A bear mauled to death a man at Vitosha, a mountainous region just outside Bulgarian capital Sofia, police told AFP on Sunday. "The findings of the medical examiner and a wildlife expert show that marks found on the body are those of a female bear accompanied by her cub," a Sofia police spokesperso»»»

The US and Israel are actively preparing for a renewal of hostilities with Iran and could resume attacks as early as next week, The New York Times has reported, citing sources. Indirect negotiations between Iran and the Trump White House have remained deadlocked since a fragile ceasefire was establ»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump again hinted at possible renewed military escalation against Iran as tensions rise in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing diplomatic contacts and efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire between the two sides. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform late o»»»

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Sherif Farouk to review the ministry’s ongoing efforts and preparations to secure food supplies and maintain market stability ahead of Eid Al-Adha. During the meeting, Madbouly stressed the importance of ensuring»»»

Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met with Almud Weitz, Regional Director for Infrastructure in the Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank Group, to discuss strengthening cooperation and advancing shared strategic priorities. Rostom affirmed that Egypt is pursuing»»»

IMKAN Misr announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport to allocate 45 feddans within Alburouj in New Heliopolis for the establishment of a new campus for the Academy, reflecting both parties’ commitment to supporting th»»»

Egypt has welcomed the implementation of the second phase of a $1bn development policy financing programme with the World Bank and is looking forward to launching a third phase, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday. The announcement came during Abdelatty’s meeting with World Bank Vice Pre»»»

Dubai: Dubai Customs’ “Green Corridor” initiative was launched as an emergency trade facilitation measure. Within weeks, it evolved into one of the Gulf’s most significant alternative logistics routes, helping businesses reroute cargo away from disrupted maritime corridors while keeping trade flows»»»

Medical workers check temperatures at the Mpondwe border point with DR Congo, near Bwera, Uganda, on May 9, 2019. File Photo courtesy the WHO May 17 (UPI) -- The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern in reaction to an Ebola outbreak in Uganda and »»»

Tunis, May 17 (TAP) - The weather on Sunday night will feature passing clouds across most regions, sometimes becoming dense over the western highlands of the north and centre, according to the National Institute of Meteorology.Winds will blow from...»»»

Tunis, May 17 (TAP) - The Tunisian Marine Turtle Care Centre announced in a statement on Sunday the official start of the 2026 marine turtle nesting season in Tunisia.The centre reported that a nesting event and the first nest of a loggerhead sea...»»»

Pop star Dara returned to Bulgaria from Vienna on Sunday just hours after winning the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with "Bangaranga". At Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, she was welcomed by Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, members of the Bulgarian National Television manageme»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central moon-sighting committee on Sunday announced that the crescent moon marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Dhu Al-Hijjah had been sighted in the country, consequent upon which Eid Al-Adha will be celebrated on May 27. The central moon-sighting committee met in Ka»»»

Iranian media said Sunday that the United States had failed to make any concrete concessions in its latest response to Iran's proposed agenda for negotiations to end the war. The Fars news agency said Washington had presented a five-point list which included a demand for Iran to keep only one nucle»»»

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, highlighted the importance of GCC-European partnerships in strengthening stability, security and peace. Speaking about the first European-Gulf summit, held in Athens, Greece, which focused on strengthening strategic ties and addres»»»

Pop star Dara returned to Bulgaria from Vienna on Sunday just hours after winning the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with "Bangaranga". At Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, she was welcomed by Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, members of the Bulgarian National Television manageme»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Portugal HE Paulo Rangel. The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and strengthen them. They al»»»

Israeli strikes killed at least five Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, health officials said, as ceasefire efforts meant to end fighting between Israel and Hamas falter. In the weeks since halting its joint bombing with the US in Iran, Israel has stepped up its attacks in Gaza, where Hamas »»»

Beirut: The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced today that the death toll from the Israeli aggression on Lebanon has risen to 2,988, with 9,210 wounded. Local sources reported that one person was killed and two others were wounded in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon. The sources indicated t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call on Sunday from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Portugal HE Paulo Rangel. The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and str»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held a telephone call with Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan HE Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif. Both sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and strengthen them. They»»»

The UAE is expected to experience generally fair but dusty weather on Monday, with a drop in temperatures and strong north-westerly winds reaching up to 40km/h, according to the latest forecast issued by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). The active winds are expected to stir up dust and san»»»

The UAE announced that Monday, May 18, will mark the first day of Dhu Al Hijjah, as the crescent moon was sighted on Sunday evening. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.When will Eid Al Adha begin? Eid Al Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah, t»»»

The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the unprovoked terrorist attack targeting an electricity generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Al Dhafra region, carried out by a drone that entered the country’s territory from the western border di»»»

RIYADH: Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli prime minister, sees a renewed nuclear agreement between the US and Iran as the only realistic way to defuse one of the Middle East’s most dangerous flashpoints. Diplomacy, not military force, he said, offers the best chance of curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambiti»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani held a telephone call on Sunday with the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, HE Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif. Both sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and»»»

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting endangered wildlife species through a comprehensive ecosystem of environmental programs and initiatives aimed at preserving biodiversity, restoring ecological balance, and developing natur»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar strongly condemned the drone attack on the sisterly United Arab Emirates, including one drone that targeted Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Al Dhafra region, describing it as a blatant violation of international law and a serious threat to regional security. In a stat»»»

Dubai: India's Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has dramatically cut the cost of challenging Class 12 exam results, announcing that re-evaluation of answers will now cost just Rs 25 per question and that the fee will be refunded in full if a student's marks go up following the review. Th»»»

Doha, Qatar: According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Supreme Court in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has confirmed that Monday, May 18, will be the first day of Dhul Hijjah. The Supreme Court also stated that the Day of Arafah will be on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.»»»

Tunis, May 17 (TAP) – The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) announced on Sunday that the provisional list of candidates for the legislative by-elections in the El Kabaria constituency, Tunis governorate, will be published no later than...»»»

RIYADH: Eid Al-Adha will be celebrated on Wednesday May 27 after the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah was sighted on Sunday evening. The sighting of the crescent marks the start of the month in which Hajj takes place. The pinnacle of the pilgrimage, the day of Arafat, will take place on Tuesday May 26.»»»

LONDON: Over 120,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon returned to their hometowns in the Syrian Arab Republic during the first four months of 2026, according to official figures. The return came amid the fragile ceasefires between the US and Iran and between Hezbollah and Israel since early April. Curren»»»

The crescent for the month of Dhul Hijjah was seen on Sunday in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Monday, May 18, 2026, will be the first day of Dhul Hijjah 1447. When will Eid Al Adha begin?Eid Al Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Therefore, it will»»»

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's main stock index closed lower on Sunday, shedding 27.50 points to end trading at 10,967.94 points, with total trading value reaching SAR 2.9 billion. A total of 158 million shares were traded, with 77 listed companies recording gains while 179 closed lower. The parallel marke»»»

Elena GyldenkerneBefore leaving a two-day summit in Beijing, President Donald Trump said he had made many trade deals with China, accompanied by a cohort of "brilliant" tech billionaires. But what exactly did they achieve? https://p.dw.com/p/5DqTRAdvertisementUS President Donald Trump and Chinese P»»»

The Third Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue Mechanism between Türkiye and Germany will be held in Berlin on 18 May 2026, under the co-chairmanship of H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, and H.E. Johann David Wadephul, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the»»»

А host of Bulgarian artists, intellectuals and politicians, including some of the brightest stars on the national entertainment and intellectual scene and top government leaders, congratulated the singer Dara on winning the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna with her song "Bangaranga". The firs»»»

China has nearly finished a mega-project that will give its southwest the shortest direct access to the sea — and slash shipping distances by more than 560 km. Installation of the three main shipping hubs on the 134-km Pinglu Canal has now been completedThe canal offers a direct river-sea trade rou»»»

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., speaks during a hearing with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya at the Dirksen Senate Office Building near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on February 3. He lost the Republican primary on Saturday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo May 17 (UPI) -- Sen. Bill Ca»»»

Cristiano Ronaldo skipped Al Nassr’s runners-up medal ceremony after the Saudi side lost 1-0 to Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the final of the AFC Champions League Two, prompting widespread reaction on social media. The Al Nassr captain appeared visibly frustrated following the defeat, with television foo»»»

ALKHOBAR: For many first-time pilgrims, packing for Hajj begins with uncertainty. The result is often the same. Overpacked bags, unnecessary items and the quiet realization, days later, that comfort during Hajj depends far less on quantity than expected. Some arrive carrying multiple pairs of shoes»»»

Egypt’s real estate market has the potential to evolve from a strong domestic sector into an exportable investment product amid global geopolitical and economic shifts, according to Ahmed El Sayed, Chairperson of Golden View Developments. El Sayed noted that international investors increasingly pri»»»

Makkah Developments has announced a strategic partnership with Golden Tulip, part of Louvre Hotels Group, to provide hospitality and operational services within the Rowaq residential project in Sheikh Zayed City. The agreement includes plans for a four-star hotel and branded residential units, alon»»»

VIE Communities, a newly formed Egyptian-Emirati real estate alliance, has officially launched in Egypt with plans to develop two landmark projects in New Cairo, representing combined investments exceeding EGP 150bn. The partnership brings together Future of Egypt for Investment and Development, Gl»»»

The number of expatriate workers in Bahrain’s private sector rose marginally between 2022 and 2024, while Bahraini employment recorded a stronger increase, according to Labour Ministry figures based on Social Insurance Organisation subscriber data. Expatriate employment increased by around 0.6 per »»»

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»»»

RIYADH: Kidana Development Company is completing comprehensive maintenance and readiness works at Mina’s Jamarat facility. As part of preparations for the Hajj season 2026, Kidana continues wide-ranging maintenance and upgrades at holy sites in Makkah. The company, which is the executive arm of the»»»

Saudi Arabia’s stock market index ended trading slightly lower, falling 0.25 percent to close at 10,968 points, amid trading turnover of around SAR2.9 billion, the lowest level since January 2026. Mining giant Maaden fell 2 percent to close at SAR62.7, while SABIC declined by the same percentage to»»»