Qatar Toy Festival attracts over 148,000 visitors
DOHA: The fourth edition of the Qatar Toy Festival concluded after welcoming more than 148,000 visitors, marking its highest attendance to date. The month-long festival, held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), was organised by Qatar Calendar in collaboration with Spacetoon Group, »»»
Salah signs two-year deal with Trabzonspor
TRABZON, Turkiye: Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, under which the Egypt forward will receive 17 million euros ($19.6 million) a season, the Turkish club said on Thursday. The announcement came as Trabzon’s fans prepared to head for the club’s stadium in the eastern Black»»»
USA: Progressive Democrat beats establishment candidate in Michigan primary
In the US state of Michigan, progressive Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed defeated his centrist rival Haley Stevens in the party's Senatorial primary election. The results reflect a growing leftward shift among American Democrats – but the narrowness of El-Sayed's victory has many in the party e»»»
SoftBank logs $8.4 b investment gain on Intel shares
TOKYO — Japanese tech investor SoftBank reported Thursday a 1.3 trillion yen ($8.4 billion) return on its investment in Intel thanks to the US chip giant's increased share price.SoftBank posted a nearly 18 per cent year-on-year fall in first-quarter net profit, but the figure still beat expectation»»»
Britain's EasyJet flies into US hands as takeover confirmed
LONDON — Britain's no-frills airline EasyJet confirmed Thursday a £5.7-billion ($7.7-billion) takeover by US private equity firm Apollo after a rival American firm pulled out of the bidding."The boards.. are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement on the terms and conditions of a recom»»»
Brazil cuts benchmark rate for fourth consecutive time
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Brazil's central bank on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate for the fourth time straight, two months before presidential elections when incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seeks another term.The so-called Selic rate, one of the highest in the world, was lowered from »»»
Kingdom's exports reach JD4.5b in seven months with 7% increase — ACI
AMMAN — Exports from the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) surpassed the JD4 billion mark during the first seven months of 2026, registering a 7 per cent growth compared with the same period in 2025, according to statistical data released by the chamber.The ACI reported that exports rose to JD4.506 b»»»
Hezbollah Parliamentary Bloc Calls on Lebanese Authorities to Stop Direct Talks with Israeli Enemy
The “Loyalty to Resistance” Parliamentary bloc convened on Thursday to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, issuing a statement that calls on the Lebanese authorities to stop the direct talks with the Israeli enemy. The statement also rejected the government’s policy to surren»»»
Lebanese journalist deliberately targeted by Israeli attack, probe reveals
Three rights groups have released findings of a probe into the Israeli attack which killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in April. The investigation by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and The Legal Agenda shows Israel deliberately targeted the 42-year-old and her camerawoman, who was wo»»»
Israel charges settler for killing Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in occupied West Bank
Israel on Thursday charged a settler, Yinon Levi, with the killing of prominent Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in the West Bank in July 2025. This marks the first time since the October 7, 2023 attacks that an Israeli has been indicted for the death of a Palestinian in the occupied »»»
'She was haemorrhaging': In the West Bank, the checkpoint ordeal for pregnant women
Roads blocked and checkpoints closed: After every outbreak of violence, Israel seals off the West Bank. Like after events in Nablus, where two Israeli settlers and four Palestinians died on July 24. Our correspondent Claire Duhamel travelled with a paramedic who regularly transports pregnant women »»»
New ibis Styles Hotel to Strengthen Gdańsk's Business Events Market
Gdańsk will expand its business tourism infrastructure with the opening of the 168-room ibis Styles Gdańsk AmberExpo on November 3, 2026. The hotel will be directly connected to the AMBEREXPO exhibition and congress center, giving exhibitors, conference delegates and business travelers on-site acco»»»
Heatwave pushes power market into action
Polish power-grid operator PSE activated the capacity-market mechanism on August 6 as extremely high temperatures increased electricity demand across much of the country. Capacity providers were called upon between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., requiring participating generators to make contracted power»»»
Polish exports recorded strong June growth
The value of Polish exports reached EUR 30.51 billion in June 2026, according to an analysis by economists at the Polish Chamber of Commerce. The result represented a 7% increase from the corresponding period of 2025, indicating that foreign demand for Polish goods remained relatively resilient des»»»
New investment accounts could attract billions
Poland’s planned Osobiste Konto Inwestycyjne, or Personal Investment Account, could attract more than 2 million customers and over PLN 100 billion within its first three years, according to projections from brokerage house BM PKO BP. Around 800,000 people could open an account during the first year»»»
Synektik posts rapid revenue and profit growth
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France bans unsolicited telemarketing calls to protect consumers
France has banned unsolicited telemarketing calls under a new law to protect consumers and shield vulnerable people from fraudulent commercial practices. Individuals who make illegal calls can be fined up to €75,000 per call once the new law comes into effect on August 11. France next week will ban»»»
French winemakers worry about 'smoky taste' after wildfires
French winemakers affected by this summer’s wildfires are in limbo as the grape harvest approaches, fearing their 2026 vintage could have burnt flavours that would compromise sales. Brushing his hand over crackling vine leaves, French winemaker Gregory Guibergia was relieved a wildfire only sc»»»
OSCE Reviewing Albania Court Media Rules Amid Press Freedom Concerns
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is reviewing a newly adopted regulation by Albania's Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) following concerns that the rules could significantly restrict media coverage of court proceedings. Responding to inquiri»»»
Ukraine strikes more oil facilities deep inside Russia, Zelensky says
KYIV: Ukraine hit more oil facilities deep inside Russia in overnight attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday, as Kyiv kept up its campaign to undermine Moscow’s wartime economy and embarrass the Kremlin. The repeated strikes have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians. Ukrainians, »»»
War and accumulating sand threaten Sudan’s Meroe pyramids, in photos
BEJRAWIYA, Sudan: Sudan’s ongoing war is threatening the integrity of its ancient Meroe pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique and angular architecture, as preservation efforts have completely halted. “The site may face a disaster and collapses are possible,” warned archaeologi»»»
Review: ‘The Insipid Prince’s Furtive Grab for the Throne’
At first glance, “The Insipid Prince’s Furtive Grab for the Throne” looks like another fantasy series centered on royal succession, but it quickly distinguishes itself through clever political maneuvering, sharp dialogue and a protagonist who wins battles with intelligence rather than brute force. »»»
Romania delays effort to divert Danube water to nuclear reactor as shutdown looms
BUCHAREST: Romania delayed plans to sink four rock-filled barges into the Danube until Friday citing unsafe conditions, as the race tightens to divert water from the drought-hit river to its only working nuclear reactor and buy a few more days of operation amid low electricity supplies. Record low »»»
King Abdulaziz International Qur’an competition opens with record field, first standalone women’s contest
Riyadh: The King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization, Recitation and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an opens its 46th edition in Makkah on Thursday, drawing 334 contestants from 133 countries — the biggest turnout since the event was founded some four decades ago. Held under th»»»
How Dubai Customs inspectors detected gold concealed inside a suitcase
Dubai Customs officers have foiled an attempt to smuggle 460 grams of 24-carat raw gold concealed inside the frame of a suitcase. The gold had been melted down and reshaped into thin rods before being hidden inside the suitcase's rubber frame and inner structure in an apparent attempt to evade dete»»»
Nighttime temperatures between 25°C and 35°C
Tunis, August 6 (TAP) – The weather, on Thursday evening, is expected to be partly cloudy across Tunisia, with clouds occasionally becoming denser over coastal areas, according to forecasts by the National Institute of Meteorology (INM).Winds will...»»»
Ukraine strikes Russian refineries deep into the country
At least 10 people died in Russian attacks across Ukraine overnight according to local authorities. Strikes occurred in the regions of Sumy, Odessa and Kyiv. More details with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Kharkiv, Emmanuelle Chaze.»»»
Germany arrests Ukrainian national accused of spying on defence firm
German police on Thursday said that they had detained a Ukrainian national suspected of working as a low-level agent on behalf of a foreign spy agency. The 33-year-old was arrested on August 2 on suspicion of preparing "acts of sabotage" on a Bavarian arms manufacturer, according to a st»»»
Bulgaria Appoints New Ambassador to Ukraine After Four-Year Diplomatic Gap
Bulgaria has appointed a new ambassador to Ukraine after a nearly four-and-a-half-year gap, with Zlatin Krastev presenting copies of his credentials to Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Olexandr Mischenko. The ceremony was held shortly after Krastev arrived in Kyiv on July 31. The Bulgarian embassy»»»
Poll Shows Strong Support for Radev Government, Despite Foreign Policy Concerns
A Gallup International Balkans survey shows that public support for Bulgaria’s government remains relatively strong after its first 100 days in office, while the cabinet’s foreign policy is facing significant criticism. According to the nationally representative poll, conducted by telephone between»»»
Serbian gov't approves series of financial bills, support package for businesses
BELGRADE - The Serbian government approved on Thursday a series of bills amending financial legislation, as well as a new support package for businesses, comprised of ten programmes worth nearly 3 bln dinars in total, to be provided through loans and grants. "The government adopted bills to amend a»»»
UK reports record numbers referred to anti-radicalization scheme
LONDON: A record number of people were reported last year to the UK’s anti-radicalization Prevent program, the interior ministry said Thursday, with “extreme right-wing” concerns accounting for the most referrals related to an ideology. The Prevent program is part of the country’s counter-terrorism»»»
Syrian authorities uncover Assad-era corruption case at Real Estate Bank
LONDON: Authorities in the Syrian Arab Republic said they have uncovered a corruption case from the era of the Assad regime worth more than $8 million, as legal and security agencies in the country pursue individuals and organizations involved in violations and crimes against Syrians. Anticorruptio»»»
Man Beaten to Death in Plovdiv, Several Teens DetainedOpinions
A brutal fatal assault in Plovdiv has prompted a major police investigation, with authorities examining whether the attack was motivated by hatred based on sexual orientation or involved a victim being lured through a dating app. Several teenagers, including minors, have been detained as investigat»»»
Fentanyl Crisis Reaches Bulgaria as Expert Warns of Deadly Overdoses From Tiny DosesOpinions
Security expert Tihomir Bezlov from the Center for the Study of Democracy described the discovery of a fentanyl laboratory in Sofia as a major development in the investigation of one of the world’s most dangerous synthetic drugs. According to him, the most important aspect of the case is not only t»»»
U.S. halts Mexican avocado imports after security alert - UPI.com
A farmer picks avocados in the municipality of Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico, in 2004. File Photo by Ivan Villanueva/EPA Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily suspended inspections and certification of new avocado shipments from the Mexican state of Michoacán, the country'»»»
Two Military Helicopters Join Efforts to Extinguish Wildfire Near Trakia Motorway
Dry grass and vineyards are burning in a wildfire that broke out on Thursday near the 69th kilometre of the Trakia Motorway, in the direction from Sofia to Burgas, close to the turnoff for Velingrad, the Pazardzhik Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry reported. Firefighting crews and volun»»»
Ukraine faces $3bn grain export loss as Russia's blockade empties Odesa of ships
Ukraine's alternative grain export routes will not reach the capacity needed to compensate for Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports until the end of August at the earliest, and even then will cover only half the volume normally handled through Odesa, Agrarian Policy Minister Taras Vysotskyi told Re»»»
Romania rushes to sink 4 barges in the Danube to keep a nuclear power plant’s second reactor running
BUCHAREST: Romania raced on Thursday to sink four barges laden with rock into the Danube River in an attempt to redirect water downstream toward a nuclear power plant, to buy more time before its second reactor is likely forced offline due to record-low water levels. Extreme heatwaves and low rainf»»»
Sweden to hand over seized Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ship to Ukraine
STOCKHOLM: Sweden will hand over to Kyiv a seized Russian “shadow fleet” cargo ship which Ukraine suspects of transporting grain stolen from its occupied territory, Swedish court documents obtained by AFP on Thursday showed. The Supreme Court on August 4 dismissed an appeal by Caffa Shipping Ltd, w»»»
Rome talks focus on Lebanon detainees as negotiations with Israel make limited progress
BEIRUT: A seventh round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Rome shifted attention to the fate of Lebanese detainees and missing persons, as Beirut sought progress on one of the conflict’s most sensitive humanitarian files while broader security negotiations remained deadlocked. The talks, held for»»»
Uganda approves sending troops for international force in Gaza
KAMPALA, Uganda: Ugandan authorities sought and won parliamentary approval Thursday to deploy troops to Gaza as part of the international force proposed by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to secure the territory following the devastating Israel-Hamas war. The successful motion, brought b»»»
Board of Peace prepares construction contract for stabilization force base in Gaza
GAZA: The US-backed Board of Peace is preparing its first contract to build a military outpost for an international stabilization force in Gaza, proposed under Washington’s postwar road map for the enclave, The Guardian reported on Wednesday. The project involves building a temporary base for an in»»»
Hantavirus detected in France tourist now isolated in Spain
PARIS: A case of hantavirus, which recently sparked international alarm, has been detected in a Franco-Argentine national who holidayed in France in July before being put in isolation in Spain, the French health ministry said Thursday. The patient had few symptoms and now has none, the ministry sai»»»
Nadia Sawalha threatens ITV with legal action over ‘Loose Women’ removal
LONDON: British TV presenter Nadia Sawalha has threatened legal action against ITV, accusing the broadcaster of removing her from its daytime talk show “Loose Women” because of her public support for Palestinian rights. In a video posted on Instagram, Sawalha said her lawyers had sent ITV a pre-act»»»
SDAIA reschedules fourth Global AI Summit to September 2027
RIYADH: The Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority has announced the rescheduling of the fourth edition of the Global AI Summit, which will now be held in Riyadh from Sept. 7-9, 2027. The decision was made following a shared request from the summit’s international partners to allow for furt»»»
Turkish refiner Tupras orders four tankers from Korea's Daehan, Samsung for $370mn
Istanbul-listed refiner Tupras (IST: TUPRS) has commissioned the building in South Korea of four Suezmax-class crude oil tankers for more than $370mn, the company said on July 31. The four vessels, each featuring a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of approximately 157,000 tonnes, are scheduled for delivery»»»
Varna Court Halts Demolition of 12 Buildings in Baba AlinoOpinions
The Varna Administrative Court has suspended the planned demolition of 12 residential buildings in the Baba Alino area near Varna, ruling that the structures cannot be removed until the legal disputes over the case are resolved. The decision came after two investor companies, Forest Club Varna OOD »»»
Bulgaria Ends Dual Pricing in Leva and Euro: See WhenOpinions
Bulgaria’s mandatory period for displaying prices in both leva and euro will end on August 8, 2026, marking another step in the country’s transition to the single European currency. The dual price display requirement was introduced as a temporary measure to help consumers adjust to the euro and to »»»