Trump has given no indication of how long the extension will last. The US leader's ceasefire is therefore considered indefinite, ex-ambassador to Iran Asif Durrani points out. The second round of US–Iran talks in Islamabad did not take place, as the two sides failed to agree on preliminary conditio»»»

Nepal's home minister stepped down Wednesday over growing criticism of his finances after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform. Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the Gen-Z protests last September that toppled Nepal's previous government, said he was stepping down to ensure »»»

Chisinau: A Chisinau court sentenced oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc to 19 years in prison on Wednesday in a case linked to the disappearance of $1.0 billion from the Moldovan banking system. A former businessman, lawmaker and kingpin in the Democratic Party of Moldova, Plahotniuc fled the country in »»»

A US Army nuclear surety official has reportedly described the rampant corruption he witnessed in Ukraine since the administration of US President Barack Obama. The interview was released by the media group run by the controversial journalist James O’Keefe, whose modus operandi is to send reporters»»»

Katmandu: Nepal’s home minister stepped down Wednesday over growing criticism of his finances after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform. Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the Gen-Z protests last September that toppled Nepal’s previous government, said he was stepping down »»»

President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov arrived at the Regional Ecological Summit taking place in Astana. A welcoming ceremony was held at the EXPO International Exhibition Center by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for President Sadyr Japarov. After a join»»»

Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority has announced the adoption of the “Advanced Agriculture 4.0” system, as part of its efforts to support digital transformation in the agricultural sector. Officials said the system marks a shift from traditional farming methods to a more modern, data-d»»»

Kuwait’s Court of Appeal has sentenced a lawyer to three years in prison with immediate effect after convicting him of posting misleading and false information via X platform that sparked public confusion over citizenship revocation cases. The State Security Circuit found that the defendant had exc»»»

A 22-year-old woman was killed and four children seriously injured after part of an old house collapsed during a wedding gathering in Kirkuk, local authorities said. The incident occurred as guests were preparing to bring in the bride; a section of the ageing structure gave way, turning the celebra»»»

President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov arrived at the Regional Ecological Summit taking place in Astana. A welcoming ceremony was held at the EXPO International Exhibition Center by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for President Sadyr Japarov. After a join»»»

The upper age limit for military reservists in Germany should be raised to 70 given that people stay fit longer, Bastian Ernst, the newly elected president of the country’s Reservists’ Association, has said. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Germany has pursued a major recru»»»

LG AI Research head Lim Woo-hyung (L) speaks with NVIDIA Vice President Bryan Catanzaro at the company’s head office in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo by LG Group SEOUL, April 22 (UPI) -- South Korea's LG AI Research said that it has agreed to strengthen cooperation with NVIDIA to develop next-generation »»»

Abu Dhabi: Indians in the UAE will need to use a new service provider for passport renewals, visa applications, and other consular services from July 1, after tour and travel firm Alhind Tours and Travels won a three-year contract to replace the long-standing operator BLS International. The Embassy»»»

Dubai: The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) has stepped up efforts to enhance worker welfare, conducting a field visit to the Arab Construction Company site as part of its ongoing drive to improve living and working conditions across the emirate. The visi»»»

Zurich: FIFA has announced the release of a new allocation of tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 50 days ahead of the tournament's kick off in North America. In a statement published on its official website, FIFA said fans will be able to purchase tickets for all 104 matches through FIFA's online»»»

DUBAI: The Liverpool Arab Arts Festival will return from July 17 to 26 across various venues in the British city, organizers announced this week. Now in its 24th year, the UK’s longest-running annual festival dedicated to Arab arts and culture will present a wide-ranging program celebrating creativ»»»

DHAHRAN: The Damiani-published coffee table book “Azzedine Alaia and Christian Dior, Two Masters of Haute Couture” gorgeously weaves together a thread of visual dialogue between these iconic 20th-century couturiers. Through photographs capturing these sculptural garments, it is a visually elegant f»»»

Khartoum: For nearly two years, Al-Shubbak watched through ancient grey eyes as Tuti, the crescent-shaped island in the heart of the Sudanese capital she calls home, emptied of its inhabitants under a punishing paramilitary siege. She refused to leave. "I didn't even move for the English when they »»»

Abu Dhabi: President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with Kenyan counterpart, Dr.William Samoei Ruto, who is currently visiting Abu Dhabi, to discuss bilateral relations and opportunities for developing cooperation in various»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met with HE Ahmed Al Sharaa, President of the Syrian Arab Republic, to discuss regional and international developments during a meeting held at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. At the beginning of the meeting, HH the Amir welcome»»»

Parliament of Kyrgyzstan approved Ulan Mamatkanov’s candidacy for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. The decision was made at a meeting of the Zhogorku Kenesh. Members of Parliament did not ask Mamatkanov questions; his candidacy was approved unanimously. The new acting Deputy»»»

The Health Ministry sent instructions to the regional health inspectorates on actions to be taken in cases of suspected violence and on the implementation of the Coordination Mechanism for Assistance and Support to Victims, the Ministry said on Facebook on Wednesday. The aim is for the mechanism to»»»

MAKKAH: The National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases in Makkah held a coordination meeting and simulation to implement a hypothetical plan for reducing animal health risks ahead of the Hajj season. Hosted at the headquarters of the Saudi Arabia Project for t»»»

A regional train traveling from Edessa to Thessaloniki in northern Greece was forced to stop early Wednesday after colliding with an animal on the tracks, causing damage to the front of the engine, railway operator Hellenic Train said. The incident involved service 1732, which came to a halt at 7.3»»»

Property owners have until June 15 to clear weeds and dry vegetation from their land or face fines, under new fire prevention rules that simplify requirements established three years ago. The obligation covers plots within city plans, open spaces, land within 100 meters of settlement boundaries, an»»»

DUBAI: The Liverpool Arab Arts Festival will return from July 17 to 26 across various venues in the British city, organizers announced this week. Now in its 24th year, the UK’s longest-running annual festival dedicated to Arab arts and culture will present a wide-ranging program celebrating creativ»»»

While Japan is at 206%, the US at 124%, and even major Global South carry far higher debt, Russia remains one of the most fiscally stable countries in the world.»»»

London: Israel could lose its observer status at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe over a new death penalty law, the assembly president has warned. The law could see Palestinians face execution for offenses including murder and terrorism if convicted in military courts in occupied»»»

Washington: The United States blocked a plane carrying nearly $500 million in banknotes from delivering the cash to Iraq, US media reported on Tuesday, piling pressure on Baghdad to fight Iran-backed militant groups. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington has suspended cash shipments to I»»»

Brussels: The European Commission (EU) proposed on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, a series of measures to address the repercussions of West Asia crisis on energy markets in European Union countries. The Commission said these measures include improving the distribution of aircraft fuel among bloc member»»»

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Kyrgyzstan’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ’B’ with a stable outlook, website of the agency says. The ratings reflect Kyrgyzstan’s modest fiscal deficits, low government debt burden, and strong growth prospects, driven by investments in the ene»»»

Kyiv, Ukraine: Ukraine will resume shipping Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia "within a few hours" Wednesday following the completion of repairs to the Druzhba pipeline damaged by a Russian attack, a Kyiv official told AFP. The pipeline has been at the centre of a standoff between Hungary and Slo»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has unveiled a new list of electronic services for the Urban Planning Affairs sector, marking a further step in the country's ongoing digital transformation efforts. In a statement shared on platform X, the ministry said the services are now available on it»»»

First Deputy Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh, Mederbek Aliev, met with Susanne Raab, Director General of the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), as part of his participation in the 26th Conference of the Alliance Against Trafficking in Persons in Vienna. The press service »»»

A working meeting was held at the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan with Igor Bugorsky, CEO of the largest importer of berry products, the Berry Union of the Russian Federation. During the meeting, berry production and the industry’s export potential we»»»

Israel’s latest land grab is dashing Lebanon’s hope of tapping offshore gas to solve its persistent energy shortage. Maritime energy prospects were the focus of a 2022 deal on a disputed border between the two nations. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) published a map of a “forward defense»»»

Dubai: The Central Bank of the UAE reported significant progress in Emiratisation across the banking, financial, and insurance sectors, with employment targets exceeded and compliance rates nearing full alignment by the end of 2025. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - »»»

At least two cargo ships reported being fired on near the key Strait of Hormuz shipping lane where Tehran is once again jockying with the United States for control in a long-simmering dispute illustrated by this view of Iranian navy speed boats conducting military exercises off southern Iran back i»»»

Dubai: The European Commission has launched a sweeping energy emergency package after the conflict in the Middle East pushed the bloc's fuel import costs up by €24 billion — without delivering a single additional unit of energy. The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a broad package of emerg»»»

RIYADH: The UAE’s real estate sector remained resilient in the first quarter of 2026 despite conflict in the Middle East, while office markets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi remained tight due to limited new supply, according to CBRE. In its latest report, the real estate consultancy said that average offi»»»

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev Wednesday urged the State to act beyond party interests after the April 19 snap parliamentary elections. "My task is to protect the interests of all Sofia residents - regardless of their political choice. And I expect the same from the state - an attitude driven not by pa»»»

Dubai: Airfares have been expected to rise again, with authorities increasing fuel surcharges to near-maximum levels. The Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has raised the passenger and cargo fuel surcharge to level 19 for the second half of April. In an advisory released today, the CAB has n»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has become an anchor investor in a newly launched exchange-traded fund by State Street Investment Management, one of the world’s largest asset managers. The newly launched ETF, State Street Saudi Arabia Enhanced Active Equity UCITS ETF, or SAQL, activel»»»

OSLO: Norway will take over planning ​for the Fen rare earth deposit — Europe’s largest — to speed up development after a resource upgrade nearly doubled its estimated size, the government said on Wednesday. Fen was estimated last month to hold 15.9 million metric tons of rare earth oxide in indica»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia started its Hajj flights on Wednesday with expanded access to the Makkah Route, as Saudi authorities added a new major Indonesian airport to the flagship initiative that streamlines immigration procedures for pilgrims. Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country, will »»»

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Wednesday that the military remained on high alert and was ready to return to fighting on all fronts, amid the fragile truces in Iran and Lebanon. “Since the inferno of October 7, we have been working to reestablish our military strength through conti»»»

A Russian national team has appeared at a major team sport event under the national flag and anthem for the first time since 2022. The women’s water polo team became the first Russian squad to participate in a competition in a full-fledged status after the World Aquatics lifted all the restrictions»»»

Abu Dhabi: President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed in a phone call on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco the developments taking place in the Middle East and their serious implications for regional and inter»»»

OneClickDrive, the mobility marketplace that has established a strong presence across the UAE and wider Middle East, has extended its platform to Morocco, offering travelers, residents, and tourists a structured way to compare and book vehicles across the country's major cities. The platform is now»»»

Berlin, April 22 (SANA) Lufthansa announced it will cancel around 20,000 flights from its schedule amid a sharp rise in fuel costs and growing concerns over jet fuel (kerosene) supplies, highlighting mounting pressure on Europe’s aviation sector. According to Germany’s Bild magazine, the airline sa»»»