Gold held largely steady on Friday and was on track for a fourth straight weekly gain, as hopes for a US-Iran peace deal eased fears of higher inflation and elevated interest rates. Spot gold eased 0.1% to $4,784.72 per ounce by 0646 GMT, but was up about 1% so far this week. US gold futures for Ju»»»

Beirut MPs representing most of Lebanon’s political parties met in the capital to support a government move declaring the city “safe and weapons-free,” following recent security incidents and Israeli strikes. The conference brought together most factions, except MPs from Hezbollah, the Amal Movemen»»»

Dubai: Lebanese civilians crossed the shattered remains of the Qasmiyeh bridge at sunrise Thursday, hours after Israeli strikes destroyed the crossing linking communities in southern Lebanon. A fragile ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel had just taken effect, prompting residents to return»»»

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) has suspended the operations of a meat processing facility in the village of Radinovo, near Plovdiv, after an inspection found multiple violations of hygiene requirements and meat without documentation, the agency said. In three cold storage rooms, inspectors»»»

Residents of southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs began returning to their towns and villages on Friday, as a 10-day ceasefire with the Israeli occupation took effect at midnight. The roads leading to southern Lebanon witnessed heavy traffic congestion, with large numbers of citizens head»»»

Nearly a week after their Pacific splashdown, the astronauts who crewed the Artemis II mission that flew around the Moon told reporters Thursday they have yet to fully grasp the magnitude of the moment. "It's been a week of medical testing, physical testing, doctors, science objectives," mission co»»»

A federal judge on Thursday ordered all above-ground construction of the White House ballroom to stop. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 17 (UPI) -- All above-ground construction of the White House ballroom must be stopped amid litigation, a federal judge ordered Thursday, reprima»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Army Radio quotes senior Israeli official: Lebanon ceasefire has been intrinsically linked to Tehran’s demands within talks with th»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem: The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has once again demonstrated the Israeli enemy’s failure to achieve its obje»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Army Radio: Senior Israeli official acknowledges Iran’s role in Lebanon ceasefire 17-04-2026 10:25 AM Latest News Urgent News Israe»»»

Dubai: At a time when headlines feel heavier than usual, South African comedian Robby Collins arrives in Dubai with none of the noise and with a very clear goal: make people laugh. The towering comic, currently performing with The Laughter Factory this weekend in Dubai, is in town during what many »»»

The US decision not to extend the New START treaty's limits after it expired — combined with attacks on Venezuela and Iran “create a strong incentive to acquire nuclear weapons as a tool of last resort for self-defense,” Russian economist Professor Alexander Dynkin tells Sputnik. The economist note»»»

Pakistani-flagged ‌tanker Shalamar has exited the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz carrying crude loaded from the United Arab Emirates, shipping data from Kpler and LSEG showed. The Aframax tanker exited the waterway on Thursday laden with about 440,000 barrels of Abu Dhabi's Das Blend crude loaded ea»»»

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom's welcome of the announcement by... Trump of a ceasefire in brotherly Lebanon. It also commended the significant positive role pl»»»

Air India has entered into a new interline partnership with WestJet, Canada’s leading leisure carrier, aimed at expanding connectivity between India and North America via Toronto and Vancouver. The agreement allows passengers to book single-ticket itineraries across both airlines, offering seamless»»»

A prehistoric hidden cave and hippo bones found beneath a Welsh castle could transform understanding of ancient life in Britain, researchers said Thursday, calling the site a "once-in-a-lifetime discovery". Previous small-scale excavations at Pembroke Castle have already uncovered evidence of early»»»

Türkiye hosts a high-stakes forum Friday bringing together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as Islamabad pushes diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war. Pakistan's powerful army chief met senior negotiators in Tehran on Thursday as Washington and Iran considered a fr»»»

A higher voter turnout is expected compared to the previous elections, with over 3.3 million people projected to go to the polls on April 19, around 60% of eligible voters living in the country, compared to 2.57 million who voted in the last parliamentary elections in October 2024, according to a p»»»

All eight people on board a helicopter were killed after it crashed in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, authorities confirmed to local media on Friday. The aircraft, an Airbus H130 operated by a local aviation company, lost contact just five minutes after taking off on Thursday morning from a »»»

Law enforcement officers have been detained in Jalal-Abad region for taking a bribe, the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) reported. According to the investigation, a deputy head of the regional police department and an investigator demanded $2,000 in exchange for terminati»»»

Washington, April 17 (SANA) Finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven (G7) countries on Thursday called for efforts to limit the global economic impact of prolonged conflict in the Middle East, urging progress toward lasting stability in the region. Reuters quoted a stateme»»»

On April 17, 2013, an explosion at a West, Texas, fertilizer plant killed 15 people, injured dozens and caused massive property damage in the community. 1 of 4 | Remains of a fertilizer plant and other buildings smolder after the plant exploded in West, Texas on April 17, 2013. File Photo by Larry »»»

Ajman: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman. Their Highnesses engaged in warm discuss»»»

Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre (AD Mobility) has announced temporary road closures around Wahat Al Karama for the “Run for the Nation” 5km community race on Saturday, April 18. The event, organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council in partnership with the Zayed Charity Run, will begin at 8am»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he was concerned that a ceasefire between militant group Hezbollah and Israel "may already be undermined by ongoing military operations." "I call for the safety of civilians on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Israel," he said on X. "Hezbo»»»

A ten-day ceasefire deal agreed between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday, as US President Donald Trump said he was trying to set up the first-ever face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries. The truce, which Trump said would begin at midnight local time in Lebanon and Isr»»»

An asteroid named after a god of chaos is heading toward Earth — but there is no need to panic just yet, according to The Independent. The massive rock is arriving for a historic flyby rather than a disaster, according to NASA. The encounter is still a few years away, but when it finally arrives, i»»»

US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went into effect between Lebanon and Israel. Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran coul»»»

Romania has a real potential for opening new export markets and the institutional dialogue and technical cooperation are essential for the Romanian producers stated the chairman of the National Sanitary Veterinary Authority and for Food Safety (ANSVSA), Alexandru Bociu after a meeting with Chen Fen»»»

The Government approved, on Thursday, a draft decision that stipulates that, for 2026, the maximum ceiling for contracting loans by local authorities is set at 3 billion lei both for the financing that can be contracted and for the related withdrawals.According to a press release from the Executive»»»

The European Commission (EC) has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether public support that Romania plans to grant for the refurbishment and lifetime extension of Unit 1 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant is in line with EU state aid rules.In January 2026, Romania notified the EC of i»»»

The Government has regulated the manner in which the Authority for State Assets Administration takes over budgetary claims of certain companies with majority or wholly state-owned capital.To this end, two emergency ordinances have been adopted, which will allow the state to pursue its strategic int»»»

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) announced on Thursday that it opposes the steps initiated by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu for the sale of "profitable state-owned companies", companies that have an essential role in the country's security architecture. It sa»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu said that during Thursday's government meeting she presented an exploratory list of state-owned companies with potential for stock-exchange listing.She clarified this after being asked whether CEC Bank and Bucharest Airports National Corporation are being consid»»»

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) threatens government collapse, demands Ilie Bolojan resignation amid ultimatum claims. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan paid a late-night visit to the National Liberal Party (PNL) headquarters in Bucharest, where some party members had gathered for their “traditional Ea»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd SC suffered a heartbreaking exit from the AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite, going down 5-4 on penalties to Vissel Kobe after a pulsating 3-3 draw in the quarter-final at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah yesterday. Substitute Jean Patric scored the winning»»»

The Veterinary, Livestock, Pasture, and Forage Development Service has conducted monitoring of dairy processing plant laboratories in Bishkek and Chui region, the Ministry of Agriculture reported. According to the ministry, dairy enterprises in Chui region received explanatory and practical assista»»»

Bankers from Kyrgyzstan and India discussed the integration of their national payment systems. Chairman of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almaz Baketaev, held talks in Washington, D.C. with the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Sanjay Malhotra. The parties also focused on prospects »»»

President Nicusor Dan said on Thursday that it is possible for Romania to get a minority government, but the essential question remains whether or not such an executive would enjoy parliamentary support.He said that "all options are on the table at the moment" and that, currently, he can see "the d»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday chair a meeting of allies to consider sending a multinational force to ensure security and free-flowing trade in the Strait of Hormuz once the current conflict between Iran and the US and Israel ends. Iran imposed the blo»»»

Washington: Robert Jimison, Megan Mineiro Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked the latest Democratic-led effort to curb President Trump’s authority to wage war on Iran, as a fragile ceasefire frays, dueling blockades choke traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and failed talks leave the next phas»»»

Five parties are certain to enter the next parliament, while three remain close to the 4% electoral threshold, according to a survey by the Myara polling agency. The data were collected for Bulgarian National Radio. The nationally representative survey was conducted between April 4 and 13 among 1,0»»»

Doha, Qatar: Samha Alseej stormed to victory in the Al Bidda Cup, producing a blistering late burst under jockey Arnaud de Lepine to land the Local Thoroughbred Graduation Plate feature at Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday. Making a winning debut, the filly – owned and trained by Jassim bin Hamad Al-A»»»

Doha, Qatar: Team Qatar delivered a standout performance to claim top honours in the CSISCH-A Children’s Team competition at the FEI Group VII Finals at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab yesterday. The hosts finished ahead of the United Arab Emirates, who took second place, while Saudi Arabia complet»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Arabi were crowned champions of the 13th Qatar Basketball Cup (2025–2026) after defeating Al Shamal 77-71 at Al Gharafa Hall yesterday, sealing their fifth title and third consecutive triumph. Al Arabi took early control, dominating the first quarter 24–13 with strong defensive pres»»»

The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025, ranking first among cities in Saudi Arabia in hotel occupancy rates, the Saudi Press Agency said on Friday. The figures reflect growing demand for the destination and the continued growth in tourism activity associated with vi»»»

A wolf that escaped from a zoo in the South Korean city of Daejeon was recaptured on Friday after nine days on the run, bringing to a close a saga that gripped the public as the elusive animal evaded earlier capture attempts. After a number of sightings following the escape of the 2-year-old male w»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Gold and Jewelry Committee of the Qatar Chamber (QC) recently held a joint meeting with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) to discuss key challenges facing the sector under current circumstances, along with proposed solutions. The meeting was chaired by Nasser bin Sulaima»»»

Doha, Qatar: The total earnings for Qatari-listed companies witnessed a gain of 3.7% during fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 to reach $3.1bn as compared to $3bn in Q4-2024. The surge in earnings was primarily driven by earnings growth in the Telecom, Capital Goods and F&B sectors. In terms of FY-2025, n»»»