Analysis: Could the Saudi-US cooperation result in a nuclear Aramco?
LONDON: While the technical particulars and political conditions of the nuclear agreement between Saudi Arabia and the US are yet to be fully revealed, there has been an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the news among experts and commentators in both countries. And, as a statement on Wednesday f»»»
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger in Paris: 'There's no single blueprint for Democratic Party'
A rising star among Democratic Party moderates, Virginia’s first woman governor Abigail Spanberger was elected the same night last November as Democratic Socialist New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani. In a wide-ranging interview with François Picard, Spanberger outlines a pragmatic vision of politic»»»
Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on Riyadh normalising relations with Israel
President Donald Trump on Thursday set a new condition to a US-Saudi nuclear deal signed the previous day by insisting the agreement was "totally subject to" the Gulf kingdom joining the Abraham Accords. Riyadh has resisted normalising relations with Israel, especially after the Gaza war, and the n»»»
Why Iran is targeting Kuwait's desalination plants as part of its war strategy
Iranian strikes targeted Kuwait’s desalination and power plants for the fourth consecutive day on Monday. The attacks are putting unprecedented pressure on a Gulf country heavily dependant on desalination for its water supply. Iran is attempting to wage a “psychological war” on a country »»»
Ghana’s president asks for AU debate on South Africa’s ‘escalating xenophobic attacks’
Ghanaian President John Mahama on Thursday called for an African Union (AU) debate to "formally address the escalating xenophobic attacks" on foreign nationals in South Africa. More than 160,000 foreign nationals have left South Africa and several have died over the past two months amid rising»»»
What Are We Reading Today: ‘Radical Duke’ by Danielle S. Allen
Danielle S. Allen’s “Radical Duke” reveals how Charles Lennox, the Third Duke of Richmond and Thomas Paine almost brought the American Revolution to Britain. Identifying them for the first time as the anonymous authors of Britain’s seditious Junius letters, “The Radical Duke” sets the historical re»»»
Joshua shows Prenga respect; won’t talk about Fury
JEDDAH: The two-time unified heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua said on Thursday he is prepared to take on Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, on Saturday night at Jeddah Dome. The two fighters, who will headline the card event in Jeddah, faced off for a second time this week at a press conference at Jedd»»»
EU fines Google €890 million for competition breaches, risking Trump ire
The European Commission on Thursday fined Google a total of €890 million for breaching the bloc’s Digital Markets Act by restricting customer access to its competitors' services. The move risks escalating tensions with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly accused the EU of targeting US tec»»»
Laura Loomer meets Zelensky in Ukraine after her major reversal on the war
KYIV: Laura Loomer, an ardent ally of President Donald Trump with a reputation for incendiary social media commentary, sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday after a dramatic turnaround on the war that could have political reverberations back in Washington. Loomer had spen»»»
'Like a war zone': Wildfires force 20,000 to flee in southwest France
Le Porge: Black smoke darkened the skies and crackling flames roared through pine trees in a forest in southwest France on Thursday as wildfires have forced more than 20,000 residents and holidaymakers to flee. Around 800 firefighters have been fighting the flames some 50 kilometres (30 miles) west»»»
Fuel prices in Hungary rise slowest in the EU
Fuel prices in Hungary recorded the smallest year-on-year increase in the European Union in June 2026, even as motorists across the bloc faced an average rise of 13.7 percent, according to new Eurostat figures. Prices of fuels and lubricants used for personal transport increased by just 2.3 percent»»»
Saudi robotics enters its deployment era
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s robotics industry is entering a new phase — one defined less by futuristic concepts than by practical deployment. While robots are often associated with science-fiction humanoids, the Kingdom’s focus is firmly on technologies that deliver measurable value. Drones, autonomous »»»
Hormuz, Red Sea crises pull Middle East into ‘widening circle of confrontation,’ UN chief warns
NEW YORK CITY: The UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, warned the Security Council on Thursday that the security crises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea risk pulling the Middle East into “an ever-widening circle of confrontation,” as he called for the full restoration of international na»»»
Who are the six candidates vying to lead the UN?
Four women and two men are in the running to succeed Antonio Guterres as leader of the United Nations, which faces unprecedented global instability, wars and its own crushing budget crisis. Observers say it is difficult to pick a favorite, given that the world's major powers are divided on the outc»»»
PM Magyar unveils pay caps, VAT cuts and wealth probes
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar presented a wide-ranging package of government reforms on Thursday, including salary caps at state-owned companies, possible VAT reductions, retrospective wealth investigations and a review of public-spending oversight. The Péter Magyar press conference also ad»»»
Iran flew IRGC commanders, missile gear to Yemen’s Houthis
Iran flew Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, military advisers and missile- and drone-related equipment into Yemen this month, according to four sources, in a move that suggests Tehran is seeking to strengthen the ability of its Houthi allies to threaten Red Sea shipping. Four so»»»
Climate change, not dams, driving Caspian Sea shrinkage, researcher says
Climate change is the dominant force behind the falling water level of the Caspian Sea and outweighs human intervention such as upstream damming, water policy researcher Anoush Nouri Esfandiari said on July 22. The world's largest enclosed body of water, surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan»»»
Uzbekistan balances secular rule with Islamic revival
The first International Forum of Islamic Civilization earlier this month brought over 450 religious leaders, scholars, diplomats, government officials and other participants from more than 50 countries to Uzbekistan. Across events in Tashkent, Samarkand and Termez on July 7-11, participants discuss»»»
Climate change, not dams, driving Caspian Sea shrinkage, researcher says
Climate change is the dominant force behind the falling water level of the Caspian Sea and outweighs human intervention such as upstream damming, water policy researcher Anoush Nouri Esfandiari said on July 22. The world's largest enclosed body of water, surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan»»»
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Is Kazakhstan quietly ditching Russia?
China’s continuously growing leverage over Russia is not in question and reports in recent days have continued to stress the point. For instance, Beijing has apparently flexed a muscle by declining to provide marine propulsion systems needed for Russia's planned expansion of the Northern Sea Route,»»»
Brazil could triple palm planted area in 10 years, industry leader says
SAO PAULO: Brazil could more than triple its planted area for producing palm oil over the next decade by expanding cultivation on already deforested land in the Amazon, said Victor Almeida, president of industry association Abrapalma. Demand for biofuels is expected to boost growth in the sector, »»»
World Athletics’ Extension of Russian Athletes’ Suspension is Peak Cynicism, Russophobia
“The position taken by World Athletics is totally cynical, openly cynical,” political scientist Yevgeny Semyonov told Sputnik, commenting on World Athletics president Sebastian Coe’s announcement that Russian and Belarusian athletes would remain banned from track & field events despite the IOC’s re»»»
Strumyani-Berovo Border Crossing Expected to Be Completed by 2029, Deputy Regional Development Minister Says
Work is proceeding according to schedule for the Strumyani–Berovo border checkpoint between Bulgaria and North Macedonia to be completed by 2029, Deputy Regional Development and Public Works Minister Desislava Georgieva said on Thursday. She was speaking at a press conference in Blagoevgrad on the »»»
Alonso welcomes Aston Martin upgrade, warns against unreal expectations
Budapest: Fernando Alonso on Thursday warned that Aston Martin's long-awaited upgraded chassis, being introduced at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, was unlikely to change their position as tail-enders. But, he said, he believed the team would close the gap and may do better once they understan»»»
PM Magyar: Eximbank probe targets Orbán foreign deals
The Hungarian government has filed criminal complaints over four transactions linked to the state-owned Eximbank, requesting investigations into financing worth more than HUF 1,000 billion – approximately EUR 2.74 billion. The Eximbank investigations will examine whether the high-value transactions»»»
Sweden’s far right party says it won the arguments. Now it wants a share of power
STOCKHOLM: After championing huge policy shifts in Sweden by propping up a minority center-right government for four years, the far-right Sweden Democrats say they have won the political arguments and now deserve a share of power for themselves. But it is a demand that could prove a step too far fo»»»
Timișoara records Romania’s fastest urban tourism growth for second consecutive year
Timișoara recorded the largest increase in visitor numbers among Romania’s urban destinations for the second consecutive year, according to local newspaper Tion.ro, citing an analysis conducted by the city’s tourism promotion organisation, Visit Timișoara. The analysis draws on Mastercard Tourism I»»»
Petkovic informs UN's Krois of Pristina's unilateral, illegal moves
BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic on Thursday informed the Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office in Belgrade Dominika Krois of Pristina’s unilateral and illegal moves and its violations of fundamental human rights »»»
World Athletics Ban is a 'Game Without Rules' - Russian Olympian
"Russia’s appeal against World Athletics is not just about competition access. It's about preventing political decisions from erasing years of training, sacrifice, and careers," Olympic runner Lyudmila Petrova told Sputnik. "Of course, we must go to court and try to restore justice. It's wrong to p»»»
Radev, Zaharieva Discussed Bulgaria's Role in Europe's Reindustrialization
Bulgaria is seeking to strengthen its role in Europe's reindustrialization while building a more innovative, high value-added economy, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said during a meeting with European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva. During the talks, Radev reaf»»»
Ex-Foreign Minister: First U.S. Request Was for NATO Exercises, Current One Supports Middle East Military Operations
American requests to deploy military aircraft in Bulgaria have fundamentally changed over time and should not be treated as part of the same operation, former Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski said in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio, commenting on the government's decision to allow the d»»»
Bulgaria Wants Rheinmetall Partnership Saved Despite Disputes Over Money, Land and Structure
Bulgaria’s government will continue talks with German defense giant Rheinmetall to resolve problems surrounding a planned joint project with state-owned arms manufacturer VMZ Sopot, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Alexander Pulev said after a meeting with representatives of the company. »»»
Oil prices jump back above $100 per barrel - UPI.com
The price of Brent crude oil rose above $100 per barrel on Thursday, a sign of global concern over the renewed fighting between Iran and the United States. File Photo by Yonhap/EPA July 23 (UPI) -- The price of Brent crude oil rose above $100 per barrel on Thursday, a sign of global concern over th»»»
EU fines Google €890mn over search self-preferencing, Play Store rules
The European Commission has fined Google €890mn for breaching the Digital Markets Act, finding that the company favoured its own services in search results and blocked developers from steering users to cheaper offers. The commission issued two separate penalties on July 23, of €460mn and €430»»»
Three crypto protocols lose $35.55mn in day of bridge exploits
Attackers drained $35.55mn from three cryptocurrency protocols within 24 hours on July 22 and 23, with decentralised perpetuals exchange AFX Trade losing $24.15mn after its bridge validator keys were compromised, blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain said. Two of the three breaches targeted cross-c»»»
Turkish Airlines investigates reported use of Russian airspace on Tallinn flight
Turkish Airlines is facing questions after one of its passenger flights from Tallinn to Istanbul reportedly entered Russian airspace, taking a non-standard route for the service, Estonia’s Eesti Ekspress and public broadcaster ERR.ee reported on July 22. According to Eesti Ekspr»»»
PANNIER: Central Asia on cusp of ending quest for independence in electricity provision
Since the early post-Soviet days that followed the independence achieved in 1991, Central Asia’s five states have been working toward becoming self-sufficient in meeting their energy needs. However, after 35 years, it is only Turkmenistan, with its massive natural gas and significant oil reserves, »»»
Hungary crypto regulation enters new phase
Hungary crypto regulation has reached a turning point after the National Bank of Hungary granted its first domestic licence under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. CoinCash, once one of the country’s largest cryptocurrency brokers, can now prepare to restart services after mo»»»
US Benefits From Oil Supply Disruptions in Strait of Hormuz – Ex-UK Ambassador
MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The United States benefits from oil supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Craig Murray, a Scottish political activist and former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, told Sputnik. "The Americans are not unhappy with the disruption of oil supplies. They actual»»»
ArcelorMittal advances rail technology
Dąbrowa Górnicza, July 23, 2026 – ArcelorMittal Poland has begun implementing a new generation of railway rail designed for some of the world's most demanding operating conditions. The company is developing R400HT, the hardest and most wear-resistant rail grade defined under European standards, str»»»
Houthis claim attacks on 2 Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea - UPI.com
An armed student rallies in support of the Houthi-imposed naval embargo against Saudi Arabia in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday. Hundreds of students gathered at Sanaa University to support the move. Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA July 23 (UPI) -- The Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility for two attacks on Sa»»»
Some 4,400ha of forests destroyed by fires
Tunis, July 23 (TAP/Ghada Sboui) - Around 4,400 hectares of forest land were ravaged by fires on May 1 July 23, compared with 2,705 ha during the same period last year, Director-General of Forests at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources...»»»
Experts tell Asharq Al-Awsat: nuclear agreement strengthens Saudi Arabia's reliability in global markets
RIYADH: Economic experts and specialists told Asharq Al-Awsat that the peaceful nuclear agreement between Saudi Arabia and the US marks a new and unprecedented phase of strategic, high-value cooperation between the two countries. They said the agreement extends beyond its technical and developmenta»»»
Mojsilovic meets with KFOR commander, requests protection for Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, heritage
BELGRADE - At a meeting with KFOR Commander Maj Gen Ozkan Ulutas, Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic requested that KFOR, an international security force that is the only legitimate armed force in Kosovo-Metohija, meet its commitments under UNSCR 1244 and the Military-»»»
Greek billionaire dilutes largest EU anti-Russian sanctions package with an LNG exemption
The European Union is still trying to find ways to slow Russia’s war machine in Ukraine. But its member states are becoming increasingly less able to agree on how to do so. Nevertheless, after lengthy and chaotic talks on Wednesday (22 July), they managed to agree on the 21st sanctions package agai»»»
Saudi Arabia can become film powerhouse, says Hollywood studio president
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is well poised to be an attractive filming location for Hollywood and independent filmmakers, Valentina Castellani-Quinn, president and chair of Quinn Studios Entertainment in Los Angeles, has told Arab News’ “The Mayman Show.” Speaking as the first guest of the show’s latest s»»»
U.S. homicide rate drops 18%, nearing historic low per year - UPI.com
Crime rates are on the decline in U.S. cities with the national homicide rate falling by 18%, inching closer to a historic low, the Council on Criminal Justice said Thursday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 23 (UPI) -- Crime rates are on the decline in U.S. cities with the nation»»»
Bulgaria Faces High Cancer Risk with Limited Prevention Resources, Experts Warn
Bulgaria is among the countries where high exposure to cancer risk factors is combined with relatively limited resources for disease prevention and public health protection, Ivaylo Petrov, Chief Coordinator of the Bulgarian National Hub of the Mission on Cancer and a member of the Management Board »»»
What experts are saying as Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda kills more that 1,000 people
DAKAR: The fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has killed more than 1,000 people in eastern Congo as health officials race to contain a virus with no approved vaccine or treatment. An update from Congo’s public health institute on Wednesday said there have been 2,536 confirmed Ebola cases a»»»
Orbán’s NKA defence faces dissent among Fidesz voters
The Fidesz asset recovery scandal is revealing a potential weakness in Viktor Orbán’s defence of decisions made before his party lost power. The former Hungarian prime minister continues to insist that public funds distributed under the Fidesz government were allocated legally and that the investig»»»