Lee holds summit with Indian PM Modi on economic ties, supply chains - UPI.com
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi enter a room for their summit held at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. Photo by Yonhap President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, focusing on deepening econ»»»
Dubai sets benchmark in safety and travel efficiency
Dubai: The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai has affirmed that the dynamic movement across the emirate’s ports — marked by a significant influx of travellers and remarkable diversity of nationalities — reflects Dubai’s status as a trusted global destination and a leadin»»»
Oil prices jump on Iran war escalation but stocks up on peace hope
Hong Kong: Oil prices surged Monday on a re-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East war after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend, just a day after reopening it, citing the United States' blockade of its ports. However, lingering hopes for a deal to end the seven-week crisis contin»»»
Syrian delegation attends FAO Near East regional conference in Rome
Rome, April 20 (SANA) A Syrian delegation headed by Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr arrived in Rome to take part in the Regional Conference for the Near East, held at the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The conference is set to address challenges facing f»»»
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei: Transfer of Iran’s nuclear stockpiles has never been a negotiation option - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei: Transfer of Iran’s nuclear stockpiles has never been a negotiation option 20-04-2026 11:»»»
Iran Entitled to Peaceful Nuclear Energy as Full Member of NPT - Ambassador to Russia
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - As a full member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran should be entitled to the right to peaceful nuclear energy, and the country's authorities "are planning for the future within the framework" of that treaty, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said. "As fu»»»
60% Saudisation now in force: Saudi Arabia tightens hiring rules in marketing and sales
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has begun enforcing new decisions to raise Saudisation rates in marketing and sales professions to 60 per cent, following the end of a grace period for private sector firms. The measures, effective from Sunday, April 19, form part of»»»
Creating aspirational minds: The difference is how deeply we care
At Doha College, education goes far beyond academic success. As a not-for-profit British international school, every decision we make is driven by what is best for our pupils—investing in exceptional teaching, inspiring environments, and a breadth of experiences that shape confident, capable young »»»
Iran doubts U.S. 'seriousness', says 'no decision' on next round of talks
Iran's foreign ministry said Monday that the United States was not serious about pursuing diplomacy, citing what it called "violations" of their two-week ceasefire. "While claiming diplomacy and readiness for negotiations, the U.S. is carrying out behaviors that do not in any way indicate seriousne»»»
Araghchi: US Diplomacy Driven by Bad Faith - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Araghchi: US Diplomacy Driven by Bad Faith 20-04-2026 11:33 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the United States pursues malic»»»
Iran Slams US Attack on Merchant Ship as Act of Aggression
Iran’s joint military command pledged that Tehran would respond soon and called the US attack against an Iranian-flagged container ship near the Strait of Hormuz an act of piracy that violated the ceasefire that has been in place since April 8. By continually violating the ceasefire, the United Sta»»»
Australia's most decorated serviceman vows to fight war crime charges
An Australian former soldier charged with committing war crimes in Afghanistan vowed on Sunday to clear his name, saying he had never "run from a fight" in his first public comments since his arrest. Ben Roberts-Smith was granted bail on Friday after a high-profile arrest on five counts of "war cri»»»
Italy Discussing Expanding EU Aspides Mission to Include Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Says
Italy’s defense minister said discussions are underway to expand the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, to include the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Iran’s missile and nuclear ambitions pose a global threat. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said t»»»
IEA Proposes Building Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline to Bypass Hormuz
International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol proposed building a new oil pipeline linking Iraq’s Basra oil fields and Türkiye’s Mediterranean oil terminal in Ceyhan to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, according to Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. “I believe a Basra-Ceyhan pipeline could be ext»»»
Hamas Gives ‘Positive Response’ in Cairo, Raising Hopes of Near-Term Deal
Sources within Hamas said the group’s delegation in Cairo has delivered a “positive response” to a revised proposal from mediators, particularly Egypt, potentially paving the way for an agreement on Gaza soon. Negotiations on the deal remain stalled. Hamas and other factions insist Israel must firs»»»
UAE sees inbound travel rush as schools reopen, despite flight constraints
Dubai: UAE travel agents report a surge in inbound travel demand over the next two weeks as schools reopen, with thousands of residents returning after weeks of disruption caused by regional tensions and flight cancellations. The rebound comes after a volatile period for the aviation sector, during»»»
North Korea tests cluster warheads on ballistic missiles - UPI.com
North Korea tested cluster bomb and fragmentation mine warheads on tactical ballistic missiles, state-run media reported Monday. Photo by KCNA/EPA SEOUL, April 20 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test-launch of tactical ballistic missiles carrying cluster bomb and fragmentation mi»»»
Oil prices jump, dollar strengthens as Hormuz tensions escalate
London, April 20 (SANA) Oil prices rose by more than 7% on Monday and the U.S. dollar strengthened as tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz following renewed U.S.-Iran disputes. The price surge came after the strategic waterway closed again, with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of vi»»»
Syrian delegation discusses recovery support with World Bank at Spring Meetings
Washington, April 20 (SANA) The Syrian delegation participating in the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings held talks with World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde on expanding support for recovery projects in Syria. The delegation, led by Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh and Cen»»»
Eight taken to hospital after South Korea marathon in 30C
Seoul: Eight runners were taken to hospital with heat-related illnesses after a marathon near South Korea's demilitarised zone with North Korea took place amid record temperatures, local authorities told AFP on Monday. The DMZ Peace Marathon in the city of Paju allows participants to test their met»»»
Fresh to strong winds expected throughout the week
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Meteorology Department said the country is expected to be affected by northerly winds from today Monday, April 20, 2026 until the end of the week ranging between fresh and strong winds. A marine warning for today was also issued as the wave height ranges between 2 to 4ft and »»»
Numisma bank discusses with Central Bank of Libya continued foreign currency supply
Naji Issa, Governor of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), and his accompanying delegation, met last Thursday (16 April) with Vivek Tyagi, Chairman and CEO of Numisma Bank (the contracted supplier of US dollars to the CBL), and Randal Quarles, a member of the bank’s Advisory Committee and former Vice »»»
QSE index opens lower
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) general index opened lower on Monday, losing 43.89 points, or 0.41%, falling to 10,674 points, compared to the previous session's close, under pressure from six sectors. The market was weighed down by the Banks and Financial Services sector by (-0.60%), T»»»
SJC, Public Prosecution to auction over 40 pieces of seized gold jewellery
Doha, Qatar: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has announced that it will conduct a public auction of seized valuable items through the Courts Auctions application. In a social media post, it stated that the auction of gold jewellery will be held in coordination with the Public Prosecution and wil»»»
Bulgaria's pro-Russian former president takes strong lead
Bulgaria’s ex-president Rumen Radev is on course to win a parliamentary election, according to exit polls, but may fall short of a governing majority. His Progressive Bulgaria coalition leads with, in a vote marked by low turnout and deep political instability, the country’s eighth elect»»»
Why My Children Learn to Speak Chinese
As UN Chinese Language Day is marked around the globe, it is worth reflecting on a broader reality: We have long since moved beyond the strange unipolar moment that followed the Cold War. By Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Sputnik's parent media group Rossiya SegodnyaPower is no longer c»»»
Why are we still policing women’s bodies? From Patralekha to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Bollywood needs to do better
Dubai: There’s something deeply exhausting about how predictable the outrage cycle around women’s bodies in Bollywood has become. A woman gains weight, shows up in public after giving birth to a tiny human, or simply exists outside the narrow bandwidth of “acceptable beauty" and suddenly, her body »»»
Apple to release new Siri voice assistant design in iOS 27
Washington, USA: Apple plans to redesign its Siri voice assistant in iOS 27, according to technical reports linked to the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC26) scheduled for next June. Bloomberg said that the new design for Siri includes a visual interface based on glow effects inspired by the c»»»
France's New Nuclear Strategy to Weaken Security in Europe - Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The security of non-nuclear European countries will ultimately be weakened by France's plans to deploy nuclear weapons on their territory, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with Sputnik. "As a result, instead of the French declaring a strength»»»
Israel army warns Lebanese against returning to south
Israel's military on Monday warned Lebanese civilians against returning to dozens of villages in southern Lebanon, claiming Hezbollah's activities in the area were violating a ceasefire agreement struck last week. Thousands of displaced residents have begun making their way back to parts of souther»»»
Israel says image of soldier striking Jesus statue in Lebanon is authentic
Israel's army said Monday it had determined that an image circulating on social media showing one of its soldiers in south Lebanon hitting a statue of Jesus Christ is authentic. The image appears to show an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head on a statue of a crucified Jesus tha»»»
Iran Warns of Imminent Response to US Piracy
The spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters warned that the latest act of “piracy” by US military forces against an Iranian trade vessel will soon be met with retaliation. “The aggressive United States, by violating the ceasefire and engaging in maritime banditry, attacked one of »»»
UAE property market jumps in Q1 with strong gains across all emirates
Dubai: The UAE’s real estate sector delivered a strong start to 2026, with transaction volumes and values rising across all major emirates, pointing to sustained investor demand and continued momentum in the property market. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Data from Du»»»
Counterpoint: Philippines cannot afford romantic anti-development politics
Manila: Fiery attacks or protests against the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) and the idea of “Pax Silica” Initiative (PSI) tap into a familiar reflex in Philippine politics. Last week (April 2026), Manila signed up as the 13th member of PSI, resulting in the planned establishment of a "giant" 16 km²»»»
Progressive Bulgaria Wins Most Votes in Greece Voting Sections, Preliminary Results Show
Progressive Bulgaria received the most votes in the Bulgarian snap parliamentary elections at voting sections in Greece, according to 95.74% of processed tally sheets as of 08:00 AM Monday morning, data published on the website of the Central Election Commission show. According to the data, 2,061 B»»»
Israeli soldier photographed smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon, triggering IDF investigation
The Israeli military launched an investigation after a photograph circulated on social media showing an IDF soldier smashing the head of a statue of Jesus. The soldier appeared to hit the statue with a mallet in southern Lebanon. »»»
Israeli soldier photographed smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon, triggering IDF investigation
The Israeli military launched an investigation after a photograph circulated on social media showing an IDF soldier smashing the head of a statue of Jesus. The soldier appeared to hit the statue with a mallet in southern Lebanon. »»»
Russia’s inflation fight faces push-me-pull-you pressures
Russia’s economy slowed in the first quarter of 2026 broadly as policymakers had anticipated, but the Central Bank of Russia now faces a more complex task as persistent domestic price pressures collide with fresh geopolitical risks abroad. »»»
On This Day, April 20: Deepwater Horizon explosion, oil spill kills 11 - UPI.com
On April 20, 2010, an explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon BP oil rig off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 workers and caused a massive oil spill. 1 of 5 | Fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon off the coast of New Orle»»»
Five wounded in shooting near University of Iowa campus - UPI.com
Authorities in Iowa City are asking the public for help identifying five people of interest related to the early Sunday shooting that left five people wounded. Photo courtesy Iowa City Police Department/Release April 20 (UPI) -- Five people were wounded in a shooting near the campus of the Universi»»»
Libyan-Moroccan Business Forum to be held on 8 June in Casablanca
The Libyan Business Council (LBC) informed that it is co-convening a Libyan-Moroccan Business Forum on 8 June in Casablanca. The LBC said the holding of the forum comes based on the decision of the Chairman of the LBC to establish the Libyan-Moroccan Business Council, and following discussions with»»»
OneClickDrive strengthens used car platform for sellers and international buyers in Dubai
OneClickDrive, the UAE-based mobility marketplace, is reinforcing its position in Dubai's pre-owned vehicle market by expanding its focus on connecting local sellers with a growing base of buyers, including international trade buyers sourcing vehicles from the emirate. The platform, which initially»»»
Dubai Islands project moves ahead with Dh527m infrastructure award
Dubai: Nakheel has awarded a Dh527 million contract for infrastructure works on Island B at Dubai Islands, marking further progress on one of Dubai’s largest coastal developments. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The contract has been awarded to Al Nasr Contracting Comp»»»
Israeli Intelligence Reveals Major Fracture in Iran’s Leadership
Tel Aviv has confirmed a major fracture in the Iranian leadership, which implies a partial collapse of the regime in Tehran in wake of the US-Israeli war on Iran, revealed a report by the Military Intelligence Directorate of the Israeli Army (Aman). According to Aman, the absence of Supreme Leader »»»
Ahli Bank net profit surges by 2.8% to QR236m for Q1 2026
Doha, Qatar: Ahlibank (ABQK) announced a net profit of QR236m for the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, compared to QR229m for the same period in 2025, representing a growth of 2.8%. This performance reflects the bank’s continued disciplined approach to managing its core business, strong financial founda»»»
North Korea fired cluster bombs in latest weapons test, state media reports
North Korea fired cluster munitions, which are banned under an international convention, in its latest weapons test, state media reported on Monday.The launch of Sunday followed other tests in recent weeks of weaponry including ballistic missiles and anti-warship cruise missiles. North Korea f»»»
Ukrainian Drones Kill Man in South Russia
A Ukrainian drone attack killed a man and wounded another in the resort city of Tuapse on the Black Sea in southern Russia, the regional governor said Monday. It was the second assault on the seaport in a matter of days, with drone debris damaging windows in buildings across the city, including apa»»»
Study: Romanians rank third globally among most generous Revolut users
Revolut customers in Romania completed more than 324,000 donation transactions over the past year, ranking third globally by total amounts donated, behind only Irish and British users.According to the company's internal data published on Tuesday, Romanians donated more than EUR 464,000 over the pas»»»
Romania's insurance market up by 10% in 2025, to 25.8 billion lei
Romania's insurance market continued to grow in 2025, with the total volume of gross written premiums reaching approximately 25.8 billion lei, up 10% compared with the previous year, according to a statement from the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF).According to the cited source, the evolution»»»
Home insurance payouts reach RON 209 million in 2025, up 14%
Insurance companies paid out RON 209 million (EUR approx. 42 million) in 2025 to repair insured homes, up 14% year-on-year, according to data from the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), cited in a press release by the National Union of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies of Romania.According to»»»