Cuba confirms recent talks with visiting US delegation
HAVANA: A senior Cuban diplomat on Monday confirmed recent talks in Havana with US officials, as the communist-led island faces a deep crisis over President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign. “I can confirm that a meeting between delegations from Cuba and the United States was recently held here in »»»
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»»»
No: 69, 9 April 2026, Regarding the Approval by the Netanyahu Government of 34 New Settlements in the West Bank
The approval by the Netanyahu government for the establishment of 34 new settlements in the West Bank constitutes a grave violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions. Israel is undermining the vision of a two-state solution, which remains the key to lasting peace in the region, and i»»»
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 »»»
Brazil’s Lula warns of global disorder, calls for U.N. reform - UPI.com
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a media tour at the Hanover Fair 2026 Hanover, Germany, on Monday. Photo by Hannibal Hanschke/EPA April 20 (UPI) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has warned about the deterioration of the international order and the paralys»»»
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»»»
Sudan’s deminers scour shattered capital for hidden explosives
KHARTOUM: Bending low in the baking sun and sheathed in heavy protective gear, Hussein Idris sweeps a metal detector across a vast minefield in central Khartoum that was once a park beloved by local families. The war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has moved on from t»»»
US seizes Iranian ship Touska, Tehran accuses Washington of ceasefire violation
Iran has denounced a US attack on one of its vessels as “armed maritime piracy,” warning of retaliation. On Sunday, a US warship fired at and subsequently seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman. The military said the ship, identified as the Touska, was attempting to breach a nav»»»
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»»»
Trump: New deal with Iran will be better than old one
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Monday he believed a nuclear deal the US is currently negotiating with Iran will be better than a 2015 international agreement to curb Tehran’s nuclear program. “The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA, commonly referred to»»»
Superbrands Romania launches the 2026–2027 edition, dedicated to architects of progress in branding
The new Superbrands Honorary Council has also been established, bringing together 30 leaders from the business environment and specialists from the marketing and communication industry, whose mission, as in every edition, is to evaluate the reputational performance of the brands listed in the progr»»»
$200 million World Bank grant allocated for Syria railway projects
Damascus, April 20 (SANA) Syria’s Ministry of Transport announced that around $200 million has been allocated through a World Bank grant to finance a number of railway infrastructure projects aimed at accelerating the country’s economic recovery. Ali Asbar, Director of Land Transport Affairs at the»»»
Egypt postpones 20 road projects to rationalise petroleum consumption and reduce import bill
Egypt will postpone the construction of 20 road projects and slow down the implementation of other government developments as part of an announced rationalisation plan to reduce petroleum consumption and lower the state’s import bill. Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir announced the suspension of»»»
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»»»
Egypt, AfDB explore new financing mechanism to boost infrastructure investment
Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met with Oliver Bognon, Chief Executive Officer of the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF), an affiliate of the African Development Bank (AfDB), to discuss strengthening institutional cooperation and advancing economic development unde»»»
Protection secured for uninhabited Gyaros islet, key habitat for endangered seals
Greece has finally signed into effect legislation securing the status as a marine protected area of the uninhabited but richly biodiverse islet of Gyaros in the Cyclades island group, the Greek branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature said Monday. WWF Greece hailed Thursday’s signing of a president»»»
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»»»
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»»»
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 »»»
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»»»
Hormuz Crisis’ Spread to Bab al-Mandab, Strait of Malacca Would Wipe Out the World Economy
The three strategic chokepoints are “critical passageways where a lot of trade, a lot of energy flows take place,” and prolonged closure would have a “huge impact in terms of energy prices…GDP growth, employment,” and could trigger a global recession or depression, says financial analyst Syed Javed»»»
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»»»
Iran says 'no decision' on joining new talks, with US delegation set to depart
Iran said it had yet to decide whether to attend a new round of peace negotiations with the United States, as Washington's delegation prepared to depart for Pakistan on Monday. The uncertainty over the talks on ending the war that engulfed the region and rattled global markets came as U.S. Presiden»»»
UAE President receives Prime Minister of Albania
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, who is on a working visit to the UAE. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further develop UAE–Albania relations across priority sectors, notably the econ»»»
Outrage over smashing of Jesus statue by an Israeli soldier in Lebanon – Ya Libnan
Share: The Israeli military said it viewed the soldier’s actions with “great severity” There has been widespread condemnation after an image of an Israeli soldier apparently hitting a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon went viral. Israel’s prime minister said he was “stunned an»»»
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»»»
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»»»
National Anti-Counterfeiting Council resume activities
Tunis, April 20 (TAP) - The National Anti-Counterfeiting Council resumed its activities on Monday, chaired by Trade and Export Development Minister, Samir Abid. The council's first meeting for 2026 is a step forward, reflecting the ministry's...»»»
Unipebu: investment boom coming in real estate
Andrzej Sterczyński, CEO of Unibep, says the company plans to enter the power transmission sector to benefit from a coming investment boom. Poland may see up to two trillion złoty in infrastructure spending across energy, transport, and major projects, prompting Unibep to diversify toward public se»»»
Foreign Leaders Congratulate Rumen Radev on Election Victory
Rumen Radev on Monday received congratulations from foreign leaders on his Progressive Bulgaria coalition winning the April 19 snap parliamentary election. Congratulations were cabled by European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary Gen»»»
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»»»
Vujic visits Mladic, speaks with IRMCT president
THE HAGUE - Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic on Monday visited former Republika Srpska Army General Ratko Mladic and former Republika Srpska Minister Mico Stanisic, who are serving prison sentences in The Hague, and subsequently met with International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (»»»
A Top Paramilitary Commander Defects to Sudan’s Military as War Enters 4th Year
A high-profile paramilitary commander in Sudan has changed sides and joined the country’s army in a move welcomed by army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan shortly after the war entered its fourth year. Burhan on Sunday welcomed Maj. Gen. al-Nour Ahmed Adam, who defected earlier this month from the Ra»»»
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 »»»
Hungary’s Magyar Says Would Carry Out ICC Warrant Against Netanyahu
Hungary's incoming prime minister Peter Magyar said Monday the country will execute International Criminal Court warrants against anyone, after he invited Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu -- wanted under just such a warrant -- to Budapest later this year. In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant »»»
EU to Gauge Member States’ Willingness to Punish Israel
The EU's top diplomat said Monday the bloc will gauge the willingness of member states to take measures against Israel, after Spain re-upped demands to suspend a cooperation deal. Foreign ministers from the 27-nation bloc are expected to discuss the matter at a meeting in Luxembourg Tuesday after a»»»
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»»»
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 »»»
Who will make up Magyar’s new Hungarian government? Meet the team shaping up to be Tisza’s first cabinet
Originally published at Napunk The soon-to-be-formed Tisza government in Budapest will differ from Viktor Orbán’s governments not only in personnel but also in structure. Over the four terms since 2010, Viktor Orbán has repeatedly reshaped his governments, abolishing traditional ministries and fold»»»
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»»»
Damietta Governor Reviews MOPCO Complex, Highlights Role in Egypt’s Industrial Growth
Cairo — The Governor of Damietta, Hossam El-Din Fouzi, conducted an inspection visit to the industrial complex of Misr Fertilizers Production Company (MOPCO), underscoring its strategic role in supporting Egypt’s economy and advancing the objectives of Egypt Vision 2030. During the visit, company o»»»
Features of the Government’s economic and facilities programmes
By Rania Imam Combating high pricing, infrastructure, decreasing budget deficit, electricity, transport, social security Controls on customs and avoiding evasion represent the key elements of the government’s programme Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said that his cabinet’s programme aims at improving»»»
Live update : Lebanon names ex-ambassador to US Simon Karam to lead Israel talks – Ya Libnan
Share: File photo- Ambassador Simon Karam, was named by president Joseph Aoun to lead the negotiations with Israel Lebanese President Joseph Aoun named former Lebanese ambassador to Washington Karam to head the negotiations, and said the talks will be “separate from any other negotiations”, in refe»»»
UAE threatens to ditch petrodollar for yuan in currency swap talks – WSJ
The United Arab Emirates has warned the US Treasury that it could be “forced to use Chinese yuan” in oil trade, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama delivered what the newspaper described as an “implicit threat” against the dollar’s dominant po»»»