Iran says first Hormuz toll revenue deposited at central bank
Iran's first revenue from Strait of Hormuz tolls has been deposited at the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Parliament Vice Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babaei admitted during a public gathering outside of Tehran, Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper reported on April 23. »»»
Italian UNIFIL troops replace statue of Jesus destroyed by Israeli soldier in Lebanon
Italian troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have replaced a statue of Jesus destroyed by an Israeli soldier in a southern Lebanese village, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said, ANSA reported on April 23. »»»
Italian UNIFIL troops replace statue of Jesus destroyed by Israeli soldier in Lebanon
Italian troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have replaced a statue of Jesus destroyed by an Israeli soldier in a southern Lebanese village, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said, ANSA reported on April 23. »»»
Italian UNIFIL troops replace statue of Jesus destroyed by Israeli soldier in Lebanon
Italian troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have replaced a statue of Jesus destroyed by an Israeli soldier in a southern Lebanese village, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said, ANSA reported on April 23. »»»
Iran says first Hormuz toll revenue deposited at central bank
Iran's first revenue from Strait of Hormuz tolls has been deposited at the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Parliament Vice Speaker Hamidreza Haji Babaei admitted during a public gathering outside of Tehran, Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper reported on April 23. »»»
MOSCOW BLOG: EU unblocks Ukrainian loan, twentieth sanctions package, as Kyiv builds a robot army
Phew. That was an effort. EU leaders met in Brussels yesterday and signed off on releasing the €90bn loan for Ukraine that will keep it in the fight with Russia for another two years. They also passed the twentieth sanctions package on Russia, however, that was gutted of some of its most painful me»»»
Cuba sees short-term relief as Russian oil begins to flow
HAVANA: Cubans this week began to reap the benefits of a recent 100,000 metric ton delivery of Russian oil, a temporary lifeline for the energy-starved nation and the first major shipment of oil to the island since the United States moved to cut off its fuel early this year. The Russian-flagged Ana»»»
Bulgarian Community Centres Have Bright Future, President Says
The Bulgarian community centre [chitalishte], which has survived for 170 years, mostly thanks to Bulgarian patriots and cultural figures involved in the educational activities, has a bright future ahead even now, in the 21st century, said President Iliana Iotova at a meeting with the National Repre»»»
Eight Arab and Islamic countries condemn Israel’s repeated violations of historical and legal status quo at Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly the ongoing incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt condemned the repeated violations of the historic »»»
Qatar among eight Arab, Islamic countries that condemn Israel's repeated violations of status quo of Islamic, Christian holy sites in Jerusalem
DOHA: The Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Republic of Egypt condemned the repeated violations of the hi»»»
Miguel Díaz-Canel says no talks if U.S. rejects Cuba's terms - UPI.com
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel speaks at an event commemorating the 65th anniversary of the proclamation of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, in Havana on April 16. Photo by Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA April 23 (UPI) -- President Miguel Díaz-Canel said any negotiations with the United»»»
UK health data of 500,000 people listed for sale in China
London, United Kingdom: Anonymised medical data of half a million members of UK health database Biobank was temporarily listed for sale on a popular Chinese website, the government said on Thursday. Data minister Ian Murray told parliament that the breach involved the information of all 500,000 Bio»»»
'Free Timmy!': Beached whale grips and divides Germany
Berlin: The sad saga of a humpback whale stranded a month ago on the German coast has sparked a flood of compassion but also a media frenzy, angry spats, conspiracy theories and death threats. As Germans have followed the travails of the sea mammal, dubbed "Timmy" by a newspaper, on their live news»»»
Yamal to miss rest of Barcelona season but be fit for World Cup with Spain
BARCELONA: Lamine Yamal will miss the rest of Barcelona’s season but should be healed from a leg injury in time to play for Spain at the World Cup, the club said on Thursday. Barcelona said 18-year-old Yamal will miss the remaining six La Liga games for the leaders as he follows a “conservative tre»»»
Pope wraps up an Africa visit for the history books with a Mass in Equatorial Guinea
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea: Pope Leo XIV wrapped up his African odyssey on Thursday with a final Mass in Equatorial Guinea, bringing to an end one of the newsiest papal trips in the history of popes on the road, thanks to his extraordinary back-and-forth with President Donald Trump. A powerful rains»»»
Peru's F-16 purchase from U.S. sparks political crisis, resignations - UPI.com
Interim Peruvian President José María Balcázar sought to suspend the roughly $3.5 billion acquisition of 12 F-16s from Lockheed Martin, arguing that the decision should be left to the next administration that takes office in July. File Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA April 23 (UPI) -- Peru's planned »»»
Prince Harry, on Visit to Kyiv, Tells Putin to 'Stop this War'
Britain's Prince Harry made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Thursday and called on Russia's President Vladimir Putin to end the war - a week after a massive Russian aerial attack on the country - and on US President Donald Trump to show leadership to help resolve the conflict. By convention, the Br»»»
Mojsilovic: Security situation in Serbia stable
BELGRADE - Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic says the security situation in Serbia is stable but that certain challenges and risks do exist, above all, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija, and noted that the Serbian Armed Forces are fully capable of executing a»»»
Aldar acquires KEZAD logistics assets for Dh650m to expand portfolio
Dubai: Aldar Properties has acquired an industrial and logistics portfolio from a subsidiary of AD Ports Group for Dh650 million, expanding its presence in Abu Dhabi’s key economic zone. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The transaction involves the»»»
After first disappearing, Hungarian minister Szijjártó speaks out, alleging foreign interference (11 days after the election)
Our weekly digest of Hungarian politics continues as we report on developments after the historic April election and on the formation of the Tisza government. This week we cover the following topics: After 10 days, outgoing foreign minister Péter Szijjártó has resurfaced. The newly-victorious Tisza»»»
US-led Digital Neocolonialism Enslaves Millions Worldwide
While the colonialism of old involved “the looting of gold and silver and the ransacking of nations,” digital age neocolonialism is all about “forcing citizens and countries to use certain technology while extracting their personal data,” Facebook whistleblower and censorship expert Ryan Hartwig te»»»
Iran war pushing more than 30 million back into poverty, UN development chief says
BANGKOK: More than 30 million people will be pushed back into poverty by the impacts of the Iran war including disruptions to fuel and fertilizer supplies just as farmers are planting crops, UN development chief Alexander De Croo said on Thursday. Fertilizer shortages — worsened by the blocking o»»»
US–Iran war clock: May 1 deadline puts Trump under pressure
As the United States edges closer to a critical May 1 deadline in its war with Iran, a decades-old law is quietly becoming one of the most consequential forces shaping the next phase of the conflict. Nearly eight weeks after Washington joined Israeli strikes against Iran, President Donald Trump fac»»»
EIB Vice-President visits Romanian site forming central part of A1 motorway project
European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris today visited a site near the Romanian city of Curtea de Argeș where a section of the country’s first motorway across the Carpathian Mountains is being built. He observed work on a tunnel that is part of the planned A1 motorway, which i»»»
Analysis: Gold market undergoes normal consolidation despite talk of collapse
Recently, headlines have increasingly focused on the decline of gold, with some even suggesting a ‘collapse’ of 20% to 25%. However, when looking at the full picture, the situation is different. Gold underwent a correction after hitting an all-time high at the beginning of 2026, but has since recov»»»
US–Iran talks: Can a deal secure Gulf interests this time?
Amid clear signs of uncertainty and the continued “arm-wrestling”-style negotiations between the United States and Iran, the sudden decline in what only a few days ago was described as an imminent agreement or settlement to end the war between the two sides, mediated by Pakistan, raises many fundam»»»
EU unlocks €90bn Ukraine loan and toughest Russia sanctions yet — with a crucial caveat
The European Union voted on April 22 to simultaneously unlock its long-delayed €90bn EU loan for Ukraine and adopt the stalled twentieth sanctions package against Russia, in a diplomatic double act that had been blocked for months by Hungary and Slovakia — both of which finally »»»
EU unlocks €90bn Ukraine loan and toughest Russia sanctions yet — with a crucial caveat
The European Union voted on April 22 to simultaneously unlock its long-delayed €90bn EU loan for Ukraine and adopt the stalled twentieth sanctions package against Russia, in a diplomatic double act that had been blocked for months by Hungary and Slovakia — both of which finally »»»
Disputes Over Quotas Stall Iraq Government Talks
Rivalries within Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework have led to a political deadlock over naming a new prime minister, as internal disagreements persist over both the selection mechanism and the division of ministerial posts among the bloc’s factions. According to sources, a meeting of Coordinati»»»
French Delegation in Algeria to Mend Ties, Rebuild Trust
A delegation from the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (Medef) is set to visit Algeria on Thursday, with its president Patrick Martin leading around 40 senior company executives, in an economic push aimed at repairing trade relations strained by political tensions over the past two years. Accord»»»
Naseeb Zakhir claims Al Mafiar Cup in thriller
Doha, Qatar: Naseeb Zakhir captured the Al Mafiar Cup in dramatic fashion, landing the Local Purebred Arabian Conditions race over 1200m (Class 2) for four-year-olds and above, as five runners went to post at Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday, winning by the narrowest of margins - a nose - in the feat»»»
locally heavy rainfall in western regions
Tunis, April 23 (TAP) — The weather, on Thursday, will be locally cloudy across most regions. Cloud cover will become denser in the afternoon over western areas, with the formation of thunderstorm cells accompanied by locally heavy rainfall.Winds...»»»
A look at China's behind-the-scenes role in Iran war diplomacy
China's role as an unofficial mediator in the latest war in the Middle East is drawing attention across the world as it seeks to project the image of being a responsible global power while U.S. actions are straining its long-standing alliances. China's profile in international diplomacy has risen i»»»
Al Rayyan target another trophy in GCCL final against Al Shabab
Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan coach Vicente Moreno expects a tough challenge from Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab in the Gulf Club Champions League (GCCL) final today as his side targets a second trophy in as many weeks. The Lions, who lifted the QSL Cup last week, have produced an impressive campaign in the com»»»
Recipes for Success: Chef Francesco Torcasio, executive chef of Chic Nonna, offers advice
DUBAI: Francesco Torcasio was barely a teenager when he first stepped into a professional kitchen. Aged 15, he took a job in his hometown of Calabria, in southern Italy, at a pastry shop, where he got his first taste of the precision and technique professional cooking demands. Cut to 2017, when he »»»
PMI secures renewed FDA authorisation for IQOS and HEETS
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has renewed the marketing authorisation for Philip Morris International (PMI) to sell specific IQOS and HEETS products as Modified Risk Tobacco Products (MRTP). PMI remains the only company to have secured and maintained such authorisations for heated tobac»»»
Nicusor Dan: I asked parties to de-escalate public rhetoric
President Nicusor Dan said he had asked the parties that participated in the discussions at Cotroceni Palace on Wednesday to "de-escalate" their public rhetoric."We are clearly in a political crisis. This crisis did not start today. For months, misunderstandings have been escalating. What I asked t»»»
Qatar Tourism, Qatari Hotels Association discuss cooperation
Doha, Qatar: The Qatari Hotels Association (QHA) received H E Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism, along with Omar Abdulrahman Al Jaber, Chief of Tourism Development Sector; Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, Chief Executive Officer of Visit Qatar; and Abdullah Mohammed Al Falasi, Directo»»»
Currency strain forces Bank Indonesia to delay rate cuts
Bank Indonesia (BI) opted for stability over stimulus during its April 2026 policy meeting, maintaining the 7-day Reverse Repo Rate at 4.75%, Capital Economics reveals. The decision, while unanimous among market observers, underscores a delicate balancing act: Governor Perry Warjiyo is currently tr»»»
Currency strain forces Bank Indonesia to delay rate cuts
Bank Indonesia (BI) opted for stability over stimulus during its April 2026 policy meeting, maintaining the 7-day Reverse Repo Rate at 4.75%, Capital Economics reveals. The decision, while unanimous among market observers, underscores a delicate balancing act: Governor Perry Warjiyo is currently tr»»»
Currency strain forces Bank Indonesia to delay rate cuts
Bank Indonesia (BI) opted for stability over stimulus during its April 2026 policy meeting, maintaining the 7-day Reverse Repo Rate at 4.75%, Capital Economics reveals. The decision, while unanimous among market observers, underscores a delicate balancing act: Governor Perry Warjiyo is currently tr»»»
Suarez off mark but Messi fires blanks as Miami beat Salt Lake
Los Angeles, United States: Luis Suarez scored his first goal of the Major League Soccer season but Lionel Messi failed to get on the scoresheet as champions Inter Miami struck late to beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 on Wednesday. Fans who had paid eye-watering ticket prices averaging more than $450 to see»»»
Mexico to beef up security at tourist sites after shooting at pyramids in lead up to World Cup
SAN JUAN TEOTIHUACAN, Mexico: Officers with bomb-sniffing dogs circled cars and searched bags of tourists filing into historic pyramids outside of Mexico City on Wednesday just days after a man opened fire on tourists. The heightened surveillance was part of a promise by Mexican authorities followi»»»
‘Qatar’s diplomacy helps contain escalation, ensures int’l stability’
Khaled Al Hameidi Doha In the midst of one of the most volatile regional crises in recent years, Qatar has emerged as a central diplomatic actor, deploying coordinated political, strategic, and economic efforts aimed at de-escalation, preserving the ceasefire, and ensuring the continued flow of glo»»»
QHA, Qatar Tourism review sector outlook amid regional developments
Tribune News Network Doha The Qatari Hotels Association (QHA) convened a high-level meeting with senior officials from Qatar Tourism to assess the current state of the tourism and hospitality sector and explore measures to sustain growth amid ongoing regional developments. The meeting brought toget»»»
Cabinet commends Amir’s efforts to de-escalate regional tensions
QNA Doha The Cabinet has commended the efforts of His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in working to de-escalate tensions, promote peace, and prioritize diplomacy and dialogue as the primary means of resolving disputes. During its weekly meeting, chaired by Pr»»»
Report says US blocked $500mn cash shipment to Iraq over pro-Iran attacks
BAGHDAD: The United States blocked a plane carrying nearly $500 million in banknotes from delivering the cash to Iraq, US media reported on Tuesday, piling pressure on Baghdad to fight Iran-backed militant groups. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington has suspended cash shipments to Iraq»»»
Pope Leo XIV speaks against inequality on visit to Equatorial Guinea - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Pope Leo XIV waves during a welcome ceremony upon his arrival Saturday at 4 de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda, Angola. On Wednesday, the pope spoke to officials in Equatorial Guinea, the last stop on his trip. File photo Jose Sena Goulao/EPA April 22 (UPI) -- On the final stop o»»»
Report says US blocked $500 million cash shipment to Iraq over pro-Iran attacks
Washington: The United States blocked a plane carrying nearly $500 million in banknotes from delivering the cash to Iraq, US media reported on Tuesday, piling pressure on Baghdad to fight Iran-backed militant groups. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington has suspended cash shipments to I»»»
Why oil will get costlier the more Hormuz disruption drags on amid war risks
Dubai: Oil prices are likely to remain elevated, and could rise further in the near term, as ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty surrounding the conflict involving Iran continue to tighten global supply conditions. Brent crude rose 1.7% to $100.16 per barrel on Wednesday, ref»»»