Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah Bloc Urges Lebanese Authority to Declare ‘Framework Agreement’ Dead, Quit Talks 20-08-2026 14:47 PM Hezbollah and Lebanon's natio»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Two Palestinian casualties by Israeli fire in Gaza’s Khan Younis: Palestinian media 20-08-2026 14:39 PM Latest News Urgent News Two Palesti»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched its first energy hackathon, set to take place ahead of the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh in October. The Ministry of Energy opened submissions for the inaugural hackathon, held under the patronage of Energy and Industry Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. “U»»»

Dubai: A Dubai resident has won Dh5 million in The UAE Lottery, becoming the third player in the game’s history to claim the second prize of the same amount. Zenn Ariane Garceles, a 38-year-old Philippine national living in Dubai, was the latest winner of the Dh5 million prize. Get updated faster a»»»

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) said on Thursday that the country's legislation governing what happens to children in conflict with the law was adopted way back in 1958. "Reform is decades overdue, yet instead of pursuing it, those in power are proposing something all too familiar in Bulgari»»»

Natalie Harp has spent years operating close to US President Donald Trump while attracting little public attention. But recent events have thrust the 35-year-old presidential aide into the spotlight, including accompanying Trump on a secret flight from Turkey during a reported security threat. »»»

Two areas of Bishkek will temporarily be left without gas, Bishkekgaz reported. According to the company, the disruption is due to work to reconnect above-ground low-pressure gas pipelines. Gas supplies will be suspended in areas bounded by the following streets: Bishkekgaz apologizes for the incon»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are reshaping how they finance the next wave of infrastructure, moving beyond government spending to tap private and institutional capital for projects spanning energy, water, and the digital economy. The shift marks a broader change in the Gulf’s inves»»»

Hungary’s public broadcaster has launched its revamped flagship news programme, with its first edition featuring comments from opposition figures and critics of the government: a notable change in tone following a major overhaul of the public media’s news operation. The new Híradó aired for the fir»»»

A State Bank of India employee allegedly shot dead his estranged wife outside her workplace in Lucknow before returning home, killing his younger sister and taking his own life on Thursday, in a case police are investigating as a double murder followed by suicide. The killings unfolded within a sho»»»

Dubai: Bitcoin climbed above $70,000 for the first time in more than two months on Thursday, extending a two-day rally that has brought buyers back into the cryptocurrency market following lower US Treasury yields, fresh institutional inflows and renewed hopes of regulatory progress in Washington. »»»

The Sofia City Prosecution Office (SCPO) has initiated two pre-trial proceedings based on sufficient data indicating possible crimes related to the construction of Lot 4 of the Hemus Motorway and the Northern Speed Tangent project, the prosecution service said here on Thursday. The pre-trial procee»»»

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the start of preparatory work on a project to build the country’s second nuclear power plant. The head of state made the announcement during a working visit to Khorezm region, Podrobno.uz reported. According to the president, reliable energy supp»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a conclusion on an intergovernmental agreement with Belarus regulating the stay of citizens of the two countries. The document has been submitted to the Zhogorku Kenesh for ratification. The corresponding order was signed by Adylbek Kasymaliev. The agr»»»

A local man inspects the aftermath of Russian missile strike on a residential area of Kyiv early Thursday. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A Russian aerial assault on Kyiv overnight killed at least 13 people and injured 40, with officials saying Ukraine was effectively defenseless ag»»»

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office (SCPO) has initiated two pre-trial proceedings based on sufficient data indicating possible crimes related to the construction of Lot 4 of the Hemus Motorway and the Northern Speed Tangent project, the prosecution service said here on Thursday. The pre-trial proce»»»

President Joseph Aoun met Thursday with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and thanked him for his efforts to support Lebanon in resisting Israeli aggression and securing the liberation of its territory. Aoun urged the Pope to compel Israel to commit to the U.S.-brokered Framework Agreement, halt its dail»»»

Cairo: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad of the Arab Republic of Egypt HE Dr. Badr Abdelatty, on the sidelines of the seventh session of the »»»

In the first six months of 2026, coal was among the commodities that generated a significant trade surplus for Kyrgyzstan, with the surplus exceeding $44,725.7 million. Coal and lignite exports were 7.5 times higher than imports. The main export destinations were Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China, a»»»

Greece is prepared to help defend Bulgarian airspace if Iran carries out an attack on US military facilities in Southeast Europe, according to Greek media reports citing sources from the Greek Defense Ministry. Athens is considering deploying a Patriot air defense system near the Bulgarian border i»»»

Former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov is expected to be formally announced as a presidential candidate within days, according to Atanas Atanasov, deputy speaker of Parliament and a leading figure in Democratic Bulgaria. Speaking to Nova TV, Atanasov said preparations are already underway to»»»

JEDDAH: Morocco’s consumer price index fell 0.6 percent year on year in July, as a decline in food prices more than offset higher non-food costs, official data showed. According to Morocco’s High Commission for Planning, food prices fell 3.7 percent from a year earlier in July, while non-food price»»»

Eighteen-year-old Teodor Velev, accused of attacking Nepalese citizens in Plovdiv and causing them minor bodily injuries, will remain free on bail after the Plovdiv District Court confirmed the €700 measure. The court hearing established that Velev had already paid the bail and had cooperated with »»»

Eight vultures have died in a suspected poisoning incident in Bulgaria's Central Balkan National Park, including black and griffon vultures and the country's only bearded vulture, conservationists reported. The first dead birds were discovered on August 18 in difficult-to-reach terrain at an altitu»»»

Donald Trump said just before midnight Washington time that he has a deal with Canada to avoid 50% tariffs, and thus the tariffs are on pause for three days. Although that may not be the case a few more seconds from now. Just ask Iran. Whoops, here we go already. Canada has already disputed the exi»»»

Dubai: Beijing has become a showcase for robots that could transform the way people work, with hundreds of companies displaying AI-powered machines at a major robotics conference. The robots on show come in many forms, taking on tasks ranging from making coffee and sandwiches to boxing. Even a robo»»»

Dubai: A 50-kilometre automated people mover (APM) will be built at Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), creating what its developer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) says will be the world’s largest airport APM system. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & BalancesThe sys»»»

The Democratic Republic ‌of Congo has been allocated 70,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo vaccine for Ebola, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, as the country attempts to contain its biggest ever outbreak of the deadly disease. Here are some details: Last week Congo had requested a release o»»»

Israel's defense minister on Thursday accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of dragging Turkey into "dangerous adventures in Syria", after Israel tacitly acknowledged a strike on a north Syria air base earlier in the week. "Israel will not allow any entity to threaten its security," Israel Katz wr»»»

International payment platforms Sendwave and Wise Group (Nasdaq: WSE; LSE: WISE) have restricted services for Kenyan users amid heightened scrutiny of the country’s anti-money-laundering regime, Business Daily reported on August 18. Sendwave told a Kenyan customer that it was currently unable to pr»»»

The scenario that keeps Western planners awake is easy to describe and, it turns out, almost entirely unstudied: Russia moves on a Nato member while China moves on Taiwan, The Atlantic reported on August 17. Asked what the West would actually do if Russia and China opened two fronts in Europe and T»»»

Eating and entertainment establishments in Bulgaria that have been awarded two or more stars are required to have POS terminals available to customers, consumer rights expert Gabriela Rumenova said. The requirement is set out in the Tourism Act and has been in force since March 1, 2024. Rumenova, f»»»

Bulgaria’s economy expanded by 2.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, with strong household consumption and rising investment continuing to support growth, according to express estimates from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). On a seasonally adjusted basis, GDP increased by 0.6% c»»»

RIYADH: Syria produced 14.8 million barrels of crude oil in the first half of 2026, about 79 percent below its 2010 pre-war production levels, as the energy sector works to rebuild infrastructure and restore output. Raw natural gas production reached 1.43 billion cubic meters during the period, whi»»»

An Emirati delegation comprising approximately 70 businessmen will visit Lebanon on August 26 and 27 to sign agreements with the private sector in Lebanon, LBCI television has reported. The delegation will also propose providing and developing services at the airport, ports, and border crossings.»»»

Kazakhstan’s first artificial intelligence university plans to enrol 600 students and trainees in the 2026-2027 academic year, as the government expands AI education from higher education to schools and rural classrooms, The Times of Central Asia reported on August 18. Science and Higher Education »»»

Tajikistan will need roughly $5.8bn more to complete construction of the Rogun hydroelectric power plant, according to a report from S&P Global Ratings, which expects the entire project to be finished by 2035.  The figure is lower than S&P's previous estimates, which stood at arou»»»

Sharjah will launch the 13th Al Maleh and Fishing Festival on August 27, bringing together fishing businesses, traditional producers and government entities in a four-day event aimed at preserving the UAE’s maritime heritage and supporting local industries. Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Comme»»»

Dubai: Disney Abu Dhabi may still be an expanse of largely empty land, but Disney boss Bob Iger is already imagining what could rise from it. In newly released documentary Disney Worldbuilders, now streaming on Disney+, Iger stands at the future site of Disney’s first theme park resort in Abu Dhabi»»»

Sharjah is expanding the use of artificial intelligence across its public transport network, deploying smart surveillance cameras on intercity buses and taxis to improve passenger safety, monitor driver behaviour and detect accidents and road hazards. The Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA»»»

The scenario that keeps Western planners awake is easy to describe and, it turns out, almost entirely unstudied: Russia moves on a Nato member while China moves on Taiwan, The Atlantic reported on August 17. Asked what the West would actually do if Russia and China opened two fronts in Europe and T»»»

Israeli War Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, accusing him of “dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria” and vowing that ‘Israel’ would not “allow any actor to threaten its security”. The rebuke, posted in Turkish on social »»»

There are no indications of plans for further protests among residents of the Bulgarian village of Bezmer over two US military tanker aircraft stationed at the nearby airbase, Mayor Rosen Rusev told BTA. He said the situation in the village is calm, with an increased presence of military police and»»»

GENEVA: A collection of soccer fan groups from around the world launched a petition Thursday calling for Gianni Infantino to resign as FIFA president after he tried to sell future World Cup profits to private investors. The petition with the hashtag InfantinOut also calls for “FIFA to be rebuilt so»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump pledged "economic warfare" against Iran and threatened any country that trades with it, prompting Iran to dismiss the plan on Thursday as a continuation of failed policies. The war between the two countries, started by the U.S. and Israel in February, appears stalemated,»»»

Cairo: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Thursday in Cairo with Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt HE Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, on the sidelines of the seventh session of the Joint Higher Committee between the two coun»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli occupation forces carry out wide-scale demolition operation in southern Lebanese town of Zawtar Al-Sharqiya: Al-Manar reporter 20-0»»»

Health Minister of Kyrgyzstan Damir Osmonov held a meeting with a Turkish delegation to discuss promising areas of cooperation, including pharmaceutical supply, development of the pharmaceutical industry, digitalization, medical services, project development and infrastructure. Dr. Hassan Chagil, a»»»

Cairo: President of the Arab Republic of Egypt HE Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received on Thursday in Cairo, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. HE the Prime Minister is in Cairo to lead the State of Qatar's delegation in the proceedings o»»»

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has warned that ending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would undermine UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and further endanger southern Lebanon. In remarks to Al-Jomhouriya Lebanese daily, Speaker Berri described the termi»»»