The Pentagon is developing a nuclear strategy that would give the US president a wider range of nuclear options in a potential conflict with Russia or China, NBC reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the plans. The proposed approach would reportedly place greater emphasis on shorter-r»»»

Dubai: Gold prices moved higher again on Thursday afternoon, taking the local 24-karat rate to Dh516.25 per gram and extending a rapid increase that has added Dh29 since the beginning of August. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and »»»

Manila: Landslides in the Philippines killed four people, authorities said Thursday, as heavy rains driven by a tropical depression raked the country's north and forced school closures. The archipelago nation's main island Luzon has been battered by heavy rains over the past four days. Government o»»»

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic ⁠of Congo is spreading faster than efforts to fight it, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday. Families said many frontline workers in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, have gone on strike over pay issues, worsening acces»»»

Ukraine's alternative grain export routes will not reach the capacity needed to compensate for Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports until the end of August at the earliest, and even then will cover only half the volume normally handled through Odesa, Agrarian Policy Minister Taras Vysotskyi told Re»»»

In Central Asia, the spectacle of a president going on and on, and on, as if they plan to rule forever is a norm, not an exception. Thus, a Constitutional Court ruling that Kazakhstan’s 73-year-old president of seven years Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is eligible to seek another term in office under the c»»»

Ukraine's alternative grain export routes will not reach the capacity needed to compensate for Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports until the end of August at the earliest, and even then will cover only half the volume normally handled through Odesa, Agrarian Policy Minister Taras Vysotskyi told Re»»»

LONDON: Three human rights groups have labeled an Israeli attack that killed a Lebanese journalist and injured another a war crime. Amal Khalil, 42, died while traveling in southern Lebanon to verify Israeli troop movements on April 22. Her colleague Zeinab Faraj, 21, was wounded in the attack. Isr»»»

When Hungary abandoned plans to build the Bős–Nagymaros dam system following mass opposition born of environmental protests, Czechoslovakia completed the project and diverted 85 per cent of the Danube’s flow. An international agreement governs how much water must be released into the Old Danube – b»»»

The Ministry of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan recommends that citizens and tourists temporarily refrain from visiting the Tash-Rabat historical and architectural complex. The restrictions are related to repair and restoration work currently underway on the complex’s grounds. »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s consumer spending rose 6.8 percent year on year to SR425 billion ($113.3 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, supported by resilient demand, stable inflation and continued non-oil economic growth, Knight Frank said. The consultancy firm’s Saudi Arabia Retail Market Overview»»»

The Romanian government is preparing a legal framework that would allow the authorities to impose phased electricity consumption limits on large industrial users during severe imbalances in the national power system. A draft government decision approving Romania’s Electricity Risk Preparedness Plan»»»

North Korea fired at least one short-range ballistic missile on Thursday, South Korea's military said. In this January photo, people watch a news report of a North Korean missile launch at Seoul Station. File Photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA North Korea fired at least one short-range ballistic missile t»»»

The August 2 confrontation between Bulgarian and Italian teenagers in Bansko, the race ahead of the October 25 presidential election, concerns over fentanyl and key economic issues feature prominently in Bulgaria's news media on Thursday. COMMENTS ON BANSKO INCIDENT On Thursday, Prime Minister Rume»»»

The United States has formally requested the extradition of a Filipino pastor wanted on sex-trafficking charges, the Philippines' ambassador to Washington said on Thursday. Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God" and ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in the Ph»»»

RIYADH: Saudi food and retail group Savola reported a 36 percent increase in 2026 first-half net profit, driven by stronger operational performance in its food processing business and resilient retail performance despite a competitive market environment. Net profit rose to SR401 million ($106.9 mil»»»

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - The Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes and artillery strikes on villages in the Tyre district in southern Lebanon last night and this morning, wounding four people, a Lebanese military field source told Sputnik on Thursday. "The Israeli army has significantly intensifie»»»

Vivien Keszthelyi, the 25-year-old wife of David Schumacher, is expecting a baby. The Hungarian racing driver married the son of Ralf Schumacher — and nephew of Michael Schumacher — in February this year. A new milestone in the youngest Schumacher family: Vivien Keszthelyi to become a mother The im»»»

Dubai: Every time Alex Eala steps onto the court, millions of Filipinos are watching. Among them are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE, many of whom see more than a promising tennis player chasing titles. They see someone who embodies the same perseverance, discipline, and sacrifices that»»»

Dubai: Burjeel Holdings treated more than 3.7 million patients during the first half of 2026 as higher demand for outpatient services, surgeries and complex medical care supported a 97.4% increase in net profit excluding one-off items. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.N»»»

BusinessRussian FederationWhy is Russia selling its gold?Arthur SullivanRussia has become one of the world's biggest sellers of gold over the past 12 months. It's an attempt to raise cash in the face of budget issues, but not necessarily a sign of a looming financial crisis. https://p.dw.com/p/5Ht6»»»

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 »»»

Andrei Gemeneanu, ROPEA president, talked to BR about Romania’s private equity market, which saw investment values quadruple to EUR 433.6 million in 2025. Gemeneanu discusses the drivers behind this surge, the record-breaking exit activity, and the need to unlock domestic pension funds to reduce re»»»

A brutal fatal assault in Plovdiv has prompted a major police investigation, with authorities examining whether the attack was motivated by hatred based on sexual orientation or involved a victim being lured through a dating app. Several teenagers, including minors, have been detained as investigat»»»

Dubai: Space42 reported record first-half revenue after growth across its satellite services and geospatial intelligence businesses, while preparations continued for the commercial rollout of direct-to-device services on standard mobile phones. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & B»»»

RIYADH: S&P Global Ratings has cut its 2026 forecast for Middle East sustainable bond issuance to $15 billion-$20 billion, citing geopolitical volatility and weaker market conditions. The ratings agency had previously projected issuance of $20 billion-$25 billion for the year. First-half 2026 issua»»»

AFP journalist Christina Assi, who lost a leg in an Israeli strike while reporting from the Lebanese border, will be honored at the International Press Freedom Awards, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. In October 2023, Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed and six others w»»»

The former military airport at Dobroslavtsi, where flight operations ended 25 years ago, is set to become what the Bulgarian government describes as Europe's largest advanced space and defense center. The project, based on a public-private partnership, was officially launched with the signing of a »»»

Business activity in Kazakhstan's services sector accelerated for a fourth straight month in July, according to the latest Freedom Holding Corp Kazakhstan Services PMI survey published by S&P Global. July recorded the strongest pace of expansion in more than 12 months, the survey noted. The hea»»»

The volume of industrial production increased by 10.1%, while based on working-day adjusted data, production rose by 4.1%, year-on-year in June 2026. Compared to crude data, the significant difference is due to the fact that there were two more working-days in this month than in June 2025. Accordin»»»

Israel reported on Thursday its first military fatalities in southern Lebanon in more than a month, after carrying out fresh strikes despite ongoing U.S.-backed talks in Rome aimed at ending hostilities. The military identified the two reservists, who were killed in combat on Wednesday, as Major Ha»»»

Manila: Landslides in the Philippines killed four people, authorities said Thursday, as heavy rains driven by a tropical depression raked the country's north and forced school closures. The archipelago nation's main island Luzon has been battered by heavy rains over the past four days. Government o»»»

MANILA: Landslides in the Philippines killed four people, authorities said Thursday, as heavy rains driven by a tropical depression raked the country’s north and forced school closures. The archipelago nation’s main island Luzon has been battered by heavy rains over the past four days. Government o»»»

Breast pain, nursing strikes and weaning are among mothers’ most common breastfeeding concerns, La Leche League counsellor Elena Gvozdeykova told BTA on Thursday. Gvozdeykova is taking part in events organized by the Sliven Regional Health Inspectorate for World Breastfeeding Week, observed from Au»»»

NEW YORK: Lebanese journalist Christina Assi, who lost a leg in an Israeli strike while reporting from the Lebanese border, will be honored at the International Press Freedom Awards, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday. In October 2023, Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was kille»»»

Doha, Qatar: American sprint legend Allyson Felix has chosen Aspire Academy in Doha as a key training base as she prepares for a return to competition with the goal of racing at the 2028 Olympic Games in her hometown of Los Angeles. Felix, 42, announced her return to competitive athletics in April »»»

The interim Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragos Pislaru, stated on Wednesday that the PSD is engaging in the "systematic sabotage" of projects under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), arguing that amendments made in Parliament to the bill on the decarbonization of t»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Pakistan, Russia, and Belarus are planning to launch a test freight rail route, but the main obstacle remains the unfinished transit section in Iran, Pakistani Ambassador to Russia Faisal Niaz Tirmizi said. "We are actively working on a test freight rail route connecting Minsk, M»»»

Dubai: RAK Ceramics’ board has proposed an interim dividend of 10 fils per share for the first half of 2026 after the company reported a 2.9% increase in second-quarter net profit. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The proposed distribution amounts to Dh99.3 million and »»»

KINSHASA: The world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak is spreading faster than efforts to fight it, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday during a visit to Congo where some health workers are striking over a lack of pay. Nearly three months into the outbreak, new cases are doub»»»

BERLIN: A verdict is due Thursday for an Afghan man accused of a car-ramming attack in Munich last year which killed a two-year-old girl and her mother and left dozens injured. The man, named only as Farhad N., has been on trial since January, accused of deliberately steering a car into a 1,400-str»»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) has introduced remote participation for registered students in the third edition of its ‘Cybersecurity Youth Camp 2026’, allowing more than 1,000 students from across the country to benefit from its educational content. Announcing the initiativ»»»

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Federal health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños that has sickened 345 people in 27 states. No deaths have been reported in the outbreak that began June 19 based on the earliest reported illness onset. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said We»»»

Washington, United States: Human-caused climate change made the extreme fire conditions behind this year's Canadian wildfires twice as likely to happen, a study said Thursday. Although the season began with below-normal activity, prolonged hot and dry weather since July has driven the rapid spread »»»

The Schengen Agreement has made travel within the European Union a lot easier since it came into force. It allows its 29 member states to relax their border controls. Or at least it does, so long as those states are feeling relaxed. Oddly enough, the arrangement is now in trouble because of an even»»»

Dubai: At a time when airfares remain elevated because of higher operating costs, airspace restrictions, longer flight times and volatile fuel prices, there is still some hope for UAE travellers with wanderlust. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.While many popular routes»»»

Dubai: Few Indian bureaucrats have seen as many transfers as IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe. Yet, despite being moved around repeatedly, the Maharashtra-cadre officer has built a reputation as one of the country's most uncompromising administrators. The 2005-batch IAS officer has reportedly been transf»»»

Dubai: Aramex reported its highest quarterly revenue on record in the second quarter of 2026, driven by increased freight-forwarding demand and alternative transport routes that kept customer shipments moving amid regional disruptions. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.G»»»

Dubai: You can search the web, navigate with Google Maps, watch YouTube, use Gmail and access Android without paying Google directly. Yet Alphabet, Google’s parent company, generated almost $55 million in revenue every hour during its latest quarter. Alphabet reported revenue of $119.8 billion for »»»

Dubai: For Dr. Osama Al Hashmi, the most rewarding part of being a dentist is not measured by the number of patients he sees or years he has spent in practice. It is the moments when he can help someone who would otherwise go without treatment. As the owner of Osama Al Hashimi Dental Clinic in Deir»»»