Israeli Forces Intercept 6 More Activist Flotilla Vessels Headed for Gaza
Israeli forces on Tuesday intercepted six remaining vessels from a much larger activist flotilla attempting to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Two other boats are still on their way to the Palestinian territory, according to the activist group's livestream. A live feed on the Global Sumu»»»
G7 affirms commitment to multilateral cooperation to address global economic threats
Paris: The finance ministers of countries part of the Group of Seven (G7) have renewed their commitment to multilateral cooperation in addressing risks threatening the global economy. Emphasizing the need for the swift and safe restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the finan»»»
G7 calls for reopening Hormuz Strait, stresses global economic coordination
Paris, May 19 (SANA) Finance ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries emphasized the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, underlining the importance of addressing global economic imbalances and strengthening multilateral cooperation to confront risks facing the global economy. In a joint stat»»»
European crime gang made BBQ briquettes from toxic ashes: Italian police
ROME: Italian police said Tuesday they had disrupted a criminal group active from Switzerland to Serbia that allegedly turned toxic ashes into BBQ briquettes and fertilizer, while protected by the provincial environmental agency. Nineteen individuals and three companies are currently under investig»»»
Rising output of Stellantis plant to create new jobs in Kragujevac
KRAGUJEVAC - The output of the Stellantis car plant in Kragujevac, central Serbia, continues to rise in 2026 and could reach 150,000 vehicles a year thanks to high demand for the Fiat Grande Panda model, says Petar Veselinovic, a professor at the Kragujevac Faculty of Economics. The increased deman»»»
Will the Iran conflict end soon? Ryanair chief ties war timeline to US politics
Dubai: Europe’s biggest airline believes the US-Israel-Iran conflict may ease within weeks, with Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary suggesting political pressure in Washington could force a resolution before the US midterm election campaign intensifies. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the »»»
G7 finance chiefs: Strait of Hormuz must be reopened
PARIS: The finance ministers of the G7 group of countries reiterated it was imperative to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, and that it was important to tackle global, current account imbalances.They also reaffirmed in a joint statement their commitment to multilateral cooperation in address»»»
Libyan former prison boss allegedly known as 'Angel of Death' faces International Criminal Court
Former prison boss Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri was "one of the worst instigators" of torture, rape and murder in Libya's notorious Mitiga prison, prosecutors told the International Criminal Court Tuesday. Judges will have 60 days to determine whether the charges against El Hishri – including »»»
UAE-based Varkey Foundation awards $500,000 Global Schools Prize to Lebanon's refugee-led project
London: Lebanon's Alsama Project, a refugee-led organisation that kept more than 1,100 displaced teenagers in classrooms through two rounds of conflict, has won the inaugural Global Schools Prize worth $500,000 awarded by the UAE-based Varkey Foundation. The winner was announced at the Education Wo»»»
Dubai-based chefs to represent the UAE at International Food Exhibition Philippines 2026
Dubai: Dubai-based Filipino chefs are set to represent the UAE at the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines 2026, bringing with them dishes inspired by both Filipino heritage and Dubai’s multicultural food scene. Taking place from May 21 to 23 at the Philippine World Trade Centre, IFEX K»»»
Media Review: May 19
OVERVIEW The Government’s measures to tighten public spending and the competition between Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas to host Eurovision 2027 after Bulgaria’s win with DARA dominated the media on Tuesday. Several outlets also covered the cost of retirement bonuses in the public sector, the ris»»»
Ebola may be spreading faster than first thought, WHO doctor warns
Ebola may be spreading faster than first thought, WHO doctor warns 12 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSofia Ferreira Santos ReutersThe outbreak, which started in DR Congo, has also spread to neighbouring Uganda An Ebola outbreak which has killed at least 131 people in the Democratic R»»»
Dr. Michael Häfner, specialist in internal medicine and gastroenterology: Stomach cancer is more common in Eastern Europe because of risk factors like H. pylori
Vienna-based gastroenterologist says modern endoscopy is transforming cancer care, allowing doctors to detect and remove early-stage tumors without major surgery, while warning that Eastern Europe continues to face higher rates of stomach cancer linked to Helicobacter pylori infections. At the Vien»»»
Americans invest in real estate across European countries, but not yet in Romania
According to BNP Paribas Real Estate, cross-border investment in Europe reached EUR 15.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while domestic investment, carried out by European investors in their own markets, totalled EUR 21.1 billion. “Europe is strengthening its position as the main driver of re»»»
France and Turkiye have most overcrowded jails in Europe: report
Strasbourg, France: France and Turkiye have the highest levels of prison overcrowding among Council of Europe member states, with 131 inmates for every 100 places, a specially commissioned report said Tuesday.These figures, compiled by the University of Lausanne for the 46-member Strasbourg-based b»»»
Israeli interception of Gaza flotilla causes outrage, sparks protests
DUBAI: Israel’s navy intercepted an activist flotilla in international waters off Cyprus on Monday, halting the latest attempt to challenge a naval blockade of Gaza. More than 50 vessels departed from the port of Marmaris, Turkiye, last week in what the organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla descr»»»
Al Khulaifi, Italian official discuss bilateral cooperation
Rome, Italy: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi met on Sunday in Rome with Diplomatic Advisor to Prime Minister, Fabrizio Saggio. The meeting reviewed bilateral cooperation and relations and discussed regional developments, part»»»
Libyan ex-prison boss faces ICC war crimes hearing
A former boss of a notorious Libyan prison faces three days of hearings at the International Criminal Court from Tuesday, accused of war crimes including murder, rape and torture. Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, 47, is suspected of 17 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committ»»»
Libyan ex-prison boss faces ICC war crimes hearing
THE HAGUE: A former boss of a notorious Libyan prison faces three days of hearings at the International Criminal Court from Tuesday, accused of war crimes including murder, rape and torture. Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, 47, is suspected of 17 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes allege»»»
India, Norway seal 12 agreements to deepen green strategic partnership during PM Modi's visit
Oslo: India and Norway on Monday marked a significant upgrade in bilateral ties with the signing of 12 agreements and initiatives during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to the Nordic country, signalling a broad expansion of cooperation across climate, technology, maritime, and scienti»»»
Why Britain still wrestles with repatriating Daesh-linked families from detention camps in Syria
LONDON: During a school half-term break in February 2015, three British girls left their homes and their futures in east London, traveled to Gatwick Airport and boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul. From there they travelled almost 1,000 km overland by bus to Urfa, close to Turkiye’s south»»»
‘We weren’t afraid, we’re Egyptians’ — father and son praised for helping stop car-ramming attacker in Italy
LONDON: An Egyptian bricklayer and his son have been praised in Italy after helping to stop a knife-wielding attacker who rammed his car into pedestrians at the weekend. Osama Shalaby, 56, and his 20-year-old son, Mohamed, were among a small group of passers-by who took down the attacker as he atte»»»
Bodies of four missing Italian divers found in undersea Maldives cave
Malé, Maldives: The bodies of four Italians who drowned in the Maldives' worst diving disaster were found in an underwater cave on Monday, Maldivian and Italian officials said, after an international recovery effort. The bodies were found four days after a group of five Italians failed to return fr»»»
At least 100 deaths reported in Ebola outbreak in DR Congo as six Americans exposed
At least 100 deaths reported in Ebola outbreak in DR Congo as six Americans exposed 11 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSofia Ferreira Santos AFP via Getty ImagesThe World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak in DR Congo an international emergency At least 100 deaths hav»»»
Israeli forces intercept Gaza-bound flotilla near Cyprus - UPI.com
A flotilla of boats leaves the port of San Giovanni Li Cuti in Sicily, Italy, September 27, 2025. A similar flotilla left Turkey on Thursday en route for Gaza and was intercepted off Cyprus on Monday. File Photo by Orietta Scardino/EPA May 18 (UPI) -- Pro-Palestinian activists said Monday that Isra»»»
Bus-size asteroid to skim past Earth at quarter of moon’s distance
An asteroid estimated to be about the size of one to two school buses will pass close to Earth on Monday, coming within 91,593 kilometers (56,913 miles), or roughly a quarter of the average distance between Earth and the moon, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). Astronomers at the Mount L»»»
From Ebola to hantavirus: Why the world is seeing more disease threats now
The headlines have become grimly familiar. A deadly Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. A hantavirus scare aboard a cruise ship. Rising dengue infections in Europe. Bird flu spreading among mammals. Health alerts flashing across continents within hours. For a world still psychologically shaped by COV»»»
Vucic: Very successful meetings in Baku, new opportunities for cooperation
BAKU - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday he had had very successful meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and representatives of Azerbaijan's top companies earlier in the day and that new opportunities for cooperation with the country had been opened up. "Of course, we co»»»
On This Day, May 18: Wilson signs Selective Service Act amid WWI - UPI.com
On May 18, 1917, President Wilson signed the Selective Service Act of 1917 by which the United States raised an army for service in Europe during World War I. 1 of 5 | The DC War Memorial, which honors District residents who died in World War I, sits on the National Mall. On May 18, 1917, President»»»
36 Countries Back Putin Trial Plan in The Hague, Bulgaria Refuses to Join the Initiative
Thirty-six states, mostly European, have formally backed the creation of a special tribunal aimed at prosecuting Russian President Vladimir Putin over the crime of aggression linked to the war in Ukraine. Bulgaria is among four EU members that did not join the initiative, which will be headquartere»»»
Sunbeds, Umbrellas Repriced in Euros as Bulgaria Prepares for Tourist Season ShiftOpinions
With the summer season approaching, discussions are emerging over whether beach service prices along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast will rise, as operators also prepare for the country’s transition toward euro-based pricing. For the first time, tariffs for sunbeds and umbrellas will be displayed in eur»»»
A look at major Ebola outbreaks and when the disease was first identified
CAPE TOWN, South Africa: Health authorities say there is a new Ebola outbreak in the Central African country of Congo, with more than 300 suspected cases and at least 88 deaths. Cases have also been reported in neighbouring Uganda. The outbreak was declared a public health emergency of internationa»»»
Sinner becomes 1st Italian man to win Italian Open in 50 years and matches Djokovic’s Masters sweep
ROME: Italian tennis fans had waited for this moment for a half century. For Jannik Sinner, though, it wasn’t just about becoming the first Italian man to win the Italian Open since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago. The top-ranked Sinner’s 6-4, 6-4 victory over Casper Ruud in Sunday’s final on the red »»»
Egypt’s Foreign Trade Surges to $104.7bn in fiscal year 2023/2024
Egypt’s foreign trade has reached an impressive $104.7 billion in the fiscal year 2023/2024, according to a recent report by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). This substantial figure includes $72.1 billion in imports and $32.6 billion in exports, emphasizing the country’s robust engagement with glob»»»
Italian PM meets victims of Modena car incident
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»»»
International dive group joins Maldives search for missing Italians
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»»»
Friedrich Merz says US no longer ‘Land of Opportunity’ for young people
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will no longer recommend the United States as a destination for his children to study or work, citing what he described as a worsening “social climate” in America. Speaking at a Catholic youth conference in Wuerzburg on Friday, the conservative leader sa»»»
Italian PM to meet victims of Modena car incident
Modena, Italy: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday will visit people wounded by a driver with a history of mental health problems who ran over pedestrians in a city center in northern Italy. The driver, an Italian of Moroccan heritage, hit several people before crashing into a shop wind»»»
Italian PM to meet victims of Modena car incident
Modena, Italy: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday will visit people wounded by a driver with a history of mental health problems who ran over pedestrians in a city center in northern Italy. The driver, an Italian of Moroccan heritage, hit several people before crashing into a shop wind»»»
Economic indicators point to deteriorating growth outlook for euro area
Doha, Qatar: At the beginning of the year, key indicators signalled an improvement in economic growth for the Euro Area. This expected trajectory was suddenly disrupted following the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, launched on February 28th. Tehran retaliated by effectively closing the S»»»
Bulgaria’s ‘Bangaranga’ wins Eurovision, with Israel second
VIENNA: Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday with Dara’s catchy floor-filler “Bangaranga” sweeping the 70th edition of the world’s biggest live televised music event and pushing into second place Israel, whose participation had triggered a major boycott. Bulgaria has missed the last t»»»
Rescue diver dies while recovering bodies of Italian scuba divers - UPI.com
A rescue diver died of decompression sickness while diving for the remains of four Italian divers killed in the Maldives. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo May 16 (UPI) -- A rescue diver has died after an attempt to recover the bodies of four of the five Italians killed on a scuba diving»»»
Narvaez doubles up as Team UAE rejig Giro d'Italia aims
Fermo, Italy: Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narvaez powered away from his breakaway rivals to win stage eight of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday for his second victory and injury-decimated Team UAE's third so far. Adam Yates, Jay Vine and Marc Soler have all been forced out of the Giro after a gruesome stage t»»»
End of the ‘People’s Army’ Myth: Israel Weighs Resorting to Mercenaries
As Israel’s military grapples with a severe manpower shortage estimated at 15,000 troops — a situation Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has described as “dangerous for the future of the Jewish state” — Israeli ultra-Orthodox parties continue to reject military service in favor of Torah study even as Israe»»»
Eurozone faces growth downturn amid geopolitical setbacks: QNB
Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Bank (QNB) has reported distinct indicators pointing to a deterioration in the economic growth outlook across the Eurozone, driven primarily by an accelerating slowdown in both the manufacturing and services sectors across several of the region's largest economies. In it»»»
Technip deal to upgrade Egypt refineries at $2.9bn
Technip Italy, a world leader in project management for the energy industry, has finalised two joint agreements valued at a total of $2.9 billion with Egypt-based companies for upgrades of two refineries in the North African country. The contract with Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) a»»»
House committee demands reasons U.S. troop deployment to Poland canceled - UPI.com
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2027 on Tuesday. On Friday, he faced the same committee to answer why troop deployment to Poland was canceled. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Phot»»»
Indian PM Modi urges ‘open and safe’ Hormuz during UAE visit
ABU DHABI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an “open and safe” Strait of Hormuz during a visit to the UAE on Friday, the start of a five-nation tour overshadowed by energy and supply-chain worries due to the Iran war. Modi, whose plane was guided in and out of UAE airspace by military»»»
Indian PM urges 'open and safe' Hormuz at start of UAE-Europe tour
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an "open and safe" Strait of Hormuz during a brief visit to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, the start of a five-nation tour overshadowed by energy and supply-chain worries due to the regional tension in the Gulf. Modi, whose plane w»»»
Europe faced record wildfire season in 2025 after worse than average 2024
Europe’s wildfire crisis is intensifying, with 2025 on track to be the worst year on record, following a 2024 season that was already above the 17-year average, according to a report published on December 8 by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). In 2024, wildfires scorched 383,31»»»