China's Sea Legend launches regular Arctic service as shorter route challenges Suez shipping but raises Russian, climate and safety risks. An aerial view of the Xuelong 2 docking at a port in east China's Shanghai. Photo by Zhang Ansong// Xinhua/EPA Aug. 13 (Asia Today) -- China is moving to establ»»»

Abu Dhabi: ADNOC confirmed that two of its vessels were attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the evening of Thursday, August 13, according to official news agency WAM. The incident resulted in no injuries, and the situation has been brought under control. In a statement, ADNOC stressed»»»

Ukraine's power generation capacity has collapsed from just under 60GW before the war to just 12GW today. If Russia's missiles get through this winter the way they did last year, the shortfall could nearly double. Ukraine already has a 5-6GW deficit of power generation between what it can produce a»»»

Ukraine and Russia exchanged their heaviest overnight strikes in weeks on August 11-12, with Ukrainian drones and missiles hitting Russia's Novorossiysk grain terminal, a Wildberries logistics hub and an Orenburg oil refinery, while a Russian missile barrage on Zaporizhzhia killed six people and wo»»»

Damascus, Aug.13 (SANA) Syria’s trajectory toward full economic openness is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Backed by expanding Western, Arab, and international partnerships in energy, logistics, ports, and industrial technology, Syria is successfully overhauling its legislative framework, l»»»

BEIRUT: A British company said Thursday it has been hired to salvage a grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman’s coast and stop an oil spill that is threatening wildlife as it reaches the country’s shoreline following its dramatic spread in recent weeks. Satellite images have shown that oil f»»»

Damascus, Aug. 13 (SANA) Rail freight shipments in Syria rose by nearly 59% during the first seven months of 2026 as maintenance crews repaired key routes and restored specialised equipment using locally available expertise and parts, the country’s railway authority said Thursday. The General Estab»»»

NEW YORK CITY: Members of the UN Security Council condemned an escalating wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and international shipping. They warned that the threat of Yemen relapsing into full-scale war was at its gravest level in four years, and pressed Iran to end its support for the group. »»»

The Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Water (RIEW) in Bulgaria carried out more than 2,100 inspections at 2,009 sites across the country in July, the press office of the Environment and Water Ministry said. Fire prevention at waste treatment facilities, protecting the cleanliness of the Bla»»»

Britain’s economic growth slowed in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the first three months of the year, official data released Thursday, August 13, showed, as domestic political turmoil and the fallout from the war on Iran weigh on the economy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said»»»

Crude oil carrier Universal Winner, a South Korean oil tanker operated by Korean shipping company HMM, reaches waters off the southeastern port city of Ulsan, South Korea, on June 10. File Photo by Yonhap South Korea/EPA Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The price of crude oil was on the decline on Thursday after t»»»

Israel has been intentionally igniting wildfires in forests and agricultural land across southern Lebanon using drones and various munitions, Lebanese firefighters have claimed to The Guardian. Large areas of woodland, olive groves, and farmland have burned in the nearly two months since the June 1»»»

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 »»»

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, »»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

PoliticsEritreaEritrea: Key player in the geopolitical gamble at the HornMartina SchwikowskiAmid growing tensions and security risks in the Horn of Africa, Eritrea, with its strategically important coastal points on the Red Sea, is emerging as an important player in the region. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»

European stocks mostly rose Thursday as investors welcomed news of easing U.S. inflation, while oil prices fell back from recent gains amid uncertainty over the prospects for the Strait of Hormuz. London's stock market, however, fell as shares in heavyweight mining companies retreated after copper »»»

Libya has, within the span of a single day, had a senior intelligence official killed in a car bomb in the east and suffered drone attacks on a major oil refinery near Tripoli in the west. How does this affect ongoing efforts, notably by the Trump administration, to reunify the country's divided in»»»

MAKKAH: In the narrow alleyways of the historic district in the heart of Taif, within the old souk and its winding streets, time seems to stand still, retelling the stories of generations past. The air is thick with the scent of Taif roses, mingling with the aroma of cardamom and authentic Arabian »»»

Oil supplies for Lukoil Neftochim Burgas have been secured through the end of September, while negotiations are currently underway for deliveries in October, Evgeni Simeonov, the special commercial administrator of Lukoil’s group of companies in Bulgaria, said at a press conference in Burgas on Thu»»»

At least one government soldier was killed and another critically wounded in clashes between Houthi rebels and the military in the mountainous province of Taiz, Yemeni military officials told The Associated Press. The fighting came as part of a spate of recent attacks by the Houthis on government-h»»»

Tehran challenges shipping insurers, energy-importing nations, and military powers to step up, warning it ‘cannot remain indifferent’ to decades of ecological ruin Iran has declared that any future administrative framework for the Strait of Hormuz must place environmental restoration at its very co»»»

ANKARA: Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will form political and military ​mechanisms under a defense pact signed between the regional powers last week, Turkiye’s defense ministry said on Thursday, adding the alliance would also deepen defense industry ‌cooperation.The three ‌countries signed ​th»»»

Oman’s Environment Authority said Wednesday that oil leaking from a tanker grounded off the country’s coast had reached mainland beaches. The spill threatened marine habitats and a nearby protected area as strong winds and monsoon currents spread the oil, raising fears it could reach other islands.»»»

London/Washington, Aug. 13 (SANA) Oil prices edged lower on Thursday after forecasts pointed to weaker global demand, while gold climbed to its highest level in more than two months as slowing U.S. inflation reduced expectations of further interest rate increases. Brent crude futures fell 0.1% to $»»»

On 9 August, Donald Trump sat for an interview with Axios and, in the space of a few sentences, reversed the tone of the previous week. “We're moving very quietly,” he said. Rather than ordering the sweeping new strikes he had threatened days earlier, the president said he preferred to let sanction»»»

The United States is considering closing its consulate in Medan, Indonesia, which is near the highly strategic Strait of Malacca. File Photo by Fazry Ismail/EPA Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The Trump administration's decision to close the U.S. Consulate in Medan, Indonesia, may save relatively little money. Bu»»»

The relationship between the two countries is a strategic partnership, with their leaders in constant contact and mutually beneficial projects actively advancing, Russian Deputy PM Alexander Novak says. Russia officially wants Indian capital in its oil and gas sector, as well as a sales network for»»»

The UK has extended the license allowing business operations with Bulgarian companies from the LUKOIL group until October 29, 2026, the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy said. The extension, requested by Bulgaria, covers LUKOIL Bulgaria, LUKOIL Neftochim Burgas, LUKOIL Aviation Bulgaria and LUKOIL Bunk»»»

New York City Council is investigating Polymarket, Kalshi, and other predictive market platforms for “deceptive and predatory” marketing practices, accusing the industry of encouraging gambling and insider trading. Council Speaker Julie Menin notified Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, and Gemini Titan »»»

BEIJING/SINGAPORE: Oil prices eased on Thursday after gains in previous sessions, as attention turned ‌to expectations of weaker global oil demand this year, while there was no progress on opening the vital Strait of Hormuz. Brent futures slipped 42 cents, or 0.47 percent, to $88.56 a barrel by 07:»»»

J.T. GRUP OIL S.A. has successfully completed the technological testing of the petroleum products terminal developed by ...»»»

Dubai: TAQA shareholders will receive a second-quarter interim dividend of 0.8 fils per share, worth approximately Dh899 million, after the Abu Dhabi-listed utility reported a 9.7% increase in first-half net income despite lower revenue. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances»»»

The US-Iran standoff is deepening as Washington tightens pressure on Tehran and the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted, keeping shipping, oil markets and regional aviation on alert. US forces have now redirected 59 commercial vessels as part of efforts to enforce the Iran blockade, while t»»»

Dubai, UAE: An oil spill from a tanker that ran aground off Oman has reached the coastline, state media reported, while monsoon winds were obstructing containment efforts, the United Nations' maritime agency said on Wednesday. The Oman News Agency (ONA) quoted the country's environment authority as»»»

UAE travellers flying today are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as airlines continue to adjust some regional services while overall operations remain largely stable. Etihad Airways, Emirates, Air Arabia and flydubai continue to operate services across the region,»»»

DUBAI: Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source, who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a time frame to implement it.The comments wer»»»

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday that it had redirected 59 commercial vessels as part of its “blockade against Iran.” The CENTCOM announced the updated figures in a post on X, saying that “An F/A-18 fighter jet launches from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) while t»»»

NEW YORK: Donald Trump was sued on Wednesday by two media entities seeking to shut down a new service that sells paid access to the US president’s posts, including some that can move markets, on his Truth Social platform. The complaint filed in Manhattan federal court by the Intercept and the Freed»»»

BEIRUT: Oil leaking from a tanker grounded off the coast of Oman is not only endangering a nearby island but has now also reached beaches on the Gulf Arab country’s mainland, to the north of the island, Oman’s environment authority said Wednesday. Crude oil has been leaking from the tanker Caroline»»»

Washington: Keeping a low profile doesn't come naturally to Donald Trump. Yet that is the strategy the American president says he now favors in the war against Iran, and he is betting on economic pressure over diplomacy or new strikes. "We are low-keying it," Trump told news site Axios by phone Sun»»»

WASHINGTON: Keeping a low profile doesn’t come naturally to Donald Trump. Yet that is the strategy the American president says he now favors in the war against Iran, and he is betting on economic pressure over diplomacy or new strikes. “We are low-keying it,” Trump told news site Axios by phone Sun»»»

Four more Iran-linked ships were blocked or redirected by the US Central Command on Wednesday, as American forces continue to enforce the “steel wall” naval blockade against Iran. This brings the total of ship redirections to 59 commercial vessels, 3 “disabled”, and 2 boarded as of August 12, 2026.»»»

Ukraine launched a barrage of more than 450 drones against Russia overnight on August 10, targeting 16 regions and occupied Crimea in one of its deepest and broadest strikes of the war, as Moscow's own military signalled it plans to sharply scale up the missile salvos it fires at Ukraine in return.»»»

Washington: US natural gas production is on track to hit a new annual record in 2026, with output forecast to average 122.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), according to the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). That would eclipse the prev»»»

The US has called Ukraine to heel for targeting oil tankers in the Black Sea after Kiev began launching drone attacks on vessels sailing to a partly US-owned Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in Russia, the Financial Times has reported. Ukrainian drone raids targeting the CPC – which funne»»»

PARIS: World oil demand is forecast to decline by 1.6 mb/d in 2026, 510 kb/d more than estimate in last month’s report, as the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and elevated fuel prices continue to weigh on oil consumption, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Oil Market Report »»»