An interactive map of registered water sports facilities along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast was added to a public register, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said on Thursday. The digital tool brings together data on registered facilities and offers residents, tourists and businesses a »»»

RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to strengthen discipline in public procurement and contract execution, the government has approved a new Government Tenders and Procurement Law to enhance governance, transparency and the efficiency of the procurement system. Asharq Al-Awsat has learned that»»»

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab and Muslim countries on Thursday condemned what they described as ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, including attacks on healthcare facilities, civilian infrastructure and the continued loss of civilian lives. In a joint statement, the foreign mi»»»

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»»»

Failure to condemn and investigate discrimination increases the risk of hate crimes, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) said on Thursday after incidents in Plovdiv and Bansko. In recent days, a man was killed in Plovdiv and groups of young people clashed in Bansko, with media accounts suggestin»»»

In Central Asia, the spectacle of a president going on and on, and on, as if they plan to rule forever is a norm, not an exception. Thus, a Constitutional Court ruling that Kazakhstan’s 73-year-old president of seven years Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is eligible to seek another term in office under the c»»»

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»»»

Kazakhstan could face heightened sanctions risks if Russian ecommerce group Wildberries expands its warehouse operations in the country, as "Russia's Amazon" seeks to protect and strengthen its logistics network following Ukrainian drone attacks on many of its facilities in Russia. That's the conce»»»

Ankara, Aug. 6 (SANA) Syria and Türkiye agreed on Thursday to establish a High-Level Coordination Council as the two neighboring countries seek to deepen political, economic and infrastructure cooperation. The agreement was reached during talks in Ankara between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan»»»

JEDDAH: A Saudi Arabia-developed educational device designed to give students a realistic understanding of reactor operations has debuted at the International Nuclear Science Olympiad 2026, highlighting the Kingdom’s growing capabilities in advanced scientific research and innovation. The Reactor D»»»

LONDON: Three human rights groups have labeled an Israeli attack that killed a Lebanese journalist and injured another a war crime. Amal Khalil, 42, died while traveling in southern Lebanon to verify Israeli troop movements on April 22. Her colleague Zeinab Faraj, 21, was wounded in the attack. Isr»»»

When Hungary abandoned plans to build the Bős–Nagymaros dam system following mass opposition born of environmental protests, Czechoslovakia completed the project and diverted 85 per cent of the Danube’s flow. An international agreement governs how much water must be released into the Old Danube – b»»»

Preventing acts of anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination is an essential element in ensuring public order, protecting human rights, and establishing Bulgaria as a country that upholds the principles of tolerance, equality, and the rule of law, the Commission for Protection against Discrimin»»»

Islamabad: Pakistan’s latest warning over threats to Red Sea shipping is more than a routine diplomatic statement—it signals the possible end of Islamabad’s long-standing strategic ambiguity in Middle Eastern conflicts. In a sharply worded declaration last Wednesday, Pakistan condemned Yemen’s Iran»»»

Dubai: The Philippines and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are strengthening cooperation on the medical screening of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with plans to expand the number of accredited health facilities conducting mandatory pre-departure medical examinations for workers bound for Gul»»»

Dubai: The Foreign ministers of the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, including attacks on healthcare facilities, civilian infrastructure and civilians, saying the actions breach internat»»»

Dubai: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has launched a scathing attack on the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, calling it a “dangerous escalation in the centralisation of executive power” that “fundamentally rewrites the relationship between the Indian state and civil soci»»»

“We are confident that the institutions will do their job,” Alina Levi, Chairperson of the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria Shalom, told a briefing following a meeting with Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior Lyubomir Nikolov. The meeting was held in connection with an incident inv»»»

Adwoa Tenkoramaa DomenaGhana's President John Mahama says he will push for Caribbean countries to join the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) when Ghana takes over the African Union chairmanship in 2027. Supporters see a chance to deepen Africa-Caribbean trade and diaspora ties. Critics w»»»

Kyrgyzstan is considering the creation of a full-cycle fish farming cluster at Toktogul reservoir. The project includes fish farming, feed production, fish processing and the subsequent export of finished products. The project concept was discussed at the National Investment Agency during a meeting»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s consumer spending rose 6.8 percent year on year to SR425 billion ($113.3 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, supported by resilient demand, stable inflation and continued non-oil economic growth, Knight Frank said. The consultancy firm’s Saudi Arabia Retail Market Overview»»»

The Romanian government is preparing a legal framework that would allow the authorities to impose phased electricity consumption limits on large industrial users during severe imbalances in the national power system. A draft government decision approving Romania’s Electricity Risk Preparedness Plan»»»

Dubai: Four women have accused a British Army training college for teenagers of fostering a culture of misogyny and sexual violence, with one alleging she was raped for hours by several fellow junior soldiers when she was 17. The allegations, revealed by the BBC, have renewed scrutiny of safeguardi»»»

North Korea fired at least one short-range ballistic missile on Thursday, South Korea's military said. In this January photo, people watch a news report of a North Korean missile launch at Seoul Station. File Photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA North Korea fired at least one short-range ballistic missile t»»»

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) will encourage the consolidation of Bulgaria's water sector through new secondary legislation, to improve service quality and keep socially affordable prices. The regulator held a public consultation on a draft ordinance on incentives for water oper»»»

AMMAN: The importance of Al-Aqsa for Muslims, Christians and Jews means that Israel’s current forceful measures to maintain control of the sacred site has caused considerable strife. Ministers from Arab and Muslim nations, who held an emergency meeting in Amman recently, warned that Tel Aviv’s acti»»»

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday called for an emergency government response to a record-breaking heatwave. In this photo, taken Thursday, a merchant cools off with a frozen water bottle at Seoul Central Market. Photo by Yonhap SEOUL, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Jae M»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia's General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has launched a range of digital services to help visitors to the Prophet's Mosque plan their visit in advance and navigate the site more efficiently. Available through the authority's we»»»

Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, inaugurated the first phase of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women's and Maternity Surgery Wing at Al Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem, as part of the UAE's ongoing humanitarian support for the Palestinian healthcare sector. The project, impleme»»»

More than 5,000 housing transactions that were due to be completed in Romania through mortgage financing are currently frozen because the systems of the National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) cannot be used, according to an analysis by exclusively online mortgage broker Ipotecar»»»

Dubai: Thudakkam, which fittingly translates to 'Beginning', releases in UAE cinemas this weekend. And before Mohanlal's daughter, Vismaya Mohnalal makes, her first appearance on the big screen, here's your crash course on the woman who has quietly become one of Malayalam cinema's most intriguing d»»»

The August 2 confrontation between Bulgarian and Italian teenagers in Bansko, the race ahead of the October 25 presidential election, concerns over fentanyl and key economic issues feature prominently in Bulgaria's news media on Thursday. COMMENTS ON BANSKO INCIDENT On Thursday, Prime Minister Rume»»»

Scientists have captured new images of the sun’s surface that show turbulent, vortex-like structures in unprecedented detail - a resolution roughly equivalent to spotting a blueberry from 70 miles away. "It’s very difficult to produce such patterns, and to see them ubiquitously everywhere in the ob»»»

Ras Al Khaimah attracted Dh771.5 million in new investments during the first six months of 2026, with 967 new establishments joining the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underscoring the emirate’s growing appeal as a regional business and investment hub. The new businesses brought 1»»»

The United States has formally requested the extradition of a Filipino pastor wanted on sex-trafficking charges, the Philippines' ambassador to Washington said on Thursday. Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God" and ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in the Ph»»»

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan on the 60th anniversary of his accession as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, describing the UAE's Founding Father as a visionary »»»

Dubai: The UAE on Thursday marked the 60th anniversary of the accession of its Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the historic milestone marked the beginning of the country's remarkable j»»»

ING Bank Romania has launched SAFEbutton, a new Home’Bank feature that allows customers to immediately block access to their accounts if they suspect fraud. Previously, customers could block their cards through the app, but had to contact the ING Call Centre to restrict account access in cases invo»»»

RIYADH: Saudi food and retail group Savola reported a 36 percent increase in 2026 first-half net profit, driven by stronger operational performance in its food processing business and resilient retail performance despite a competitive market environment. Net profit rose to SR401 million ($106.9 mil»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has secretly created a Cuba task force to pressure the Cuban government to make the economic, political and leadership changes demanded by US President Donald Trump, The New York Times newspaper reported, citing sources. The creation of su»»»

China imposed punitive measures against seven U.S. entities on Wednesday, weeks before Chinese leader Xi Jinping (L) is to visit U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Sept. 24. File Photo by Daniel Torok/The White House/UPI | License Photo Aug. 6 (UPI) -- China has issued retaliatory sanctio»»»

The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal on Thursday adjourned the trial of 13 individuals and six companies accused of illegally trading military equipment destined for Sudan, money laundering, brokerage and document forgery until August12 to allow the defence to complete its pleadings. During the he»»»

Continue the Change (CC) MP and former economy minister Bogdan Bogdanov has urged Finance Minister Galab Donev to immediately confirm before the Supreme Court of Cassation the procedural actions taken so far in the case concerning the Plovdiv Fair, the press office of the party said. The call follo»»»

Dubai: Construction of the Trump International Hotel & Tower, Dubai is moving into its next phase after developer Dar Global appointed Gulf Asia Contracting to build the project’s podium. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The contract award follows progress on the enabli»»»

ISTANBUL (Sputnik) - Iran and Oman have agreed to open the navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and the agreement must be approved by the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Al-Hadath broadcaster reported on Thursday, citing a high-ranking source. The agreement will be valid for 60 days.Iran'»»»

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - The Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes and artillery strikes on villages in the Tyre district in southern Lebanon last night and this morning, wounding four people, a Lebanese military field source told Sputnik on Thursday. "The Israeli army has significantly intensifie»»»

Dubai: The most useful thing Muhammed Sajjad KP, known as UAE weatherman, will tell you about chasing rain in the UAE is that the rain radar isn't live updates. "If you see this radar on the application, and then drive towards those spots, you'll not get rain as we wish," he says, "because these ra»»»

Damascus, Aug. 6 (SANA) Syrian ports have recorded a sharp increase in maritime traffic since the country’s liberation at the end of 2024, with vessel calls and cargo volumes rising significantly during the first half of 2026 as authorities press ahead with infrastructure upgrades and equipment mod»»»

Vivien Keszthelyi, the 25-year-old wife of David Schumacher, is expecting a baby. The Hungarian racing driver married the son of Ralf Schumacher — and nephew of Michael Schumacher — in February this year. A new milestone in the youngest Schumacher family: Vivien Keszthelyi to become a mother The im»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s construction sector expanded for a third consecutive month in July as new orders hit a five-month high, although the headline index eased to 55.2 from June’s peak. The seasonally adjusted alrajhi capital Saudi Construction Index, compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, sl»»»