London, Dubai, New York City, Washington, DC, and Amsterdam top the rankings of the world’s most intelligent cities, according to new research from Boston Consulting Group (BCG). However, no city leads across every area assessed, with different combinations of strengths shaping intelligent city lea»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Thani, received on Wednesday the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the State of Qatar HE Hong Jeepio. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed cooperation relations between Qatar and the Republ»»»

Doha, Qatar: With the holidays gradually coming to an end, there are still a lot of event and activities to enjoy across Doha this weekend. Here are some exciting sporting events, family-friendly activities, cultural experiences and entertainment to add to your weekend plans. Family WeekendUntil Au»»»

London: New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham unveiled plans Wednesday to offer those sleeping rough a route off the streets by Christmas, as part of his bid to curb national homelessness. "No one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we've seen it for so long that it feels li»»»

In January—June 2026, Kyrgyzstan exported live animals worth a total of $3,284.1 million. Most of the exports consisted of cattle: 14,823 heads of cattle worth $3,195.8 million were shipped abroad during the first six months. Data from the National Statistical Committee say. How much cattle was sol»»»

Cyprus also reportedly assessed as a possible target if US military action against Iran escalates Iran has reportedly examined options for attacking US military facilities in Europe if US President Donald Trump orders a new escalation against the Islamic Republic, the Financial Times reports, citin»»»

Rumen Radev says the country is better prepared despite record temperatures and prolonged drought Bulgaria currently has five helicopters and their crews on standby for firefighting, as well as a Spartan aircraft that can be deployed if needed, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said at the start of Wednes»»»

Ukraine's popular ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for wartime elections on Tuesday evening, stating that the nation was facing a crisis of governance. Fedorov was dismissed last month, sparking days of protests across Ukraine. It is the first time since Russia launched its full-scale in»»»

Dubai: Oman’s Public Prosecution has warned content creators against exploiting children under 15 or domestic workers in social media content, saying offenders could face up to three years in prison and a fine of OMR5,000. The warning is part of an awareness campaign urging creators to consider the»»»

An unidentified foreign national died after being taken into custody following an altercation aboard a Mumbai-Delhi train during which he allegedly sprayed passengers with a fire extinguisher. The man, believed to be around 45 years old, collapsed while being questioned by railway authorities in Su»»»

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told a briefing at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday that in coordination with the Ministry of Defence and under the direction of the Prime Minister, the Interior Ministry has taken all possible measures for Bezmer Air Base, including measures to address a muc»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the President-elect of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) HE Dr Khalilur Rahman, who is curren»»»

RIYADH: Egypt accounts for 48 percent of Africa’s outstanding sukuk, making it the continent’s largest market, as regulatory reforms and closer economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council support growth, according to Fitch Ratings. In its latest report, the credit rating agency said African suk»»»

Russian forces struck sites used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to prepare and launch Flamingo cruise missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry said. “Over the past 24 hours, Russian forces struck sites used to prepare and launch long-range Flamingo cruise missiles, UAV assembly workshops, and storage »»»

Dubai: A 16-year-old boy from Murshidabad in West Bengal, who reportedly spends most of his time submerged in a pond because of a severe burning sensation in his skin, has been airlifted to Mumbai for specialised medical treatment following intervention by industrialist Anant Ambani. The teenager, »»»

Iran’s highest-ranking military officer has issued a stark warning to Persian Gulf nations, cautioning that any facilitation of U.S. military operations against the Islamic Republic would be treated as direct participation in aggression against Iran. Major General Ali Abdollahi, Chief of Staff of I»»»

Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly received Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Moustafa Shekhon, following President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s decision to appoint him chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), and Walid Gamal al-Din, the authority’s outgoing chairman, as part of»»»

Work on a new law to tackle antisocial behaviour by minors is expected to be completed within a few weeks, replacing legislation in force since 1958 that is regarded as outdated and ill-suited to present-day conditions. The new law should provide for more effective prevention and control, Interior »»»

Two-thirds of Romanians have spent more than expected while travelling due to unplanned financial costs, according to a study conducted for ING Bank Romania. The research, carried out by Frappe Digital, found that 30% of respondents had paid out of pocket for medical procedures or treatments not co»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Wednesday the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and President-elect of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly HE Dr Khalil Rahm»»»

The use of airspace will be temporarily restricted in Issyk-Kul region and the city of Karakol, the City Hall reported. The restrictions will be in effect from August 27 to September 10. During this period, flights by general aviation aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles will be prohibited without»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is expected to become one of the world’s largest exporters of computing power within eight to 10 years, similar to its current position as one of the world’s biggest oil exporters, according to Rajit Nanda, CEO of DataVolt. DataVolt’s bet on the Kingdom rests on three key facto»»»

Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called Tuesday for elections in Ukraine, arguing that the suspension of democracy was incompatible with the country's war goals. File photo by Olivier Matthys/EPA Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for elections in Ukr»»»

ECB economists have warned that the current AI-driven stock market boom is likely to end in a correction, with potentially significant consequences for the euro area due to its exposure to US technology stocks. In a blog post published on 17 August, Malin Andersson, Johannes Breckenfelder, Stefano »»»

The investigation into the criminal case against civil activist Mavlyan Askarbekov has been completed. The case materials have been sent to Leninsky District Court of Bishkek. The first hearing is scheduled for August 20. Askarbekov is charged under Article 330 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Re»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia raised SR9.52 billion ($2.54 billion) through its August sukuk issuance, an increase of 77.94 percent from July, as the Kingdom continued to deepen its domestic debt market. In a press release, the National Debt Management Center said the issuance was divided into five tranches»»»

Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war in a 103-for-103 swap, the Russian Defense Ministry said. “On August 19, 103 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In exchange, 103 Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners of war were handed over,” the ministry said.The»»»

Azerbaijan's finance ministry has raised its average annual inflation forecast for 2026 to 5.7%, up from the 4.8% projected earlier, according to a mid-year budget execution and year-end outlook document published by the ministry and cited by Report. The revision reflects actual inflation recorded »»»

Ghana has climbed to sixth place among the world's largest gold producers, overtaking the United States after a jump in domestic output and a slump in American production, the Ghana Chamber of Mines said. The West African nation produced 185 tonnes of gold in 2025, moving up from its traditional se»»»

Ukraine has been using UK-made jet drones for deep strikes inside Russia for the past six months, The Sunday Times reported on August 16, citing Ukrainian military sources. The use of UK-made weapons to hit targets deep inside Russia has lead to fears that Russia will retaliate by targetting those »»»

Around 7,000 children currently live in children’s homes in Hungary. A report produced in early 2024 exposed appalling conditions in these institutions, but the Orbán government chose instead to conceal the reality: abuse, a lack of psychological support, starvation, and outdated, unusable furnitur»»»

NAIROBI: The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo now exceeds 5,000, government data showed late on Tuesday, as health officials warn that response efforts are failing to contain the deadly disease. Congo’s 17th Ebola epidemic ‌turned into ‌the biggest in the country’»»»

DUBAI: Jordanian-Romanian shoe designer Amina Muaddi has fronted a new campaign for French beauty house Lancome, appearing in a film for the label’s La vie est belle Very Cherry eau de parfum wearing heels and carrying a clutch from her own brand. Lancome released the film on its Instagram page thi»»»

A total of 20 illegal structures will be demolished on Tuesday in Stara Zagora's Lozenets borough, Stara Zagora Mayor Zhivko Todorov told journalists. The structures are located on state-owned private property, comprising forest land - deciduous forest - outside the regulatory boundary and within a»»»

FINANCIAL TIMES: IRAN EYES TARGETING US MILITARY ASSETS IN EUROPE IF TENSIONS ESCALATE Denevnik.bg and 24 Chasa reproduce a Financial Times report, citing people close to the Iranian regime, according to which Iranian officials and military planners have examined potential targets at American milit»»»

More than 400 school principals from across Bulgaria are enhancing their professional skills through a summer online academy, educational platform Prepodavame.bg said on Wednesday. The Summer Academy for School Principals is a free online program featuring 11 practical workshops for leaders of scho»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he is unhappy the country is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, two regional officials said on Tuesday, a day after Trump leveled the threat. The officials said the Trump administration has told »»»

Geneva: The bodies of two Belgian climbers who disappeared in the Swiss Alps 34 years ago have been found, freed from the melting Trift Glacier, police said Wednesday. On July 26, a hiker reported finding two bodies on the glacier in southern Switzerland, near the Italian border, the regional polic»»»

Dubai: The Dubai International Holy Quran Award has received 20,500 applications from 135 countries for its 29th edition, marking the largest international participation in the award's history. Registration for the 29th edition, corresponding to 1448H–2027, will close on Wednesday, with application»»»

Oman has suspended all powered paragliding activities across the country until further notice following a fatal accident in Salalah, according to the Oman Air Sports Committee. The decision covers all types of powered paragliding and applies to all locations licensed for the activity in the Sultana»»»

Dubai: Federal government employees in the UAE will receive specialised training in artificial intelligence, risk management, asset lifecycle planning and global asset management standards under a new programme launched by the Ministry of Finance. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf »»»

Criminal investigation officers in the city of Manas have identified an apartment that, according to preliminary information, was being used to provide illegal sexual services, the press service of the Internal Affairs Department of Jalal-Abad region reported. The apartment was discovered in a resi»»»

On the occasion of 19 August World Humanitarian Day, designated by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2008, we once again emphasize the importance of protecting UN personnel and humanitarian aid workers and of the rapid, safe, and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. At»»»

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday announced that women employed by the state government will be entitled to 365 days of maternity leave for a third child, extending a benefit currently available for the first two children. The measure was among a sweeping package of we»»»

KABUL: It’s grape season in Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar, and the harvest this year is plentiful. But that’s small comfort for the region’s grape producers and workers, who say fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has left them unable to access their primary market.For months, t»»»

BANGKOK: Thai schools conducted ‌active shooter drills on Wednesday, as authorities moved to strengthen security measures two weeks after a 14-year-old opened ​fire at a school and killed at least eight people.At the Surasamontree School in Bangkok, students took part in a “run, hide, fight” exerci»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government will challenge the Supreme Court’s order to move jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to a private hospital for medical checks, the law minister said late Tuesday. The ruling “does not fall within the four corners of the law,” Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said »»»

Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 in Burgas is an opportunity for Bulgaria to showcase its hospitality, culture and traditions and improve its image as a tourist destination for years to come, the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BHRA) said on Wednesday. On August 13, the Black Se»»»

Cairo, Egypt: The Arab League has condemned the Israeli strike on the Abu Al-Duhur airbase in Syria's Idlib province on Tuesday, describing it as a blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty and international law and another escalation in Israel's repeated attacks on Syria and other countries in the r»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s companies have reached an agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) on the supply of oil products to the country. The corresponding agreements were signed following talks in Urumqi, the Cabinet of Ministers reported. The meeting was held as part of Deputy Chairman of t»»»