Damascus, Aug. 6 (SANA) The Central Organisation for Financial Control (COFC) has uncovered a corruption case involving a 2021 contract at the state-owned Real Estate Bank to develop and modernize its banking system, with financial damages totaling $8.454 million. COFC’s media office told SANA that»»»

The majority of English rivers, lakes and waters off the country's coast remain in a challenging state with none free of chemical pollution and only 14% receiving a good ecological bill of health, the Environment Agency said Thursday. File Photo by Abbasi1111/Wikimedia Commons Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The m»»»

The Pentagon is developing a nuclear strategy that would give the US president a wider range of nuclear options in a potential conflict with Russia or China, NBC reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the plans. The proposed approach would reportedly place greater emphasis on shorter-r»»»

Dubai: Gold prices moved higher again on Thursday afternoon, taking the local 24-karat rate to Dh516.25 per gram and extending a rapid increase that has added Dh29 since the beginning of August. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and »»»

Saudi Awwal Bank, one of the Kingdom’s leading banks, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club have announced the launch of the SAB Qatar Airways Privilege Club Credit Card in Saudi Arabia. This Visa Infinite credit card is the first co-branded payment card between Qatar Airways Privilege Club and a bank i»»»

Aug. 5 (UPI) -- An Australian snake catcher responded to a call from a driver who opened their glove compartment and found a large python looking back at them. Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 posted a video to social media showing a reptile wrangler named Summer removing the coastal carpet pytho»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Yediot Aharonot: Lebanon demanded during third day of Rome negotiations that ‘Israel’ provide official list of all Lebanese citizens impris»»»

Lebanese and Israeli negotiators are meeting Thursday in Rome for a third and final day to discuss the implementation of a deal under which Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from areas they are occupying in southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament. On Wednesday, Israel request»»»

No progress has been made in the Rome talks regarding the expansion of the so-called pilot zones, especially since the discussion is focused on the political aspect, Baabda Palace sources told Al-Jadeed television on Thursday. “The Lebanese delegation has several plans on this subject, including th»»»

The ruling Progressive Bulgaria coalition has “handed over” the Khan Tervel offshore oil and gas exploration block to Turkiye and refused to discuss the matter in Parliament, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said Thursday, according to the party’s press service. Vazrazhdane said the decision »»»

Dubai: The Ministry of Economy and Tourism said its instant blocking centre (InstaBlock) shut down more than 14,000 websites and applications illegally streaming sports content during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as part of efforts to combat digital piracy and protect broadcasting rights. The ministry »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met on Thursday in Belgrade with Namibian Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Lucia Iipumbu to discuss deepening the cooperation with the friendly country. "Macut said that Serbia is committed to further enhancing cooperation with Namibia, no»»»

Any racist and antisemitic element of the incident involving a verbal confrontation between Bulgarian and Italian youths outside a hotel in the Bulgarian mountain resort of Bansko should be investigated separately from any possible hooligan behaviour, Chair of the Federation of Zionists in Bulgaria»»»

Trust in the cabinet of Rumen Radev stands at 42%, while distrust is 33.6%, and 24.4% of respondents do not know whether they trust the government, according to a survey by Gallup International Balkan on public attitudes during the first 100 days in office of the government. Data was collected thro»»»

Recent attention regarding the ongoing military conflict between the United States and Iran has often focused on the issue of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the issue of Iran’s nuclear weapons poses a threat not only to the Gulf region but also to the international community. It »»»

Guatemalan authorities said the eruption of the Fuego volcano had ended after 50 hours of activity that forced more than 1,700 people to evacuate, while warning residents to remain cautious because the volcano could erupt again. The eruption of Guatemala's Fuego volcano officially ended on Wednesda»»»

An oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman reported hearing two explosions, a British maritime agency said Thursday.  Earlier, Iran said an agreement with Oman over the strait is in its final stages, while US President Donald Trump suggested a deal could be announce»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov met with heads of Russian regions in Cholpon-Ata. The parties discussed the development of interregional ties, expansion of trade and the launch of joint projects. The head of state called the establishment of joint ventures in industry, pharmaceuticals and agr»»»

Nigerian authorities announced the rescue of 308 people abducted by armed groups, including 163 villagers seized during a deadly attack earlier this year, calling it the country's largest single-day hostage rescue operation. The Nigerian government announced the release of more than 300 kidnapping »»»

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic ⁠of Congo is spreading faster than efforts to fight it, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday. Families said many frontline workers in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, have gone on strike over pay issues, worsening acces»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to promote direct investment and facilitate cross-border capital flows, as Jakarta seeks to attract more Saudi companies to its strategic sectors. The Saudi Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif and his Indonesian counterpar»»»

Two French livestreamers received suspended prison sentences on Wednesday after being convicted of repeatedly abusing and humiliating a man during online broadcasts that preceded his death. Though the pair were cleared of causing the man's death, they were found guilty of violence and incitement to»»»

A military ceremony was held in Pleven Thursday to welcome home members of the Bulgarian contingent returning from NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Brig. Gen. Hristo Hristov, chief of staff of the Joint Forces Command, praised the troops for their professionalism and dedication, saying t»»»

Air travel between the European Union and the United Arab Emirates remains uncertain amid the tensions in the Persian Gulf, Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry warned on Thursday. The Ministry said European airlines are currently waiting for the security risk in the region to ease before resuming regular f»»»

The latest meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council (EIC) has begun in Cholpon-Ata. It is being held as part of Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Union. The meeting is attended by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev, as well as th»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to promote direct investment and facilitate cross-border capital flows, as Jakarta seeks to attract more Saudi companies to its strategic sectors. The Saudi Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif and his Indonesian counterpar»»»

At least six people were killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight into Thursday, including three in the city ​of ‌Balakliia in the Kharkiv region and another three in the northern region of Sumy, local authorities said. A Russian ​attack also damaged ​a foreign-flagge»»»

Russian attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding region killed 17 people and wounded dozens, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday, as Ukraine’s depleted air defenses failed to stop any of Moscow’s incoming missiles overnight. Zelensky has reiterated to allies that Ukraine needs more air defences.»»»

DPS leader Delyan Peevski traveled on a regular commercial flight, marking a departure from his previous use of private aviation that had drawn public attention and criticism. Photos shared on Facebook show Peevski traveling in business class on Turkish Airlines flight TK1030 from Sofia to Istanbul»»»

GERB leader Boyko Borissov said the party will create a shadow government ahead of the local elections as part of an effort to show voters that it is prepared to return to power. In a video published on GERB's political platform "New Minds," Borissov said the party plans to present a team that will»»»

BELGRADE - At Thursday's reception for participants of a Serbia Is Calling You 2026 sports and education camp for children and youth from the diaspora, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the 435 participants from the region, Europe and around the world proved that love for Serbia and mutual re»»»

An incident on the night of August 2 in the mountain resort of Bansko has grown into an international dispute involving the governments of Bulgaria and Italy, the Bulgarian Jewish community, local police and residents. The two sides describe what happened in sharply different terms, and the facts t»»»

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 »»»

Dubai: Qatar Airways will resume flights to three regional destinations from August 8, restoring services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil as it continues to rebuild its network. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The airline announced on Wednesday that scheduled flights to B»»»

DOHA: Qatar Airways will resume passenger flight services to Bahrain, Erbil and Kuwait from August 8, 2026, the airline announced on Thursday. The airline said flights to Bahrain International Airport (BAH), Erbil International Airport (EBL) and Kuwait International Airport (KWI) will restart after»»»

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»»»

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»»»

The US military has used up 50% of its Patriot interceptors and nearly 80% of those for the THAAD missile defence system fighting Iran, with senior commanders warning the Pentagon's munitions stockpile is “dangerously low,” CNN reported on August 4, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.»»»

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»»»

Pakistan remains actively engaged with regional partners in diplomatic efforts to ease tensions in the Gulf and the Middle East, “particularly the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday. “Pakistan remains engaged alongside other brotherly sta»»»

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the Israeli killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in a strike in southern Lebanon, describing it as an apparent war crime and calling for an urgent international investigation. In separate publications, the two organizations said the »»»

The Ministry of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan recommends that citizens and tourists temporarily refrain from visiting the Tash-Rabat historical and architectural complex. The restrictions are related to repair and restoration work currently underway on the complex’s grounds. »»»

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»»»