Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index falls to 10,967
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Sunday, losing 27.50 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 10,967.94. The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR2.91 billion ($768 million), as 77 stocks advanced and 179 retreated. Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu »»»
Four Egyptian students killed in motorcycle fuel tank explosion at home in Assiut
Four Egyptian students were killed in a fuel tank explosion inside a house in Upper Egypt’s Assiut Governorate while they were studying together ahead of upcoming exams, security and local sources said. The incident occurred in the village of Bani Shaqir in the Manfalut district, where the four gra»»»
Alex Marquez injured in horrific Catalan MotoGP crash
Barcelona: The Catalan MotoGP was red-flagged on Sunday after a horrific crash involving multiple riders, including Alex Marquez, on the 12th lap. Marquez, who was flipped off his bike after it hit a wall, was removed from the track in an ambulance and taken to hospital. Offiials remove the destroy»»»
Israel to establish defense offices in former UNRWA compound
JERUSALEM: Israel’s cabinet on Sunday approved a plan to build a defense compound on the site of the recently demolished premises of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in East Jerusalem. Israel in January demolished structures inside the UN Palestinian refugee agency’s East Jerusalem comp»»»
Indian worker killed, three injured in massive drone attack on Russia
Doha, Qatar: One Indian worker has lost his life while three others have been injured in a drone attack in Russia's Moscow region on Sunday, May 17, 2026. The Indian Embassy in Russia stated this in a social media post, adding that the officials visited the location and met the injured in hospital.»»»
Tunisias NDC 3.0 targets 46.4% cut in carbon intensity by 2030
Tunis, May 17 (TAP) — Tunisia plans to reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 46.4% by 2030 and by 62% by 2035, according to its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), which was discussed over the weekend in Gammarth during a...»»»
Denmark's Antonsen wins badminton Thailand Open title
Bangkok: Denmark's Anders Antonsen won the badminton men's singles final of the Thailand Open on Sunday, getting his revenge against homegrown Kunlavut Vitidsarn who defeated the Dane last year. World-ranked No. 3 Antonsen won 9-21, 24-22, 21-18 in 1 hour 37 minutes in Bangkok on Sunday. The 29-yea»»»
Efforts continue for full ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel
Lebanon has received a proposal through its embassy in Washington concerning efforts to achieve a complete and comprehensive ceasefire within 24 to 48 hours, starting at midnight between Saturday and Sunday, diplomatic sources said. The diplomatic sources told MTV that contacts intensified on Satur»»»
Parliament Chair: You Are an Inspiration, Dara!
"Bravo, DARA / Darina Yotova! We are proud of you and of your success!" wrote the Chair of Bulgaria's National Assembly, Mihaela Dotsova, on Facebook after Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest. Bulgaria will host next year's edition of the contest after the singer Dara won the 2026 edition in V»»»
UAE landlords can now check tenants’ credit scores through UAE PASS
Dubai: Private landlords in the UAE can now request the credit scores of prospective tenants through a new digital screening service launched by Etihad Credit Bureau in collaboration with UAE PASS. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The new “Tenant S»»»
Max Verstappen’s hopes of win on 24-hour race debut ended by mechanical issue
NÜRBURG: Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen’s chances of victory in his 24-hour racing debut at the famed Nürburgring track have been ended by a mechanical issue with his car. Verstappen had been leading Sunday morning by over half a minute, sharing a Mercedes AMG GT3 car with experienced »»»
Mob torches 100 homes in Sindh over free-will marriage
Dubai: More than 100 houses were set ablaze in Pakistan’s Sindh province after a violent mob attack triggered by a dispute over a free-will marriage between two people from different communities, according to media reports. The attack took place in Jacobabad district, where armed men allegedly stor»»»
Saudi Arabia deports11,272 illegal residents, arrests 9,576 others over residency, labour and border violations in one week nationwide crachdown
Saudi Arabia deported 11,272 illegal residents in one week after nationwide inspection campaigns targeting residency, labour and border security violations, the Interior Ministry said. Security authorities arrested 9,576 people during joint operations carried out between May 7 and May 13 in coordin»»»
UK armed forces to visit US to mark independence anniversary
London: The British military's aerial display team and the Royal Navy, which was recently maligned by Donald Trump, will soon visit the US to mark 250 years of American independence, the UK government said Sunday. The Royal Air Force's Red Arrows will in June embark on a one-month "showcase tour" o»»»
Iran have 'constructive' meeting with FIFA over World Cup preparations
Paris, France: FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described as "excellent" and "constructive" the meeting held on Saturday in Istanbul with the Iranian federation to ensure Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Iranians are scheduled to be bas»»»
Iran’s Velayati Hits Back at Trump Threats: US Falling into Strategic Trap by ‘Israel’
Ali Akbar Velayati, Senior Advisor on International Affairs to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has warned that Washington is “walking into a strategic trap” allegedly set by Israel, cautioning that another war on Iran would further erode US credibility in West Asia. In a post on X, Velayati—a»»»
Spanish star Javier Bardem says 'narrative changing' on Gaza
Cannes, France: Outspoken Spanish star Javier Bardem told AFP he was "getting more work than ever" despite his public campaigning against Israel's war in Gaza, something he attributed to "the narrative changing" around the conflict. At the last Oscars ceremony in February, the openly political star»»»
Massive crowds gather in London for anti-immigration march (VIDEOS)
Large crowds have descended upon central London for an anti-immigration rally dubbed ‘Unite the Kingdom’. Videos and photographs circulating on social media on Saturday showed demonstrators with Union Jack flags, crosses, and other Christian symbols marching through the streets of the British capit»»»
Digital ‘catastrophe’?: Iran now eyes internet cables beneath Hormuz
Dubai: Having tested the world’s dependence on the Strait of Hormuz through wartime oil disruptions, Iran is now signaling it could target another critical global artery — the subsea internet cables carrying financial transactions, cloud services and digital communications between Europe, Asia and »»»
Saudi SARCO, China’s Ally Hydrogen sign Jazan green ammonia deal
RIYADH: Jazan Industrial City will host a new green ammonia plant under a new agreement between Saudi Arabia Refineries Co. and China’s Ally Hydrogen Energy to establish a local hydrogen equipment manufacturing and assembly hub. The new non-binding memorandum of understanding will also include the »»»
Italian PM meets victims of Modena car incident
Modena, Italy: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday visited people wounded by a driver with a history of mental health problems who ran over several pedestrians in a city centre in northern Italy. The driver, a 31-year-old Italian man of Moroccan heritage, hit several people before crash»»»
International dive group joins Maldives search for missing Italians
Malé, Maldives: An international dive safety group sent experts to the Maldives on Sunday to join a multinational recovery effort after five Italians and a rescue diver died in the Indian Ocean tourist destination's deadliest diving disaster, an official said. The five Italians drowned while in a d»»»
Foreign outflows pressure EGX benchmark despite broader gains
Cairo — Egypt’s stock market ended trading on Thursday, 14 May 2026 on a mixed note, with the benchmark index extending its recent decline as investors continued trimming positions in large-cap stocks, while broader indices maintained modest gains supported by selective buying in mid- and small-cap»»»
Germany, Canada among top picks for UAE students
Germany, France, Australia and Canada are emerging as the top choices for students exploring international education, according to Clint Khan, Director at Y-Axis, Platinum Sponsor of Edufair. Speaking on the sidelines of Gulf News Edufair in Abu Dhabi, Khan said students are increasingly factoring »»»
Shipping Firms Scramble for Emergency Truck Routes Amid Hormuz Crisis
The US-Israeli war on Iran has triggered a logistics shockwave — and the Gulf is now paying the price. The Strait of Hormuz squeeze has forced shipping companies to scramble to move cargo by land, reports the FT.Businesses now face exploding costs, delays stretching for months, and mounting supply »»»
Iran chief negotiator Ghalibaf appointed to oversee ties with China: media
Tehran: Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who recently emerged as a chief negotiator in talks with the United States, has been appointed to oversee relations with China, Iranian media reported on Sunday. "Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has recently been appointed as a special representa»»»
Drone strike causes fire outside Abu Dhabi nuclear power plant, no injuries reported
Abu Dhabi: Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire incident on Sunday, May 17, 2026, after an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region caught fire. According to a statement released by the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the incident w»»»
Viral video of Michael Jackson drone show at Dubai's Burj Khalifa and the truth behind it
Dubai: A video showing thousands of drones forming the iconic silhouette of Michael Jackson in front of Burj Khalifa has taken over social media feeds across the UAE and beyond. The clip, set to some greatest hits by the King of Pop on different social media channels, sent viewers into a frenzy, wi»»»
Israeli Strikes Escalate Across Southern Lebanon Despite Ceasefire Extension
Israeli attacks intensified across southern Lebanon on Sunday, in continued violation of a declared ceasefire, just two days after Lebanese authorities announced a 45-day extension of the truce, an agreement that has yet to translate into calm on the ground. The attacks took place in Nabatieh, Bint»»»
Friedrich Merz says US no longer ‘Land of Opportunity’ for young people
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will no longer recommend the United States as a destination for his children to study or work, citing what he described as a worsening “social climate” in America. Speaking at a Catholic youth conference in Wuerzburg on Friday, the conservative leader sa»»»
New drone rules approved in Sharjah covering flights and airspace
Sharjah: The Sharjah Consultative Council has approved a draft 2026 law regulating the use of drones after introducing a number of amendments during its 16th session of the third ordinary term of the 11th legislative chapter. The session was held at the council’s headquarters in Sharjah and chaired»»»
UK police detail arrests after far-right rally, counter demo
London: London police said Sunday officers arrested 20 people the previous day at a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and 12 people at a counter-demonstration fused with a pro-Palestinian protest. The city's Metropolitan Police -- which had already disclosed making 43 arrests Sat»»»
Wes Streeting of the Labour Party wants to be Britain’s next prime minister
LONDON: Wes Streeting’s ambition to head the British government was one of the worst-kept secrets in UK politics. But if anyone was unaware, it’s now official — the former health secretary announced on Saturday his intention to oust Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “We need a proper contest with the be»»»
Xabi Alonso appointed Chelsea manager on four-year deal
London: Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as the club's manager on Sunday on a four-year deal with the Spaniard the latest coach tasked with turning around the club's fortunes. The Blues lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City on Saturday and lie ninth in the Premier League with two games of the campa»»»
Hezbollah says it struck military target in northern Israel
Hezbollah said Saturday it struck a military target in northern Israel, as the fragile ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has not stopped fighting in the war that began on March 2. In a statement, the Iran-backed militant group said its fighters targeted "the Ya'ara barracks... with a swarm of at»»»
Saudi PIF keeps US equity portfolio at $12bn amid investment shift
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund maintained a $12 billion US equity portfolio in the first quarter of 2026, down from roughly $12.9 billion at the end of 2025, as it continued to recalibrate investments across global markets. A filing submitted by PIF to the US Securities and Exchange »»»
Mass Ukraine drone barrage kills 4 in Russia: Moscow
Moscow: A huge wave of almost 600 Ukrainian drones attacked Russia overnight, killing three people in the Moscow region and one in the Belgorod region, authorities said on Sunday. Air defences shot down 556 drones overnight across the country, Russia's defence ministry said, with another 30 drones »»»
Sharjah launches Oman logistics corridor, sends first shipments to Sohar Port
Dubai: The Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority has launched an integrated logistics corridor connecting the emirate with ports in Oman through land border crossings, in a move aimed at strengthening regional trade connectivity and supply chain resilience. Get updated faster and for FREE»»»
Pakistani minister arrives in Tehran to 'facilitate' US-Iran peace talks
Pakistan's interior minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday "to facilitate" the peace talks between Iran and the United States that have stalled despite a fragile ceasefire, Iranian media reported. "Mohsin Naqvi arrived today in the Islamic Republic of Iran on an official two-day visit as part of Pa»»»
Italian PM to meet victims of Modena car incident
Modena, Italy: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday will visit people wounded by a driver with a history of mental health problems who ran over pedestrians in a city center in northern Italy. The driver, an Italian of Moroccan heritage, hit several people before crashing into a shop wind»»»
‘Taiwan independence’ means we don’t belong to Beijing, president says
TAIPEI: The expression “Taiwan independence” means the island neither belongs to nor is subordinate to Beijing and that only the Taiwanese people can decide their future, President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday. Lai’s comments, a reiteration of his views, come days after President Donald Trump met hi»»»
Palestinian President's Son Elected to Top Fatah Leadership Body
The son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won a seat on Fatah's top decision-making body on Sunday, as initial results emerged from the Palestinian movement's first congress in years. Yasser Abbas, 64, a businessman who spends most of his time in Canada, secured a place on the central committe»»»
Germany and Japan test hydrogen future with BMW, Toyota cars
Nature and EnvironmentAsiaGermany and Japan test hydrogen future with BMW, Toyota carsMartin FritzDuring a recent visit to Japan, Germany's transport minister Patrick Schnieder toured hydrogen projects aimed at bringing the fuel into the mainstream. https://p.dw.com/p/5DqgKGerman Minister Patrick S»»»
Nepali duo break own records on Everest
Kathmandu, Nepal: A Nepali climber dubbed the "Everest Man", Kami Rita Sherpa, scaled Mount Everest for a record 32nd time Sunday, while Lhakpa Sherpa broke her own women's record with an 11th summit. "This is another milestone in Nepal's mountaineering history," Himal Gautam, spokesperson for Nepa»»»
Spacecraft to Probe How Earth Fends Off Raging Solar Winds
A joint European-Chinese spacecraft is set to blast off Tuesday to investigate what happens when extreme winds and giant explosions of plasma shot out from the Sun slam into Earth's magnetic shield. Particularly fierce solar storms can knock out satellites, threaten astronauts -- and create colorfu»»»
Nepali Duo Break Own Records on Everest
A Nepali climber dubbed the "Everest Man", Kami Rita Sherpa, scaled Mount Everest for a record 32nd time Sunday, while Lhakpa Sherpa broke her own women's record with an 11th summit. "This is another milestone in Nepal's mountaineering history," Himal Gautam, spokesperson for Nepal's Tourism Depart»»»
Al-Attiyah storms to 18th Jordan Rally victory
Doha, Qatar: Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Candido Carrera cruised to a comfortable victory at the Jordan Rally yesterday. The Autotek Motorsport Škoda Fabia RS driver won each of the dozen special stages in the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas to repeat a clean sweep of stage wins that he last achie»»»
Italian PM to meet victims of Modena car incident
Modena, Italy: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday will visit people wounded by a driver with a history of mental health problems who ran over pedestrians in a city center in northern Italy. The driver, an Italian of Moroccan heritage, hit several people before crashing into a shop wind»»»
Al-Ahli confirm SPL third place after win over Al-Kholood
DUBAI: Al-Ahli beat Al-Kholood 3-0 at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday night to confirm third place in the Saudi Pro League going into the final week of the season. The reigning AFC Champions League Elite winners scored all their goals in the first half, with Ivan Toney grabbing the opener in »»»
Eid livestock demand surges 80%, transport costs jump 90% in UAE
Dubai: Livestock traders across the UAE say they are entering the Eid Al Adha season with strong supplies of sacrificial animals and rising consumer demand, despite mounting cost pressures driven by regional developments and higher transport expenses. Traders said demand for sacrificial animals is »»»