Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has issued an Emiri Decree on the establishment of “Wadi Al Qarha” Nature Reserve in the Emirate of Sharjah. The decree stipulates that a natural reserve named “Wadi Al Qarha Nature Reserve”»»»

Tunis, April 23 (TAP) - Prospects for cooperation between Tunisia and the Polish Development Bank (BGK) took centre stage at a meeting between Tunisian Ambassador in Warsaw Taoufik Chebbi and President of the Polish Development Bank (BGK) Mirosław...»»»

By April 22, a total of 166 election-related case files have been opened by the Sofia City Prosecution Office, the prosecution said, reacting to allegations regarding its work on cases involving individuals with immunity. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said tha»»»

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said Lebanon “has started to gradually reclaim its natural right to determine its own fate independently of others’ calculations,” stressing that the Lebanese state “alone holds the decision to negotiate,” and that Lebanon “is not subordinate to anyone and is»»»

For the first time in decades, Israeli and Lebanese civilian officials sat across a table in Washington and began talking. The discussions—convened in the shadow of a wider war with Iran, mediated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and given a 10-day ceasefire window by Donald Trump—are truly histo»»»

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said Lebanon “has started to gradually reclaim its natural right to determine its own fate independently of others’ calculations,” stressing that the Lebanese state “alone holds the decision to negotiate,” and that Lebanon “is not subordinate to anyone and is»»»

Today (23 April), the US hosts the second round of talks between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington. The first meeting of these diplomats on 14 April was significant, not because it was the first direct legal contact between senior officials of these states since 1993, or because th»»»

RIYADH: The Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission launched the Ebrahim Al-Kazi Chair of Research at the Saudi Center for Research and Knowledge Intercommunication, supported by the Ministry of Culture. “The Commission announces the launch of the Ebrahim Al-Kazi Research Chair, who serves as »»»

Global — Gold prices retreated toward $4,700 per ounce, declining by nearly 1%, as a stronger US dollar and rising oil prices weighed on the metal, according to data reported by Bloomberg. The pullback follows the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has shifted market»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, has opened registration for the second Researchers in the Service of Pilgrims award, supporting innovation and applied research in the Hajj and Umrah sector. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the aw»»»

Global — Gold prices retreated toward $4,700 per ounce, declining by nearly 1%, as a stronger US dollar and rising oil prices weighed on the metal, according to data reported by Bloomberg. The pullback follows the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has shifted market»»»

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hollywood Fire Rescue (@hollywoodfirerescue) April 21 (UPI) -- A Florida woman's home security camera was recording when an electric wheelchair she bought from a thrift store exploded in her driveway. Hollywood Fire Rescue shared a video on social media »»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has urged the Trump administration to pressure Israel to scale back its demands and end its military invasion of the country. In an interview with the Washington Post, Salam said Lebanon could not sign any agreement that does not include a “full withdrawal” of Israeli for»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia will not charge tolls in the Strait of Malacca, its foreign minister said on Thursday, dispelling reports it could follow Iran’s example in the Strait of Hormuz. Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono spoke to reporters in response to media reports over the possible blockage of the»»»

Damascus, April 23 (SANA) After one year in power, Syria’s government is focusing on reintegrating the country into the global political and economic system, seeking to end decades of sanctions and isolation. While officials say the most difficult phase has passed, the country still faces deep stru»»»

Gold prices fell on Thursday, pressured by a stronger dollar and elevated oil prices that stoked inflation worries, as investors tried to assess the conflict direction from stalled US-Iran talks. Spot gold was down 0.9% at $4,696.71 per ounce, as of 1135 GMT. US gold futures for June delivery fell »»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank reported a record first-quarter profit, supported by strong lending growth, higher fee income and improved efficiency, as it navigated an evolving operating environment. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Profit befor»»»

Our weekly digest of Hungarian politics continues as we report on developments after the historic April election and on the formation of the Tisza government. This week we cover the following topics: After 10 days, outgoing foreign minister Péter Szijjártó has resurfaced. The newly-victorious Tisza»»»

On April 25, the Indian Premier League will be halfway through its 19th edition. Coverage of it dominates the Indian-owned and based cricket media. Last week, Harsha Bhogle, one of its long-serving commentators and journalists, declared that the IPL “has to be one of the greatest sporting phenomena»»»

RIYADH: Female labor force participation across Gulf Cooperation Council countries climbed to 39.3 percent in 2025, as employment gains and falling joblessness signal steady progress in the region’s workforce diversification efforts. The number of employed women rose to 7.3 million in 2025 from 5.7»»»

A new push in the US-backed diplomacy between Lebanon and Israel is beginning to take shape, with another round of talks expected in Washington later this week. According to Asharq News, sources say the US is preparing to press Lebanon to reconsider its law criminalizing contact with Israel, follow»»»

LONDON: Britain’s King Charles heads to the United States next week for the most high-profile trip of his reign so far, on a mission to shore up the future ​of the two allies’ “special relationship” which the Iran war has plunged to its lowest point in 70 years. The state visit marks the 250th anni»»»

DOHA: Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al Thani met with Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to the state HE Mohamed Mohamed Abdullah Bebane. During the meeting, relations between the two brotherly countries in the security field were r»»»

Dubai: A vibrant celebration of Filipino cuisine and culture has been held in the UAE capital as a night market at Madinat Zayed Exhibition brought Philippine flavours, culture, and entrepreneurship together in celebration of Filipino Food Month. The event has been visited by the Philippine ambassa»»»

Dubai: Discussions over a potential currency swap line between the UAE and the US have drawn scrutiny this week, with analysts and officials stressing the move reflects precautionary planning rather than any sign of financial strain in the economy. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf»»»

Dubai: Customers of Emirates Islamic continued to borrow and deposit more in early 2026, helping the bank post a 7 per cent rise in operating profit to Dh1.1 billion for the first quarter, it said in its earnings report posted Thursday. The Dubai-based Islamic lender reported higher income from bot»»»

Ulan Mamatkanov has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. The President of the Kyrgyz Republic signed a corresponding decree. The new Deputy Cabinet Chairman will oversee the social sector. Ulan Mamatkanov is 44 years old. He was born in the village of Mady in Kara-Suu distric»»»

RIYADH: Jordan’s capital expenditure jumped 60.4 percent year on year in the first two months of 2026, reaching 1.98 billion Jordanian dinars ($2.79 billion) by the end of February, a move aimed at accelerating economic activity and improving public infrastructure. According to a Ministry of Financ»»»

Damascus, April 23 (SANA) Economy and Industry Minister Nidal al-Shaar met on Wednesday with Lebanese Ambassador to Syria Henry Quston in Damascus, where the two sides reviewed mechanisms to strengthen economic and investment cooperation between Syria and Lebanon. The discussions focused on enhanci»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon and Israel were set to begin a second session of direct talks in Washington on Thursday to discuss the possibility of extending a truce between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group and plans for future negotiations between the two neighbors with a long history of hostile relation»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports, including re-exports, reached SR31.03 billion ($8.27 billion) in February, marking a 15.1 percent increase compared to the same month in 2025, official data showed. Preliminary figures released by the General Authority for Statistics showed that the UAE remai»»»

TradeGlobal issuesCould Iran war trigger bigger trade crisis than COVID?Nik MartinAs the Iran war simmers, trade experts ask whether it could reshape supply chains more deeply than COVID-19, forcing companies to rethink strategies to counter further geopolitical shocks. https://p.dw.com/p/5CGIgThe »»»

New York, April 23 (SANA) The U.N. Security Council held a special session on Syria’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, with members emphasizing the need to scale up international support, ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance and respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integr»»»

Lebanon will not enter negotiations with Israel until a ceasefire is firmly in place, President Joseph Aoun said, calling for a unified national stance. He also stressed the need to prioritize the return of displaced residents to their villages, alongside a crackdown on weapons stockpiles and any a»»»

Benghazi Chamber of Commerce received last Monday (20 April) a high-level Japanese delegation, headed by Ambassador Shimura Izuru, to discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation and expand partnership prospects between the two sides, as well as opportunities for Japanese companies to enter the Lib»»»

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has renewed the marketing authorisation for Philip Morris International (PMI) to sell specific IQOS and HEETS products as Modified Risk Tobacco Products (MRTP). PMI remains the only company to have secured and maintained such authorisations for heated tobac»»»

The non-reimbursable component of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) increased in the first quarter by 3 billion RON, from 2.8 billion RON to 5.8 billion RON, but the absorption of funds must be accelerated, given the August deadline for meeting milestones and obtaining tranches from »»»

Dubai: Emirates NBD reported higher first-quarter earnings, supported by strong lending growth and record non-funded income, as it navigated a period of geopolitical uncertainty. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Total income rose 21% year-on-year t»»»

Dubai: First Abu Dhabi Bank reported a rise in first-quarter earnings, supported by lending growth and diversified income, even as regional tensions weighed on client activity toward the end of the period. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Operating»»»

Doha, Qatar: Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, a global foundation for education and development, Assalam Schools marked the Foundation’s recognition at the inaugural Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work in the Non-profit Organisations category for the Together Project through Assalam Scho»»»

Doha, Qatar: Shura Council Speaker H E Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim has held talks with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to the State of Qatar H E Alvaro Renedo Zalba, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and discussing regional developments. According to a statement, the meeting review»»»

Israel and Lebanon hold a new round of talks in Washington on Thursday, during which Beirut plans to request a one-month extension of a ceasefire due to expire within days. Israel stated ahead of the talks that it has no "serious disagreements" with Lebanon, calling on it to "work together" against»»»

Cairo: The State of Qatar participated in a coordination meeting at the level of permanent representatives to the League of Arab States, held Wednesday at the General Secretariat’s headquarters, in preparation for the sixth Arab-European ministerial meeting scheduled to take place in Jordan, from J»»»

Chief of Government Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg H E Olivier Baldauff received a copy of the credentials of H E Talal bin Almas Al Saleh Al Sulaiti as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar (non-resident) to the Grand Duchy»»»

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports has announced that six categories of eligible individuals can obtain permits to enter Mecca during the Hajj season through the Absher Individuals platform. The categories include Premium Residency holders, investors, GCC citizens, non-Saudi mothers of»»»

Minister of Economy and Commerce, Bakyt Sydykov, met with the Albanian Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Blerta Kadzadej. According to the Ministry of Economy, the parties discussed economic development trends and priorities, ongoing reforms, and measures taken to increase investment attractiveness and sup»»»

Security Council Secretary of Kyrgyzstan, Adilet Orozbekov, met with Gholam Hossein Yadegari, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kyrgyz Republic. They exchanged views on events unfolding in the Middle East and their impact on the Central Asian region»»»

Beijing and Hanoi are stepping up co-operation centred on internal security, in the process offering a preview of how China may deepen ties across south-east Asia despite longstanding differences with several countries in the region. »»»

Beijing and Hanoi are stepping up co-operation centred on internal security, in the process offering a preview of how China may deepen ties across south-east Asia despite longstanding differences with several countries in the region. »»»