RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s first-quarter 2026 budget performance figures showed the government remained firmly committed to development and social spending, with total expenditure surging 20 percent year on year to about SR387 billion ($103.2 billion), compared with SR322 billion in the same period a y»»»

Doha, Qatar: From Brazil to China, Mauritania, and beyond, the graduates who represent Qatar Foundation’s Class of 2026 are entering the next stage of their lives with a more defined sense of purpose – with their journeys at Education City having shaped not only how they see the world, but also how»»»

In 2025, Nasos, a performance-led growth company, generated over $150 million in revenue for its clients across the GCC and beyond. This milestone reflects a broader shift in how modern businesses approach growth, moving away from fragmented marketing efforts toward fully integrated, revenue-focuse»»»

Dubai: The Emirates Group has announced a remarkable 20-week salary bonus for its employees following a record performance in the fiscal year 2025-2026 after the group achieved historic highs in net profits, revenues, and cash balances. Dubai's flagship airline recorded these earnings despite the o»»»

A total 268 migrants have reached the southern island of Crete over the past 24 hours, as arrivals in small boats from north Africa have picked up again following a brief hiatus. According to the Coast Guard, a total 142 people were rescued off three small boats overnight and taken to a temporary r»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Shareholders’ Council of the Arab Investment & Export Credit Guarantee Corporation “Dhaman”, chaired by the head of the Lebanese Republic’s delegation, elected a new Board of Directors for the Corporation for the next three years during its 53rd meeting in the UAE. The Council also»»»

Doha, Qatar: beIN Sports, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), will mark the one-month milestone to the FIFA World Cup 2026 with comprehensive, bi-lingual, multi-channel coverage across the region on Monday 11 May. The 23rd edition of the global football showpi»»»

Doha, Qatar: Excitement is building ahead of the highly anticipated Amir Cup final, with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) yesterday confirming full readiness to host Saturday’s showdown at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium. Record 19-time champions Al Sadd will take on defending champion»»»

Dubai: Emirates expects a stable operating outlook as it enters the 2026–27 financial year, supported by fuel hedging, secured supply and strong cash reserves, even as geopolitical uncertainty persists. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,»»»

Shipping group Maersk posted first-quarter operating profits slightly above analyst forecasts on Thursday and kept its full-year earnings guidance unchanged. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) for the January-March period came in at $1.73 billion, comp»»»

MBOUR: Fallou softly whispers that since his mother’s death he has chosen to remain quiet, while young Sokhna recounts the many nightmares she has had following her father’s disappearance: for the children of Senegalese migrants lost at sea, the torment of grief is long-lasting. Known as “those who»»»

BUENOS AIRES: Officials and experts in Argentina are scrambling to determine if their country is the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has gripped an Atlantic cruise.The health emergency aboard the ship that’s moored across the ocean comes as Argentina sees a surge of hantavirus cases tha»»»

In light of the rapid economic transformations taking place globally, localization is no longer merely a matter linked to employment rates or labor market dynamics. It has become a strategic pathway toward building a more resilient economy, one that is better equipped to adapt to change. Strengthen»»»

Greece is introducing a new Special Spatial Framework for Tourism, setting stricter limits on development in heavily visited destinations while offering incentives for less-developed areas, according to a draft plan presented by authorities. The framework divides the country into five categories, w»»»

In quarter 1 2026, 2,821 new dwellings were built, 4.3% more than a year earlier. The number of dwellings to be built based on issued construction permits and simple declarations was 9,291, 64% more than in the same period of 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, 2,821 dwellings were put to use, an i»»»

A photograph appearing to show an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon has sparked outrage online. The image, which surfaced on Wednesday, was reportedly taken in the predominantly Christian village of Dibil, near the border with Israel»»»

Pope ⁠Leo XIV is ​likely to visit France at the ​end of September, the country's bishops announced in a statement on Wednesday. It ​would ‌be the pontiff's second ⁠visit to a European Union country outside ‌Italy.  Pope Leo, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, could tra»»»

A senior commander from Hezbollah's elite force was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, the first on the area in nearly a month, a source close to the group said. At least 11 other people were killed in strikes across the south and east, according to the Lebanese »»»

CAPE TOWN, South Africa: A deadly outbreak of the rare hantavirus unfolded over the course of weeks on a cruise ship that sailed from Argentina toward Antarctica and then across the Atlantic Ocean, stopping at or near remote islands on the way as passengers and crew members fell sick, according to »»»

N’DJAMENA: Chad declared three days of national mourning after a new attack by Boko Haram jihadists Wednesday killed two generals in the volatile Lake Chad Basin. On Monday evening, an attack on the Barka Tolorom military base on the Chadian shore of Lake Chad left at least 24 soldiers dead and sev»»»

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in China on May 14-15. This would mark the first visit to China by a US president in nearly 10 years. The visit, originally slated for March 31 but delayed amid the US-Israel war with Iran, is being held amid a shared desir»»»

Ruhi Cenet was surprised when cruise-ship life carried on as usual aboard the MV Hondius, even after the captain announced the first passenger's death. The Turkish travel vlogger had boarded the ship in Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 to do a story about one of its stops, Tristan da Cunha, the remot»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s economic priorities have not changed despite the pressure placed on oil, shipping, business costs and investor sentiment by the US-Israel-Iran conflict, according to a senior official at the Dubai Economic Development Corporation. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & »»»

Banking, Insurance and Finance Client : Faisal Islamic Bank Address : P.O.Box 2446 – Cairo branch Tender : Invitation for submitting offers for new banking units at: 1) Greater Cairo & Lower Egypt: Mataria, New Semouha, Shoubrakheit, Mit Ghamr and Kafr Al Zayat 2) Upper Egypt : Kossia, Abu Tig, Ger»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, on Wednesday attended Qatar Foundation’s Convocation 2026 ceremony at Qatar National Convention Centre, where 1,100 graduates from its eight higher education institutions were honoured. Her Excellency »»»

Croatia’s blue-chip companies have delivered a robust start to 2026, with many constituents of the CROBEX index reporting strong revenue and profit growth in the first quarter despite a volatile global backdrop marked by geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures and uneven economic growth. »»»

One of the advantages of Siberia is its freezing cold and the abundant hydropower is extremely cheap. The Kremlin is planning to turn the frozen wastes of its mythical tundra into one of the biggest AI data hubs on the planet and China has already signed up to be a customer. »»»

SHARJAH: Bank of Sharjah today announced its financial results for the three-month period ended 31st March 2026, reporting exceptional performance and reinforcing the strong momentum achieved over the last two years. The Bank recorded net profit of Dh151 million, up 30% from Dh116 million in 2025, »»»

QNA Doha The ongoing focus on parenting and the role of parents in fulfilling this responsibility stems from firmly rooted constitutional and national principles that place the family at the core of society and the foundation of its stability, said Chairman of the Social, Labour and Housing Affairs»»»

Tribune News Network Doha From Brazil to China, Mauritania and beyond, the graduates who represent Qatar Foundation’s Class of 2026 are entering the next stage of their lives with a more defined sense of purpose – with their journeys at Education City having shaped not only how they see the world b»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation, in partnership with TotalEnergies, has marked the start of the QSTP × TotalEnergies WaterTech Accelerator. The programme brings together a global community of founders working on innovative solutions acr»»»

Militants ambushed a convoy of trucks heading to Mali’s blockaded capital of Bamako Wednesday, a transportation workers union said, the latest in a crisis that began with sweeping, coordinated attacks by separatist and jihadi forces across the West African nation last month. The attackers opened fi»»»

Snap on Wednesday said its first-quarter advertising revenue was impacted by the conflict in the Middle East and slowing advertising revenue in North America. The Snapchat parent’s shares fell nearly 6 percent in extended trading. The social media company and AI startup Perplexity “amicably” ended »»»

DUBAI: Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director-General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai (CDA), hosted Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, at the Authority’s headquarters. During the meeting, he conveyed his greetings and appreciation to the leadership and people o»»»

Abu Dhabi: The seventh session of the Joint Supreme Committee for Cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates concluded in Abu Dhabi in a fraternal atmosphere reflecting the deep-rooted historical ties, strong brotherly bonds, unity of destiny, alignment of visions, and inte»»»

ABU DHABI: The seventh session of the Joint Supreme Committee for Cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates concluded in Abu Dhabi in a fraternal atmosphere reflecting the deep-rooted historical ties, strong brotherly bonds, unity of destiny, alignment of visions, and inte»»»

DOHA: Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended Qatar Foundation’s Convocation 2026 ceremony at Qatar National Convention Centre, where 1,100 graduates from its eight higher education institutions were honoured. Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H E Sheikha Hind bin»»»

BEIRUT: Pope Leo XIV surprised 13 priests from southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel, by joining a video call from Rome on Wednesday, telling them they were in his prayers and that he hoped peace would soon prevail along the tense frontier. The Lebanese Catholic and Maronite priests were as»»»

LONDON: Sheik Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Bahrain’s national security advisor and Royal Guard commander, held talks in Manama on Wednesday with Vice Adm. Edward Ahlgren, the UK defense senior advisor to the Middle East and North Africa, on the security partnership between their countries. They rev»»»

From deliveries of drones and armoured vehicles to training sessions led by Russian Africa Corps instructors, security cooperation between Madagascar and Russia has intensified since the October 2025 coup. Russia’s growing influence is expanding into other sectors as well, raising questions within »»»

Sierra Leone, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria and several more countries in West Africa are in the midst of an overlooked opioid crisis that's crippling the population and devastating families. The drugs that are fueling this crisis aren't made in makeshift labs, but imported by the millions from India's phar»»»

At least three people who had been onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship and contracted the hantavirus were evacuated by plane to Europe on Wednesday. While one of the two aircraft was forced to land in Spain’s Canary Islands due to a technical issue, the other later touched down in the Netherlands, w»»»

MOGADISHU: Somali pirates have abandoned a hijacked lemon-laden Emirati dhow at sea after failing to use the vessel to attack other ships, security sources in Somalia’s Puntland state told AFP. No information was available on the fate of the crew of Fahad-4, a ship which was stormed in late April b»»»

LONDON: For almost a decade, the killings in Tadamon were twice buried — first in a pit in southern Damascus, then again under a pall of silence enforced by the Bashar Assad regime. Today, survivors and grieving families are seeking justice, answers and, for some, closure. The world first saw evide»»»

1 of 2 | People protest during the opening of the 61st International Art Exhibition against the presence of the Israeli pavilion at the event in Venice, Italy, on Wednesday. Around 200 people took part in a protest organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance during the opening of the 61st Venice Art»»»

DJERBA, TUNISIA: The annual Jewish pilgrimage to the 26-century-old El-Ghriba Synagogue in Tunisia drew a modest but notable return of international visitors this year, worshipping together under tight security after a deadly 2023 attack disrupted the festival. Visitors came from France, China, Ivo»»»

The scene after an Israeli airstrike on the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beitut, Lebanon, on Wednesday night. Lebanon's Disaster Management Unit said more than 31,530 families have been displaced into collective shelters since the escalation began March 2, while Israeli attacks across Lebanon have k»»»

DOHA: Chairperson of Qatar Foundation Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended Qatar Foundation’s Convocation 2026 ceremony at Qatar National Convention Centre, where 1,100 graduates from its eight higher education institutions were honoured. Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation HE Sheikha Hi»»»

LONDON: Israeli forces destroyed two Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem on Wednesday, citing failure to obtain permits for building, and uprooted thousands of trees in Hebron. In the town of Al-Sawahra in Jerusalem Governorate, authorities demolished a two-story house be»»»

WASHINGTON: LIV Golf sees hope in finding new financial sponsors to carry the series beyond this season, when its vast Saudi funding will end, even though chief executive officer Scott O’Neil was short on details in comments Tuesday. Speaking ahead of this week’s LIV Golf Virginia event at Trump Na»»»