Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium and that the two sides were "close" to a peace deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East. The United States had earlier threatened to resume airstrikes on t»»»

Lebanon and Israel have agreed to observe a 10-day ceasefire that begins at midnight Beirut time, the United States said. Below is the full text of the statement that was agreed to by the Government of Israel and Government of Lebanon, as published by the U.S. State Department: "Following productiv»»»

BlackRock, Inc (NYSE: BLK), the world’s largest asset manager, is among big funds that have signalled their support for the Uzbek state’s first foray into global equity markets by signing cornerstone agreements that will back a National Investment Fund of the Uzbek Republic (UzNIF) initial public o»»»

The government has adopted a package of legislative amendments aimed at establishing an effective and functional mechanism for investigating the prosecutor general, the Council of Ministers reported on Thursday. The package introduces mandatory judicial review of decisions to terminate or suspend c»»»

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The ongoing blockade by the US Navy of Iranian waters is a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Iranian Permanent Representative to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said on Thursday. "The imposition of a maritime blockade announced by the United States constit»»»

Tunis, April 16 (TAP) - Tunisia's Ambassador in Paris Dhia Khaled received President of the Syndicat des Entreprises du Tour-Operating (SETO) Patrice Caradec, at a meeting held at the embassy to promote Tunisia as a destination in the French...»»»

MUSCAT: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani left Muscat, after a fraternal visit to the Sultanate of Oman. At the forefront of those bidding farewell to HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation was HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of the sisterly Sultanate of O»»»

The Council of Ministers Thursday adopted a decision to open a Bulgarian consulate in Turkiye, headed by an honorary (non-career) consular officer, with its seat in Izmir and a consular district covering the territories of the provinces of Izmir, Sakarya, Bilesik, Eskisehir, Kocaeli, and Kutahya. T»»»

Share: Here is the latest on Lebanon and the Iran war today: President Trump said on social media that he spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that they agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, set to begin at 5 p.m. ET Thursday. Israel’s ongoing assault »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Member of Loyalty to Resistance Bloc: Iran’s ambassador informed us that the truce starts tonight 16-04-2026 19:11 PM Latest News Urgent Ne»»»

Muscat: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani left Muscat on Thursday, after a fraternal visit to the Sultanate of Oman. At the forefront of those bidding farewell to HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation was HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of the sisterly Sultanate of Oman. Also, present w»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan HE Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif departed Doha on Thursday after a working visit to the country. His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were seen off at Doha International Airport by Minister of State for International Cooperation HE»»»

The Russian Defense Ministry’s statement on Europe’s plan to scale up drone production for Ukraine contained an explicit warning, says military analyst Ivan Konovalov speaking to Sputnik: Europe is turning into a “strategic rear base.” The term applies to infrastructure that, while located outside »»»

Dubai: Parents in Dubai could soon be held legally responsible for their children’s unsafe use of electric scooters, under a new draft law aimed at curbing rising safety risks on the roads. The proposed legislation—prepared by Dubai Police in coordination with key partners including the Roads and T»»»

Brussels, Belgium: The European Commission set out Thursday how it wants Google to make a wide range of data accessible to rival search engines in order to comply with the bloc's digital rules. The announcement forms part of amicable proceedings launched in January to ensure Google meets its obliga»»»

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has made no secret of his "displeasure and resentment" at President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam's decision to engage in direct negotiations with Israel, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Wednesday. "He reiterates to his visitors his categorical rejection of any fo»»»

1 of 3 | The rise in prediction markets and an email to White House staff have lawmakers weighing how to regulate prediction markets and prevent government officials from trading using nonpublic information. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 16 (UPI) -- The rise in prediction mark»»»

In the first quarter of 2026, the average subsistence minimum in Kyrgyzstan amounted to 9,290.89 soms per capita, the National Statistical Committee of the republic reported. At year-end 2025, the subsistence minimum stood at 8,697 soms. Breakdown by population groups The largest amount of funds is»»»

MUSCAT: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in Muscat, capital of the Sultanate of Oman. HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation were welcomed upon arrival by HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of the sisterly Sultanate of Oman, along with Deputy Prime M»»»

Doha,Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived Thursday in Muscat, capital of the Sultanate of Oman. HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation were welcomed upon arrival by HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of the sisterly Sultanate of Oman, along with HH Deputy Prime Minister for Defe»»»

The Justice Ministry announced Thursday that it has introduced a set of proposed amendments to the Civil Procedure Code aimed at strengthening protections against abusive lawsuits, commonly known as SLAPP cases (from "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation"). These cases are typically used»»»

These results validate Claret Credit’s development strategy, which focuses on strengthening the management team and digitalizing operations. In 2024, the company appointed Mircea Lupu as CEO, an executive with over 20 years of experience in the banking and non-banking financial sectors. Claret Cred»»»

Gold prices rose on Thursday as growing optimism about a possible end to conflicts in the Middle East calmed inflation worries and improved prospects for lower interest rates. Spot gold rose 0.5% to $4,815.15 per ounce by 0926 GMT, after rising to a one-month high in the previous session. US gold f»»»

Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon Michel Issa has met with President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio, the U.S. Embassy said on the X platform. The meeting took place Wednesday, a day after Lebanon and Israel held a high-level face-to-face meeting in Washington -- the first such negotiat»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received the credentials of new Moroccan Ambassador to Belgrade Omar Amrar on Thursday. "I expressed the confidence that, with his engagement, he will help to lend a new impetus to advancement of cooperation between our countries, which are traditionall»»»

Dubai: The UAE has taken a significant step towards strengthening its non-profit sector with the launch of the non-profit organisations (NPO) empowerment fund, a Dh100 million initiative designed to support community-driven programmes across the country. The launch ceremony has been held today at t»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has been elected to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the 2026–2028 term, at a time of escalating global food security challenges and mounting risks linked to disruptions in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, developments that could push tens of million»»»

Lebanon is "not aware" of any upcoming contact with Israel, an official source told AFP, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of leaders of Lebanon and Israel would speak on Thursday. "We are not aware of any planned contact with the Israeli side, and we have not been informed of any »»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz can lead to a disruption of the ceasefire between Iran and the US, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Sputnik. "The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is a provocative step, illegal under international law, and could lead »»»

Incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar called on the president, Tamas Sulyok, to resign after the new government is formed, saying otherwise the new majority would seek his removal, Telex.hu reported on April 15.  According to Magyar's account, President Sulyok had told him that he, to»»»

Dubai: Retail investors in the UAE are turning towards commodities, with gold and oil emerging as the preferred assets in a period marked by geopolitical tension and market volatility. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Fresh data from eToro’s latest UAE Retail Investor B»»»

US President Donald Trump has said he is “permanently opening” the Strait of Hormuz, presenting the move as benefiting “China and the world” after claiming Beijing agreed “not to send weapons to Iran.” Trump’s remarks come as the US military claims American warships have effectively blocked Iranian»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Poland will not allow Ukraine's accelerated accession to the European Union, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday. "The idea of accelerated membership has been floated in the [European] Commission. This will not happen," Sikorski told the RMF FM radio statio»»»

Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent makes remarks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Photo by Shawn Thew./UPI | License Photo April 16 (UPI) -- The United States blacklisted three people, 17 entities and nine oil tankers accused of aiding Iran»»»

Lebanon said Thursday it is "not aware" of any upcoming contact with Israel, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of Lebanon and Israel would speak on Thursday. In Lebanon, those negotiations have drawn backlash from Hezbollah and its supporters. Al Akhbar, a Lebanese newspaper that i»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan HE Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Doha on Thursday morning for a working visit to the country. His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were welcomed upon arrival at Doha International Airport by HE Minister of State for Fore»»»

US House Democrats introduced six articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing him of "high crimes and misdemeanors" including waging war on Iran without congressional approval. The impeachment resolution is led by Yassamin Ansari, a Democratic Congresswoman fr»»»

A new public health initiative titled “Hayat” has been launched in Dubai, bringing together global expertise across pharmaceutical research, body composition technology, and clinical practice in a structured effort to enhance public understanding of obesity. The three-month initiative is supported »»»

Part one of the Libya France Business Forum 2026 officially kicked off last Tuesday (14 April) in southern French city of Marseille, with broad and high-level participation from economic institutions and business leaders from Libya and Franch. The opening session was attended by the Chargé d’affair»»»

Dubai: Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD have launched a new financing model that will allow buyers of off-plan homes in Dubai to secure mortgage approval earlier in the purchase process. Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD have launched a new financing model that will allow buyers »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s banking sector total assets reached QR2.173 trillion in February 2026. The total assets expanded by 5 percent over the past five years (2020-2025). The liquid assets to total assets stood at healthy 30 percent in February this year, according to a report released by QNB Financi»»»

Dubai: Borrowers and businesses are set to get temporary relief as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) rolls out regulatory support measures following a surge in energy prices tied to geopolitical developments in the Middle East. The measures, approved under Monetary Board Resolution No. 296, has»»»

Doha, Qatar: Ambassador of Vietnam to Qatar H E Nguyen Huy Hiep chaired the 74th meeting of the Asean Committee in Doha (ACD), marking the start of Vietnam’s Chairmanship for 2026. The meeting focused on shaping and endorsing the ACD’s Calendar of Activities for 2026, which will serve as a roadmap »»»

Dubai: Dubai gold prices rebounded on Thursday morning as renewed caution over the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict pushed investors back toward bullion. This reversed Wednesday’s softer trend when easing ceasefire hopes had briefly cooled safe-haven demand. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, along»»»

AMMAN — Partners Jordan announced on Wednesday the results of the Open Budget Survey 2025 for Jordan.The results show that Jordan scored 62 out of 100 in the transparency pillar, placing it in the "sufficient" category for the publication of budget information, compared with 18 out of 100 in the pu»»»

Social media users are claiming that Apple has intentionally removed towns in southern Lebanon from its Maps app, sparking allegations of a link to the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict. Apple has denied the claims, stating the locations were never indexed to begin with and citing longstanding covera»»»

Prominent left-leaning Italian weekly L’Espresso is at the centre of a diplomatic storm online, after the Israeli ambassador to Italy slammed its choice of front cover as "manipulative." The magazine titled its latest edition “L’Abuso” or “The Abuse,” illustrating the cover with a photo of an armed»»»

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has suspended Italy's defence cooperation agreement with Israel amid rising tensions between the two countries after Rome accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. Italy has suspended its defence agre»»»

A flotilla of dozens of boats set sail for Gaza from Barcelona on Wednesday in a fresh bid to break an Israeli blockade and deliver aid supplies. Last year, another flotilla of about 50 boats was boarded by the Israeli navy, resulting in crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg,»»»

Australia and Singapore have agreed to reinforce energy co-operation, pledging to maintain flows of refined fuel and LNG as both nations work to navigate international and regional energy issues on the back of the conflict in the Middle East. »»»