President of the Olympic Council of Asia and the Qatar Olympic Committee H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani met with Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China H E Feng Fei, Governor of Hainan Province H E Liu Xiaoming, and Secretary of the Sanya Municipal Committ»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s total point-of-sale transactions stood at SR12.3 billion ($3.2 billion) in the week ending April 18, boosted by a 9.9 percent surge in hotel spending. According to the latest Saudi Central Bank data, hotel spending was among the few categories to record gains during the week.»»»

Doha: Qatar Navigation (Milaha), the industry-leading provider of maritime and logistics solutions in the region, announced a strategic realignment of its business segments. As part of this initiative, Milaha has restructured its operational and financial reporting segments to align more closely wi»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar witnessed a total value of transactions across various payment systems worth QR150.910bn with total number of transactions reaching 70.964 million in March 2026. The recent data from the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) highlights notable shifts in the country’s payment ecosystem, with s»»»

The National Council of the Yes, Bulgaria party, which is part of Democratic Bulgaria in its CC-DB coalition with Continue the Change, has adopted a decision tasking the party with proposing a formal coalition agreement to its partners in CC-DB, the party’s press office announced Friday. According »»»

NICOSIA: French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday it was in “everyone’s interest” for stability to return to the Middle East, as the spillover of the Iran war rattles the global economy. “It is in everyone’s interest for stability to return as soon as possible and for the world’s economies to b»»»

Doha: The world marks World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD) on April 23, an annual observance established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to celebrate books and authors and recognise their contribution to cultural progress, intellectual development, an»»»

Doha, Qatar: In line with its ongoing efforts to enhance community awareness and promote a culture of prevention, the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Juvenile Police Department, organised an awareness exhibition at Villaggio Mall. The exhibition aimed to instill positive behavioural values»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Centre for Empowerment and Care of the Elderly (Ehsan) continues to advance its mission of empowering senior citizens across Qatar through an integrated vision focused on inclusion, accessibility, and active participation in society. In an interview with Qatar TV, Salem Hussein Al-»»»

RIYADH: Saudi riyal-denominated government sukuk is approved for inclusion in the J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Government Bond Index and the Bloomberg Emerging Market Local Currency Government Index. According to a statement, J.P. Morgan confirmed that Shariah-compliant bonds from the Kingdom will »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has reinforced its commitment to human rights and the empowerment of persons with disabilities through a comprehensive package of initiatives and streamlined measures implemented during the first quarter of 2026. This effort reflects the Minist»»»

BANGKOK: A Thai court decided on Friday to hear a case against 10 MPs, including the leader of the largest opposition party, for trying to reform the royal insult law, but refrained from suspending them. The progressive People’s Party, led by Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, came second in February’s gen»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has released its latest statistics on building permits and technical affairs for the first quarter of 2026, highlighting sustained momentum across the construction and urban development sectors. According to the report, a total of 1,777 building permits wer»»»

Damascus: Syrian Minister of Finance H E Mohammed Yasser Barnieh affirmed that cooperation with the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) in the project to assess the financial and banking sector represents an important strategic step in a qualitative transformation phase that the Syrian economy is wit»»»

Dubai: In a small art studio in the Gaza Strip, children are finding comfort and joy through an unusual form of therapy — interacting with animals. Rabbits, dogs, hedgehogs and birds are part of structured psychological support sessions designed to help children cope with stress. Project leader Ras»»»

The Custodian of the Crown, Margareta, hosted, on Thursday, in the Hall of Kings, the Elisabeta Palace Evening dedicated to the French Republic, on which occasion Her Majesty was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honor, in the rank of Officer.In his speech, the French Ambassador to Romani»»»

Bangkok: A Thai court decided on Friday to hear a case against 10 MPs, including the leader of the largest opposition party, for trying to reform the royal insult law, but refrained from suspending them. The progressive People's Party, led by Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, came second in February's gen»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Chairman of the Committee for Developing and Enhancing Quran and Arabic Language Education, Professor Dr. Sultan Ibrahim Al-Hashimi, has announced that the “Quran Teacher” programme will officially begin implementation in schools from Sunday as part of a national effort to strength»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Higher Education Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education held a recognition ceremony on Wednesday for participants in the 2026 “Ruwwad” programme, implemented by the British Council in partnership with the British Embassy in Doha and the Ministry. During th»»»

Although US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made the ultimate war and ceasefire decisions regarding Iran, The Jerusalem Post revealed the details and extent to which Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, US Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, a»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has released its statistical report on the performance of municipalities across the country during the first quarter of 2026, highlighting extensive efforts in public health oversight, regulatory compliance, and service delivery. According to the report, mu»»»

Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD) withdrew its six ministers from Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet on April 23, triggering a shift to an interim government and deepening the political standoff at the centre of the ruling coalition, according to a PSD statement. The move comes as the»»»

Britain and France Thursday voiced hope that military plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz were coming together and would succeed in restoring trade flows through the vital passage. At a two-day meeting in London, military planners discussed the practicalities of a multinational mission led by the »»»

London: King Charles III heads to the United States on Monday with transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and the Epstein scandal's long shadow threatening to intrude on the landmark visit. Both Buckingham Palace and the British government have said the four?day trip will honour the historic rela»»»

The specialized medical and surgical team of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program achieved on Thursday a new medical milestone by successfully separating the Filipino conjoined twins Klea and Maurice Ann following a highly complex surgical procedure, considered among the most challenging cases worldwi»»»

The meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington on 23 April, held under US sponsorship, was the first such encounter in decades. Despite fierce opposition and violent threats from Iran and Hezbollah, Beirut pressed ahead with what was an exceptionally difficult decision. Leba»»»

Italian authorities are investigating the deaths of at least 18 wolves and several other wild animals found in recent days in a national park, in what conservation groups say is one of the worst attacks on wildlife in Italy. The carcasses were discovered across several locations in and around the A»»»

OFF THE COAST OF RHODE ISLAND: Offshore wind turbines roughly three times the height of the Statue of Liberty were spinning off the coast of Rhode Island on Thursday, sending clean electricity to the region. Wind farms are taking shape and operating along the East Coast, even as President Donald Tr»»»

AL AIN: On the second day of the Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026, discussions centred on strengthening national food industries, creating value chains for local products, and attracting investment in agriculture. These efforts aim to boost the competitiveness of Emirati products»»»

Daphne Soriano (Class of 2028) Doha When Farkhunda Fazelyar (GU-Q’26) left Doha for a class trip to Cape Town, she expected an immersive academic experience. The war reshaped her trip almost immediately. “The strikes started on the first day of the programme,” she said. “I remember going through th»»»

His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies HE Patrick Pouyanne in his office at the Amiri Diwan on Thursday. The two sides discussed facets of relations between Qatar and TotalEnergies and prospects of s»»»

QNA Doha The General Authority of Customs and Qatar Aviation Services on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in general customs clearance for personal imports, aiming to improve service quality, simplify procedures, expedite transactions, and enhance the effic»»»

LONDON: Britain and France Thursday voiced hope that military plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz were coming together and would succeed in restoring trade flows through the vital passage. At a two-day meeting in London, military planners discussed the practicalities of a multinational mission led»»»

Iraq’s Coordination Framework is set to meet on Friday, the final day of the constitutional deadline to name a prime minister-designate, as disputes persist among Shiite factions over both the selection mechanism and the final nominee, threatening to push the country into a new constitutional crisi»»»

DOHA: When Farkhunda Fazelyar (GU-Q’26) left Doha for a class trip to Cape Town, she expected an immersive academic experience. The war reshaped her trip almost immediately. “The strikes started on the first day of the program,” she said. “I remember going through the District Six Museum when a Stu»»»

WASHINGTON: The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, the US military said Thursday, bringing the number of the massive American warships operating in the region to three. The Bush was sailing “in the Indian Ocean in the US Central Command area of responsibility, Apr»»»

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas raised its policy rate by 25bp to 4.50% on April 23, in the process demonstrating the prioritisation of inflation risks after a sharp rise in price pressures throughout March, and despite a weakening growth backdrop, a note from Capital Economics reports. Further tig»»»

US Central Command rejected reports claiming that Iranian-linked tankers have been successfully evading its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. IntelliNews Berlin bureau previously reported that the Trump administration's na»»»

Amazon plans to invest at least PLN23bn (€5.4bn) in Poland by 2028, aiming to strengthen its position in one of Europe’s most competitive e-commerce markets, the newspaper Puls Biznesu reported on April 22. The US-based te»»»

The first crude oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline following its restart have arrived in Ukraine, oil and gas company MOL announced on the BSE website on April 22. According to the statement, JSC Ukrtransnafta informed»»»

The first crude oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline following its restart have arrived in Ukraine, oil and gas company MOL announced on the BSE website on April 22. According to the statement, JSC Ukrtransnafta informed»»»


AMMAN — The Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), in collaboration with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), launched on Thursday the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund to support women-led businesses in digital trade.Speaking a»»»

As Lebanon prepares to resume direct discussions with Israel, the ghost of the May 17 Agreement of 1983 – a deal that was signed but never implemented – is haunting the new round of negotiations. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam are facing a smear c»»»

French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud says he has been sentenced in Algeria to three years in prison and fined over his award-winning novel “Houris,” which revisits the country’s civil war. The ruling reflects the mounting pressure on authors confronting Algeria’s violent past and raises fresh concern»»»

The European Union has unveiled plans to shield households and businesses from the energy crisis triggered by the war with Iran. The bloc says it has spent an additional €24 billion on energy imports because of higher prices since the war began, and it urged more investment in r»»»

Shareholders in Warner Brothers Discovery are voting this Thursday to approve or reject a $110 billion acquisition offer from Paramount Skydance in the face of widespread opposition from Hollywood workers. Also in this edition: the US considers currency swap deals with its Middle Eastern and Asian »»»

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, April 23: Le Parisien reports on an "unprecedented" criminal complaint filed against food delivery giants UberEats and Deliveroo for human trafficking in France. Le Monde looks at the important role of priests in the war in Ukraine and we also look at a suggestion to r»»»

A French soldier who was gravely wounded in an attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon last week has succumbed to his wounds, President Emmanuel Macron has said. Another French peacekeeper was killed in the incident and two more were injured; their patrol came under small-arms fire in the village of G»»»

As US-brokered direct talks between Lebanon and Israel unfold in Washington, Congress is stepping up pressure of a different kind, pushing the Lebanese army to act on pledges to disarm Hezbollah or face a freeze in annual US military aid. Senior congressional sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Repub»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Lebanese government will not sign any agreement with Israel as part of negotiations unless it includes a "full withdrawal" of the Israeli troops from its territory, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. "We cannot live with a so»»»