Damascus, May 17 (SANA) While the world watches oil tankers stranded and energy markets rattled by the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, a quieter transformation is underway at the top of the planet. The geopolitical conflict once again exposes the fragility of traditional maritime chokepoint»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov congratulated Dara for her win at the Eurovision contest. In a Facebook post on Sunday, he wrote: "A wonderful story of immense talent, boundless effort, and faith in success, despite the criticism. Thank you, Dara, and everyone involved! Bulgaria is number one.»»»

Individuals in the areas of concern are urged to use caution when using any outdoor power equipment. File Photo by Peter DaSilva/UPI | License Photo Conditions will be conducive for wildfires across parts of the Southwest and Plains as a storm moving out of the Rockies will help raise the risk into»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump again hinted at possible renewed military escalation against Iran as tensions rise in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing diplomatic contacts and efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire between the two sides. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform late o»»»

Medical workers check temperatures at the Mpondwe border point with DR Congo, near Bwera, Uganda, on May 9, 2019. File Photo courtesy the WHO May 17 (UPI) -- The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern in reaction to an Ebola outbreak in Uganda and »»»

Beirut: The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced today that the death toll from the Israeli aggression on Lebanon has risen to 2,988, with 9,210 wounded. Local sources reported that one person was killed and two others were wounded in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon. The sources indicated t»»»

RIYADH: Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli prime minister, sees a renewed nuclear agreement between the US and Iran as the only realistic way to defuse one of the Middle East’s most dangerous flashpoints. Diplomacy, not military force, he said, offers the best chance of curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambiti»»»

Dubai: India's Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has dramatically cut the cost of challenging Class 12 exam results, announcing that re-evaluation of answers will now cost just Rs 25 per question and that the fee will be refunded in full if a student's marks go up following the review. Th»»»

Cristiano Ronaldo skipped Al Nassr’s runners-up medal ceremony after the Saudi side lost 1-0 to Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the final of the AFC Champions League Two, prompting widespread reaction on social media. The Al Nassr captain appeared visibly frustrated following the defeat, with television foo»»»

ALKHOBAR: For many first-time pilgrims, packing for Hajj begins with uncertainty. The result is often the same. Overpacked bags, unnecessary items and the quiet realization, days later, that comfort during Hajj depends far less on quantity than expected. Some arrive carrying multiple pairs of shoes»»»

RIYADH: Kidana Development Company is completing comprehensive maintenance and readiness works at Mina’s Jamarat facility. As part of preparations for the Hajj season 2026, Kidana continues wide-ranging maintenance and upgrades at holy sites in Makkah. The company, which is the executive arm of the»»»

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has welcomed the agreement reached between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party over the approval of a parliamentary resolution related to Albania’s European Union membership process. Speaking during his podcast “Flasim” on Sunday, Rama des»»»

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has summarized what he described as several key developments of the week, focusing on Albania’s European integration process, its growing role in Euro-Atlantic security, and support measures for the country’s economy and entrepreneurship sector. Speaking at the end »»»

Israel struck eastern and southern Lebanon on Sunday, state media reported, despite a fragile ceasefire as Hezbollah called US-brokered talks between the two countries a "dead end". Two Israeli strikes hit the town of Sohmor in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa valley, the state-run National News Agency (NNA»»»

AMMAN: Rising Saudi driving star Hamza Bakhashab delivered another impressive performance in the third round of the Middle East Rally Championship stage by securing third place at the Jordan Rally, which concluded on Saturday. Driving the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 alongside his Irish co-driver Lorcan »»»

Yemen’s Interior Minister Major General Ibrahim Haidan revealed what he described as the foiling of the "largest political assassination plot" in the temporary capital Aden, saying security forces had carried out a successful pre-emptive operation against terrorist cells linked to foreign actors th»»»

Rome: Roma took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating local rivals Lazio 2-0 on Sunday in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top-four spot. Roma's players pose ahead the Italian Serie A football match bet»»»

Skopje, 14 May 2026 (MIA) — Eliminating corruption requires the participation of every sector of society rather than "declarative efforts," officials and business leaders said at a conference Thursday. The conference, titled "Business Integrity for a Competitive Economy," highlighted that the fight»»»

How worrying is the global Ebola emergency? 9 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJames GallagherHealth and science correspondent Getty ImagesHealthcare workers pictured during a previous Ebola outbreak in Uganda in 2022 The outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is concern»»»

Dubai: More than 100 houses were set ablaze in Pakistan’s Sindh province after a violent mob attack triggered by a dispute over a free-will marriage between two people from different communities, according to media reports. The attack took place in Jacobabad district, where armed men allegedly stor»»»

London: The British military's aerial display team and the Royal Navy, which was recently maligned by Donald Trump, will soon visit the US to mark 250 years of American independence, the UK government said Sunday. The Royal Air Force's Red Arrows will in June embark on a one-month "showcase tour" o»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehciles with a barrage of rockets: Hezbollah Military Media stateme»»»

Cannes, France: Outspoken Spanish star Javier Bardem told AFP he was "getting more work than ever" despite his public campaigning against Israel's war in Gaza, something he attributed to "the narrative changing" around the conflict. At the last Oscars ceremony in February, the openly political star»»»

Cairo — Egypt’s stock market ended trading on Thursday, 14 May 2026 on a mixed note, with the benchmark index extending its recent decline as investors continued trimming positions in large-cap stocks, while broader indices maintained modest gains supported by selective buying in mid- and small-cap»»»

Ankara, May 17 (SANA) Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Sunday that escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the war in the Middle East pose a significant challenge to the global economy and international trade. In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Bolat said the current de-escalation»»»

Tehran: Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who recently emerged as a chief negotiator in talks with the United States, has been appointed to oversee relations with China, Iranian media reported on Sunday. "Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has recently been appointed as a special representa»»»

Muscat, Oman: Data issued by the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf revealed that the Council countries achieved a remarkable milestone in the field of immunization, as the coverage rate for essential vaccines reached 100 percent during 2024, compared to »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah’s Islamic Resistance fighters targeted an Israeli bulldozer in the southern Lebanese border town of Al-Bayyada with an FPV drone:»»»

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said that the capital is the best prepared city in Bulgaria to host Eurovision 2027. In an interview on Nova Television on Sunday, he said he is “extremely happy” about Dara's triumph at this year's edition of the song contest. “It is incredible that despite all the attem»»»

Israeli attacks intensified across southern Lebanon on Sunday, in continued violation of a declared ceasefire, just two days after Lebanese authorities announced a 45-day extension of the truce, an agreement that has yet to translate into calm on the ground. The attacks took place in Nabatieh, Bint»»»

Hisham Ezz Al-Arab, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial International Bank (CIB), has warned that the rapid expansion of Egypt’s non-banking financial sector could create future risks for the broader economy if growth continues without sufficiently strict credit controls and risk-management stand»»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will no longer recommend the United States as a destination for his children to study or work, citing what he described as a worsening “social climate” in America. Speaking at a Catholic youth conference in Wuerzburg on Friday, the conservative leader sa»»»

LONDON: Wes Streeting’s ambition to head the British government was one of the worst-kept secrets in UK politics. But if anyone was unaware, it’s now official — the former health secretary announced on Saturday his intention to oust Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “We need a proper contest with the be»»»

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who recently emerged as a chief negotiator in talks with the United States, has been appointed to oversee relations with China, Iranian media reported on Sunday. "Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has recently been appointed as a special representative of »»»

Pakistan's interior minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday "to facilitate" the peace talks between Iran and the United States that have stalled despite a fragile ceasefire, Iranian media reported. "Mohsin Naqvi arrived today in the Islamic Republic of Iran on an official two-day visit as part of Pa»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov congratulated Dara for her win at the Eurovision contest. In a Facebook post on Sunday, he wrote: "A wonderful story of immense talent, boundless effort, and faith in success, despite the criticism. Thank you, Dara, and everyone involved! Bulgaria is number one.»»»

Dubai: Livestock traders across the UAE say they are entering the Eid Al Adha season with strong supplies of sacrificial animals and rising consumer demand, despite mounting cost pressures driven by regional developments and higher transport expenses. Traders said demand for sacrificial animals is »»»

ABUJA: The World Health Organization declared Sunday the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. Africa’s top public health body first confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province on Friday. By Saturday, it had reported 336 suspecte»»»

Doha, Qatar: At the beginning of the year, key indicators signalled an improvement in economic growth for the Euro Area. This expected trajectory was suddenly disrupted following the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, launched on February 28th. Tehran retaliated by effectively closing the S»»»

Lebanon will test before dawn on Monday whether Israel will honor a ceasefire and halt attacks on civilians and civilian facilities, and whether Hezbollah will match that commitment, in a push to turn a fragile pause into real calm on the ground. The expected de-escalation would pave the way for th»»»

The presence of thousands of fighters from the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa in the Russian army has long been explained away as a form of Russian deceit and coercion. And yet, while such tactics undoubtedly exist, the narrative of exploitative recruitment alone obscures a broader reality: Russia »»»

Doha, Qatar: The real estate sector of Qatar saw a positive growth momentum as the realty transactions index recorded a total value of QR2.062bn for 516 real estate deals in April this year. Compared to March 2026 this shows a 128 percent increase in the number of units, a 168 percent rise in tradi»»»

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths. In a post on X, the World Health Organization said the outbreak does not meet the c»»»

Dubai: For Rudra Thapa, the UAE was never part of a long-term plan in the beginning. The Nepali expat arrived in the country in 2013 as a singer for a musical programme. But what he experienced during those few days would eventually shape the course of his life. “After the event was completed, I st»»»

The arrest by the US authorities of Kataib Hezbollah figure Mohammed Baqer al-Saadi has drawn renewed attention to the faction’s role in cross-border operations. Many viewed it as the start of tougher US measures against individuals and figures linked to the Quds Force, the regional arm of Iran’s R»»»

The US Treasury allowed a temporary sanctions waiver for Russian seaborne oil to lapse after a one-month extension, American media reported. The waiver had allowed countries, including India, to buy Russian oil already loaded on tankers as Washington tried to ease global supply shortages and high p»»»

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo in Ituri Province, WHO reported. Laboratory analysis confirmed Ebola in 8 of 13 samples collected from suspected cases linked to severe illness and deaths in Mongbwalu and Rwampara health zones.WHO said 80 suspect»»»

A third trial against fallen Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein based on allegations that he sexually assaulted actor Jessica Mann ended Friday in New York without the jury managing to reach a verdict. Weinstein is already serving prison time for other sex offence cases, so he will remain behind»»»

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire and hold expanded talks on a political settlement, the US announced days before the April 17 ceasefire was set to expire. The announcement came even as Israel carried out new strikes in southern Lebanon that it insists are not subject to the truce. Is»»»