Trump pushes rethink of school vaccine mandates and MMR shots
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday calling for a rethink of school vaccine mandates and the separation of the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot into three vaccines, despite scientific evidence supporting its safety and amid the country's worst measles outbrea»»»
MEPRA Qatar Leadership Majlis to explore the new architecture
Doha, Qatar: The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) will host the 2026 MEPRA Qatar Leadership Majlis on September 10 in Doha bringing together senior leaders to explore the changing nature of influence and what it means for organisations across the region. Held under the theme “The Ne»»»
In Malaysia, wave of hate speech threatens Rohingya refugees
Malaysia – The spread of hostile content on social media in Malaysia has intensified tensions towards the Rohingya refugee community, leading to the eviction of more than 100 people from their village and the temporary closure of schools attended by refugee children. Malays»»»
Dubai gold prices hit two-month high, 24K gains Dh45.75 in eight days
Dubai: Dubai gold buyers are facing the highest rates in more than two months after prices extended a rapid August rebound, with 24-karat gold reaching Dh531.25 per gram on Tuesday. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The 24K rate rose Dh3 from Dh528.25 on Monday, while 22»»»
How Pakistan keeps the world guessing — and talking
Of late, Pakistan’s diplomatic performance deserves more attention than it gets. Operating in an international system increasingly divided into competing geopolitical blocs, Islamabad has across the summer demonstrated an unusually sophisticated ability to keep multiple doors open at the same time.»»»
Russia pounds Kyiv as Ukraine hits refineries and shadow fleet tankers over bloody weekend
Russia killed at least three people, including a three-year-old boy, in a drone strike on the Kyiv-region village of Pukhivka overnight into August 9, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as Russia combined the attack with a six-missile ballistic strike on Kyiv's civilian infrastructure that killed »»»
QIIB wins two Global Business Magazine Awards
Doha, Qatar: QIIB continues to strengthen its record of institutional excellence and leadership in Islamic banking, adding two prestigious ‘Global Business Magazine Awards for 2026’ to its growing list of regional and international accolades. The latest awards are ‘Mobile Banking Experience Qatar 2»»»
Retail market holds steady in Q2 2026
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s total retail real estate supply held firm at 5.7 million square meters of Gross Leasable Area during the second quarter of 2026, according to ValuStrat. The overall supply remained evenly split between 2.5 million square meters of organised retail space and 3.2 million square m»»»
Six years after Belarus's stolen election, Lukashenko is more entrenched than ever
Six years ago on August 9 2020, Belarusians went to the polls in a presidential election that Alexander Lukashenko rigged so brazenly — awarding himself over 80% of the vote against a political novice, former English teacher Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya) — that it triggered the »»»
Ukraine's ousted defence minister Fedorov gives Zelenskiy ultimatum to reinstate him or face protests
Ukraine's ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has given President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a deadline of August 18 to reinstate him to the post or face mass protests, in the most direct political challenge the president has faced since taking office in 2019. "If our goal is to stop the war, then we»»»
Russia pounds Kyiv as Ukraine hits refineries and shadow fleet tankers over bloody weekend
Russia killed at least three people, including a three-year-old boy, in a drone strike on the Kyiv-region village of Pukhivka overnight into August 9, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as Russia combined the attack with a six-missile ballistic strike on Kyiv's civilian infrastructure that killed »»»
First look: Wynn Al Marjan unveils 550m beach, lagoon and reef ahead of 2027 opening
Ras Al Khaimah: Wynn Al Marjan Island has completed its 550-metre shoreline, giving the first look at the beachfront, lagoon and offshore reef that will form a major part of the resort when it opens in 2027. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & BalancesThe latest milestone comes as »»»
Six years after Belarus's stolen election, Lukashenko is more entrenched than ever
Six years ago on August 9 2020, Belarusians went to the polls in a presidential election that Alexander Lukashenko rigged so brazenly — awarding himself over 80% of the vote against a political novice, former English teacher Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya) — that it triggered the »»»
Russia pounds Kyiv as Ukraine hits refineries and shadow fleet tankers over bloody weekend
Russia killed at least three people, including a three-year-old boy, in a drone strike on the Kyiv-region village of Pukhivka overnight into August 9, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as Russia combined the attack with a six-missile ballistic strike on Kyiv's civilian infrastructure that killed »»»
‘Govt initiatives to drive cross-sector investment and growth’
Doha, Qatar: Government-led development initiatives continue to serve as a “vital anchor” for Qatar’s industrial and infrastructure landscape, driving cross-sector investment and strategic partnerships across key non-oil sectors, according to regional analysts. Speaking to The Peninsula, Mohammed A»»»
QNL seeks to bring Islamic world’s scientific heritage to classrooms
Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library (QNL) is playing an increasingly important role in preserving and making accessible the scientific heritage of the Islamic world, while working to ensure that this wealth of knowledge reaches beyond researchers and specialist collections and into classrooms. Spea»»»
Abdul El-Sayed: the progressive Michigander who beat the pro-Israel lobby
After a bruising campaign in which the traditional Democratic establishment and its allies among Jewish and pro-Israel lobbying organisations spent tens of millions of dollars supporting their preferred candidate, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a 41-year-old Egyptian American epidemiologist, Abdulrah»»»
The Gulf’s race for water security
Among all the challenges across the Middle East, water security seldom makes the headlines, yet it can keep policymakers awake at night. The Gulf states are among the world’s highest consumers of water per capita but endure some of the most acute water scarcity on the planet. According to the World»»»
Meet Asia's tech billionaire Jason Chang: From semiconductor pioneer to AI-driven boom
Jason Chang and his brother Richard are dubbed "titans" of technology, Asian multi-billionaires behind the AI innovation. The siblings, based in Singapore, are credited for transforming their family fortune built in real estate into one of the world's most important semiconductor businesses. As of »»»
Car bomb kills eastern Libyan military intelligence chief, sources say
BENGHAZI: The head of military intelligence for eastern Libya’s Libyan National Army was killed on Monday when an explosive device detonated in his car outside his home in the Hawari area of Benghazi, two security sources told Reuters. Brig. Fowzi Mansouri was killed in the evening blast, the »»»
Tabreed H1 2026 revenue reaches Dh1.13 billion, approves 5 fils interim dividend
Dubai: Tabreed has approved an interim cash dividend of 5 fils per share for the first half of 2026 after net operating cash flows climbed 40% year-on-year to Dh632 million, giving shareholders a second consecutive year of interim payouts. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balanc»»»
Afghanistan seal 2027 World Cup berth, West Indies to go through qualifiers again
Afghanistan secured automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup with a win over Ireland on Monday, leaving twice champions West Indies to go through qualifiers for the third successive edition of the 50-overs tournament. The top eight teams in the one-day rankings on September 30, excluding co»»»
Jordan’s real estate trading rises 15% in July to JD673.8 million
AMMAN — Real estate trading volume in the Kingdom rose 15 per cent month-on-month in July to JD673.8 million, although it was down 10 per cent from the same month last year, according to the Department of Lands and Survey’s monthly report.For the first seven months of 2026, total real estate tradin»»»
Netanyahu rejects 15-point Gaza peace plan in new break with Trump
Israel on Sunday rejected a deal announced by US President Donald Trump last month for Gaza. Netanyahu said Israel's military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and rejected the 15-point document agreed to by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu »»»
Focus - Ivory Coast's Biama boom: TikTok trend gets the nation's youth dancing
Born barely five years ago in Yopougon – the poorest, but also the liveliest area of Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan – Biama has got the whole of Ivorian youth dancing. Faster than coupé-décalé, this newer musical and choreographic genre borrows many of its codes. But unlike i»»»
Extreme Fire Events Are the New Reality. Is Bulgaria Prepared?
The wildfires near Bordeaux, France in July showed that even advanced equipment and competent agencies can be powerless in the face of fire extremes. This raises the question of whether Bulgaria is prepared for such a scenario and how climate change, land use methods and forest management practices»»»
From Solar corona to human emotions: What can we learn from eclipses? (2/4)
Total solar eclipse (2/4) A total solar eclipse will sweep across northern Spain on August 12 in one of Europe's most anticipated astronomical events of the decade. From the Sun's corona to animal behaviour and human emotions, these rare celestial events continue to provide scientists with valuable»»»
Another heatwave hits Europe as drought and fires worsen
Europe is bracing for another wave of extreme heat, with temperatures forecast to reach the mid-30s Celsius in parts of Britain and France and spread across much of the continent. The latest heatwave comes after record-breaking temperatures, worsening drought, major wildfires and thousands of exces»»»
Moscow Praises Radev, Says Bulgaria’s Russia Rhetoric Is More Restrained
Moscow has praised what it describes as a shift in Bulgaria’s rhetoric toward Russia and the war in Ukraine since the government led by Prime Minister Rumen Radev took office, saying Sofia’s position has become more restrained and includes what it called “rational elements.” The assessment came fro»»»
Mladenov: Gaza Plan Is Only Way to Prevent Another October 7
Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, the US-backed Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza, has defended a 15-point plan for the territory as the only way to prevent a repeat of the October 7, 2023, attack, despite its rejection by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The option we ar»»»
300 Evacuated After Fire, Explosions at Bulgarian Military Plant
A fire and explosions at a military production and storage facility near the village of Belitsa in Tryavna municipality led to the evacuation of all 300 workers at the site on Monday. Initial information indicated that the incident began when a truck caught fire, triggering a fire in one of the amm»»»
Torment of Afghan fathers as daughters deprived of education
KABUL: Father after father AFP spoke to in Afghanistan about the education ban that stops their daughters going beyond primary school choked up in despair. The pain and anguish it is causing behind closed doors is clear from interviews AFP conducted across the country, with even deeply religious fa»»»
Thirty-six wasted years: PM blames predecessors as drought exposes climate failures
The previous political elite deliberately neglected climate protection and climate change, the Prime Minister said on Monday in a pre-agenda address to the National Assembly. Péter Magyar announced that in August of this year, 28 percent more water is being retained in Hungary than a year ago. The »»»
Torment of Afghan fathers as daughters deprived of education
KABUL: Father after father AFP spoke to in Afghanistan about the education ban that stops their daughters going beyond primary school choked up in despair. The pain and anguish it is causing behind closed doors is clear from interviews AFP conducted across the country, with even deeply religious fa»»»
Pentagon official asks Asian allies to invest more in defence to deter aggression
MANILA: A Pentagon official on Monday asked allies in Asia to invest more in their defence and help deter aggression in the region and said the United States remains committed to do the same with “partners, not protectorates.” Elbridge Colby, an undersecretary of defence, made the remarks at a foru»»»
The incremental war: How the US is reshaping its confrontation with Iran
The United States has entered a new phase in its confrontational strategy towards Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. After thirteen nights of US military strikes from July 11 to July 23, operations paused before resuming on July 29. They could be halted and restarted again, depending on Iran’s actions i»»»
Meet Ricky Balshaw, the Paralympic medallist turning disability and awkwardness into comedy
My conversation with British comedian Ricky Balshaw begins with me doing what many able-bodied people probably do around disability: wondering whether I’m using the right words. Ricky, who has cerebral palsy after the umbilical cord became wrapped around his neck during birth, went on to win a Para»»»
Ocalan: Founder of the Kurdish militant PKK who authored its end
Abdullah Ocalan, jailed founder of the Kurdish militant PKK group, is an icon for many Kurds but a reviled terrorist for many Turks who is now at the heart of the biggest push for peace in over a decade. The militant leader, who oversaw decades of violence against the Turkish state, last year threw»»»
Famed bald eagle Jackie dies after mystery illness - UPI.com
A bald eagle flies during an event in 2017 in Philadelphia. Jackie, perhaps the United States' most famous bald eagle and the subject of livestream cameras in California's Big Bear Valley, died Monday after an illness, Ojai Raptor Center said. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Aug. 1»»»
Trump’s Gaza plan hinges on Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawals
JERUSALEM: Donald Trump’s latest plan to end the Gaza war calls on Hamas to lay down its arms as Israel withdraws from the territory, terms endorsed by the militants but rejected by Israel, which says it will not pull back until the group’s disarmament is complete. WHAT IS TRUMP’S LATEST PLAN FOR »»»
Trump insists Netanyahu relationship ‘very good’ despite Gaza rift
WASHINGTON, United States: President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “very good” despite the Israeli leader’s rejection of a US-led Gaza plan. “The relationship is very good,” Trump said in response to a shouted question from a journal»»»
Stocks churn as Hormuz standoff spurs rally in oil
Agencies New York A rally in oil prices left stocks wavering while bond yields climbed, with trader anxiety building just days ahead of key inflation reports. The lack of a deal to revive the Strait of Hormuz drove Brent crude above $87. Higher energy costs stoked concerns the Federal Reserve will »»»
MEPRA Qatar Leadership Majlis 2026 to examine the new architecture of influence on September 10
Tribune News Network Abu Dhabi, UAE/ Doha, Qatar The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) will host the 2026 MEPRA Qatar Leadership Majlis on 10 September at W Doha, bringing together senior leaders to explore the changing nature of influence and what it means for organisations across t»»»
Final election phase begins in Pakistan-administered Kashmir despite banned group’s boycott call
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan: Voters went to the polls Monday in the final phase of elections for the legislative assembly in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, following weeks of violent protests and clashes with security forces that overshadowed campaigning in the disputed Himalayan region, officials said.»»»
Trump demands Iran pay compensation for victims of past 50 years of conflicts
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he would seek compensation from Iran for victims of conflicts over the past 50 years, in response to Tehran's demands for compensation for damage suffered during the current conflict. In a Truth Social post, Trump said Iran was seeking compensation for dam»»»
Peace Council’s High Representative defends Gaza disarmament plan as US dismisses Netanyahu’s rejection
Peace Council High Representative Nikolay Mladenov stated that a 15-point plan to disarm the Gaza Strip is the “only way forward” and relies on verifiable steps rather than trust in the Hamas movement, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of the proposal. Mladenov’s remar»»»
Egypt’s health campaign delivers nearly 11 million free services in 8 days
Egypt’s Health Ministry announced on Monday that its “100 Days of Health” campaign has provided nearly 11 million free medical services nationwide since its fourth edition began on August 1, as the government seeks to expand access to healthcare across the country. The ministry said 10,966,291 serv»»»
Safa Abdo joins Impact Team 2050 as international youth advisor to ROSATOM leadership
Safa Abdo, an Egyptian nuclear physicist, certified nuclear security specialist, and international youth and climate trainer, has recently joined Impact Team 2050, the International Youth Advisory Council to Alexey Likhachev, Director General of ROSATOM. Impact Team 2050 brings together 13 young le»»»
Finance Minister: Syria’s economy expected to grow 11.3% in 2026
Damascus, Aug. 10 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohamad Yisr Barnieh said Syria’s economy is expected to grow by 11.3% this year, with growth momentum projected to continue in the coming years, while production in several sectors is expected to return to pre-2011 levels by 2030. In an exclusive interview»»»
Chile launches agenda to step up fight against organized crime - UPI.com
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast's agenda includes more than 30 bills aimed at strengthening efforts to combat criminal organizations. Photo by Adrian Thomasa/EPA SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Chilean President José Antonio Kast signed a constitutional reform bill Monday that lays the ground»»»