From Colosseum selfies to ‘Melody’ toffee: What Modi’s Rome visit is really about
Rome: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took selfies at the Colosseum and admired the view over Rome ahead of talks focused on trade on Wednesday. In a video posted on X, Meloni also thanked Modi for bringing along a packet of “Melody” toffees on his visi»»»
UAE shoppers get lower gold rates as global prices slip on strong dollar pressure
Dubai: Dubai gold prices fell on Wednesday, giving UAE shoppers slightly lower rates as global gold remained under pressure from a stronger US dollar and high US Treasury yields. The price of 24K gold dropped to Dh537.75 per gram, down from Dh542.25 on Tuesday, while 22K fell to Dh498, down from Dh»»»
Colosseum selfies and 'Melody' toffee: Modi visits Rome
Rome, Italy: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took selfies at the Colosseum and admired the view over Rome ahead of talks focused on trade on Wednesday. In a video posted on X, Meloni also thanked Modi for bringing along a packet of "Melody" toffees on h»»»
'Crony capitalism and oligarchy': 'Remarkable correlation' between Adani's rise & Modi’s ascendancy
François Picard is pleased to welcome Paranjoy Guha-Thakurta, Indian journalist, investigative author and filmmaker. He offers a sweeping critique of the nexus between oligarchic wealth, political power, and weakened institutional accountability in contemporary India. Drawing on the allegations sur»»»
Ukraine Ally Britain Eases Sanctions on Russian Oil as Fuel Prices Surge Over Iran Conflict
The UK government has quietly watered down sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to shelter Britons from the cost-of-living squeeze triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A trade license that came into effect Wednesday permits the import of Russian oil that has been refined into jet fuel»»»
Trump’s portrait hits New Delhi traffic as US Embassy rolls out ‘Happy Birthday America!’ rickshaws
NEW DELHI: In New Delhi’s chaotic traffic, where the backs of auto-rickshaws sometimes double as mobile billboards, some commuters are now being greeted by an unlikely face: US President Donald Trump. Splashed beneath his portrait is the slogan, “Happy Birthday America!” About 100 auto-rickshaws ca»»»
Economist: Bulgaria Has Become a “Growth Engine” in the EurozoneOpinions
Economist Rumen Galabinov believes Bulgaria has entered a new economic phase after joining the eurozone and is already positioning itself among the bloc’s fastest-growing economies. Speaking about the country’s outlook following the adoption of the euro on January 1, he described the transition as »»»
UK eases sanctions on Russian jet fuel and diesel imports
London: The United Kingdom government said Wednesday that it had eased sanctions on imports of Russian jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries on Wednesday, amid spiralling fuel prices caused by the Middle East war. The trade licence that came into effect Wednesday is of "indefinite duration»»»
Scientists Unravel the History of Cotton Domestication
Cotton, the world's most profitable nonfood crop, is used more than any other natural fiber. Known for its comfort and durability, it has been utilized since antiquity in fabrics and other goods. Four species are grown commercially, but one is dominant, accounting for about 90% of global production»»»
Indian chef in UAE lands first spot at World Food Championships in US
Dubai: Dubai-based Indian chef Surabhi Suri has earned global recognition after being crowned World Vegetarian Champion and finishing as first runner-up at the World Food Championships 2026 held in Bentonville, Arkansas, USA. The self-taught chef, who built her culinary identity in Dubai through he»»»
Saudi Embassy in China urges citizens to complete digital arrival card before departure amid extended visa-free entry
The Saudi Embassy in China has reminded citizens travelling to China to complete the electronic arrival card before departure to facilitate entry procedures at Chinese ports. The embassy said travellers should fill in the Digital Arrival Card accurately and comply with instructions issued by Chines»»»
India markets slump as Iran war tensions push oil prices higher
Mumbai: The stock markets opened with heavy selling pressure on Wednesday as the Indian rupee hit a fresh record low against the US dollar, while Brent crude oil prices continued to remain elevated amid global geopolitical tensions. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,457.25, declining by 160.75 points»»»
Standard Chartered to cut 7,800 jobs as AI rewrites back-office work — report
Global banking giant Standard Chartered is preparing a major workforce overhaul, announcing plans to cut more than 15% of its back-office roles — roughly 7,800 jobs — by 2030, as it accelerates its shift toward artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, the BBC reported. The London-headquartered »»»
Sanctions and war are forcing Russia to innovate
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia had a basic problem: having ignored investing into anything except military technology, the newly independent country found that nothing worked properly. All its technology and machinery was vastly inferior to their Western analogues. And it made no sense »»»
The rise of weight-loss pills brings more choice — and new challenges
For patients with needle phobia, the arrival of oral GLP-1 weight-loss medicines is not a shortcut. It is an opening. The UAE’s approval of Foundayo, alongside the availability of oral semaglutide under Rybelsus, changes the way we can speak to patients about obesity, diabetes, and metabolic health»»»
G7 finance ministers call for action on trade imbalances as Russia sanctions divide US from allies
Finance ministers from the G7 group of advanced economies were unanimous on the need to take on global trade imbalances, according to the statement released Tuesday following a second day of Paris talks. But the US decision to extend a waiver on sanctions against Russia in the wake of the US-Israel»»»
British Airways slashes flights to seven Middle East destinations amid regional tensions
Dubai: British Airways has reduced flights to seven destinations across the Middle East, including Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv, as the airline adjusts its summer 2026 schedule in response to ongoing regional tensions and conflict. The airline said the changes would remain in place throughout the curre»»»
Russia’s New Two-Seat Su-57 Just Took Its First Flight — And It’s More Than a Fighter Jet
Russia has launched flight tests of a two-seat version of the fifth-generation Su-57, designed not only for combat, but also for battlefield coordination, pilot training, and long-range mission management, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov announced. “This aircraft, developed proac»»»
DOJ wants to drop fraud charges against billionaire Gautam Adani - UPI.com
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion to drop fraud charges against Gautam Adani, chair and founder of Adani Group. File Photo by Divyakant Solanki/EPA May 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Justice announced it will drop criminal fraud charges against billionaire Indian businessman Gautam »»»
India capital car blast death toll rises to 12
NEW DELHI: India’s anti-terrorism agency spearheaded on Wednesday the third day of investigations into a car blast in the capital, as a hospital official said the death toll had increased to 12.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the explosion on Monday evening a “conspiracy,” and has vowed tha»»»
Race to find vaccines, treatments for Ebola strain behind outbreak
Paris: An escalating outbreak of a rare Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo has kicked off a race to find vaccines and treatments that can be quickly tested and rolled out to save lives and stem the crisis. More than l30 people have died so far during the outbreak, the World Health Org»»»
Focus - India's rise of rural cinema: Film productions turn to the countryside
In 2025, Panchayat became the most-watched series in India. Its success stems from its story about the head of a village council in a rural area of Uttar Pradesh. In recent years, stories from rural India have permeated the film industry, even reaching prestigious international award ceremonies. »»»
Softa Technologies outlines ZKTOR’s South Asia beta progress at New Delhi press conference
Softa Technologies, the company behind ZKTOR, outlined the South Asia beta progress of its Indian social media platform at a press conference held at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. The company said ZKTOR has crossed half a million beta users across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh»»»
Passport services for Indians in UAE: Alhind reveals 16 centres
Abu Dhabi: The locations of 16 new Indian consular service centres coming up across the UAE have been revealed as Alhind Tours and Travels formally signed its agreement with the Indian missions in the country on Monday. Spread across all seven emirates, the centres are set to go live on July 1, 202»»»
Media Review: May 19
OVERVIEW The Government’s measures to tighten public spending and the competition between Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas to host Eurovision 2027 after Bulgaria’s win with DARA dominated the media on Tuesday. Several outlets also covered the cost of retirement bonuses in the public sector, the ris»»»
Răzvan Pascu launches NOZOMI Travel Society, a travel agency specializing in exotic tours
A key distinguishing feature of NOZOMI Travel Society is the inclusion of special experiences within its tours, such as meetings with prominent figures or businesspeople from various countries, as well as personal and business development workshops, or tours led by renowned Romanian guides who are »»»
U.S. extends temporary Russia sanctions relief for 3rd straight month - UPI.com
Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent announced Monday that the United States would be issuing a temporary waiver on the sale of Russian oil already on vessels at sea. File Photo by Shawn Thew./UPI | License Photo May 19 (UPI) -- The Trump administration has issued temporary Russia sanctions relief f»»»
Supertanker with Iraqi Oil Heads for Vietnam After Hold-up in US Blockade
Supertanker Agios Fanourios I is heading for Vietnam to discharge its Iraqi crude oil cargo after it was held by the US Navy for five days in the Gulf of Oman, the vessel's manager said on Monday. The Maltese-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz on May 10 and was sail»»»
30-minute blackout: IndiGo passengers stranded in dark, sweltering cabin
Dubai: Around 160 passengers aboard an IndiGo flight from Vadodara to Delhi were left sweating in complete darkness for nearly 30 minutes after a ground power failure disrupted electricity supply to the aircraft before take-off. The incident occurred on IndiGo flight 6E 657 on Sunday night at Vadod»»»
Saudi budget airline flyadeal is launching flights to India for the first time
Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier flyadeal will begin scheduled flights to India for the first time, launching daily non-stop services between Riyadh and Hyderabad from July 1, 2026. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The move marks flyadeal’s – a subsidiary of natio»»»
South Korea Increases Purchases of Aluminum From Russia to Historic High
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - South Korea increased purchases of raw aluminum from Russia to a record amount in April, with imports reaching almost $140 million, according to Sputnik calculations based on data from the Korean statistical service. South Korean companies imported $136.5 million worth of raw alu»»»
Trump pauses Iran strike — and Dubai gold prices react. Is now a good time to buy?
Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai edged lower on Tuesday morning as global markets reacted to signs of easing geopolitical tensions following US President Donald Trump's announcement that he had paused a planned military strike against Iran to allow negotiations to continue. In Dubai, 24K gold slipped to»»»
Qatar Foundation’s Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum celebrates diversity through an artistic legacy
Doha, Qatar: On International Museum Day 2026, Qatar Foundation’s Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum celebrates its role as an arts and culture landmark that embodies inclusivity and diversity, staying true to the vision of renowned modern art master Maqbool Fida Husain. Housed within Qatar Foundat»»»
WISE policy dialogue explores AI readiness in classrooms through global research
Doha, Qatar: The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation hosted a policy dialogue yesterday spotlighting new global research on the integration of artificial intelligence in K–12 education. It drew on the perspectives of more than 3,000 teachers across multip»»»
Inzamam backs India-Pakistan cricket revival, says rivalry can surpass Ashes
Doha, Qatar: The soft-spoken giant, who once caressed the ball through the covers with effortless grace, still carries the calm of his batting days. Even in retirement, Inzamam-ul-Haq speaks in measured tones, choosing diplomacy over drama, but when the conversation turned to India and Pakistan cri»»»
Hanoi hits the brakes on petrol bike ban
HANOI: Millions of exhaust-belching motorbikes zip through Hanoi’s narrow streets every day fueling its chronic air pollution, but authorities have backtracked from an ambitious plan to ban them in favor of electric two-wheelers. Vehicular emissions account for more than half of the capital’s pollu»»»
Iran announces new body to manage Strait of Hormuz as peace talks stall
Iran announced a new body to oversee the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, signalling tighter control over the strategic waterway after months of disruption linked to its war with the United States and Israel. Tehran says the authority will manage maritime traffic and provide updates as tolls and restric»»»
Green steel may save India $1 trillion in coal imports: Report
Washington: India’s shift towards green steel production could help the country avoid nearly $1 trillion in long-term coking coal import costs and strengthen its position in future export markets, according to a new study released by the India Energy and Climate Center (IECC) at the University of C»»»
Delhi Police arrest man, recover stolen mobile phones and bike
New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough against rising street crime and mobile snatching incidents, the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of the South District Police apprehended a mobile phone snatcher on Tuesday. It recovered six stolen and snatched mobile phones from his possession, an»»»
Hormuz tanker traffic edges higher after wartime low
LONDON: Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was slightly higher last week, returning to levels in line with the average recorded since the start of the Middle East conflict after hitting a wartime low. A total of 55 commodities vessels crossed the strategic waterway between May 11 and 17, accordin»»»
India, Norway seal 12 agreements to deepen green strategic partnership during PM Modi's visit
Oslo: India and Norway on Monday marked a significant upgrade in bilateral ties with the signing of 12 agreements and initiatives during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to the Nordic country, signalling a broad expansion of cooperation across climate, technology, maritime, and scienti»»»
US crude futures fall, Brent down nearly 3%
Oil prices fell sharply in early Asian trade, extending losses after recent volatility tied to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz began to ease and tanker traffic showed tentative signs of recovery. Market data at 9:27 a.m. Tokyo time showed: WTI crude at $102.5, down $1.87 (-1.79%) Brent crud»»»
Trump shares AI-generated alien image amid Truth Social ‘Space Force’ posts
US President Donald Trump has posted a glitchy AI-generated image of himself alongside a shackled alien in his latest flurry of space-themed Truth Social posts on Sunday. The post came just over a week after the US War Department declassified a batch of government files on unidentified flying objec»»»
US Treasury eases purchase of Russian oil in move to stabilise markets
The US Treasury Department issued a temporary 30-day general licence allowing the most energy-vulnerable nations to access Russian oil stranded at sea, aiming to stabilise global crude markets and redirect supply to "countries in need". Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the move in a state»»»
American Airlines announces one of the longest Israel flight suspensions by a major US carrier
Dubai: American Airlines has extended the suspension of its direct flights between New York and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport until January 6, 2027, making it one of the longest service halts by a major international carrier since regional tensions escalated following the war involving Iran. The ai»»»
'Girl in the River Main' identified 25 years on, father arrested
A teenager nicknamed "The Girl in the River Main" after her body was found floating in Germany a quarter-century ago bearing signs of abuse has finally been identified, leading to her father's arrest, Interpol said Monday. The girl was named as Diana S, aged 16, the organisation said, adding that s»»»
Indian rupee hits new record low against UAE dirham as remittance boom gets bigger
Dubai: The Indian rupee has fallen to its weakest level ever against the UAE dirham, pushing remittance values sharply higher for millions of Indian expatriates in the Gulf while raising concerns over inflation, rising import costs and prolonged pressure on India’s economy. Get updated faster and f»»»
India's Adani to pay $275m settlement to US over Iran sanctions violations
Dubai: India's Adani Enterprises agreed to pay $275 million to settle potential civil liability related to apparent violations of US sanctions on Iran tied to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports, the US Treasury Department said on Monday. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News ap»»»
First look of India’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train unveiled
Dubai: India has unveiled the first visual design of its much-awaited Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, offering an early glimpse of the country’s first high-speed rail service ahead of its planned launch in 2027. The image of the aerodynamic train was installed at Gate No. 4 of the Railway Mi»»»
Germany's crisis-hit chemical industry seeks revival
BusinessGermanyGermany's crisis-hit chemical industry seeks revivalSrinivas MazumdaruHit by high energy costs and regulation, Germany's chemical companies are scaling back production at home while expanding abroad. Can the trend be reversed? https://p.dw.com/p/5DmTSThe German chemical giant BASF ha»»»