OSLO: Norway’s ‌government on Friday presented plans to cut red tape and shorten processing of applications to build new onshore wind power plants and transmission lines, amid concerns that a slow buildout in recent years could curb economic activity. The Labour Party government aims to cut in half»»»

DAMASCUS: In Syria’s first post-Assad parliament, women lawmakers stand out more for their diversity than their numbers: a famous actress, a Christian engineer, a Kurdish leader and the widow of a hard-line Islamist commander. Women hold 22 of the 207 current seats in Syria’s parliament, or just ov»»»

Tunis, August 7, 2026 (TAP) – The Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) adopted 26 bills, including three private members' bills, during its fourth ordinary session, which ended on July 29, 2026, according to a summary released in a video...»»»

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»»»

1 of 2 | Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, walks to a procedural vote in January at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Murkowski said Friday that she will vote against the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's pick as U.S. attorney general. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Phot»»»

DALIAN, China: Thousands of holidaymakers flocked to the sea in northeast China to cool down, only to find it was even hotter than back home as a heatwave bakes the region. Along the pebble beach of Fujiazhuang Park in Dalian, a city famed for its fresh seafood and Yellow Sea coastal sights, beachg»»»

MOSCOW: Russian online ‌retailer Wildberries said on Friday it was seeking partners to open new storage hubs, after three weeks of relentless Ukrainian drone strikes on its warehouses. It was Wildberries’ first publicly announced move to address the huge logistical challenge posed by the near-night»»»

WASHINGTON: Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving to equip officers with body cameras in the next two months but the agency’s policy gives it broad control over what footage will be made public by specifying any releases must be in its “best interests.” After years of delays, ICE said its f»»»

Pre-trial proceedings have been launched at the Septemvri Regional Police Station under the supervision of the Pazardzhik Regional Prosecutor's Office, the Pazardzhik Interior Ministry Regional Directorate reported on Friday, after a wildfire broke out near the 69th kilometre of the Trakia Motorway»»»

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»»»

BELGRADE - Serbia's January-June 2026 external goods trade totalled 39.65 bln euros, which is a 5.8 pct increase y-o-y, according to figures released by the national statistical office. Goods exports were worth 17,971.4 mln euros, rising by 8.3 pct y-o-y, while imports totalled 21,679.1 mln euros, »»»

The U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July, according to BLS data. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo Aug. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. employers unexpectedly cut jobs in July even as the unemployment rate ticked lower, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statisti»»»

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»»»

Tunis, Aug. 7 (TAP)- The Ministry of Environement, in collaboration ewith the United Nations development Programme (UNDP) Tunis office, announced a call for applications for the selection of a Climate Action Youth Focal Points team. The team will be...»»»

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill made her first wave of endorsements for Democratic congressional candidates this week, throwing support behind 13. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo Aug. 6 (UPI) -- New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill made her first wave of endorsements for Democratic cong»»»

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s branch in the Northern Borders Region has launched the Farmers’ Market Festival in Rafha with the participation of several government and non-government entities to advance agricultural development and food security objectives. The four-d»»»

RIYADH: Bassel Kakish, CEO at Publicis Groupe Middle East and Turkiye, wants to bring creativity back to the Kingdom’s youthful capital. “We are in a talent-first business,” Kakish told Arab News. “We are at a lucky period as far as the Kingdom is concerned because it’s all about the talent — the y»»»

Dubai: From scorching streets to sun-baked landscapes, heatwaves have gripped parts of the world as summer temperatures soar. This photo gallery captures the intense heat seen across countries during late July and early August, highlighting crowded cooling spots, shimmering cityscapes and the strik»»»

BRUSSELS: Belgium’s new coach Mark van Bommel did ‌not hesitate to accept the job offer even if there might have been a chance to take over the national team of his native Netherlands, who are still looking for a coach after the World Cup. Van Bommel, in his first press conference since his appoint»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

Riyadh: The Saudi Camel Racing Federation has announced a new competition exclusively for Saudi owners, introducing a Crown Prince Camel Festival Cup with a SR500,000 ($133,300) prize to be awarded to the owner who accumulates the most points during the season. The cup, which will debut during the »»»

Being overweight was linked to 9,509 deaths in Belgium in 2022, or more than one death every hour, according to data from Belgian research institute Sciensano. The figure accounted for 8.2% of all deaths recorded in the country that year. For the first time, Sciensano measured deaths associated wit»»»

By the end of this year, the Bulgarian Naval Forces will have another minehunter, said Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, Commander of the Bulgarian Naval Forces, in his address to the people attending the official awards ceremony for military personnel and civilians here on Friday. He specified that, un»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar condemned the Houthi attacks on the Najran region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that injured several civilians, considering it a severe violation of sovereignty and international law, as well as a dangerous escalation that threatens the region's security and stability. The»»»

Athens: Greek authorities placed a town mayor who owns an electrical company and two others in pre-trial detention Friday after charging them with arson over a wildfire that ravaged large areas near Athens last week. Investigators believe the blaze started on July 31 with a spark from power cables »»»

President Donald Trump participates in the signing of executive orders Thursday in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is shown at right. Trump signed an order imposing new rules on tariffs on polysilicon and related products. Photo by Aaron Schw»»»

US President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders seeking to restrict birthright citizenship, renewing his administration’s push to narrow the constitutional provision. The White House said the measures, signed on Thursday, are intended to protect “the meaning and value of American citizens»»»

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan signed today a joint defense agreement. The agreement was signed during a trilateral summit held in Makkah Al Mukaramah, attended by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erd»»»

UNAIZAH: Qassim Agricultural Training Center, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Technical and Vocational Training Corp. has implemented the second phase of the region’s date harvesting training program. The initiative qualifies national cadres to work in the»»»

RIYADH: An Irish farm, prompted by gains from previous editions of the International Falcon Breeders Auction, have brought 200 birds to this year’s event. Organized by the National Center for Falcons at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, the event features leading local and international »»»

Arab Finance: Egypt’s state-owned Holding Company for Tourism and Hotels (HOTAC) and its subsidiaries are targeting consolidated revenues of EGP 9.4 billion and a net profit of EGP 5.5 billion during the current fiscal year (FY) 2026/2027, as per a statement. The targets form part of the estimated »»»

RIYADH: The Red Sea Museum has announced the launch of its summer camp, the Red Sea Lab, a program specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for children aged 10 to 14, aiming to inspire a new generation of scientists and innovators. Taking place from Aug. 25 to 29 at the Red»»»

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV will meet victims of clerical sexual abuse during an official visit to France in September, the Vatican said Friday as it released the itinerary for the trip. The Holy See did not immediately provide further details about the private meeting, which comes as the pontiff pr»»»

ATHENS: Greek authorities placed a town mayor who owns an electrical company and two others in pre-trial detention Friday after charging them with arson over a wildfire that ravaged large areas near Athens last week. Investigators believe the blaze started on July 31 with a spark from power cables »»»

SAN JUAN: A suspended Catholic priest on a tiny Caribbean island is embracing calypso to make his voice heard on topics including Gaza and sexual abuse within the church. Father Gerard Paul, who hails from Grenada, can no longer officiate masses, funerals, weddings or baptisms after repeatedly crit»»»

BERLIN: A bus driver knocked an explosive-laden drone out of the air, potentially preventing an attack this week at a German airport that serves as a major NATO and cargo logistics hub, a senior lawmaker said on Friday. The man spotted the drone flying low while he was working at Leipzig/Halle airp»»»

Athens: Greek authorities placed a town mayor who owns an electrical company and two others in pre-trial detention Friday after charging them with arson over a wildfire that ravaged large areas near Athens last week. Investigators believe the blaze started on July 31 with a spark from power cables »»»

Washington, Aug. 7 (SANA) Gold prices rose on Friday, putting the metal on track for its biggest weekly gain since January amid lower oil prices and easing inflation expectations, as investors awaited US non-farm payrolls data for indications about the future path of interest rates.Spot gold increa»»»

BEIJING: Multiple districts ‌in Beijing issued heavy rainfall warnings on Friday evening, with authorities warning residents of disasters ​, including floods in the city center and also mudslides and landslides in agricultural and mountainous areas. The extreme rains come as China readies for Typho»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President of Russia Vladimir Putin discussed in a phone call bilateral cooperation under the two countries' strategic partnership and their shared commitment to further strengthening ties in support of mutual interests. Th»»»

As a result of the official veterinary and phytosanitary controls carried out, including temporarily intensified official controls and the implementation of emergency measures for consignments of food and feed of non-animal origin intended for import into the European Union (EU), 35 consignments to»»»

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»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have urged motorists to exercise greater caution when entering a road, warning that even a few seconds of inattention can lead to serious accidents. The force shared a video showing a collision caused by a driver entering a road without first checking that it was clear, high»»»

The Plovdiv District Court has left in custody five teenagers arrested in connection with the killing of a 37-year-old man in the city on August 4. The judges explained their decision by the particularly cruel nature of the crime. The hearing was held behind closed doors. A total of 10 teenagers ag»»»

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov accused Prime Minister Rumen Radev of hiding behind "collective irresponsibility", the party's press centre reported on Friday. Kostadinov was commenting on Radev's response on Thursday to a journalist's question about whether the protocol freezing the contrac»»»

Israeli prosecutors have charged Jewish settler Yinon Levi on Thursday with reckless homicide over the fatal 2025 shooting of Palestinian community leader Awdah Hathaleen in the occupied West Bank, marking the first such indictment in seven years. Hathaleen, a 31-year-old teacher, was killed on Jul»»»

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»»»

Dubai: Veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty has been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata after undergoing a minor surgery, with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visiting him on Friday. Adhikari shared details of his meeting with Chakraborty on social media, along with pi»»»

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- A video captured at a state legislative building in Brazil shows workers practicing their animal handling skills by ejecting some unusual trespassers: a pair of capybaras. The video shows the two capybaras, the world's largest rodents, calmly wandering into the Legislative Assembly »»»