Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Bank (QNB) expects the Indian economy to maintain robust growth despite global challenges and geopolitical volatility, projecting that strong domestic fundamentals will keep expansion above 6%, reinforcing its position among the world's fastest-growing major economies. I»»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Cyber Security Agency, NCSA, issued the Individuals’ Rights Guidelines that provide information to help understand rights under the Personal Data Privacy Protection Law. It urged individuals to know their rights, how to exercise these rights and their roles in the protecti»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iran Says It Reasserted Control of Strait of Hormuz, Citing US Piracy and Blockade 18-04-2026 13:38 PM The spokesperson for the Khatam al-A»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump's administration on Friday issued a month-long sanctions waiver allowing the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products that are at sea, extending an earlier move to soften surging energy prices. The license, issued by the Treasury Department, co»»»

Residents of the seaside settlement of Xifia near Monemvasia are raising concerns over a major tourism investment that they say will double the size of their sparsely built community and alter its character. The project began drawing attention a year and half ago, when a fenced worksite appeared on»»»

Bangkok, Thailand: The Thai government is closely monitoring the melioidosis situation amid the ongoing concern over the rising trend of infections, as a total of 732 cases have been recorded nationwide from Jan. 1 to April 16, with 23 deaths, an official said on Saturday. Deputy Government Spokesp»»»

Dubai: Several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have raised concerns over mounting risks to global food supplies, calling for a coordinated international action to safeguard supply chains amid ongoing global disruptions. The call has come during a meeting held at the Philippine Embassy in Rome»»»

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, GCC Secretary-General, welcomed the resolution adopted by the Legal Committee of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) during its 113th session, which strongly condemned Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as its attacks, threats against vessels in the r»»»

Paris, France: French film star Nathalie Baye, a multi-Cesar Award winner who starred in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me if You Can," has died at the age of 77, her family told AFP on Saturday. Baye, a stalwart of French cinema, starred in some 80 films and took home the best actress Cesar -- France's»»»

ANTALYA (Sputnik) - One of the goals of the US operation in Iran was to control the oil that passes through the Strait of Hormuz, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday. "I do not think there really were plans to destroy civilization. I think it is just a figure of speech. But the »»»

ANTALYA, Turkey (Sputnik) - The Strait of Hormuz is open for merchant shipping, with possible technical restrictions due to mines, but there is no blockade and there will not be one, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has said. "There is no uncertainty for us on this issue. I cannot »»»

Türkiye's top diplomat on Saturday accused Israel of creating an international "illusion" and using security concerns as a pretext to seize "more land," in the latest flare-up in escalating tensions between the two regional powers. Israel and Türkiye have been trading near-daily diplomatic barbs ov»»»

Egypt is working closely with Pakistan on a framework aimed at securing a lasting peace between the US and Iran, ⁠Foreign Minister Badr ⁠Abdelatty said on Saturday. He said Egypt, Türkiye, Pakistan and ⁠Saudi Arabia were coordinating a broader regional effort focused on preventing renewed escalatio»»»

Tehran: Iran's central military command announced on Saturday it would resume "strict management" of the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a decision to unblock the strategic channel as part of negotiations with Washington. In a statement shared on state television, the headquarters said Washington had b»»»

Karachi: Pakistan included four uncapped players in their squad announced Saturday for next month's two Test matches against Bangladesh, and also appointed Sarfaraz Ahmed as head coach. The matches, part of the World Test Championship (WTC) will be played in Dhaka (May 8-12) and Sylhet (12-16). Top»»»

Skopje, 17 April 2026 (MIA) - The Government remains committed to maintaining the macroeconomic and public finance stability, fiscal consolidation, accelerated and sustainable economic growth. It closely follows developments amid the global uncertainty and undertakes measurds to manage the challeng»»»

The Iranian military has once again closed free passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, citing what it described as US ‘piracy.’ On Friday, Tehran initially declared the waterway completely open for commercial vessels for the remaining period of the ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Leba»»»

Jos, Nigeria: Several of 14 people who were kidnapped on Wednesday in Nigeria's central Benue State have been rescued, local police said. Kidnappings for ransom are common in Nigeria, but Africa's most populous country has been faced a surge of such attacks for months, particularly in the northern »»»

Vienna: A supplier of baby food jars in Austria is recalling a line saying a lethal substance may have been introduced through tampering. The HiPP brand said it was recalling its "entire line of baby food jars sold at SPAR Austria" as "it cannot be ruled out that a hazardous substance was introduce»»»

Iran has said it is reinstating strict controls over the Strait of Hormuz, reversing an earlier move to ease transit as tensions with the United States escalate over an ongoing naval blockade. Iran’s central military command said on Saturday it would return to “strict management” of the strategic w»»»

The Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) announced last Wednesday (15 April) that it is to revalue its assets. This comes in line with its approved strategy and to reinforce its commitment to good governance principles and transparency and disclosure requirements, it said. This valuation project of it»»»

Iran's central military command announced on Saturday it would resume "strict management" of the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a decision to unblock the strategic channel as part of negotiations with Washington. In a statement shared on state television, the headquarters said Washington had broken a »»»

Iran's central military command announced on Saturday it would resume "strict management" of the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a decision to unblock the strategic channel as part of negotiations with Washington. In a statement shared on state television, the headquarters said Washington had broken a »»»

President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US would work alongside Iran, using “a lot of excavators” to recover Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium and bring it to the United States. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, however, reiterated that Iran would not give up the stockpi»»»

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the global economy’s ability to withstand crises depends on adopting a “unified strategic vision and swift reforms,” warning that excessive market optimism may be masking serious geopolitical risks, particularly conflicts that threaten supply security.»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s drive to develop homegrown tax expertise has gained momentum with the rollout of the first phase of the Emirati Tax Agent Programme, as authorities move to strengthen national capabilities in the sector supporting the country’s economy. The initiative, announced at the Emaar Square»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The Iranian armed forces have restored military control over the Strait of Hormuz due to the US blockade, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for the Khatam Al-Anbiya central headquarters of the Iranian military command, said on Saturday. "Unfortunately, the US … continues to engage »»»

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization has announced the partial reopening of the country’s airspace from 7:00 a.m. on April 18, following security and safety assessments. International transit routes through Iran's eastern airspace have now reopened, allowing foreign flights to pass through Iranian sk»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Pakistani Army: Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran came as part of ongoing efforts to end the war in the Middle East 18-04-2026 10:»»»

Iran’s parliament speaker has categorically refuted successive false claims made by US President Donald Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the rules set by the Islamic Republic concerning transit through the strategic waterway. In a post on X on Friday, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf wrote, “The US p»»»

A solar power plant will be built in Konorchok area of Kochkor district of Naryn region and will begin generating energy in 2027. It was announced during a meeting between Energy Minister of Kyrgyzstan Taalaibek Ibraev and World Bank Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John Gandolfo, which t»»»

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said the Golan Heights are “occupied Syrian land” and that any recognition of Israeli sovereignty there would be “null and void,” stressing that the international community does not accept Israel’s claim. Speaking at the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Sharaa said Is»»»

Tehran: Although the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the world's oil supply, has been declared fully open for commercial vessels, its operational status remains contested. Both Washington and Tehran confirmed on Friday that the strait had been completely open for all commercial vessels. Howe»»»

Sydney: Japan agreed on Saturday on a deal to provide Australia's navy with the first of almost a dozen stealth frigates, part of a wider military build up by Canberra aimed at boosting its long-range firepower to deter China. Under the deal announced last year and billed as one of Japan's biggest »»»

Global markets moved sharply on Friday after Iran said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels, prompting investors to rapidly reassess geopolitical supply risks. Iran’s foreign minister said the strait was fully open to all commercial shipping for the duration of the ceasefi»»»

The Ministry of Economy and Trade announced last Thursday (16 April) that its Minister, Suhail Abushiha, had approved the decisions for the formation of four foreign and joint venture (JV) companies to support the investment climate in several vital sectors. The Ministry said this comes within the »»»

Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) deal to supply Australia with warships, Tokyo's most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014. Defense Ministers Richard Marles and Shinjiro Koizumi signed a memorandum »»»

A 10-day ceasefire follows six weeks of fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than a million more from their homes in Lebanon. Much as the previous truce clinched in 2024, Israel can interpret or reinterpret the c»»»

Las Vegas: Paramount Skydance was on a charm offensive at CinemaCon this week, trying to convince theater owners that its megabucks deal to swallow Warner Bros. would be good for the industry. A glitzy promotional film narrated by Tom Cruise ended with the world's most bankable movie star sitting a»»»

The International Monetary Fund will likely provide Venezuela with a financial support program as part of its re-engagement with the South American oil exporter provided that certain conditions can be met, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. Georgieva told a press conference »»»

Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) deal to supply Australia with warships, Tokyo's most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014. Defense Ministers Richard Marles and Shinjiro Koizumi signed a memorandum »»»

On April 18, 1775, U.S. patriot Paul Revere began his famous ride through the Massachusetts countryside, crying out "The British are coming!" to rally the minutemen. 1 of 5 | On April 18, 1775, U.S. patriot Paul Revere began his famous ride through the Massachusetts countryside, crying out "The Bri»»»

Pakistan's powerful military chief and prime minister on Saturday concluded separate visits aimed at ending the Iran war, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and premier Shehbaz Sharif headed home from Turkey. Munir met Iran's top leadership and peace negotiators during a three-day visit t»»»

Iran has confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz will only be open under specific conditions, while warning of navigation restrictions as long as the blockade continues. Reza Talaei, spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Defense, announced that the Strait will only be accessible if a ceasefire is in place a»»»

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has conducted extensive field inspections across private schools in the emirate to assess their readiness for either a return to in-person learning or the continuation of remote education. The move underscores the authority’s commitment to »»»

London. April 18 (SANA) Shipping industry figures gave a cautious welcome Friday to Iran’s announcement that it was reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz trade route to commercial freight after nearly seven weeks closed. A spokesman for German transportation giant Hapag-Lloyd, which has ships stuc»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The easing of sanctions on Russian oil will affect over 100 million barrels of oil in transit, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) head and Russian special presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries Kirill Dmitriev said. On Saturday, comme»»»

Dubai Police have warned residents about a growing cyber fraud tactic involving fake QR codes being circulated through text messages, emails and even public spaces. Authorities said scammers are creating codes that appear legitimate, often luring users with offers such as prizes, discounts and excl»»»

Tehran's announcement on Friday that the critical Strait of Hormuz was reopen to commercial shipping for the remainder of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was followed by a flurry of social media posts by US President Donald Trump suggesting that a peace deal could be reached "soon". But Iranian offici»»»

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome Robert B. Murrett, retired Vice Admiral in the US Navy, Professor of Practice and Deputy Director of the Syracuse University's Institute for Security Policy and Law. The Israel-Lebanon and US-Iran ceasefires are at a critical juncture In the evolving geopolitical dyn»»»