What’s 3,000 people killed in Iran, 2,020 killed in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf states after the US launched its war against Iran? “A little Middle East work” that’s going “very well,” US President Donald Trump said at the White House last week during a state dinner for Kin»»»

Egypt opened its first premium tax services centre in New Cairo on Tuesday evening, marking the start of a nationwide rollout aimed at simplifying procedures for investors and widening the country’s tax base. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inaugurated the facility at the SODIC administrative centr»»»

Ares Management Corporation has purchased a major logistics portfolio in Poland from Savills Investment Management, marking one of the largest warehouse transactions of 2026, valued at over €250 million. The portfolio includes five logistics centers in cities such as Warsaw, Poznan, Szczecin, and R»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil revenues saw an annual rise of 2 percent in the first quarter of 2026 to reach SR116 billion ($30.9 billion), official data showed. The figures, published in the Budget Performance Report covering the three months to March 31 issued by the Ministry of Finance, highlig»»»

LONDON: IBM launched on Tuesday at its annual Think conference in Boston what it described as its most comprehensive set of enterprise artificial-intelligence products to date, and also argued that there is a competitive chasm growing between companies that have integrated AI into their core operat»»»

Skopje, 4 May 2026 (MIA) - The prices of unleaded fuels are set to rise by Mden 2.5, while the price of diesel will rise by Mden 2 per liter on Monday midnight, the Energy Regulatory Commission has said. The new retail price of Eurosuper BS-95 will be Mden 85 per liter, Eurosuper BS-98 will cost Md»»»

Bulgaria's Ministry of Electronic Governance on Tuesday presented an analysis of its mandate as part of the caretaker government, focusing on ensuring transparency, reliability and predictability in systems that directly affect public trust, the ministry said in a press release. Regarding the early»»»

G7 trade ministers are set to meet in Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss issues such as critical minerals and small packages but will not directly address the latest US threat to impose additional tariffs on European vehicles. The second meeting of trade ministers under the French G7 preside»»»

Abu Dhabi: A new UAE-based fresh juice brand is aiming to capture a significant share of the country’s growing beverage market. Al Ain Farms Group (AAFG) and NRTC Group have entered a joint venture to launch Al Ain Taaza, targeting one-third of the UAE’s Dh500 million fresh juice segment within thr»»»

The Taiwanese town of Fenglin has grown a reputation as a place where life moves slowly and people can catch their breath. Rather than push against this rhythm, the town of around 10,000 has chosen to embrace it and make it part of its identity. Enter the snails. Fenglin has been putting on snail r»»»

Leaders in the retail sector e-Commerce and FMCG recently reunited for a new edition of the conference ‘reTAG- a Retail, FMCG & e-Commerce Conference for the Modern World’ to analyse the main challenges and opportunities in these sectors, in a challenging macro-economic context. The speakers emphas»»»

Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri met yesterday with Chairman of the Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan Musaev Bekhzod. The officials discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the labour sector and explored initiatives to suppo»»»

Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie has met a team from the TASMU platform of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to review progress on a new hazardous materials management system. The meeting discussed the latest developme»»»

Doha, Qatar: A new batch of Ministry of Labour inspectors has taken the legal oath of office before Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri. This follows their conferment of judicial authority and the successful completion of comprehensive theoretical and practical training, including a »»»

Video game retail company and meme stock champion GameStop has made an offer to take over bidding website eBay for $56 billion. If successful, GameStop would take control of a company four times larger in market capitalisation, with CEO Ryan Cohen saying the new entity could rival e-commerce platfo»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is advancing its inclusive education agenda by planning to launch specialised university programmes for deaf students, while expanding nationwide efforts to support deaf and hard-of-hearing learners across all educational stages. Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Lol»»»

Doha: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs H E Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani received a phone call yesterday from Minister for Defence and Coordinating Minister for Public Services of the Republic of Singapore Chan Chun Sing. During the call, the two si»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Tourism has announced that the Hayya platform has been awarded the Silver Stevie Award in the Innovation in Public Administration category at the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards, recognising its role in transforming travel, tourism and event management through adva»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Tourism has announced that the Hayya platform has been awarded the Silver Stevie Award in the Innovation in Public Administration category at the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Award, recognising its role in transforming travel, tourism and event management t»»»

E-scooter drivers are racking up traffic violations as police turn their attention to the relatively recent addition to Greece’s personal transport mix, data showed Monday. A police statement said that a focused traffic police crackdown on e-scooters in the Greater Athens region from Thursday to Su»»»

Damascus, May 4 (SANA) The Central Bank of Syria announced on Monday that licensed banks and electronic payment companies can now work with global payment networks such as Visa and Mastercard, aiming to modernize financial infrastructure and enhance digital inclusion. Central Bank Governor Abdulkad»»»

DOHA: Qatar Tourism has announced that the Hayya platform has been awarded the Silver Stevie Award in the Innovation in Public Administration category at the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Award, recognising its role in transforming travel, tourism and event management through advanced digi»»»

The Central Bank of Syria on Monday issued a decision allowing banks and local electronic payment companies to work with global electronic payment companies such as Visa and Mastercard, in a move seen as a step toward modernizing financial infrastructure and expanding digital inclusion. Central Ban»»»

Dubai: When geopolitical uncertainty rises, retailers face more pressure to get the basics right. Executives at Majid Al Futtaim and Visa say digital trust — across payments, loyalty programmes and personalisation — becomes essential, not optional. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf»»»

Video game retailer GameStop has made a $55.5 billion offer to buy ecommerce giant eBay. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo May 4 (UPI) -- GameStop has made a $55.5 billion offer to buy eBay, with the video game retailer's CEO saying Monday the move could create a strong competitor to»»»

Katowice Airport maintains optimistic growth forecasts, expecting nearly 8 million passengers in 2026 and a record cargo result, with growing interest from Chinese carriers. Regional Polish airports have been only slightly affected by Middle East tensions, with passenger traffic rising across major»»»

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a week-long safety campaign to coincide with GCC Traffic Week 2026, introducing a series of measures aimed at reducing pedestrian accidents across the emirate. Running from 3 to 8 May under the theme "I Cross Safely", the initiative involves a pa»»»

NATO is holding closed-door consultations with TV and film industry professionals across Europe and the US, The Guardian reported on Sunday. The move has prompted accusations that the bloc is working to leverage the arts for “fear mongering” and “propaganda,” it added. The military bloc has held th»»»

The Report on Observance of the Law and the Activities of the Prosecution and the Investigation Authorities in 2025 has been published, the prosecution service said in a press release on Monday. The report concludes, among other things, that last year saw a downward trend in most types of criminal »»»

The caretaker government has secured EUR 400 million under the second and third payments of Bulgaria's Recovery and Resilience Plan after the deadline for meeting key conditions was extended following negotiations with the European Commission, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said on Monday. S»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s Postal Sector Regulatory Committee has approved a comprehensive support package to provide immediate financial and operational relief to companies in the Postal and Courier, Express and Parcels (CEP) sector, as part of efforts to strengthen resilience and ensure service continuity.»»»

Egypt announced the commencement of its first entirely locally manufactured router at the Egyptian Silicon Industries Company (SICO) factory, located in the Assiut Governorate. This initiative is spearheaded by e& Egypt, marking a pivotal point in the nation’s strategy to enhance local manufacturin»»»

Doha, Qatar: The new Board of Directors of Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) held its first meeting at the company’s headquarters, chaired by Minister of Transport, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, and attended by board members including Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Khalifa, »»»

Doha, Qatar: Within the framework of enhancing financial transparency and promoting joint investment, the State of Qatar and the Republic of Austria signed an amendment to certain provisions of the agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to ta»»»

Manila: Tired of watching your hard-earned salary evaporate every time you hit the fuel pump? Well, buckle up — or should we say, plug in. The state-owned fund, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has officially dropped the "Ginhawa Bike and E-Mobility Loan" (GBEL), allowing qualified member»»»

Hajj pilgrims can now travel within Saudi Arabia using a digital visitor identification instead of carrying a passport, the General Directorate of Passports said. The directorate said pilgrims can obtain the digital ID through the Ministry of Interior’s Absher platform, enabling easier and safer mo»»»

Abu Dhabi: Make it in the Emirates opens today in Abu Dhabi with a focus on local manufacturing, supply chain readiness, industrial financing and a bigger role for UAE-made products in shops, e-commerce platforms and export markets. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - »»»

Dubai: UAE businesses are entering a critical preparation phase as the country moves toward mandatory e-invoicing, with July 1, 2026 set as the first key deadline. By that date, companies must select an accredited service provider (ASP) to prepare for the system’s phased rollout. Get updated faster»»»

BERLIN: Mitch Evans claimed victory in Sunday’s Berlin E-Prix, the eighth round of the Formula E season, as the Jaguar driver delivered a perfectly timed late charge to win the second race of the double-header at Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit. Evans spent much of the race managing energy outside»»»

Big Ticket’s latest live draw delivered another memorable night and brought moments of celebration, with one participant walking away with the Dh25 million grand prize, while another celebrated a luxury car win. Abdul Rasheed Allipra Valappil Abdu, who won Dh25 million, is a 48-year-old driver from»»»

The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) of Egypt has entered into a landmark agreement with the country’s leading telecom providers—Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt, and e& Egypt—effectively granting them licenses to operate fifth-generation (5G) mobile services. This move marks a pivotal step»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health represented by the Food Safety Department has recorded the inspection of 27,036 imported food shipments to ensure they meet Qatar’s safety standards and comply with relevant regulations and technical requirements. This came in the Food Safety Department Ac»»»

Nissan Motor Co.’s Chief Performance Officer Guillaume Cartier said the Gulf and Middle East remain central to the company’s growth and profitability despite recent geopolitical challenges, adding that investment plans in the region remain unchanged. Cartier told Asharq Al-Awsat that the automaker »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Winter Sports Development Program was launched at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena as part of the Years of Culture Initiative (Qatar – Canada & Mexico 2026), in a strategic collaboration between the Qatar Winter Sports Committee and Qatar Museums’ flagship cultural program. Designed »»»

Anup Ojha Kathmandu, Nepal: As global fuel markets reel from the Middle East war, motorists in Nepal are increasingly turning to electric vehicles, with high demand putting a strain on dealerships. Electric microbus driver Purushottam Adhikari said he was now shuttling more passengers along the 300»»»

A Texas judge extended a temporary injunction on the state health department's ban on smokable hemp, which went into effect this year after Texas Gov. Greg Abbot vetoed a ban passed last year by the state legislature. File Photo by Paul Brinkmann/UPI May 2 (UPI) -- A Texas judge on Friday temporari»»»

RIYADH: Startups operating in the Middle East and North Africa region showed remarkable resilience last week, securing multiple funding rounds across key sectors even as geopolitical tensions from the Iran conflict continued to rattle markets. This momentum builds on a record-breaking 2025, when ME»»»

Dubai: Years spent working overseas will now carry added weight for Filipinos aiming to enter government service, following a new policy from the Philippine Civil Service Commission (CSC). Through resolution no. 2600596, the CSC has introduced the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) preference rating, »»»

Dubai: Light vehicles were responsible for the largest share of traffic accidents across the UAE last year, according to new figures released by the UAE Ministry of Interior. The data shows that light vehicles were involved in 3,834 accidents, far exceeding other categories. Motorcycles ranked seco»»»

NEW YORK: A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from forcing about 3,000 Yemeni refugees to leave the US, ruling that Temporary Protected Status repeatedly granted to them and due to expire Monday should be extended again. Judge Dale E. Ho in Manhattan extended the status tempo»»»