The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden wrote the European Commission on Wedneday urging it to kickstart a stalled plan to use Russian assets frozen in Europe's banks and clearing houses to plug a $26.8 billion gap in Ukraine's defense funding. File photo by Patrick Seeger/EPA-EFE Aug. 27 (UPI) -»»»

Damascus, Aug. 27 (SANA) Syria and Saudi Arabia agreed Thursday to establish a joint bank and develop direct, regulated banking channels to facilitate investment-related transfers between the two countries, the Central Bank of Syria said. The agreement came during talks at the bank’s headquarters i»»»

A group of Israelis who regularly travel to the West Bank to protect Palestinians who are victims of increasing attacks by settlers say their Jewish faith drove them towards activism. On Tuesday, at least five activists were injured while rushing to assist Palestinians being harassed by settlers in»»»

Iran and Oman are holding talks to try to reach an interim agreement for a controlled resumption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries have discussed a framework for a “temporary corridor” for shipping, according to a joint statement by the Iranian and Omani foreign ministries. B»»»

WASHINGTON: The United States and Iran are not currently in talks to end the war as Washington focuses on pressuring Tehran economically, but all options remain “on the table,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday. “What President Trump’s numbe»»»

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama died at the age of 97 on August 14 in Tokyo, her company said Thursday. The avant-garde artist known as the “polka dot queen” had channelled her hallucinations and traumas into her work over the course of a career spanning several decades. Japan's Yayoi Kusama, one of t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways has launched its latest partnership with Uber for Business to enhance the corporate travel experience by delivering greater flexibility and convenience for businesses and corporate travellers worldwide. Through this partnership, members of Qatar Airways’ corporate travel »»»

As drought in Europe brings river levels to record lows, a group of volunteers scans the dried-up Danube riverbank in northern Bulgaria, not far from where the receding waters revealed mammoth bones in July. About 20 volunteers join an effort in the hope of discovering new fossils or artifacts»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed on Thursday the need for Islamic solidarity amid the challenges facing the region during a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers. He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s longstanding support for the Pa»»»

New York, Aug. 27 (SANA) Oil prices rose Thursday, reversing earlier losses as traders weighed signs of diplomatic progress involving Iran against lingering risks to Middle East energy supplies. Brent crude futures gained 71 cents, or 0.81%, to $88.55 a barrel at 1128 GMT, while US West Texas Inter»»»

Sharjah: School bus drivers and supervisors have received safety and emergency response training as Sharjah Civil Defence steps up preparations for the new academic year. The Sharjah Civil Defence Authority has trained 1,200 school bus drivers and supervisors as part of its preparations for student»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will open a 5-kilometre expansion of Emirates Road on August 30, adding two lanes for traffic travelling from Sharjah towards the Wadi Al Amardi area. The expansion is aimed at easing congestion on one of the main routes connecting Dubai with Sharj»»»

A Jerusalem Magistrate's Court judge acquitted a man accused of attacking a Catholic nun based on his insanity defense, but ordered him committed to psychiatric hospitalization for up to six years. The violent assault in April on a nun walking in her habit in Jerusalem's Old City sent shock waves a»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump says his country does not need Canada. But every day, roughly 4 million barrels of Canadian crude oil flow south, helping fuel American cars, trucks and airplanes and supply U.S. industry. And oil is only the beginning. Canada also supplies aluminum, potash to U.S. farms»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed two memorandums of understanding on transport aimed at supporting studies for the rehabilitation of Syria’s road and railway networks, easing cross-border trade and strengthening regional connectivity as economic ties deepen. Syrian Minister of Transport Y»»»

Sharjah: Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi has highlighted the generations of Emirati women whose contributions have helped shape the UAE, saying progress becomes more meaningful when it creates opportunities for others. In a statement marking Emirati Women’s Day 2026, Sheikha Bodour said the ad»»»

ConflictsChinaCould new US sanctions tear China and Iran apart?Wesley Rahn | Erning ZhuWashington's strategy of putting maximum economic pressure on Iran is tempered by its desire to smooth political tensions with China. https://p.dw.com/p/5JUFhChinese oil purchases are a cricital lifeline for Iran»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for International Cooperation HE Dr. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad met, virtually, on Thursday, with President of the African Development Bank Group, HE Dr. Sidi Ould Tah. During the meeting, the two sides discussed cooperation relations between the State of Qa»»»

Bayer Construct Ltd. has filed a request with the court to initiate insolvency proceedings, Attila Balázs, the owner of the Bayer Group, told employees yesterday. According to the company chief, developments over recent months have left the business facing serious financial exposure. He cited regul»»»

Dubai: Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), on Thursday opened the second edition of the Emirati Women’s Forum 2026, held as the UAE marks Emirati Women’s Day. The forum, organised by the Dubai Women Establishment (DWE)»»»

Has the doomscrolling finally met its doom? It might just seem that the prayer of many parents has finally been answered: Meta’s landmark settlement might just signal a significant shift. Should tech companies finally shoulder more of the responsibility for protecting children? For years, the respo»»»

Abu Dhabi will waive fees for Darb road tolls and public parking under the Mawaqif system system on Friday, August 28, to mark the Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday holiday, Q Mobility announced. Darb toll gates at Sas Al Nakhl, Al Maqta, Rabdan and Saadiyat will be free on Friday, with charges resuming »»»

Dubai: If your child is starting kindergarten, grade 1 or grade 2 in public schools and private schools managed by the Ministry of Education this year, there will be no homework in their school bag when the new academic year begins on August 31. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has scrapped homework»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent a cable of condolences to President of Nepal HE Ramchandra Paudel, on the victims of the floods and landslides that struck the country, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.»»»

Charges have been brought in connection with the investigation into Lot 4 of the Hemus Motorway, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office (SCPO) reported on Thursday. For a considerable time, the materials relating to the pre-trial proceedings were not actually available to the supervising prosecutors an»»»

The Middle East is entering a new security era. For decades, the regional order was largely shaped by the United States providing a broad security umbrella; Israel preserving its qualitative edge; Iran projecting influence through long-range weapons and proxies; and Arab states relying on Washingto»»»

Dubai: The head of Baghdad Municipality Police in the Karkh district was killed and four others wounded on Thursday when gunfire erupted during an operation to remove illegal structures and encroachments in southern Baghdad, local sources reported. Brigadier Hisham was killed at the scene after mun»»»

Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly on Thursday, Vazrazhdane MP Kosta Stoyanov said the party will nominate its own candidates for president and vice president, "unlike the main candidates announced so far who were nominated by initiative committees". The deadline for nominating candid»»»

As Canada moves to reduce its dependence on American military suppliers, the push is on display inside a Toronto garment factory. Hunched over sewing machines, two workers rapidly stitch together pieces of camouflage-patterned fabric and Velcro strips. In the next room, workers snip stray threads a»»»

The Osh Regional Department of Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision has organized aerial monitoring in Kyrgyz-Ata State Nature Park using specialized unmanned aerial vehicles. The drones are being used to ensure compliance with environmental legislation. Spe»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), has announced the approval of the resolution regarding the regulations governing violations, penalties and administrative measures related to the Ministry’s mandates and services. The move represents a further step in com»»»

Damascus, Aug. 27 (SANA) Syrian industrialists and businesses participating in the 63rd Damascus International Fair said the event offers opportunities to expand exports, enter new markets, build international partnerships and adopt modern technologies in the country’s industrial sector. Participan»»»

Continue the Change (CC) Chair Assen Vassilev told reporters on Thursday that once former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gurov announces that he is running for president, CC will convene a National Council meeting to decide whether to support his candidacy. Vassilev added that he has already expre»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent a cable of condolences to the President of Nepal HE Ram Chandra Paudel regarding the victims of the floods and landslides that struck the country, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Defense has announced on Thursday that the State of Qatar and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have agreed to implement the Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP), which will enhance political, defense, and security cooperation between Qatar and»»»

KYIV: Russia attacked Kyiv with drones on Thursday, the latest in a series of increasingly frequent daytime assaults on the capital, after strikes across the country wounded around a dozen people, authorities said. More than four years into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has recently intensified i»»»

The Council for Electronic Media (CEM) will once again conduct its traditional public opinion survey on "Audience attitudes towards the media during an election campaign for president and vice-president", the regulator said during a meeting on Thursday. Bulgaria will hold a presidential election on»»»

BMF GRUP, a company founded in 2011 by Romanian entrepreneurs, is acquiring ENGIE Building Solutions, a subsidiary of ENGIE Servicii, strengthening its position as a provider of integrated solutions for buildings and critical infrastructure. ENGIE Building Solutions specialises in energy services f»»»

The largest edition in the history of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) will open on Friday, bringing together 2,405 companies, brands and exhibitors from 71 countries. Held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al D»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday expressed his condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the devastating mudslides in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. "I would like to express my most sincere condolences in connection with the tragic consequences of mudsli»»»

New Delhi: Top private sector lender HDFC Bank is facing a federal securities class-action lawsuit in New York over allegations that it orchestrated a covert scheme to illegally inflate interest payouts to a state government agency by disguising them as marketing expenses. The complaint, filed in t»»»

The US has accused Chinese hackers it described as “state-backed” of breaking into NASA, the Federal Reserve, and other sensitive government networks, just weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected in Washington for talks with President Donald Trump. Beijing rejected the allegations. Th»»»

Iran has praised China for rejecting US threats to impose sanctions on countries that continue to trade with the Islamic Republic, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying on Wednesday that Tehran’s strategic partnership with Beijing “needs no one’s permission.” Ghalibaf welcomed Chi»»»

Mexico has arrested a man who allegedly shot and killed an influencer during a live broadcast, authorities said on Wednesday. Cesar Gastelum was attacked on August 4 while livestreaming in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state, which has been a battleground for warring drug factions. Get updated f»»»

Experts believe a glacier collapse might have caused the catastrophic floods at the border between Nepal and Tibet that killed at least 270 people and left more than 1,000 missing. While initial reports suggested the possibility that an earthquake had triggered the collapse, the US Geological Surve»»»

Dubai: In a city where people from different parts of the world live side by side, community can sometimes begin with something as ordinary as a pile of clothes, a box of toys, or a collection of old games. Across Abu Dhabi, informal gatherings built around shared interests have been creating oppor»»»

BusinessNorth AmericaWhy social media harms are hard to regulateNik MartinMeta and other social media platforms face lawsuits alleging they foster addictive use among young people. Now regulators are struggling to rein in their engagement-driven business models. https://p.dw.com/p/5JIl5Social media»»»

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa criticized Hezbollah on Thursday, arguing that the Lebanese people broadly agree on the necessity of disarming the group despite differing approaches. "Thus, Hezbollah must hand over its arms to the state," he said. The remarks came following a meeting with th»»»

The Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) has approved the registration of an SME Growth Market within the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), marking an important step towards the launch of a segment aimed at small and medium-sized companies and startups seeking financing for expansion.»»»

Bulgaria's Air Force is facing a difficult transition period after the United States and Sweden rejected Sofia's requests for used F-16 and Gripen fighter jets, while deliveries of the country's second batch of new F-16s are expected to be delayed until mid-2030. Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov s»»»