Mena Today

Stock markets in the Gulf tracked global peers higher on Thursday, led by the Qatar index, as the optimism around potential U.S. interest rate cuts raised investors' risk appetite.

European low-cost airline Ryanair on Thursday said it would resume flights to Tel Aviv from June 3 with 40 weekly flights, following the re-opening of a terminal at Israel's main international gateway.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that he had no doubt Russia would malevolently target the Paris Olympics this summer.

Malta's President Myriam Spiteri Debono decried the "disease of greed" in her inauguration speech on Thursday and said the 2017 murder of anti-corruption blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia was still an open wound for the small island nation.

The United States on Thursday imposed new Iran-related counterterrorism sanctions against Oceanlink Maritime DMCC and its vessels, citing its role in shipping commodities on behalf of the Iranian military.

Hamas official Osama Hamdan said on Thursday there has been no progress in Gaza ceasefire talks despite the movement showing flexibility.

The season-ending WTA Finals will be held in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh from 2024-2026, the women's tennis body said on Thursday, ending months of speculation and marking the Gulf country's latest foray into the sport.

Russia cannot be a target for Islamic fundamentalists, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, nearly two weeks after at least 144 people were killed near Moscow in a mass shooting that was claimed by Islamic State militants.

Two anti-graft groups have filed a complaint in France against Lebanon's billionaire caretaker premier Najib Mikati and his relatives, seeking an investigation into alleged financial crimes including money laundering, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The Israeli military halted leave for all combat units on Thursday amid concerns of a possible escalation in violence after the killing of Iranian generals in Damascus this week drew threats of retaliation.

The Saudi Kingdom has been chosen to chair the 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women in 2025. This decision has sparked controversy given the living conditions of Saudi women, despite recent reforms.

Portugal's new conservative government, in its first edict, on Wednesday reinstated the heraldic symbols harking back to the Age of Exploration on the official state emblem that its predecessor had ditched for a "more inclusive and secular" logo.