DUBAI: With “Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu,” director Jon Favreau delivers a film that is undeniably charming on the surface. It is packed with adorable Grogu reaction shots, new creatures to enjoy, familiar and new planets, and just enough nostalgia to remind audiences why the galaxy far, far»»»

GENEVE: The deadly Ebola outbreak raging in central Africa probably began several months ago, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, deeming the risk high in the region but low worldwide. WHO experts said that investigations were under way into the origins of the outbreak, which was declared»»»

TUNIS: Tunisian authorities have lifted a ban on the local branch of prominent international NGO Avocats Sans Frontieres, the branch said on Wednesday without providing further details on the measure. ASF said in a statement it was “resuming activities starting May 20” after the ban, imposed on May»»»

LONDON: The Committee to Protect Journalists has urged Israeli authorities to immediately release journalists detained aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Israeli forces began intercepting vessels from the flotilla in international waters near Cyprus on Monday, as the convoy attempted to r»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Amiri Decree No. 25 of 2026, appointing HE Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki as President of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The decision is effective starting its date of issue and is to be published in th»»»

Justice Minister Nikolay Naydenov announced that he has proposed the dismissal of Daniela Miteva as head of Bulgaria’s Registry Agency following what he described as years of “shocking and unacceptable practices” inside one of the country’s most sensitive administrative institutions. Speaking after»»»

Capitals, May 20 (SANA) Oil prices, gold and global stock markets fluctuated this week as investors assessed uncertainty surrounding the conflict involving Iran, the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the outlook for inflation and interest rates. The S&P 500 closed down 0.1% on Monday, while the »»»

Abu Dhabi-based BILDCO and Wujod Real Estate Development have signed a strategic partnership agreement to develop a large-scale sustainable urban community in Abu Dhabi, with first-phase investments estimated at Dh2 billion. The planned development will span an initial area of 10 million square met»»»

Dubai : With 1,642 security patrols, two helicopters, 160 ambulatory points and 208 Civil Defence vehicles deployed across the emirate, Dubai’s Event Security Committee has completed preparations to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow during the Eid Al Adha holidays. Major General Saif Muhair Al »»»

The government approved on Wednesday a draft decision to grant a derogation from Regulation (EU) No. 833/2014. This authorizes the transit of industrial gas turbines from the UK through the territory of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation, intended for the Russian section of the Caspian Pipeline Con»»»

The Smolyan District Prosecutor’s Office has received an alert for illegal logging within the municipality’s territory, spokesperson Stancho Stanchev told BTA on Wednesday. The complaint was submitted by former acting Agriculture Minister Ivan Hristanov and forwarded by the Supreme Cassation Prosec»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday talks with Hungary's MOL about its acquisition of a Russian majority stake in the Serbian oil company NIS were not going well and that he was not too optimistic about a deal being reached by May 22 - a deadline set by the US Office of »»»

A report issued by Colliers, the diversified professional services and investment management company, on the performance of the UAE real estate market during the first quarter of 2026, revealed that the sector has entered a new phase of balanced and sustainable growth following the exceptional mome»»»

The U.K. government has delayed some new sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to shelter Britons from the cost-of-living squeeze triggered by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Iran war. A trade license that came into effect Wednesday permits the import of Russian oil that has be»»»

At its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a legislative programme in the May-June period. The Cabinet also adopted an operational programme for the period, which provides information about the consequences of the implementation of the proposed legislation, about the goals»»»

Pension payments will be expedited, and no delays will be permitted when the payment date falls on a non-working day. Amendments to this end were adopted by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, the Government Information Service reported. Currently, post offices, banks, and other payment service »»»

Dubai: The UAE demanded on Wednesday that Iraq "immediately" prevent further attacks from its territory, following an accusation by the Emirates that a drone targeting a nuclear plant was launched from there. The foreign ministry in a statement called on "Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originatin»»»

Suwon, Republic of Korea: North Korea's first sports team to visit the South in eight years reached the Asian Women's Champions League final on Wednesday as Naegohyang Women's FC beat Suwon FC Women 2-1. Naegohyang came from behind to defeat their rivals from the South amid torrential rain in Suwon»»»

Dubai: At least 42 United States military aircraft — including fighter jets, drones, refuelling tankers and surveillance planes — were lost or damaged during the war with Iran, according to a report prepared for the US Congress, highlighting the scale and cost of a conflict that Washington initiall»»»

Member of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Hussein Hajj Hasan hailed Lebanese people’s resolve “The people possess an unyielding will to live, persevere, and endure despite all pain,” MP Hajj Hasan told Al-Manar correspondent in Beirut’s southern suburb, Dahiyeh, Hussein Awwa»»»

At its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a legislative programme in the May-June period. The Cabinet also adopted an operational programme for the period, which provides information about the consequences of the implementation of the proposed legislation, about the goals»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Amiri Decree No. 25 of 2026, appointing HE Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki as Chairman of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The decision is effective starting its date of issue and is to be published in the»»»

London: Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translator Lin King won the International Booker Prize on Tuesday for “Taiwan Travelogue”, a playful postcolonial novel with a culinary bent. The prestigious award, which was handed out in a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern gallery, recognises works of fi»»»

The UAE demanded on Wednesday that Iraq "immediately" prevent further attacks from its territory, following an accusation by the Emirates that a drone targeting a nuclear plant was launched from there. The foreign ministry in a statement called on "Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originating from »»»

Iranian Revolutionary Guard members now regularly show the public in Tehran how to handle Kalashnikov-style assault rifles. Parades through the capital feature military vehicles mounted with belt-fed Soviet-era machine guns. And at one mass wedding, a ballistic missile, like the one that rained dow»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Embassy of Tajikistan and the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, in coordination with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organised a press briefing in Abu Dhabi on preparations for the upcoming Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Ac»»»

Parliament ratified on Wednesday at two readings in a single sitting the Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and its amendments. The motion was supported by 189 MPs from Progressive Bulgaria, GERB-UDF, Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Democratic Bulgaria and Continue the Cha»»»

Standing before their devastated building in central Beirut, childhood neighbors Wael Sabbagh and Ghida Krisht vow to fight for justice after an Israeli strike killed their family members. On April 8, hours after a ceasefire was announced between the United States and Iran, Israel launched a massiv»»»

May 19 (UPI) -- A customer brought home a bag of lettuce from an Australian grocery store and discovered a live frog among the leaves. Laura Jones and Billie Le Pine, who are originally from New Zealand, said their roommate returned to their Esperance home from a trip to Woolworths and called their»»»

Hali Rieman, a turf care influencer known as the "Lawn Queen," broke a Guinness World Record in Kentucky by mowing a football field-sized area in under 15 minutes. Photo courtesy of TurfMutt May 19 (UPI) -- An influencer known as the "Lawn Queen" broke a Guinness World Record in Kentucky by mowing »»»

An elite interational dive rescue team begins a complex operation on Wednesday to recover the remains of the last two of four Italian divers from underwater caves more than 200 feet down off the Maldives' Vaavu Atoll. Photo courtesy Maldives President's Media Division/EPA May 20 (UPI) -- The final »»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani chaired on Wednesday morning the Cabinet's regular meeting at the Amiri Diwan. Following the meeting, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HE Ibrahim bin Ali A»»»

RIYADH: Saudi ministries are implementing operational plans for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage with regulatory, supervisory and social initiatives aimed at improving services and the pilgrim experience. The ministry of interior has initiated strict measures for the Hajj season under the slogan “No Haj»»»

For third consecutive day, opposition political forces and Progressive Bulgaria (PB) clashed over the amendments to the National Assembly’s rules of procedure proposed by the ruling coalition. On Wednesday, opposition parliamentary groups warned of democratic backsliding, while PB denied accusation»»»

The death toll of an Israeli airstrike on the village of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr rose Wednesday to 12, including four women and three children of the same family and a Syrian national. Three were wounded, including a child. Israel's military did not immediately comment on the casualties or specific inc»»»

Doha, Qatar: Team Qatar will make its debut at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans from June 10 to 14, marking a landmark moment for Qatari motorsport as the nation takes its place on the grid of one of the world’s most prestigious and demanding races. The programme is delivered through a strategic part»»»

Dubai: Travellers in the UAE trying to secure Schengen visa appointments for Europe this summer are increasingly facing a new problem: AI bots and unofficial agents snapping up free appointment slots and reselling them at inflated prices. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balance»»»

Beijing: President Xi Jinping hailed China and Russia's "unyielding" ties in talks with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, as the pair met to underscore their alliance days after Donald Trump's own visit to Beijing. The two countries' ties have deepened since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as Russia »»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani chaired the regular Cabinet meeting at its headquarters in the Amiri Diwan. Following the meeting, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HEIbrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi»»»

A private partner has been selected for the public-private partnership (PPP) project «Construction of a Thermal Power Plant With Digital Infrastructure in Chon-Alai District of Osh region.» The press service of the National Investment Agency reported. The project provides for the construction of a »»»

By a ruling of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek dated May 15, 2026, a motion filed by a senior investigator of the Investigation Department for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic was granted, the Pervomaisky »»»

The National Assembly on Wednesday approved at first reading three bills amending and supplementing the Criminal Procedure Code. Two of the bills were submitted by the caretaker cabinet of Andrey Gurov, and the third by Yordan Ivanov of Democratic Bulgaria and a group of MPs. The first bill submitt»»»

JERUSALEM: Activists who were aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli naval forces are being detained at an Israeli port before being taken to prison, an Israeli rights group and the flotilla’s organizers said on Wednesday. The flotilla was making a renewed attempt to deliv»»»

Seoul: Samsung Electronics and its workers' union resumed talks Wednesday with South Korea's labour minister mediating, after earlier talks aimed at averting a strike collapsed. Workers at the world's top memory chipmaker had been due to begin a strike on Thursday after talks over bonuses failed, r»»»

In 2018, on the day the 2026 FIFA World Cup was awarded to the US, Canada, and Mexico, I vowed that under no circumstances would I work at it in any capacity, from commentator to host, journalist to presenter. The reason was simple: five years of non-stop lawfare against the sport’s global governin»»»

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has refused to approve Israel’s new ambassador to Zagreb, citing disagreements with the Israeli government’s actions. The presidential office announced the decision on Monday. “The proposed Ambassador of the State of Israel has not received, nor will he receive, t»»»

Brussels should strip fighting-age Ukrainian men of “temporary protection” status, Ylva Johansson, the bloc’s special envoy for Ukrainians in the EU, has said. A total of 4.33 million Ukrainians were living under temporary protection status in the EU as of March 31, 2026, according to the bloc’s st»»»

Almost two out of three violent attacks against politicians in Germany in 2025 targeted members of Alternative for Germany (AfD), government data shows. An MP from the right-wing party blamed the development on what he called a years-long defamation campaign. AfD politicians were targets in a total»»»

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Tuesday detentions of directors of Serbian health care and educational institutions in central Kosovo-Metohija on orders from Albin Kurti represented an attempt by Pristina to exert impermissible pressur»»»

Israel’s Knesset (parliament) approved a bill for its dissolution in a preliminary reading on Wednesday with support from both coalition and opposition lawmakers. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said 110 lawmakers voted in favor of the proposal, while no members opposed it, according to the Knesset’s of»»»