Iran must admit what it has done to Syrians before any mediation — FM Shaibani
ISLAMABAD: Iran would first have to acknowledge what it had done to Syria and its people before any future Pakistan-led mediation could help restore ties between Damascus and Tehran, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani said on Thursday. Shaibani was speaking to journalists in Islamabad»»»
U.S. says American academic is 'wrongfully detained' in China - UPI.com
An American academic is being held in China on suspicion of spying. File Photo by Jerome Favre/EPA Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that U.S. citizen Min Zin is being wrongfully detained in China after he visited the country and was arrested. Zin travelled to Yunnan, China,»»»
Borissov: GERB’s Presidential Candidate to Be Decided in September
Asked by journalists in Ruse on Thursday whether GERB is expected to have its own candidate in the autumn presidential election, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said this would become clear in September. "I had a presidential ticket that would have won," Borissov said. He explained that the party’s inte»»»
Qatar wins 20 medals at West Asia Table Tennis Championship in Jordan
AMMAN: Qatar's national table tennis team players won 20 medals (four gold, two silver and 14 bronze) at the West Asia Table Tennis Championships for national teams, hosted in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The tournament featured teams from Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Palestine, O»»»
FBI seizes former Rep. Eric Swalwell's electronic devices amid probe - UPI.com
Former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on June 14, 2023. The FBI has executed a number of warrants against Swalwell over sexual-misconduct allegations. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The FBI on Thursday seized e»»»
Kremlin think tank warns Putin Russia faces 1.6% growth without reform
Everything that has kept the Russian economy growing since 2020 has now been exhausted and long-term growth could drop to 1.6%, a Kremlin think tank told Vladimir Putin on August 19. Without a change of model, growth settles at 1.6% a year over the coming decade - roughly half the 3% Putin has set »»»
Zuckerberg envisions 'superintelligence' for everyone in AI manifesto
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday laid out his vision for a future where everyone has a powerful personal AI agent, arguing that open-source technology can prevent control of advanced artificial intelligence from becoming concentrated among a handful of companies, governments or institutions. Meta»»»
Egypt and Qatar call for return to US-Iran peace negotiations
CAIRO: Egypt and Qatar have urged the US and Iran to return to the negotiating framework agreed in June so that they might reach a “final and lasting agreement” that brings regional stability. The Egyptian foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman»»»
Ericsson sees Jordan as strategic hub for digital growth, talent
AMMAN — Jordan's strategic location, skilled workforce and expanding digital infrastructure are strengthening its role as an important hub for Ericsson's regional operations, according to Patrick Johansson, President and Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Ericsson.In an interview with The Jo»»»
Nepi Rockcastle shows strong H1 2026 results achieving a 3.8% growth in net operating income
Demand remained buoyant in Central and Eastern Europe with consumers continuing to spend more on average during each visit to NEPI Rockcastle shopping centres with average basket spend up 3.3%. This supported like-for-like tenant sales which were 2.7% higher than a year ago. Occupancy remained clos»»»
MP’s son booked after Aston Martin kills woman in Hyderabad
Dubai: A 21-year-old son of a Rajya Sabha MP has been booked after an Aston Martin he was allegedly driving at high speed struck and killed a 26-year-old retail worker outside Hyderabad’s Inorbit Mall, police said. Lingamaneni Sanjush, son of Jana Sena Party MP and businessman Lingamaneni Ramesh, w»»»
Qatar, Egypt sign four agreements to boost cooperation
EL ALAMEIN: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced that the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt have signed four agreements in the areas of customs cooperation and regulatory work, in addition to development and heal»»»
CK Hutchison begins arbitration against Panama, seeks $1.5 billion - UPI.com
Members of the Panama Police guard the entrance to the port of Balboa (Pacific) in Panama City, Panama, in February The ports of Balboa (Pacific) and Cristobal (Atlantic), near the Panama Canal, were paralyzed amid the transition of the operator after the departure of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutc»»»
Supertree launches Modullo, a new mini-office concept
Supertree is launching Modullo, a new semi-private mini-office concept, following a 20% increase in demand for workspaces designed for professionals and small teams in the first half of 2026, compared to 2025. This new segment is developing alongside steady demand for offices for medium-sized teams»»»
6-year-old collapses and dies after teacher slaps him at Visakhapatnam school
Dubai: A six-year-old boy collapsed in his classroom and died after being slapped by his teacher for not completing his homework at a private school in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam on Thursday, police said. The incident, involving Pranay Teja, took place at a school in the city’s One Town area, I»»»
Drought in Germany and Europe are driving up costs
BusinessGlobal issuesDrought in Germany and Europe are driving up costsAstrid Prange de OliveiraOngoing drought in Europe is causing rivers to dry up and crops to fail. Transport costs are rising and the price of food has exploded. Is inflation due to extreme weather? https://p.dw.com/p/5J9iUThe Rh»»»
UK school pays tribute to Palestinian beach tragedy victim Sara Al-Khawas
LONDON: A British-Palestinian teenager who died along with her parents off a beach in southern England was described on Thursday as a “sweet girl” who will be greatly missed. Sara Al-Khawas, 14, her father Hassan, 55, and mother Zeina Alayn, 37, were pulled from the water at Shoreham-by-Sea in West»»»
Arab League condemns Israel’s E1 settlement project, strikes on Syria
CAIRO: Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy on Thursday condemned Israel’s move to advance the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, warning that it would divide Palestinian territory and further isolate East Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings. Fahmy also condemned recent I»»»
Bessent says US will impose toughest ever sanctions on Iran, urges allies and China to cooperate
WASHINGTON: The United States will impose “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday as he urged Beijing to cooperate with Washington. Bessent said he would hold a press conference on Monday to discuss details. “It is a one-two punch. We have »»»
Prime Minister says Qatar, Egypt enjoy deep-rooted relations
El Alamein: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani announced Thursday that the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt have signed four agreements in the areas of customs cooperation and regulatory work, in addition to development»»»
Salmonella cases from jalapeno peppers reach 431 across 32 states - UPI.com
Cases of salmonella from jalapeno peppers have been reported in 32 states with 431 infections reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. File Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Cases of salmonella from jalapeno peppers have been reported in 32 states with 431 inf»»»
waterdrop® celebrates 10 years of making waves
waterdrop®, the Austrian hydration brand founded in Vienna in 2016, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with “10 Years of Making Waves”, a global campaign running from 20 August to 30 September 2026 across its international markets, including Romania. A decade after introducing the Microdrink»»»
Former Orbán ministers launch surprising initiative, Fidesz members are not happy about it
Former government minister Tibor Navracsics and former space research commissioner Orsolya Ferencz have launched a new civic initiative calling for dialogue about Hungary’s future and an assessment of the lessons of the past 36 years. Announced on 20 August, the Civic Democrats (Polgári Demokraták)»»»
Gold posts its best week since March 2020, rising 7.7%
Among the main factors behind the recovery are hopes of progress toward an agreement between the conflicting parties regarding the future of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as stronger demand through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with particularly strong activity during Asian trading»»»
Sofia Mayor: I Don’t Expect Praise from the Government, I Expect Partnership
Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said in a Facebook post: "I don’t expect the government to give a good assessment of my work. I expect partnership." Terziev responded to remarks made earlier on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, who said that the capital is facing a "management crisis". Sofi»»»
Europe's second inflation shock is arriving in two waves, energy now and food next year
Central bankers do not usually forecast the weather. The European Central Bank's chief economist has just put one into his. The Climate Crisis has gone beyond a fringe obsession of hippie tree-hugers and entered the studies of central bankers, who have been forced to sit up and take notice of the u»»»
Russia and Myanmar sign ten documents as Putin dangles LNG, nuclear power and a deep-water port
Russia and Myanmar signed ten documents in the Kremlin on August 18, including a joint declaration on countering Western sanctions. The talks between Vladimir Putin and Myanmar's president Min Aung Hlaing produced a package covering nuclear power, liquefied natural gas, a deep-water port and search»»»
Syrian investigator referred to judiciary over detainee’s death
DAMASCUS: A Syrian investigator has been detained and referred to prosecutors after an official investigation concluded that a slap he delivered during questioning led to the death of a 29-year-old detainee with a medical condition, state news agency SANA reported on Thursday. Authorities had earli»»»
Qatar court upholds QAR450,000 compensation for traffic accident victim
Doha, Qatar: The Appeals Chambers of the Investment and Commerce Court has upheld a lower court's ruling that orders a driver and an insurance company to jointly pay QAR450,000 in compensation to a victim who suffered a broken leg in a traffic accident. According to Al-Sharq, the plaintiff filed a »»»
7th Session of Qatar-Egypt Joint Higher Committee convenes in El Alamein
El Alamein: The seventh session of the Joint Higher Committee between the State of Qatar and the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt convened on Thursday in El Alamein. The Qatari side was chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, »»»
Qatar, Egypt review bilateral relations, regional developments
EL ALAMEIN: The seventh session of the Joint Higher Committee between the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt convened on Thursday in El Alamein. The Qatari side was chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, while tha»»»
Japan train hits station workers, killing four
Tokyo: A train hit and killed four workers in Japan on Thursday, authorities said, a rare incident in a country renowned for its normally excellent rail safety record. Local media reported that the four workers were removing weeds from the train tracks at Shin-Kanuma Station in Kanuma city north of»»»
NASA calls off mission to save Swift Observatory telescope in space - UPI.com
At the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Nov 20, 2004, a NASA Boeing Delta II rocket lifts off with the Swift Gamma Ray Observatory on board from launch complex 17A. The payload has been used to observe and monitor gamma ray bursts and relay the information to scientists for 21 years. File Photo »»»
Saudi Arabia transforms Ehsan charity into independent nonprofit foundation
ALKHOBAR: Saudi Arabia issued two royal orders transforming the national Ehsan charitable platform into an independent nonprofit foundation and appointing its board of trustees, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. Under the first order, the platform will become the Ehsan Charitable Foundat»»»
Meet Falafel in Hotpot, the content creator bridging Saudi and Chinese cultures through social media
Riyadh: Known to thousands simply as Falafel in Hotpot, Xuling, a Chinese/Arabic content creator, has built a unique platform connecting two of the world’s oldest civilizations — those of China and Saudi Arabia. Through language, culture, and everyday experiences, she shares a fresh perspective on »»»
Jordanian girl with spinal muscular atrophy receives life-saving treatment funded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has covered the treatment of a Jordanian girl suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, giving her renewed hope of recovery, her family said. The family of Katia ِAbu Al Saud an»»»
Lebanon relaunches overland trade route to Saudi Arabia, upgrades Masnaa Border Crossing
BEIRUT: Lebanon and Saudi Arabia officially relaunched their overland trade route on Thursday, as Lebanese customs authorities began operating an advanced scanner at the Masnaa Border Crossing with the Syrian Arab Republic. Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahad bin Abdulrahman Al-Dosari took part in th»»»
EU Aiding Terrorism by Transferring Income From Frozen Russian Assets to Ukraine – Russian MFA Spox
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union is aiding terrorism by transferring income from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. "Transferring funds to Ukraine is nothing less than aiding and abetting terrorist attacks. This is a direct»»»
Lebanese President Aoun Meets Pope Leo XIV, Urges Continued Pressure for Israeli Withdrawal
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday, thanking him for his continued efforts to support Lebanon and urging the Holy See to maintain diplomatic pressure on the Israeli occupation forces to end their attacks and withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory. Pre»»»
No One Needs a Missile: What Iran Could Actually Do to Bulgaria
The Financial Times reported this week, citing two people described as close to the Iranian leadership and specifically to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that Tehran has been assessing options for striking American military sites outside the Middle East should Donald Trump order a fresh esc»»»
Bulgarian Scientists Develop Novel Bioactive Combination for Metabolic Health
A team of scientists from the Centre for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) and the Metabolomics Laboratory at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) has secured utility model protection for a newly developed combination of natural bioactive compounds - maackiain, betulinic acid, and »»»
Nesto opens first Qatar hypermarket, plans eight more outlets
Doha, Qatar: Nesto, one of the GCC’s prominent retail groups, has entered the Qatari market with the opening of its first hypermarket in Al Gharrafa, Doha. The new outlet marks the group’s 152nd store worldwide and the beginning of an expansion programme that will see eight more outlets opened acro»»»
Rare Olive Ridley turtle nests in Abu Dhabi for the first time
Abu Dhabi has recorded its first-ever Olive Ridley turtle nest, a rare discovery that scientists say offers new insight into the emirate’s marine environment and highlights the importance of continued conservation work. The nest was found on Saadiyat Island during a routine patrol by the Environmen»»»
Israelis return to last West Bank settlement closed over 20 years ago
Israelis began moving into the occupied West Bank settlement of Kadim on Thursday, the local settler council said, the last of four communities from which Israel withdrew more than two decades ago to be repopulated. It came a week after Israel officially reopened neighboring Ganim, in a move emblem»»»
Israel slams UK demand to halt West Bank settlement project
Israel's foreign minister on Thursday slammed a demand by the UK government to halt a major settlement project in the occupied West Bank, after Israeli authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area. Britain said it had summoned Israel's charge d'affairs over the E1 plan, which wa»»»
Europe's second inflation shock is arriving in two waves, energy now and food next year
Central bankers do not usually forecast the weather. The European Central Bank's chief economist has just put one into his. The Climate Crisis has gone beyond a fringe obsession of hippie tree-hugers and entered the studies of central bankers, who have been forced to sit up and take notice of the u»»»
Turkey arrests 90 suspects over $3 million phone scam using fake internet modems
Dubai: Turkish authorities have detained 90 suspects in raids targeting a large fraud network accused of swindling 801 people out of about 116 million lira ($3 million) through a telephone scam involving fake or low-value internet modems, according to Turkish media reports. The operation, centred i»»»
Harry and Meghan’s shock UK return: 7 big questions
London: Six years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dramatically walked away from royal life and moved across the Atlantic, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to return to Britain with their children. The reported move marks an extraordinary turn in a saga that has included an explosiv»»»
The GRU family: How Russian intelligence officers settled in Norway
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 »»»
Turkey denies military visit to Syria air base hit by Israel
Turkey on Thursday denied having any military presence at an air base in north Syria struck by Israel earlier this week, and vowed to continue "resolutely" supporting Syrian sovereignty. The denial came two days after Syria accused Israel of hitting a disused military air base near the northwestern»»»