Iran denied any involvement by its armed forces in damage to a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, its ‌embassy in Seoul ‌said on ‌Thursday ⁠in a statement, adding ⁠that safe passage through the waterway requires strict adherence to Iranian regulations. On ⁠Monday, a Panama-flagged ‌ship ‌»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s first-quarter 2026 budget performance figures showed the government remained firmly committed to development and social spending, with total expenditure surging 20 percent year on year to about SR387 billion ($103.2 billion), compared with SR322 billion in the same period a y»»»

BusinessGermanyCOVID pioneer BioNTech: The fall of Germany's pandemic heroNik MartinBioNTech, once celebrated for its COVID-19 vaccines, is grappling with falling demand, restructuring and the departure of its founders. Can its ambitious cancer trials turn it from a one-hit wonder into a biotech gi»»»

The police on Thursday defended its response to complaints of repeated threats and attacks against a Cretan youth in the lead-up to his fatal shooting by a man who blamed him for the traffic death of his teenage son. Police spokeswoman Constantia Dimoglidou said that each time officers had responde»»»

The EU’s turn to American ‘identity politics’ was the product of a legitimacy crisis facing the bloc in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, argues Frank Furedi, executive director of MCC Brussels, a conservative think-tank. Questions about European identity are now at the heart of a cu»»»

The Israeli military said in a statement Thursday that an "explosive drone impact" had wounded four of its soldiers -- one severely -- in southern Lebanon the previous day. Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs Wednesday in the first such attack in nearly a month, killing a senior Hezbollah comma»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military struck Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, targeting a top Hezbollah commander. "The Israeli army has struck in Beirut to target the commander of Hezbollah's Radwan force, in an attempt to neutralize him," a joint statement issued by N»»»

Iran denied on Thursday attacking a South Korean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz this week, as U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal to end the war was "very possible" but warned Washington would resume bombing if talks failed. Tehran's embassy in Seoul said it "firmly rejects and categoricall»»»

BOSTON: At IBM Think 2026 in Boston, IBM’s bet on Saudi Arabia went beyond expanding its role in AI infrastructure. The US technology company sought to position itself as a partner in a tougher phase, turning that investment into large-scale industrial and institutional execution. That message came»»»

Dubai: Dubai gold prices moved higher on Thursday morning, extending a strong rebound that has taken 24K gold back near Dh570 a gram after a sharp rise earlier in the week. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and India.) Sign up for ou»»»

Doha, Qatar: Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, is advancing orthopedic care in Qatar with the introduction of a specialised pediatric orthopedic sports medicine service. The latest offering from the Orthopedics Department, delivers growth-sparing surgical techniques, tailored for childr»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar. At the start of the meeting, Jassim Al Thani conveyed to Sheikh Mohamed the UAE President the »»»

RIYADH: Medical teams of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program on Thursday began the complex procedure of separating 18-month-old Tanzanian twin girls Nancy and Nice. The surgery is taking place at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital in Riyadh. Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the royal co»»»

The medical and surgical teams of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program (SCTP) began on Thursday the complex procedure of separating 18-month-old Tanzanian twin girls, Nancy and Nice. The surgery is taking place at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital (KASCH) at King Abdulaziz Medical City of »»»

Chairman of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) George Simion claims that President Nicusor Dan is breaching Article 103 of the Constitution by holding "secret" meetings with political leaders to form "his own government", arguing that AUR must be included in the process of forming a new »»»

Chair of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Sorin Grindeanu said on Wednesday that he rules out forming a government together with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), national minorities and unaffiliated MPs, arguing that such a formula would not ensure the necessary political s»»»

Doha, Qatar: beIN Sports, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), will mark the one-month milestone to the FIFA World Cup 2026 with comprehensive, bi-lingual, multi-channel coverage across the region on Monday 11 May. The 23rd edition of the global football showpi»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prof. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi, Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula has delivered a deeply informed and compelling analysis of one of the most pressing current affairs subject of the day. Written with clarity and authority, the article reflects both academic rigor and a seasoned editorial »»»

CEBU: Conflicts far beyond Southeast Asia are expected to dominate meetings of the regional ASEAN bloc that began on Thursday in the Philippines, with the Middle East crisis posing serious challenges for its fuel import-dependent economies. Concerns of energy and food supply security will take cent»»»

TOKYO: Oil prices rose over $1 on Thursday, rebounding from the previous day’s sharp losses, as investors weighed ‌the prospects of a Middle East peace deal succeeding. Brent crude futures were up 78 cents, or 0.8 percent, at $102.05 a barrel at 07:00 a.m. Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate gai»»»

Divers are due later Thursday to try and inspect the wreck of a Turkish-operated freighter that sank off the Aegean Sea island of Andros without loss of life but raising questions over potential environmental damage. Greek authorities, including the National Intelligence Service, are also taking a »»»

Dubai: Emirates expects a stable operating outlook as it enters the 2026–27 financial year, supported by fuel hedging, secured supply and strong cash reserves, even as geopolitical uncertainty persists. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,»»»

Dubai: Emirates has retained its position as the world’s most profitable airline, reporting record financial results for 2025–26 despite operational disruption in the final month of its financial year. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Emirates follows an April-to-March »»»

In light of the rapid economic transformations taking place globally, localization is no longer merely a matter linked to employment rates or labor market dynamics. It has become a strategic pathway toward building a more resilient economy, one that is better equipped to adapt to change. Strengthen»»»

Two drones entered NATO member Latvia from Russian territory and crashed, the Latvian army said on Thursday morning. The drones were probably launched by Ukraine against targets in Russia, Latvia's Defense Minister Andris Spruds told national broadcaster LSM. Military jets of the multinational NATO»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has stressed the importance of “national unity” as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said it was premature to talk of any high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel. Speaking during a meeting with heads of Akkar municipal federations and mukhtars at Baabda Palace on Wedne»»»