GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME The programme of Prime Minister Rumen Radev's government, adopted by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, is a leading topic in Bulgarian media. 24chasa.bg highlights important changes envisioned by the powerholders. The website says that under the chapter on "Dismantling the»»»

The authorities continue to carry out regular inspections to identify unregulated social services, including illegal nursing homes, Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova told reporters in the village of Voden on Thursday. Efremova was visiting Bolyarovo Municipality, where she opened »»»

JERUSALEM: The US Ambassador to Israel condemned the actions of Jewish settlers who are besieging the home of an American Palestinian family in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the siege a “horrific act of terror.” Since Sunday, according to local officials and fam»»»

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»»»

QUSRA: Israel’s military said on Thursday it had sent ​more troops to a West Bank village where settlers have trapped Palestinian families inside their homes, a siege the Palestinians say is aimed at forcibly displacing them from their land. The siege began at the weekend when Jewish settlers close»»»

Large-scale NATO military exercises are held regularly in the region — including offensive scenarios — with non-Arctic NATO members now actively involved, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's European Problems Department Vladislav Maslennikov says. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that»»»

Berlin, Aug. 13 (SANA) German container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said Thursday that the Middle East conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz cost it about $600 million in the second quarter, adding to expenses and weighing on earnings. The Hamburg-based company reported net profit of $83 mill»»»

The National Revenue Agency (NRA) carried out 23,420 inspections to ensure compliance with the Introduction of the Euro in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, the Agency’s Deputy Executive Director Hristo Markov said at a joint press conference with the Commission for Consumer Protection on Thursday. Acc»»»

KABUL: Human Rights Watch called for the release of two UN staffers and six NGO workers in Afghanistan following a string of Taliban detentions in recent weeks.HRW said on Wednesday that six male staff working with the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF) had been “forcibly disappea»»»

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.»»»

The Impact SEE agenda is organised around nine themes that bring together business leaders, decision-makers, founders, researchers and creators to analyse the transformations already shaping South-Eastern Europe: From the impact of creativity and artificial intelligence on corporate performance, to»»»

Russia donated more than 670,000 adapted textbooks to schools in Kyrgyzstan on the subject «Russian Language and Reading» for students in first, second and fifth grades. The press service of My History Foundation for the Support of Humanities reported. At least 671,000 adapted textbooks on the subj»»»

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»»»

From our special correspondent in Segovia – A total solar eclipse on Wednesday plunged Spain’s Segovia into daytime darkness for 59 seconds. Perched high up on the city's iconic cathedral bell tower, locals and visitors from and wide watched, in awe, as the moon’s shadow bl»»»

The number of civilians killed in Ukraine in July jumped to its highest level since the first months of the Russian invasion, the UN said Thursday. At least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured across Ukraine in July, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, as Russia intensified»»»

Dubai will once again lace its kicks and work towards getting fitter than before as Dubai Fitness Challenge takes off later this year. Dubai Media Office announced that the annual event that challenges the city to invest time and effort in themselves and make physical activity an integral part of t»»»

Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj says he and the Municipality of Tirana have appealed a ruling by the Administrative Court of First Instance in Tirana concerning a lawsuit challenging the validity of Ols Dado’s appointment as a prosecutor. In a Facebook post, Veliaj argued that the first-instance court di»»»

Dubai: Wars can end. Ceasefires can be signed. Governments can return to the negotiating table. But the enmity between Iran and US President Donald Trump may prove much harder to extinguish. That is perhaps the larger message from the extraordinary revelation that Trump was secretly spirited out of»»»

Tunis, Aug.13 (TAP)- President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed met on Wednesday in Carthage with Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of Public Works and Housing and Acting Minister of Industry and Energy Salah Zouari and Minister of Social...»»»

RIYADH: The Saudi Public Investment Fund is entering the period leading up to 2030 with a different investment philosophy from the one that guided its expansion over the past decade. After a period characterized by rapid growth, the establishment of companies and sectors, and large-scale capital in»»»

The FBI was already involved in plotting Fidel Castro’s assassination before the Cuban Revolution, and later the CIA picked up where it left off, former state security officer Carlos Serpa Maceira tells Sputnik on the 100th anniversary of the revolutionary icon. Between 1959 and 2000 roughly 640 at»»»

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»»»

Senior female marketing and communications professionals in the UAE are being invited to apply for the second edition of The Leadership Accelerator by Think Equal, a six-month programme aimed at preparing women for future C-suite roles. The programme, launched by The Marketing Society UAE in partne»»»

The new partnership will bring together strategy, creativity and social-first content to strengthen a coherent, relevant digital presence connected to MOL Romania’s business objectives. Stefanini Infinit, an independent full-service agency with digital at its core and part of Stefanini Group, has w»»»

LONDON: It was no more than a faint whisper, appearing to come from beneath the ruins of one of the many buildings devastated by the earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday. After two days, hope of finding anyone still alive was running out. But by sheer luck, Brian Zuluaga, walking home from wor»»»

RIYADH: The Egyptian government plans to tender a project to establish a passenger car and light commercial vehicle tire factory with an estimated investment of about $500 million, with the aim of meeting local market needs and reducing reliance on imports, according to an official document seen by»»»

The condition of the 5-year-old boy who was beaten by his father yesterday remains critical, with doctors continuing to fight for his life at Sofia’s Pirogov emergency hospital. The child was transferred by air ambulance from a hospital in Montana, where he was initially admitted after being brough»»»

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»»»

US journalist Tucker Carlson has said that people linked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approached him with material from Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 US presidential election. The laptop belonging to the son of then-presidential candidate Joe Biden became the focus of a ma»»»

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»»»

Tunis, Aug.13 (TAP)- President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed met on Wednesday in Carthage with Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of Public Works and Housing and Acting Minister of Industry and Energy Salah Zouari and Minister of Social...»»»

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi stressed that October 1 will be a new chapter for the state after the withdrawal of all foreign military forces from the country. By then, it would have achieved national sovereingty over its territories as it continues to build its military and security capabiliti»»»

DUBAI: Negotiations between Al-Hilal and Ali Al-Bulaihi over the termination of the defender’s current contract, which has one season remaining, have stalled, according to Arabic daily newspaper Arriyadiyah. Sources close to the club have revealed that the Saudi Arabia international is no longer pa»»»

DUBAI: The eagerly anticipated 2026/27 ADNOC Pro League kicks off this weekend, with questions ranging from whether an era of Al-Ain dominance awaits, to what revolutionary upstarts United FC can achieve on their debut with Italy icon Andrea Pirlo, somehow, still at the helm. The unbeaten Boss live»»»

DHAHRAN: When 55-year-old Anita Maas stepped off the airplane in Dammam last month with her 21-year-old footballer son, Robin Kelder, it was like deja vu. It was just as hot as she remembered when the family had lived there for three years nearly two decades ago. That visit marked their return to t»»»

Relatives of Lebanese seized by Israel during its last two wars with Hezbollah held a rally in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Beirut on Wednesday to demand information. Israel is estimated to have seized dozens of people in Lebanon since 2024, including Hezbollah fighters »»»

The Executive Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), Omar Radwan, affirmed that the Egyptian stock market acts as a mirror to the country’s economy. He noted that proactive measures taken by the Egyptian government at the onset of the region’s geopolitical crisis since March enabled the Central B»»»

The government’s programme contains a wide range of new ideas, from radical measures such as constitutional reform to changes to the country’s economic model, Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov said in an interview for Bulgarian National Television’s (BNT) morning programme. The Council of Ministers»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s first commercial AI-enabled earth observation satellite has left Dubai for the United States ahead of its scheduled launch in October, marking the next stage for a locally developed system designed to support environmental monitoring, disaster response and infrastructure assessment»»»

Dubai: du will join the MSCI UAE Standard Index from September 1, giving the Dubai-listed telecom operator greater exposure to international funds that track one of the world's major emerging-market benchmarks. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The inclusion follows MSCI»»»

The Russian side has sent Ukraine three different lists of people for swaps — these include soldiers, as well as those convicted of various charges in Russia, Russian Commissioner on Human Rights Yana Lantratova says. The list of 224 people has already been agreed upon, but Ukraine refuses to take »»»

Arab Finance: Sharm Dreams Company for Tourism Investment (SDTI) posted an 55.3% year-on-year (YoY) drop in profits for the first half (H1) of 2026, according to the financial statement filed to the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) on August 11. The company registered a net profit after tax of EGP 34.327 mi»»»

The Bishkek City Hall and the Asian Development Bank are discussing the launch of a pilot «green» mobility corridor starting in 2027. According to the City Hall, the initiative is part of a project to electrify urban transport. The parties are currently finalizing documentation for the corridor and»»»

On Aug. 13, 2020, Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to full normalization of relations. 1 of 5 | U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L), United Arab Emirates' Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al »»»

Young people looking to contribute to community projects across Abu Dhabi have until August 15 to apply for the Global Shapers Abu Dhabi Hub’s 2026-27 cohort. The Hub expects to receive close to 700 applications, with around 100 candidates progressing to further assessment before up to 30 new membe»»»

Registration of new pilgrims for the 2027 Hajj will begin in Kyrgyzstan on August 25. The Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan announced. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Those wishing to perform the Hajj must undergo electronic identification via eID or ID card in the state digital syst»»»

"I don’t see it [the UN] in immediate danger [of dying]… I see it as more of a slow death kind of thing. The UN has been drifting into irrelevance . . . without a meaningful contribution to recent crises or interstate wars," the IAEA head Rafael Grossi says. Grossi is a candidate for the position o»»»

DHAHRAN: “I tried to be part of the glam side of makeup, but it wasn’t for me,” Hadele Hijazy tells Arab News. Instead, Hijazy turned her talent with the brush to working with actors. “I only do films and theater,” she says. It’s a talent that runs in her blood. “My mother had a salon, so when we w»»»

The decrease of 2.26 percentage points in a single month is not the result of an improvement in the internal inflationary mechanism, but of the exit from the calculation base of the energy shock in July 2025, says the chairman of the Association of Romania's Financial-Banking Analysts (AAFBR), Flav»»»

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»»»