A court Shenzhen sentenced Hui Ka Yan, founder and former chairman of the failed Chinese property giant China Evergrande, to life in prison on Thursday, four months after he pled guilty to embezzlement, securities fraud, corporate graft and other charges. File photo by Wu Hong/EPA Aug. 20 (UPI) -- »»»

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent gives a press briefing in May. The national debt is rising significantly. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The national debt hit $40 trillion Tuesday, a record high, signaling that the government is borrowing at a record pace. Th»»»

János Lázár, a former minister in Hungary’s previous government and arguably Fidesz’s most prominent political figure after Viktor Orbán, has resigned from his parliamentary mandate, effective 20 August. Former transport minister leaves Parliament Lázár announced the decision in a lengthy Facebook »»»

The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) is set to return for its largest edition yet, bringing together 2,405 companies and brands from 71 countries. The 23rd edition of ADIHEX will run from August 28 to September 6 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, under the theme “A Legacy»»»

Dubai Municipality has restructured 20 services as part of efforts to simplify procedures, improve government efficiency and provide customers with a faster and more seamless experience. The overhaul includes changes to the operating models of 13 services, with some integrated into other services, »»»

Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica has accused YouTube of waging a “war” against people who think independently and “tell the truth,” after the Google-owned platform deleted his channel without any warning. YouTube removed Kusturica’s ‘My Life’ channel on Wednesday, without publicly elaborating on th»»»

August 20, 2026 marks 120 years since Bulgaria and Norway established diplomatic relations, the Bulgarian Embassy in Oslo reported. The embassy added that the two countries are NATO allies and partners in the European Economic Area, with bilateral cooperation spanning a wide range of areas. The nea»»»

DUBAI: Yemeni troops carried out 81 precision strikes against Houthi targets across the country in the past 24 hours, according to a statement issued by the Yemeni Armed Forces. Staff Col. Majid Abdullah Al-Nazili, official spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said the strikes targeted Houthi »»»

LONDON: A convicted people smuggler living in the English county of Leicestershire has been arrested and charged, the BBC reported on Thursday. Twana Jamal Khdir, once described as the “godfather” of the French migrant camps, was charged with a set of immigration offenses. The Iraqi Kurd previously»»»

Tunis, Aug. 20 (TAP)-Tunisia keeps working to implement the pilot project for methane gas emissions reduction and carbon quota trading. To this end, it has adopted the Japanese "Fukuoka" waste technique aka the Fukuoka Method or semi-aerobic...»»»

DOHA: Qatar Airways announced that it has equipped 150 of its wide-body aircraft with Starlink service, including a Boeing 787-9. The airline stated in a press release that it completed the Starlink conversion of its Boeing 787-8 fleet within seven months, making it the operator of the world's firs»»»

Russia is destroying Ukraine's weapons “before they ever end up being used against its troops,” Viktor Litovkin, a retired Russian Army colonel and veteran military analyst, tells Sputnik. Russia's strikes on military plants, logistics hubs, and weapons depots pack a triple whammy effect: Ukraine c»»»

Turkey, Egypt and Qatar on Thursday strongly condemned ​recent Israeli strikes in ‌Gaza, saying in a joint statement that ‘Israel’ must comply with ​its obligations under a ceasefire ​agreement and refrain from steps ⁠that could escalate tensions. “The ​mediating countries underline that the intens»»»

Dubai: Motorists travelling between Dubai and Sharjah should expect slower journeys during Thursday evening’s rush hour, particularly on major corridors linking the two emirates. The main pressure points are expected along Al Ittihad Road (E11) around Al Taawun, Sahara Centre and Al Nahda, where tr»»»

Dubai: The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) reviewed 2,267 humanitarian cases during the first half of 2026, approving 1,295 after assessing their circumstances and eligibility under approved humanitarian criteria. GDRFA Dubai said its Humanitarian Cases »»»

Dubai: Iran says it controls the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump insists the United States has broken Tehran’s grip on the vital waterway. The reality is more complicated — and could help explain why a conflict now deep into its sixth month remains so difficult to end. Shipping traffic remains sever»»»

Dubai: Tensions across the Middle East escalated on multiple fronts on Thursday, with a US aircraft carrier strike group arriving in the region, a tanker reportedly seized by armed men off Yemen, and President Donald Trump threatening further economic pressure on Iran. Gulf states called for de-esc»»»

Leading real estate developer Tomorrow World Properties has signed an official partnership with renowned Italian luxury brand Missoni for an upcoming launch on a yet undisclosed exclusive new development in Dubai. Set in one of the city’s most desired communities, the project is expected to blend t»»»

A group of irregular migrants was found in a van by officers of the Malko Tarnovo Border Police, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday. The driver was detained along with 35 men who identified themselves as Afghan nationals. According to the Interior Ministry, the van driver is a 22-year-old natio»»»

Moscow continues to send GRU officers to Norway under diplomatic cover. The Barents Observer looks at their identities. Colonel Sergei Belousov has held the position of military attaché at the Russian embassy in Oslo since around the middle of 2025. According to leaked data, Belousov is registered »»»

Dubai: There's that one moment at a boarding gate when a person's true character shows itself. The first boarding call sounds — group one, mind you — and suddenly half the waiting area rises as if to a starting gun only they could hear. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & BalancesS»»»

The State has earmarked EUR 20 million for preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 through the end of this year, Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov said in Burgas on Thursday, as the host city began work on the organization of the event and Sofia Municipality sought detailed feedback on wh»»»

If Lebanon and Israel fail to agree on a new pilot zone in south Lebanon, Washington will designate the aforementioned zone, U.S. General Joseph Clearfield told Lebanese officials during his latest visit to Beirut, according to a senior Lebanese official. The Lebanese official spoke to al-Joumhouri»»»

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has emphasized the importance of UNIFIL forces' presence in southern Lebanon and their assigned role, both in “maintaining security in the south and in supporting the Lebanese Army's deployment across all Lebanese territory up to the international border, as stipul»»»

Cairo: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met in Cairo on Thursday with Secretary-General of the League of Arab States HE Nabil Fahmy. At the outset of the meeting, His Excellency congratulated the Secretary-General of the Arab Leag»»»

Moscow continues to send GRU officers to Norway under diplomatic cover. The Barents Observer looks at their identities. Colonel Sergei Belousov has held the position of military attaché at the Russian embassy in Oslo since around the middle of 2025. According to leaked data, Belousov is registered »»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar, the Republic of Türkiye, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in their capacity as mediating countries, strongly condemn the recent Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in the loss of civilian lives, including women and children, and express their deep »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom is holding talks with another 15 countries on the construction of nuclear power plants, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin convened a meeting to discuss the development of nuclear energy. On Th»»»

The founder of China Evergrande Group, the world's most-indebted property developer, was sentenced to life in prison by a Chinese court on Thursday, five years after the firm's collapse shook the nation's economy and financial markets. China sentenced the founder of embattled property giant Evergra»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has abolished the Personal Baggage Scheme for importing used vehicles for overseas Pakistanis, while retaining the Gift and Transfer of Residence schemes under stricter conditions aimed at preventing their commercial misuse. Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan confirmed the »»»

Tehran: Six months into its war with the United States, Iran's military has begun signalling a shift from retaliation to offence, which analysts say could reflect Tehran's belief it holds leverage to advance its demands and break the stalemate. Since US-Israeli strikes launched the war on February »»»

Dubai: Qatar Airways is on track to complete its Starlink rollout across its Boeing 787 fleet by the end of 2026, after equipping more than half of its aircraft with the high-speed satellite Wi-Fi service. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & BalancesThe Doha-based airline has now f»»»

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev spoke by phone with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the security situation in Europe, with particular attention to concerns over possible aggressive actions by Iran, according to the Bulgarian government. Rutte reaffirmed NATO's full support and the read»»»

CAIRO: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met in Cairo on Thursday with Secretary-General of the League of Arab States HE Nabil Fahmy. At the outset of the meeting, the PM congratulated the Secretary-General of the Arab League on th»»»

Pushpajothi Ravikumar broke the Guinness World Record for the most words written on a sticky note: 150. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records Aug. 19 (UPI) -- A United Arab Emirates woman broke a Guinness World Record by managing to hand-write 150 different words onto a single sticky note. Pushp»»»

Aug. 19 (UPI) -- It was a calamari catastrophe on a Rhode Island road when an overturned tractor-trailer spilled "a substantial portion" of squid into traffic. The Narragansett Police Department said in a news release that the tractor-trailer was carrying thousands of pounds of squid to be processe»»»

Dubai: More than 24,000 new real estate units were added to Dubai during the first six months of 2026, an increase of 36% compared with last year, according to figures reviewed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Thursday. A total of 104 real estate projects were completed during»»»

The Sofia City Prosecution Office (SCPO) has opened an investigation into whether officers from the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) overstepped their powers while checking Movement for Rights and Freedoms Chair Delyan Peevski, who enjoys immunity as a Member of Parliament. Off»»»

The Danube has completely receded from the Bulgarian bank at the Vidin-Kalafat Bridge, leaving part of the riverbed exposed, a BTA reporter found on the scene Thursday. At the 796th river kilometre, the water has receded toward the Romanian bank, where the waterway also runs. The receding water has»»»

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»»»

Israeli strikes and shelling targeted overnight into Thursday Houla, Markaba, Wadi Slouqi, Qabrikha, al-Mansouri, Majdalzoun, Ali al-Taher and Touline, as troops carried out detonations in Zawtar al-Sahrqiyeh, Majdalzoun, al-Mansouri and al-Khiam. The United Nations peacekeeping force in south Leba»»»

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

CAIRO: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt HE DrBadr Abdelatty on the sidelines of the seventh session of the Qatari-Egyptian Jo»»»

Today, nuclear energy is a source of pride for Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Putin convened a meeting on the development of nuclear energy. On Thursday, the Russian nuclear industry marks the 81st anniversary of its founding."Today, nuclear energy - with its powerful concentration »»»

Burgas Airport says it is ready to handle increased passenger traffic expected around Eurovision 2027, with thousands of visitors from Bulgaria and abroad anticipated to travel to the city for the competition. The airport has already begun discussions with airlines about next summer's flight schedu»»»

This week The Telegraph reported that “Russians withdraw billions from banks amid fears Putin could seize deposits.” What actually happened is Russian bank deposits have doubled since the start of the war in Ukraine and are still rising. Russians are not taking money out of banks; they are putting »»»

A Syrian police investigator who slapped a man during interrogation despite having been warned that he had hemophilia will face prosecution, officials said Thursday. Syria's interior ministry earlier this week launched an investigation into the death of Mohammad Ghamira and on Thursday announced in»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Football Association (QFA) believes that the strength and unity of Asian football depend upon open consultation, mutual respect and sound institutional governance, stressed QFA President, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. ​"Our recent correspondence with the Asian Footbal»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has published Rally Guide 1 and released initial details of this year’s Qatar International Baja. The Lusail-based event takes its place in the calendar on October 28 to 31 and is the penultimate round of both the FIA World and Middle Ea»»»

A senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that Tehran would deploy significantly more advanced and destructive weaponry than those used in previous conflicts should a new war break out, signaling a major escalation in the Islamic Republic’s military posture. Bri»»»