Pope Leo XIV denounced the “social and environmental disasters” linked to a “logic of extractivism” on Saturday, the first day of his visit to Angola, a country marked by decades of exploitation of its vast resources. Pope Leo XIV challenged Angola’s leaders to break the "cycle of interests” that h»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US decision to extend the license for Russian oil sales was made after the G20 meeting in Washington, as global bankers asked the US to do so, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday. "G20 conference was here, we had bankers from around the world, basically making»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran has not yet made a decision on sending a delegation for negotiations with the United States, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday. The Iranian side also reportedly stressed that talks with Washington will not take place as long as the maritime blockade imposed by the»»»

This image, released on March 20, by the North Korean Official News Service (KCNA), shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, observing a military exercise involving tanks, drones, and other munitions. File Photo by KCNA/UPI | License Photo April 19 (UPI) -- South Korea's D»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has announced the provision of technical support and a comprehensive assessment aimed at identifying structural, regulatory, institutional, and operational gaps within the financial sector of the Syria. The initiative is being carried out in cooper»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Hungary will not lift its veto on the EU's 90 billion euro ($105 billion) loan to Ukraine until oil transfer via the Druzhba oil pipeline restarts, regardless of the EU pledging the restart of the oil flow, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday, "Through Brussels, »»»

A humanoid robot on Sunday won a half-marathon for robots in Beijing in 50 minutes 26 seconds, beating the human world record time and showcasing China's technological advances. A humanoid robot that won a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing on Sunday ran faster than the human world record in »»»

Light rain is expected to affect parts of the UAE’s coastal areas and islands over the next four days, starting Monday, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said. The forecast comes as the country is influenced by weak surface pressure systems, accompanied by an upper-air high-pressure extensio»»»

Doha: The Qatar Football Association Disciplinary Committee has reshaped the Qatar Stars League title race, ruling in favour of Al Shamal SC after confirming a player eligibility violation by Qatar SC in their April 13 clash. In its official decision, issued after reviewing Al Shamal’s protest (No.»»»

Dubai: The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has launched an “Essential Goods Price Platform”, an innovative digital tool designed to enhance consumer awareness of smart shopping practices and provide full transparency on the prices of key goods and products listed on the platform. The initiative for»»»

Around 99.5% of voting machines are functioning without issues on election day, the Ministry of Electronic Governance said on Sunday. The Ministry reported that faults have been recorded in fewer than 1% of all devices, with technicians from Ciela Norma, the contractor responsible for machine maint»»»

Voting machines are largely operating normally, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said on Sunday on Facebook. Malfunctions have been reported in less than 1% of all devices, and not all of them need to be withdrawn from the voting process, he added. According to the Electronic Governance Mini»»»

There has been no increased cyber activity against strategic objects, administrative websites, or denial-of-service attacks since the beginning of election day, the Ministry of Electronic Governance (MEG) said on Sunday. The temporary cyber security situation centre at the ministry is monitoring th»»»

Colombes, France: Authorities evacuated thousands of residents of a Paris suburb Sunday as experts sought to defuse a World War II bomb, police said. Nearly 800 police cordoned off the site in the northwest suburb of Colombes as specialists tried but failed in one bid to remove the detonator from t»»»

Iran has partially reopened the Strait of Hormuz, but only under strict authorisation and designated routes, as tensions with the US continue. While Pakistan tries to organise new talks, Iranian officials insist sanctions must be lifted and reject US demands to end nuclear activities, even as both »»»

Iran’s leverage over Hormuz Strait and the ~20% of global energy that flows through it was made possible “not by drawing red lines,” but “immediately hitting the heads and wallets of the global elite, hitting where it hurts most,” Institute of Middle East Studies expert Sergei Balmasov says. Washin»»»

With Egypt hosting an important match for the World Cup Qualifiers 2022 with its counterpart Senegal on March 25th, MEO, is glad to review with its readers the history of Egypt in hosting football tournaments like AFCON. MEO also had the pleasure to chit chat with Mr. Adel Koraiem CAF media officer»»»

There has been no increased cyber activity against strategic objects, administrative websites, or denial-of-service attacks since the beginning of election day, the Ministry of Electronic Governance (MEG) said on Sunday. The temporary cyber security situation centre at the ministry is monitoring th»»»

By 14:00, 181 vote rigging signals had been received and 13 pre-trial proceedings had been initiated, the Interior Ministry's acting Secretary General Georgi Kandev said on Sunday on Facebook. He added that in the early hours, two investigations were launched at the regional police department in Sm»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that the military had been instructed to use "full force" in Lebanon -- even during the ongoing ceasefire -- should Israeli troops face any threat. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF (army) to act with full force, both o»»»

Dubai: Iran may not have a nuclear weapon — but it has shown it can disrupt the world’s most critical energy chokepoint, even as international bodies insist such waterways must remain open to global navigation. That tension — between capability and legitimacy — is now at the heart of how deterrence»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron will on Tuesday meet with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Paris, the Elysee said, as a fragile 10-day truce holds between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. The visit highlights Macron's commitment to seeing "full and complete respect for the ceasefire in Lebanon" as w»»»

The UAE Council for Fatwa has announced that today marks the first day of Dhu Al Qadah 1447 AH, the 11th month of the Islamic Hijri calendar. In a statement, the council said the decision was made after reviewing scientific data related to moon sighting, in coordination with specialised scientific »»»

Tunis, April 19 (TAP) - The number of cars sold in Tunisia rose by 22.3% in Q1 of 2026 to 21,334 vehicles, against 17,441 vehicles during the same period in 2025, data published by the National Chamber of Car Dealers and Manufacturers, which is part...»»»

Syria's interior ministry said Sunday that security forces thwarted an alleged cross-border attack from the country's territory planned by remnants of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad and cells linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah. From March 2 until a 10-day ceasefire went into force on April 17, Hezbolla»»»

Hungary ended 16 years of Viktor Orban’s rule, Pope Leo XIV began his first African tour with a historic first papal visit to Algeria and US President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus. Here is a look back at some of the week’s most striking images.  »»»

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was reached following a first round of talks in Washington. Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, analyses Israel’s strategy in Lebanon, which he describes as oscillating between negotiations and cont»»»

Around one-third of global fertiliser production comes from the Gulf region, making the area’s stability crucial for global food supply chains. With the Strait of Hormuz, an essential transit route for energy and commodities, facing repeated disruptions, concerns are growing over the impact on fert»»»

US President Donald Trump made seven claims in one hour after Tehran announced the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and all of them are untrue, Iranian parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declar»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Donald Trump has again threatened to strike Iran’s bridges and power plants if Tehran refuses a deal with Washington on unresolved disputes. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his representatives are heading to Islamabad to participate in negotiations on Iran. "My Repr»»»

Three people were killed and three others injured after part of an old residential building collapsed in Egypt’s coastal city of Alexandria, authorities said. According to local media reports, the incident occurred in the Gharbal area of Moharram Bek, in the central district, when the ceiling of a »»»

Dubai: Subsequent to the recent "Work from Hotel" trend, Dubai has launched the “Work from Park” initiative that is said to provide tech-enabled environments that will break the traditional office mould. Dubai Municipality on Sunday announced the initiative, marking a strategic step towards redefin»»»

Dubai: Saudi security authorities arrested 14,487 illegal residents during a week-long nationwide crackdown, the Ministry of Interior has said. The arrests were carried out during joint inspection campaigns conducted by security forces in coordination with relevant government agencies between April»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s rental market remained steady in the first quarter of 2026, with fresh data pointing to stable demand, fewer contract cancellations and continued investor confidence. Figures from the Dubai Land Department show that rental contracts worth Dh32.2 billion were signed between January an»»»

Sharjah : As families across the UAE prepare for a return to in-person schooling after a prolonged period of distance learning, Sharjah Coop has reported a noticeable shift in consumer behaviour, marked by increased early planning and heightened readiness among households. Faisal Khaled Al Nabooda,»»»

Casting his vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections in Montana, Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) leader Rumen Hristov said he is voting for the well-being of the Bulgarian people, for higher incomes and higher pensions. He noted that there should be an increase in the country's gross domestic prod»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Works Authority, Ashghal, announced a full closure of the Gharrafat Al Rayyan Interchange tunnel in the direction of Doha for eight hours on Friday, April 24, 2026, from 2am midnight to 10am, in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, to enable some maintenance»»»

Washington, 18 April 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The United States issued another temporary sanctions waiver for Russian oil amid higher energy prices linked to the Iran war, the US Treasury Department said on Friday. The waiver authorizes the delivery and sale of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum produc»»»

Doha, Qatar: HE Attorney-General Dr. Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, inaugurated Sunday a refresher training course on practical criminal investigation, organized by the Public Prosecution in cooperation with the Public Prosecution of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The four-day course, attended by »»»

Iran’s parliamentary speaker said Saturday night that talks with the United States to end the war had made progress but remained far from an agreement, as Tehran said the crucial Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Follow our liveblog for»»»

A French peacekeeper serving with United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was killed and three others wounded in an ambush in southern Lebanon, with Emmanuel Macron blaming Hezbollah, which denies responsibility.»»»

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has patrolled southern Lebanon along the border with Israel since 1978, acting as a buffer force following Israel’s invasion of the region. Expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, the mission now monitors the ceasefire and suppo»»»

South Korea’s military said Sunday that North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles, marking the latest in a string of weapons tests in violation of UN sanctions. North Korea test-fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, South Korea's military said, the latest in a »»»

Armenians are set to head to the polls in June for their parliamentary elections, which the EU and Russia are closely watching. With support for joining the bloc at an all-time high, this could be a sign that the former Soviet country is moving away from Moscow, one of its closest allies. But forei»»»

US Vice President J.D. Vance faces a classic bind: Loyalty to President Donald Trump ties him to a presidency that is bound to fail, yet distancing himself invites charges of disloyalty. Either course imperils his prospects of becoming the next president. His latest assignment as chief negotiator w»»»

Voters in Bulgaria headed to the polls Sunday for an eighth general election in five years, with ex-president Rumen Radev tipped to win on anti-corruption pledges. The election comes after unrest toppled Boyko Borissov’s rule and left the pro-European GERB party trailing. Bulgarians began head»»»

Hungary is preparing for a new era, after the centre-right Tisza party of Peter Magyar won a landslide victory over longtime nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Magyar says he'll seek to repair Hungary's confrontational relationship with the European Union, something that could unlock much-nee»»»

Dubai: The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has referred a cartel involved in anti-competitive practices in the poultry market to the federal public prosecution to initiate investigations and take the necessary legal measures, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). The ministry said evidence h»»»

Abu Dhabi: People of different faiths including Emirati officials joined hands at the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to showcase their deep gratitude, unity, and solidarity with the leadership and people of the UAE in a special UAE flag-raising ceremony. The BAPS Hindu Mandir officially r»»»

The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai convened the third meeting of the Foster Families Committee, with the participation of representatives from several relevant government entities, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the alternative care ecosystem and enhance collaborative »»»