US considers suspending Spain from NATO – Reuters
The US is allegedly weighing unprecedented measures to punish NATO members it believes failed to support its war against Iran, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an internal Pentagon email. The options are said to include the possible suspension of Spain from the bloc, according to the outlet. The »»»
Trump orders Navy to kill boats in Strait of Hormuz, claims US control
US President Donald Trump has threatened lethal force against any Iranian boats suspected of laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that Washington now has “total control” over the key waterway until Tehran agrees to a deal. The warning comes amid a maritime standoff in the Strait of Hormuz»»»
Gulf trade faces new shock as Hormuz disruptions test global supply chains
Dubai: Trade flows across the Middle East face mounting strain as geopolitical tensions disrupt critical shipping routes, raising questions over whether the shock will reshape global commerce or prove temporary. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.A n»»»
Chile's Kast launches 40-measure reform package with staged corporate tax cut
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast has formally filed the Economic and Social Reconstruction and Development Bill in the Chamber of Deputies, a 40-plus measure package including a staged reduction in corporate tax from 27% to 23% aimed at reviving growth and cutting unemployment, El Mercurio repor»»»
Rotating cast to fill-in for Karoline Leavitt during maternity leave - UPI.com
A rotating cast of people, which could include President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, will fill in for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt when she takes maternity leave after her daughter is born. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- White House Press S»»»
The World This Week - Iran: Neither war nor Peace, Ukraine’s Lifeline, Starmer: “Just a Scratch”?
In a week where a stalemate appears to have developed after nearly two months of asymmetric conflict between the US and Iran, President Trump’s Truth Social posts have swung between belligerent maximalism and breezy deal-making—one minute suggesting a within-reach deal, and that Iranian forces woul»»»
'Communities Not Cages' anti-ICE protests planned nationwide on Saturday - UPI.com
Protests are planned nationwide on Saturday as part of the "Communities Not Cages National Day of Action" against the growth of ICE and millions of dollars being poured into new immigrant detention centers. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Hundreds of rallies are pla»»»
Tunisian journalist detained after criticizing judiciary, lawyer says
TUNIS: Prominent Tunisian reporter Zied Heni was detained on Friday after writing an article criticizing the judiciary, according to his lawyer, a move the journalists’ union said was part of a broader crackdown on free speech. The Tunisian public prosecutor ordered the arrest, lawyer Nafaa Larib»»»
Children’s lives at risk from US funding cuts to vaccine alliance: CEO
NAIROBI: The head of a global vaccine organisation told AFP on Friday that aid cuts by the United States and other donors have forced it to slash its malaria programme in Africa, threatening tens of thousands of children's lives. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, brings together government and private do»»»
Saudi Arabia condemns drone attacks on Kuwait border posts
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday condemned attacks on Kuwaiti border posts by drones launched from Iraqi territory, the foreign ministry said. 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 countr»»»
Spring freeze delivers widespread crop losses across mid-Atlantic farms - UPI.com
A late-season freeze this week brought damaging cold to the mid-Atlantic, threatening crops just as orchards and berry fields entered critical stages of growth. Record lows were set in parts of the region Monday and Tuesday, including 24 degrees Fahrenheit in Allentown, Pa. Temperatures also droppe»»»
US still delivering weapons to Ukraine, Zelenskyy says, as Prince Harry visits Kyiv
KYIV: US weapons deliveries to Ukraine haven’t stopped despite the Iran war, and Ukrainian long-range strikes continue to hammer Russian oil production and manufacturing plants, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday. “Of course, we are hitting what is painful for Russia, and it is v»»»
Wounded Lebanese journalist recounts hours of agony after Israeli strike killed colleague Amal Khalil
BEIRUT: A Lebanese journalist who was wounded in an Israeli airstrike that killed her colleague this week described hours of agony as they waited for help to arrive, in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday. Zeinab Faraj, a young freelance photographer and video journalist, frequently mo»»»
Is Israel silencing witnesses? Rising journalist deaths raise accountability concerns
DUBAI: The killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil on Wednesday has renewed scrutiny over the rising number of media workers killed in conflicts involving Israel, with press freedom groups questioning accountability and transparency. Khalil, a correspondent for Al-Akhbar, was reportedly shelteri»»»
Leavitt: Witkoff, Kushner heading to Pakistan Saturday for Iran talks - UPI.com
Special envoy Steve Witkoff (L) and President Donald Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner are heading to Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, to have more talks with Iran to make a peace deal. File Photo courtesy Ukrainian President's Office | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Talks with Iran are s»»»
WHO approves first malaria treatment for infants
GENEVA: The World Health Organization announced Friday that it had given prequalification approval to a malaria treatment for newborns and infants for the first time. Artemether-lumefantrine is the first antimalarial formulation designed specifically for the youngest victims of the mosquito-borne d»»»
Is Israel’s ‘buffer zone’ expansion a bid to control Lebanon’s offshore gas?
BEIRUT: Lebanon faces growing concern over what officials describe as potential Israeli encroachment onto its offshore energy resources, after the Israeli military published a map extending its buffer zone into the Mediterranean, raising questions about the fate of the Qana gas field. The map, rele»»»
Hundreds of alleged MS-13 members tried at mass hearing in El Salvador mega-jail
Hundreds of alleged members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-A3) gang were tried at an El Salvador prison on Thursday, accused of collectively carrying out more than 29,000 murders. Mass trials are a centrepiece of President Nayib Bukele's "war" on gangs. Hundreds of alleged Mara Salvatrucha gang m»»»
Trump administration reclassifies medical marijuana as a 'less-dangerous drug'
President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug, easing research barriers and granting tax relief. The change falls short of federal legalisation but marks a major shift in US cannabis policy. President Donald Trump's acting»»»
Sanchez brushes off reported Pentagon email mulling suspending Spain's NATO membership
Spain's centre-left Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday declined to comment on a reported Pentagon email written by top policy adviser Elbridge Colby raising the possibility of suspending Madrid from the NATO military alliance. The note reportedly also suggested reconsidering US suppor»»»
Tornado barrels through Oklahoma
A tornado tore through the US state of Oklahoma on Thursday, ripping roofs off homes and damaging power infrastructure as it struck parts of Enid, a town of about 50,000 near the northern border, with no fatalities reported but residents trapped in their homes and extensive damage recorded, accordi»»»
Stars and Stripes ombudsman fired by Department of Defense - UPI.com
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Thursday fired Stars and Stripes' ombudsman, whose job it had to been to protect the newspapers' editorial independence and report to Congress if military officials were interfering with it. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Th»»»
Turkiye joins global push to shield children from harmful online content
LONDON: Turkiye has become the latest country to restrict children’s access to social media, passing legislation this week that prevents under-15s from opening accounts on major platforms and requires stricter controls on harmful content. The bill, now awaiting final approval from President Recep T»»»
Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Trump says ‘great chance’ for peace deal
Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire by three weeks on Thursday following a meeting of officials from both sides at the White House. US President Donald Trump said he believed there was a "great chance" the two countries would agree on a peace deal, even though Israel and Hezbollah have»»»
Tête à tête - 'The world bailed out the banks, no one is bailing out the children,' UNICEF says
In an interview with FRANCE 24, UNICEF global spokesperson James Elder discussed the situation in Lebanon, where "critical infrastructure that girls and boys rely on" have been targeted, giving Lebanese people "a sense that there really is nowhere safe". He also declared that humanitarian groups li»»»
French foreign minister Barrot voices concern about 'terrorist threat' in the Sahel
France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Friday voiced concern about the spread of Islamist extremism in west Africa, after talks with Togo's leader, Faure Gnassingbe. Violence by jihadist groups has blighted the Sahel region for the last decade, and is now spreading into northe»»»
French connections - Genius & gadgets: French inventions that changed the world
This week we take a step back from the news and focus on something a little different: French inventions. But we're not just talking about gadgets. Beyond the baguette and beret, France is behind some very impactful inventions, in fields as varied as medicine, fashion and transport. We bring you a »»»
Iraq deadlock persists over next prime minister
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s main Shiite alliance failed on Friday to agree on a new candidate for prime minister after US pressure stymied the chances of frontrunner Nouri Al-Maliki. Leaders of the Coordination Framework — a ruling coalition of Shiite groups with varying ties to Iran who had initially nominate»»»
Plane skids off runway in Kenya, passengers unharmed
NAIROBI: A passenger plane overran the runway and careered into roadside bushes at a remote airstrip in northeastern Kenya on Friday, but all 36 people on board escaped without injury, an aviation official said. The Embraer aircraft operated by Kenyan carrier EBB Air had taken off from Nairobi’s »»»
Tokyo urges government workers to swap suits for shorts to counter energy costs
Government workers in Tokyo have new dress code rules that allow them to wear shorts to the office in a bid to cut air conditioning costs, an official said on Friday, as the Middle East war drives up energy costs around the world. Tokyo's metropolitan government is encouraging staff to wear shorts »»»
Meta to add AWS Graviton cores to run agentic AI - UPI.com
Meta announced it will add "tens of millions" of AWA Graviton cores to its stack to help it manage agentic AI. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Meta announced Friday that it's partnering with Amazon Web Services to add millions of AWS Gravitron cores to Meta's compu»»»
Venezuela ends amnesty after thousands are freed - UPI.com
Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez said that the amnesty, enacted into law and intended to pardon alleged political crimes committed since 1999, “has come to an end.” Photo by Miguel Gutierrez/EPA April 24 (UPI) -- Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced she was ending t»»»
What We Are Reading Today: ‘What To Do If ...?’
Author: Anne-Maartje Oud “What To Do If ...? How to handle any situation at work and come out winning,” by Anne-Maartje Oud, is a concise yet thoughtful guide to help navigate tricky situations at work. Presented through a series of 35 real-life workplace dilemmas, the book provides practical strat»»»
Macron bands Trump with Putin, Xi as ‘dead against’ Europe
ATHENS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday banded US President Donald Trump together with Russia’s Vladmir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping as world leaders who are “dead against” Europe. Macron’s bromance with the mercurial US leader has cooled in recent months, and the White House has made no»»»
What We Are Reading Today: Every Man’s Home a Castle
Author: Julia Bowes “Parental rights” is a rallying cry for today’s American conservatives, signaling opposition to mandatory vaccination and “woke” public school curricula. In “Every Man’s Home a Castle,” Julia Bowes traces the origins of the modern parental rights movement to the 19th century, wh»»»
Thailand offers backing for Myanmar’s bid to normalize ASEAN ties
BANGKOK: Thailand wants to play a leading role in Myanmar’s bid to normalize its ties with Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN after five years on the sidelines, the Thai foreign minister said ahead of a meeting on Wednesday with new President Min Aung Hlaing. Former military chief Min Aung Hlaing led a 20»»»
Reckless red light jumps caught on Sharjah Police cameras
Sharjah: Sharjah Police has released a powerful awareness video highlighting the deadly risks of jumping red lights, as part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety and reduce traffic violations across the emirate. The video blends real-time surveillance footage with exclusive glimpses inside the»»»
Press Review - After losing her son, healthy British woman will legally end her life in Swiss clinic
PRESS REVIEW – Friday, April 24: We look at reactions in the German, Russian and Kazakh press after an important oil pipeline from Russia is suspended to Germany. Russia says it's for "technical" reasons, but the German press say it is "political". Also: the press is divided over the case of a»»»
Tête à tête - Humanitarian worker Mike Penrose on the 'Food from Ukraine' programme
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Mike Penrose, a veteran humanitarian worker and special adviser to the government of Ukraine on the "Food from Ukraine" humanitarian programme, explained that this initiative "increases the value of the aid that's being distributed" in an "era of diminishing amounts »»»
Reporters - Why are so many Colombians fighting for Ukraine?
On the most dangerous parts of Ukraine's front line, it's almost as common these days to hear Spanish as Ukrainian. Many Colombian soldiers are now fighting in Ukraine, lured by the comparatively high salaries, but also by a sense of adventure and of helping a good cause. Our reporters Gulliver Cra»»»
The 51% - First female coach of top European men's football team faces backlash
Marie-Louise Eta has broken barriers in football as the first woman to coach a top-tier European men's club at Union Berlin. But the historic appointment has also triggered a wave of misogynistic attacks. Also we all know it to be the case but now we have the data to back it up. A new report reveal»»»
Europe Rendezvous - Crossing borders: The EU powers your mobility (part 2)
In this second part of Europe Rendezvous, Armen Georgian is in Hungary and Austria on his whistle-stop journey across the EU, exploring mobility and transport projects funded by the EU's cohesion policy. Watch moreCrossing borders: The EU powers your mobility (part 1) Our journey continu»»»
Who Can Challenge West's Blackmail and Global Finance Control?
Freezing other nations’ assets and using them as leverage has long been a trademark negotiation tactic of the West, Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of research at the Russian Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, tells Sputnik. While the chief depositories remain in the West, and the US dollar is s»»»
Finance Minister: The World Bank grant supports water and health services
Damascus, April 24 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammad Yisr Barnieh said on Friday that a $225 million grant approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors for Syria, through the International Development Association, aims to support efforts to improve public service delivery in the water a»»»
Aoun: Lebanon Rejects Being A Bargaining Chip in Regional Conflicts
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon “refuses to be a bargaining chip in regional conflicts,” stressing it “negotiates in its own name, in defense of its national interests and sovereignty,” as Beirut pursues a US-sponsored diplomatic track backed by European and Arab support to reach a last»»»
Sovereignty of Falklands rests with the UK, Britain tells US
LONDON: The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands rests with Britain, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday after an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing the US position on the Falklands as punishment for Britain’s stance on the Iran war. “We could not be clearer about»»»
Meta to cut workforce by 10% as artificial intelligence spending surges
Meta outlined plans to cut about 8,000 jobs on Thursday as it invests heavily in artificial intelligence. The move comes as part of a broader tech-sector shift towards cost control, with Microsoft also weighing voluntary buyouts ahead of next week’s earnings reports. Meta plans to cut a tenth of it»»»
Al-Ahli reaching back-to-back ACL finals is ‘incredible,’ says Mahrez
JEDDAH: Riyad Mahrez says Al-Ahli have achieved something “incredible” in reaching back-to-back Asian Champions League finals, but warned his side not to underestimate their opponents — Japan’s FC Machida Zelvia — in the Jeddah showdown on Saturday. Mahrez, 35, told a press conference in Jeddah on »»»
FDA begins push to study psychedelics for mental health disorders - UPI.com
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on researching the effects of psychedelic drugs in medical treatment on Saturday in the Oval Office. The FDA has begun to make changes to allow more research on the drugs for mental health treatment. Photo by Allison Robbert/UPI | License Photo April »»»
Gaza Reconstruction Back on the Table, Parallel Track to the Board of Peace
The reconstruction of the Gaza Strip has returned to the agenda in recent days during Egyptian talks with international parties, amid a stalemate in implementing the ceasefire and earlier reports of funding problems facing the “Board of Peace” led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Those reports were »»»