point, a»»»

Duni South Beach is one of Bulgaria's Blue Flag beaches for the 2026 summer season. Located in the southern part of Duni Holiday Village, about 7 km south of Sozopol and 40 km from Burgas, the area is known for its peaceful atmosphere and favorable conditions for surfing. The beach offers well-deve»»»

As financial literacy becomes increasingly important in today's digital economy, VI Markets launched VI Academy, a next-generation platform that makes financial education more accessible, interactive, and rewarding for learners at every stage of their investment journey Powered by technology develo»»»

Dubai: The UAE has reaffirmed that delivery riders cannot be compelled to work during the country's midday summer work ban, while expanding a nationwide network of more than 12,000 air-conditioned rest areas to protect workers from extreme heat. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mo»»»

Gold bar and dollars Andrew Naylor, Head of Middle East and Public Policy at the World Gold Council, stated that the direction of gold in the coming period will be determined by several factors, most notably global interest rate expectations—particularly the Federal Reserve’s decision expected next»»»

Millions of people are expected to attend funeral ceremonies in Iraq for martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, a spokesman for the Iraqi media committee organizing the event has said. The funeral will be held in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, with no ceremonies »»»

Tunis, July 3 (TAP) – The weather, on Friday, will be partly cloudy across most regions, becoming occasionally cloudy in the north with temporary thundery showers. Rain is expected to be locally heavy along the northern coast and will extend to the...»»»

Air quality in Sofia remains within the legal limits following the fire at a waste treatment facility that caused a strong smell of burnt plastic across several parts of the city, the Environment Ministry said here Friday. The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) explained that whi»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said during Parliament's Question Time on Friday that he had proposed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Bulgaria and Ukraine jointly build the Belene Nuclear Power Plant with European funding. Radev said the proposal was made during a meeting with Zelenskyy »»»

Abu Dhabi: Zayed International Airport welcomed more than 93,000 passengers a day during the five-day period from June 26 to June 30, as travel demand continued to accelerate, with daily passenger numbers and flight movements exceeding levels recorded during the same period last year. According to »»»

Peshawar, Pakistan: A bus veered off a road and fell more than 20 metres into a ravine in western Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 40 people, officials said. "A passenger bus travelling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine in the mountainous Dana Sar area... 40 people have been co»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in partnership with Al Meera Consumer Goods Company, is hosting the Pakistan Fruit Festival from July 2 to 8 across 15 almeera stores in Doha. Held during the peak summer harvest season, the festival celebrates Pakistan’s rich agricultur»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE's national cybersecurity system has successfully thwarted a series of sophisticated cyberattacks targeting organisations in the financial sector, helping to safeguard critical digital infrastructure and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of financial services, the UAE Cybersecurit»»»

Hungary has revoked the political asylum previously granted to Polish opposition politicians Zbigniew Ziobro and Marcin Romanowski, as well as to Ziobro’s wife, according to an announcement by Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. Writing on X on Thursday, Sikorski said Poland had received wri»»»

MELBOURNE: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday condemned senators who blocked changes to a world-first social media ban for children, saying tech giants would use the delay to destroy incriminating documents that could be used as evidence against them. The government this week intr»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah calls for popular gathering in tribute of martyr Leader Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei on July 8 in Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh):»»»

Dubai: Dubai's property market opened trading on Friday with transactions worth nearly Dh900 million, driven by the sale of four land plots and a luxury villa, highlighting continued demand for premium real estate. According to the Dubai REST app, four land plots in City of Arabia were sold for a c»»»

Damascus, July 3 (SANA) Chinese Ambassador to Syria Shi Hongwei said China stands ready to create new opportunities for the world, including Syria, through its development strategy, according to an article published in the Syrian state-owned daily Al-Thawra Al-Souria. The article, titled “After 105»»»

AI company 1001 has raised $30 million in a Series A funding round to expand its sovereign artificial intelligence platform designed for critical infrastructure across the GCC. The investment round was led by Lux Capital, with participation from PIF-owned Sanabil Investments, Hanabi and 9Yards. Exi»»»

Doha, Qatar: As Americans prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of US independence on July 4, 2026, audiences in Qatar and around the world have been invited to explore the history, values, and landmarks that define the United States. Among the most recognisable are the presidential monuments »»»

Integrated Transport Centre (AD Mobility) and Q Mobility have issued a joint advisory on social media, calling on motorists to avoid parking in undesignated areas near mosques. The authorities warned that improper parking can obstruct worshippers, pedestrians and emergency vehicles, particularly du»»»

Russia and Ukraine exchanged one of the largest waves of long-range attacks of the war overnight, with Moscow launching a combined missile and drone assault on Kyiv while Russian authorities said they had intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow and other regions, reported the Kyiv»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy privately asked former commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi whether he intended to run in a future presidential election and urged him to avoid a potentially divisive contest, the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet reported, citing sources familiar with the meeting»»»

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Friday that he would formally oppose the European Union's proposed 21st package of sanctions against Russia, arguing that his decision was driven by Bulgaria's national interest. Responding to a question from Yordan Ivanov of the Democratic Bulgaria parl»»»

A ceremonial handover of books and digital equipment donated by the Russkiy Mir Foundation /Russian World Foundation/ to 27 schools in Republika Srpska offering Russian language classes was held today at the Russian Cultural Centre in Banja Luka. The donation includes 27 sets of Russian language te»»»

The Public Prosecutor's Office expressed, on Thursday, its institutional solidarity with the High Court of Cassation and Justice and conveyed that it supports without reservations the defense of the independence of the judicial authority, which it considers a fundamental value of the rule of law an»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Indian Sports Centre (ISC) organised a success celebration to mark the successful conduct of this year’s International Day of Yoga (IDY 2026) in Qatar. Inaugurating the event at ICC Ashoka Hall, Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Indian c»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Energy Affairs, H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, participated in the extraordinary Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Petroleum Cooperation Committee meeting, which was held virtually yesterday with the participation of Their Excellencies the GCC energy ministers and His Ex»»»

Doha, Qatar: Assets under management (AuM) in the GCC grew by 10% in 2025, reaching $2.7 trillion and marking one of the strongest annual performances in over a decade, according to a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The findings, released as part of BCG’s Global Asset Management Repo»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed this week down 0.690 percent, losing 70.650 points compared to last week’s close, to settle at 10,211 points under pressure from five sectors. QSE figures for this week indicate that the transportation sector suffered the largest losses, declining b»»»

RIYADH: The UAE’s non-oil private sector continued to expand in June, despite recording its weakest growth in more than five years, as the S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 50.8. The slowdown, from 52.6 in May. came as geopolitical disruptions, cautious client spending and intense compe»»»

There are currently no chances for a full-fledged dialogue in the OSCE, Russia's permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Dmitry Polyansky told Sputnik. "That is hard to imagine at this point. What is needed is an understanding that at least all OS»»»

Ankara, July 3 (SANA) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel was a “reckless gang” undermining the international order, according to Anadolu Agency on Thursday. Speaking to CNN Türk, Fidan said Israel was, in his view, a state that commits massacres and injustice, adding that it was gover»»»

A bus veered into a ravine in western Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 40 people, officials said. "A passenger bus travelling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine in the mountainous Dana Sar area... 40 people have been confirmed dead and 11 others injured," said Sanaullah Sherani,»»»

Dubai: Emirates expects more than 3,500 children to travel independently over the next two weeks, in one of the busiest summer periods for its Unaccompanied Minors Service. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The surge comes as families begin their summer holidays before t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatari player Khaled Al-Jumaat won the Hyatt Plaza Open Blitz Chess Championship for Under-16 players, which concluded at Hyatt Plaza Mall after a one-day event organised by the Qatar Chess Federation. The FIDE-rated tournament attracted 65 players and was played over seven rounds usin»»»

Doha, Qatar: While football continues to dominate headlines with the FIFA World Cup 2026, July promises another unforgettable month of live sport on TOD by beIN. Alongside every remaining FIFA World Cup match, subscribers can enjoy live coverage of Wimbledon 2026, three Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar produced a strong second-half comeback to defeat hosts India 65-56 in the opening game of the third window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 Asian Qualifiers in Ahmedabad yesterday. The victory gave Qatar a valuable start in Group D, which also features Lebanon and Saud»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar capital marks the official tip off of the eFIBA World Finals Qatar Season 4, a joined collaboration of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 Local Organizing Committee with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Qatar Esports Federation. The competition wil»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States Coast Guard has awarded contracts worth $3.3 billion for the construction and delivery of six state-of-the-art Arctic icebreakers, the US Department of Homeland Security announced. "The contracts are awarded to Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.L.C. of Lockport, L»»»

Dubai: Residents along the UAE's eastern coast woke to refreshing showers on Friday as rain swept across parts of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, bringing cooler conditions and misty mountain views despite forecasts of generally fair weather. Light to occasionally moderate rain fell over areas near the H»»»