Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Airlines' parent firm announced on Friday mandatory drug screenings for its pilots, after one of them tested positive for a cocktail of narcotics and was arrested in Indonesia for smuggling. Authorities at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport arrested the 39-year-ol»»»

Building an economy often takes decades of patient labour. Yet the collapse of political institutions, or the eruption of conflict in the aftermath of revolutions and coups, can cancel out years of growth with startling speed, condemning nations to a long and punishing struggle to recover what they»»»

DOHA: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)’s relationship with Qatar has entered a new phase of strategic engagement, with both sides poised to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, digital transformation, energy, education and regional connectivity, according to a publication »»»

There is a peculiar contradiction in the Philippine debate over Pax Silica. A country that has spent decades complaining about poverty, underemployment, brain drain, weak industrialisation, unreliable infrastructure and the export of raw resources (and manpower — i.e. nurses and nannies, engineers »»»

There is a peculiar contradiction in the Philippine debate over Pax Silica. A country that has spent decades complaining about poverty, underemployment, brain drain, weak industrialisation, unreliable infrastructure and the export of raw resources suddenly finds itself being offered a place in one »»»

LONDON: Israel plans to expand its Gilo settlement in southwestern East Jerusalem by building an additional 2,300 houses, further isolating East Jerusalem from Bethlehem in the south of the occupied West Bank. The Israeli Jerusalem Municipality’s Planning and Building Committee intends to construct»»»

Arab and Islamic foreign ministers agreed on Wednesday to launch a joint operational mechanism to document Israeli violations in Jerusalem, warning that escalations at holy sites could provoke a religious conflict with global repercussions. Meeting in Amman at the invitation of Jordan, the Arab Min»»»

Hungary has emerged as one of the world’s most AI-ready outsourcing destinations, placing fourth in a new international ranking and achieving the highest population-level artificial intelligence adoption score among all 25 countries examined. The 2026 Global Outsourcing AI Readiness Index gave Hung»»»

Amman: The meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with mobilizing international action in response to illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held in Jordan on Wednesday, issued a joint statement following the meeting. The statement read as follows: At the invitation »»»

Manila: Edwin Salas watched as the first of 20 solar panels was installed on the roof of his home, joining a Philippine solar energy boom sent into overdrive by the Middle East war. The country's eye-watering electric bills -- the highest in the region -- were the primary driver of his decision, he»»»

AMMAN: The meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with mobilizing international action in response to illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held in Jordan on Wednesday, issued a joint statement following the meeting. The statement read as follows: At the invitation »»»

Amman: The State of Qatar participated in the meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with mobilizing international action in response to illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held Wednesday in Amman, Jordan. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh M»»»

AMMAN: The State of Qatar participated in a meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with international action to confront illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem, held in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The Qatari delegation was headed by Prime Minister and Minister of Fo»»»

CAIRO: Amman hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers of Arab states represented on the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with coordinating international action against illegal Israeli policies and measures in Jerusalem. Representatives from Turkiye, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan also at»»»

DUBAI: Saudi’s Al-Ittihad are set to face UAE’s Al-Jazira in Abu Dhabi as the quest to reach the league and group stages of both the AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two for the 2026-27 campaign gets underway next week with seven high-stakes one-off ties in the preliminary stage.»»»

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will not ‌proceed with repatriating 5,000 Myanmar refugees if their lives are found to be at risk upon their return, a government spokesman said on ​Wednesday, as authorities continued to screen the refugees ahead of the planned handover. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said»»»

SURABAYA, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities have arrested a second Malaysian in days for allegedly smuggling methamphetamine and ecstasy into the country, a crime that carries the death penalty in the Southeast Asian nation. A 22-year-old identified only as “DI” was detained in Surabaya, Indonesia’»»»

LONDON: Jordan has warned that recent Israeli actions at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound suggest an Israeli takeover of the site could be “imminent,” raising fears that altering its longstanding status quo could ignite a wider religious conflict, The Guardian reported on Tuesday. Jordan is prep»»»

SINGAPORE: Low-sulfur fuel oil supplies at Singapore have tightened on reduced output from refineries and declining sweet crude imports, trade sources and analysts said, driving up refueling costs for shippers at the world’s largest bunkering port. Spot premiums for very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO)»»»

JEDDAH: Sixty exceptional high school students representing 19 countries sat for a grueling five-hour practical examination in Jeddah on Tuesday, marking the official start of testing at the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad. The event, hosted in Saudi Arabia under the theme “Bright Mind»»»

MANILA: Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier Riyadh Air will launch daily flights between Riyadh and Manila next month, expanding its network into the Philippines as the Kingdom strengthens its air links with Asia. Riyadh Air has been rapidly adding new routes following the launch of its first comme»»»

Kyrgyz athletes demonstrated good results at the 2026 GAMMA Asian Championships, winning two gold and two silver medals in mixed martial arts (MMA). The GAMMA Asian Championship is a continental mixed martial arts tournament for athletes from Asian countries. The 2026 championship was held in Malay»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Aramco reported second-quarter adjusted net income of $33.4 billion, up 33 percent year on year, as the state oil giant weathered unprecedented disruption through the Strait of Hormuz while maintaining production and exports to global markets. The company’s board declared a second-qua»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia welcomed some of the world’s brightest young scientific minds on Monday as the Kingdom opened the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad in Jeddah, bringing together 120 students and experts from 19 countries. The ceremony was attended by Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdul»»»

Several European countries are having their worst wildfire year in more than a decade and worst than last year’s record wildfires that burnt over one million hectares, according to data from the EU's Global Wildfire Information System published this week. France's cumulative burnt area through July»»»

PARIS: After nine days of competition, Team Spirit have claimed a regional first after winning the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup at the Esports World Cup 2026. Their victory against Burmese team Yangon Galacticos in the grand final marks the first time a team from the Eastern European an»»»

Darlene Regis Qatar’s young basketball athletes are ready to take their shot on the international arena as they proudly represent the nation at the World Youth Championship 2026. From August 6 to 9, Singapore will host one of the world's premier youth basketball tournaments, bringing together the t»»»

Dubai: Filipino workers travelling overseas will no longer need to carry a printed overseas employment certificate (OEC) when departing from Manila, as 24 international airlines at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have started accepting the new digital OFW Pass. The move has been expected »»»

RIYADH: Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier and a Public Investment Fund company, has launched its first flight to Kuala Lumpur, making the Malaysian capital the airline’s inaugural destination in Southeast Asia. Flight RX0783 departed King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh Thursda»»»

Jakarta: A Malaysian pilot who tested positive for meth, MDMA, and cocaine after flying a passenger plane to Indonesia risks the death penalty for allegedly smuggling more than 70,000 ecstasy tablets in his suitcase, officials said Friday. The 39-year-old pilot, identified only by his initials, MSO»»»

The loudest argument against Pax Silica is increasingly becoming a simple one: “There won’t be enough water.” That concern should not be dismissed. But neither should it be allowed to become an argument against the Philippines joining the global AI economy. The more important question is: Does Cent»»»

Dubai: Spain has deployed soldiers to its North African enclave of Ceuta after a massive influx of migrants crossed from neighbouring Morocco, overwhelming local authorities and prompting an urgent security response. Spanish officials said troops would reinforce police and border guards to help mai»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar were handed challenging groups in the men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball competitions following the draw for the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, with the men’s team set for a Gulf derby against Bahrain. The Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4. In the men’»»»

DUBAI: Stefano Domenicali, the president and CEO of Formula One, has said that the 2026 races in Abu Dhabi and Qatar are “confirmed,” despite ongoing speculation due to the political situation in the region. Domenicali revealed the news during a media interview on F1’s official website. He added th»»»

DUBAI: The UAE Women’s U-19 team made history at the Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday as they confirmed their qualification for the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 with a thrilling one-run win over the hosts. The win in the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2026 comes at the»»»

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Myanmar has agreed to take 5,000 Rohingya asylum seekers currently in Malaysia, where there has recently been tension between the refugees and local communities. Speaking at a campaign rally on Wednesday ahead of regional elections in Negeri»»»

The $330 million, 525-foot vessel was built in Philadelphia by South Korea's Hanwha Group. 1 of 3 | Captain Gordon McArhtur looks out from the State of Maine's bridge with two students. Photo courtesy of Maine Maritime Academy CASTINE, Maine, July 30 (UPI) -- The new State of Maine has arrived in h»»»

JEDDAH: The third edition of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad, featuring 120 students and experts from 19 countries, gets underway in Jeddah on Sunday. Established by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2024, the weeklong event promotes the peaceful use of nuclear science and techno»»»

Every generation has its defining technology. Steam power transformed the 19th century. Electricity and internal combustion vehicles reshaped the 20th. The internet connected the world at the turn of the millennium. Artificial intelligence (AI) and electrified transport are poised to define the 21s»»»

Oman has presented Iran with a Gulf-backed proposal to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz, including a system of voluntary fees for ships using the strategic waterway, according to a Gulf source and a Western diplomat. The plan aims to provide a framework for restoring stable shipping through the »»»

The Hungarian passport is ranked alongside those of Croatia, Poland, South Korea and Malta as one of the world’s most powerful travel documents. But how does a country rise ever higher up the rankings — and what explains Hungary’s success? Hungary’s passport remains highly prized Many people assume»»»

MUSCAT: Oman has presented a proposal to Iran for a joint regional mechanism to manage the Strait of Hormuz with voluntary fees, a Gulf source told Reuters on Tuesday. Iran effectively shut the strait to ships other than its own after the US and Israel attacked on February 28. A deal last month bet»»»

KUALA LUMPUR: Rights group Amnesty International voiced concern on Tuesday after Malaysian police detained more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers at a UN facility in Kuala Lumpur. The group had traveled by bus to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) compound in the capital early Monday, aft»»»

Beijing: Relatives of Chinese passengers of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which went missing 12 years ago in one of aviation's greatest enduring mysteries, showed up at a Beijing court on Tuesday to demand answers. The court began hearing their appeal against an earlier ruling to order compensati»»»

Oman has presented a proposal to Iran for a joint regional mechanism to manage ​the Strait of Hormuz with voluntary fees, a Gulf source ‌told Reuters on Tuesday. Under the Omani proposal, “which has regional backing and was presented to Iranian officials over the weekend in Tehran, Iran would not e»»»

Romanian travellers are becoming less interested in standard packages and exhaustive sightseeing lists, and more focused on journeys that match their interests, pace, and personal circumstances. This shift is already visible in Free Spirit Travel’s portfolio, where fully personalised holidays now a»»»

AMMAN — Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation (JIEC) organised a field visit Monday for ambassadors from ASEAN member states to introduce them to the investment advantages and services of the Zarqa Industrial Estate (ZIE).The envoys of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines and Tha»»»

A view of a mangrove area on the east coast of Panama City, Panama, on Wednesday. Panama has been named the world's best country for expatriates for the third consecutive year, Photo by Carlos Lemos/EPA July 27 (UPI) -- Panama has been named the world's best country for expatriates for the third co»»»

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities detained more than 100 Rohingya Muslim asylum seekers on Monday who had gathered outside the UN refugee agency in Kuala Lumpur, saying they were seeking protection after being evicted from their homes. All of the refugees outside the UNHCR were taken away with th»»»

Dubai: Flight operations have largely stabilised across the Middle East, but many UAE residents are continuing to postpone their holidays as high airfares, uncertainty over regional tensions and economic pressures weigh on travel demand, according to travel agents. While airlines continue to operat»»»