Beirut, Leabnon: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has described ongoing direct negotiations with Israel as "delicate and pivotal", urging national unity as Lebanon navigates a crucial phase under international scrutiny on Friday, April 17, 2026. In remarks released by the Lebanese presidency on Frida»»»

Passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is now completely open, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared on Friday. He added that the waterway will remain open for the remainder of the ceasefire in Lebanon. Araghchi’s announcement came shortly after a 10-day tr»»»

Dubai: Most schools across the UAE are set to welcome students back to classrooms from Monday, ending more than 40 days of distance learning introduced in response to regional conflict linked to the US-Israel Iran war. However, while campuses reopen, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said school tran»»»

New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi struck a light-hearted note in the Lok Sabha on Friday during a debate on the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill and delimitation, drawing laughter when he remarked that both he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi do not have “wife issues”. The Leader of the Opposit»»»

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that, in connection with the Lebanon ceasefire, passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is fully open for the duration of the truce. "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of »»»

Dubai: St. Regis, The Palm in Dubai confirmed Friday that parts of the property will be unavailable from mid-April as it begins refurbishment works. “As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering an exceptional luxury experience, we have embarked on a refurbishment project,” the hotel said in a m»»»

New Bulgarian University (NBU) is hosting a two-day international conference in Sofia marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, bringing together leading scholars from Europe, the United States and Bulgaria to reassess the political, social and health impacts of one of the wor»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that he hopes Hezbollah "acts nicely and well during this important period of time," shortly after he announced a ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. "It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!" Trum»»»

After 17 years in journalism, spanning local newsrooms, radio, and national television, Teodora Tompea is stepping into a new rhythm at Observator 16, where speed meets meaning and news reporting blends with storytelling. On March 16, she also hosted the 21st edition of the Business Review Awards G»»»

Hisense, a leading global brand in consumer electronics and home appliances, has unveiled its new 2026 RGB MiniLED TV range at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, underlining not only its latest advances in display technology but also the strength and maturity of its long-standing partnership with FIFA ahe»»»

The UAE has called for firm international action to safeguard sovereignty and protect global trade routes, warning that threats to maritime security and regional stability cannot be addressed through rhetoric alone. Speaking at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul, Saqr G»»»

Royal Grand Hotel and Spa in Kavarna has introduced therapies using sea mud enriched with calcium and magnesium, which have anti-stress and restorative effects, the hotel’s marketing manager Teodora Chaneva told BTA. "We offer combined packages for relaxation and recovery, weekend programmes, and t»»»

Washington: The UAE maintained security and continuity in the face of unprecedented and unprovoked attacks, a senior minister said, underscoring the country’s ability to respond swiftly while keeping daily life and institutions functioning without disruption. Speaking yesterday at the Semafor World»»»

Agriculture Minister Margaritis Schinas is expected to urge livestock farmers of Lesvos on Friday to comply with biosecurity measures aimed at containing foot-and-mouth disease, as authorities seek to curb its spread quickly. A delegation from the island has been invited to meet at 11 a.m. at the a»»»

Paris: The 2026 Paris Book Festival has opened in the French capital, drawing thousands of writers, publishers and readers from around the world for one of Europe's largest literary gatherings. Taking place at the Grand Palais, the three-day event runs until Sunday and features around 1,200 publish»»»

A 53-year-old Indian-origin woman who has lived in the United States for more than three decades has been detained by immigration authorities in Texas, triggering legal challenges and growing concern over her treatment. Meenu Batra, a court interpreter who has spent over 35 years in the US, was arr»»»

ANTALYA - Serbian PM Djuro Macut said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday that global governance mechanisms had an irreplaceable role but that regional cooperation was becoming increasingly important amid growing global uncertainty. Speaking at a panel titled The Role of Regional Ownership in »»»

Ras Al Khaimah: In line with the nationwide ‘Proud of the UAE’ initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the General Command of Ras Al Khaimah Police has introduced a new community-focused campaign featuring specially branded patrol vehicles. A number of police patr»»»

London: London shipping insurers have agreed to provide $1 billion in extra coverage for vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route paralysed by the Middle East war, in a statement seen by AFP on Friday April 17, 2026. Insurance firm Beazley said it would lead a "marine war»»»

Israel's defense minister said on Friday that the campaign against the militant group Hezbollah was not yet complete, just hours after a 10-day ceasefire came into force in Lebanon. "The ground maneuver into Lebanon and the strikes on Hezbollah have achieved many gains, but they are still not compl»»»

A 10-dy ceasefire agreement came after a meeting between Israel's and Lebanon’s ambassadors in Washington and a flurry of subsequent phone calls from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a White House official. They were the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries »»»

Milan: Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has encountered some jet fuel shortages at three airports in Italy, its chief executive said Friday, following warnings about supplies because of the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. "We had problems because of a shortage of jet fuel in three Italian airp»»»

London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday he was "furious" after it emerged his sacked US ambassador Peter Mandelson was appointed despite failing security vetting, as the scandal again threatens his hold on power. The beleaguered British leader, who has been dogged for months by the contr»»»

Macquarie invested in Evryo Group in 2021. Evryo Group is the owner of Distributie Energie Oltenia (DEO), a regulated electricity distribution network active in the south-western Romanian region of Oltenia. DEO develops, maintains, and operates the grid to safely supply electricity across 80,000 ki»»»

US President Donald Trump’s policy has ended up creating problems for Americans, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said, citing soaring energy prices linked to the war on Iran. Lula made the remarks in an interview with El Pais published on Thursday. “[Trump] is playing a very dange»»»

President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that direct negotiations with Israel were crucial, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and an upcoming meeting between their leaders. "Direct negotiations are crucial... and a ceasefire is the gateway to proce»»»

Tilak Pokharel, a spokesperson for the U.S. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon known as UNIFIL, said peacekeepers have not observed any airstrikes since midnight, when a 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. He said, however, that they had observed “artillery shelling in severa»»»

Abu Dhabi: Travellers flying from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai and Delhi in India will experience improved travel comfort. UAE’s national carrier Etihad Airways announced Friday that it plans to introduce the game-changing Airbus A321LR twice daily to these two Indian cities, complementing two daily wide-bo»»»

Five political entities are certain to gain parliamentary representation, but there is a high probability that a sixth could also enter. Declared voter readiness during the survey period ranges between 3.1 and 3.2 million voters. This is shown by data from a nationally representative survey by Gall»»»

Moscow on Friday backed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon and said it hoped the pause in fighting could pave the way for a longer-term agreement, as the fragile 10-day truce took hold. "We certainly welcome the decision on a truce and hope that in these few days it will indeed be p»»»

Share: The Lebanese army started reconstruction of some of the bridges bombed by Israel during its war with Hezbollah Here is the latest on Middle East war Hezbollah and Iran have indicated backing for the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, but both say they’re poised with their “fingers on the »»»

U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters regarding Iran on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday before departing on Marine One to travel to Las Vegas for a Republican Party event. Photo by Graeme Sloan/UPI | License Photo April 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump an»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe IRGC Intelligence: Lebanon’s 18-month resilience compelled the US-Israeli front to reassess its calculations 17-04-2026 14:28 PM Latest New»»»

Cairo: The Arab League strongly condemned Israel's appointment of an ambassador to the northwestern region of Somalia, known as Somaliland. In a statement, it said the move is invalid and illegal, calling it a serious escalation and a clear violation of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial unity, »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - There are currently no concrete initiatives for ending the Ukrainian conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. "We have informed our colleagues about the recent developments regarding efforts to address the Ukrainian crisis. No concrete initiatives are on t»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's proposal to export enriched uranium from Iran is currently not in demand from the United States, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. "Now this proposal is not in demand from the United States," Peskov told reporters. At the same time, Russia remains open to a»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Media: Lebanese Return South of Litani Another Reminder of Broken Promises 17-04-2026 14:12 PM People wave Hezbollah flags and an i»»»

Geneva: Last year was the deadliest on record for Rohingya refugees fleeing by sea, with deaths continuing to soar in 2026, the UN said Friday, after hundreds were lost in a shipwreck earlier this month. "In 2025, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay»»»

Police say phone fraud rings continue to operate using familiar tactics, despite repeated arrests and prosecutions, with suspects often returning to crime after release. Authorities describe a pattern in which offenders pose as accountants or power utility technicians, warning victims of supposed f»»»

Property Concept, one of the leading companies in Romania specialized in turnkey real estate investments, offering integrated services including sales, interior design, and property management, is rebranding as Alera, marking a new stage in its development. The company is targeting accelerated grow»»»

Dubai: A viral video claiming to show India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promoting a high-return investment scheme has been declared fake by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit. The clip, widely circulated on social media, falsely suggests that an initial investment of aroun»»»

WASHINGTON - At a reception in Washington, Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali urged international companies to become a part of EXPO 2027 Belgrade and Serbia's accelerated growth. "The EXPO in Belgrade is the biggest event in our history, but it is also the biggest event that »»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Global oil prices will fluctuate between $95 and $120 per barrel in the near future due to the Middle East conflict, Kyle Shostak, director of Navigator Principal Investors, told RIA Novosti. "My reading of the situation is that the Trump administration is hopeful that the bl»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The conflict in the Middle East, combined with the United States' blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, may ramp up interest in the Northern Sea Route, Subeom Choi, secretary general of the Korea Arctic Shipping Association, told RIA Novosti. "This crisis may strengthen global in»»»

Disruptions to fertilizer supplies caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran risk triggering a multi-year food crisis globally, World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Jose Andres has warned. Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have already driven up energy prices and rattled the global economy, disrupting»»»

Seoul: A South Korean oil tanker has transited the Red Sea for the first time since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Seoul's oceans ministry said on Friday. South Korea had taken steps to mitigate the risks to its energy supplies since US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February promp»»»

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to discuss on Friday, April 17, 2026, in Paris, with leaders of allied countries, a proposal to form a multinational force to ensure security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, following the consolida»»»

Cairo — Egypt expects its economy to grow between 4.8% and 5% in the third quarter of the current 2025/2026 fiscal year, reflecting continued resilience despite global uncertainty, according to Ahmed Kouchouk in statements reported by Asharq Bloomberg. Speaking on the sidelines of the Spring Meetin»»»

A fragile calm settled over parts of Lebanon on Friday as a 10-day ceasefire brokered by the United States took hold between Israel and Hezbollah, prompting thousands of displaced families to begin the journey home — even as uncertainty, destruction and Israeli warnings against going back to parts »»»

Paris: Executive Director of International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, said restoring energy production in the Middle East following the recent regional tension could take around two years. In press remarks on Friday, Birol noted that recovery timelines would vary from country to country, wit»»»