British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new trade deal for the United Kingdom with six Persian Gulf countries. File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo May 20 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday announced a trade agreement with six Persian Gulf countries that he»»»

Sitting on Wednesday, the competent parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee approved further provisions of new draft Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly moved by Progressive Bulgaria. According to the approved version, the National Assembly Chair may move a change in the agenda, unl»»»

ROME: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni slammed as “unacceptable” the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel, after an Israeli minister posted a video of them bound and forced to kneel. Meloni called for the immediate release of any detained Italian citizens and demanded an apo»»»

TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan evacuated more than 3,000 people from vulnerable areas and closed schools and offices on Tuesday ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Fung-wong, which killed at least 18 people and displaced more than 1.4 million in the Philippines after making landfall there Sunday.Fung-wo»»»

TUGUEGARAO CITY: Rescuers using backhoes and chainsaws began digging the Philippines out from the devastation of Typhoon Fung-wong on Tuesday, as floodwaters receded in hundreds of villages and the storm’s death toll climbed to 18.Fung-wong, which displaced 1.4 million people, had weakened into a s»»»

Doha The State of Qatar has condemned the mistreatment by the Israeli National Security Minister of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israeli authorities, describing this act as inhumane treatment constituting a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. In a statement»»»

Dubai: The Dh30 million UAE Lottery Lucky Day draw held on Wednesday has seen numerous players winning cash prizes, while the top jackpot remained unclaimed. In Draw No. 260520, the winning numbers for the Days section were 19, 29, 7, 20, 22, and 4, with the selected Months section number being 9. »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 15:20 on Wednesday 20-05-2026 a D9 bulldozer with a loitering glider [FPV], and a Merkava tank with»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 15:20 on Wednesday 20-05-2026 a second Merkava tank at the Al-Baydar neighborhood in Haddatha town »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 15:25 on Wednesday 20-05-2026 a second bulldozer brought to withdraw the targeted vehicles in Hadda»»»

Doha: The State of Qatar has condemned the mistreatment by the Israeli National Security Minister of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israeli authorities, describing this act as inhumane treatment constituting a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. In a statemen»»»

Scott Irlbeck crouched in a field of stunted wheat plants in a parched stretch of West Texas and slipped his hand into a crack wide enough to swallow it. Last autumn, Irlbeck planted a crop that barely grew because rain never came. He now hopes his insurance adjuster will declare it a total loss so»»»

FREETOWN: Nine migrants deported from the United States landed in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, the West African country said, in the latest example of the Trump administration’s widely criticized deals with African nations to take third-country deportees. Five migrants are from Ghana, two from Guinea»»»

MIAMI: Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes operated by Miami-based exiles as the Trump administration escalated pressure on the socialist government. The indictment was related to Castro’s alleged role »»»

MEXICO CITY: With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than a month away, thousands of passengers arriving at Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport are greeted by a chaotic construction site of buzzing drills, scattered pipes and unfinished flooring. The construction work coexists with hundreds»»»

LONDON: A UK high court judge ruled Tuesday that asylum seekers can continue to be housed in a hotel northeast of London which was the target of anti-immigration protests earlier this year.The local council in Epping had launched a legal challenge to block the use of the Bell Hotel as asylum accomm»»»

AMMAN — The Jordanian Internal Audit Association on Wednesday launched the "Jordan Internal Audit Forum 2026", gathering over 320 financial experts, policymakers and risk management professionals to exchange experiences and enhancing cooperation between the private and public sectors.Held under the»»»

AMMAN — Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah called for enhancing trade exchange between Jordan and European Union countries and increasing Jordanian exports to European markets to support economic growth and stimulate national productive sectors.During a meeting on Wednesday with the»»»

AMMAN — Chairman of Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) Ayman Alawneh, and Hamad Al Matrooshi, Chargé d'Affairesat the UAE Embassy in Jordan, on Wednesday discussed prospects for economic, investment and trade cooperation between the two countries.According to a JBA statement, Alawneh stressed »»»

TOKYO: Saudi Ambassador Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzaqr turned the Tokyo embassy into a lively celebration of the Kingdom’s culture for “Saudi Coffee Day,” welcoming Japanese guests to experience the warmth and flavor of the country’s coffee and dates. “Today, the embassy welcomed a distinguished gatherin»»»

PORT SUDAN: UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher held Tuesday what he called “constructive” talks with Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan to ensure life-saving aid reaches all corners of the war-ravaged country.Since April 2023, the war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support F»»»

BELGRADE: Hundreds protested on Tuesday against a plan to tear down a former army headquarters in the Serbian capital Belgrade to make way for a luxury hotel complex, a project linked to US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.The student-led demonstration came four days after parliame»»»

“Education reform in Egypt is no longer just a future vision or a postponed ambition, but has become a tangible reality led by strong political will and supported by a clear national strategy,” Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdellatif said on Wednesday. Speaking at the “Secu»»»

The former president of Cuba Raul Castro attends a parade held to observe May Day, or International Workers' Day, in Havana on May 1, 2025. He now faces homicide charges accusing him authorizing the 1996 shootdown of aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Cuban American exile organization. »»»

LONDON: Bernardo Silva believes it is time for a new generation to take the lead at Manchester City. The 31-year-old City captain will leave the Etihad Stadium after nine trophy-laden years when his contract expires at the end of the season. Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth ended City’s bid to win»»»

RIYADH: The Esports Foundation announced on Wednesday that the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup will be held in Paris, the first time the event will take place outside Riyadh. The tournament will run from July 6 to Aug. 23 and is expected to bring together more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs»»»

KYIV: Ukraine will send reinforcements to its northern regions and step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Zelensky said Kyiv had become aware of five scenarios Russia h»»»

SYDNEY: Australia’s highest court on Wednesday blocked Russia from building a new embassy in the nation’s capital, unanimously upholding a law that canceled its lease on national security grounds. Russia owned a lease to a plot of land that is about 300 meters (984 feet) from Parliament House in Ca»»»

KARACHI: Afghanistan’s economic recovery is buckling as nine in 10 households are forced to skip meals, sell belongings or take on debt to survive, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning that mass returns are exacerbating the country’s worst crisis since the Taliban returned to power. A Unit»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums (QM), Media City Qatar, and SNRG on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, officially unveiled the 321 Esports Lounge Powered by Media City Qatar, a permanent, fully accessible esports development hub housed inside the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM). The opening makes QOS»»»

The United States on Wednesday criminally indicted Cuba's former president Raul Castro as Washington called on the communist-ruled island's people to embrace a "new path." An indictment unsealed in a federal court in Florida charged the influential former president over the 1996 downing of` two civ»»»

PARIS: The Joint Economic and Financial Committee of the fourth session of the Qatari-French Strategic Dialogue met in Paris on Wednesday. The Qatari side was headed by Assistant Undersecretary for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Saud bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, with the participation »»»

1 of 2 | Former Rep. Barney Frank speaks in 2022 during a signing ceremony for the Respect for Marriage Act, which requires the U.S. federal government to recognizing the validity of same-sex and interracial marriages in the United States, in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.»»»

A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, led by National Assembly Chair Mihaela Dotsova, will visit the Vatican and Rome for May 24, the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, marked as the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and Slavic Literature, Parliament's press centre said on Wedne»»»

Britain on Wednesday struck a long-awaited trade agreement with the six Gulf Cooperation Council states, the first such deal between the bloc and a Group of Seven country. The agreement with the GCC -- which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- is set »»»

National police agents gather confiscated files and material into a vehicle of the Spanish Central Operative Unit during a police raid at the office of former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in Madrid on Tuesday. Photo by Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA May 20 (UPI) -- Former Spanish Prime »»»

French prosecutors on Wednesday announced a probe against former prime minister Édouard Philippe, a centrist seen as one of the leading contenders to replace President Emmanuel Macron in next year's presidential race, over alleged embezzlement of public funds. Polls suggest Philippe could win »»»

The Pentagon said on Tuesday it was cutting the number of US Brigade Combat Teams stationed in Europe from four to three, returning troop levels to those seen in 2021 as Washington presses European allies to assume greater responsibility for regional defence. The move will temporarily delay the dep»»»

Paris, France: A video posted by Israel's far-right national security minister showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla with hands bound and foreheads on the ground, sparked condemnation from numerous governments on Wednesday. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app»»»

RIYADH: The UK has become the first G7 nation to secure a trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, in a deal projected to add £3.7 billion ($5 billion) annually to the British economy. According to a UK government statement, the agreement with the six-member GCC bloc is also expected to g»»»

Ottawa, Canada and Doha, Qatar: As Canada prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026, Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative is bringing a summer-long cultural programme to cities across Canada, featuring exhibitions, fashion, public art, film, literature, and dialogue to cities across Canada. Markin»»»

JEDDAH: “For 35 years, I’ve been photographing in black and white analog. And this is my whole career.” With these words, Princess Reem Al-Faisal reflects on a lifetime devoted to the art of image-making, a journey that has evolved from shadow and light to a profound exploration of color, identity »»»

Sierra Leone becomes latest African country to receive deportees from US 8 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleUmaru Fofana,FreetownandWedaeli Chibelushi AFP via Getty ImagesThe deportees were escorted from Freetown International Airport in a white van Sierra Leone has become the latest A»»»

Speaking during a press conference after his meeting with the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) Governor Naji Issa last Monday (18 May), Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi said that the two parties had agreed on an implementable plan to support the CBL’s aim to reduce the black-market exchange rate of the L»»»

Dubai: Iraq has reiterated its rejection of any use of its territory or airspace to launch attacks against neighbouring countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and pledged firm action against those responsible. According to a statement posted on the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Of»»»

US President Donald Trump tightened his grip on the Republican Party on Tuesday after Kentucky voters ousted Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the few conservatives willing to openly challenge him. The defeat, projected by NBC and CNN, followed setbacks for other Republican dissenters, including In»»»

NEW YORK: One civilian was killed approximately every 14 minutes in armed conflicts worldwide last year, the UN humanitarian chief told the Security Council on Wednesday, warning about the accelerating human cost of modern warfare. Speaking on behalf of Tom Fletcher during an open debate on the pro»»»

London: A former British pirate radio station on Wednesday apologised "for any distress caused" after accidentally announcing the death of King Charles III. The erroneous announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon due to a computer error at its main studio in Maldon in eastern Essex, Radio Caroline»»»

Recent reforms by Robert Fico’s government in Bratislava have drawn intense scrutiny for undermining the rule of law — prompting the European Parliament to renew its call to freeze EU funding for Slovakia. Critics and Brussels officials point to a targeted dismantling of democratic checks and balan»»»