Rotterdam, Netherlands: At least one person was killed and several injured in an explosion at a Rotterdamn port refinery belonging to the Dutch subsidiary of the Swiss-based Gunvor Group on Thursday, police said. Rotterdam police told AFP that the explosion occurred around 11:30 am (0930 GMT) at th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al Khater met Thursday with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to the State of Qatar HE Alvaro Renedo Zalba. The meeting reviewed bilateral cooperation relations between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of »»»

New Delhi: Air India pilots will undergo mandatory drug screening starting Thursday, according to an internal memo seen by AFP, after a captain involved in a serious mid-air incident reportedly tested positive for marijuana. Existing rules require airlines to randomly test at least 10 percent of th»»»

LONDON: The government of the Syrian Arab Republic is committed to expanding cooperation with the World Bank to advance financial, economic and institutional reforms, Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh said on Thursday. Barnieh met Dahlia Khalifa, the World Bank’s Middle East director, in Damas»»»

Russia’s Rosatom is accelerating work on the Paks II project, which will provide Hungary with two new nuclear reactors, but a key political relationship behind the massive investment has changed dramatically. While Viktor Orbán’s governments maintained unusually close ties with Moscow for years, Ro»»»

Dubai: The world survived the first oil shock of the US-Iran war. Nearly six months later, the buffer that helped protect consumers from an even bigger hit is getting thinner. Global oil stockpiles are rapidly diminishing as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively stalled, raising »»»

Everybody wants a piece of Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s wedding buzz and Kerala Tourism has already moved on to the honeymoon. In a cheeky social-media post, it asked the couple: “Dear Cristiano & Georgina, how about choosing Kerala as your honeymoon destination?” It’s a timely pitch »»»

TUNIS: Economic pressures and changing social norms are driving couples in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria to have fewer babies, with a recent study saying Maghreb fertility was at a historic low. Experts and couples interviewed by AFP spoke of a combination of factors, including longer educations an»»»

BURAIDAH: The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission is participating in the Buraidah International Dates Carnival by showcasing its publications, including the book “Buraidah,” as part of efforts to introduce the Kingdom’s culinary heritage and highlight its connection to local products. Listed by Guinnes»»»

KHARTOUM: Drones targeted the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday as paramilitary forces launched ground attacks on central Sudan and the southeastern Ethiopian border, an AFP correspondent and sources from the rival sides reported. Since April 2023, Sudan has been ravaged by war between the Suda»»»

On Sunday, Aug. 16, the men’s and women’s finals of The Hundred will be contested at Lord’s. The competition is in its sixth year and has been a disruptive force since its conception in 2017. The format is disruptive, consisting of 100 deliveries, broken into sets of five, with a bowler able to del»»»

RIYADH: Sometimes the most inspiring journeys begin with life’s toughest challenges and this is the case with Lee Starks who transformed a difficult past into a lifelong mission of mentorship through boxing. Starks moved to Saudi Arabia several years ago from a gym in Plano, New Jersey, that produc»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has achieved a 69 percent phaseout of ozone-depleting substances over the past five years, as of the first half of 2026, underscoring its commitment to the Montreal Protocol and the gradual elimination of hydrochlorofluorocarbons, according to the National Center for Environmen»»»

The Russian Armed Forces are continuing to strike port infrastructure and maritime vessels being used in support of the Ukrainian military, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported. "The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are continuing to carry out strikes on port infrastructure and sea vessels e»»»

Dubai: Riyadh Season will become an official sponsor of the 2027 Spanish Super Cup, which will be staged at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium, extending Saudi Arabia’s involvement with the tournament despite its move away from the Kingdom next year. Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Gene»»»

Dubai: An Omani court has sentenced an Arab woman to one year in prison and ordered her permanent deportation after convicting her of using information technology to produce and publish content deemed contrary to public morals during a live broadcast on social media. The Court of First Instance in »»»

ABIDJAN: Seven people were killed last week in a land dispute between communities in the southeast of the Ivory Coast, a prosecutor said. “A dispute between members of different communities living in the village of Kossandji escalated into violent clashes, leaving seven people dead and several inju»»»

CAIRO: Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy on Thursday condemned what he described as a dangerous Israeli escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon, warning that continued violence could push the region into a wider confrontation. In an official statement, Fahmy said that»»»

LONDON: Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration party Reform UK, had hoped a special election Thursday for his Parliament seat would help quell awkward questions about his finances. But with the major parties refusing to field candidates in the election, voters in a small seaside resort outsid»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has been reconstituted under the chairmanship of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, with all current ministers retaining their positions, according to a royal decree issued by King Salman on Thursday. The decree reconstitutes the Council of Ministers»»»

Conservative journalist Tucker Carlson has accused the US political establishment of turning Americans against each other, telling RT that key decisions are made by unelected officials and the system no longer represents ordinary voters. Speaking to Rick Sanchez on Wednesday, Carlson said Americans»»»

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged civilians on the territory of Belarus, Belta state news agency reported. "Eight individuals proceeded to Russia, while seven made their way to Ukraine," the report said.The procedure took place at the Novaya Guta border checkpoint, with Belarusian ambulance crews a»»»

Ferencváros fans were attacked in Poland on Wednesday evening ahead of the Hungarian champions’ Europa League qualifier against Górnik Zabrze. A large group of masked attackers targeted a restaurant in the centre of Zabrze where Hungarian supporters were staying, leaving one Hungarian man with a br»»»

Dubai: Diplomatic and security activity continued across the Gulf and wider Middle East on Thursday, with sharp exchanges between the US and Iran, a new defence pact among regional powers, continued Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and a counterterrorism operation in Kuwait. For UAE residents, t»»»

LONDON: The Israeli military has reversed an earlier order to evacuate Palestinians from 15 homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, saying residents could remain while troops conduct operations near a recently established settler outpost, according to Israeli media. The military said forces had be»»»

PARIS: Iran warned on Thursday of environmental degradation in the Strait of Hormuz after an oil spill reached its southern Qeshm island, calling for compensation from those responsible. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the slick had “degraded the waters” of the Gulf and Sea of Oman, »»»

BUCHAREST: Romania on Thursday began a controlled shutdown of the second reactor at its Cernavoda nuclear power plant as a severe drought continues to grip the continent. Scorching heat and low rainfall in recent weeks have left the Danube River at record lows and forced the state-owned Cernavoda p»»»

Defense Minister Michel Menassa met Thursday at his office in Yarze with Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, who led a delegation comprising members of the Military Council and senior officers of the Army Command. The visit was to thank the defense minister for his "supportive stances towards t»»»

RIYADH: Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Saudi Arabia, Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama, hosted a farewell ceremony for the outgoing ambassadors of Finland and Sweden at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh, on Thursday. Bamakhrama acknowledged their service, commitment and con»»»

Three states are scheduled to execute prisoners Thursday. File Photo by Paul Buck/EPA Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Three states are set to execute prisoners Thursday in Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma. The three men, all convicted of murder, will be executed by lethal injection. Two of them have not fought the»»»

A decrease in gasoline prices was a significant contributor to holding inflation for final demand goods in check last month. Prices fell about 5.7% after sharp increases throughout the early part of the year. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The producer price index fo»»»

Measures aimed at improving satisfaction with the pension system, ensuring more adequate pensions and strengthening public trust are being planned, Minister of Labour and Social Policy Nataliya Efremova told journalists during a visit to Bolyarovo Municipality, Yambol Region, where she opened a ren»»»

KYIV: Ukrainian drones struck a major refinery deep inside Russia, military officials said Thursday, the fourth in three days in Kyiv’s monthslong campaign to choke Moscow’s vital oil sector. Russia is one of the world’s biggest energy producers, with oil providing an economic mainstay as its army »»»

MIAMI: A federal judge in Miami has postponed a hearing over whether social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate should remain in custody as they fight extradition to the United Kingdom, where the brothers are accused of rape and sex trafficking. US Magistrate Lauren Louis had been scheduled t»»»

At around 4 a.m. on Monday, July 27, a fire broke out at a house on Moskva Street in Bankya, a quiet town on Sofia's western edge where a certain class of Bulgarian businessman goes to live behind walls and cameras. Firefighters put out the blaze and found a charred body in a second-floor room. It »»»

OMODA JAECOO is preparing to welcome the new OMODA 4 to Saudi Arabia, introducing a next-generation smart SUV designed for young, connected and technology-minded drivers. Following its recent regional debut in Southeast Asia, OMODA 4 is now set to become an important upcoming product story for the »»»

A partial state of disaster has been declared for seven days within a 500-meter radius of the EMCO facility near the village of Belitsa, the Municipality of Tryavna said. The state of disaster has been put in place to ensure public safety, allow the Bulgarian land forces to clear the area, and prev»»»

Fuel prices in Bulgaria are expected to decline in the coming months as the market moves toward normalization, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Alexander Pulev and Evgeni Simeonov, the special commercial manager of the Burgas oil refinery. Speaking at a briefing at the refine»»»

Berlin: German police said a "suspicious object" found on railway tracks in Bavaria Thursday did not contain explosives, following examination by a bomb squad. "The investigations have revealed that it is not an explosive," Middle Franconia region police said in a WhatsApp message. But police belie»»»

LONDON: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday that his X account had been hacked after a statement accusing Israel of serious violations of international law in southern Lebanon was deleted. “I am republishing what I wrote yesterday after it became clear to me that someone had manage»»»

FRANKFURT: German police said on Thursday that a suspicious object found on rail tracks in a Bavarian town did not contain explosives, as initially feared. Earlier on Thursday, buildings near ‌the object ‌were evacuated in the ‌town ⁠of Treuchtlingen for ⁠the item to be moved safely by a robot. Exp»»»

MOSCOW: A Russian military officer was killed in a bomb attack on Thursday in Russian-annexed Crimea, and a woman was arrested on suspicion of assassinating him on behalf of Ukrainian special services, the regional governor said. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Several unofficial Russi»»»

GENEVA: The heads of six Arab soccer 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, Eg»»»

The water level of the Caspian Sea has fallen to its lowest point in about 200 years and continues to decline, a local Iranian environmental official said following a meeting among the countries surrounding the body of water on August 12.  Mohammad Reza Kanani, head of the Department of Enviro»»»

DHAKA: The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh announced on Thursday that the number of weekly flights to Saudi Arabia would nearly double and Saudi carriers will get access to another two airports to enable more routes to Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah and Jeddah. Under a new cooperation agreement bet»»»

Soft power, in the form of scientific cooperation, is helping to drive an expansion of China’s economic influence in Central Asia. Uzbekistan and China, for example, recently launched the joint hyperspectral satellite, Samarkand-2028, which will support applications in agriculture, environmental mo»»»

LONDON: An Israeli drone strike killed one Palestinian and wounded several others on Thursday in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, medical sources said. Nasser Hospital received the body of the person killed and several wounded after an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle carrying two people ne»»»

Ukraine halted an intense campaign of drone strikes on oil tankers using the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal at Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a request from US Vice-President JD Vance during a call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 31, the Financial Times reporte»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will participate in the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Mongolia on Monday, marking the conclusion of its landmark presidency. The COP17 summit, which runs from Aug. 17 to 28 in Ulaanbaatar, brings together states,»»»

Ukraine does not take back all of its prisoners of war, only those it considers ideologically or politically useful, Institute of CIS Countries leading researcher Alexander Dudchak tells Sputnik. "Those who could tell the truth about conditions in Russian captivity – that they are fed, receive medi»»»