Washington: Minister of Finance HE Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari held bilateral meetings with Secretary of the Treasury of the United State of America HE Scott Bessent; President of the World Bank Group HE Ajay Banga; and President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Zou Jiayi. Held on th»»»

Ankara , April 17 (SANA) Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the latest regional and international developments. The Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported that the trilateral meeting, held on the side»»»

Washington: Minister of Finance HE Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari held a series of bilateral meetings with Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy HE Giancarlo Giorgetti; Chancellor of the Exchequer of the UK HE Rachel Reeves; and First Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Economy, T»»»

US President Donald Trump’s war of words with Pope Leo XIV appears to have split his own MAGA movement. While a number of prominent Republicans have distanced themselves from the exchange, others have stepped in to reassure him of their continued support. Read more Trump casts himself as Jesus afte»»»

Washington, April 17 (SANA) Syrian Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh met the President of the OPEC Fund for International Development, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, to explore the resumption of the Fund’s activities in Syria, on the sidelines of Syria’s participation in the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetin»»»

Carnival Cruise Line must pay a California woman $300,000 in a lawsuit over serving her 14 shots of tequila before she fell down a stairwell and was injured. File Photo courtesy of Carnival April 17 (UPI) -- Carnival Cruise Line must pay a California woman $300,000 in a lawsuit over serving her 14 »»»

Heavy traffic develops before the Qasmiyeh Bridge as displaced residents return to their homes near Tyre, southern Lebanon, on Friday. Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day cease-fire, Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 17 (UPI) -- The Israel-Hezbollah war, temporarily halted by a»»»

The Cuban government attempted to open a direct back-channel with US President Donald Trump last week, tapping a private businessman to hand-deliver a sealed letter to the White House, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources. The reported message, which was ultimately intercept»»»

Share: Here is the latest about Lebanon and the war in Iran today: Iran’s foreign minister says in light of the ceasefire that has halted fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, “passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open,” via a desi»»»

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) said that people are the party’s top priority and stressed the need for a stable government to ensure a good living environment, quality education, and cultural development. The statement was made on Friday, the final day of the election campaign, by the p»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Ministry of Health: One martyr and two wounded as a result of an Israeli enemy raid on a bicycle and a motorcycle in the town of K»»»

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy says a new order is now in effect in the Strait of Hormuz following the Lebanon ceasefire and the current battlefield pause Under the new rules:Civilian vessels may transit only through routes designated by IranAll military ships remain banned from passing through th»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said, “Negotiations will never come at the expense of Lebanon’s rights, principles or sovereignty”, adding, “They reflect strength rather than weakness”. In an address to the nation, Aoun noted the ongoing negotiations are “not a sign of weakness, retreat or concessio»»»

The statei had said it planned to sue fossil fuel companies over climate change impacts. A judge on Friday blocked a lawsuit filed last year by former Attorney General Pam Bondi that attempted to prevent the state of Hawaii from filing suit against oil companies for their effects on climate change.»»»

People from the industry pose with a copy of the new mining law at Venezuela's National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 9. The law allows foreign investment and was introduced under acting President Delcy Rodriguez after a visit by U.S .Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in early March. Photo »»»

The U.S. State Department said Friday that President Donald Trump’s announced prohibition on Israeli strikes inside Lebanon applies only to offensive attacks and not to actions taken in self-defense, and referred to the third point of Wednesday’s agreement by Israel and Lebanon. That point says “Is»»»

Armed police patrol near the Israeli embassy as counter terrorism police investigate discarded items found in Kensington Gardens in London, Britain, on Friday. Photo by Tolga Akmen/EPA April 17 (UPI) -- London police closed down Kensington Gardens Friday after a video was shared online by a group m»»»

President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that Lebanon is on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements," after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force. "Now, we all stand before a new phase," Aoun said in his first speech to the nation since the truce, adding that "it is the »»»

Dario Amodei, the CEO of AI company Anthropic, is meeting with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Friday as his company remains in a legal battle with the Trump administration. File Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo April 17 (UPI) -- Dario Amodei, the CEO of AI company Anthropic, is meet»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that any future deal reached by the government would not cede any ‌territory or ‌undermine Lebanon's national ‌rights, ⁠without saying whether ⁠he was referring to prospective talks with Israel. The televised address was ⁠his first speech ‌since ‌the US»»»

In an address to the nation regarding the April 19 early parliamentary elections, President Iliana Iotova said: "Let us vote, but let us also think about the day after the elections, when we will live and work together." She added that once the political intrigue has died down, the urgent problems »»»

Raisa Atambayeva, the wife of former Kyrgyzstan’s president Almazbek Atambayev, has been summoned for questioning by the Interior Ministry, her daughter Aliya Atambayeva reported. Aliya Atambayeva said in an Instagram post that her mother had been served with a summons requiring her to appear at a »»»

Antalya (Turkiye): The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani; HE President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and HE Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif held Friday a joint meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026. Discuss»»»

An Association of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has been established in Kyrgyzstan, and the head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), Zhumgalbek Shabdanbekov, has been elected its President. According to the Association, the decision was made on April 17 at a meeting with representatives»»»

Velichie leader Ivelin Mihaylov called for a change in politics at the party's campaign closing event at the National Palace of Culture on Friday. "We must change politics. People need to see the change," Mihaylov said, adding that a new generation committed to working responsibly for the public is»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov received CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov on April 17, the presidential press service reported. During the meeting, the parties discussed strengthening collective security, countering modern threats, including extremism and terrorism, and increasing t»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday resisted demands he resign over revelations that his scandal-tainted pick for UK ambassador to Washington was appointed despite failing security checks. Starmer says he was not informed that the Foreign Office had overruled the recommendation of securit»»»

A new political formation, Progressive Bulgaria, was founded in Veliko Tarnovo on Friday, with former president (2017-2026) Rumen Radev unanimously elected as its leader. Radev said the party's creation responds to strong public expectations and expressed confidence that its programme would be tran»»»

Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the south killed one person on Friday, despite the start of a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The truce, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, went into force at midnight (Thursday 2100 GMT), seeking to end more than s»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States and Iran may conclude a deal within the next day or two, US President Donald Trump said on Friday. "The Iranians want to meet. They want to make a deal. I think a meeting will probably take place over the weekend. I think we will get a deal in the next day o»»»

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was offered a meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his government during her visit to Spain but she declined because she did not consider it "opportune", Sanchez said on Friday. Machado's lack of contact with any members of Spain's leftist »»»

US President Donald Trump told AFP on Friday there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close." Trump's comments came after a series of social media posts in which he touted progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending Iran's nuclear»»»

One of Thessaloniki’s last Holocaust survivors, Heinz Kounio, has died aged 98, an association representing Greece’s Jewish communities said Friday. The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, or KIS, described Kounio as an “emblematic figure” who was among the first Greek Jews to write abou»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump told AFP on Friday there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close." Trump's comments came after a series of social media posts in which he touted progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending Iran's nucle»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed Iran's announcement that the crucial Strait of Hormuz will reopen to shipping, but said a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a peace deal is signed. "THANK YOU!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, saying that Iran had announced »»»

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov and top-of-the-list candidate in Sliven Kliment Shopov called for support for Vazrazhdane during a meeting with citizens in Sliven, the party said in a press release on Friday. Speaking at the event, Shopov said the current situation requires decisive leadersh»»»

Continue the Change (CC) is the only party offering concrete measures to support families with children and young people in its election programme, Assen Vassilev, CC chair and top-of-the-list candidate of the Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria coalition for Haskovo’s 29th and Plovdiv City’s»»»

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has once again attacked the press, accusing journalists of producing an “endless stream of garbage” in their coverage of the Iran conflict and comparing the Pentagon media pool to the Pharisees, a Jewish group in the Bible who often clashed with Jesus. Hegseth, a fo»»»

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Krum Zarkov said in Silistra that his party expects an "unexpectedly good result" in the upcoming elections, during a meeting with voters alongside candidates from the BSP - United Left list. Zarkov said the campaign had taken place under conditions of an "unf»»»

Oil prices plunged by about 13% on Friday after Iran's foreign minister said passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz was open for the remaining ceasefire period and US President Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to never close the strait again. Brent crude futures fell $12.8»»»

Kosovo's parliament on Friday passed a law authorizing the potential deployment of a small number of troops to Gaza as part of a peacekeeping force proposed by US President Donald Trump. According to local media, the government intends to send 22 members of the Kosovo Security Force if the plan goe»»»

Fujairah: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah. During the meeting, Their Highnesses discussed a number of national issues in light of the UAE’s continued developme»»»

Antalya: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attended today the opening of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026, at the invitation of his brother President of the Republic of Turkiye HE Recep Tayyip Erdoğan . The opening ceremony was also attended by a number of Their Excellencies and Highnesse»»»

Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the south killed one person on Friday, despite the start of a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The truce, announced by US President Donald Trump, went into force at midnight (Thursday 2100 GMT), seeking to end more than six»»»

1 of 2 | A handout picture provided by the Vatican Media shows Pope Leo XIV and Cameroonian President Paul Biya shaking hands during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Wednesday. Pope Leo XIV held a mass Friday in Douala, Cameroon in a stadium with an estimated 120,000 pe»»»

Iran said Friday it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, but President Donald Trump said the American blockade on Iranian ships and ports “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragh»»»

These elections will not resolve the political crisis in Bulgaria; they may even deepen it, Blue Bulgaria Coalition co-founder Vili Lilkov said in Sofia as the coalition closed its election campaign on Friday. "This is why we must be prepared to run in the next elections. If not in early parliament»»»

Closing her election campaign in Haskovo on Friday, the leader of the Defiant Bulgaria National Movement party, Korneliya Ninova, called on all citizens to vote rationally rather than emotionally, and to remain defiant to the end, refusing to surrender or “sell out”. “We have proven over the years »»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday the United States had "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following a ceasefire deal, adding that Washington would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah. "Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A.»»»