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»»»

Doha, May 29 (SANA) Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the latest political and security developments in the Middle East during a phone call on Thursday, the Qatar News Agency reported. The two leaders reviewed regional and international initiatives aime»»»

In a notable shift in the political rhetoric surrounding Sudan’s war, Eid al-Adha messages from leaders of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were less focused on military escalation and more centered on peace, stability, and the return of displaced civilians and refugees — the fi»»»

Hungary has condemned an incident in neighbouring Romania after a Russian explosive-laden drone crashed into a residential building in the southeastern city of Galați early on Friday, sparking a fire and forcing residents to evacuate. NATO and EU leaders also issued strong statements, as Bucharest »»»

Syrian Internal Security Forces in the city of Raqqa arrested Turki al-Bouhamad at a farm in the province’s countryside during a security operation following close surveillance. The detainee is considered one of the most prominent leaders affiliated with the former regime’s militias and one of the »»»

The European Union is edging towards the biggest rethink of its enlargement policy in decades as Russia’s war in Ukraine, fears of institutional paralysis and growing frustration in the Western Balkans force European leaders to confront a question once considered largely theoretical: how to expand »»»

India has a “crazy love” for Israel and shares a “unique relationship” with the Jewish state, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the Jordan Valley Conference on Thursday, describing New Delhi as one of West Jerusalem’s strongest supporters. Israel is currently facing “problems with d»»»

MANILA: Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will hold a commemorative summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia in June, the Philippines’ top diplomat said Friday.Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said in a post on X that she and her Russian counterpart, Ser»»»

On May 29, 1996, in Israel's first selection of a prime minister by direct vote, Benjamin Netanyahu defeated Shimon Peres. The margin of victory was less than 1 percent. 1 of 7 | Israeli President Shimon Peres (R) meets Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu in his residence in Jerusalem on February»»»

The new anti-corruption commission must become operational by the end of August, while the European Commission is already unfreezing EUR 370 million for Bulgaria, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov said on Nova Television's morning programme on Friday. He pointed out that the anti-corruption comm»»»

Over five years, the combined GDP growth of EAEU countries amounted to 16.6 percent. Daniyar Imanaliev, Minister in charge of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), told journalists. According to him, industrial production increased by 18.9 percent, while agricult»»»

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado said Thursday she was determined to negotiate a democratic transition with her country's interim leader following Nicolas Maduro's ouster in January. The opposition, led by Machado, had until now been claiming the victory of its c»»»

Sadrist movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr has given his armed wing one week to complete its break from the movement and join state institutions, as a senior figure in Iraq’s ruling Coordination Framework described “armed resistance” as a “burden on society.” Sadr said on Wednesday he was merging his »»»

Asian stock markets surged and oil prices receded on Friday, boosted by optimism that the United States and Iran will reach a deal to end their war that has hobbled global energy supplies. Oil markets have whipsawed this week as investors parse the chances of a breakthrough agreement between Washin»»»

Once upon a time, terrorists had a monopoly on killing the prominent. Between 1894 and 1901, individuals acting in the name of anarchism assassinated the president of France, the prime minister of Spain, the empress of Austria, the king of Italy, and, most spectacularly of all, the president of the»»»

The 2026 US-Iran War has reverberated far beyond the Middle East, rocking the world economy and testing alliances. Amidst the shaking kaleidoscope was one relatively unnoticed consequence: a change to North Korea’s constitution. As The Telegraph reported, on 22 March the Supreme People’s Assembly i»»»

Less than two years into his second presidency, US President Donald Trump continues to undermine entrenched political norms, challenge established institutional rules and redefine America’s external relations with boldness and speed. Moreover, he has redefined the country’s relationship with the ou»»»

Dozens of Palestinians in Gaza City gathered on Thursday for funeral prayers for 10 people killed in Israeli strikes the night before, including five children and an elderly person, as well as a Hamas militant. More than 20 people were injured in the strikes, according to Shifa Hospital. Video from»»»