Energy prices are projected to surge by 24% this year to their highest level since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as the war in the Middle East sends a severe shock through global commodity markets, according to the World Bank Group’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook. Overall commodity price»»»

JEDDAH: Two fintech firms have entered Saudi Arabia’s consumer finance market after securing licenses from the central bank, marking a further step in expanding digital lending and financial inclusion in the Kingdom. The Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA, licensed Dufaa Co. for Financing to provide»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Telecom Co. reported quarterly profits that exceeded analyst estimates in the first quarter of 2026, indicating continued resilience in the company’s operational performance despite competitive pressures in the telecom market, according to a disclosure on Tadawul. Net profit reached a»»»

Four people have been arrested in northern Greece and another eight face charges for allegedly illegally dumping industrial waste in an old quarry over the past four years, authorities said Wednesday. A police statement said four men driving trucks and a mechanical excavator were arrested on Tuesda»»»

The Burgas Vocational School for Computer Programming and Innovation is on the verge of becoming the first municipal school in the country that will offer education under the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said on Wednesday. Some of the key requirements hav»»»

Tokyo: Police were questioning a man in Japan on suspicions he disposed of his wife's body using an incinerator at a zoo he works for, local media have reported. Investigations were still ongoing and the Asahiyama Zoo, closed since earlier this month as part of regular preparations for the summer s»»»

Surabaya, Indonesia: Indonesia will lend a breeding pair of endangered Komodo dragons to Japan under an agreement signed Wednesday between zoos from the two countries that emphasised the project's conservation merits. The five-year renewable deal, criticised by animal rights group PETA, will in tur»»»

The Rossiya Segodnya media group hosted an international roundtable discussion on current issues in international logistics and the role of transport corridors in modern geopolitics. Experts discussed how sanctions, geopolitical tensions, and the restructuring of global supply chains are reshaping »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said on Wednesday she expected amendments to four laws related to ODIHR recommendations for improving electoral conditions to be passed by the end of May and added that amendments to the law on preventing corruption were due to be sent to the ODIHR »»»

Infinite IT Solutions, a leading provider of enterprise e-invoicing and automation solutions in the Gulf region, today announced it has received pre-approval as an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) under the UAE's upcoming e-invoicing mandate. This accreditation positions Infinite as one of the fir»»»

Lebanese authorities detained the former Palestinian ambassador to Lebanon on corruption charges shortly after he arrived in the country, officials said Wednesday. The officials said Ashraf Dabbour was arrested upon arrival at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport late Tuesday. The two judici»»»

Ramatuelle, France: Deep below the surface of the Mediterranean off the French coast, the pincer of a remotely guided underwater robot delicately closes around a centuries-old jug lying near a 16th-century shipwreck. "You have to be extremely precise so as not to damage the site, so as not to stir »»»

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has announced the addition of China United Lines’ new SGX shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port, enhancing the Kingdom’s connectivity with global markets, improving supply chain efficiency, and supporting trade flows through the Red Sea- one of the world’s most »»»

Israel has used access to water as a weapon and a form of “collective punishment” against Palestinians in Gaza, according to a report by international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Israel has rejected the claims as baseless. The organization said in a report released Tuesday that I»»»

The US delegation headed by Vice President J.D. Vance lacked decision-making authority during talks with Iran earlier this month, Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi, who was part of Tehran’s negotiating team, has told RT’s Sanchez Effect. Speaking with host Rick Sanchez on Monday, Marandi shared his »»»

DOHA: Minister of Public Health HE Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud inaugurated the second forum on Regulating Healthcare in the Private Health Sector, organised by the Ministry of Public Health. The forum aims to strengthen collaboration and integration between the public and private sectors, while »»»

Preventive medical visits remain a habit for fewer than half of Romanians, according to data from a study conducted by the REGINA MARIA Health Network. Three in ten respondents say they did not undergo any routine medical check-up in 2025, while another two in ten only attended the mandatory occupa»»»

A 57-year-old German tourist has died after being bitten by a cobra during a snake-handling show at a resort in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Hurghada, authorities and media reports said. The man was on a family holiday when he attended an entertainment performance in early April. During the show, the ha»»»

United Nations: The majority of Iran's highly enriched uranium is likely still at its Isfahan nuclear complex, which was bombarded by airstrikes last year and faced less intense attacks in this year's U.S.-Israeli war, the head of the U.N. nuclear agency told The Associated Press. Rafael Grossi sai»»»

The Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the dollar on Wednesday, according to currency-tracking websites, as a U.S. naval blockade of the country's ports continued. On the black market, the rial was trading at around 1.80 million rials against the dollar, the Bonbast and AlanChand websit»»»

European Union countries must funnel their energy aid chiefly to vulnerable households and industries or risk wasting billions of euros as the Iran war hits oil and gas prices, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Wednesday. The U.S.-Israel war, combined with retaliation fro»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov made a statement to the media following talks with Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Togolese Republic Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé in Bishkek. The head of state emphasized the historic significance of the visit. He noted that this is the first official»»»

A number of bilateral documents were signed in Bishkek following the official visit of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Togo Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries. In particular, the sides signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese authorities detained the former Palestinian ambassador to Lebanon on corruption charges shortly after he arrived in the country, officials said Wednesday. The officials said Ashraf Dabbour was arrested upon arrival at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport late Tuesday. The tw»»»

Britain's King Charles III used his speech at a state dinner at the White House on Tuesday to poke fun at US President Donald Trump who, in January, told European leaders that without US aid in World War II they would be speaking German. "Dare I say that, if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking Fren»»»

Presidential decrees issued by President Iliana Iotova appointing Bulgarian ambassadors to Malta and Cabo Verde were promulgated in an extraordinary issue of the State Gazette on Wednesday. Ivan Kondov, currently Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Italy, will also be appointed Ambassador to Malta, based in R»»»

Caretaker Minister of Energy Traicho Traikov ordered an urgent on-site inspection in the Malinova Dolina neighbourhood in Sofia after a report of radiation contamination at the former site of the Central Isotope Storage Facility (CISF), the Energy Ministry said on Wednesday. Traikov personally atte»»»

Frankfurt, Germany: German premium automaker Mercedes-Benz warned Wednesday that a drawn-out conflict in the Middle East could cause shortages of key inputs as it reported tumbling quarterly profits due to fierce Chinese competition. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a trickle as Iran a»»»

This Wednesday, Cairo is receiving a high-level delegation from the Russian Federation headed by Russia’s First Deputy Minister of Industry Gleb Nikitin, in the framework of joint cooperation between Cairo and Moscow, state-run media reported today. According to Al-Ahram Arabic, the delegation is c»»»

Recent amendments to the Fiscal Code are expected to strengthen incentives for companies investing in research and development, according to an analysis by Cristina Fuioagă, Director, and Anca Nicola, Senior Manager at PwC Romania. They note that the fiscal framework applicable to research and deve»»»

Mastercard and BCR have completed Romania’s first live, authenticated transaction carried out by an AI agent, demonstrating how AI-driven commerce can be implemented securely and responsibly. The transaction, executed through Mastercard Agent Pay, shows how AI agents can complete purchases on behal»»»

Berlin, April 29 (SANA) A German-Syrian economic forum opened in Berlin on Wednesday, bringing together government officials and business leaders to explore trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. Syria’s Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal al-Shaar, Central Bank Governor A»»»

France urges citizens to leave Mali after rebel attacks 17 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleHafsa Khalil AFP via Getty ImagesExplosions and gunfire were reported in the capital, Bamako (pictured above) last weekend France has urged its citizens to leave Mali "as soon as possible", afte»»»

The National Anti-Narcotics Authority has dismantled a cross-border drug trafficking network in a month-long joint operation with Dubai and Sharjah police and authorities in Bahrain. Officials said 13 suspects of Asian and African nationalities were arrested, while the alleged ringleader, an Asian »»»

New York: The State of Qatar stressed the importance of strict implementation of the obligations arising from international agreements in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. This came in a statement delivered by Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nation»»»

Cross-border workforce mobility is becoming a powerful retention tool as employers compete for scarce skills and respond to market and geopolitical volatility, according to the EY 2026 Mobility Reimagined Survey. The findings also show that trust in mobility functions and cross-border talent progra»»»

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has told US national security officials to prepare for a long blockade of Iran’s ports in order to compel Tehran to give up its nuclear program, according to the Wall Street Journal. Trump, according to the report, does not believe that Iran is negotiating in good»»»

Canberra, Australia: Scientists are developing solar-powered technologies to convert plastic waste into clean fuels, offering a potential solution to both pollution and energy challenges, an Australian study revealed Wednesday. The research explores how sunlight-driven processes can transform disca»»»

Pristina: Kosovo is set for another snap election after parliament failed to elect a new president on Tuesday, ​pitching Europe's youngest nation back into the thick ‌of a political crisis. Parliament had until midnight on Tuesday to choose a head of state after President Vjosa Osmani's term ended »»»

Doha, Qatar: Visit Qatar, in partnership with Qatar Challenge Racing Club (Samla), has announced the return of the Samla International Race, set to take place on January 23, 2027. The upcoming edition will once again welcome male and female participants from around the world to compete in one of Qa»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announced that it has ordered closure of four travel agencies in the country for non-compliance. The authority said that this measure comes as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen oversight and regulate the air transport sector. The QCAA, represented»»»

Early Game Ventures has announced a USD 600,000 pre-seed investment in Tryll, a startup aiming to reshape how artificial intelligence is integrated into video games by removing reliance on costly third-party cloud infrastructure. With Tryll, game studios can build titles where artificial intelligen»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The criminal actions of Kiev are fueling the shortage of oil on world markets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "The global energy community is desperately struggling with the consequences of oil shortages on international markets, which is being spurred on by s»»»

Dubai: Dubai has eased requirements for its two-year property-linked residency visa, removing the minimum property value for sole owners while introducing a Dh400,000 minimum share per investor for jointly owned assets. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click »»»

Member of “Loyalty to Resistance” parliamentary bloc, Dr. Hasan Fadlallah, affirmed that the Islamic Resistance will bring down the Zionist attempts to establish a buffer zone in South Lebanon, calling on the Authority to quit granting the enemy concessions and antagonizing a large segment of the L»»»

Demis Hassabis, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Google DeepMind (L), shakes hands with South Korea's legendary Go player Lee Sedol at an event held in Seoul on Wednesday. Photo by Yonhap Demis Hassabis, the co-founder of Google DeepMind, reunited Wednesday with South Korea's legendary»»»

Damascus, April 29 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh discussed with a delegation from ODI Global ways to integrate climate risk management into economic and financial policies and enhance technical cooperation. The Ministry of Finance said in a statement on its Telegram channel that dis»»»

Q Mobility has announced the activation of the paid parking system in new commercial sectors in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, under the regulatory supervision of the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, effective 6 May 2026. This step is part of the expansi»»»

Los Angeles, United States: The Academy recognized technical advances that went into blockbuster hits such as "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" in its annual Scientific and Technical Awards on Tuesday. The awards have been presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts»»»

Growth across Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe is proving more resilient than expected despite the shock from the Iran war, but risks are mounting as higher energy prices, weaker trade and geopolitical uncertainty weigh on the outlook, according to a new forecast by the Vienna Institute for In»»»