UK health minister resigns ahead of possible leadership challenge to PM Starmer
Britain’s political turmoil deepened on Thursday as Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the government, a move widely seen as the opening shot in a potential leadership bid against embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In his resignation letter to Starmer, which Streeting posted on X, he »»»
UK health secretary Wes Streeting resigns and is expected to challenge Keir Starmer's leadership
In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under renewed pressure after his Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned today and is expected to launch a leadership bid. Former Deputy leader Angela Raynor might also announce a bid for the leadership today after she announced that she has been cleared i»»»
Will Keir Starmer's rivals manage to unseat the UK Prime Minister?
In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing renewed pressure as journalists have received reports that his Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, is set to resign today and launch a bid for the party leadership. Former deputy leader Angela Raynor could also announce a bid for leadership, after annou»»»
Focus - London's old double-decker buses and underground carriages get a second life
In London, the Tube and iconic red double-decker buses are deeply woven into the city's fabric. When these ageing vehicles retire, some are given a surprising second life and transformed into unique dining experiences. From underground carriages turned into restaurants to vintage buses serving afte»»»
Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensy's former top aide arrested as corruption probe widens
President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff until just November, Andrii Yermak, has fallen a long way. He is now accused of laundering nearly 9 million euros in a high profile corruption scandal. A Kyiv judge ordered on Thursday that he be placed in pre-trial detention. Story by Marc Paupe and An»»»
Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy army soldiers in the town of Rashaf with artillery shells: statement 7 - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy army soldiers in the town of Rashaf with artillery shells: statement 7 14»»»
DACA recipients face job losses, deportation amid renewal delays - UPI.com
Immigration advocates rally outside the Supreme Court after its a ruling in favor of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in Washington in June 2020. The court's 5-4 decision rejected the Trump administration's plan to end DACA. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo WASHINGT»»»
Hamdan bin Mohammed reviews operations, key developments at Jebel Ali Port
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, today visited Jebel Ali Port, operated by DP World, to review operations, meet the teams keeping regional trade flowing and see firstha»»»
PM Radev: Bulgaria Will Not Set Prices but Must Protect Consumers and Producers
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the government has no intention of intervening directly in the market by imposing prices, but stressed that the state has a responsibility to ensure effective regulations and oversight mechanisms amid rising consumer costs and declining purchasing power. Sp»»»
Bulgaria Among EU’s Top Industrial Performers as Output Jumps 5.8% in MarchOpinions
Industrial production across the eurozone and the wider EU continued its gradual recovery in March 2026, while Bulgaria stood out with one of the strongest monthly performances in the bloc, according to Eurostat figures. In the euro area, industrial output increased by 0.2% compared with February, »»»
Honda suspends plans for new electric vehicle plant in Canada
Toronto, Canada: Japanese auto giant Honda said Thursday its plans to build a multi-billion-dollar electric vehicle plant in Canada have been "indefinitely suspended." Honda said in a statement its decision was driven by "evolving business conditions, a change in external resource strategy and shif»»»
Gulf integration a strategic necessity for economic readiness: GCC Secretary-General
Riyadh Saudi Arabia: Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said developments and changes witnessed in the region over the recent period have confirmed that strengthening Gulf integration and coordination is no longer merely an institutional option, but has beco»»»
Business - Nvidia's Jensen Huang attends Trump-Xi summit in bid to revive sales of chips to China
The CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, is among the delegation of CEOs that met with US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday. The maker of AI chips is hoping the meeting between the two world leaders will lead to a lifting of restrictions on sales to China. Also in th»»»
Mali army airstrikes target rebel-held northern town
KIDAL, Mali: Mali’s army carried out overnight airstrikes on the northern town of Kidal, which has been under the control of Tuareg separatists and their jihadist allies since a large-scale offensive last month, the army and witnesses said Thursday. “We are targeting specific targets. We have our s»»»
Kremlin says Europe is not fit to mediate in Ukraine conflict, RIA reports
MOSCOW: Europe should not expect to act as a mediator in the Ukraine peace process given its current approach, Russia’s state-run RIA news agency reported on Thursday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Peskov reiterated Moscow’s position that Europe is currently involved in the con»»»
Police Academy holds graduation ceremony for students of Senior Officers Course
Doha, Qatar: The Police Academy, represented by the Police Officers Institute, celebrated the graduation of the Senior Officers Course in the presence of Major General Abdulrahman Majid Al Sulaiti, President of the Police Academy, along with a number of officers, at The Torch Doha. In a statement b»»»
Four arrested for drug-related offences: Omani police
Oman: The Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Department of the Royal Oman Police has arrested four individuals in Wilayat Al Musanah on drug possession charges. In a social media post, the police stated that the suspects, all of Asian nationality, were found in possession of quantities o»»»
National Assembly Passes at First Reading All Three Bills Amending Judicial System Act
The National Assembly passed at first reading on Thursday all three bills amending the Judicial System Act, introduced by Progressive Bulgaria, Democratic Bulgaria, and Continue the Change. The Progressive Bulgaria bill was approved unanimously with 189 votes in favour by all parliamentary groups. »»»
First accredited US university in Saudi Arabia now accepting applications
RIYADH: Students looking for an American higher education in Riyadh can now apply for a place at the first accredited US university in the Kingdom. At 106 years old, the University of New Haven is officially the first American university to receive a foreign branch campus license from the Ministry »»»
Extensive preparations for more than 1.5m foreign pilgrims expected for Hajj
RIYADH: Officials and institutions continued their extensive preparations on Thursday for the upcoming Hajj season which is expected to host more than 1.5 million pilgrims from abroad. Prince Saud bin Mishaal, the deputy governor of the Makkah Region, and Gov. of Jeddah Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin»»»
Court Declares Parliament Resolution on Fuel Price Measures Unconstitutional
Bulgaria's Constitutional Court on Wednesday declared unconstitutional a March 13 National Assembly resolution instructing the Council of Ministers to take urgent measures to mitigate the adverse economic impact of high crude oil and natural gas prices, the Court said on its website. The Court open»»»
Indian capital announces work-from-home days to weather fuel shortage
New Delhi: India's capital announced fuel-saving measures on Thursday, including work-from-home days for government employees, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for reduced consumption as the Middle East war disrupts supply chains. India is one of the few countries in the region that has no»»»
Trump-Xi summit begins in Beijing (VIDEOS)
Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping shook hands ahead of bilateral talks in Beijing on Thursday, marking the first visit by a US president to China since 2017. In his opening remarks, Xi said he had always believed that the two countries “have more common interests than differences.” “A stable b»»»
Cannes 2026: Red Sea Film Foundation hosts Women in Cinema luncheon
DUBAI: The Red Sea Film Foundation gathered actors, filmmakers and industry executives on the French Riviera on Wednesday for its annual Women in Cinema luncheon and press day, held alongside the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The event celebrated women creatives from the Arab world, Asi»»»
Solaren Power expands solar footprint across Philippines with multi-sector project rollout
Solaren Power has expanded its renewable energy footprint across the Philippines with the rollout of a broad portfolio of solar installations spanning industrial, commercial, institutional, agricultural, and residential segments, reflecting accelerating adoption of distributed solar solutions acros»»»
Senate committee to vote on framework cryptocurrency regulation - UPI.com
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Tim Scott, R-S.C., and ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are among 24 senators who will vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a bill to set a framework for regulating cryptocurrency, on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie »»»
RTA enhances accessibility at service provider and customer happiness centres, public transport stations
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the completion of works required to implement the Dubai Universal Design Code for People of Determination (POD) across numerous service locations, including Customer Happiness Centres, service provider centres and public transport stations. The »»»
Belgrade to host Business Summit on key economic, tech and political topics
BELGRADE - The first Business Summit, to be held in Belgrade on Friday, will bring together top Serbian and international leaders in business, politics and banking who will address key economic, business, political and tech and innovation topics. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, PM Djuro Macut, »»»
Oil Prices Dip after Iran Says Dozens of Vessels are Crossing Hormuz
Oil prices dipped on Thursday after Iran's state media said about 30 vessels had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in recent hours while the semi-official Fars news agency cited a source saying Iran had begun allowing transit for some Chinese vessels. Meanwhile, the White House, speaking of US President»»»
’Promised to us’: The Israelis dreaming of settling south Lebanon
KARNEI SHOMRON SETTLEMENT, Palestinian Territories: From her home in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Anna Sloutskin yearns to expand her country’s borders and one day move to southern Lebanon. And she is not alone. With fighting between Israel and Hezbollah displacing more than a m»»»
IAEA informed of major increase in drone activity near Ukrainian nuclear plant sites this week
KYIV: The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Thursday it has been informed of a major increase in drone activity near Ukrainian nuclear power plant sites this week, with more than 160 UAVs recorded flying in the vicinity of the South Ukraine, Chornobyl, and Rivne NPP sites on »»»
Families grieve Bangladeshis killed by Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon
DHAKA: When Sharif Sheikh spoke to his Lebanon-based younger brother Karim Miah over the phone in the early hours of Monday, discussing his safety amid Israel’s war on the country was inevitable. “He said everything was fine with him despite the war situation. But that ‘fine’ didn’t last for him,” »»»
France and Netherlands say all hantavirus contact cases negative
PARIS: France’s health minister said Thursday that 26 people in France identified as close contacts of hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship had tested negative for the illness. Dutch authorities said that all people who arrived in the Netherlands on evacuation flights from the ship»»»
Princess of Wales’ Italy visit highlights progressive preschool approach that shuns standardization
REGGIO EMILIA, Italy: The Princess of Wales’ visit to Italy has put the spotlight on an Italian early childhood educational model that helped revolutionize how toddlers learn in school. The Reggio Approach, used in public daycare centers and preschools in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, values »»»
Blackouts and protests as Cuba says fuel has 'run out'
Havana: Cuba was hit by worsening power outages on Thursday as the island's government said oil reserves had run out and rare protests broke out around the capital Havana. Eastern Cuba was plunged Thursday into the latest of regular electricity shutdowns affecting the whole country, while people pr»»»
Aoun reportedly proposes 'Armistice Agreement+'
President Joseph Aoun is proposing an "Armistice Agreement+" in the negotiations with Israel, whose third round begins Thursday, a media report said. An official source told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Aoun views the negotiations as "limited to security procedures and arrangements, ultimately le»»»
At least 5 killed in Kyiv after Russia launches large-scale strikes - UPI.com
Rescuers at work at the scene of Russian strike on a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv on Thursday where four people were killed and at least 10 remain missing. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA May 14 (UPI) -- A major aerial assault by Russian forces on Kyiv overnight killed at least five peopl»»»
Latvian PM resigns amid drone incursion clash - UPI.com
French President Emmanuel Macron greets Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina at the Elysee Palace in Paris in 2025. Silina resigned Wednesday. File Photo by Maya Vidon-White/UPI | License Photo May 14 (UPI) -- Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina resigned Wednesday after a political battle stemming f»»»
Child Protection Agency Registers 2,000-Plus Reports About Children at Risk in 2025
A total of 2,063 reports about children at risk were registered in 2025 by the State Agency for Child Protection. The National Child Helpline at 116 111 received 25,356 calls, which led to 13,078 psychological support consultations, said Deputy Chair Ivayla Kasarova on Thursday during a conference »»»
Kuwait Bourse closes lower
Kuwait: Kuwait Bourse closed trading on Thursday as the All Share Index lost 17.61 points to reach 8,764.47 points, a decrease of 0.20 percent. As many as 543.4 million shares valued at KWD 108.4 million (roughly USD 390.2 million) were traded via 28,671 transactions. The Main Market Index went dow»»»
Three Israeli civilians injured in Hezbollah drone strike
A Hezbollah drone exploded inside Israel on Thursday, injuring three civilians, two of them severely, according to the Israeli military and hospitals. The incident occurred ahead of a third round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, as the Trump administration pushes for a brea»»»
New Israel-Lebanon talks open in Washington
Israel and Lebanon opened a new round of peace talks in Washington on Thursday as their latest ceasefire -- considered to still be in place despite hundreds of deaths in Israeli strikes -- nears its end. The two sides started discussions just after 9 am (1300 GMT) at the State Department and will m»»»
Ukraine Now Hub for Afghan Opiates and Synthetic Drug Production - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
Ukraine is working closely with international terrorist groups to prepare a fight against legitimate governments, including in Africa, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky said on Thursday. "The Kiev regime is working closely with international terrorist groups and transnational crimina»»»
Riyadh to host first regional headquarters of Institute of Internal Auditors
RIYADH: Riyadh hosted the signing of an agreement on Thursday to establish the first regional headquarters of the Institute of Internal Auditors outside the US. The event was attended by President of the General Court of Audit and Chairman of the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors Dr. Hussam Alan»»»
Pre-arrival medical screenings made mandatory for Filipino workers in Oman
Oman’s Ministry of Labour has announced a mandatory pre-arrival medical examination and visa processing system for workers arriving from the Philippines, with the new measures taking effect on Monday, May 18. The ministry said the system was introduced in coordination with relevant authorities and »»»
New Gaza-bound Flotilla Sets Sail from Türkiye
Dozens of ships set sail from southwestern Türkiye as part of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Thursday, an organizer told AFP. "Around 50 ships sailed from Marmaris around an hour ago," Gorkem Duru, a member of the Türkiye branch of the Global Sumud Fleet said. "They will be joined by four or five shi»»»