GAZA CITY: The US must pressure Israel to accept the next phase of the Gaza plan, a Hamas official said on Sunday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he rejected the US-backed agreement. “We expect the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu and his government t»»»

Egypt affirmed to High Representative of the Peace Council Nikolay Mladenov the necessity of implementing all provisions of the Gaza plan, comprehensively including humanitarian aid and Israeli withdrawal, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. During a telephone call, Egyptian Foreign Minis»»»

CAIRO: After their historic run that saw them to the semifinals, Egypt lost 23-19 to Denmark on Sunday in the third-place match at the Women’s U-18 Handball World Championship, held in Romania. Egypt had to be content with fourth place, but this still created history as they became the first Africa»»»

Concerns have emerged over alleged drink spiking at Budapest’s Sziget Festival after several festivalgoers reported that women suddenly became seriously unwell during Hungarian DJ and presenter Balázs Sebestyén’s Saturday night show. One young man said his sister collapsed and became unresponsive a»»»

Latvia is facing a demographic "triple squeeze" that will leave it with roughly 1.5mn people by 2050, a fifth fewer than today, according to figures highlighted by economist Holger Zschaepitz on August 8. The country's old-age dependency ratio is projected to rise by around 23 percentage points ove»»»

The share of Ukrainians who say they are willing to endure the war for as long as it takes has risen to 61%, up from a low of 48% in April, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted July 20-August 3 among 974 respondents in government-controlled territory»»»

Russia has carried out one of its largest attacks on Ukraine's state-owned energy sector in recent months, striking seven oil and gas production facilities operated by Ukrnafta, part of the Naftogaz Group, in the latest effort to disrupt domestic energy supplies ahead of winter, the company said in»»»

Mongolia's next election cycle begins in less than a year with the presidential poll. The parliamentary elections will follow in 2028. Even before campaigning has officially begun, politicians are already jockeying for position in the race to succeed President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.  The growing f»»»

Ferencváros suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in a high-profile friendly at Budapest’s Groupama Arena on Saturday, but the Hungarian champions gave their illustrious opponents plenty to think about and found the net through Kenan Kodro. Fradi impress against European giants Real Madrid to»»»

RIYADH: Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have found that corals can be trained to better withstand disease before an outbreak occurs, a finding that could eventually help protect reefs worldwide. The study, published in ISME Host Microbe, found that corals exposed to»»»

The US Senate has confirmed Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, as attorney general, despite opposition from Democrats who accused the president of politicising the Department of Justice. Blanche previously represented Trump as his private attorney in several criminal trials before»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister said Sunday a new defense agreement his country signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was not directed against any country and remained open to other nations in the region. The landmark Makkah Joint Defense Agreement was signed on Friday by the Saudi Crown Prin»»»

The Crisis Management Committee of the Egyptian Federation for Construction and Building Contractors (EFCBC) has proposed seven measures aimed at supporting the stability of Egypt’s real estate development and construction sectors amid the impact of successive global and regional crises since 2022.»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index edged higher on Sunday, gaining 5.44 points, or 0.05 percent, to close at 10,817.01. Total trading turnover on the benchmark index reached SR3.21 billion ($856 million), with 102 stocks advancing and 160 declining. The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu fe»»»

ANKARA: Ships are passing smoothly through the Turkish straits to the Black Sea despite heightened concerns about safety, two Turkish government officials told Reuters on Sunday. On Saturday, Bloomberg News reported that Ankara had restricted commercial ship traffic entering the Black Sea following»»»

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a Gaza plan hailed by US President Donald Trump, vowing no military pullout until Hamas is “genuinely” disarmed. After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, Netanyahu explicitly opposed it as he faced »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatari mountaineer Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al-Thani marked her 11th 8,000-metre summit on July 30, 2026, after reaching the summit of Gasherbrum II in the Karakoram mountain range on the Pakistan and China border. Sheikha Asma has now successfully summited 11 of the world’s 14 mountain»»»

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ruled out a resumption of negotiations with the US until Washington ends its violations of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU) and makes amends. Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Sunday, the top Iranian diplomat said, “Intermediaries are still ma»»»

DOHA: Qatari mountaineering legend Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al Thani has achieved another historic milestone, successfully summiting 11 of the world’s 14 mountains exceeding 8,000 metres in elevation as she continues her extraordinary journey towards completing all of the world’s highest peaks. Her »»»

Former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán was spotted at a popular trumpet festival in Serbia, where he was filmed walking through the streets alongside two figures with close links to Hungarian business and the controversial Hatvanpuszta estate. Former Hungarian prime minister photographed at G»»»

SHIWA MINE: In Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province, dozens of excavators operate day and night to extract gold from the mountains where villagers and their livestock once roamed. Thousands of miners are deployed across the Shiwa area, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of the provi»»»

RIYADH: Kuwait retained its AA- sovereign credit rating with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings, which cited exceptionally strong fiscal and external balance sheets despite rising regional geopolitical risks. The rating agency said Kuwait’s vast sovereign wealth assets and external buffers remain »»»

Bulgaria has recorded one of the fastest increases in public funding for research and development in the European Union over the past decade, but the country remains far behind the EU average in terms of money allocated per person, according to preliminary Eurostat data. In 2025, Bulgaria’s planned»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Business Confidence Index remained firmly in optimistic territory at 56.5 in July, extending its recovery from the March slowdown, official data showed. The index, released by the General Authority for Statistics, eased only marginally by 0.03 points from 56.6 in June, remain»»»

Israeli troops infiltrated a Lebanese village placed under the control of Lebanon's army as part of a June agreement, building an earthen barrier there, state media and the local mayor said. An AFP correspondent saw the barrier, situated at the village's eastern entrance and blocking the road. The »»»

PARIS: History has been made in Tekken 8 at Esports World Cup 2026 after AG.AL’s Khawaja “M. Zubair” Mohammad Zubair defeated Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong in the grand finals. Not only did the win crown a brand new Tekken 8 at EWC winner, but M. Zubair won the tournament after entering through the Last»»»

BEDMINSTER: Joaquin Niemann’s dominant week hit its first speed bump, but he remains well positioned to secure his second LIV Golf title of the season. The LIV Golf New York 2026 36-hole leader opened Saturday with a double bogey on the par-4 first, the first blemish on his card all week, but he ba»»»

The Japanese city of Nagasaki on Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of the US atomic bombing with a ceremony at the Peace Park memorial. It came as Japanese  Minister Sanae Takaichi ’s government has opened a debate on the country's postwar non-nuclear principles amid increasing doubts over th»»»

The brutal killing of a 37-year-old man on Youth Hill in Plovdiv by five teenagers aged between 14 and 17 has raised difficult questions about how young people can become involved in extreme violence and who bears responsibility for preventing such behavior. Child and adolescent therapist and psych»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia, has achieved a new milestone by ranking first among global airlines for on-time arrivals in July, according to Cirium's monthly report. The airline recorded an on-time performance rate of 87.24 percent across 16,406 flights during the month, accordin»»»

Johannesburg, South Africa: A triumphant night for north Africa ended on Saturday with hosts Morocco and Algeria reaching the Women's Africa of Nations (WAFCON) semi-finals and the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. They took contrasting paths to quarter-finals success as Morocco built a two-goal lead, then»»»

A British publication has named Sofia the most underrated capital city in Europe, praising Bulgaria's capital for its affordable prices, rich history, vibrant cultural scene, local cuisine, and easy access to nature. In an article by Metro, the author says mentioning frequent trips to Bulgaria ofte»»»

Doha, Qatar: Allergies are among the most common health conditions affecting children and may present in various forms, including allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, eczema, food allergies, drug allergies, and insect sting allergies. Specialist Paediatrician at Al Mashaf Health Centre of the Primar»»»

Arab Finance: As governments across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) accelerate economic diversification, entrepreneurship, impact investing, and cross-sector partnerships have become increasingly important drivers of sustainable growth. Egypt, in particular, has emerged as one of the region»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s residential real estate market demonstrated notable stability and a sharp rebound in sales activity during the second quarter of 2026, stated ValuStrat in its recent report. “The ValuStrat Price Index (VPI) showed apartment and villa capital values remain stable”, said Anum Has»»»

A Lebanese village held by the country's army was infiltrated by Israeli forces, who built a roadblock near the town square overnight, the mayor and state media said Saturday. The Lebanese army was deployed to Zawtar al-Gharbiya more than two weeks ago within the framework of a US-sponsor»»»

Doha, Qatar: Excessive screen use during the summer holidays can disrupt children’s sleep, concentration and emotional wellbeing while replacing physical activity, creative play and face-to-face interaction, a pediatric medicine expert at Sidra Medicine has warned. Chair of Pediatric Medicine at Si»»»

Lajos György Szabó, the education vice-rector of Budapest’s Corvinus University, is stepping down from his position and leaving the institution after eight years in leadership roles. He has also promised to reveal new evidence relating to the controversial case that led to the dismissal of lecturer»»»

DAMASCUS: Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh has said all World Bank grants to the Syrian Arab Republic are non-repayable and create no financial burden for the country’s treasury. He attributed international trust to Syria’s transparent and well-governed management of prior development »»»

WASHINGTON, United States: Former US president Joe Biden’s cancer has metastasized further, according to his son Hunter Biden, who shared the update in a recent interview with the BBC. In May 2025, just four months after he left office as the oldest sitting president, the elder Biden revealed he ha»»»

JOHANNESBURG: A triumphant night for north Africa ended Saturday with hosts Morocco and Algeria reaching the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semifinals and securing places at next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. They took contrasting paths to quarter-final success, with Morocco building »»»

JOHANNESBURG: A triumphant night for north Africa ended Saturday with hosts Morocco and Algeria reaching the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semifinals and securing places at next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. They took contrasting paths to quarter-final success, with Morocco building »»»

GOTHENBURG: Michael Carrick said he had to be “careful” with Mason Mount after the England midfielder was involved in an injury scare during Manchester United’s 1-1 friendly draw with Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on Saturday. Mount, who joined United from Chelsea in 2023, has been hampered by »»»

FIFA on Saturday warned against what it called ‌a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine President Gianni Infantino, saying attempts to challenge his leadership must follow the governing body’s statutes and democratic procedures. The statement came amid an increasingly bitter standoff ​over In»»»

CALI, Colombia: A car bomb exploded Saturday in southwestern Colombia, the army said, a day after conservative political neophyte Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as Colombia’s new president. The army alleged the attack was carried out by two dissident groups of the now-defunct Revolutionary A»»»

Darlene Regis The Triskelions of Luzon State of Qatar (TOL) successfully held a blood donation campaign on 7 August at Hamad Medical Center (HMC) under the theme, “Every Blood Counts. We Save Lives.” The initiative was led by Grand Triskelion Glenford Marasigan and Deputy Grand Triskelion Reynato M»»»

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been under house arrest in Brasilia since March while serving a 27-year sentence for a coup attempt. Last month he was placed under a stricter regimen after he breached conditions of his arrest. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Aug. 8 (U»»»

A demonstrator (C) holds a sign that reads "Make America go away" as others wave flags during a protest outside the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland. File Photo Oscar Scott Carl/EPA Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Greenland has issued a "strong warning" to an American oil company linked to President Donald Trump, a»»»

MADRID: Atletico Madrid will not allow forward Julian Alvarez to leave the club during the current transfer window despite interest from Barcelona, coach Diego Simeone said Saturday. Last month, Atletico filed a complaint to FIFA over Barcelona allegedly tapping up Alvarez. The Argentina internatio»»»

A ceremonial meeting and concert in Varna on Saturday marked the 147th anniversary of the Bulgarian Navy, the Defence Ministry reported. It was the sixth day of the official anniversary celebrations. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Defence Minister Katerina Gramatikova-Ivanova, Chief of Defence»»»