Congo’s Ebola infections rise above 4,000 for first time in outbreak
BRAZZAVILLE: Democratic Republic of Congo’s confirmed Ebola cases rose above 4,000 for the first time in its current outbreak, government data showed. The latest update from Congo’s public health institute put confirmed cases at 4,053 and deaths at 1,850.»»»
Bulgaria Says No Fentanyl Produced in Sofia Was ExportedOpinions
Acting Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry Lyubomir Nikolov said Bulgarian authorities have found no evidence that fentanyl produced in the recently dismantled laboratory in Sofia was exported abroad, stressing that all identified shipments were intercepted before leaving the country. Speaking»»»
A Man Lured, Filmed and Beaten to Death: Five Teenagers Charged in Plovdiv KillingOpinions
The killing of a 37-year-old man in Plovdiv on August 4 has become one of the most disturbing criminal cases in Bulgaria this year, both for the extreme cruelty described by prosecutors and for the account the accused have given of their own motive. Five teenagers, three boys and two girls aged bet»»»
Ukraine’s Zelensky to make first visit to Russia-friendly Serbia
BELGRADE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will on Saturday make his first official visit to Serbia, one of the few European countries that have maintained friendly relations with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. The office of Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic announced the »»»
Houthis launch major attacks on Saudi-backed forces in Yemen
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have announced that they launched coordinated drone and ballistic missile attacks on several camps belonging to forces of the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government on Thursday. The flare-up follows four years of relative calm in the small Arab nation, which has b»»»
France becomes latest to back assisted dying as patchwork of laws emerges across EU
Last month, France passed a law authorising assisted dying. Medical advancements and an increasingly ageing population, have resulted in a handful of new laws on assisted dying across the EU, of which the French bill is the latest. France’s National Assembly approved the measure on 15 July, by a 29»»»
ADNOC confirms 15 vessels targeted since conflict; one dead, 20 injured
Fifteen vessels operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have been targeted by missiles and drones since the start of the conflict while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the company said on Friday. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.In a st»»»
On Gaza rooftop, beekeeper keeps hope alive one hive at a time
Gaza City: Perched on the edge of a rooftop high above Gaza City's bombed-out landscape, Ibrahim Al Dabba lovingly tends his community of bees, cultivating a rare source of hope among the ruins of the Israel-Hamas war. Al Dabba and his sons, donning protective netted hats and wielding metal bee smo»»»
Trump privately backed JD Vance for 2028, Washington Post Reports
US President Donald Trump has privately indicated that he wants Vice President JD Vance to succeed him in the White House, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. During a closed-door Republican donor meeting in the Oval Office roughly two weeks ago, Trump »»»
Makkah Defense Pact Combines Biggest Strengths of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan
The pact stems from waning confidence in US security commitments and a desire to establish a self-reliant Islamic defense structure. The newly-signed defence agreement brings together "Saudi Arabia's economic strength, Turkiye's defense technology and Pakistan's military capabilities," according to»»»
Serbian emergency team adopts further measures to prevent consequences of adverse weather
BELGRADE - Serbia's Emergency Response Team reviewed on Friday the current hydrological and meteorological situation, as well as the latest information on wildfires in Serbia, at a session also attended by PM Djuro Macut, and adopted additional measures to prevent the consequences of adverse weathe»»»
France recommends home isolation for close contacts of hantavirus case, risk 'low'
Paris, France: French health authorities on Friday recommended home isolation for people who had close contact with a Franco-Argentine tourist diagnosed with hantavirus after travelling in France, while stressing that the risk of transmission was considered "low". "Given the mild, non-serious natur»»»
Structural Reforms Proposals in Health Care to Be Put to Broad Public Discussion, Minister Says
Proposals for structural reforms will be presented for broad public discussion, Health Minister Katya Ivkova said, as quoted by the Ministry's press centre on Friday. These are not final decisions, but proposals for structural reforms aimed at creating an administration that is more accountable to »»»
'Thudakkam' review: Vismaya Mohanlal is promising, but it's Ashish's terrifying villain who steals the show
'Thudakkam' review: Nepo kids, real talent and one chilling villainDirector: Jude Anthany JosephCast: Vismaya Mohanlal, Ashish Joe Antony, Sai Kumar★★★Dubai: Let's first address the elephant in the room: Thudakkam is undeniably a bit of an unapologetic nepo-kid showcase. Vismaya Mohanlal, the daugh»»»
Ebola death toll tops 1.800 in DRC
Turning to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Ebola outbreak continues to spread rapidly. Africa’s top health agency announced Thursday that it will roll out a vaccine targeting a previous Ebola strain, in an effort to help contain the latest outbreak. Nearly three months in, global health»»»
Heatwaves bring an early wine harvest in France
Some French winegrowers, including in the Bordeaux region, began harvesting their grapes on Thursday, historically early after a summer marked by successive heatwaves, drought and devastating wildfires. As one grape-picker told the newspaper Sud Ouest, “usually, we’d still be on vacation.” Despite »»»
MP Calls for the Creation of Bulgarian Cybersecurity Agency
A dedicated cybersecurity agency should be established to bring Bulgaria’s fragmented cyber defense resources together under one structure, said Bozhidar Bozhanov, co-chair of “Yes, Bulgaria.” His comments came after the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation announced on August 5 that u»»»
Six Awards Presented to Bulgaria's Most Successful Commercial and Economic Affairs Offices for 2025
The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), jointly with the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Industry, held its traditional annual awards ceremony honouring the most successful Commercial and Economic Affairs Offices (CEAO) for 2025, organized after the annual meeting of the heads of»»»
UAE confirms its markets are free of lettuce linked to the Cyclospora outbreak
Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has confirmed that UAE markets are free of lettuce products linked to the cyclosporiasis outbreak. The Ministry said it remains in regular coordination with health and regulatory authorities to monitor and inspect shipments entering the country.»»»
Higher fuel costs and weaker fares push Wizz Air into the red
London: Low-cost airline Wizz Air reported a quarterly operating loss of €183.3 million on Thursday, saying higher fuel costs and lower ticket prices, driven by disruption linked to the Iran conflict, weighed heavily on its financial performance, according to Reuters. The results reinforce the chal»»»
C&WE: Developers resume speculative projects as industrial and logistics demand in Romania increased by 11% in H1 2026
Romania’s industrial and logistics market maintained its positive momentum in the first half of 2026, supported by a visible acceleration in leasing activity during the second quarter, despite a challenging macroeconomic environment marked by economic contraction, persistent inflation and pressure »»»
tbi bank offers a a grace period of up to two months for property developers affected by disruptions to the land registry system
tbi bank is introducing a grace period of up to two months for eligible property developers affected by the disruption to the land registry system following the recent cyberattack. The outage has prevented property transactions from being completed and the related funds from being collected, placin»»»
Liberty Tower sales top PLN 250 million in six months
Warsaw's premium residential market continues to gather momentum as Liberty Tower by Cavatina has surpassed PLN 250 million in apartment sales just six months after launching. The 140-meter residential skyscraper on Grzybowska Street has sold 122 apartments—more than one-fifth of its 587-unit inven»»»
Adylbek Kasymaliev: EAEU should become a strong pole of a multipolar world - | 24.KG
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) should become a self-sufficient and harmoniously developed pole of a multipolar world based on energy and food security, as well as transport connectivity. The Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev said at an expanded meeting of the»»»
Gujarat well’s mysterious waves draw crowds and experts
Dubai: A well in Gujarat’s Morbi district has become an unexpected attraction after videos showing its water moving in unusual, wave-like patterns went viral on social media. The phenomenon was recorded in Virparda village, where the water appears to ripple continuously despite no obvious disturban»»»
Spanish police dismantle major Mediterranean migrant smuggling network
Madrid: Spanish police said Friday they had dismantled what they called one of the largest criminal networks involved in smuggling migrants across the Mediterranean, arresting 78 people and seizing 18 high-speed boats. The network allegedly used the vessels to transport synthetic drugs such as ecst»»»
Kennedy seeks to shut down organ group over ‘living donor’ horror case
US authorities have moved to shut down an organ donation group accused of pressing ahead with an operation despite a donor showing signs of life. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the move on Wednesday as part of a broader overhaul of the US organ procurement syste»»»
Viral video: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid's warm London greeting melts hearts
London: A video showing UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warmly greeting His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, during a meeting in London has gone viral on social media, with many praising the leaders' hum»»»
Major Wildfire on Trakia Motorway Now Contained, Military Helicopters Help in Battle
Two Bulgarian Air Force Cougar helicopters joined efforts to contain a large wildfire near the village of Slavovitsa in the Pazardzhik region on Thursday, helping firefighters battle the blaze from the air. The fire broke out near the 69th kilometre of the Trakia Motorway, close to the turnoff for »»»
Media Review: August 7
IN BRIEF The Bulgarian media focus heavily on the dismantling of an illegal fentanyl laboratory near Sofia and the investigation into the network behind it. The media also cover the acquisition of F-16 fighters from the US and the issues surrounding the Bulgarian Air Force’s ageing MiG-29s. Other p»»»
Abu Dhabi Aviation revenue jumps 28% to Dh4.66bn, plans Dh674m asset sale
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) is selling Dh674 million worth of non-core real estate and financial assets as it sharpens its focus on aviation and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, even as the group ended the first half of 2026 with a Dh900 million net cash position. The Abu »»»
Kheibar Shekan 2.0: The Upgrade That Has Strategists Worried
Iran has significantly advanced its ballistic missile capabilities, with the Kheibar Shekan projectile now featuring a sophisticated jamming-resistant guidance system that poses a direct challenge to the multi-layered air-defense architectures of the United States and Israel, according to a detaile»»»
Finance House PJSC posts 179% surge in H1 2026 profit, net operating income jumps 57%
Abu Dhabi: Finance House PJSC and its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as Finance House Group (FH Group), reported a total comprehensive profit of Dh25.55 million for the half year ended 30 June 2026, an increase of 179% from Dh9.15 million in the corresponding period of the previous year. Th»»»
US-backed Venezuela political transition talks begin without Nobel laureate Machado
US-backed negotiations between Venezuela's interim government and a faction of the opposition began on Thursday after nearly a week of delays, the two sides said. The talks aim to reshape the country's political system and lay the groundwork for eventual elections after years of political turmoil. »»»
Dubai RTA launches 'Safe and Healthy Summer' campaign for delivery riders
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has rolled out a new campaign aimed at protecting delivery riders from the dangers of extreme summer heat, partnering with food delivery platform Keeta on the initiative titled 'Safe and Healthy Summer for Delivery Riders'. Running throughout August, the »»»
Houthi attack wounds 11 civilians in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh-led coalition says
Yemen's Houthis late Thursday wounded 11 people in an attack on southern Saudi Arabia, a Riyadh-led coalition said, the highest toll in the kingdom from an attack by the rebels in years. The attacks come as Yemen is increasingly drawn into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, with the rebels stepping up»»»
How the Houthis built a parallel economy in Yemen
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»»»
A deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz may require a compromise from Trump
To reach a deal with Iran that reopens the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump may need to do something out of character — compromise. Any concession would be tough for the Republican president, who has insisted there is no truth to his sagging poll numbers, the sluggish eco»»»
Carney says US trade talks are 'nasty' after Trump criticizes Canada's leadership
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that trade negotiations with the United States had turned "nasty" after President Donald Trump derided America's neighbor and its leadership while threatening to expand tariffs. Carney said Canada remained engaged in the negotiations despite Trump's»»»
Meta says its AI hacked another company during testing
Meta has become the third major tech company to report its AI going rogue and hacking a third-party company. The incident involved Muse Spark 1.1, an AI model marketed by the company as “superintelligent.” In a statement to the media on Wednesday, Meta said that the model was undergoing testing by »»»
Ghana's gold-buying scheme lost $1.7bn propping up reserves in 2025, IMF says
Ghana's central bank lost more than $1.7bn in 2025 running its gold-buying programme, the International Monetary Fund has said, even as the scheme helped rebuild the country's foreign reserves and prop up the cedi. The losses, disclosed in the IMF's 2026 Article IV Consultation and proposed Policy »»»
Private equity funds in Romania maintain investment appetite despite weaker macro outlook – Roland Berger study
Private equity (PE) funds active in Romania continue to seek new investments despite a significantly weaker macroeconomic environment and greater political uncertainty, according to the Roland Berger European Private Equity Outlook 2026. The study suggests that the industry is entering a new stage »»»
3 golds for UAE at Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI: Asma Al-Hosani, Balqees Al-Hashmi and Shamma Al-Kalbani struck gold as the UAE made an impressive start to the Adult division at the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu World Championship on Thursday at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi. The three gold headlined a five-medal haul for the UAE, which included two si»»»
Magyar: Orbán knew that Hungary's energy system was failing
Prime Minister Péter Magyar on Thursday accused the former prime minister, Viktor Orbán, of knowing that Hungary’s energy system was on the brink of collapse but failing to act. Hungary could not provide as much electricity as Orbán promised In a video posted on Facebook, Magyar quoted a 2022 bill »»»
Emaar H1 2026 profit before tax rises 23% to Dh12.8 billion, sales hit Dh26.6 billion
Dubai: Emaar Properties recorded Dh26.6 billion in property sales during the first half of 2026, while its revenue backlog climbed to Dh164.9 billion, giving the Dubai developer a substantial pipeline of sales to recognise in future periods. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bala»»»
Dr Suaad: How UAE’s first woman aircraft engineer broke barriers — ‘A woman can be whatever she dreams of becoming’
For 21 years, Dr. Eng. Suaad Al Shamsi, has been challenging perceptions of what women can achieve in one of the world's most demanding industries. As the first female aircraft engineer in the United Arab Emirates, she has built a career at the intersection of aviation, technology and leadership, w»»»
Dubai gold prices rise again, 24K hits Dh514 and 22K reaches Dh476
Dubai: Dubai gold prices climbed again on Friday morning, taking local rates back to their highest level so far this month and leaving shoppers facing a considerably higher price than they did at the start of August. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar,»»»
Dana Gas H1 2026 net profit rises 47% to Dh393 million on higher revenue
Dubai: Dana Gas reported a 47% increase in first-half net profit to Dh393 million, or $107 million, helped by higher hydrocarbon prices, increased production in Egypt and a one-off gas metering reconciliation recognised during the first quarter. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & »»»
GCC arrivals jump 11% as Qatar hospitality shows resilience in Q2
DOHA: Visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations expanded their market share to 40 percent of all international arrivals in Qatar, recording an 11 percent quarterly surge, according to a report published yesterday by real estate research and advisory firm ValuStrat. Demonstrating market r»»»
Flying from Dubai or Abu Dhabi today? Here's every Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and flydubai disruption to know
Dubai: Air travel from the UAE remains largely stable this week, with the majority of flights operating as scheduled despite continued geopolitical tensions across the Gulf. However, selected routes to Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha continue to face cancellations and delays as airlines adjust schedules a»»»