Pakistan PM meets US Vice President as Islamabad talks begin
Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, marking the opening phase of a high-level diplomatic process focused on regional stability and conflict resolution, as the Islamabad talks formally commenced. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download th»»»
Ukraine Can Play Useful Role in Strait of Hormuz, Britain Says
Ukraine can play a useful role in international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, Britain's armed services minister said, praising its drone technology as among the best in the world. Britain has organized discussions this month among more than 30 nations on how to reopen the strait, amid an »»»
[Interview] Hungarian scientist László Mérő: ‘The language of Fidesz is unmistakably Nazi speech’
László Mérő, mathematician and psychologist: “Hungarians are an accepting, tolerant, friendly people. This hatred has been deliberately stoked.” After the 2010 election, you responded to Fidesz’s two-thirds victory in a relatively optimistic article. At the time, you thought it might bring an end t»»»
Concerns over Athens water supply fade as rains fill reservoir
Water reserves at Greece’s Mornos reservoir have tripled over the past six months, ending an alarm over the capital’s water supply that had been raised last autumn. The reservoir held 156,996,000 cubic meters on October 23, 2025 – its lowest level in 15 years – before climbing to 491,629,000 cubic »»»
Ukraine Loses Over 345 Soldiers to Russian Forces in Past Day - MoD
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine lost over 345 soldiers in combat against Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr over the past day, in addition to losses in manpower and equipment on other fronts, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday. "The losses suffered by Ukrainian armed forces amounted to more than 345»»»
Developing Suez Canal area starts in East Port Said
by Maye Kabil “It is only one of the thousand steps” on the road of developing the country, was how president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi referred to the New Suez Canal in his speech during the opening ceremony held to celebrate the opening of the enlargement work of the historical waterway. Many projects»»»
Israeli envoy says won't discuss ceasefire in talks with Lebanon
Israel said Friday it will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah when it holds talks with Lebanon's government next week in Washington. The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors spoke to set up the talks that will open Tuesday at the State Department. Israel "agreed to begin formal peace negotiations" »»»
Hezbollah MP says direct talks with Israel are 'blatant violation' of constitution
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah on Saturday reiterated his Iran-backed group's rejection of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, a day after Lebanon's president said such talks would take place next week in Washington. The move is "a blatant violation of the (National) Pact, the cons»»»
5.2 magnitude earthquake strikes southern Iran, UAE’s NCM confirms
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded in southern Iran on Saturday, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) National Seismic Network. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The tremor was detected by monitoring stations in the region and »»»
India–UAE ties: Indian foreign minister Jaishankar arrives in Abu Dhabi to review strategic partnership
Abu Dhabi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday landed at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Jaishankar will be in the UAE from April 11-12 as a part of an official visit and will be meeting the leadership of the UAE to review close cooperation and deepen the Comprehensive Strateg»»»
Dubai Police issue fresh alert on phone and SMS scams
Dubai: Dubai Police have renewed their warning to residents about a surge in fraud attempts involving fake phone calls and text messages posing as officials or bank staff. The alert comes as part of the force’s ongoing “Be Aware of Fraud” campaign, which aims to educate the public on how scammers a»»»
LIVE UPDATES: US–Iran Peace Talks in Pakistan
Talks between the US and Iranian delegations will take place in Islamabad, with Pakistan acting as a mediator in hopes of achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East. Ahead of the highly anticipated US-Iran peace talks, preparations are in full swing in Islamabad. Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsi»»»
Moody’s Analytics warns of Iran war’s impact on Egyptian economy
An economist at Moody’s Analytics, Dominic Bartos, said that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are facing an unprecedented crisis due to the Iran war, raising concerns about the potential postponement or cancellation of their previously announced investments in Egypt. Bartos added that t»»»
Middle East war live: US delegation arrives in Pakistan for peace talks with Iranian officials
Top US officials landed in Islamabad on Saturday to meet with representatives from Iran for peace talks aimed at ending the six-week-old war that has killed thousands of people across the Middle East. Read our liveblog to follow the latest developments. • US Vice President JD Vance »»»
World Bank Chief: Middle East War to Cut Growth, Deliver Cascading Impact
The war in the Middle East will have a cascading impact on the global economy, even if a ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump takes hold, World Bank President Ajay Banga told Reuters in an interview on Friday. And the damage will be far deeper if the ceasefire fails and the conflict esc»»»
CNN: US Intelligence Indicates China Preparing Weapons Shipment to Iran
US intelligence indicates China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, CNN reported late on Friday, citing three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments. The network said there are indications that Beijing is working to route the shipme»»»
Report: Iran’s New Supreme Leader Has Severe and Disfiguring Wounds
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still recovering from severe facial and leg injuries suffered in the airstrike that killed his father at the beginning of the war, three people close to his inner circle told Reuters. Khamenei's face was disfigured in the attack on the supreme leader's»»»
US-Iran: More Than Four Decades of Enmity
The United States and Iran have been sworn enemies since the 1979 revolution and the hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. On Saturday, the arch-foes are set to hold talks in Islamabad to end more than a month of war in the Middle East, as a fragile ceasefire holds despite deep mutual mistrus»»»
Russia and Ukraine Set to Begin Easter Truce
A temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for Orthodox Easter is set to begin on Saturday afternoon, as US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war falter. The Kremlin said it had ordered a temporary truce from Saturday at 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) until the end of Sunday, a 32-hour period, AFP said. »»»
Polls: Israelis Favor Resuming War with Iran, Netanyahu Likely to Lose Election
Three opinion polls conducted in Tel Aviv on Friday showed that an overwhelming majority of Israelis view the war against Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah as a failure for US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while supporting a resumption of the fighting to achieve t»»»
US Trade Representative: China Involvement in Iran Would Complicate Matters
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday that the United States is trying to maintain a stable relationship with China, but if Beijing gets involved with Iran in a way that is counter to US interests, that would complicate matters. “The underlying goals of our economies are so differ»»»
Iran Counts its Human, Material Losses in 5 Weeks of War
More than 125,000 civilian facilities have been damaged or destroyed in the US-Israeli attacks across Iran, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said on Friday. Pir-Hossein Kolivand told Iranian state television that around 100,000 homes and at least 23,500 shops were hit during the »»»
US, Iran Teams in Pakistan ahead of 'Make-or-Break' Talks
Senior US and Iranian leaders were in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday for negotiations to end their six-week-old war, although Tehran threw the talks into doubt by saying they could not begin without commitments on Lebanon and sanctions. The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance»»»
Philippine carriers flight suspensions: Key dates, affected flights, and what to do
Dubai: Travellers flying between the Philippines and the Middle East are facing disruptions after flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) and low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) have suspended several routes due to ongoing security concerns. With many passengers affected, especially overseas Filipin»»»
Dubai places of worship update visiting hours as Gurudwara, temple and church reopen
Dubai: Places of worship across Dubai have announced updated schedules and phased reopenings, reflecting a coordinated effort to balance community access with safety and regulatory compliance under guidelines issued by the Community Development Authority (CDA). The updates include revised visiting »»»
Türkiye, Syria Advance Strategic Partnership to Support Reconstruction
Türkiye and Syria are moving to forge a broad strategic partnership spanning all areas of cooperation, backing reconstruction and efforts to restore stability after 14 years of war. A flurry of meetings in recent days has aimed to accelerate coordination between the neighbors across multiple sector»»»
Lebanon Asserts Itself at Israel Negotiations, Undermining Hezbollah and Iran
Lebanon is set to enter direct negotiations with Israel for the first time, marking a fundamental shift in how the state manages the conflict and underscoring its insistence on sovereign decision-making free of external tutelage. The shift follows Iranian attempts to preserve what is known as the “»»»
LIVE UPDATES: Negotiators arrive in Pakistan for Iran-US ceasefire talks
Doha, Qatar: High-profile officials from Iran and the US are in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, for the highly-anticipated ceasefire talks, which Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described as "make or break". Pakistan has declared a two-day holiday, and deployed 10,000 security personnel o»»»
No, Emmanuel Macron did not share a (fake) photo of Melania Trump with Jeffrey Epstein
Social media users are claiming that French President Emmanuel Macron circulated a photo of Melania Trump, the wife of US President Donald Trump, appearing with Jeffrey Epstein. However, the image has been digitally altered and was never shared by Macron. The misinformation began circulating after »»»
Iranians Look at Pakistan Talks with Mixture of Skepticism, Outright Fear
Everyday Iranians are awaiting planned negotiations between Washington and Tehran with a mixture of skepticism and outright fear, caught between a government they say does not understand peace and an American president who has threatened to destroy a “whole civilization.” Talks between the US and I»»»
Iran sets 'preconditions' ahead of ceasefire talks as Vance warns Tehran not to 'play' US
Iranian and US delegations headed for Islamabad on Friday ahead of ceasefire negotiations between the two countries that threaten to be derailed by deep disagreements. While Iran said it would only begin talks if Washington accepted its "preconditions", Vice President JD Vance warned Teh»»»
Pakistan slashes fuel prices as Middle East tensions ease
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a reduction in fuel prices, saying the country is offering relief to the public as regional tensions ease. Addressing the nation, PM Sharif said petrol prices have been reduced by 12 rupees per litre and diesel by 135 rupees per litre, with conti»»»
Lebanon Between 2026 War and Negotiation Talks Next Week
Lebanon, under sustained Israeli air strikes and an open war, is entering a pivotal week as it prepares for preliminary meetings expected next week that could open a new negotiating track to secure a ceasefire, stabilize the border, and regulate the south. The move brings Lebanese-Israeli negotiati»»»
'Trump harbors an unexplained sympathy for Vladimir Putin', Ukrainian analyst says
Ukrainian leadership on April 8 hailed the two-week ceasefire reached between the U.S. and Iran but stressed it is time to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine as well. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Peter Zalmayev, Founder and Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, says that the »»»
Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in US, Israel Won’t Discuss Hezbollah Ceasefire
Lebanon's presidency said Friday that a meeting would be held with Israel in Washington next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and the start of negotiations between the neighbors. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly expressed readiness for direct talks with Israel si»»»
Israel Adopts Phased Approach to Lebanon Negotiations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had opted for a gradual approach in negotiations with Lebanon, sources close to Netanyahu said on Friday. This means that Israel will start with technical and procedural issues before moving to major files, depending on the trajectory of US-Iran talks that »»»
Trump Hopes Strait of Hormuz to Open Up 'Automatically' If Deal With Iran Reached
US President Donald Trump claims that the Strait of Hormuz will open "automatically" if a deal with Iran is reached. "That'll open up automatically," the US leader told reporters. At the same time, Trump expressed confidence that the strait would be open to shipping anyway. Trump reiterated that th»»»
US, Lebanon Ask Israel to Pause Attacks on Lebanese Territory Ahead of Talks - Reports
Lebanon, through US intermediaries, has asked Israel to suspend attacks on its territory ahead of talks, Axios reported citing sources. The US has supported the Lebanese request and is demanding Israel accept it, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet made a decisin on the matter»»»
Iranian Delegation Lands in Islamabad Ahead of 'Make-or-Break' Talks
Iran's negotiating team arrived in Islamabad on Friday for peace talks with the United States, even as Tehran insisted on measures it said needed to be addressed first, throwing last-minute doubt over the meetings. US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in the six-week war on Tues»»»
Iranian Delegation Arrives in Islamabad for Talks With US
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry on Friday confirmed the arrival of an Iranian delegation to participate in talks with the United States and expressed hope for constructive dialogue. "A high-powered delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran led by Speaker of the Iranian. Parliament H.E. Mohammad Bag»»»
Seoul’s missing $7.8bn central bank surplus
South Korea submitted a KRW26.2trillion ($19.2bn) "war supplementary budget" to the National Assembly that unusually omits surplus funds from the Bank of Korea (BoK), drawing fire from legislative watchdogs on April 9, Chosun Daily reports. »»»
PANNIER: Taliban look north for friends
Central Asia’s governments were probably not best pleased when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, but most of them have since tried to make the most of the status quo. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turk»»»
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command warned on April 10 that its armed forces remain at full combat readiness and will not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, issuing the statement hours before US and Iranian delegations are due to sit down for ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad. »»»
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command warned on April 10 that its armed forces remain at full combat readiness and will not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, issuing the statement hours before US and Iranian delegations are due to sit down for ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad. »»»
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command warned on April 10 that its armed forces remain at full combat readiness and will not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, issuing the statement hours before US and Iranian delegations are due to sit down for ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad. »»»
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command warned on April 10 that its armed forces remain at full combat readiness and will not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, issuing the statement hours before US and Iranian delegations are due to sit down for ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad. »»»
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command warned on April 10 that its armed forces remain at full combat readiness and will not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, issuing the statement hours before US and Iranian delegations are due to sit down for ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad. »»»
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command warned on April 10 that its armed forces remain at full combat readiness and will not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, issuing the statement hours before US and Iranian delegations are due to sit down for ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad. »»»