The Hormuz Strait may be officially “open.” But for the moment, it is still operating more like a high‑risk exclusion zone than a normal shipping lane. News of a two‑week ceasefire briefly sent oil prices plunging and stock markets rallying. But that optimism quickly faded: only a handful of vessel»»»

US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy “a whole civilisation” in Iran has reignited calls to invoke the 25th Amendment and drawn condemnation across the political spectrum. Yet despite a growing chorus of critics, from Democrats to former MAGA allies, the mechanism remains politically out of»»»

Argentina's lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a bill backed by President Javier Milei to permit mining in glacier regions. Environmentalists and ​scientists have ‌warned that mining in in frozen parts of the Andes mountains would threaten water resources. The law takes effect»»»

Thousands of Palestinians prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque at dawn Thursday, according to Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the compound. For the first time in 41 days, Muslim worshippers returned to Al-Aqsa, which had been shuttered since the start of the war»»»

Pro-Iran groups have used artificial intelligence to create slick internet memes in English to try to shape the narrative during the war against the US and Israel and foster opposition to it. Analysts say the memes appear to be coming from groups linked to the government in Tehran and are part of a»»»

Iranians are divided between relief, disappointment, fear and anger after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire and possible peace plan between the USA and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other. The FRANCE 24 Observers team talked to several Iranians inside Iran to capture their responses an»»»

Israel and Lebanon are set to hold talks in Washington next week as tensions escalate over continued fighting in Lebanon and concerns grow that the fragile US-Iran ceasefire could collapse. The meeting comes amid heavy strikes, rising casualties, and renewed disputes over the scope of the truce and»»»

Two men and two women died on Thursday after being swept away by currents in the English Channel while trying to board a dinghy to travel from France to England.  Four people died on Thursday off the coast of northern France as they tried to board a small boat to cross the Channel to England, »»»

Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun arrived in China on Tuesday for a six-day visit. Although she has long advocated for Taiwan’s independence, she is now working to improve relations with Beijing. Taiwan's main opposition leader landed in China on Tuesday for a rare visit aimed at building cr»»»

An Ethiopian military base close to the Sudanese border is lending support to the Rapid Support Forces, according to a report by a research unit at Yale University released Wednesday. The Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) said analysis of satellite imagery and open-sour»»»

US President Donald Trump held talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday, the White House said, as he weighed leaving the alliance after it did not join the US in its war against Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was also considering withdrawing US troops from some NATO countrie»»»

Dubai: At just 19, Aabidah better known as Abibi, is already building a body of work that resonates far beyond her years. Working primarily with gouache, the UAE-based artist captures cultural moments and everyday objects, turning them into something deeply personal yet widely recognisable. “I’ve b»»»

Share: From Reagan’s resolve to today’s drift—how a war meant to tame Tehran left it controlling Hormuz and dictating Gulf security- The Arab Gulf has rarely looked this vulnerable. By : Ya Libnan Editorial Board What was presented as a war to weaken Iran has done the opposite. Instead of isolating»»»

Men between the ages of 18 years and 25 years already are required to register for the draft, which has not been held since 1973. The Selective Service System is poised to start automatic registration for the military draft in December. The last time the United States held a draft, it sent nearly 6»»»

US President Donald J. Trump said Wednesday that only one set of proposed terms is acceptable to the United States as it negotiates with Iran to solidify a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. In a statement released by the White House, Trump declared there is “only one group of meaningfu»»»

US President Donald J. Trump said Wednesday that only one set of proposed terms is acceptable to the United States as it negotiates with Iran to solidify a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. In a statement released by the White House, Trump declared there is “only one group of meaningfu»»»

President Donald Trump showed off a rendition of the East Wing with the new White House Ballroom in October to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a White House meeting. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 9 (UPI) -- The Trump administration on Thursday made the case that th»»»

Dubai: While millions of Keralites headed to polling booths across the state on Thursday, one Indian expat in the UAE did something that raised eyebrows and then smiles. Dubai resident Babu MC cast not one, but two votes in the Kerala Assembly Election 2026. And every bit of it was legal. Babu, who»»»

Venezuela on Thursday threw open the country's vast mineral reserves to private investment, less than three months after rolling back state control over the oil sector, in line with US demands. The South American country, which is undergoing a profound transformation following the US overthrow of l»»»

The Trump administration has cautioned Tehran against imposing fees on commercial vessels transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz, amid reports Iran has sought to charge tolls as part of cease-fire arrangements. The White House warned that if reports of charges are accurate, Tehran “better stop n»»»

Flowers are left near the scene after a gunman shot multiple people on April 17 at Florida State University, in Tallahassee. File Photo by Don Hayes/EPA-EFE April 9 (UPI) -- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced plans Thursday to open investigations into the artificial intelligence plat»»»

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at NATO over the inaction of European allies during the war with Iran. Trump, according to sources close to bloc chief Mark Rutte who spoke to Bloomberg, has issued an ultimatum to its members demanding a commitment to help secure the Strait of Hormuz “withi»»»

Israel's army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited ground troops in southern Lebanon on Thursday, telling them Hezbollah suffered a "heavy blow" from its major bombardment targeting the Iran-backed group a day earlier. "While you are operating and advancing at the front, yesterday we delivered a heavy»»»

In Beirut, Lebanon’s leadership signaled it is moving forward with its decision to keep negotiations in official hands, alongside efforts to place all weapons under state control. The government took a further step by ordering the army and security forces to immediately reinforce full state authori»»»

A Hezbollah lawmaker on Thursday reiterated his group's rejection of any direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered his cabinet to begin talks with Beirut. "We reiterate our rejection of any direct negotiations between Lebanon»»»

London: Four-time world champion Max Verstappen's future in Formula One was again cast in doubt on Thursday after it was confirmed that his long-time race engineer will leave Red Bull for McLaren. After details of Gianpiero Lambiase's switch emerged earlier on Thursday, Red Bull and McLaren both co»»»

Washington, April 9 (SANA) In the 40 days since the start of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, 13 U.S. soldiers have been killed and 381 have been wounded, according to data provided Wednesday by U.S. Central Command. “The Defense Department has added the war on Iran to its Defense Casualty Analysi»»»

Israel and Lebanon will hold talks next week in Washington after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered direct talks, a source familiar with the situation told AFP Thursday. The talks are expected to take place at the U.S. State Department, the source said on condition of anonymity, afte»»»

The EU is relying on non-governmental organizations, bankrolled by billionaire financier George Soros, as well as controlled media to justify its push for more online surveillance and censorship, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has said. On Wednesday, state-owned broadcaster France 24 reported on a st»»»

Paris, France: From bistro counters to luxury hotels, the humble Parisian ham sandwich or "jambon beurre" has undergone a dramatic luxury makeover. Once the no-frills lunch of hurried, cash-strapped workers, the humble ham and butter baguette has in recent years become a gourmet classic. When he wa»»»

Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired by President Donald Trump last week, will not be required to testify about her handling of the investigation into late financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department (DOJ) has announced. In a letter explaining the decisi»»»

Former New York Police Department Sgt. Erik Duran was sentenced Thursday after being convicted of second-degree manslaughter in the killing of 30-year-old Eric Duprey in 2023. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 9 (UPI) -- A former New York Police Department sergeant was sentence»»»

As Israeli forces press deeper into Syrian territory along the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights, a Syrian official source told Asharq Al-Awsat that increased patrols by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) stem from the 1974 disengagement agreement, not new understand»»»

Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting any negotiations with Israel, a Lebanese government official told AFP on Thursday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered his cabinet to begin direct talks with Beirut. "Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting negotiations," s»»»

1 of 3 | Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber arrives at the COP28 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on November 30, 2023. As CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, he said the Strait of Hormuz is not unconditionally open. File Photo by Ali Haider/EPA-EFE April 9 (UPI) -- The Strait of Hormuz is not »»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible if the United States complies with its obligations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday. "Safe passage of vessels through this waterway, based on regulations and in coordination with the Ir»»»

In a potential boost to Middle East ceasefire efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he authorized direct negotiations “as soon as possible” with Lebanon aimed at disarming Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the two countries. "In light of Lebanon'»»»

Not so long ago, US President Donald Trump openly endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. From a diplomatic standpoint, urging citizens of another country to vote for a specific candidate is contentious, to say the least.»»»

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Deputy Chair Atanas Merdzhanov told the leadership of the National Hunters' and Anglers' Union (NHAU) that protecting Bulgaria's nature, its forests and biodiversity are inherently left-wing values which the BSP – United Left coalition will uphold in the next parliam»»»

Paris, France: The Cannes Film Festival unveiled its roster of films for this year's edition on Thursday packed with historical dramas, "gentleness" and even football, with the absence of major Hollywood studios set to dial down the American razzle-dazzle of previous editions. Festival director Thi»»»

Dr. Akhtar described the situation the US finds itself in as "a strategic failure on all accounts." The United States is ready to make concessions to one degree or another, Professor of Political Economy Dr. Aasim Sajjad Akhtar told Sputnik, commenting on Iran's 10-point settlement plan.Iranian dem»»»

Kabul: Heavy rain, storms and floods have battered Asian neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan in the last three weeks, killing at least 222 people, disaster officials in both countries said Thursday. In Afghanistan, which already faces a severe humanitarian crisis, rain, floods, landslides and light»»»

Due to the ongoing military actions in the Middle East and a Level 5 travel risk index for Israel and Palestine issued by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs – advising against all travel and urging departure from the area, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has decided not to send »»»

Heavy rain, storms and floods have battered Asian neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan in the last three weeks, killing at least 222 people, disaster officials in both countries said Thursday. In Afghanistan, which already faces a severe humanitarian crisis, rain, floods, landslides and lightning st»»»

Dubai: The conflict in the region may have grounded thousands of Keralite expats' election plans this year, but for a determined few, no airfare was too steep and no disruption too great to stop them from exercising their democratic right. Regional tensions that forced airlines to scale back servic»»»

Dubai: Behind the strength and stamina of Dubai athlete Nikola Aleksic lies a five-year battle with a rare autoimmune condition. On May 24, he will be marking his birthday by running 100 kilometres across the city, not just to test his limits, but to raise awareness for the struggles of people livi»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»