IDF arrests 10 Israeli civilians after crossing the Israel-Syria border
CAIRO: The Israeli army arrested ten Israeli civilians on Sunday after they crossed the Syrian border, according to the Jerusalem Post. In a statement, the army said IDF soldiers operating in the area returned the civilians from Syrian territory to Israel, before transferring them to the Israeli po»»»
WHO kicks off annual assembly amid hantavirus, Ebola crises
GENEVA: World Health Organization member states gather for their annual meeting in Geneva Monday amid concern over deadly hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks and uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals.While the rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attentio»»»
Hong Kong court hears final arguments in the trial of Tiananmen vigil organizers
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court was hearing the final arguments Monday in the national security trial for two organizers of the large vigils remembering the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Hong Kong for decades was the only place in China where a large-scale public commemoration of the crackdown was »»»
Oil touches two-week high after drone attack on UAE nuclear power plant
NEW DELHI: Oil prices extended gains on Monday as efforts to end the Iran war appeared to have stalled, after a nuclear power plant in the UAE came under attack and as US President Donald Trump is expected to discuss military options on Iran. Brent crude futures climbed $2.01, or 1.84 percent, to»»»
Qatar cross 100-medal mark as athletics end with 12 gold, Aya wins table tennis crown
Doha, Qatar: Mubarak Saeed and Zakaria Al-Alami secured a one-two finish in the men’s 1500m as Qatar’s athletics team claimed two more gold medals, while Aya Mohammed triumphed in table tennis to lift the hosts’ gold tally to 39 at the GCC Games Doha 2026 yesterday. Qatar crossed the 100-medal mark»»»
Qatar to participate in World Health Assembly and Executive Board meetings
Doha, Qatar: Qatar will take part in the seventy-ninth session of the World Health Assembly, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 18 to 23, as well as in a number of related meetings and side events. Minister of Public Health H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud will lead Qatar’s delegation to»»»
Israel at ‘Peak Readiness’ for Possible Renewed Conflict with Iran
US President Donald Trump may order renewed limited military strikes against Iran amid what appears to be a deadlock in talks between the Chinese and US presidents last week in Beijing and the American leader’s growing frustration with Tehran. On Saturday, Israeli officials said the military is at »»»
SCNS warns of prison terms for inciting interethnic tensions - | 24.KG
Kanat Tabaldiev, head of the Osh Regional Department of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS), warned of criminal liability for attempts to incite interethnic hatred. The statement was made during a discussion of a land issue in a village in Osh region. According to Tabaldi»»»
Rafeeq and Google announce strategic partnership to accelerate AI-first commerce and operations
The partnership goes beyond a standard vendor arrangement. It signals to the market that Rafeeq is placing artificial intelligence at the center of its next phase of growth, with a focus on transforming customer experience, operations, employee capabilities, and platform intelligence. Doha, Qatar: »»»
Trump Issues Dire Warning to Iran to Accept Peace Deal
President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran on Sunday, saying it had to move quickly towards a peace deal or "there won't be anything left of them." Washington, locked in conflict with Tehran since US and Israeli forces launched major strikes on the country beginning February 28, has stru»»»
Bahrain’s CTM360 receives global recognition in Gartner Magic Quadrant, marking historic milestone for the Arab world
CTM360 has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first-ever Arab World software technology to be named among the 17 globally leading companies for “Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)”. This is reflected in Gartner’s First CTI Magic Quadrant report, published on 4th May, signifying that the glo»»»
Philippines: Users urged to conserve electricity, rotational brownouts hit Luzon, 'Yellow' alert up in Visayas, as heatwave, plant outages, line failures push grid to the brink
Manila: Rotational brownouts swept parts of Luzon as the Philippines’ power grid ran with razor-thin reserves while several large generating units and key transmission lines went “offline”, officials said. This forced utilities to cut electricity to selected areas to prevent a wider “blackout”. The»»»
National Bank of Romania keeps the monetary policy rate at 6.50% per annum
”Based on the assessments and data currently available, as well as given the high level of uncertainty, the NBR Board of Directors decided at its meeting today, May 15, 2026, to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 6.50 percent per annum. At the same time, it was decided to maintain the in»»»
‘Clearly positive’: Angolan Ambassador hails growing ties with Qatar
Doha, Qatar: Relations between Angola and Qatar are entering a new phase of strategic cooperation driven by shared economic ambitions, expanding investment opportunities and growing collaboration in energy, agriculture, logistics and education, Ambassador of Angola to Qatar H E Antonio Coelho Ramos»»»
Israel PM Says Close to Killing All Architects of October 7 Attack
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel had almost completed a key goal of the war in Gaza -- eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attack. His remarks followed the Israeli military's announcement that Ezzedine Al-Haddad, commander of Hamas's armed wing»»»
Report: US Weighs Drone Threat from Cuba
Cuba has obtained more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the US base at Guantanamo Bay, US military vessels and possibly even Florida, Axios reported Sunday, citing classified intelligence. The report comes as tensions simmer between Washington and H»»»
15 Arabian Oryx Births Recorded at Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki Royal in 2026
Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve recorded the birth of 15 Arabian oryx calves during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the success of wildlife conservation programs and efforts to restore ecological balance, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday. The programs are part of»»»
Israel’s Army Wants a ‘Political Breakthrough' for Its War in Lebanon
Israel has widened its military operations against Lebanon’s Iran-back Hezbollah group while Israeli media outlets have published leaks from the military indicating that it is urging the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to achieve a political solution. According to the leaks, the Isr»»»
White House touts U.S.-China deals following Trump's Beijing trip - UPI.com
U.S. President Donald J. Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, Thursday, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Photo by Daniel Torok/The White House/UPI | License Photo May 18 (UPI) -- China has agreed to purchase at least»»»
Doha Debates seeks to redefine public discourse
Doha, Qatar: At a time when public discourse is increasingly shaped by outrage, speed and polarisation, Doha Debates is positioning itself as a space for something quieter but more enduring: thoughtful dialogue. According to Managing Director of Doha Debates Amjad Atallah, success is not measured s»»»
Minister to head Qatar Hajj Mission for 2026 season
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has announced the formation of the Qatari Hajj Mission for 2026 Hajj season, headed by Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs H E Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim, as part of Qatar’s ongoing efforts to provide comprehensive services and e»»»
Serbia to submit final NIS proposal to MOL as talks near deadline
Serbia will submit its final position to Hungary’s MOL Group on the potential takeover of a majority stake in Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) on May 15, with the Hungarian firm expected to respond early next week, Energy Minister Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic said. MOL’s board is expected to decide on»»»
MOSCOW BLOG: Trump eats humble pie in Beijing
US President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing ends today and he has been forced to eat humble pie after coming out of the gate last year with an extremely aggressive policy on China. If you remember in the heady days of Trump's first term in office we still lived under the pax Americana. Trump launch»»»
Russian SME closures accelerate in 1Q26 as economy contracts
Closures among Russia’s small and medium-sized enterprises accelerated in the first quarter of 2026, after the economy contracted in the first quarter of this year in real terms and economic pressure on small companies mounts. Russian Forbes reported that about 209,000 SMEs ceased operations during»»»
Russia leads Europe's skyscraper ranking
Russia accounts for 40 of the 50 tallest skyscrapers currently under construction in Europe, according to 2026 data published by World of Statistics, underscoring the country’s continued push into large-scale urban development despite sanctions and economic pressure linked to the war in Ukraine. Th»»»
Serbia to submit final NIS proposal to MOL as talks near deadline
Serbia will submit its final position to Hungary’s MOL Group on the potential takeover of a majority stake in Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) on May 15, with the Hungarian firm expected to respond early next week, Energy Minister Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic said. MOL’s board is expected to decide on»»»
Lukashenko praises US as Belarus receives two-thirds of humanitarian aid from Washington
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has praised the United States as a leading source of humanitarian assistance for his country despite the sanctions regime, Russian outlet RBC reported on May 15. Speaking at a meeting with Franklin Graham, president and chief executive of the Billy Graham E»»»
Universal basic income vs universal high income: What's the difference?
Is it possible to pay everyone on the planet — all adults — a universal basic income (UBI) without conditions, without expecting them to do do any work, or even if they're rich? It's like the ultimate socialist utopia. And what if, beyond UBI, a universal high income (UHI) is made possible by the A»»»
Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus Strengthen Trilateral Ties for Stability and Prosperity
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis convened for the 10th summit of their tripartite cooperation mechanism last week. Their discussions culminated in a robust commitment to bolstering peace, stability, and co»»»
Egyptian Exchange Surges as Regional Investments Fuel Market Gains
Driven by a wave of regional investor enthusiasm, the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) enjoyed a robust comeback, closing with significant gains this Thursday. The influx of regional buying power added a substantial LE 14.9 billion to the market’s capitalization. Leading the charge, the benchmark EGX 40 ind»»»
Watch: Robot monks join Seoul’s dazzling Lotus Lantern Festival parade
Dubai: Humanoid robot monks joined thousands of participants at Seoul’s colourful Lotus Lantern Festival parade, drawing huge crowds ahead of Buddha’s Birthday celebrations. The robot monk, “Gabi”, created by South Korea’s Jogye Order, bowed, greeted spectators and marched alongside traditional lan»»»
Qatar aims to strengthen skills of govt employees in AI, project management
Doha, Qatar: The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB) is aiming to empower government employees across sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI) and project management, as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce institutional performance and support sustainable development acros»»»
‘Staggering’ Iran toll drives up global executions: Amnesty
PARIS: Iran put to death over 2,150 people last year, a “staggering” increase that pushed recorded worldwide executions to their highest level since 1981, Amnesty International said Monday. Amnesty said it had confirmed the executions of at least 2,707 people globally in 2025. Of these cases, 2,159»»»
Encroaching world threatens India’s last ‘uncontacted’ tribe
SRI VIJAYA PURAM: One of the last outsiders to make authorized visits to India’s only “uncontacted” tribe says it may be time to reconnect with the isolated people — in order to shield them from an encroaching world. Anthropologist Anstice Justin, 71, took part in the government’s limited contact m»»»
Israel PM says close to killing all architects of October 7 attack
JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel had almost completed a key goal of the war in Gaza — eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attack. His remarks followed the Israeli military’s announcement that Ezzedine Al-Haddad, commander of Hamas’s »»»
Solomon Islands names China critic to government, bans dolphin trade
SYDNEY: A former leader who supported ties with Taiwan and a China critic have won key roles in the new Solomon Islands government, signalling change for the South Pacific’s closest backer of Beijing. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale was elected on Friday by lawmakers after his predecess»»»
PM Radev Heads to Berlin for Talks with German Chancellor Merz
Prime Minister Rumen Radev will visit Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the Government press service said here Monday. Following the official welcome with military honours for the Bulgarian Prime Minister at the Chancellery, Radev and Merz will hold a one-on-one meeting. A ple»»»
Hantavirus-hit Cruise Ship Nears End of Voyage, to Dock in Rotterdam
A cruise ship that sparked global alarm after a deadly outbreak of hantavirus will end its voyage in Rotterdam on Monday, with its remaining skeleton crew facing weeks of quarantine. The MV Hondius is expected to dock in the Dutch port between 10am (0800 GMT) and midday (1000 GMT) on Monday, accord»»»
JD2.647b profit recorded between 2018–2025 — JPMC
AMMAN — Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) Chairman of the Board of Directors Mohammad Thneibat said the company has achieved a major turnaround in its financial and operational performance between 2018 and 2025, overcoming significant financial and administrative challenges through a comprehens»»»
Approval of draft amendments to investment environment regulations for 2026
— Simplifying procedures, reducing time required for licenses, approvals to attract investments, facilitate projects— Expanding scope of investment incentives by reducing requirements for expansion, development, creative industries— Licenses to operate 'subject to compliance', significant amendment»»»
Police arrest 3 teens, ending Austin shooting spree that wounded 4 - UPI.com
Authorities said the three suspects were arrested following a traffic stop of a white Kia Optima on Sunday. Two suspects were arrested at the scene while a third was detained a while later, following a pursuit. Photo courtesy Austin Police Department/X May 18 (UPI) -- Authorities said Sunday night »»»
Thirty electric buses to be purchased for Talas region - | 24.KG
Thirty new, modern Yutong electric buses will soon be purchased for Talas region. Ermat Dzhumaev, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the region, announced this on social media. According to him, the initiative is being implemented with the support of President Sadyr Japarov and is aimed at provi»»»
$200,000 reward to catch Monica Witt wanted on espionage charges in Iran
The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to capture and prosecution of a former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist who defected to Iran in 2013 and was later charged with revealing classified information to the Tehran government. Monica Elfriede Witt, 47, was i»»»
White House hosts mass prayer event to promote Christian origins of the US
The White House is making prayer a focal point of this weekend’s celebrations marking the US's 250th anniversary, staging a large-scale mass prayer that underscores the Trump administration’s wider push to amplify Christianity’s role in public and political life. Thousands of people gathered Sunday»»»
Around 10 'new' victims come forward in France's Epstein investigation
French prosecutors investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged trafficking network say around ten previously unidentified suspected victims have recently contacted authorities, widening a probe into possible abuse committed in France or involving French accomplices linked to the late financier. Around »»»
President Iotova to Address World Urban Forum in Baku
President Iliana Iotova will address the World Urban Forum Summit in Baku, the President’s press secretariat said on Monday. The event is themed Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities. Monday is the second day of Iotova’s visit to Azerbaijan, at the invitation of President Ilh»»»
Leader of Hamas's armed wing killed in strike on Gaza, says Israel
The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had killed the head of Hamas's military wing Ezzedine Al-Haddad during an air strike carried out the previous day in Gaza. Haddad's wife and daughter were also killed in the attack, according to a Hamas source. Israel said Saturday it had killed Ha»»»
Palestinian president’s son Yasser Abbas elected to top Fatah post
Yasser Abbas, the 64-year-old son of ageing Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, won a seat Sunday on the central committee of the Fatah party, initial results showed. The election extended the family's grip on the movement that has dominated the Palestinian Authority (PA) for decades. The PA is un»»»
Most of the architects of October 7 attacks have been killed, says Netanyahu
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is close to finishing a key war aim in Gaza: killing the planners of the October 7 attacks. The comments came after Israel said it had killed senior Hamas commander Ezzedine Al-Haddad in an airstrike, as its campaign against the group’s lead»»»
Drone strike sparks a fire on the edge of UAE nuclear facility
A drone strike sparked a fire near the United Arab Emirates’s Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday, authorities said, in an attack Abu Dhabi condemned as a threat to regional security. The strike highlighted the possibility of renewed war amid a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran»»»