Middle East

Saudi Arabia arrests 11,300 illegal residents in week-long crackdown/Representative Image Saudi Arabia’s security authorities have arrested more than 11,000 people for violating residency, labour and border regulations during a nationwide crackdown over one week.The Ministry of Interior said the arrests were carried out between April 23 and April 29 through coordinated inspections involving multiple government…

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah enters the stadium during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Egypt and South Africa in Agadir, Morocco, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) What had long looked like a straightforward, high-value move away from Europe is no longer as certain, with Mohamed Salah now leaning towards an…

Cristiano Ronaldo scored and responded off the pitch as Al Nassr beat Al Ahli 2–0 in a tense, controversial Saudi Pro League clash/ Imahge: X It was a tense and increasingly ill-tempered night in Riyadh, where Cristiano Ronaldo ended up shaping both the result and the aftermath, scoring the goal that broke the game open…

F1 confirms 2027 return to Türkiye with Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park under multi-year deal through 2031. F1 is set to return in 2027 to a nation absent from the calendar since 2021, with the Turkish Grand Prix confirmed on the World Championship schedule through 2031 under a multi-year agreement announced on April 24…

UAE motorists brace for higher fuel costs as May 2026 petrol and diesel prices jump up to 10% / Image: File Motorists across the UAE are set to pay more at the pump again in May 2026 after authorities announced another petrol price increase, extending a months-long upward trend driven by global oil market instability,…

Members of Afghan Women United soccer team celebrate after scoring a goal against Chad, in their first international tournament since fleeing their country, in Casablanca, Morocco, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy) The Afghan women’s national football team, forced into exile after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, has been given a formal…

Dubai unveils a Dh34 billion fully underground metro Gold Line, promising faster travel, stronger connectivity and a major urban transformation / Image: file Dubai has unveiled its largest-ever transport project, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announcing a Dh34 billion ($9 billion) Metro Gold Line on April 22, 2026. The ambitious project is designed…

Despite earlier uncertainty, Iran now says it is fully prepared for the 2026 World Cup. Iran are part of the confirmed 48-team field for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and while earlier uncertainty had surrounded their participation due to security concerns over playing in the United States, Iran’s government now says the country is fully…

UK creates ‘smoke-free generation’ with landmark lifetime tobacco ban / Image: file If you were born after 2008, cigarettes could be off-limits for life. In a sweeping government move, the UK is introducing a landmark rule that will steadily raise the legal smoking age until it effectively disappears for future generations. Under this rule, the…

Veteran Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al-Fahad dies following prolonged illness / Image: file Veteran Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al‑Fahad, one of the most influential figures in Gulf television and theatre, has died at the age of 78 after a long illness. Her death marks the end of an era for the region’s entertainment industry, where she was…