Syria detains ex-intelligence officer linked to massacre footage
Damascus: Syrian authorities said Friday they have arrested a former intelligence officer who appeared in a video leaked four years ago that purportedly showed him and his comrades fatally shooting dozens of people during the country's conflict. Amjad Yousef was arrested in the central province of »»»
Council of Europe urges Serbia to change judicial laws
BELGRADE: Serbia’s recent judicial reforms were rushed through without adequate public debate, a Council of Europe expert body warned on Friday, as it suggested revisions to some of the controversial aspects of the law. Serbia’s parliament adopted the package of changes in late January without cons»»»
Pentagon chief Hegseth says US blockade on Iran ‘going global’
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that a US blockade on Iran is going global, adding Tehran had a chance to make a “good deal” with Washington.“Our blockade is growing and going global,” Hegseth told reporters.“No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the wo»»»
What did Saudi envoy discuss in Beirut?
Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Farhan has met in Beirut with army chief Rodolphe Haykal and a number of Lebanese MPs, including Fouad Makhzoumi, Faisal Karami, and Elias Bou Saab. Prince Yazid bin Farhan affirmed KSA's support for the implementation of the Taif Agreement, full withdrawal of Israel fr»»»
Four in court over fatal stabbing of 27-year-old in Athens park
A 20-year-old man has appeared before a naval court in Piraeus after confessing to the fatal stabbing of a 27-year-old man whose body was discovered in a park in the Athens suburb of Agios Dimitrios earlier this week. The suspect, who is currently serving in the Greek Navy, was brought before Pirae»»»
'Raw and honest': India climbers face obstacles in race to the top
Pune, India: Blink and you might miss Indian speed climber Deepu Mallesh scaling a wall five buses high in five seconds. India, a country obsessed with cricket, has seen a surge in popularity in climbing but those who want to compete internationally have had to crowdfund and there is little governm»»»
Dubai court awards father custody, child welfare first.
Dubai: A mother has lost custody of her two daughters after Dubai’s highest court ruled that the children’s welfare must take precedence over the interests of either parent, affirming a decision to transfer their care to their father. In a final judgment, the Dubai Court of Cassation rejected the m»»»
Japanese Writer Sayaka Murata Visits Bulgaria for First Time During Literary Talks Festival
World-renowned Japanese writer Sayaka Murata visited Bulgaria for the first time during the Literary Talks Festival (April 23–25) in Sofia's City Stage on Thursday. Moderator of the discussion was Bulgarian literary critic Darin Tenev, with interpretation from the Japanese by Albena Todorova. Often»»»
Dacic, Dendias meet in Athens
ATHENS - Serbian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic met with Greek Minister of National Defence Nikolaos Dendias in Athens on Friday to discuss possibilities for advancement of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of security. The ministers agreed th»»»
Chinese EVs, flying cars take centre stage at world's biggest auto show
Beijing: Thousands squeezed into the world's biggest car show Friday, snapping selfies beside Chinese electric vehicles as automakers showcased AI, humanoid robots and flying-car ambitions in a cut-throat market. Rows of influencers posed in front of gleaming models at the capital's cavernous inter»»»
Qatar to promote daily physical activity, launches community running sessions
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Sports for All Federation has launched a new training run as part of its 365 Days of Activity program, an initiative aimed at encouraging healthier lifestyles through daily exercise in public parks. The first session took place on the green fields of Al Rayyan Park, where mor»»»
FSB major general Vladimir Shchemelinin appointed to chief position at Russia’s border with ‘difficult Nordic neighbours’
The senior officer, who has been accused by Ukrainian military intelligence of involvement in criminal activities on European territory, has been appointed head of the FSB Border Guard Directorate for Karelia. Vladimir Shchemelinin is the new head of the FSB directorate responsible for guarding the»»»
In south Lebanon's Tyre, man seeks family mementos after deadly Israeli raid
Tyre, Lebanon: Clutching a battered photo album, Mohamad Ali Hijazi searched a mountain of rubble in south Lebanon's Tyre for mementoes of his family, killed in an Israeli strike minutes before a ceasefire took hold. "I'm trying to find my mother's hairbrush... and a bottle of perfume that she love»»»
Tunisia’s food trade surplus widens to TND 798.3 million at end-March 2026 (ONAGRI)
TUNIS, April 24, 2026 (TAP) – Tunisia’s food trade balance posted a surplus of TND 798.3 million during the first three months of 2026, up from a surplus of TND 615.7 million in the same period a year earlier, according to data released Friday by...»»»
NATO 'Must Remain United', Says Italy PM Meloni
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday urged NATO allies to stick together, after a report that the United States was mulling action against Spain over its refusal to support operations against Iran. "NATO must remain united. I believe it is a source of strength," Meloni told reporters as »»»
Review: ‘A Gorilla Story’ — Attenborough catches up with old friends in this moving documentary
DUBAI: Almost 50 years ago, the now-almost-100-year-old broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough and his team shot one of the most famous sequences in documentary history: an encounter with a family of gorillas in Rwanda who allowed Attenborough to approach them, whereupon the smallest »»»
UAE says rebuilding trust with Iran will take ‘ages’
CHANTILLY, France: Rebuilding trust between Abu Dhabi and Tehran will take “ages and ages,” UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said Friday, after Iran targeted the United Arab Emirates during the Middle East conflict. “You can’t be attacked with 2,800 missiles and drones and then talk to me abo»»»
Iran foreign minister expected in Islamabad Friday night
Iran’s top diplomat is expected to travel to Pakistan by this weekend for talks, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press on Friday, raising hopes for revived negotiations in the Iran-U.S. war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to be accompanied by a small government del»»»
Palestinians mourn third teenager killed in occupied West Bank this week
Three Palestinian teenagers have been killed in the occupied West Bank this week in a spike of renewed violence, the latest shot dead by Israeli forces during a mid-week raid. Palestinians in the northern West Bank village of Tell mourned the death of Youssef Shtayyeh on Friday after health officia»»»
Hezbollah MP says Israel talks 'will in no way enjoy Lebanese consensus'
Lawmaker Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, called on Friday for Lebanon to "withdraw" from direct talks with Israel that U.S. President Donald Trump says have a "very good chance" of achieving peace. "The authorities ought to feel ashamed before their people and withdraw from w»»»
Israel military issues evacuation warning for south Lebanon Deir Aames village
The Israeli military on Friday warned residents of a village in southern Lebanon to immediately evacuate, the first such warning since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension. "Urgent warning to the residents of the area of Deir Aames. Due to Hezbollah's terrorist act»»»
'Really big pig' seen wandering loose in North Carolina - UPI.com
View this post on Instagram A post shared by DurhamSheriff (@durhamsheriff) April 23 (UPI) -- Authorities in North Carolina are asking local residents to keep an eye out for a "really big pig" seen wandering loose in Durham County. The Durham County Sheriff's Office said on social media that the "n»»»
South Korea raises fines on illegal fishing by foreign boats - UPI.com
Penalty for unauthorized vessels in EEZ jumps to 1.5 billion won The Korea Coast Guard conducts a drill on waters off Socheong Island to simulate a crackdown on supposed Chinese boats' illegal fishing in South Korean waters, in Incheon, South Korea, 09 April 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA April 23 (As»»»
ZATCA thwarts attempt to smuggle captagon pills, seizes contraband
RIYADH: Officials from the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority at Al-Haditha border crossing have foiled an attempt to smuggle a huge cache of captagon pills. The authority, which seized the contraband, said on Friday: “ZATCA, in coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, thwarted»»»
Djedovic Handanovic: Serbia's talks with Hungary about NIS making progress
BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Friday Serbia's talks with Hungary about an acquisition of a Russian majority stake in the Serbian oil company NIS by Hungary's MOL were making progress and that the details of an agreement among the shareholders »»»
Total of 193 Russian Soldiers Returned From Kiev-Controlled Territory - Russia's Defense Ministry
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A total of 193 Russian soldiers have returned from the Kiev-controlled territory and 193 Ukrainian POWs have been transferred in return to Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "On April 24, 193 Russian servicepeople were returned from the territory controlled by »»»
Iran foreign minister expected in Islamabad Friday night: official Pakistan source
Islamabad, Pakistan: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night, an official source in Pakistan said, without providing details about who he was likely to meet. The Pakistan capital has been gearing up for an anticipated second round of talks between »»»
Yes, Bulgaria! Accuse Prosecutors of Being Used to Target Reformers After Pressure Claims by Interior Ministry Official
The Yes, Bulgaria party accused prosecutors on Friday of being used, "once again", to target officials working for institutional reform. Their statement followed claims by Interior Ministry acting Secretary General Georgi Kandev that he had come under pressure and was smeared through false testimon»»»
Qatar Post wins top EMS Awards
Bern: Qatar Post secured two major international honors at the 2025 EMS Awards, winning the Gold Customer Care Award and the Performance Award, underscoring its leadership in operational excellence and customer experience. The Gold award recognized outstanding service quality, communication, and re»»»
Drought displaces tens of thousands in Somalia: UN
GENEVA: Drought displaced nearly 62,000 people in just five Somali districts since the start of the year, the UN said Friday, estimating that the countrywide number could be in the hundreds of thousands. The United Nations’ migration agency said that in the five out of Somalia’s 90 districts that i»»»
Kuwait says drones coming from Iraq target border posts
Kuwait City, Kuwait: The Kuwaiti military said on Friday that two drones coming from the direction of neighboring Iraq struck border posts on its northern frontier with the country, causing damage but no casualties. “This morning, two of Kuwait’s northern land border posts were targeted in a crimin»»»
Flights are back, Kuwait Airways resumes 17 routes
Kuwait Airways will resum operations from Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport, restoring flights to 17 destinations from Sunday, 26 April, following the reopening of the country’s airspace after a temporary suspension. The move comes after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation lifted res»»»
Fresh earthquake hits Crete within hours; no damage reported
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck the southern island of Crete on Friday just before midday, hours after a stronger tremor rattled the same area earlier in the morning, authorities said. According to the National Observatory of Athens’ Geodynamics Institute, the latest quake hit about 18 kilometers s»»»
Lengthy sentences for two women in 2024 Athens apartment blast case
An Athens court has handed down lengthy prison sentences to two women convicted over a fatal blast in the Ambelokipi district in October 2024 in which one man was killed accidentally when the bomb he was handling exploded. The Three-Member Felony Appeals Court sentenced the injured partner of the m»»»
Russia Hopes US and Iran Reach Final Deal After Ceasefire Extension - MFA Spokeswoman
IZHEVSK, Russia (Sputnik) - Russia hopes that the United States and Iran will be able to reach a final agreement amid the ceasefire extension announced by US President Donald Trump, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday. "We hope that they will be able to resolve the e»»»
Russia says participation of Japanese navy in joint drills with US is cause for concern
MOSCOW: Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday that the participation of the Japanese navy in joint drills with the US is a cause for concern and increases tensions. Philippine and US forces began annual exercises on Monday in which Japan is taking active p»»»
Turkish parliament passes bill to restrict social media access for under-15s
ISTANBUL: Turkish lawmakers passed a bill late Wednesday that includes restricting access to social media platforms for children under 15, state media reported. The legislation is the latest in a global trend to protect young people from dangerous online activity. Its passage comes a week after a 1»»»
Kyrgyzstan gives water to Central Asia but receives virtually no compensation - | 24.KG
The risk of a water and energy crisis is growing in Central Asia, leaving Kyrgyzstan vulnerable as a water source, experts stated following the environmental summit in Astana. Photo Internet. Alikbek Dzhekshenkulov Former Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Alikbek Dzhekshenkulov noted that the current resourc»»»
SR100,000 fine for illegal Hajj housing, Saudi warns
Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has announced fines of up to SR100,000 for individuals who shelter visitors holding visit visas in violation of Hajj regulations, Okaz newspaper reported. The penalty applies to anyone who accommodates such visitors in hotels, apartments, private residence»»»
Baladna Algeria launches dairy cattle airlift from the United States as part of its integrated project following $635 million phase two signing
Algeria: Algeria today hosted the official signing of the second phase of the “Baladna Algeria” project. This includes a new set of contracts for the integrated farm project, alongside the launch of an airlift program to import dairy cows from the United States, starting in November 2026. The step »»»
Baladna Algeria launches dairy cattle airlift from US as part of its integrated project following $635 million phase two signing
ALGIERS: Algeria has hosted the official signing of the second phase of the 'Baladna Algeria'project. This includes a new set of contracts for the integrated farm project, alongside the launch of an airlift program to import dairy cows from the United States, starting in November 2026. The step ref»»»
Israeli Media: Israel’s Position Worse Than Before War on All Fronts - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Media: Israel’s Position Worse Than Before War on All Fronts 24-04-2026 15:24 PM Israeli rescue services gather at the site of an I»»»
Marshall Islands May Run Out of Fuel Within 2 Months Amid Middle East Conflict
JAKARTA (Sputnik) - The remote Pacific island nation of the Marshall Islands has no guarantee of fuel supplies for the next two months due to the Middle East conflict, Finance Minister David Paul said. "In order to be realistic, everything is still fluid, and anything can happen. I really cannot pr»»»
US Embassy in Ukraine Paid $40M to Firm That Recruited Former Child Soldiers
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Department of State spent $39.7 million on Aegis Defense Services, a firm with a documented history of recruiting former child soldiers from Sierra Leone to reduce labor costs during the Iraq War. The contract for professional security services at the US Embassy in Kiev wa»»»
AMIS Development secures additional funding tranche following Dh5B commitment from Singaporean fund
Dubai: AMIS Development has recently received another tranche of funding from a leading Singaporean investment fund, further solidifying the ongoing partnership between the Dubai-based developer and the fund. Such investments and the continued flow of global capital into Dubai are vital in maintain»»»
Malabar Gold & Diamonds posts record Akshaya Tritiya sales of $282 million
Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the fifth largest jewellery retailer globally and a brand synonymous with responsibility and trust has delivered its strongest-ever Akshaya Tritiya performance, driven by robust consumer demand, superior customer engagement, and the company’s integrated manufacturing streng»»»
Reckless driving? UAE’s AI systems are now tracking behaviour
Abu Dhabi: Police authorities in the UAE are using artificial intelligence to analyse driver behaviour, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce road accidents despite the country’s high global ranking in road quality. The Ministry of Interior said AI-powered monitoring systems are now in place to asse»»»
Grand Duke of Luxembourg receives credentials of Qatar Ambassador
Luxembourg: HRH Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg has received the credentials of HE Talal bin Almas Al Sulaiti as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar (non-resident) to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. HE the ambassador conveyed the greetings of HH the Amir Sheikh Tami»»»
Israeli enemy threatens Deir Ames town, South Lebanon, issuing evacuation warning - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli enemy threatens Deir Ames town, South Lebanon, issuing evacuation warning 24-04-2026 14:53 PM Latest News Urgent News Zionist occup»»»