LONDON: Jordan’s King Abdullah II said China and Arab countries have maintained durable ties through decades of regional upheaval by focusing on practical cooperation and shared interests, as he called for deeper coordination on easing tensions in the Middle East. In an interview with China’s Xinhu»»»

1 of 2 | British Prime Minister Andy Burnham gives a speech outside No 10 Downing Street on July 20. On Monday, sources close to the prime minister said he received messages from someone impersonating White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo Aug. 17 (UPI) -»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has begun enforcing new inspection and monitoring powers over private and non-profit organisations that violate the rights of people with disabilities, with penalties for the most serious breaches reaching SAR500,000 ($133,000). The Authority for the Care of People with Disabili»»»

BEIRUT: Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon continued on Monday, as a 60-day deadline set by an agreement in June between US-Iran to reach a deal on ending their conflict expired, an arrangement Tehran previously said also applied to Lebanon. However, an official Lebanese source told Arab News that»»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), represented by the National Cyber Strategies and Policies Department, organised a training course for Policy Management. This course is the fourteenth edition of the training sessions offered by the department this year on this topic, aiming t»»»

The UAE is moving ahead with plans to transform 50% of government sectors, services and operations into models powered by Agentic AI within the next two years, as officials work to build the technology and data infrastructure needed for the shift. The Higher Committee for Agentic AI organised the “»»»

Dubai: A Canadian-bred falcon has sold for 1.3 million Saudi riyals ($346,000) at an auction north of Riyadh, making it the most expensive bird sold at this year’s event and the second-highest sale in the auction’s history. The juvenile three-quarter gyr Super White falcon, bred by Jim Wilson Falco»»»

Doha, Qatar: A diet should not be judged solely by how quickly it changes the number on the scale, but by whether it can be maintained over the long term while providing adequate nutrition, according to therapeutic and community nutrition specialist Alaa Mahmoud Abu Nahia. Speaking during an interv»»»

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to maintain the Israeli military presence in the Gaza Strip and is bearing responsibility for a possible failure of mediation efforts to resolve the conflict, League of Arab States (LAS) Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy said on Mo»»»

More than 3.1 million guests visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi during the first half of 2026, as the landmark continued to attract worshippers and visitors from around the world. According to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, the mosque welcomed 3,127,607 guests during the six-mont»»»

LONDON: In a sign of the growing pressure on Syria’s embattled captagon networks, smugglers are increasingly taking to the air — not in aircraft, but using balloons in an attempt to bypass tighter border controls and carry the illicit drug into Jordan and beyond. Increasingly, however, their balloo»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar correspondent: Israeli artillery targets the outskirts of Zawtary Sharqiyeh town, South Lebanon 17-08-2026 17:13 PM Latest News Ur»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife, in collaboration with Neom, has documented the birth of the first striped hyena cub since two breeding pairs were reintroduced to the Neom Nature Reserve. The birth is a positive sign that the hyenas have adapted successfully to the reserve and o»»»

U.S. rescue teams conduct search operations for survivors following two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, on June 30. File Photo by U.S. Department of State/UPI | License Photo Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Major earthquakes that struck Venezuela»»»

Forty-two weapons were recovered by the Mexican military in Naco, Sonora, in 2009. File Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service accused the intelligence services of a Western country of preparing, together with»»»

Dubai: Two farmers in Kentucky have rejected a Dh97.25 million ($26.48 million) offer for land that has been in their family for generations, after learning that the property was being sought for a vast data centre intended to support artificial intelligence infrastructure. Delsia Bare and her moth»»»

Dubai: At least 15 people were killed in two separate disasters involving Hindu pilgrims in eastern India on Monday, with eight dying in a hotel fire in West Bengal and seven in a crowd crush at a temple in neighbouring Bihar, officials said. The incidents occurred during Shravan, a sacred month in»»»

Monschau, Germany: Firefighters and farmers backed by water-dropping aircraft battled through a fourth day Monday to tame Belgium's worst wildfire in a century, still burning through pristine parkland though it was halted short of the German border. The blaze charring the High Fens nature reserve, »»»

A prominent Malian broadcaster and an influencer were on Monday jailed for seven years after criticising the ruling junta. Mohamed Youssouf Bathily was convicted by the Bamaka court of criminal conspiracy and discrediting the state alongside Rokia Doumbia, a noted campaigner. A Malian court sentenc»»»

Dubai: Iran will resume sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Umrah after a six-month suspension, with 18,000 people scheduled to travel in the first phase of the programme, official Fars News Agency reported. Akbar Rezaei, deputy head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation for Hajj and Umrah af»»»

AL-MUKALLA: At least seven missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis struck two government-controlled areas on Yemen’s Red Sea coast on Monday, as the militia continued to mourn dozens of fighters killed during its latest military escalation, local officials said. Two missiles struck Mokha seapo»»»

Nearly 10 years after the attempted referendum on Catalan independence which led to violent clashes between the public and the police, the political demands of the independence movement have not been met. ENTR travelled to Catalonia in June to meet with young people there who are continuing the fig»»»

By UPI Staff A look at the women who have served as presidents of Latin American countries, both elected and interim. This collection highlights the modern female leaders who have shaped national politics across the region in recent decades. Violeta Chamorro, Nicaragua President-elect of Nicaragua »»»

Dubai: After spending nearly six months largely out of sight, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is beginning to show what his Iran will look like. And it looks increasingly like a country preparing for a long fight. Khamenei has installed a string of veteran military and security har»»»

Russia's meat and feed exporters face a choice between two very different markets: Iran, slow and bureaucratic but predictable, and the Philippines, fast-growing but brutal on price. This is what Russia's pivot to Asia looks like at the level of an actual container. Shut out of European agricultura»»»

The EU bought €809mn of Russian liquefied natural gas in June, 57% more than a year earlier, with Belgium the single biggest buyer. That gave Russia 24.1% of the EU's LNG market by value, second only to the US on 54.3% and €1.83bn. Belgium took €268mn worth, its highest since July 2025, ahead of Fr»»»

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is launching nationwide inspections starting on Monday to check compliance with legal requirements for activities affecting agricultural land and forest areas, the Ministry said here on Monday. The inspections will cover legal compliance related to land cultivat»»»

Russia's meat and feed exporters face a choice between two very different markets: Iran, slow and bureaucratic but predictable, and the Philippines, fast-growing but brutal on price. This is what Russia's pivot to Asia looks like at the level of an actual container. Shut out of European agricultura»»»

Five years after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has called on Washington to reopen its embassy in Kabul and deepen diplomatic and economic engagement with the country. The appeal includes potential US investment in Afghanistan’s mineral resources an»»»

Russia's banks are earning more than ever, yet beneath the record profits lie mounting bad debts, a flight to cash and a corporate-loan pile that few in Moscow can measure. The country's largest lender, state-controlled Sberbank, posted a record IFRS net profit of RUB1.01tn ($12.6bn) in 1H26, up 19»»»

The EU bought €809mn of Russian liquefied natural gas in June, 57% more than a year earlier, with Belgium the single biggest buyer. That gave Russia 24.1% of the EU's LNG market by value, second only to the US on 54.3% and €1.83bn. Belgium took €268mn worth, its highest since July 2025, ahead of Fr»»»

Russia's meat and feed exporters face a choice between two very different markets: Iran, slow and bureaucratic but predictable, and the Philippines, fast-growing but brutal on price. This is what Russia's pivot to Asia looks like at the level of an actual container. Shut out of European agricultura»»»

Russia's main state development bank has sacked its chief economist over a speech he gave three months ago, in which he said the Russian economy would survive. Andrei Klepach, chief economist at VEB.RF for 12 years, was dismissed on August 16. VEB.RF chairman Igor Shuvalov let him go on an instruct»»»

Anxiety in Russia has climbed back to the level it reached when Vladimir Putin ordered mobilisation four years ago. Some 57% of Russians describe the situation in their country as tense and a further 13% call it critical or explosive - 70% between them, the highest since September 2022. Only 19% sa»»»

Armenian banks must now identify and freeze payments designed to slip past Western sanctions on Russia, under central bank rules that took effect on August 12. The requirements sit inside a new regulation on banks' minimum internal control standards approved by the Central Bank of Armenia. Lenders »»»

London: The head of Cambridge university Monday condemned a "racist feeding frenzy" prompted by plagiarism claims against black academic Jason Arday, as his supporters prepared for a London vigil after his death last week. Arday, who became Cambridge's youngest ever black professor in 2023, was fou»»»

Muscat: Omani authorities announced today that they are continuing their salvage and containment efforts for the oil spill from the vessel "CAROLINE BEZENGI", which is stranded on a rocky outcrop near Al Qibliyah Island in the Al Hallaniyat Islands archipelago in Dhofar Governorate. These efforts a»»»

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Israel and the Board of Peace have agreed that the disarmament of Palestinian movement Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip must precede the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu's office said on Monday. "The prime minister and the Board of Peace held in-depth»»»

ROME: An Italian rescue charity said on Monday it pulled 50 people to safety from a double-deck wooden boat in international waters off Libya, and recovered seven bodies. “There was nothing that could be done for seven of them. Two of them are in critical condition due to suffocation,” Emergency sa»»»

MOSCOW: A Russian court on Monday sentenced prominent opposition politician Lev Shlosberg to 11 years in prison over his criticism of Moscow's offensive in Ukraine. The 63-year-old is among the very few Kremlin opponents who remained in Russia after it launched a sweeping crackdown on dissent follo»»»

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan monks have joined residents of the coastal locality of Hiriketiya in protesting the presence of Israeli tourists, whom they accuse of setting up illegal establishments and disturbing the peace near one of the country’s most famous Buddhist temples. Hiriketiya is a fishing villag»»»

Albania’s Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari has introduced Ervis Gjoshi as the new acting head of the country’s General Directorate of Fire Protection and Rescue, as authorities seek to strengthen the national response to emergencies and wildfire risks. Gjoshi takes over the leadership of the ins»»»

1 of 3 | The U.S. Supreme Court once again rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to appeal the verdict in E. Jean Carroll’s sexual abuse and defamation case on Monday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court once again rejected President Donald Trum»»»

Dubai: James Dacombe left school as a teenager to build a technology company. Eight years later, the British entrepreneur has become Europe’s youngest self-made billionaire, after his artificial intelligence chip start-up Olix secured a $3.3 billion valuation. The 25-year-old joined the billionaire»»»

Dubai: A Canadian-bred falcon has sold for 1.3 million Saudi riyals ($346,000) at an auction north of Riyadh, making it the most expensive bird sold at this year’s event and the second-highest sale in the auction’s history. The juvenile three-quarter gyr Super White falcon, bred by Jim Wilson Falco»»»

Los Angeles, United States: Hayden Panettiere, a former child star actress who went on to play roles in the popular TV series "Heroes" and "Nashville," has died aged 36. Her father confirmed the death in a statement to ABC News. "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our b»»»

Cameroon defeated tournament newcomers Malawi 3-0 in the final to win its first Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. Marie Ngah Manga scored twice and Naomi Eto added another goal. Both finalists, along with Morocco and Algeria, qualified for next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil.»»»

A ⁠Ukrainian ​missile ​strike killed six people ​and ‌wounded ⁠another ‌four, including a ⁠child, in ​Russia's border ‌Belgorod region, the ‌acting ​governor said on Monday. The assault came as Russia targeted port infrastructure in Ukraine's Izmail district in the southern region of ​Odesa ‌overni»»»

Massive wildfires are burning across Europe, from Belgium and Greece to Spain, Italy and France. Alexander Held, Senior Expert at the European Forest Institute, explains why fires are spreading into unexpected areas and whether Europe is facing a new normal. He also looks at how citizens can help p»»»

A fire has broken out near the Lozenets quarter in Stara Zagora, the local municipality said in a press release. Dry grass and bushes are burning. Four firefighting teams from the Stara Zagora Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection have been dispatched to the scene and are workin»»»