IRBIL, Iraq: A peace initiative to end a decades-long conflict with Kurdish militants has been effectively “frozen” by the Turkish government, a top militant commander said on Thursday. He and another officials with the group accused Ankara of failing to enact legal and political reforms needed to »»»

A new investigation by the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has raised suspicions of irregularities and rigged public procurement contracts at four cultural institutions. The public procurement contracts for renovations and architectural supervision have a total value of nearly EUR 5 million and are bein»»»

SANYA: President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani has declared the 6th Asian Beach Games, 'Sanya 2026', officially closed during a ceremony held at Yasha Park. In his closing remarks, he described the Sanya edition as "exceptional", saying Asia had created a h»»»

DOHA: Organisers of the GCC Games Qatar 2026 will hold a press conference on Sunday to outline final preparations for the event. The briefing, scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Qatar Olympic Committee, is expected to provide details on readiness for the fourth edition of the region»»»

RIYADH, ALKHOBAR: Artificial intelligence is moving beyond hospitals and research settings into everyday health decisions across Saudi Arabia. Increasingly, people are turning to AI tools before visiting clinics, using them for everything from symptom checking to diet planning. What used to be simp»»»

LAGOS: Amnesty International has urged Nigeria to investigate reports that 150 people, have died after being “arbitrarily detained” since January at a camp it said was run by the military. But the army denied any links with the camp in volatile central Kwara state. The victims were among the 1,500 »»»

OTTAWA: Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday it was her “understanding” that Iranian soccer officials were denied entry into her country ahead of the FIFA Congress meeting in Vancouver just weeks before the start of the World Cup. Anand appeared to confirm a report from Tasn»»»

MEXICO CITY: Mexico is vowing an independent investigation of 10 current and former officials indicted in the US on charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons in connection with the Sinaloa Cartel. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday she wouldn’t let foreign gove»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump congratulated Iraq’s new prime minister Ali Al-Zaidi on Thursday, saying his nomination heralded a “tremendous new chapter” between the two countries. “We wish him success as he works to form a new Government free from terrorism that could deliver a brighter fu»»»

WASHINGTON: A US federal jury has convicted an Afghan man of providing support to the Daesh group in Afghanistan but failed to agree on the extent of his involvement in the deadly 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport. Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the Islamic State Khorasan (ISK) branch in Afg»»»

Beijing: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed in a phone call on Thursday with his US counterpart Marco Rubio bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in a press release that during the call, Yi urged Rubio to work towa»»»

Tunis, April 30 (TAP) - The weather will be cloudy and stormy in western regions on Friday afternoon, with locally heavy showers expected in Kef, Siliana, Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid and Gafsa governorates. The wind will blow strong.»»»

Tunis, April 30 (TAP) - Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri received on Thursday evening at the Government Palace in the Kasbah Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), Fethi Zouheir Nouri, who handed over the bank’s 2025 financial statements...»»»

1 of 2 | The House and Senate have both passed a funding package for DHS, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for his signature. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 30 (UPI) -- Congress voted to reopen part of the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday after weeks»»»

WASHINGTON: A US federal jury has convicted an Afghan man of providing support to the Daesh group in Afghanistan but failed to agree on the extent of his involvement in the deadly 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport. Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the Islamic State Khorasan (ISK) branch in Afg»»»

Traffic congestion was reported in central Athens and major highways on Thursday evening, as large numbers of residents headed out for the May Day long weekend despite forecasts of worsening weather. Significant delays were reported on Kifissou Avenue, particularly along the stretch from Renti to M»»»

France is famous for its food, and its school lunches have long had a positive reputation. Now a new law is being debated that would not only give pupils good meals, but actually teach them in class how to eat better. We find out more with chef Olivier Chaput, who's known in France for his cooking »»»

Tunis, April 30 (TAP) - The annual report issued by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) revealed a decline in Tunisia’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, as it moved from 129th place in 2025 to 137th place in 2026.Oussama Bouajila, Director of...»»»

A new European task force formed to crack down on “violence as a service” has made 280 arrests in its first year, the EU’s police agency, Europol, has said in a statement. The unit, dubbed GRIMM, was formed last April to tackle the growing trend of outsourced violence, sometimes described “gig econ»»»

Beijing's control over the global supply chain of key rare earths “gives it an ‘assassin’s mace’ in geoeconomics,” Mohammed Saqib, secretary general of the India-China Economic and Cultural Council, tells Sputnik. “This vertical integration from mine to finished magnet or battery means China’s riva»»»

China holds all the cards when it comes to rare earth elements (REE) extraction, processing, and supply, Jeff J. Brown, China expert and founder of the Seek Truth From Facts Foundation, tells Sputnik. Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China, the nation's Ministry of Natural Resources re»»»

Damascus, Apr. 30 (SANA) Minister of Finance Mohamad Yisr Barnieh affirmed that digital transformation in Syria is no longer an option or a luxury, but an urgent necessity to achieve comprehensive economic development, noting that it has become a common pillar across strategies of various ministrie»»»

Sanya: The President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani has declared the 6th Asian Beach Games, "Sanya 2026", officially closed during a ceremony held at Yasha Park. In his closing remarks, he described the Sanya edition as "exceptional", saying Asia had created»»»

A spate of high-profile stadium tours by stars like Céline Dion, Taylor Swift and Oasis have put a spotlight on the practice of dynamic ticket pricing, with many fans saying they're unable to secure or afford tickets. We take a closer look in this edition of People & Profit. Andrew Mall, associ»»»

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (L) speaks as President Donald Trump listens in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2025. On Thursday he issued a statement saying Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling prevents the state from holding elections using the current congressiona»»»

April 30 (UPI) -- A cow escaped at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and went for a self-guided tour of the campus and a neighboring cemetery. Patrick Wade, the school's director of executive communications and issues management, confirmed the cow escaped while being unloaded from a trail»»»

Vancouver: FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated that Iran will play at this year's World Cup on Thursday as he addressed the global football governing body's Congress in Vancouver. "Let me start by the outset, confirming straightaway that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World»»»

If Ukraine accepts Putin’s ceasefire proposal for Victory Day on May 9 it will hand Russia a goodwill political win, ex-Swedish army officer and defense politician Mikael Valtersson tells Sputnik. Ukraine’s refusal of President Vladimir Putin's ceasefire initiative – already endorsed by his US coun»»»

Dubai: Fujairah has adopted the UAE’s first integrated digital fisheries platform, expanding a national effort to track fishing activity and verify seafood origins. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The SFS Fisheries system, developed by Seafood Sou»»»

Doha: Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting investors and enabling business continuity throughout its ecosystem, as part of Qatar's coordinated national response to ongoing regional developments. In a statement on Thursday, QFZ indicated that building on the S»»»

At the annual press gala in Washington, a major gathering for journalists and political figures attended by Donald Trump, a shooting took place during the event, abruptly turning a high-profile evening into chaos. FRANCE 24 journalist Kethevane Gorjestani, who was present on site, recounts her expe»»»

A Beirut-based filmmaker whose debut feature film has been described as an ode to the collective courage of the Lebanese people has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the film and her love for the city. Lana Daher has spent years working in Beirut and the last six years delving through thousands o»»»

DOHA: Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting investors and enabling business continuity throughout its ecosystem, as part of Qatar's coordinated national response to ongoing regional developments. In a statement, QFZ indicated that building on the State of Qata»»»

Doha: Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting investors and enabling business continuity throughout its ecosystem, as part of Qatar's coordinated national response to ongoing regional developments. In a statement on Thursday, QFZ indicated that building on the S»»»

Tunis, April 30 (TAP) - The Banque Nationale Agricole (BNA Bank) recorded Net Banking Income (NBI) of 1.087 billion dinars in 2025, surpassing the 1 billion dinar mark for the first time, compared to 976 million dinars in 2024, up 11.4%.Net profit...»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday was heckled with shouts of "Jew harmer" during a visit to London's mostly Jewish Golders Green neighbourhood, where two men were stabbed in a knife attack. A series of attacks targeting Britain's Jewish community in recent days has led some to turn th»»»

After 16 years of illiberal governance under outgoing prime minister Viktor Orban, restoring the rule of law in Hungary is not just a political transition but a full-on regime change, says Balint Magyar, a former Hungarian education minister and author of a study on Orban-era state capture. It»»»

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the winners of the ‘Erth Dubai Awards,’ one of the largest awards dedicated to cultural and social documentation, for their contributions to preserving Dubai’s living memory, strengtheni»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Army: A soldier and several members of his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted their home in the town of Kfar»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanon’s Health Ministry: An Israeli air raid on the town of Zibdin, Nabatieh district, left 6 martyrs 30-04-2026 20:45 PM Latest News Urg»»»

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Vershinin on Thursday to discuss current issues of cooperation between Ankara and Moscow, the Russian Embassy in Turkiye said on Thursday. "Erdogan congratulated Vershinin on his appointment [as Russian Amb»»»

The request for untested hypersonic missiles for the Middle East arena exposes the US' failure to neutralize Iran’s launcher network, veteran war correspondent Elijah J. Magnier tells Sputnik. "The Dark Eagle has reportedly not been declared fully operational in the past," Magnier says. "So when th»»»

Tunis, April 30 (TAP) - Approved private agricultural investments saw a significant 37.8% increase in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, reaching TND 111 million, compared with TND 80.6 million during the same period in 2025, data provided by the...»»»

1 of 4 | Cole Tomas Allen, 31, allegedly took this selfie in his hotel room before going to the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday. Images courtesy of the Department of Justice April 30 (UPI) -- The man accused of an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump and the Correspondents' D»»»

Israel's defense minister on Thursday said Israel may soon have to "act again" against Iran, to ensure the Islamic republic "does not once again become a threat to Israel." "U.S. President Donald Trump, in coordination with (Israeli) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is leading the efforts to achi»»»

A new strategic alliance within the Jebel Ali Free Zone has set an ambitious benchmark: delivering spare parts within 24 hours in the UAE and within a single week across the MENA region. By formalizing their partnership this week, AI-powered ROX and logistics giant JINGDONG Logistics are doing more»»»

RAMALLAH: Mourners carried the body of a teenager killed by Israel’s military through the hills of the West Bank ‘s largest city on Thursday, the latest victim in a surge of violence this month. Ibrahim Al-Khayyat died after being shot and wounded in his chest and abdomen in Hebron, according to th»»»

JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said Thursday that a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon, the fourth such death since a fragile ceasefire took effect there earlier this month. Sergeant Liem Ben Hemo, 19, “died in combat in the south of Lebanon,” the army said in a statement, adding that another sold»»»

Yangon: Myanmar's junta-chief turned president on Thursday ordered deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be moved to house arrest, five years after sweeping her into detention in a 2021 coup. A statement from the office of Min Aung Hlaing said he had "commuted the remaining sentence" of the 80-year-ol»»»

France will host an international meeting in June dedicated to the long-touted two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the French foreign minister announced on Thursday. "On September 22 last year, France took the momentous decision to recognize the State of Palestine and will host »»»