Damascus, April 13 (SANA) – Syria’s General Establishment for Railways recorded notable growth in freight transport during the first quarter of 2026, despite challenges facing the railway sector. Director General Osama Haddad said Monday that trains are currently transporting fuel oil shipments fro»»»

The United Kingdom has halted a plan to hand over the Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago, to Mauritius. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed an agreement last year transferring sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius. However, the deal allowed Washington and London to retain control »»»

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday condemned US President Donald Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV as "unacceptable", after the US pontiff spoke out against the Middle East war. "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to co»»»

Many political allies who had endorsed Viktor Orbán have stayed silent or voiced dismay, but some pledged to work with Hungary’s new, pro-EU leader. The list of noisy, far-right Orbán-endorsers who stayed mute on Monday (13 April) after the outgoing Hungarian prime minister’s election drubbing incl»»»

Beijing: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, have discussed ways to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and advance cooperation across»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump warned Monday that any Iranian attack boats that approach the naval blockade he has ordered around the country's ports will be destroyed, despite international calls for a ceasefire to be respected and negotiations to resume. The US military said»»»

Péter Magyar promised during the election campaign that he would dismantle Viktor Orbán’s entire political system “brick by brick” — a system with which he had close ties until very recently. Over the past two years, Magyar has travelled almost constantly around the country, saying he would curb co»»»

Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar has pulled off a stunning victory in the country’s parliamentary election, with his Tisza party beating Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz by more than 16 points. The result is set to dramatically change Hungary’s relations with the EU, Russia, and Ukraine»»»

Pakistan has sent troops and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to boost security, the Gulf nation has said. Pakistani military personnel and fighter jets arrived at King Abdulaziz Air Base on Saturday, the Saudi Defense Ministry said in a statement. The deployment is aimed at boosting military coordinat»»»

Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori speaks at a press conference in Lima on Monday. Fujimori, the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, is the frontrunner to compete for the Peruvian presidency in a runoff election scheduled June 7. Photo by Renato Pajuelo/EPA April 13 (UPI) -- »»»

Dubai: Publsh Group and the news platform Lana have launched El Nas Lel Nas, meaning “People for People”, a new community-driven initiative designed to shine a spotlight on small and medium-sized businesses across the UAE by mobilising the country’s most influential public figures. The initiative b»»»

Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has announced that it completed 8,886 civil marriage and will transactions during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting strong demand for its services. The figures, recorded between early January and March 25, were processed through the Civil Family Court and highlight»»»

Doha, Qatar: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari met today in Doha, with HE Frédéric Mondoloni, Director-General of Political Affairs and Security for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. Duri»»»

The United States' NATO allies said on Monday they would not get involved in President Donald Trump's plan to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, further ratcheting up tensions within the increasingly fragile alliance. Trump said the US military would work with other countries to block all maritime traf»»»

Sion, Switzerland: Crans-Montana mayor Nicolas Feraud was questioned for the first time on Monday by public prosecutors investigating the New Year fire disaster in the Swiss ski resort. The mayor is one of nine people under criminal investigation over the January 1 tragedy, which killed 41 people a»»»

Dubai: Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal is expanding its UAE operations with the launch of new flights between Jeddah and Dubai, alongside the return of higher-frequency services from Riyadh, strengthening air links between two of the region’s busiest travel corridors. Sign up for our daily business»»»

Following the announcement by Libya’s privately-owned MedSky airlines of the resumption of direct flights to and from Madrid from 21 April and the listing by Dusseldorf Airport of direct flights with Libya from 17 May, MedSky CEO, Siraj Furjani, has anticipated the resumption of flights to London. »»»

Tehran: The US military said it would begin a blockade of all Iranian ports Monday, after talks between the warring sides in Pakistan collapsed, and despite the Iranian military warning that it would treat any such action as an act of piracy. Trump had announced on social media he would blockade th»»»

Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has signed a new agreement to provide extended insurance coverage for housing loan beneficiaries, in a move aimed at strengthening support for citizens and improving access to financing. The agreement, signed through the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, is with »»»

Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba welcomed last Saturday (11 April) the signing of the US-brokered (Unified Development Programme) between the two politically split Libyan western and eastern Libyan administrations. Aldabaiba said ‘‘After 13 years of political deadlock, we h»»»

Tunis, April 13 (TAP) – The Tunisian pavilion at the “Ottawa Travel & Vacation Show,” held on April 11 and 12, 2026, in the Canadian capital, attracted a large number of English- and French-speaking visitors, according to a statement released Monday...»»»

Dubai: After months of delays, ‘Mera Lyari’ is finally set for its global premiere, stepping into the spotlight as Pakistan’s response to India’s Dhurandhar films and their ‘negative’ portrayal of Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood. The sports drama will debut at the UK Asian Film Festival on May 2 at t»»»

A man has been arrested after breaching security at Ireland’s Shannon Airport and damaging a US military aircraft, in an incident that briefly shut down operations and reignited scrutiny of America’s long-running use of the facility. Footage circulating online appears to show the intruder climbing »»»

Dubai: UAE residents can now obtain their personal credit reports directly from more than 285 Al Ansari Exchange branches across the country, the exchange house announced on Monday after expanding its partnership with UAE's Etihad Credit Bureau. The move, according to a company statement, gives ind»»»

Dubai: Ordering food in the UAE has become second nature. With just a few taps, a meal is on its way a convenience people rely on every day. In a market where this ease is expected, trust is what defines the experience and determines whether it truly works. Sign up for our daily business newsletter»»»

Budapest: Congratulations from across Europe poured in Monday for Hungarian political newcomer Peter Magyar, who defeated nationalist Viktor Orban in elections seen as a blow to right-wing populism worldwide. Orban, a self-described "thorn" in the EU's side and defender of "illiberal democracy", lo»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has announced the appointment of VERMEG, a global provider of mission-critical technology solutions for Market Infrastructures, Collateral Management, and Asset Servicing, as the lead technology partner of a consortium supporting the establishment of a»»»

Türkiye's foreign minister said on Monday he believed both Iran and the United States remain "sincere" about reaching a ceasefire despite the failure of Pakistan-mediated talks on the weekend. He also stated that Israel "cannot live without an enemy" and its government is now trying to portray Türk»»»

France and Britain will work on a "peaceful multinational mission" to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, but it would be "separate from the warring parties", French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February sparked a region-wide war and brought to»»»

Dubai: President Donald Trump has escalated the battle for the Strait of Hormuz, ordering a US naval blockade targeting ships linked to Iran — a move that risks sending global oil prices higher even as Washington says it wants the vital artery reopened. The contradiction is only apparent. Trump isn»»»

Dubai: The Capital Market Authority has introduced a new regulatory framework for virtual assets, setting out a broader and more structured rulebook for firms operating across the sector as activity continues to expand. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The framework bri»»»

Dubai: Dubai has signed a strategic agreement with HSBC Bank Middle East to attract more international companies, institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals to the emirate, as it steps up efforts to boost foreign capital inflows under its D33 economic agenda. The agreement, signed by th»»»

France will soon organize with Britain a conference aimed at restoring freedom of navigation on the Strait of Hormuz, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday, adding ‌that any ‌such naval mission ‌would ⁠be done on a ⁠strictly defensive basis only. "With regards to the Strait of Hormuz, we will be»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been ousted after 16 years in power, marking a dramatic political shift in one of Europe’s most closely watched elections. In a high-turnout vote, Orban conceded defeat to conservative challenger Peter Magyar, ending a long period of nationalist rule that h»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that whatever the pressure, Britain would not be dragged into the Iran war and was not ⁠supporting a blockade of ⁠the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Starmer ⁠said it was vital to get the Strait reopened. "It is, in my view, vital t»»»

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, has rejected the election of Nizar Amidi as Iraq’s president, worsening political tensions in the Kurdistan Region and across the country. The party has instructed its representatives in the federal government and parliament to return to »»»

When the US and Israel waged war on Iran on 28 February 2026, killing its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, two global powers watched intently from afar: China and Russia. Both had signed a trilateral strategic pact with Tehran just weeks earlier, pledging to deepen economic and defence ties (though off»»»

Doha, Qatar: The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) and the Community College of Qatar (CCQ), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic framework for academic cooperation and knowledge exchange between the two institutions. The agreement reflects a s»»»

President Donald Trump returns to the White House in Washington, D.C., from Miami, Fla., on Sunday, the same night he chastised Pope Leo for criticizing the war in Iran. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 13 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump lashed out at Pope LeoXIV over his critici»»»

Doha, Qatar: Dukhan Bank convened its Ordinary Annual General Meeting (AGM) yesterday via video conferencing through the Zoom application. The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Abdulla bin Fahad bin Jassim Al-Thani, Chairman of the Board of Directors, in the presence of 86.46% of the Bank’s shareholder»»»

Dubai: There are ideas that take years to develop and there are ideas that arrive fully formed, urgent and impossible to ignore. The We Love Dubai initiative was the second kind. It started with a conversation. Marta Paniagua, Creative Director at Multilem Middle East, turned to her colleague Dorot»»»

Four years ago it was Viktor Orbán who inflicted a humiliating defeat on the then Hungarian opposition; this time his party, Fidesz has been beaten just as badly. We sum up the lessons of Sunday’s Hungarian elections in 10 points. After 16 years, the Orbán system has fallen and Viktor Orbán is leav»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has launched the second edition of the 2026 guidance document regulating student admission and registration procedures in private schools and kindergartens. Issued by the Private Schools Licensing Department, the updated document i»»»

Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, the highest number since 1989, two NGOs said Monday, warning it risked using capital punishment even more extensively after protests in January and the war against Israel and the US. The number of executions represented an increase of 68 p»»»

For centuries, naval blockades have shaped wars, trade, and geopolitics. They’re a powerful form of economic warfare — choking off commerce without a land invasion, but still sending shockwaves through food supplies, fuel markets, and national security. After weeks of Tehran's threat to commercial »»»

A British military drone flew over eastern Lebanon on the same day Israeli air strikes on Lebanon killed more than 300 people in less than 10 minutes, according to flight-tracking data analysed by Middle East Eye, prompting renewed scrutiny of the UK’s intelligence role in the region. »»»

A British military drone flew over eastern Lebanon on the same day Israeli air strikes on Lebanon killed more than 300 people in less than 10 minutes, according to flight-tracking data analysed by Middle East Eye, prompting renewed scrutiny of the UK’s intelligence role in the region. »»»

Hungarians turned out in record numbers on April 12 in a closely fought parliamentary election that could bring an end to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule and reshape the country’s relationship with the European Union. »»»

Polling data from the three most reliable pollsters conducted in the last days of the Hungarian election campaign indicate a decisive victory for the opposition Tisza Party, with projections at or close to a two-thirds majority. »»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat in the April 12 general election and congratulated the winner, according to statements made following the announcement of preliminary results. Tisza leader Pet»»»