Geneva: Swiss police said Friday they were still appealing for witnesses to come forward in connection with a fire they believe was deliberately started outside the Romanian embassy in Bern. The blaze broke out on Monday and according to initial findings, "the fire was started deliberately", the Be»»»

JAKARTA: Saudi utility developer Acwa has announced that it will set up a $400 million integrated facility for seawater desalination and salt production in Indonesia’s East Java, with Jakarta eyeing tech upgrades and knowledge transfer through its latest collaboration with the Kingdom. Acwa and Ind»»»

Visiting Pleven on Friday, Prime Minister Rumen Radev told reporters: "We have taken the risk this year of running a higher deficit so there would be a solution to people’s problems." He gave a briefing after a meeting with Pleven Mayor Valentin Hristov, Pleven Regional Governor Ivan Petkov, and th»»»

Kochi: The Kerala government led by Chief Minister Satheesan is mounting an ambitious drive to attract more tourists from the Arab world, targeting nearly three lakh additional visitors and hoping to generate more than Rs 25,000 crore in economic activity from the segment over the next five years. »»»

At least 58 Hungarian citizens have been evacuated from areas affected by the devastating wildfire on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Anita Orbán said on Friday. Around 45 of those evacuated were accommodated in a sports hall, while another 13 were taken to a separate location»»»

All 20 new Skoda trains are expected to be in operation by August 20, after which Alstom trains will be delivered, bringing the number of new trains in service to about 60 by the beginning of September, Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Peev said on Friday while travelling on the first S»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s foreign trade turnover in January-June 2026 amounted to $7,904.7 billion. According to the National Statistical Committee, this was 1.4 percent higher than in the same period of 2025. Exports decline, imports rise Compared with last year, Kyrgyzstan’s exports fell by 11.1 percent in Ja»»»

Kerala is set to revamp all 484 police stations under the ‘My Police Station’ initiative, with a focus on making them more welcoming, accessible and responsive to the public. Launching the initiative at Peroorkada police station in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, Chief Minister VD Satheesan said the »»»

CATANIA: Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Saturday because of ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing volcanic activity, which has forced hundreds of flights to be canceled or rerouted over the past week. All arrivals at the island hub, Italy’s fifth-busiest airport by p»»»

Dubai: Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations in the UAE were marked by calls for the Pakistani community to respect local laws, contribute to the country’s development and continue supporting their country’s economy through remittances. The Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi hosted a flag-hoisting»»»

AL-MUKALLA: The chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, has urged the Iran-backed Houthis to lay down their arms and become a political party, saying the internationally recognized government seeks permanent peace rather than another temporary truce as the militia cont»»»

Beyond market dynamics and the completion of a transaction, a significant portion of its value is created during the post-transaction integration phase. Employee transfers represent one of the areas where the buyer may inherit exposures that are not always visible at the time of acquisition. Along »»»

Count BinFace (C) is joined on stage by other candidates in Clacton in the early hours of Friday as he celebrates his second place finish in Thursday's byelection. Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage, who won, did not attend after his party claimed there had been a "credible" threat made against him. P»»»

Kuwait: Kuwaiti authorities have arrested a citizen accused of turning his home into an indoor marijuana-growing operation, seizing six kilograms of marijuana, hashish and thousands of dinars in suspected drug proceeds. The arrest followed an investigation by the International Drug Control Departme»»»

Părău 2 will combine a 342 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant with 150 MW of co-located battery energy storage system. The battery system will allow electricity generated on site to be stored and dispatched when the grid needs it, supporting the integration of renewable energy and improving the fle»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) has disrupted the activities of an international organized crime group that had established a channel for supplying and distributing highly dangerous synthetic drugs in the country. According to the SCNS, three citizens of Kyrgyzstan were de»»»

India’s Akasa Air is adding up to seven Boeing 737-8200 aircraft to its fleet through a new sale and leaseback agreement with aviation finance company and plane lessor Avolon. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The deal expands the partnership between Avolon and Akasa Air»»»

RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned the brutal and repeated Iranian attacks targeting two tankers belonging to ADNOC of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi stated that these attacks represent a dangerou»»»

DUBAI: “Sustainably sourced.” “Ethically produced.” “Farmer friendly.” These are among the claims increasingly appearing on coffee bags around the world, reassuring consumers that the drink in their cup is helping protect the environment while supporting the people who grow it. But behind those lab»»»

Dubai: After two years of trying his luck, After two years of trying his luck, Arifuzzaman Shuvo has become one of Big Ticket's newest winners, taking home Dh100,000 in the Series 289 consolation prize draw. The 38-year-old manager from Bangladesh has called Ajman home for the past 17 years, living»»»

Privilege may have opened a door, but Thudakkam, now out in UAE cinemas, is where Vismaya and Ashish have to prove what they can do once they walk through it. And, pleasantly, they do. The survival thriller revolves around Meenu, a woman whose seemingly idyllic existence is upended by a creepy, pre»»»

Riyadh: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned the brutal and repeated Iranian attacks targeting two tankers belonging to ADNOC of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi stated that these attacks represent a dangerou»»»

POLITICS The first 100 days of the government led by Prime Minister Rumen Radev remain a major focus of the Bulgarian media. Dnevnik published an extensive assessment of the government's first three months in office, arguing that the new administration has so far failed to demonstrate how it intend»»»

KABUL: As Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers mark five years since sweeping back to power, some Kabul residents said they feel safer after decades of conflict and upheaval but stressed the leaders should now focus on creating jobs and expanding access to schools in the country where girls above the age o»»»

After the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime in December 2024, Turkey has emerged as the most influential external power in Syria. File Photo by Youssef Badawi/EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Relations between Lebanon and Turkey recently underwent a significant shift, driven by »»»

The Danube has dropped to a record low of 31 cm in Budapest, idling nuclear reactors in Romania and Hungary as a fierce drought parches central Europe. The river hit the mark on July 28, Xinhua reported, edging below the 33 cm low set in October 2018. Weeks of heat and thin rainfall have drained th»»»

A gold ring set with 321 diamonds, handed to Donald Trump by Antwerp's diamond traders, has drawn accusations of a “cartoonish bribe” weeks after their gems slipped free of his tariffs. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have written to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), whose p»»»

Iran’s central bank has put forward a potentially consequential proposal at the BRICS financial meetings in India: the creation of a dedicated financial corridor linking and integrating the payment networks of BRICS members, alongside an independent infrastructure for cross-border financial settlem»»»

Dubai: Dubai has been ranked the most attractive tourist city in the Middle East and 10th worldwide in a 2026 global index that uses online conversations to measure how travellers perceive destinations. The Yanolja Attractiveness Index assessed 261 cities using online data and sentiment analysis, e»»»

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has shared another of his reflections on life and leadership, saying those who think differently and pursue ideas ahead of their time should expect criticism and not allow it »»»

Sao Paulo: Police in Brazil recovered on Thursday eight Matisse engravings stolen from a Sao Paulo library last year, officials said. The works were found at a home in the town of Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo, and the man who had them was arrested, police said in a statement. The works, es»»»

Minister of Construction, Architecture, Housing and Communal Services of Kyrgyzstan Nurdan Oruntaev inspected the progress of reconstruction at Manas Ordo historical and cultural complex in Talas region. According to the Ministry of Construction, construction and installation work is currently 85 p»»»

LONDON: In a war that has seen tankers in the Gulf and the Red Sea repeatedly targeted, it was clear that a massive oil spill was an environmental disaster just waiting to happen — and that disaster is now unfolding. On June 30, the Caroline Bezengi, a tanker carrying more than 800,000 barrels of o»»»

SHARJAH: UAE budget carrier Air Arabia’s net profit fell 51 per cent to Dh374 million in the first half of 2026 as the regional conflict disrupted flights, reduced capacity and pushed fuel prices to record highs. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Sharjah-based low-co»»»

The heads of six Arab football federations expressed their "full support" and "confidence" in Gianni Infantino on Thursday as the embattled FIFA president fights to keep his job after his failed World Cup private investment plan. The backing came from 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, M»»»

Arab Finance: Roche Diagnostics has appointed Carlos Justiniani Ugarte as General Manager of Roche Diagnostics Egypt and North Africa Network Lead, strengthening the company’s leadership in the region, according to an emailed press release. Ugarte joins Roche’s Egypt affiliate after four years as C»»»

Sister Mayela wears her black veil and habit as she walks to work near where another Catholic nun was violently attacked in Jerusalem's Old City — but she's now accompanied by a Jewish volunteer for protection. Many Christians in Israel, who make up less than 2% of the country's population, are wor»»»

Based on preliminary estimates for January — July 2026, the gross domestic product reached 1,172,748 trillion soms. Compared to January — July 2025, it increased by 11.1 percent, the National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan reported. GDP growth slowed slightly over the month, reaching 11.9 perc»»»

CASABLANCA, MOROCCO: The Professional Fighters League has announced the six semifinal matchups, and heavyweight main event for PFL Africa: Morocco on Oct. 10, as the league’s continental tournament reaches its penultimate round across the bantamweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Winner»»»

Iran can stay in the fight in a prolonged armed conflict with the US, even if it lasts the rest of Donald Trump’s term in office, a senior Iranian general has said. Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) voiced confidence in Tehran’s ability to sustain a long»»»

DAMMAM: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is currently exhibiting the works of the five artists shortlisted for the seventh edition of the Ithra Art Prize — Aseel Al-Yaqoub (Kuwait); Bady Dalloul (Syria/France); Heba Y. Amin El-Mahamly (Egypt); Ala Younis (Kuwait); and Jawad Al-Ma»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s commercial gaming regulator has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi’s financial services regulator to strengthen regulatory cooperation and information sharing. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGR»»»

North Korea on Friday condemned the upcoming U.S.-South Korea Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise. In this photo, taken Thursday, U.S. military vehicles are parked at a base in Dongducheon. Photo by Yonhap SEOUL, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- North Korea on Friday condemned an upcoming major U.S.-South»»»

More than 8,200 jobs have been put on the market this year by employers in the private healthcare sector, for doctors and nurses as well as support staff in the administrative departments of private clinics, while the public system is facing another staffing crisis.According to data published by a »»»

MOUNT TABOR, Israel: Sister Mayela wears her black veil and habit as she walks to work near where another Catholic nun was violently attacked in Jerusalem’s Old City — but she’s now accompanied by a Jewish volunteer for protection. Many Christians in Israel, who make up less than two percent of the»»»

The Türkiye-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defense pact signed in Mecca could reshape security cooperation in the Middle East, bringing together a NATO member, a nuclear-armed state and one of the Gulf’s most influential powers. Hungary is not a party to the agreement and faces no direct obligations under i»»»

MOUNT TABOR, Israel: Sister Mayela wears her black veil and habit as she walks to work near where another Catholic nun was violently attacked in Jerusalem’s Old City — but she’s now accompanied by a Jewish volunteer for protection. Many Christians in Israel, who make up less than 2% of the country’»»»

DOHA: Qatar’s real estate sector demonstrated notable momentum during the first week of August, registering total real estate trading volumes exceeding QR353m between August 2 and August 6. According to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the property sector maintained strong performance across both lan»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Index ended this week’s trading down 0.9 percent, losing 91.41 points to reach 10,020.84 points compared with last week, under pressure from four sectors. Commenting on the performance, financial analyst Yousef Buhlaiqa told the Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the »»»

Senate Democrats are calling for an audit of President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project, construction of which an appeals court ordered to be stopped last week. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Senate Democrats are calling for an audit of President Donald Trump's»»»