Iran slammed a US blockade around its ports on Monday as a "grave violation" of its sovereignty, as Washington and Tehran's belligerent rhetoric rattled a fragile truce. "The imposition of a maritime blockade constitutes a grave violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic »»»

Chants of “Europe, Europe, Europe” rose from the banks of the Danube as the final results in Hungary’s historic election were released. Opposition leader Peter Magyar won by a landslide, putting Hungary on a new course »»»

Hungarian prime minister-designate Peter Magyar called on President Tamas Sulyok to step down from office at his first international press conference on April 12, saying the Tisza Party would otherwise find a way to remove him. He stressed that the new government would restore the rule of law »»»

US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that any Iranian "fast-attack" ships that go near a US maritime blockade on Iran would be eliminated. "What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, 'fast attack ships,' because we did not consider them much of a threat. Warning: If any o»»»

A Paris court on Monday found cement maker Holcim's Lafarge unit guilty of charges that its Syrian subsidiary financed terrorism and breached European sanctions to keep a plant operating in northern Syria during the country's civil war. The case was the first time a company has been tried in France»»»

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged Lebanon to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington on Tuesday, reiterating his group's rejection of direct negotiations with its foe. Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon and displaced more than a million since the Iran-backed g»»»

Dubai: UAE residents are still eager to travel this summer, but soaring airfares and reduced flight availability due to the global jet fuel crunch are forcing many families to adopt a wait and watch approach to bookings, according to several travel agents. Travel companies say the biggest issue rig»»»

The US military began a blockade of Iran's ports, angering Tehran and adding uncertainty around the crucial waterway, although hopes for dialogue to end the war provided some relief to oil markets where benchmark prices fell below $100 on Tuesday. After a breakdown of weekend talks in Islamabad bet»»»

Pope Leo XIV on Monday responded to the extraordinary broadside against him posted by US President Donald Trump the day before, saying that his appeals for peace are rooted in the Gospel and that that he is not afraid of Trump’s administration. Trump had accused the Chicago-born pontiff of being “v»»»

Iran executed at least 1,639 people last year, an average of more than four executions per day, Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty said in their joint annual report, warning that the regime risked killing even more people this year after protests in Ja»»»

​A Paris court ​on Monday found cement maker Lafarge, now owned by Switzerland's Holcim, guilty ​of ‌paying the Islamic State group and other jihadists to ⁠keep a plant operating in northern Syria ​during the country's ‌civil war. The company's former CEO was sentenced to six years' prison.&nb»»»

Benin voters cast their ballots for the country's next president Sunday, with current Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni expected to win handily over the sole opposition candidate Paul Hounkpè. Results are expected earlier in the week. Benin election officials began counting votes after Sun»»»

As global attention remains focused on the Middle East, a parallel contest of influence is unfolding in the Far North, where NATO troops have recently carried out a large-scale exercise simulating a Russian invasion. Armoured vehicles, ships, helicopters, and thousands of soldiers braved sub-zero c»»»

Peter Magyar's landslide victory over Viktor Orban in Sunday’s Hungarian legislative elections marks a seismic shift for Hungary and the EU, but Brussels may need to temper its enthusiasm. On the rule of law, migration and LGBTQ rights, the road ahead is neither straight nor guaranteed. The images »»»

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, has been formally charged with corruption following a years-long investigation, a court ruling said on Monday. The probe, opened in 2024, examines whether she used her position for private gain, allegations she and Sanchez deny, increasing »»»

WASHINGTON: A majority of US Catholic voters supported Donald Trump in his 2024 presidential victory. Yet across the broad Catholic political spectrum – even among conservative-leaning bishops – there is dismay over Trump’s unprecedented verbal assault on Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead th»»»

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, on Monday announced that he will retire from Congress amid an investigation into his behavior with more than one of his staffers and a bipartisan move by the House of Representatives to expel him from the Congress. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Apri»»»

The U.S. military under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Monday that it had attacked an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. military on Monday conducted another strike of an alleged »»»

Ras Al Khaimah: The Ras Al Khaimah Court of First Instance has overturned a one-year jail sentence issued in absentia against a 49-year-old Gulf national, replacing it with a Dh10,000 fine after accepting his opposition and citing medical evidence and gaps in the prosecution’s case. In its ruling d»»»

For over 40 days, talks about conflict punctuated daily life. Phones sent warnings at different times of the day and night, and most tried to adjust to a 'new normal' that slowly seeped into their routines. While adults searched for ways to get through each day, they also had to find ways to calm t»»»

Ajman: When His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, called on citizens and residents to raise the national flag above homes, institutions and buildings, most responded by hoisting the UAE flag in a show of solidarity and n»»»

ABU DHABI: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has discussed regional developments during telephone conversations with several foreign ministers of brotherly and friendly nations, following the unprovoked and terrorist Iranian missile attacks »»»

The United States and Iran are in active discussions about holding another round of face-to-face negotiations aimed at securing a longer-term ceasefire and preventing renewed conflict after recent talks in Pakistan ended without a deal, Bloomberg reported, citing "people familiar with the matter". »»»

Share: Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has rejected negotiations between the Lebanese government and Israel, set to begin tomorrow, and called on Lebanon’s president to stand with Hezbollah against Israel. “We reject negotiations with the usurping Israeli entity… We call for a historic and heroic stanc»»»

Khaled Al Hameidi Doha In recent weeks, social media platforms in Qatar have witnessed a notable surge in constructive and responsible engagement, reflecting a broader shift in public awareness amid rapidly unfolding events and an overwhelming flow of information. Users across the country have demo»»»

QNA Doha Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has emphasized the need for all parties to respond positively to ongoing mediation efforts, calling for dialogue and peaceful means to address the root causes of the crisis and reach a sus»»»

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem maintained on Monday that Lebanon is facing an aggression which does not observe any humanitarian or moral consideration, stressing that it is a clear occupation. In a televised speech, Sheikh Qassem said, “We remained steadfast, the fighters stood fir»»»

Singapore: Gold prices fell Monday, pressured by a stronger dollar and renewed inflation fears that overshadowed expectations of future interest rate cuts. Spot gold fell 0.3 percent to USD 4,734.50 an ounce, after hitting its lowest level since April 7 earlier in the session. US gold futures also »»»

The US-Iran talks in Islamabad ended exactly as they were bound to end under the current balance of power – without a deal, without a handshake, without even the faintest sense that the two sides have moved closer to a durable peace. Nearly 21 hours of talks, an unprecedented level of representatio»»»

US President Donald Trump has shared an AI-generated image of himself as a robed, Christ-like figure healing a bedridden man, flanked by eagles, fighter jets, and US service members, with the Statue of Liberty and the US flag in the background. The post triggered backlash, with some users suggestin»»»

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has received Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, to discuss regional developments and security challenges. The meeting addressed regional development»»»

Liverpool: Luis Enrique has warned Paris Saint-Germain to avoid falling into a "trap" against Liverpool as the Champions League holders aim to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday. PSG head to Anfield protecting a 2-0 lead from last week's quarter-final first-leg in Paris. Liverpool failed to record a »»»

A Ugandan man accused of stabbing four young children to death at a kindergarten in an attack that horrified the country pleaded not guilty to murder, as his trial began on Monday. Christopher Okello Onyum, who was arrested as he tried to flee the scene of the crime on April 2, denied the four coun»»»

BANGKOK: The Qatari beach volleyball team, consisting of the duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (Qatar Team 1), qualified for the round of 16 of the Samila Asian Open Tour Championship. The championship started on Sunday in Thailand with the participation of 27 teams representing 15 countries. Qa»»»

Hezbollah will not abide by any agreements that may result from the direct Lebanon-Israel talks in the United States, negotiations it firmly opposes, a senior Hezbollah official said Monday. Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's political council, spoke on the eve of the talks expected i»»»

President Donald Trump looks out the window with Eric Trump, executive vice president of Trump Organization Inc., left, and Natalie Harp, executive assistant to President Donald Trump, center, aboard Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House Friday. Trump's $10 billion suit against the Wall S»»»

Washington: The US blockade of Iranian ports took effect Monday evening, April 13, 2026. The US military announced that the blockade includes Iranian ports on the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that it will apply to all ships regardless of their flags. It cla»»»

Israel summoned Italy's ambassador Monday to protest after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Israel's "unacceptable attacks" on civilians in Lebanon during a visit to Beirut, an Italian diplomatic source said. Tajani, a senior member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, visited Be»»»

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday condemned US President Donald Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV as "unacceptable", after the US pontiff spoke out against the Middle East war. "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to co»»»

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has accused WhatsApp of misleading users about privacy, arguing that Telegram offers stronger protection for sensitive content. The Russian tech entrepreneur has repeatedly criticized Meta-owned WhatsApp’s security model, dismissing claims that the app cannot ac»»»

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Increased military preparations of the European Union make it obvious that it is getting ready for a major war against Russia, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Monday. "These large-scale military preparations leave no doubt a»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump warned Monday that any Iranian attack boats that approach the naval blockade he has ordered around the country's ports will be destroyed, despite international calls for a ceasefire to be respected and negotiations to resume. The US military said»»»

Manama, Bahrain: Bahrain has summoned a senior Iraqi diplomat to protest against continued "illegal" drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory targeting Bahrain and several other GCC states. According to the Bahrain News Agency, Director-General of Bilateral Relations at Bahrain's Ministry of For»»»

Israeli troops launched an attack on Monday to seize a key town in south Lebanon from Hezbollah fighters holed up there, pressing the war on the Iran-backed group on the eve of rare talks between Israeli and Lebanese government envoys. With the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States »»»

Dubai: A 23-year-old Gulf national has been fined Dh10,000 and had his driving licence suspended for three months after being convicted of driving under the influence of psychotropic substances, driving against traffic, and possessing drugs for personal use. The case began when a police patrol spot»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Sunday he was working to stop the Israel-Hezbollah war, even as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in south Lebanon that the fight there was far from over. The Lebanese Red Cross said in a statement that one of its paramedics had been killed in the south.»»»

President Joseph Aoun on Monday told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that "Lebanon hopes that the upcoming meeting tomorrow in Washington between the ambassadors of Lebanon, the United States, and Israel will result in an agreement on a ceasefire in Lebanon, paving the way for dire»»»

What will be the consequences for the United States of refraining from taking extreme measures against Iran? It is too early to say what kind of lasting order, if any, will emerge in the Middle East after the failure of the US and Israel’s campaign against Tehran. Yet the decision to avoid escalati»»»

Manila: Suspended Filipino Congressman Kiko Barzaga surrendered to authorities on Monday (April 13) hours after a Makati court issued an arrest warrant for eight counts of cyberlibel. This marks a dramatic turn in his legal woes. Barzaga, a neophyte lawmaker representing the 4th District of Cavite,»»»

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump said US forces would destroy any Iranian "fast attack ships" that approach the American naval blockade of Iranian ports that came into effect on Monday. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here."Warning: If»»»