Zambians vote Thursday in a general election widely expected to give President Hakainde Hichilema a second term, as his economic record faces a test from voters frustrated by the cost of living and opposition parties seek to capitalise on discontent despite deep divisions. Zambia goes to the polls »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed military and defense cooperation with the director of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, First Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, on Thursday. The two officials reviewed Saudi-Iraqi relations in th»»»

Crude oil carrier Universal Winner, a South Korean oil tanker operated by Korean shipping company HMM, reaches waters off the southeastern port city of Ulsan, South Korea, on June 10. File Photo by Yonhap South Korea/EPA Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The price of crude oil was on the decline on Thursday after t»»»

Dubai: A fire engulfed a tourist boat carrying families off Turkey’s southwestern coast on Thursday, forcing passengers, including children, to jump into the sea as authorities evacuated 115 people from the vessel, officials said. Footage of the incident showed flames sweeping through the boat and »»»

The Central Election Commission (CEC) launched a tender for voter information materials for the October 25 presidential election, CEC's press service said on Thursday. The contract covers audio and audiovisual clips and other campaign materials. The tender also calls for a logo, slogan, visual iden»»»

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Tryavna Mayor Dencho Minev said that the exclusion zone of approximately 500 metres around EMKO’s site near the village of Belitsa would not affect populated areas, citizens’ rights, tourism, or road traffic. Minev added that the perimeter covers a wooded are»»»

Poland has arrested a Russian national who was allegedly planning to kill a Ukrainian-American dual citizen in Warsaw, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday. Tusk added that this was the first time that “someone on the order of Russia” had sought to attack an American citizen on NATO territory.&»»»

Suspicion that the fire and subsequent explosions at the EMCO ammunition plant may have been deliberately caused points toward Russia, according to ammunition expert and former deputy technical director of the company Naiden Iliev. He said Russia could potentially benefit from destabilizing the sit»»»

Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov has assured residents that the planned NATO military facility in the Kabile military district near Yambol will not be used for military exercises, live-fire training or the storage of dangerous substances and heavy military equipment. Stoyanov made the statement in»»»

The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has officially announced that Pakistan's first lunar rover has been named "Jinnah‑I" in honor of Muhammad Ali Jinnah — the founder of Pakistan. The rover is being developed by SUPARCO engineers. Its technical specifications (according to »»»

They look like normal glasses, but there is a minuscule camera that is capturing what is in the eyes of the beholder – and transferring it directly onto social media. A German NGO has launched legal action against Meta on Saturday (8 August), as well as several optical retail chains selling Meta’s »»»

An image of Charlie Kirk hangs from the Department of Education headquarters in March. Attorneys for his alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, argue that he isn't eligible for the death penalty. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Lawyers for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of »»»

SILQ, the financial infrastructure provider, formed through the merger of Saudi Arabia’s B2B marketplace Sary and South Asia’s ShopUp, has marked its first anniversary by securing $100 million (SR 375 million) in financing facilities. The funding round attracted major regional and international ins»»»

The Bulgarian government is committed to the sustainable development of the energy sector, protecting workers in the industry, and preserving thermal power plants (TPPs) and coal mining as a sovereign source of baseload energy, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said during a meeting with representatives o»»»

The Independent Association of Bulgarian Prosecutors (IABP) proposed that the rules for conducting elections of members of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) include the creation of a special mechanism for reporting pressure and interference. This is laid out in a statement by the organization on T»»»

IOWA, USA: Paul Grinvalds has completed 114 marathons in all 50 states, but he still wilts when he races in temperatures beyond 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius). It’s the same for most runners, as the body can’t cool down during exertion, and heat makes that even harder. “One thing about marath»»»

Surveillance technology company Flock Safety announced new measures to safeguard the use of its technology on Thursday after a series of incidents committed by law enforcement officers. File Photo by Jagadeesh NV/EPA Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Surveillance technology company Flock Safety announced new measur»»»

MyPillow founder Mike Lindell lost the Republican primary for governor of Minnesota. He refuses to concede. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo Aug. 12 (UPI) -- MyPillow founder Mike Lindell is refusing to concede defeat in the Minnesota governor's Republican primary election, saying there »»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Sports and Youth, in cooperation with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), organised a youth session on the impact of sports on youth mental health, as part of the International Youth Day celebrations, observed annually on August 12 under this year's theme, 'Different Contexts, »»»

Dubai: Aspiring musicians, producers and songwriters in the UAE will be able to pursue an accredited Bachelor of Music degree in Dubai from September, following the launch of a new three-year programme by SAE University College. The institution said the programme is the first accredited Bachelor of»»»

Rotterdam, Netherlands: At least one person was killed and several injured in an explosion at a Rotterdamn port refinery belonging to the Dutch subsidiary of the Swiss-based Gunvor Group on Thursday, police said. Rotterdam police told AFP that the explosion occurred around 11:30 am (0930 GMT) at th»»»

Rome: An explosion rocked an ammunition factory near Colleferro, a town about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Rome, Italy's carabinieri police said Thursday. Firefighters and police were at the site and "complex operations" were underway, police told AFP without immediately providing further »»»

New Delhi: Air India pilots will undergo mandatory drug screening starting Thursday, according to an internal memo seen by AFP, after a captain involved in a serious mid-air incident reportedly tested positive for marijuana. Existing rules require airlines to randomly test at least 10 percent of th»»»

LONDON: The government of the Syrian Arab Republic is committed to expanding cooperation with the World Bank to advance financial, economic and institutional reforms, Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh said on Thursday. Barnieh met Dahlia Khalifa, the World Bank’s Middle East director, in Damas»»»

Russia’s Rosatom is accelerating work on the Paks II project, which will provide Hungary with two new nuclear reactors, but a key political relationship behind the massive investment has changed dramatically. While Viktor Orbán’s governments maintained unusually close ties with Moscow for years, Ro»»»

Dubai: The world survived the first oil shock of the US-Iran war. Nearly six months later, the buffer that helped protect consumers from an even bigger hit is getting thinner. Global oil stockpiles are rapidly diminishing as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively stalled, raising »»»

Everybody wants a piece of Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s wedding buzz and Kerala Tourism has already moved on to the honeymoon. In a cheeky social-media post, it asked the couple: “Dear Cristiano & Georgina, how about choosing Kerala as your honeymoon destination?” It’s a timely pitch »»»

TUNIS: Economic pressures and changing social norms are driving couples in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria to have fewer babies, with a recent study saying Maghreb fertility was at a historic low. Experts and couples interviewed by AFP spoke of a combination of factors, including longer educations an»»»

BURAIDAH: The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission is participating in the Buraidah International Dates Carnival by showcasing its publications, including the book “Buraidah,” as part of efforts to introduce the Kingdom’s culinary heritage and highlight its connection to local products. Listed by Guinnes»»»

KHARTOUM: Drones targeted the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday as paramilitary forces launched ground attacks on central Sudan and the southeastern Ethiopian border, an AFP correspondent and sources from the rival sides reported. Since April 2023, Sudan has been ravaged by war between the Suda»»»

On Sunday, Aug. 16, the men’s and women’s finals of The Hundred will be contested at Lord’s. The competition is in its sixth year and has been a disruptive force since its conception in 2017. The format is disruptive, consisting of 100 deliveries, broken into sets of five, with a bowler able to del»»»

RIYADH: Sometimes the most inspiring journeys begin with life’s toughest challenges and this is the case with Lee Starks who transformed a difficult past into a lifelong mission of mentorship through boxing. Starks moved to Saudi Arabia several years ago from a gym in Plano, New Jersey, that produc»»»

The Russian Armed Forces are continuing to strike port infrastructure and maritime vessels being used in support of the Ukrainian military, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported. "The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are continuing to carry out strikes on port infrastructure and sea vessels e»»»

Dubai: Riyadh Season will become an official sponsor of the 2027 Spanish Super Cup, which will be staged at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium, extending Saudi Arabia’s involvement with the tournament despite its move away from the Kingdom next year. Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Gene»»»

Dubai: An Omani court has sentenced an Arab woman to one year in prison and ordered her permanent deportation after convicting her of using information technology to produce and publish content deemed contrary to public morals during a live broadcast on social media. The Court of First Instance in »»»

ABIDJAN: Seven people were killed last week in a land dispute between communities in the southeast of the Ivory Coast, a prosecutor said. “A dispute between members of different communities living in the village of Kossandji escalated into violent clashes, leaving seven people dead and several inju»»»

LONDON: Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration party Reform UK, had hoped a special election Thursday for his Parliament seat would help quell awkward questions about his finances. But with the major parties refusing to field candidates in the election, voters in a small seaside resort outsid»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has been reconstituted under the chairmanship of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, with all current ministers retaining their positions, according to a royal decree issued by King Salman on Thursday. The decree reconstitutes the Council of Ministers»»»

Conservative journalist Tucker Carlson has accused the US political establishment of turning Americans against each other, telling RT that key decisions are made by unelected officials and the system no longer represents ordinary voters. Speaking to Rick Sanchez on Wednesday, Carlson said Americans»»»

Ferencváros fans were attacked in Poland on Wednesday evening ahead of the Hungarian champions’ Europa League qualifier against Górnik Zabrze. A large group of masked attackers targeted a restaurant in the centre of Zabrze where Hungarian supporters were staying, leaving one Hungarian man with a br»»»

Dubai: Diplomatic and security activity continued across the Gulf and wider Middle East on Thursday, with sharp exchanges between the US and Iran, a new defence pact among regional powers, continued Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and a counterterrorism operation in Kuwait. For UAE residents, t»»»

LONDON: The Israeli military has reversed an earlier order to evacuate Palestinians from 15 homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, saying residents could remain while troops conduct operations near a recently established settler outpost, according to Israeli media. The military said forces had be»»»

PARIS: Iran warned on Thursday of environmental degradation in the Strait of Hormuz after an oil spill reached its southern Qeshm island, calling for compensation from those responsible. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the slick had “degraded the waters” of the Gulf and Sea of Oman, »»»

BUCHAREST: Romania on Thursday began a controlled shutdown of the second reactor at its Cernavoda nuclear power plant as a severe drought continues to grip the continent. Scorching heat and low rainfall in recent weeks have left the Danube River at record lows and forced the state-owned Cernavoda p»»»

Defense Minister Michel Menassa met Thursday at his office in Yarze with Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, who led a delegation comprising members of the Military Council and senior officers of the Army Command. The visit was to thank the defense minister for his "supportive stances towards t»»»

RIYADH: Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Saudi Arabia, Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama, hosted a farewell ceremony for the outgoing ambassadors of Finland and Sweden at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh, on Thursday. Bamakhrama acknowledged their service, commitment and con»»»

Three states are scheduled to execute prisoners Thursday. File Photo by Paul Buck/EPA Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Three states are set to execute prisoners Thursday in Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma. The three men, all convicted of murder, will be executed by lethal injection. Two of them have not fought the»»»

Measures aimed at improving satisfaction with the pension system, ensuring more adequate pensions and strengthening public trust are being planned, Minister of Labour and Social Policy Nataliya Efremova told journalists during a visit to Bolyarovo Municipality, Yambol Region, where she opened a ren»»»

KYIV: Ukrainian drones struck a major refinery deep inside Russia, military officials said Thursday, the fourth in three days in Kyiv’s monthslong campaign to choke Moscow’s vital oil sector. Russia is one of the world’s biggest energy producers, with oil providing an economic mainstay as its army »»»

MIAMI: A federal judge in Miami has postponed a hearing over whether social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate should remain in custody as they fight extradition to the United Kingdom, where the brothers are accused of rape and sex trafficking. US Magistrate Lauren Louis had been scheduled t»»»