Damascus, May 17 (SANA) While the world watches oil tankers stranded and energy markets rattled by the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, a quieter transformation is underway at the top of the planet. The geopolitical conflict once again exposes the fragility of traditional maritime chokepoint»»»

Record-high gold prices and surging investment demand have triggered the fastest industry growth in gold recycling in China in a decade. New firm registrations jumped 78.7% in 2025Over half of all recycling firms were set up in the last three yearsThe boom is concentrated in southern and eastern Ch»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir participated in the first European-Gulf Geopolitical and Investment Summit in Athens, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. Al-Jubeir attended on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The summit aimed to strengthen the st»»»

A well-placed source at the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) confirmed to that the bank officially launched its direct foreign currency transfer service today through its official system. This service aims to meet the needs of small traders, companies, suppliers, and artisans, enabling them to easily an»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov congratulated Dara for her win at the Eurovision contest. In a Facebook post on Sunday, he wrote: "A wonderful story of immense talent, boundless effort, and faith in success, despite the criticism. Thank you, Dara, and everyone involved! Bulgaria is number one.»»»

‎Libya’s Tripoli based Minister of Housing and Reconstruction, Essam Al-Tamouni, stressed that his government’s slogan “Return to Life” represents the grand national strategy that places the National Housing Project at the top of its priorities. This project plans to complete and construct 150,000 »»»

Bulgaria's President Iliana Iotova and her Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev discussed ways to expand energy cooperation between the two countries in Baku on Sunday. Iotova is in Azerbaijan's capital for the May 17-18 Leaders' Summit at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum at the invitation»»»

European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi Sunday rejected claims that disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria's suspended European prosecutor Teodora Georgieva are politically motivated, saying the case is based on evidence and decisions taken unanimously by independent prosecutors from across the E»»»

Individuals in the areas of concern are urged to use caution when using any outdoor power equipment. File Photo by Peter DaSilva/UPI | License Photo Conditions will be conducive for wildfires across parts of the Southwest and Plains as a storm moving out of the Rockies will help raise the risk into»»»

Dubai: US President Donald Trump warned Iran that “time is of the essence” after speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid growing reports that Washington and Tel Aviv are preparing for a possible resumption of the war against Tehran. “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they bet»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has welcomed the agreement reached between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party over the approval of a parliamentary resolution related to Albania’s European Union membership process. Speaking during his podcast “Flasim” on Sunday, Rama des»»»

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has summarized what he described as several key developments of the week, focusing on Albania’s European integration process, its growing role in Euro-Atlantic security, and support measures for the country’s economy and entrepreneurship sector. Speaking at the end »»»

In a renewed affirmation of the success of its development model built on proactiveness, flexibility and future readiness, the UAE Government has further strengthened its standing among the world’s most efficient and effective governments by securing its position among the top 10 globally in the 20»»»

Israel struck eastern and southern Lebanon on Sunday, state media reported, despite a fragile ceasefire as Hezbollah called US-brokered talks between the two countries a "dead end". Two Israeli strikes hit the town of Sohmor in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa valley, the state-run National News Agency (NNA»»»

The tenth Russia-China EXPO is underway from May 17 to 21, filling 12,000 square meters of venue with exhibitors and officials from 16 Russian regions. The opening ceremony featured Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premie»»»

AMMAN: Rising Saudi driving star Hamza Bakhashab delivered another impressive performance in the third round of the Middle East Rally Championship stage by securing third place at the Jordan Rally, which concluded on Saturday. Driving the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 alongside his Irish co-driver Lorcan »»»

DOHA: Qatar has secured the top regional position in the 2026 Food Systems Resilience Index (RFSI), reinforcing its standing as one of the region’s leading performers in building a stable and sustainable food security system. Issued by the Economist Impact, the index serves as a global benchmark me»»»

Sloppy decision-making and an inability to agree on key issues have rendered the EU effectively irrelevant on the global stage, the bloc’s former foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has argued. The former top diplomat made the remarks in an interview with Belgian broadcaster RTBF on Friday, somewhat»»»

A man inspects a damaged apartment building following a drone attack outside Moscow on Sunday. Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA May 17 (UPI) -- Hundreds of Ukrainian drones attacked the Moscow region overnight in what Russian officials called the largest attack in more than a year. Russia's state-run n»»»

Yemen’s Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haidan revealed what he described as the foiling of the "largest political assassination plot" in the temporary capital Aden, saying security forces had carried out a successful pre-emptive operation against terrorist cells linked to foreign actors th»»»

Doha, Qatar: KAHRMAA said on Sunday that the Minister of State for Energy Affairs in Qatar, HE Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, issued a set of decisions in 2026 aimed at regulating district cooling services in the State of Qatar and establishing a clear framework to ensure service efficiency, protect rights»»»

Rome: Roma took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating local rivals Lazio 2-0 on Sunday in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top-four spot. Roma's players pose ahead the Italian Serie A football match bet»»»

DOHA: The volume of real estate trading in sale contracts registered with the Real Estate Registration Department at the Ministry of Justice in April 2026 amounted to QR2,062,250,888. Data from the real estate analytical bulletin issued by the Ministry of Justice revealed that 516 real estate trans»»»

Skopje, 14 May 2026 (MIA) — Eliminating corruption requires the participation of every sector of society rather than "declarative efforts," officials and business leaders said at a conference Thursday. The conference, titled "Business Integrity for a Competitive Economy," highlighted that the fight»»»

Dubai: A senior UAE delegation led by Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, travelled to Hangzhou, China, for the World Digital Education Conference 2026, held under the theme AI + Education: Transform»»»

How worrying is the global Ebola emergency? 9 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJames GallagherHealth and science correspondent Getty ImagesHealthcare workers pictured during a previous Ebola outbreak in Uganda in 2022 The outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is concern»»»

THAHABAN: The third Hajj Health and Security Forum opened on Sunday under the patronage of Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz. Organized by the General Administration of Medical Services at the Ministry of Interior, the forum runs until May 19 and brings together min»»»

DOHA: Qatar Charity launched its new strategy for the period 2026-2030, which aims for further institutional development and maximizing its humanitarian impact both within and outside the State of Qatar. The strategy also seeks to solidify its position as a leading international humanitarian and de»»»

Asharq Al-Awsat has learned of a joint initiative by the Federation of GCC Chambers and the International Labor Organization to conduct a rapid assessment of the impact of the war on the private sector and labor markets across Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The initiative is expected to contri»»»

JERUSALEM: Israel’s cabinet on Sunday approved ‌a plan to build a defense compound on the site of the recently demolished premises of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency ​in East Jerusalem. Israel in January demolished structures inside the UN Palestinian refugee agency’s East Jerusalem comp»»»

The overnight mass terrorist attack carried out by Ukraine once again targeted exclusively peaceful civilians, apartment buildings, and private homes, stated Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "To the tunes of Eurovision songs, the Ukrainian regime has committed yet another mass»»»