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 »»»

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced on Saturday the calendar for the 1448 AH Umrah season, including schedules and electronic services related to visa issuance, contracting procedures and the reception of Umrah pilgrims. According to the ministry, the official Umrah season calendar »»»

DOHA: Qatar Charity launched its new strategy for the period 2026-2030, which aims for further institutional development and maximizing its humanitarian impact both within and outside the State of Qatar. The strategy also seeks to solidify its position as a leading international humanitarian and de»»»

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»»»

Asharq Al-Awsat has learned of a joint initiative by the Federation of GCC Chambers and the International Labor Organization to conduct a rapid assessment of the impact of the war on the private sector and labor markets across Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The initiative is expected to contri»»»

DAMASCUS, May 17 (SANA) Syria’s Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections said representation in the upcoming parliamentary elections will be based on qualifications rather than quota systems, as preparations for voting continue in several regions. Nawar Najma, spokesperson for the committee»»»

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»»»

Vienna: The UN atomic watchdog, the IAEA, on Sunday expressed "grave concern" over a drone strike near a United Arab Emirates nuclear plant that triggered a fire, though it said that radiation levels remained normal. The International Atomic Energy Agency on X said its head, Rafael Grossi, voiced t»»»

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»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has called on pilgrims to adopt positive environmental practices during the performance of their rituals, contributing to the cleanliness of the holy sites and the protection of ecosystems. The ministry also emphasized the protec»»»

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva joined a host of Bulgarian politicians, artists and intellectuals in congratulating the singer Dara on winning the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. Georgieva said in a social media post: "I congratulate Dara on her victory in»»»

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.»»»

Hezbollah Military Media released on Sunday two videos showing fresh strikes on Israeli targets in occupied southern border area of Lebanon. The first video displayed three strikes, dated on May 14 and 15, employing explosive-laden drones and rockets. The nearly two-minute video showed fighters pre»»»

The overnight mass terrorist attack carried out by Ukraine once again targeted exclusively peaceful civilians, apartment buildings, and private homes, stated Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "To the tunes of Eurovision songs, the Ukrainian regime has committed yet another mass»»»

Russian athlete David Shamey has set new world record in the push press with a ball dumbbell, while athlete Ramil Ramazanov set a record in the overhead lift of a giant dumbbell, Mikhail Paller, president of the international Bogatyr movement and the All-Russian public organization "Strongest Natio»»»

Damascus, May 17 (SANA) U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said recent developments in Syria marked significant progress, adding that the coming period could bring “tremendous progress for the Syrian people and lasting stability.” In a post on X on Sunday, Barrack said the “visionary meeting” »»»

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...»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Interior received a delegation from the Syrian Ministry of Interior to learn about Qatar's experience in security and service sectors and to enhance security cooperation and the exchange of expertise between the Ministries of Interior of the State of Qatar and the sisterly Syr»»»

Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower has launched a new digital service enabling company partners to renew their work permits independently through its “Ashal Services” online portal. The authority said the new feature was introduced as part of broader efforts to expand e-government services, str»»»

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»»»

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»»»

"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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry announced a series of regulations for the 2026 Hajj season, including a ban on political and sectarian flags, slogans and chants in Mecca, Medina and the holy sites. The ministry said the restrictions apply across the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in M»»»

RIYADH: International partnerships on housing, smart cities and urban development are expected to strengthen as senior Saudi ministry officials participate in the World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan. The Saudi delegation, led by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail, is attending the 1»»»

Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh has opened a new admissions track allowing high-performing students to be automatically selected for certain courses. It applies to courses that require a foundation year, and students are automatically granted a place on the full course if they»»»

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 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»»»

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»»»

TEL AVIV: ​Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ‌he ‌was ​scheduled ‌to ⁠speak ​with US President ⁠Donald Trump on ⁠Sunday. Netanyahu ‌said that ‌in ​he ‌expected ‌to hear about ‌Trump's trip to China, while ⁠suggesting ⁠they would also discuss Iran.»»»

TEHRAN: Iranian media on Sunday said the United States failed to make any concrete concessions in its response to Iran’s proposal for negotiations to end the war. Fars news agency said Washington gave a five-point list which included a demand for Iran to keep only one nuclear site in operation and »»»

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»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ), HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Faisal Al-Thani met with Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the State of Qatar, HE Syahda Guruh Langkah Samudera. During the meeting, they discussed the two countries' bilateral cooper»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehciles with a barrage of rockets: Hezbollah Military Media stateme»»»

CAIRO: Israeli strikes ‌killed at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, health officials said. Medics said an Israeli strike killed one Palestinian near a police post in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said it killed a militant who posed an immediate thre»»»

Cannes, France: Peaky Blinders" creator Steven Knight, who is writing the next "Bond" movie, has strongly hinted that the ageing British spy is about to get really shaken and stirred. The writer said that Amazon has given him a licence to play with the legendary MI6 secret agent created by author I»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior received a delegation from the Syrian Ministry of Interior to learn about Qatar's experience in security and service sectors and to enhance security cooperation and the exchange of expertise between the Ministries of Interior of the State of Qatar and the siste»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie met Sunday with Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the State of Qatar, HE Walid ElFeky. Both sides reviewed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries, particularly in envir»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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, 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 »»»

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 »»»