Baelen, Belgium: Crucial air support swung into action Sunday to help firefighters tame Belgium's largest modern-day wildfire, which has mushroomed in size since breaking out two days ago in a hard-to-access nature reserve. More than 250 firefighters and emergency workers were battling to contain t»»»

RIYADH: King Abdulaziz University, in partnership with the Transport General Authority, has launched Saudi Arabia’s first specialized bachelor’s degree programs in railway transport, aiming to prepare national talent for the Kingdom’s expanding rail and logistics sector. The official launch took pl»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi universities have strengthened their presence in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities, with several institutions improving their position and advancing their research and academic standing. Taif University advanced 219 places to 408th globally following its 627th placing in»»»

Army Commander Major General Amir Hatami responded to the recent remarks of the US President Donald Trump, describing him as criminal. “Trump the criminal says he wants to declare the Strait of Hormuz part of the United States. He is very mistaken! And after seeing the reactions, he announced that »»»

Abu Dhabi City Municipality planted more than 14 million seasonal flowers and completed a series of park and green-space projects in 2025 as part of efforts to enhance quality of life and improve the city’s urban landscape. According to the municipality’s recently issued annual achievements report,»»»

The US-Iran standoff continues to affect travel, shipping and security across the Gulf, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining a major flashpoint. For UAE residents, the most immediate impact is likely to be felt through flight disruptions, changes to shipping routes and the wider effects on regional »»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has approved updated regulations and classification standards for accommodation facilities serving pilgrims during the Hajj season, as part of preparations for the 2027 pilgrimage. The ministry also approved a schedule of violations covering facilities desi»»»

A Hamas delegation began a meeting with Egypt's spy chief on Sunday to discuss ways to advance the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, an official from the Palestinian group told AFP. A Hamas delegation began talks on Sunday in Egypt with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, a Hamas o»»»

RIYADH: The Saudi informatics team won three awards at the 38th International Olympiad in Informatics, hosted by Uzbekistan from Aug. 9-16, with 386 students representing 97 countries. The achievement brings the Kingdom’s total international awards since joining the Olympiad to 14, including one si»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Sunday, gaining 96.08 points, or 0.89 percent, to close at 10,919.68. The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.4 billion ($907 million), as 186 stocks advanced and 74 retreated. Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu los»»»

The top US military commander in the Middle East visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day tour in the region that concluded on Saturday, US Central Command said. Adm. Brad Cooper visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues »»»

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense said the danger has passed in Jazan Province after the National Early Warning Platform issued an emergency warning. Authorities urged residents to continue following official Civil Defense instructions and avoid gathering in affected areas or film»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian Army Commander: America has been practically expelled and no longer has permission to enter the Persian Gulf, the Sea of ​​Oman, an»»»

Damascus, Aug. 16 (SANA) The resumption of direct flights between Moscow and Damascus will strengthen cooperation between Syria and Russia and expand exchanges in business, science and culture, Russian Chargé d’Affaires in Damascus Zaur Guseinov said Sunday. Speaking following the arrival of the fi»»»

RIYADH: The Middle East and North Africa region is projected to return to growth in 2027, expanding 8.5 percent, after a contraction this year, according to a forecast from BMI, a Fitch Solutions company. BMI expects the MENA economy to contract by 3.3 percent in 2026, a sharper decline than the 0.»»»

A solar eclipse seen across parts of Europe, ongoing search-and-rescue efforts in Colombia after a devastating earthquake killed at least 300 people and left hundreds missing, and escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, condemned by the US ambassador to Israel as "acts of»»»

UAE residents travelling to India should allow extra time at the airport as enhanced security measures remain in place at several major airports until August 20. With additional screening and higher passenger volumes expected, travellers are being advised to plan ahead and avoid last-minute arrival»»»

Dhaka: Former players and fans hailed Bangladesh's first-ever Test win in Australia on Sunday as the country's biggest achievement in the five-day game, saying it could be a turning point for their cricketing ambitions. Bangladesh sealed a historic nine-wicket thrashing inside four days in Darwin, »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian army commander to Trump: Your statements about annexing the Strait of Hormuz to the United States, even if you considered them a jo»»»

Banker-turned Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Andrii Onistrat’s call for Ukrainians to stockpile two months-worth of food and other essentials ahead of a possible total loss of electricity and heating capacity is meant as a “signal” to Kiev’s sponsors to pony up more cash, says political analyst Ale»»»

Dubai: Pakistan is racing to begin work on a $2.5 billion upgrade of one of its most critical railway corridors by January 2027, a project designed to allow trains to travel at speeds of up to 160km/h and improve a route carrying almost all of the country’s rail freight. The first phase of the long»»»

Bucharest: A Spanish fighter jet on Sunday shot down a drone that had breached Romanian airspace near the border with Ukraine and Moldova, national authorities and NATO said. A growing number of drones have crossed into NATO states in eastern Europe as Russia pursues its invasion of Ukraine. The in»»»

The owner of the Polish coach company whose bus crashed on Hungary’s M3 motorway has spoken about the two drivers involved, saying both were experienced employees who had worked for the company for several years. The company’s owner immediately travelled to Hungary Tadeusz Dykas, owner of Firma Tra»»»

Dubai: Saudi security authorities arrested 14,542 people for violating residency, border security and labour laws during nationwide inspection campaigns conducted over one week, the Ministry of Interior said. The arrests were made during joint field campaigns carried out by security forces and rele»»»

DOHA: As part of efforts to enhance national cooperation to protect the marine environment, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, represented by the Marine Protection and Environmental Operations Directorates, held a coordination meeting with the Qatar Armed Forces, represented by the Env»»»

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have killed at least 11 people, in what local authorities describe as the largest escalation since the June agreement. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Pierre Catoire, an emergency doctor working in the area, described a deteriorating humanitarian situation, saying some do»»»

Dubai: Visakhapatnam’s aviation map changes dramatically from August 17, with a new airport taking over as the region’s commercial passenger gateway. The familiar VTZ code stays, but the airport behind it changes. From where to catch your flight to airport buses, fares and facilities, here’s what p»»»

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stressed on Sunday that the Islamic Republic triumphed militarily and politically against the United States and ‘Israel’. In remarks cited by Iranian media, Ghalibaf declared that Iran successfully thwarted the primary military objectives of its ad»»»

France's attempt to ban social media for under-15s has been blocked by the Constitutional Council, which ruled the measure unconstitutional. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Peter Craddock, Senior Attorney advising social media companies, said the decision was unsurprising, arguing that the proposed law impo»»»

France’s Constitutional Court has struck down a law that would have banned children under 15 from social media, ruling that it disproportionately infringed on freedom of expression and raised privacy concerns over age verification. The government plans to draft a revised bill, with Emmanuel Macron »»»

A Spanish fighter jet on Sunday shot down a drone that breached Romania's airspace near the border with Ukraine and Moldova, Romania's defence ministry said, in the latest incident to highlight the challenges facing NATO states bordering Ukraine.  Romania's defence ministry said Sunday that a »»»

Morocco has deployed heavy security around the border city of Fnideq after false social media rumours claimed the border to Spain's Ceuta enclave would open. Hundreds of migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, have gathered nearby, raising fears of another mass crossing just weeks after tens of t»»»

Belgium is battling what has been described as the country's largest wildfire in modern history, forcing hundreds of villagers to evacuate near the German border. Firefighters, EU reinforcements and local farmers are working to contain the blaze as shifting winds and extreme heat complicate efforts»»»

Saudi Arabia has announced the formal launch of a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at safeguarding shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as escalating hostilities with Yemen’s Houthis threaten one of the world’s most important trade routes. Thirteen countries have completed the pr»»»

Budapest: A Polish bus crashed into a ditch on a Hungarian highway early Sunday killing 12 people and leaving at least 10 with critical injuries, officials said. The coach, heading from Serbia to Poland, crashed at 01:00 am (2300 GMT Saturday) on the M3 highway near Mezokeresztes, about 140 kilomet»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for International Cooperation HE Dr. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, met on Sunday with Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, HE Georges Bahsa Hazim. During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhan»»»

Cairo: A Hamas delegation met Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad on Sunday to discuss ways to advance the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, Egypt’s state news agency reported. The Middle East News Agency said the delegation led by Hamas chief Khalil Al-Hayya “reaffirmed commitment »»»

DUBAI: Brazilian actress Marina Ruy Barbosa brought high-fashion glamor to the 54th Gramado Film Festival, arriving on the red carpet in a dramatic haute couture gown by Saudi couture label Ashi Studio. The actress chose a look from Ashi Studio’s spring-summer 2026 haute couture collection, which w»»»

‘Israel’ offered at least two conflicting narratives within 24 hours to justify its attacks in southern Lebanon, after an apparent failed attempt to advance toward the Ali Al-Taher heights early on Saturday, according to accounts of developments on the ground. The sequence of events has raised ques»»»

Due to the low water level of the Danube, a dried-up channel near Lyulyaka Island in Ruse has become a spot for walks. The hydrological situation remains difficult. Speaking to the Bulgarian News Agency, 55-year-old Nikolay Bogdanov said he could not remember the Danube level ever being this low. T»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine did not shoot down a single ballistic or hypersonic missile last night, the Ukrainian news outlet reported on Sunday, citing the Ukrainian air force. According to the news outlet, the main areas of the strike were the Kiev, Poltava, and Dnepropetrovsk regions.Earlier, Rus»»»

Dubai is expanding its push for greener and more efficient last-mile deliveries, with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launching an e-bike delivery service across 11 authorised locations. The initiative is designed for short-distance deliveries, helping reduce reliance on delivery vehicles w»»»

JEDDAH: Calligraphy is an integral part of Saudi culture, and Ibrahim Zaki, a Dubai-based multidisciplinary designer and calligrapher, says that the Kingdom has made immense efforts in recent years to preserve and promote the art form. “There is serious investment in preservation, documentation, ed»»»

RIYADH: Net losses at nine petrochemical companies listed on the Saudi Exchange fell by more than 50 percent in the first half of 2026 to SR1.7 billion ($452.8 million), from about SR3.4 billion ($908.5 million) a year earlier. The improvement reflected stronger operating efficiency, better results»»»

Damascus, Aug. 16 (SANA) Gold prices rose in the Syrian market on Sunday, with 21-karat gold gaining 100 Syrian pounds per gram from the previous day, according to the General Authority for Precious Metals Management. The authority’s daily bulletin put the selling price of 21-karat gold at 16,100 S»»»

Firefighters have brought under control a forest fire in the Kőszeg Mountains after a major operation that continued until late Saturday night, with difficult terrain making the blaze particularly challenging to tackle. The fire broke out in the early evening of 15 August in the area around the Stá»»»

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella on Saturday called on US President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs on the South American nation as the country contiues to reel from a deadly earthquake. At least 300 people were killed in the quake that devastated the western Colombian cities of Cali a»»»

Hawaii has narrowly avoided a historic direct hit from Hurricane Lala, but torrential rain and hurricane-force winds are still causing widespread flooding, mudslides and power outages across the islands. Authorities are urging residents to shelter in place as the storm moves west and dangerous cond»»»

Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people Saturday, some of the deadliest since deals in June eased hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel's military said the strikes were in retaliation for an attack by Hezbollah on its troops in the country's south and the Iran-ba»»»

Several Palestinian homes in the West Bank village of Qusra have been under siege for a week, with families trapped inside as supplies dwindle and water and electricity are cut off. Settlers have continued their attacks openly, despite the presence of Israeli soldiers and growing international pres»»»