What We Are Reading Today: ‘James Joyce: A Political Life’ by Frank Callanan
The young James Joyce (1882–1941) was forged in the smithy of Irish political controversies, and he took into his European exile a depth of political insight unrivalled among his fellow modernists. In this biography of Joyce in his youth and early exile, acclaimed Irish historian and biographer Fra»»»
Oil shock 2.0? Houthis threaten Bab Al- Mandab shutdown as Hormuz drama reignites, crude prices rebound
As tensions in the Middle East surged again over the weekend, the Iran-backed Houthis threatened to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial oil shipping lane that still serves crude flows from the Middle East through Red Sea ports. A Houthis statement gives a hint of the risks to global shipping.»»»
Interior Ministry's Secretary General: We Did All Within Our Power for Fairer, More Secure Electoral Process
Following the April 19 snap parliamentary elections, Interior Ministry's acting Secretary General Georgi Kandev wrote on Facebook on Monday: “We gave it our all. Not as an excuse. I was fully aware of how deeply eroded public trust in the electoral process had become. I was also aware of the attemp»»»
An Iraqi captain sails through ‘ball of fire’ amid US-Iran tension
BAGHDAD: Aboard an oil tanker plying the tense waters between the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, Iraqi Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri continues to work in one of the world’s most volatile maritime corridors, where the US-Israel war with Iran has disrupted global trade and left some crews strande»»»
Oil and gas prices surge as Iran re-closes Strait of Hormuz
Oil and European natural gas prices surged after Tehran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz and fired on vessels following the US Navy’s seizure of an Iranian ship, halting all shipping traffic through the vital energy corridor. The turbulent weekend escalation saw Tehran re-impose restrictions on the w»»»
US-Iran talks hang in balance as mistrust complicates Pakistan diplomacy
Diplomatic efforts to stabilise the ceasefire between the United States and Iran entered a delicate phase on Monday, as both sides sent mixed signals over the prospects of a new round of talks in Pakistan. Iranian officials stressed that deep-rooted mistrust of Washington remains a key obstacle to »»»
Is petrodollar starting to crack? How Iran war puts world oil trade at risk
Dubai: The global financial system’s reliance on the US dollar for oil trade is being tested in real time as the Iran war approaches the two-month mark, with a fragile two-week ceasefire window now in focus. What began as a geopolitical shock has evolved into a deeper market shift, forcing investor»»»
Israeli strike kills two Palestinians in Gaza
CAIRO: Israeli strikes killed at least two Palestinians in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip on Monday, health officials said, and fighters from Hamas clashed with gunmen from an Israeli-backed militia, witnesses said. Medics said one man was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Bureij camp in»»»
Bulgaria’s Kremlin-friendly ex-president wins election in landslide
SOFIA: Pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev has won Bulgaria’s parliamentary election by a landslide, official results showed on Monday, crushing long-dominant political forces and possibly pushing the EU and NATO member state closer to Moscow. The performance, exceeding opinion poll forecasts»»»
Bohra Sultan pledges to boost tourism to Egypt as Al-Sisi vows support for mosque restorations
The Sultan of the Bohra sect, Mufaddal Saifuddin, confirmed plans to increase the number of Bohra tourists visiting Egypt, as President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi pledged the state’s continued assistance for the sect’s restoration of historic mosques, the Egyptian presidency said on Monday. During the ta»»»
No: 70, 11 April 2026, Regarding the Social Media Post by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
Netanyahu, who has been described as the Hitler of our time due to the crimes he has committed, is a well-known figure with a clear track record. An arrest warrant has been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under Netan»»»
2 killed in mass shooting near North Carolina middle school - UPI.com
April 20 (UPI) -- Two people were killed Monday in a shooting near a North Carolina middle school where two children agreed to meet for a fight, police said. Law enforcement officials were alerted to a fight at Leinbach Park on Robinhood Road near Jefferson Middle School in Winston-Salem, N.C., at »»»
EU Commission proposes resuming full implementation of cooperation agreement with Syria
Brussels, Apr.20 (SANA) The European Commission announced on Monday that it has forwarded a proposal to the European Council to fully reactivate the EU-Syria Cooperation Agreement, which has been suspended since 2011. In a statement published on its official website, the Commission said that relati»»»
Strategic plan to boost crime research, analytics framework in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif has approved a new strategic plan for the Crime Research Center. It was prepared with the help of experts in criminal research and analysis and supported by the ministry’s International Partnerships Program, the Saudi Pr»»»
Pope Leo visits Angola’s diamond-rich northeast
LUANDA: Pope Leo XIV heads to Angola’s remote and diamond-rich northeast on Monday in the latest stop on an Africa tour during which he has spoken out against the country’s glaring poverty. On the eighth day of a trip to four African nations, Leo will fly to the town of Saurimo, 800 kilometers east»»»
Bulgaria’s Radev pushes for Russia dialogue, ‘pragmatism’ in EU policy
The winner of the Bulgarian parliamentary election, Progressive Bulgaria’s Rumen Radev, has called for dialogue with Russia to be restored. The former president has led the newly formed left-leaning populist party to a landslide victory on a platform of critical dialogue with Brussels and pragmatis»»»
Saudi Crown Prince meets Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council
Jeddah: HH Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met Monday with Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who is visiting Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the latest developments in Sud»»»
Minister of Military Production explores expanded co-operation with GOEIC
Salah Gomaa, Minister of State for Military Production, held talks with Essam El-Naggar, Chairperson of the General Organisation for Export and Import Control (GOEIC), to explore avenues for enhanced joint co-operation. During the meeting, the minister reviewed the advanced technical and technologi»»»
Jordan’s king and president of Finland attend military exercise in Amman
LONDON: King Abdullah of Jordan and the president of Finland, Alexander Stubb, attended a military tactical exercise in Amman on Monday. It took place at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center, which trains special operations units at the regional and international levels. King Abd»»»
Syria’s return as a regional transport hub gains momentum
Damascus, April 20 (SANA) A series of recent diplomatic and economic developments is refocusing attention on Syria’s strategic location, as regional and international actors increasingly view the country not only through the lens of politics and reconstruction, but also as a potential hub for trans»»»
Israeli Channel 12: Yellow Line Serves Only Maps, Yet on Ground Hezbollah is Surveying Army Deployment to Attack - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Channel 12: Yellow Line Serves Only Maps, Yet on Ground Hezbollah is Surveying Army Deployment to Attack 20-04-2026 21:06 PM Israel»»»
Saudi representative stresses need to ensure full, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s representative at a conference on the two-state solution in Brussels stressed the necessity of ensuring the full and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Monday. Manal bint Hassan Radwan also emphasized the importance of advancing early recovery and reconstructi»»»
Prime Minister receives phone call from Kuwait's Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received Monday a telephone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait HE Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Discussion during the call dealt with the two countri»»»
ING Bank Romania in 2025: revenue of over RON 4 billion and more than 260,000 new customers
Our performance in 2025 was marked by sustained growth in our loan and deposit portfolio. The gross loan portfolio grew by 12%, bringing our market share to 11%, while deposits reached 72.4 billion lei, up 4% from the previous year, securing a market share of 10.7%. Operating expenses increased by »»»
Prime Minister receives phone call from Kuwaiti Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received Monday a telephone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait HE Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Discussion during the call dealt with the two countri»»»
Over $71 Bn Needed Over Next Decade to Rebuild Gaza, Say UN and EU
More than $71 billion will be needed over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction in war-ravaged Gaza, according to an EU-UN assessment published Monday. In their final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), the United Nations and the European Union said that more than two years of »»»
Erdogan Vows New Measures After Deadly Türkiye School Shootings
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that his government would introduce sweeping measures, including restrictions on gun ownership, after two school shootings last week that shocked Türkiye. Eight students aged 10 and 11 and a teacher were killed Wednesday when a 14-year-old student opene»»»
Renovated Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi Officially Unveiled in Sofia
The renovated monument to Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi was unveiled at an official ceremony in Sofia after being restored and cleaned through the joint efforts of Sofia Municipality and the Italian Embassy, Sofia Municipality’s press office said on Monday. The ceremony was attended by S»»»
Flat tax from 2004, intending to stimulate economy, created more B2Bs
Poland introduced a flat 19% tax for sole proprietors in 2004 to boost entrepreneurship and economic growth. However, research shows it mainly encouraged tax optimization rather than creating new businesses or jobs. Many high earning professionals shifted from employment contracts to self employmen»»»
Sharjah Police promote safety as school reopen
Sharjah: Sharjah Police marked students’ return to in-person classrooms following a period of online learning with a series of outreach visits aimed at reinforcing national values and strengthening community engagement. Officers visited several educational institutions across the emirate, alongside»»»
Prime Minister receives phone call from Omani Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a telephone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman HE Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi. The two sides discussed aspects of bilateral coopera»»»
Whale stranded on German coast swims off, gets stuck again
Berlin: Efforts to rescue a humpback whale stranded for weeks on Germany's Baltic Sea coast were complicated Monday when the animal unexpectedly swam away but then appeared to have got stuck again. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) whale and its struggle for survival have captured the hearts of the German p»»»
Venezuela in talks with Siemens, GE over power crisis - UPI.com
Avilio Troconiz (C), regional president of the Primero Justicia party in Zulia, speaks at a press conference in front of the Las Tarabas electrical substation in Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela, on March 26. The party denounced the the electricity crisis, which has worsened in recent months. Phot»»»
UAE brings date palms into the AI era
Abu Dhabi: The UAE has unveiled a new digital platform designed to catalogue and safeguard the country’s diverse date palm varieties, harnessing technology to serve a sector long shaped by tradition. The “UAE Digital Platform for Date Palm Varieties”, announced on Monday, brings together a nationwi»»»
Russia Urges US-Iran to Keep Ceasefire, Continue Talks
Moscow on Monday called for the US-Iran ceasefire to be maintained and for diplomatic efforts to continue, after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with his Iranian counterpart, a close Russian ally. "The Russian side again emphasized the need to preserve the truce, which must be observed within »»»
800,000 cyberattacks daily on UAE even during "calm" periods
Fujairah: The UAE is fending off around 800,000 cyberattacks each day, even during periods of relative calm, underscoring the persistent and evolving nature of digital threats, a senior official has said. Dr Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, head of the UAE Cyber Security Council, revealed the scale of the acti»»»
Shura Council holds weekly session
Doha: The Shura Council held on Monday its weekly session at the Tamim bin Hamad Hall, under the chairmanship of HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim. At the outset of the meeting, the Shura Council highlighted HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's meeting with HM S»»»
Journalists urge WHCA not to 'normalize' Trump ahead at press dinner - UPI.com
1 of 3 | A coalition of journalists are calling on the White House Correspondents’ Association to push back on President Donald Trump’s attacks on the press ahead of his attendance at Saturday’s correspondents’ dinner. Photo by Graeme Sloan/UPI | License Photo April 20 (UPI) -- A coalition of journ»»»
Fake goods worth Dh1.8m seized in Abu Dhabi crackdown
Abu Dhabi: More than Dh1.8 million worth of counterfeit and non-compliant goods were seized in Abu Dhabi during 2025, according to the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) responsible for developing and regulating the business »»»
US to host more G20 talks on food, fertilizer as war fallout bites
Washington, United States: The United States said Monday it is committed to hosting further talks among G20 economies on how the Middle East conflict is impacting food and fertilizer supplies and prices. The United States is the current rotating chair of the Group of 20, which represents 85 percent»»»
Saudi Venture Capital backs Growth Catalyst Fund to boost mid-market growth
RIYADH: Saudi Venture Capital has announced an investment in the Growth Catalyst Fund, marking a continued push to expand private equity activity in Saudi Arabia’s mid-market segment. The fund, managed by Growth Catalyst Investment Co., will target growth-stage businesses across the Kingdom and the»»»
Libya’s Ministry of Oil and Gas Nigeria-Niger-Libya Gas Pipeline Project Committee holds technical and coordination meeting
Libya’s Ministry of Oil Gas reported yesterday that its Nigeria-Niger-Libya Gas Pipeline Project Committee held its meeting today as part of its ongoing technical and coordination work on the project. The meeting included a review and analysis of preliminary engineering studies and concepts, as wel»»»
Did the Pope change — or did the world finally listen?
Luanda: And in Africa, the lion roared. There is a case to be made that Pope Leo XIV, the careful, reserved, Midwestern Augustinian, found his voice on his epic trip through Africa, blasting the “handful of tyrants” and “chains of corruption” that have held the continent hostage for centuries. But »»»
OCA President discusses further olympic cooperation in talks with Malaysia's King and PM
Kuala Lumpur: HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Qatar Olympic Committee, has held high-level talks in Malaysia focused on strengthening Olympic movement across the continent. His Excellency has been welcomed by HM Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Kin»»»
World Bank backs Syria’s recovery efforts after Washington talks
WASHINGTON: The World Bank has backed the Syrian Arab Republic’s ongoing recovery efforts following talks with Syrian officials on the sidelines of the IMF (International Monetary Fund)-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington. The discussions, led by Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh and Syri»»»
Libya’s agricultural sector is moving from planning to execution: Ahmed Ghazali at the Paris Libya-France Business Forum 2026
During the “Promoting Food Sovereignty” panel of the Libya France Business Forum held in Paris on 16 April, organised by Business France and the National Development Agency (NDA), Ahmed Al-Ghazali emphasised the fact that Libya’s agricultural sector is gaining momentum, underscoring growing coopera»»»
Chairman of the Authority conducts inspection tour at Abu Samra Border Crossing
Doha, Qatar: Chairman of the General Authority of Customs HE Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Jamal, and a number of officials from the Authority, conducted an inspection visit yesterday morning at the Abu Samra Border Crossing, as part of following up on the implementation of work systems and inspection and »»»
Arab League urges faster aid delivery to Gaza, calls for halt to Israeli violations in the West Bank and Jerusalem
Brussels: The Arab League today called for intensified international efforts to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip, ensuring it meets the needs of all residents, and for the immediate launch of early recovery and reconstruction programs. This came in a speech delivered by A»»»
Saudi–China talks signal urgent push to contain escalation,secure global shipping lanes
Riyadh, April 20 (SANA) Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, spoke by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Monday to discuss regional developments.According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the two sides reviewed the current situation and its security and economic repercussions at both r»»»
NHRC Chairperson meets Tajikistan's Ambassador, Director of ILO office in Doha
Doha, Qatar: Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) HE Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah met separately on Monday, April 20, 2026, with Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the State of Qatar HE Nurmurod Mahmadali and Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) O»»»