MAKKAH: Kidana Development Co. is continuing a series of infrastructure and service projects at the holy sites as part of efforts to improve pilgrim comfort, mobility and operational readiness during this year’s Hajj season. The company, the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and»»»

Naji Issa, Governor of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), and Major General Emad Al-Trabulsi, Minister of Interior, discussed a joint action plan aimed at curbing negative phenomena in the Libyan economy. The expanded meeting was held to discuss shared economic and security issues affecting the banki»»»

Dubai: Interpol announced on Monday that a large-scale cybercrime operation across the Middle East and North Africa led to identifying nearly 4,000 victims and hundreds of suspects linked to online fraud networks operating across 13 Arab countries. The operation, codenamed “Rameses”, was carried ou»»»

The Iran-backed Iraqi group Kataib Hezbollah, denied on Monday that a man accused of plotting attacks in the United States and Europe was a member of the group. US authorities on Friday detailed charges against Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, who was identified as a senior figure in Kataib»»»

Oman: Oman Cables Industry, the Sultanate’s leading cable manufacturer and solution provider, is taking centre stage at Oman Sustainability Week (OSW) 2026 to reinforce its role in enabling the energy transition priorities across Oman and the wider region. As demand grows for more resilient power s»»»

LONDON: Syrian authorities reported the crossing of the first transit convoy between Turkiye and Iraq on Monday through the Al-Yarubiyah-Rabia crossing, in the country’s northeastern region. The move is highly important as it revives transport and trade routes through Syria’s territory that were ab»»»

Doha, Qatar: As the 35th edition of the Doha International Book Fair 2026 kicks off, Qatar National Library is welcoming visitors to its interactive booth at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. Combining innovation, storytelling, and cultural discovery, the booth offers a personalized experi»»»

The death toll in the latest round of fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon has surpassed 3,000, Lebanon's health ministry said Monday. The ministry said the toll is now 3,020 in the fighting that has not stopped despite a fragile ceasefire, including 292 women and 211»»»

The organizers of a flotilla of aid vessels bound for Gaza said on Monday that Israeli forces had intercepted 28 of their boats in the eastern Mediterranean, while the remaining 26 ships were continuing to sail toward the enclave. Earlier on Monday, Israel's foreign ministry had said on X that it "»»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told an audience of local Catholics in the southwestern city of Wuerzburg that he no longer advises young people to travel to the United States for work and study, citing the rapidly changing “social climate” in the country. Merz, who has served as chancellor since »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) has announced its participation in organizing the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. In a statement on Monday, SC said that a knowledge and expertise transfer Memo»»»

Entertainment, Media, Sports and Leisure Client : Smouha Social Sporting Club Address : Victor Amanwel Street, Smouha, Alexandria Tender : The project of developing club-house building including following works: 1) Carpentry works Tender documents : EGP1,500 A bid bond of EGP25,000 to be submitted »»»

LONDON: Palestinian hospitals in the Gaza Strip are facing shortages of medical imaging equipment, which is vital for detecting illnesses and planning critical surgeries. Medical facilities in the coastal enclave have lost 76 percent of their imaging equipment following Israel’s military campaign w»»»

Hungary’s opposition stronghold mayor Gergely Karácsony says former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s illiberal system has not merely lost power but collapsed, as the incoming government of the Tisza party promises to restore democratic norms after 16 years of Orbán rule. In an interview in Bratislava,»»»

The World Health Organization has honoured Egyptian physician Heba El Sewedy, founder and chair of the Ahl Masr Foundation and Burn Hospital, with the Director-General’s Award in recognition of her pioneering contributions to burn care. The award was presented during the opening of the 79th World H»»»

DOHA: A discussion hosted by the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha has highlighted growing challenges surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence into education, as experts warned that technological adoption is outpacing policy development and teacher preparedness. The»»»

RIYADH: Prominent Saudi adviser Hassan bin Youssef Yassin, who lived through the reigns of all the kings and served in several advisory roles, passed away on Sunday. His life was closely connected to the modern history and development of Saudi Arabia, during which he witnessed successive Saudi king»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Equatorial Guinea is grateful to Russia for its efforts to help normalize the situation in Africa's Sahel region, Equatorial Guinean Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue stated on Monday. "We discussed continuing mutual support at international forums. We thanked the Russian»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia marked this year’s International Museum Day on Monday with exhibitions, workshops and cultural programs highlighting their growing role as spaces for dialogue and community engagement. This year’s global theme, “Museums Uniting a Divided World,” focused on how cultural institut»»»

Doha, Qatar: A discussion hosted by the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha has highlighted growing challenges surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence into education, as experts warned that technological adoption is outpacing policy development and teacher preparedne»»»

The Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) concluded the trading week on a mixed note, with varied performances across its indices and a significant transaction highlighting market activities on Thursday. The benchmark EGX30 dipped slightly by 0.07% to 30,610.44 points, while the Shariah-compliant EGX33 ind»»»

The United Nations demanded Monday that Israel take measures to prevent acts of "genocide" in Gaza, and decried indications of "ethnic cleansing" in the Palestinian territory and in the occupied West Bank. In a fresh report, the UN rights office said Israel's actions in Gaza since the start of the »»»

At a forum dedicated to women’s role in society on Monday, Eurovision Song Contest 2026 winner Dara was given as an example for overcoming self-limitations and emotional barriers. The discussion, titled “Between symbols and reality: Women as subjects of power”, was organized by More Women in Power »»»

BELGRADE- Serbian PM Djuro Macut said on Monday Serbia wanted to be a country of know-how, innovation and new technologies and that investments in development of digital infrastructure, modernisation of public administration and strengthening the capacities for applications of artificial intelligen»»»

A drone strike sparked a fire on the edge of the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant on Sunday in what authorities called an “unprovoked terrorist attack.” No one was blamed, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signaled they were ready to fight again.»»»

Syria will take part in a closed-door session with G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Paris on Monday, a person familiar with the matter said, in a sign of its growing status less than two years after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh is expected t»»»

The European Union has decided to renew restrictions on individuals and entities linked to the former Syrian administration run by Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in December 2024. "The EU considers that networks linked to the former al-Assad regime continue to retain influence and pose a risk of »»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that he would do the "impossible" in order to stop the war with Israel, after a ceasefire and direct talks between the countries failed to end the fighting. Aoun's comments came as the Israeli army carried out a series of strikes in south Lebanon, while He»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold negotiations in China both in narrow and expanded formats, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Monday. Putin will pay an official visit to China on May 19-20 at the invitation of Xi Jinping. "After the welc»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that he would do the “impossible” in order to stop the war with Israel, after a ceasefire and direct talks between the countries failed to end the fighting.Aoun’s comments came as the Israeli army carried out a series of strikes in south Lebanon, w»»»

Doha, Qatar: Business leaders from Qatar and Pakistan have called for closer economic cooperation and expanded investment partnerships during the first meeting of the Qatar-Pakistan Joint Business Council, held virtually on Monday. The meeting brought together Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Obaidly, board m»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Shura Council convened on Monday at Tamim bin Hamad Hall, chaired by HE the Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanem. Upon this convention, HE the Secretary-General Nayef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud read out the agenda, with the legislature approving the minutes of its previous session. T»»»

Cairo — Egypt’s stock market began trading on Sunday, 17 May 2026 on a sharply weaker note, extending the corrective phase that has followed the market’s rally to multi-year highs earlier this month, as broad-based selling weighed across both blue-chip and smaller-cap shares. The benchmark EGX30 fe»»»

Cuba accuses US of building 'fraudulent case' for military action 2 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAleks Phillips Getty ImagesA deepening fuel crisis, exacerbated by an effective US oil blockade, has led to rolling blackouts Cuba's foreign minister has accused the US of building a "fra»»»

RIYADH: The Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted a strategic workshop in Riyadh on enhancing migration governance and cooperation with Saudi Arabia. The workshop was organized by the International Organization for Migration,»»»

BAKU - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Slovak PM and Minister of Environment Tomas Taraba in Baku on Monday and thanked Slovakia for its principled support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, as well as for backing Serbia's EU path. "With Tomas Taraba, I discussed f»»»

Israel has no military solution to the Hezbollah drone threat even if troops occupy all of south Lebanon, Israeli reports said. A security source told Israel's Kan public broadcaster that a political breakthrough is needed, as occupation will not solve the drones' problem. "Even if we occupy all of»»»

DUBAI: Netflix has partnered with the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture to launch the third edition of its regional Women in Film program. The initiative, titled “Women in Film III: Training Through Practice,” will provide training and mentorship opportunities to 35 participants from Saudi Arabia, the»»»

DUBAI: An Israeli law pemitting the death penalty for West Bank Palestinians went into effect on Sunday, media reports said. Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the head of the Israeli army’s Central Command, signed the military order necessary to implement the measure in the occupied West Bank, The Times of Isra»»»

Dubai: After weeks of uneasy calm, the fragile ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran appears increasingly at risk of collapse, with mounting signs that all sides are preparing for another possible round of conflict. US President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric in recent hours»»»

DOHA: The Shura Council held its regular weekly session in the Tamim Bin Hamad Hall at the council's headquarters, chaired by Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim. At the beginning of the session, Secretary-General of the Shura Council HE Nayef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud read the agenda, and the c»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov is participating in the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku on May 18. The head of state was greeted on the sidelines by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Anaclaudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-H»»»

China has agreed to ramp up trade for U.S. agricultural products such as beef and poultry, buying at an annualized rate of $17 billion per year for 2026 and at that level for 2027 and 2028, the White House announced Sunday, two days after President Donald Trump returned from a high-stakes summit in»»»

BAKU - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Slovak Deputy PM Tomas Taraba on the sidelines of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku on Monday. Earlier, Vucic attended the WUF opening ceremony at the Baku Congress Centre. He will address the central part of the forum, to be attended by hea»»»

Oman has announced a five-day holiday for employees in both the public and private sectors across the Sultanate, in observance of Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha, according to a statement carried by the Oman News Agency (ONA). The holiday will begin on Tuesday, May 26, corresponding to the 9th of Dhu Al»»»

Walking through the sweeping atrium of Zayed National Museum on any given day, you are likely to encounter school groups gathered around an 18-metre reconstruction of a Bronze Age Magan boat, a grandmother participating in a sensory programme designed for her and a young Emirati interacting with a »»»

Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, said on Monday that commercial oil inventories were depleting rapidly with only a few weeks' worth left due to the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Birol, who is participating in the Group of Seven finance leaders me»»»

DUBAI: With Gaza’s streets reduced to rubble and walls shattered by months of Israeli bombardment, two young Palestinian artists are turning destroyed buildings into canvases, painting murals of global figures as a message of gratitude, resistance and hope amid war. Obay Al-Qarshli, aged 21, and 23»»»

The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) has announced that all its services and units are operating at the highest levels of readiness and full defensive preparedness, according to BNA. The General Command expressed pride in the advanced combat readiness and high vigilance demonstrat»»»

The organizers of a flotilla of aid vessels bound for Gaza said on Monday that Israeli forces had intercepted 10 of their boats and that contact had been lost with a total 23 vessels in the eastern Mediterranean. Earlier on Monday, Israel's foreign ministry had said on X that it "will not allow any»»»