Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was came under intense fire from the international community Thursday in the wake of a video showing him taunting actiivists seized from a Gaza aid flotilla and brought to Israel. He posted the video on X himself. File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | Li»»»

Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc urged on Thursday Arab and foreign embassies to inform their governments of the daily Israeli aggressions, over the course of fifteen months, since a truce was reached in November 2024. "That agreement obligated both sides to cease all forms of hostilities and mandate»»»

The indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro by the US Justice Department marks the latest escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Havana. Is President Donald Trump trying to repeat the Maduro playbook? What was Raul Castro charged with?Unsealed on Wednesday, the indictment acc»»»

Eleven people were killed and six others injured when a four-storey building collapsed overnight in the Moroccan city of Fez, about 200 kilometres (124 miles) east of Rabat, state-owned broadcaster 2M said on Thursday. Authorities said a search for others who might still be buried was ongoing. Medi»»»

Syria will attend the G7 summit in France next month as a guest nation and be represented by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, three sources familiar with the matter said, marking Syria's first participation in a summit of the group since the forum was founded in 1975. An invitation to Sharaa to attend th»»»

Mourners gathered in a southern Lebanese town on Thursday to bury victims from an Israeli airstrike earlier this week that killed 14 people, the deadliest single bombing raid on Lebanon since the announcement of a tenuous ceasefire last month. The toll from Israel's strike on the town of Deir Qanou»»»

Dubai: The “Pledge and Commitment” initiative has brought together residents, leaders, students, and community figures in Abu Dhabi, in a strong display of unity and national cohesion. The initiative reflects sincere national loyalty and appreciation for the leadership of President His Highness She»»»

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will pay an official visit to China from May 23-26, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. "At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will pay an official v»»»

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is a moment to reflect on the richness of the world’s cultures — and also an opportunity to ask: what role does culture play in the way nations, cities, and institutions actually work together? My answer – based on working in strateg»»»

Bulgarian National Assembly Chair Mihaela Dotsova and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament, Lorenzo Fontana, discussed strengthening parliamentary dialogue between the two countries and the exchange of best practices during a meeting in Rome. A Bulgarian parliamentary »»»

DUBAI: A top UAE official denounced Iran’s claim of control over Emirati waters in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz as a “pipe dream” Thursday, following an announcement by an Iranian body overseeing the strait. “The regime is trying to establish a new reality born from a clear military defeat, but a»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) launched on Thursday the exhibition "Compositions from the Spirit of Art" by Qatari visual artist Dania Tariq, which will run until next Monday. The exhibition presents 34 artworks offering a rich artistic experience filled with emotion and imag»»»

Israel said it had deported on Thursday all the foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, following global outcry over their treatment in custody. "All foreign activists from the PR flotilla have been deported from Israel. Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful»»»

Sharjah’s Roads and Transport Authority has announced that traffic on Al Khan Road would be temporarily diverted from Friday as part of development works involving road expansion and bridge construction aimed at improving traffic flow and infrastructure across the emirate. The authority said the tr»»»

DHAKA: When he was at university, Mokarrebur Rahman was planning to perform Hajj — a dream his friends laughed at, as he struggled to afford even one meal a day. Little did they know that the opportunity would soon come, and that he would make sure not to miss a single pilgrimage thereafter. Rahman»»»

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s MBC Studios has unveiled a slate of new Saudi film and television productions during the Cannes Film Festival 2026. Among the projects announced is “Hell of the Transients,” the first feature film directed by Saudi filmmaker Hana Al-Omair. The film, adapted from the work of be»»»

Kuwait's General Civil Aviation Authority has launched its operational plan for the 2026 Hajj season, with 63 scheduled flights set to transport around 8,400 pilgrims and administrators from Kuwait to Saudi Arabia. The flights will depart from Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport between May »»»

Dubai: Dubai will provide economic incentives worth more than $400 million, authorities said Thursday, as businesses struggle to cope with the aftermath of the Middle East war and Iran's blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities approved "a second package of economic incentives valued at AED 1.»»»

Manila: The rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the Philippines has been slowed by a mix of regulatory bottlenecks, uneven local government rules, slow permitting, grid and safety concerns — fueling investor uncertainty despite strong EV sales growth. Industry officials say demand»»»

DUBAI: Dubai will provide economic incentives worth more than $400 million, authorities said Thursday, as businesses struggle to cope with the aftermath of the Middle East war and Iran’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities approved “a second package of economic incentives valued at AED 1.»»»

For three years, Sudan’s civil war has defied every attempt at resolution. Mediators, concerned actors, and all others seeking to end the conflict have been caught in an unproductive void, moving from one failed initiative to another. These repeated failures have deepened the sense of a horizon clo»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, May 21: There's outrage and condemnation in the international papers over a video showing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting detained flotilla activists. One Israeli editor says he should be fired for his video. Also: the US indicts former Cuba»»»

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, has ordered the release of 836 prisoners of different nationalities from Dubai’s correctional and punitive establishments, ahead of Eid Al Adha. Sheikh Moh»»»

Dozens of vehicles burnt as Mali jihadists enforce blockade 17 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleThomas NaadiBBC Africa Sahel Alerte / XJihadist fighters have been burning vehicles on major roads leading to the capital Dozens of vehicles, including fuel tankers, minibuses and trucks, ha»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Thursday morning the Doha International Book Fair in its 35th edition, held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). At the outset of the tour, HH the Amir explored "This is Qatar" book project, which was launched as the G»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is spearheading international efforts to stabilize global oil markets and contain the fallout from a supply crisis triggered by the Iran war and the halt to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Using strategic logistics infrastructure, Riyadh has secured energy flows to con»»»

TEL AVIV: Israel has released hundreds of activists who attempted to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and is in the process of deporting them, according to a legal organization working with the flotilla. The Israel-based legal advocacy group, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israe»»»

GIZA, CAIRO: The boxers taking part in “Glory in Giza” on Wednesday spoke to international media and walked the red carpet at the venue where the event, part of Riyadh Season, will take place on Saturday. Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk, who holds a perfect record of 24 wins without defeat, inclu»»»

Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, on Thursday approved a second package of economic incentives worth Dh1.5 billion, bringing the total economic support to Dh2.5 billion over the past two months, »»»

Doha, Qatar: QatarEnergy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and ExxonMobil to study enabling the potential development and commercialization of gas discoveries in Cyprus through Egypt’s existing gas and LNG export infrastructure. The MoU ena»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iran Military Recovery Proceeding Far Faster than Expected: CNN 21-05-2026 13:46 PM Iran’s Shahed 136 drone displayed at the National Aeros»»»

Commercial air traffic over Iran has thinned dramatically, reviving fears of a possible new military escalation in the Middle East even as regional powers intensify diplomatic efforts to salvage fragile negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The unusually empty skies above Iran — coupled with »»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited the 35th Doha International Book Fair at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. At the start of his tour, His Highness viewed the 'This is Qatar' book project, which is the guest of honour at this year's f»»»

Abu Dhabi, May 21 (SANA) The third edition of the Economy Middle East Summit 2026 opened Thursday in Abu Dhabi in partnership with Abu Dhabi Global Market ADGM, bringing together ministers, policymakers, government officials and executives from global financial institutions and companies. Held at t»»»

Cairo — Egypt’s stock market resumed its downward trajectory on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, with broad-based losses across all major indices as foreign selling intensified and investors continued reducing exposure following the market’s strong rally earlier this quarter. The benchmark EGX30 fell 1.59% »»»

Iran has already restarted some of its drone production during the six-week ceasefire that began in early April, CNN reported on Thursday, citing two sources familiar with US intelligence ⁠assessments. US intelligence indicates ⁠Iran’s military is rebuilding much faster than initially estimated, th»»»

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said the Iranian bullying has eroded trust, warning that attempts to impose a new regional reality following its recent military setbacks would not succeed. In a post on X platform, Gargash said the Gulf region had grown accustomed»»»

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has acknowledged “systemic” failings as investigators probe allegations of child abuse by non-teaching staff at more than 100 nurseries and primary schools in the French capital, in a scandal that has shocked the public and exposed major gaps in child protection and ac»»»

SONY DSC Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty called on British companies to benefit from investment opportunities in Egypt and expand their existing activities. This came during his meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in London with chairme»»»

A top UAE official denounced Iran's claim of control over Emirati waters in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz as a "pipe dream" Thursday, following an announcement by an Iranian body overseeing the strait. "The regime is trying to establish a new reality born from a clear military defeat, but attempts»»»

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained in power for most of the past 17 years due in part to a tight alliance with ultra-Orthodox religious parties. But that alliance is tearing apart his governing coalition and proving to be another major liability for the long-serving I»»»

Russia will hold its latest Russia-Africa summit in October, according to officials involved in preparations for the event, as Moscow seeks to expand political, military and economic influence across Africa amid continuing confrontation with western powers. The date of the summit has not yet been c»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off a two-day visit to Beijing on May 19, arriving with a high-powered delegations containing top officials and leading businessmen. The trip follows on less than a week after US President Donald Trump made the same journey, also with a high power delegation»»»

Aashdod: Israel’s far-right national security minister posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking international condemnation. The video, shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben Gvir, was»»»

Dubai: A sharp divide has emerged between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over whether to resume military action against Iran, as tense diplomacy and war planning now appear to be running in parallel behind the scenes. A heated hour-long phone call between th»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained in power for most of the past 17 years due in part to a tight alliance with ultra-Orthodox religious parties. But that alliance is tearing apart his governing coalition and proving to be another major liability for the long-serving Israeli lead»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin has wrapped up a two-day state visit to Beijing, during which he and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, hailed “unprecedented” bilateral ties, describing the relationship as a stabilizing force amid growing global turbulence. The two leaders held nearly three hour»»»

The US has no obligation to give Israel anything and should cut off all aid, conservative American journalist Tucker Carlson has said. America’s association with Israel’s “many crimes” has damaged its global reputation, he argued. Speaking to Israeli Channel 13 in an interview aired on Tuesday, Car»»»

Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters as it approached Gaza on May 18, preventing the vessels from reaching the enclave and detaining more than 400 activists from around 40 countries. The mission set out from Türkiye to challenge Israel’s naval blockade and dr»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was furious after a tense call with US President Donald Trump over a new proposal to end the war with Iran, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing three sources familiar with the matter. One US source briefed on the conversation said Netanyahu’s “hair was on f»»»