Greece’s maritime affairs minister pledged Monday to “defend” the southern island of Crete against a wave of immigration in small boats that risk the long and dangerous passage from north Africa to reach European soil. Speaking during a visit to the island, Vassilis Kikilias said that Crete was his»»»

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 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»»»

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»»»

France is investigating allegations that two Lebanese banks transferred billions of dollars out of the country despite strict capital controls during a financial crisis, a source close to the case and lawyers said Monday. The probe is the latest in France to look into alleged corruption linked to t»»»

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»»»

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»»»

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Monday everything Pristina's PM Albin Kurti was doing ran contrary to stabilisation in Kosovo-Metohija as he was setting conditions for dialogue, destroying Brussels agreements, denying the Serbs their r»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Poland remains the second highest in the EU for public finance deficit, likely behind Romania. In 2025, Poland’s deficit reached 7.2 percent of GDP according to Statistics Poland data. The increase was driven by rising spending on defense, social programs, and debt servicing, despite solid economic»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 (»»»

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»»»

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 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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Greece’s first outbreak in 25 years of the deadly livestock foot-and-mouth disease has spread to a new part of the island where it was first recorded last month, authorities said Monday, appealing for farmers’ cooperation to deal with “a very difficult situation.” Rural Development Minister Margari»»»

Paraguay's new Minister of Industry and Trade, Marco Riquelme, said the change in residence requirements responds to demands from foreign investors who questioned the previous requirement to generate employment. File Photo by Juan Pablo Pino/EPA ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay, April 20 (UPI) -- Paraguay has la»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

LONDON: Syria and Iraq reopened the crucial Al-Yarubiyah-Rabia crossing on Monday after nearly 13 years of closure due to the Syrian civil war, which spanned from 2011 to 2024. The reopening came after the General Customs Authority of Iraq completed rehabilitation work on its side of the Rabia cros»»»

France is weaponizing criminal prosecution in an attempt to suppress free speech, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has said, as he backed X owner Elon Musk in the social media platform’s legal case in the country. Durov made the remarks on Sunday after the Wall Street Journal reported that the US Depar»»»

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»»»

In a post on X on Monday, Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan congratulated Rumen Radev, who won the snap parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on Sunday, and stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation, according to Ziare. Bolojan said he looked forward to further strengthening the strategic p»»»

Bulgaria's early parliamentary elections held on April 19 were conducted in a transparent and efficient manner, with high voter turnout, said Monday international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council o»»»

Israel says it has established a "Yellow Line" in south Lebanon near the border, where its forces are operating despite a 10-day ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah. What is the so-called "Yellow Line", how does it resemble an Israeli military demarcation in the Gaza Strip and where does it leave »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe MP Fadlallah: Israeli Enemy Will Fail to Create Buffer Zone in South Lebanon, None Can Disarm Hezbollah 20-04-2026 17:37 PM MP Hasan Fadlal»»»

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said on Monday that it was in President Joseph Aoun's interest to withdraw from direct talks with Israel, while adding that his group wanted the current ceasefire to last. "It is in the interest of the state, the interest of Lebanon, the president of the republic»»»

Doha, Qatar: Officials in Qatar have outlined plans to transform the country's real estate brokerage sector, focusing on stronger regulation, digital innovation and improved professional standards. The proposals were discussed during the second Real Estate Brokers' Forum in Doha, organized by the R»»»

Dubai: The National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK) reported a record quarterly profit after tax of Dh1 billion for the first quarter of 2026, marking a 43% increase year-on-year, driven by strong balance sheet growth and a one-off gain from a business divestment. Get updated faster and for FREE: »»»

Bulgarian Prime Minister-elect, Rumen Radev (C), leader of the Progressive Bulgaria coalition, addresses the media on Sunday night after the first exit polls indicated he was on track to win. Photo by Borislav Troshev/EPA April 20 (UPI) -- Former president Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria Party h»»»

Global Village has officially reopened its door today continuing its milestone 30th season, and it's bringing more than just nostalgia. Since first welcoming visitors in 1997, the beloved shopper's attraction has grown into one of the UAE's most beloved destinations, drawing a record-breaking 10.5 »»»

Greater Athens traffic police have stopped more than 44,000 motorists in the past five days under an unprecedentedly long and effective road safety campaign, fining roughly one in eleven for breaching the beefed-up new driving code. A police statement said 4,132 fines were issued between Thursday a»»»

Hong Kong: Hong Kong residents who lost their homes in a massive fire at an apartment complex last year began returning on Monday for the first time to collect what is left of their belongings. The city's deadliest fire in decades killed 168 people when it ripped through seven of the eight apartmen»»»

Brussels on Monday proposed EU states fully restart the bloc's cooperation agreement with Syria, in the latest step to help bolster the country after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. The deal -- which abolishes customs duties on imports of most industrial products from Syria -- was partially suspende»»»

1 of 2 | President Donald Trump announced global tariffs more than a year ago, saying they would drive revenue and reset global trade more favorably for the United States. The revenue generated by those tariffs will be refunded with interest. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI | License Photo April 20»»»

Live streaming of ballot counting was available in 98.56% of polling stations on election night and faults affected 1.18% of voting machines, the Ministry of Electronic Governance said on Monday. Automated reports from the video surveillance system sent to the Ministry of Electronic Governance, the»»»

Brussels, Belgium: Brussels on Monday, April 20, 2026, proposed EU states fully restart the bloc's cooperation agreement with Syria, in the latest step to help bolster the country after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. The deal -- which abolishes customs duties on imports of most industrial products »»»

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said the repercussions of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a global food security shock, warning that disruptions to fertilizer and fuel supplies, rising input costs, and declining purchasing power are threatening producti»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser visited the dedicated terminal for the Makkah Route initiative at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, where he welcomed a flight of beneficiaries arriving from Bangladesh. The minister was briefed on proc»»»

RIYADH: The head of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars inaugurated a new body, the Global Council for Scientific Miracles in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur. MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa took part in the even»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has implemented its Noor program to combat blindness and eye diseases in Yaounde, Cameroon. During the week-long campaign, its volunteer medical team examined 4,679 beneficiaries, distributed 926 eyeglasses, and performed 448 surgeries, the Saudi Press Age»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers and promoting safe digital engagement across the State of Qatar, while continuing its efforts to foster a digitally aware generation capable of making informed decisions in an increasing»»»

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Olympic Council of Malaysia President Dr. Norza Zakaria warmly welcomed HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, President of OCA and President of NOC Qatar, on a one-day working visit to Malaysia on Monday, April 20. Dr. Norza, Vice President of the OCA for the Southeast Asia Zo»»»