Ghana parliament passes anti-LGBTQ+ bill Just nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleHarry SekulichandThomas Naadi ReutersReverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Ghanian MP who sponsored the bill, speaks to media after it passed parliament. The parliament in Ghana has approved a new bill criminalising homo»»»

Share: The US Treasury Secretary announced that US had seized $1bn in Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of the economic campaign launched by Trump. Iran has been charging for passage thru Hormuz in crypto currency Iran says a ceasefire deal has still not been reached after US President Donald T»»»

Share: A paramedic volunteer carries a body, one of the six the family members who were killed on Wednesday when their car was struck in an Israeli airstrike on a highway as they fled their village, during a funeral procession in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Friday, May 29, 2026. Mohamm»»»

Damascus, May 29 (SANA) The Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce (FSCC) has defined the tasks of its newly formed “Franchises Committee,” in a move aimed at strengthening franchise culture and expanding the presence of Syrian brands locally, regionally, and internationally, supporting the inve»»»

Art AlUla’s Madrasat Addeera — billed as “a platform dedicated to heritage-led creativity” — has teamed up with Saudi fashion label HINDAMME to release a limited-edition handmade collection. “The collection is rooted in AlUla’s landscape — its tones, its textures, its quiet intensity,” HINDAMME’s c»»»

LONDON: Some walked out of Syria’s Sednayah prison unable to remember their own names. After years inside what rights groups described as a “human slaughterhouse,” survivors of the country’s most notorious prison emerged in late 2024 unsure whether their families were alive or whether their homes w»»»

Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., announced on Friday that she will not seek re-election for a ninth term in Congress. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo May 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D.-Fla., said she has decided not to run for what would be her ninth term in the House of Rep»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s fintech race is no longer being defined by consumer-facing apps, but by the infrastructure powering them, according to Mohamed Oueida, founder and CEO of Stitch. As the Kingdom’s financial sector matures under Vision 2030, attention is shifting away from user interfaces towar»»»

GAZA: The ​German government is concerned about ‌Israeli ‌plans ​to ‌take ⁠more ​of Gaza, ⁠a Foreign Ministry spokesperson ⁠said ‌on ‌Friday, ​adding ‌that ‌Germany opposes a permanent ‌division of the ⁠Palestinian territory. Palestinians view Israel’s widening Gaza buffer zone as a part of a strat»»»

DEIR EZZOR: The Syrian Arab Republic’s government has continued its emergency operations in Deir Ezzor after surging water levels along the Euphrates River affected about 2,400 families. The crisis prompted widespread evacuations, urgent shelter preparations, and a sweeping humanitarian relief effo»»»

ASTANA: Armenia should hold a referendum on EU membership “as soon as possible,” President Vladimir Putin and three Russian-allied leaders said in a statement Friday, escalating pressure on Yerevan over its deepening ties with Brussels. Armenia is formally allied with Moscow, but has been building »»»

Colombia will head to the polls Sunday to elect President Gustavo Petro's successor. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo May 29 (UPI) -- Colombia will head to the polls Sunday to elect its next president under an unprecedented security deployment that includes 246,000 members of the secu»»»

Tokyo, May 29 (SANA) Official Japanese data released on Friday showed that the country’s crude oil imports fell by nearly 66 percent in April compared with the same month a year earlier, amid the ongoing repercussions of the US Israeli–Iranian war in the Middle East on oil supplies from the region.»»»

Iranian Commander of the Mohammad Rasoolullah Corps Hassan Hassanzadeh attends an event with Iranian officials at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday. President Donald Trump is expected to make a decision on the proposed Iran cease-fire Friday. Photo by Behnam Tofighi/UPI | License »»»

1 of 3 | A coordinator with U-Reporters, an UNICEF program to engage and inform local communities, wears a protective gown as he takes part in a campaign to raise awareness against Ebola in Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Friday. Photo by Jeanne Munyerenkana/EPA May 29 (UPI) »»»

PARIS: Mayar Sherif’s journey at this year’s Roland Garros came to an end on Thursday with a second-round defeat to defending champion Coco Gauff but the Egyptian says she leaves Paris feeling “proud” of her performances and “motivated” for what’s to come. Sherif, who won four matches in Paris thro»»»

MAKKAH: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, has received Ahmad Muzani, the speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly, and his accompanying delegation in Makkah. The delegation included»»»

MAKKAH: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, has received Ahmad Muzani, the speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly, and his accompanying delegation in Makkah. The delegation included»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia has all the means to destroy anyone who attempts to destroy its air defense bases. “Russia has all the means to flatten anyone who tries to do this,” Putin told journalists during a press briefing following his visit to Kazakhstan, commenting on t»»»

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani, alongside Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Singapore HE Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Maliki Al Juhani, attended the ministerial recepti»»»

LONDON: When Omnicom Advertising and Google launched what they describe as the first artificial intelligence-powered creative intelligence system in the Middle East this April, the promise was unusual: that a machine could tell a creative director not just what was weak in an ad, but what it would »»»

Asharq Al-Awsat has obtained a document recently sent by Hamas to mediators regarding the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, where escalating Israeli violations have killed more than 930 Palestinians since the deal took effect on October 10. Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Thursday evening, cit»»»

* Hamas says Netanyahu’s plan equates to ethnic cleansing* Ceasefire deal left contentious issues unresolved* Analysts warn move risks ‌increase in violenceGAZA/CAIRO: Hamas said on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration that his country would expand its area of control»»»

Eleven children have been killed or injured on average every 24 hours in Lebanon over the last week, the UN's children's agency said on Friday, as Israel has expanded strikes across the country despite a ceasefire. Heavy Israeli strikes hit towns and villages in southern Lebanon overnight on Wednes»»»

The UN warned on Friday that an Israeli plan to take control of 70 percent of Gaza is sure to increase suffering among children already hit by the impacts of severe overcrowding. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he had ordered the military to take control of more terr»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that a ceasefire with Israel was crucial, as Israeli and Lebanese military delegations meet at the Pentagon. A statement from Aoun's office said that during a phone call, the president "emphasized the need to exert all »»»

This week, as UK Labour’s destructive leadership contest intensified, former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair staged a remarkable intervention in which he single-handedly sought to save the party from political oblivion. Blair’s dramatic intrusion into Labour politics took the form of a 5,600-word »»»

MINA: This year’s Hajj pilgrims completed the second day of Tashreeq on Friday, following the ritual stoning of the three pillars at the Jamarat complex in Mina. Almost 1.71 million pilgrims have performed Hajj this year, with the majority taking part in the stoning ritual with ease and comfort, th»»»

Hamas said on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that his country would expand its area of control in Gaza was a dangerous escalation, as residents of the Palestinian territory also voiced alarm at the plan. Under a ceasefire deal in October Israel's military was to»»»

Dubai: UAE travellers heading to Europe should gear up for a long wait of at least five to six hours at European airports, as the rollout of the EU’s new electronic Entry/Exit System (EES) plunges major hubs into operational disruptions. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave orders to the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday to seize more territory in Gaza, despite a U.S.-brokered peace deal that restricts the area under its control to just over half. File photo by Ilia Yefimovich/UPI | License Photo May 29 (UPI) -- Israeli P»»»

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he had ordered the country’s military to take control of 70 percent of the Gaza Strip,in defiance of the terms of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October. “We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60 percent of the t»»»

Warsaw: Sharjah's participation as the Guest of Honour at the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026 extended beyond literature as the emirate brought music to the streets of Poland. The Sharjah National Band brought Emirati folk arts and heritage performances to audiences across the Polish capital, d»»»

Former US First Lady Jill Biden has said she thought her husband was having a stroke during his disastrous 2024 debate with Donald Trump. The remarks have revived scrutiny of Joe Biden’s decline and the efforts by his inner circle to defend his fitness for office. Speaking to CBS on Wednesday, Jill»»»

MANILA: The Philippines and Japan have upgraded bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and agreed to start talks toward an intelligence-sharing agreement, marking new milestones amid shared concerns over rising tensions in the South China Sea. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos »»»

WARSAW: Polish leaders on Friday warned that the Ukrainian president’s move to honor a controversial World War II group accused of massacring Poles risked souring relations between the two neighbors. The row was sparked after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named a military unit after the Uk»»»

Hezbollah has again rejected direct talks between Lebanon and Israel on the eve of military negotiations between the two sides. The Iran-backed group believes that Beirut doesn't have the leverage to stop the war and have Israel withdraw its troops. "The ruling authority persists in pursuing a down»»»

The German government is concerned about ‌Israeli ‌plans to ‌take ⁠more of Gaza, ⁠a foreign ministry spokesperson ⁠said ‌on ‌Friday, adding ‌that ‌Germany opposes a permanent ‌division of the ⁠Palestinian territory. The Israeli military said Wednesday evening it had launched strikes in the northern»»»

POLITICS The first visit of Bulgaria's new prime minister Rumen Radev to Brussels has drawn much attention in Bulgarian media. The former president and current head of the country's executive branch of power held separate talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President U»»»

In a stark editorial published Thursday, ‘Israel’s’ leading left-leaning newspaper Haaretz warned that the regieme is being dragged deeper into a “futile and pointless war” in Lebanon, with no clear objectives or exit strategy. The newspaper called for an immediate reduction of fighting and a withd»»»

Warsaw: “Civilisations do not have to resemble one another to understand one another,” Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi told an audience gathered at the opening of the Warsaw International Book Fair in Poland. “They only need to approach each other with patience, curiosity and empathy.” Sharjah»»»

A humanitarian organization on Friday accused forces affiliated with a Sudanese paramilitary group of targeting civilians in an area of Sudan free of any military presence during Eid al-Adha, killing 27 people, among them elderly people. Sudan Doctors Network, a group that tracks violence across th»»»

Saudi Arabia’s listed technology companies posted strong first-quarter earnings for 2026, reflecting a structural shift in the sector as digital revenue growth converged with tighter control over operating and administrative costs. Combined net profits for companies in the Kingdom’s applications an»»»

RIYADH: Cement sits at the center of Saudi Arabia’s transformation. From giga-projects and housing developments to industrial zones and tourism infrastructure, demand for the material is expected to remain high as the Kingdom advances its Vision 2030 agenda. But cement is also one of the world’s mo»»»

The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) is organizing 30 celebratory events for workers across the country during the Eid Al Adha holidays under the theme “The Happiness of Our Workers is the Joy of Our Eid.” The celebrations will take place throughout the Eid holidays at 30 l»»»

Most adults would struggle to pronounce them, let alone spell them. Yet for 14-year-old Shrey Parikh, words such as hwyl, philepitta and bromocriptine became stepping stones to one of America’s most coveted academic titles. The California teenager outspelled 247 competitors to win the 2026 Scripps »»»

Hungary’s parliament has approved legislation to stop the country’s planned withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), reversing a decision launched under the previous government and keeping Hungary inside the Hague-based tribunal. As we reported, as a first step, the Tisza-led governm»»»

Arab Finance: Real estate company Bonyan for Development and Trade (BONY) reported a 106% year-on-year (YoY) increase in total revenues to EGP 370 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, driven by continued growth in rental income alongside a rise in sales revenues, compared to EGP 179.9 million»»»

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday said she wrote to the European Union's top leaders urging strengthened coordination on border vigilance in response ‌risks that ‌Ebola infection ‌may ⁠spread in the ⁠continent. "Italy believes that the epidemiological situation in Central Africa linke»»»

Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy will assume office as Secretary-General of the Arab League on July 1, succeeding Ahmed Aboul Gheit, whose term expires on June 30. The 165th regular session of the Council of Arab Foreign Ministers, held virtually in March, unanimously approved a resolut»»»