Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Alikbek Dzhekshenkulov, has commented on remarks by Israeli President Isaac Herzog regarding the potential use of Kyrgyzstan by Iran to circumvent sanctions. He shared his views on social media. According to Dzhekshenkulov, such statements »»»

China scraps tariffs for all but one African nation 6 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKelly Ng Getty ImagesSino-African trade is marked by a growing imbalance in China's favour China will scrap tariffs for all African countries from Friday – except Eswatini, which maintains ties with Ta»»»

In a propaganda message released to the public, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei promised "new chapter" and "bright future" for the Gulf — "one without the United States". In his statement, Khamenei signaled a sweeping plan to assert Tehran’s authority over the strategic Strait of H»»»

President Iliana Iotova will visit Panagyurishte on Friday to join observances of the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the April Uprising, the press secretariat of the head of State said. The nationwide commemorations of this landmark anniversary are held under the auspices of President Iotova.»»»

Singapore: Singapore's prime minister warned Friday that economic growth will slow this year and some countries may slip into recession as the Middle East crisis keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed. In a May Day speech, Lawrence Wong said the war was not expected "to be over anytime soon" and supply »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services signed a cooperation agreement with the Workers Support and Insurance Fund to implement the “Sanad” project. This step reflects both parties’ commitment to strengthening the social welfare system and supporting initiatives tha»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Engineers Without Borders - Qatar programme and the Qatar Scientific Club discussed ways to integrate their efforts in providing engineering and technical services to the Qatari community during a coordination meeting. During the meeting, the Director of the Engineers Without Borde»»»

BusinessGlobal issuesGender investment gap — Are women catching up with men?Kyra KrallOnline brokers are tapping into the potential of female investors. Tailor-made products and branding campaigns are on the rise. Will this help bridge the gap between women and men when it comes to investing? https»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Protection and Social Rehabilitation Centre (Aman), one of the centres under the Qatar Social Work Foundation, has announced the winners of its “Journey of Safety” competition, which attracted strong participation from students across all educational stages. Launched in mid-January»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatari Hajj Mission has affirmed that a comprehensive, around-the-clock medical system is fully prepared to serve Qatari pilgrims during the upcoming Hajj season 2026 emphasising that pilgrim safety remains a top priority. The Medical Services Unit of the Mission announced its full»»»

Sao Tome: HE President of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe Carlos Vila Nova received the credentials of HE Yousef bin Mohammed Al Hail as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Non-Resident) to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. HE the Ambassador conveyed the g»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Qatar Chess Federation, has concluded the competitions of the third edition of the primary school chess project “Naqla.” The closing ceremony was attended by Dr. Ibrahim»»»

Doha, Qatar: Children in Qatar with complex diseases who once had to travel abroad for life-saving gene and cell therapies can now receive highly personalised treatment closer to home, thanks to Sidra Medicine’s Advanced Cell Therapy Core (ACTC). “The Advanced Cell Therapy Core brings together, und»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) has ramped up enforcement measures across the country’s travel and air cargo sector, shutting down four non-compliant agencies as part of a wide-ranging inspection campaign aimed at tightening oversight and protecting consumer rights. The campa»»»

The head of Syria's committee for combating illicit enrichment, Basel Al-Suwaidan, has revealed that settlements reached with prominent businessmen accused of ties with former president Bashar Al-Assad had returned to the state treasury as assets belonging to the Syrian people. In remarks to Asharq»»»

Dubai: Dubai has launched a new support portfolio for its creative sector, giving artists, cultural institutions and small businesses access to workspaces, grants, training, exhibition opportunities and wider public visibility. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Creat»»»

Russia's Soyuz-5 rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the first time, and the test launch proceeded as planned, Russian state space corporation Roscosmos said. "On April 30 at 21:00 Moscow time [18:00 GMT], the Soyuz-5 medium-class launch vehicle was launched from the 45th site at the B»»»

The Devil Wears Prada 2 review: Chic, relevant, but not sharp enoughDirector: David FrankelCast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stantly Tucci, Justin Theroux, Simone Ashley, Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu★★★Dubai: The timing couldn’t have been more uncanny. With Amazon powerhouses Jeff Bezos »»»

FORT COLLINS, Colorado: President Donald Trump granted a key approval Thursday for a major new oil pipeline from Canada into the US that’s been dubbed “Keystone Light” over its similarities to a contentious project blocked by the Biden administration. The three-foot-wide Bridger Pipeline Expansion »»»

TEHRAN: Tehran’s air defenses were activated to counter small aircraft and drones late Thursday, as the White House signalled that it will not be reined in by a congressional deadline on the Iran war. The Tasnim and Fars news agencies reported that air defense systems, heard in some parts of the Ir»»»

WASHINGTON: Many Republicans who have been uneasy with President Donald Trump’s war in Iran emphasized that there would be a May 1 deadline for Congress to intervene. But the date is now set to pass with no action from GOP lawmakers who continue to defer to the White House. Under the War Powers Res»»»

PARIS: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz as well as tensions in the Red Sea are reshaping trade routes, with Africa becoming a hub of global container ship traffic, according to logistics and maritime sources. Over the past two months, the blockade has also pushed shipowners to find alternative l»»»

Iran’s supreme leader defiantly vowed Thursday to protect the country’s nuclear and missile capabilities, which US President Donald Trump has sought to curtail through airstrikes and as part of a wider deal to cement the war’s shaky ceasefire. In a statement read by a state television anchor, Mojta»»»

The US embassy in Lebanon on Thursday urged a meeting between Lebanese and Israeli leaders as the health ministry said Israeli strikes on the country's south killed at least 17 people despite an ongoing ceasefire. Israeli and Lebanese representatives this month have met twice in Washington -- the f»»»

US President Donald Trump said that he will probably consider pulling out some US troops from Spain and Italy. "Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn't I? Italy has not been of any help to us, and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible," Trump told reporters, when asked whether he will»»»

Russia takes seriously statements in NATO and EU countries about a possible blockade of the Kaliningrad Region and will respond decisively to any such attempts, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Artyom Bulatov told Sputnik. "We take such public statements very seriously. Unfortunately, t»»»

Iran said on Thursday it would respond with "long and painful strikes" on US positions if Washington renewed attacks and restated its claim to the Strait of Hormuz, complicating US plans for a coalition to reopen the waterway. Two months into the US-Israeli war with Iran, the vital sea channel rema»»»

RIYADH: Khalid Al-Ghannam is making a compelling case for a return to the Saudi national team in time for the World Cup this summer, not least after his starring role in Al-Ettifaq’s 3-1 away victory over Al-Okhdood in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday. It was the 11th league goal of the season for »»»

A psychologist testified at the trial over Diego Maradona’s death, saying the football legend had bipolar disorder, narcissistic personality traits and addiction issues on Thursday in Buenos Aires. The comments came during proceedings into alleged medical negligence following his 2020 death at age »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said its Qiwa labor platform surpassed two million registered establishments in the first quarter of 2026, alongside 13 million workers and 12 million documented employment contracts, underscoring rapid digitalization of the »»»

Iran's supreme leader declared Thursday that the United States had suffered a shameful defeat, defiantly rejecting a warning from President Donald Trump that an economically punishing US naval blockade could be enforced for months to come. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Oliver McTernan, »»»

Dubai: Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) has not cut jobs despite fluctuations in demand linked to the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted regional travel and mobility patterns. The DFM-listed company’s chief executive told Gulf News that business has remained “f»»»

In a sharp social media jab amid escalating US-Iran tensions, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament and a former IRGC commander, mocked American efforts to pressure Tehran through naval blockade and sanctions. Ghalibaf posted a map overlay comparing Iran’s extensive borders to hypo»»»

Pop star Britney Spears on Thursday was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, prosecutors outside Los Angeles said -- but she could avoid jail time with a plea deal. The criminal complaint does not specify which substance the 44-year-old singer was allegedly using when she »»»

James Garfield Broadnax was executed Thursday evening in Huntsville, Texas, for the June 2008 double murder of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler. Photo courtesy of Texas Department of Criminal Justice April 30 (UPI) -- The state of Texas on Thursday evening executed a 37-year-old man convicted of a d»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s banking sector continues to demonstrate strong resilience and global competitiveness, underpinned by robust regulation, ample liquidity and a diversified economic base, according to Sheikh Mohammed bin Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Chairman of United Arab Bank (UAB). In an intervie»»»

U.S. lawmaker pledges to be 'voice' for defectors, expand broadcasts 1 of 4 | Rep. Young Kim, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, leads a roundtable with 11 North Korean defectors at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on Tuesday. Photo by Asia »»»

Dubai: Fair skies and intermittent cloud cover will prevail across the UAE on Friday, with temperatures climbing into the high 30s along coastal areas and exceeding 40°C inland, as light to moderate winds sweep across the country. According to the National Centre of Meteorology, conditions will rem»»»

President Donald Trump said Thursday he may pull US troops from Italy and Spain due to their opposition to the Iran war, a day after proposing a similar reduction in Germany. "Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn't I?" Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he would consider »»»

BEIRUT: The US embassy in Lebanon on Thursday urged a meeting between Lebanese and Israeli leaders as the health ministry said Israeli strikes on the country’s south killed at least 17 people despite an ongoing ceasefire. Israeli and Lebanese representatives this month have met twice in Washington »»»

WASHINGTON: Federal prosecutors released a video Thursday showing the moment authorities say a man armed with guns and knives tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and attempt to kill President Donald Trump. Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington, posted the video»»»

Share: A message lighting up Times Square , New York City center: last weekend “Neighboring nations deserve better than what stands between them”. The US embassy in Lebanon on Thursday urged a meeting between Lebanese and Israeli leaders as the health ministry said Israeli strikes on the country’s »»»

Dubai: The United States is considering deploying one of its most advanced weapons systems in the Iran conflict — a hypersonic missile known as “Dark Eagle” — in a move that could signal a new phase of escalation even as a fragile ceasefire holds, media reports said. The system, formally called the»»»

Chris Wood scored from the penalty spot to give Nottingham Forest a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their all-English Europa League semifinal on Thursday. In a matchup of two teams hoping to revive former European glory, the win at the City Ground puts Forest a step closer to what »»»

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval. The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defense Secr»»»

President Donald Trump dropped tariffs on whiskey coming out of the United Kingdom -- scotch, in particular -- after King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded their trip to the United States this week. File Photo by Billie Jean Shaw/UPI April 30 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Thursday lifted tar»»»

GENEVA: Rainfall is likely to be below normal during the June–September 2026 southwest monsoon season across much of South Asia, with the strongest signal over central regions, according to a new seasonal forecast which will help millions of people prepare. A few parts of the north-western, north-e»»»

FIFA said Thursday it will review its ticketing strategy for the 2030 World Cup after a backlash over soaring prices for the 2026 tournament in North America, as officials defended costs as a reflection of demand while acknowledging fan anger. FIFA said Thursday it will review its ticketing strateg»»»

A fresh Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Black Sea ​port of Tuapse, the fourth in the past week, sparked a fire at the sea terminal but caused no injuries, local officials said early on Friday. Tuapse has come under repeated attack, particularly the Black Sea port’s oil terminal. The strikes have»»»

NEW YORK: A massive, fiery explosion at a house in Queens sent several New York City police officers flying through the air early Thursday morning as they were responding to a call of a man inside armed with a knife and the smell of gas. Eight officers were treated for minor injuries — including bu»»»