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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The United Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have today, Wednesday 20 May 2026, concluded talks on a modern and ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which will support goods exporters, services suppliers and investors in the UK and Qatar. This deal reflects the UK's commi»»»

DOHA (Sputnik) - A new round of talks between Iran and the United States will be held in Pakistan after the completion of the main Hajj ceremonies at the end of May, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday. "The next round of talks will be held in Islamabad after the Hajj is over," sources told the broadc»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla on Wednesday accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of lying about the true causes behind the longstanding hardships affecting the island. Earlier in the day, Rubio issued a message to the Cuban people, saying that President D»»»

Leaders of the G7 nations, from left, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, pose for»»»

DUBAI: The UAE’s new crude pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz is about 50 percent complete, the head of ADNOC said on Wednesday, adding that ​global oil flows may take at least four months to recover to 80 percent of pre-conflict levels after the Iran war ends. Tehran has largely kept the wate»»»

RIYADH: The Sports Boulevard Foundation has appointed OVG Middle East as the operating partner for the Global Sports Tower project at Riyadh’s Sport Boulevard. According to a press release, the company, which operates in the region’s live entertainment and hospitality sectors, has been involved in »»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, jokingly, that he could try running for the post of the prime minister in Israel after his presidential term is finished, citing his popularity among the Israeli people. "Maybe after I do this I'll go to Israel and run for prime mi»»»

BERLIN: Germany’s government approved ‌a new Civil Defense Plan on Wednesday, shifting from Cold War bunkers to everyday sites such as underground parking garages, tunnels and subway stations. Debate over civil defense has intensified in Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022,»»»

BRUSSELS: The State of Qatar took part in the 27th GCC-EU Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting convened in Brussels, Belgium. Participating in this event were delegations from the GCC nations and the GCC General Secretariat, alongside officials from the EU. Director of Policy and Planning Departme»»»

Tunis, May 20 (TAP) - The Assembly of People's Representatives 'ARP) is keen to keep pace with rapid digital and technological transformations, particularly in the artificial intelligence field, and to improve parliamentary efficiency and the...»»»

RIYADH: Walking through Koora Break’s new headquarters in Riyadh, one can quickly see how far the company has come since its launch in 2022. A mural stretching across one of the office walls documents every milestone in the company’s journey, while empty pentagonal spaces have been left open for fu»»»

LONDON: The UK government has delayed some new sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to shelter Britons from the cost-of-living squeeze triggered by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Iran war. A trade license that came into effect Wednesday permits the import of Russian oil that »»»

Doha, Qatar: This weekend is packed with a wide range of events, from arts to markets and cultural gatherings, with something lined up to suit every interest. Also underway is the Doha International Book Fair 2026, which features a lot more than books. What’s more, the traveling water circus Fontan»»»

Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday said the United States was seeking to restart the war and hoping Tehran would surrender. "The enemy's movements, both overt and clandestine, show that despite economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives »»»

Israeli lawmakers voted on Wednesday to advance a bill submitted by the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu which would dissolve parliament and pave the way for early elections. In a preliminary reading, 110 out of 120 lawmakers voted in favor and none against, while the rest did »»»

US military jets and drones tracked near Cuba as tensions continue 21 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleThomas SpencerandAdam Durbin,BBC Verify Getty Images The US military has been publicly broadcasting the location of military surveillance flights near Cuba on plane-tracking websites,»»»

The Rasoob-250 is the latest product of the growing Pakistani arms industry. Earlier this month, Pakistan successfully tested its Fateh-3 and Fateh-4 missiles. Pakistan has unveiled a new stealth cruise missile, the Rasoob-250 — a lightweight weapon that slips past enemy defenses and can be launche»»»

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Department of Justice on Tuesday. Blanche was also questioned about a memo he signed granting the Trump f»»»

Tunis, May 20 (TAP) - The Tunisia Africa Business Council (TABC) will organise, on April 6-8, 2027 the first edition of a new pan-African trade fair dedicated to expertise, technologies and high value-added services, TABC President Anis Jaziri...»»»

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that negotiations with Iran were in the final stages, while warning of further attacks unless Iran agrees to a deal. Six weeks since Trump paused Operation Epic Fury for a ceasefire, talks to end the war have shown little progress so far. Trump has said t»»»

Bunia: The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday the risk of spread of the Ebola virus in Congo and Uganda is high at national and regional levels, but low at the global level. The risk assessment came as the leader of the WHO team in Congo said the outbreak, which has led to over 130 suspect»»»

Doha, Qatar: Flight operations at Hamad International Airport continue to expand as it announced on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, a new update ahead of the summer season. "Flight operations are expanding at the airport, with more than 30 airline partners operating services to and from Doha," HIA said in»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered Cubans a "new path" in a special video address Wednesday hours before Washington was expected to criminally indict the island's influential former leader Raul Castro. Addressing the Cuban people directly in Spanish, Rubio accused the country's communist lea»»»

The Pentagon has once again refused to admit responsibility for a strike on an Iranian school that killed more than 170 people, most of them children, despite pressure from US lawmakers. The Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in southern Iran was hit on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, and noted that they had had a good and open discussion on bilateral relations, the European path of Serbia and Ukraine and advancement of economic cooperation. "An open and good d»»»

The Islamic Resistance fighters sent on Wednesday a letter to Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem in response to His Eminence’s earlier message that hailed their resilience in the battlefield. Hezbollah fighters affirmed that the courageous leadership of the Secretary General has opened »»»

New deputy ministers have been appointed to four ministries by an order of Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rumen Radev, the Government Information Service said on Wednesday. Ivian Benishev and Petko Salchev have been appointed to the Health Ministry. Desislava Georgieva has been appointed as deputy minis»»»

DUBAI: The UAE demanded on Wednesday that Iraq “immediately” prevent further attacks from its territory, following an accusation by the Emirates that a drone targeting a nuclear plant was launched from there. The foreign ministry in a statement called on “Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originatin»»»

Saudi Arabia is no longer just an oil-price bet for global investors. It is becoming a core emerging-market play. That is the view of Emmanuel Laurina, head of Middle East, Africa, and official institutions at State Street, one of the world’s major financial services and asset management firms. Spe»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin ended a two-day visit to China, holding extensive talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping aimed at deepening strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing. Key outcomes of the visit:Russia and China signed a total of 42 bilateral documentsPutin and Xi issued a joi»»»

Japan watched closely as US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing last week. For Tokyo, several discussion points have a direct bearing on Japan’s economy and security. The importance was underlined by the fact that Trump called Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi»»»

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said the UAE was accelerating efforts to transform half of its government services and operations through artificial intelligence as part of a broader push to become a global »»»

The UK government and CPF Financial Services have supported the listing of the Spearhead Africa Infrastructure Fund (SAIF) on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), marking the first infrastructure-focused fund to list on Kenya’s bourse amid growing efforts to mobilise domestic capital for long-ter»»»