Tehran: Iran has rejected President Donald Trump's claim that the United States has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway remains blocked and will not be reopened until Tehran's conditions are accepted. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said Trump»»»

Washington: US natural gas production is on track to hit a new annual record in 2026, with output forecast to average 122.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), according to the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). That would eclipse the prev»»»

A total solar eclipse swept across parts of Europe on Wednesday, briefly turning day into night along a narrow path of totality from Iceland to northern Spain. But clouds and rain spoiled the view for many spectators, obscuring the Moon’s dramatic passage across the Sun. The Aug. 12 eclipse was the»»»

Tehran: Iran has rejected President Donald Trump's claim that the United States has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway remains blocked and will not be reopened until Tehran's conditions are accepted. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said Trump»»»

LONDON: Gold prices rose more than 1 percent on Wednesday, supported by easing expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike next month as market participants awaited pivotal US inflation data that is likely to shed light on the central bank’s future policy path. Spot gold rose 1.1 percent to $4,413»»»

PARIS: The International Energy Agency on Wednesday sharply reduced its forecast for global oil demand this year, as supplies remain crimped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and high prices deter buyers. Demand is expected to slump by 1.6 million barrels per day, compared with its forecast sl»»»

PARIS: Xavi Hernandez has been named as the successor to Ronald Koeman as head coach of the Netherlands national team, becoming their first foreign boss in 48 years, the country’s football association announced on Wednesday. The Barcelona great, who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain as a player, ha»»»

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 insights more than two mi»»»

“Cloudy with a Chance of Starships” takes readers on an irreverent expedition through the marvelous world of astrobiology, using as a guide the most important equation in science since E=mc2. With an irresistible blend of wit, insight, and the latest cutting-edge research, Seven Rasmussen looks at »»»

DOHA: Estithmar Holding QPSCannounced its financial results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2026, following approval by the company's Board of Directors. Estithmar Holding's operations today span 10 countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Egypt, the Maldives, and»»»

AMMAN — The national team for empowering women-owned enterprises to access economic opportunities held its regular meeting on Wednesday, hosted by the Jordan Forum for Business and Professional Women, with the participation of businesswomen and representatives of the public and private sectors.The »»»

A photo illustration shows President Donald Trump's account on social media platform Truth Social in 2024. The Intercept is suing the company's plan to monetize the president's posts. File Photo by Will Oliver/EPA Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Online news site The Intercept, along with the Freedom of the Press »»»

At least 239 people were killed and 3,755 injured across 388 municipalities nationwide. Volunteers remove rubble at the scene of a collapsed building in Pereira, Colombia, on Tuesday after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck a day earlier. Photo by Carlos Ortega/EPA Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Cali, the capital»»»

Doha, Qatar: Estithmar Holding Q.P.S.C. announced its financial results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2026, following approval by the Company's Board of Directors. Estithmar Holding's operations today span 10 countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Egypt, the M»»»

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia has started implementing a new 10-year national strategic initiative to modernize the country's coffee production value chain, and more than double average coffee productivity. The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture announced Tuesday that the effective implementation of the new»»»

Chicago, IL: Dalia Al-Aqidi, an Arab American journalist who centered her campaign on government fraud and waste in Minnesota, lost her bid on Tuesday to win the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic US Rep. Ilhan Omar in the state’s 5th congressional district. Instead, Republican John Nage»»»

MARSEILLE: Manchester City have signed Argentina international goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille on a two-year deal, both clubs announced on Wednesday. The 34-year-old will serve as City’s number-two goalkeeper behind Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma. “This is an amazing opportunity for me and o»»»

GENEVA: The United Nations on Wednesday called on Russia to lift its ban on the anti-war party Yabloko running in September’s parliamentary elections. “We are deeply concerned about the barring of Yabloko, one of Russia’s oldest political parties, from the September parliamentary elections,” said a»»»

The countries have included rare earth exploration and processing in this year’s joint workshop program, expanding their scientific cooperation into a strategically sensitive field. China will provide about $4,200 per workshop, while Iran will help cover international travel and accommodation in th»»»

The Chilean government's decision to let Codelco retain its profits aims to strengthen its equity and liquidity and reduce the need for additional borrowing to finance investment projects amid rising costs and production problems. File Photo by Elvis Gonzalez SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Presi»»»

BANGKOK: The Thai government pledged Wednesday to tighten gun controls and crack down on illegal firearms after two deadly shootings near Bangkok in less than a week. The country has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite its fairly restrictive gun laws. The two recent shootings,»»»

Colombia on Wednesday declared three days of mourning after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed more than 200 people in the west of the country. Monday's quake was the strongest to hit Colombia this century, and the search for survivors under the rubble is ongoing.  Colombia on Wednesday declare»»»

The search for survivors continues in Colombia, more than 48 hours after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country. More than 200 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 2,000 are reported missing. The new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has declared a state of emergency, as many »»»

TUNIS, Aug. 12, 2026 (TAP) — A small ministerial council meeting Wednesday at La Kasbah decided to renew Tunisie Autoroutes’ concession to operate the A1 motorway (Hammam-Lif–M’saken) and grant the company a new concession for the A2 motorway...»»»

LONDON: The EU said on Wednesday that it does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, reaffirming its support for Syria’s independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. “In line with international law and UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497, th»»»

Poland’s eastern regions are gradually closing the economic gap with the rest of the country despite increased geopolitical risk following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Between 2019 and 2024, business investment per capita in Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie rose 51%, while county own-source r»»»

Dubai: The regional security situation continues to shape daily life, from flight schedules and fuel prices to shipping routes through the Gulf. Here's a round-up of Wednesday's key developments and what they mean for residents, whether you're flying out tonight, tracking the markets, or simply sta»»»

LONDON: The University of Cambridge’s top administrator on Wednesday called a scandal over a black professor who has resigned amid accusations of plagiarism “an aberration” and vowed a thorough investigation. The prestigious British university’s former professor of sociology of education, Jason Ard»»»

DOHA: Kearney has launched the Global Telecom Health Index, a 34-market global benchmark of telecoms sector health, revealing Qatar as one of the two healthiesttelecom markets in the world, second only to the UAE. The index expands Kearney's 2025 EuropeanTelecom Health Index into a global assessmen»»»

The International Energy Agency warned Wednesday of sharp drop in oil stocks amid renewed disruption to exports from Gulf producers with the Iran war seeing "lower volumes" transiting the seas to markets around the world. File photo by Olivier Matthys/EPA Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The International Energy A»»»

The Hungarian government has ordered the immediate construction of a submerged riverbed weir on the Danube near Paks and is preparing an extraordinary temporary measure: two 80-metre barges could be deliberately sunk to raise the river level if necessary. The government has taken urgent measures to»»»

Damascus, Aug. 12 (SANA) The International Energy Agency (IEA) sharply lowered its forecast for global oil supply this year, citing disruptions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and continued hostilities in the Middle East. In its monthly report on Wednesday, the Paris-based agency said»»»

The Sofia City Prosecution Office (SCPO) said on Wednesday that it has set a deadline for investigators to complete outstanding actions in a pre-trial investigation into the construction of the E-79 international road between Montana and Vidin in northwestern Bulgaria. The investigation, launched i»»»

Bogotá: Colombia on Wednesday declared three days of mourning for victims of an earthquake that demolished buildings in the west of the country, killing more than 200 people. At 7.4 magnitude, Monday's quake was the strongest to hit Colombia in a century. The government said flags would be lowered »»»

Marseille, France: Manchester City have signed Argentina international goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille on a two-year deal, both clubs announced on Wednesday. The 34-year-old will serve as City's number-two goalkeeper behind Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma. "This is an amazing opportunity for »»»

Alicante apartments for sale start at around €55,000 in the current catalogue and run to around €595,000, a range most Mediterranean coasts stopped offering years ago. The province holds one of the last accessible entry points on the Spanish seaboard, and it is growing faster than the national aver»»»

Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) reported record first-half revenue and profit for 2026 as rising demand for electricity, water and cooling services and continued customer growth supported its financial performance. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now »»»

Two days after Colombia was struck by the country's strongest earthquake in a century, a 32-year-old woman was on Tuesday pulled alive from the wreckage of a collapsed building. Exhausted rescuers continue to search collapsed buildings across western Colombia in a desperate hunt for survivors.»»»

The death toll from Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake in western Colombia has risen to more than 200, as rescuers race against time to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. On Tuesday, a 32-year-old woman was pulled alive from the rubble, but many others remain missing. The disaster i»»»

Dubai: Takaful Emarat Insurance (P.S.C.), one of the UAE's leading providers of health and life Takaful solutions, announced a strong set of financial results for the first half of 2026, reflecting continued operational excellence, sustainable growth, and increasing customer confidence. For the fir»»»

JEDDAH: UAE hotel revenue per available room fell 31.8 percent year to date through June, while occupancy dropped 22.2 percentage points to 57.9 percent, according to JLL. The consultancy said sustained regional tensions and weaker international arrivals compounded the impact of the traditionally s»»»

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s claims that oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have returned to pre-war levels are at odds with observable shipping data and the physical limits of regional export infrastructure, according to CNN analysis. Wright said Tuesday that Middle Eastern oil exports h»»»

FAN Courier announces the appointment of Lucian Pântece as IT&C Director, a decision that strengthens the company’s leadership team and marks an important step in its strategy to accelerate digitalization. The appointment comes at a time when FAN Courier aims to transform technology from a support »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s reputation for having one of the world’s most advanced road networks is being reinforced by a sophisticated system that constantly monitors, assesses and maintains its infrastructure. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has recorded a 95 per cent “excellent” rating for its road n»»»

Dubai: Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez took around ten years of knowing each other before getting married. Rather than clutching our pearls or alerting the family elders over the delay, perhaps we should ask why we're so invested in how quickly couples make it to the altar. Maybe they didn»»»

Dubai: With the Perseid meteor shower peaking tomorrow, Dubai Astronomy Group has issued a notice about one of the sites people often head to. Al Khatim Desert, in Abu Dhabi, is not recommended for independent stargazing. Most of it is private land, and visiting on your own is not permitted. The ex»»»

Israeli occupation forces have escalated their ground operations in southern Syria, pushing deeper into villages across the western Daraa countryside and the Quneitra province, while warplanes roar overhead and military checkpoints spring up in civilian areas, according to Syrian state media and lo»»»

Colombia, shortly after the swearing-in of conservative Abelardo de la Espriella as president on Friday, became just the second country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel captured during the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed in 1981. The United States, during»»»

Dubai: Young people are facing a worsening global jobs market, with youth unemployment rising to 12.4 per cent in 2025 and an estimated 67 million people aged 15 to 24 out of work, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The findings, published on Tuesday in the IL»»»

Dubai: Today's total solar eclipse sweeps across northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain. It does not come anywhere near the Emirates. The next total solar eclipse visible from the UAE falls on 3 September 2081. Fifty-five years from now. Most people reading this will not see one fro»»»