Dubai: Miss Universe 2025 wasn’t just a beauty contest — it was a full-scale storm of scandals, walkouts, resignations, and viral showdowns that kept the world glued to every update from Thailand. What should have been a celebration of global culture and empowerment quickly became the most dramatic»»»

Kyrgyzstani Aiperi Medet kyzy won a gold medal in wrestling at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia. The Game’s website says. In the 76-kilogram weight class, she first defeated Elmira Syzdykova from Kazakhstan, and in the semifinals, she pinned Elmira Yasin from Turkey. In the final, the K»»»

Kyrgyz athletes won three bronze medals in jiu-jitsu at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia. The Games’ website says. In the bronze medal bouts: The Kyrgyz team moved up to 13th place in the medal standings.»»»

The Venezuelan National Assembly approved a 15-year extension of the operation of joint ventures created by state-owned PDVSA and Russian company Roszarubezhneft to continue oil production in Venezuela. "A plenary session of the National Assembly approved a 15-year extension of the operation of the»»»

Dubai: Let’s be honest: the 2025 Miss Universe pageant may go down as the most controversy-soaked edition in the competition’s 74-year history. From backstage clashes and walkouts to judges resigning like dominos, this year’s spectacle in Bangkok was less “Power of Love” and more “Game of Thrones.”»»»

In the lead-up to International Children’s Day, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights of the presidential administration, together with the Children’s Fund UNICEF, held a series of meetings Children Speak — 2025. The Bishkek City Hall reported. The capital’s municipality joined »»»

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has updated the rankings of national teams on its official website. Kyrgyzstan’s national team has moved up one position to 104th place with 1,201 points. Spain holds first place in the rankings, Argentina is second, and France is third.»»»

Countries enforcing race or gender diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies will now be at risk of the Trump administration deeming them as infringing on human rights. The State Department is issuing the new rules to all US embassies and consulates involved in compiling its annual report on g»»»

The EU Commission has once again treated Hungary as a secondary concern. In the context of the migration crisis, Brussels concluded that there was no danger in Hungary. According to the chief advisor to the Prime Minister for internal security, György Bakondi, this classification is absurd. Speakin»»»

Dubai: A tense moment unfolded at the Miss Universe preliminary competition in Thailand on November 19 when Miss Jamaica 2025, Gabrielle Henry, fell off the stage during the evening gown round and had to be taken away on a stretcher. Footage shared widely on social media shows Henry making her way »»»

Four out of five Hungarians reject bringing back mandatory military service. A new representative survey by the government-aligned Századvég Institute shows overwhelming opposition to reintroducing conscription. Supporters of the governing Fidesz–KDNP coalition are most firmly against it, with 91% »»»

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, seen here at Seoul Central District Court in September, was indicted on charges of interfering with a military probe into the 2023 death of a marine, the special counsel's office said Friday. File Pool Photo by Yonhap/EPA The special counsel investigating the 2023 de»»»

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned several companies that allegedly facilitate Iranian crude oil sales. "Disrupting the Iranian regime’s revenue is critical to helping curb its nuclear ambitions," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.The OFAC also targeted »»»

The Mosi III naval exercises involving Russia, South Africa, and China are expected in January 2026, Russian Ambassador to South Africa Roman Ambarov told Sputnik. "As far as we know, the Mosi 3 naval exercises involving Russia, South Africa, and China are scheduled for early January 2026," Ambarov»»»

The United States expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign Trump's plan for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict by November 27, the Financial Times newspaper reported, citing Ukrainian officials. US officials expect Zelensky to sign the agreement "before Thanksgiving" to pre»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s gold market eased on Friday, with 24K slipping Dh3.75 from the previous session to Dh488.25 a gram. The 22K category followed the same trend, declining from Dh455.50 on Thursday to Dh452.25. The pullback comes after a month defined by tight movements, even as global bullion prices sw»»»

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) met on Thursday, and decided to maintain key interest rates, including the overnight deposit rate (21.00%), the lending rate (22.00%), and the main operation rate (21.50%). The decision to hold rates reflects the MPC’s current a»»»

  Join Georja Calvin-Smith for a roundup of stories from across the continent. This week: the UN's humanitarian chief's visit to the devastated Sudanese region of Darfur leaves him in shock over the global inaction in the face of the war's toll on civilian lives. Also, Madagascar unveils an en»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron began a five-day tour of Africa on Thursday in Mauritius before he heads to South Africa, Gabon and Angola. These four destinations reflect a reorientation of French diplomacy after the withdrawal of French forces from the Sah»»»

1/23Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Arts and Culture Authority, visited the seventh edition of Dubai Watch Week, which is being held under her patronage. A leading non-commercial event that continues to push the boundaries and foster cultural exchange, netwo»»»

Richard B. Randolph, 63, was executed by Florida on Thursday evening for the 1988 rape and murder of a convenience store clerk. Photo courtesy of Florida Department of Corrections/Release Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Florida on Thursday executed a death row inmate convicted of rape and murder of a convenience »»»

A surrealist painting from the 1940s by Frida Kahlo has sold for $54.7m (£41.8m) - shattering the auction record for an artwork by a female artist. The painting went for more than 1,000 times its original auction price in 1980, after a tense bidding battle between two collectors, according to the S»»»

Kyrgyz wrestlers won two gold medals and one bronze at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia. The Games’ website says. In the final, Meerim Zhumanazarova competed with Svetlana Oknazarova from Uzbekistan, defeated her and won a gold medal. Abdumalik Karachov also won a gold medal. He defeate»»»

From the outside, the $100 million, 47,600sqm GEMS School of Research and Innovation (SRI) already grabs headlines as ‘Dubai’s most expensive school.’ A tour of the facility shows why parents say it’s worth every dirham of the fees and why it is hailed as the ‘world’s finest school.’ Gulf News join»»»

Kyrgyzstani Munarbek Seyitbek uulu won silver at the World Boxing Cup, which is taking place in India. The organizers announced on social media. The Kyrgyz athlete competed in the 60-kilogram weight class. On the way to the final, he defeated opponents from Poland and England. He lost the final bou»»»

Ukraine is facing another huge challenge in its fight to save its borders, its land and its people. The military battle continues as it has since 2014, as it was stepped up in 2022. The new challenge is the emergence of a US-Russia plan to end the war. It has left observers perplexed, and Ukrainian»»»

The plan put forward by the United States to end the war in Ukraine calls, among other measures, for Kyiv to cede the eastern Donbas region to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday appealed for a “dignified peace,” as Russia claimed to have captured the stronghold of Kupyansk. »»»

Rep, Jeff Van Drew, R-N.Y., participates in a meeting the day after the US House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, in 2019. Natalie Greene, 26, one of Van Drew's former staffers, was accused Thursday of faking an attack on her in a New Jersey park. File photo by»»»

The world's most valuable company, US chipmaker Nvidia, posted better-than-expected results for the latest quarter, showing a 62 percent annual increase in revenue. The positive earnings report prompted a rise in global stock markets after days of losses. The company, which designs the chips that p»»»

Dubai: Commuters across the UAE are facing significant rush-hour traffic on Friday morning as dense fog reduces visibility and contributes to hazardous driving conditions. Real-time Google Maps data shows heavy congestion on key inter-emirate and city highways, particularly on routes connecting Sha»»»

From 10 December, social media companies will have to take "reasonable steps" to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed. The government says the ban - a world-first policy popular with many parents - is aime»»»

Twitch, a streaming platform popular with gamers, has been added to Australia's teen social media ban which starts next month. It joins other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and Snapchat that must ensure under-16s cannot open accounts and existing ones are closed from 10 December. Au»»»

The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) may eventually lead to fewer entry-level graduates being hired, the boss of accountancy giant PwC has told the BBC. However, global chairman Mohamed Kande said AI was not behind recent job cuts at the firm, adding that the company actually needed to hire h»»»

The prime minister is travelling to the G20 gathering of world leaders in Johannesburg in South Africa. The summit brings together the 20 biggest economies, although Donald Trump has decided not to attend over widely discredited claims that white people are being persecuted in the country. Sir Keir»»»

Raccoons are inching closer to becoming America's next pet. Affectionately referred to as trash pandas, the masked mammals known for rummaging rubbish bins for easy food, are evolving based on their proximity to humans , even starting to look cuter, a new study says. Evaluation of nearly 20,000 pho»»»

Belim, Brazil: A fire broke out Thursday inside the UN climate summit venue in Brazil, burning through the roof and causing a panicked evacuation and the suspension of talks entering a crucial phase. The blaze engulfed pavilions in the summit site in Belem around 2:00 pm (1700 GMT), torching a hole»»»

It is unsustainable for Nordic countries to continue to pay a disproportionate amount to support Ukraine, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard has said in an interview with Politico. Rifts are widening inside the EU over how – and whether – to keep funding Kiev, according to the outlet.»»»

TITUSVILLE, Florida (AP): The 16-year-old stepbrother of the Florida high school senior who died this month on a Carnival cruise ship has been identified as a suspect in her death, according to court documents filed by his parents. The disclosures — contained in motions filed in an ongoing custody »»»

In recent years, “resilience” has emerged as one of the defining buzzwords in the United Arab Emirates’ policy and governance vocabulary. Once a term primarily confined to academic and development circles, resilience has evolved into a strategic national ethos, a framework that underpins how the UA»»»

Dubai: UAE authorities have urged motorists to drive with caution as dense fog reduced visibility across Abu Dhabi and parts of Dubai on Friday, November 21. The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) issued red and yellow alerts for fog of varying intensity, warning that conditions are likely to per»»»

Relentless rains and floods have killed at least 41 people in central Vietnam since the weekend, while a search continues for nine still missing, state media reported. The deluge has submerged more than 52,000 homes and left half a million households and businesses without power, according to repor»»»

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP): Law enforcement agencies working across several countries dismantled a sophisticated criminal network trafficking stolen cultural goods across Europe, Bulgarian authorities said Thursday. A coordinated international operation spanning seven countries working with Eurojust and »»»

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP): Law enforcement agencies working across several countries dismantled a sophisticated criminal network trafficking stolen cultural goods across Europe, Bulgarian authorities said Thursday. A coordinated international operation spanning seven countries working with Eurojust and »»»

Share: The Lebanese army on Thursday arrested infamous drug kingpin Nouh Zaiter during an operation in the country’s east, according to a military source. Zaiter, who is under European and US sanctions, is accused of running a vast cross-border narcotics empire. BAALBECK- Lebanon‘s most wanted drug»»»

The Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Defense Department must better protect against the dangers of using digital devices, the Government Accountability Office reported on Monday. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Using digital devices creates a data footprint that e»»»

At this year's UN climate summit (COP30), under way in Brazil's Belem city, all eyes are on India - the world's third largest carbon emitter. India has not yet submitted a key climate plan that countries are required to do every five years, even as international assessments have deemed India's clim»»»

Dubai: Shoppers in the UAE move through some of the world’s most trusted luxury retail spaces, from watch boutiques to jewellery counters. It’s a strong market for buying high-value items, but even here it helps to know how to separate genuine pieces from convincing imitations. Sign up for our dail»»»

The frenzy for the company behind the viral children’s hit “Baby Shark” has all but fizzled after shares slid below their IPO price just days after debuting. Shares of South Korean entertainment firm Pinkfong Co. tumbled to as low as 35,050 won on Friday, a 7.7% decline from its initial public offe»»»

TITUSVILLE, Florida (AP): The 16-year-old stepbrother of the Florida high school senior who died this month on a Carnival cruise ship has been identified as a suspect in her death, according to court documents filed by his parents. The disclosures — contained in motions filed in an ongoing custody »»»

Local officials said U.S. Border Patrol agents left Charlotte, N.C., for New Orleans on Thursday, but the Department of Homeland Security said its Charlotte operation is continuing. File photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Charlotte, N.C., officials said Thursday that U.S. Cu»»»