Dubai: “Life never stops. We don’t believe in that. Here in the UAE, life goes on, and every challenge is just one more step towards more strength, right?” That unflinching belief from Emirati filmmaker Nawaf Al Janahi defines the mood at the on-going DIFC Art Nights, where crowds and creativity co»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran will not allow anyone to export oil from the Middle East if the country is not able to do it itself, Iranian Vice President for Optimization and Strategic Management of Energy Affairs Esmaeil Saqqab Esfahani said on Friday. On Wednesday, member of the Iranian parliament's Co»»»

1 of 3 | Chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., on March 18. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said she would restart the criminal investigation into Powell if need be. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April »»»

The UN human rights office said on Friday it has documented patterns of attacks on civilians in populated areas and residential buildings in Lebanon and Israel that may amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law. The report covers the first three weeks of the latest escalation, »»»

A group of British lawmakers has urged the UK Foreign Secretary to impose personal sanctions on several senior officials from Kyrgyzstan. The Guardian reported. The letter was reportedly signed by 26 members of Parliament and the House of Lords. According to the document submitted to the House of C»»»

Switzerland said Friday it had begun sending staff back to Tehran and would gradually reopen its embassy, enabling it to continue as a facilitator for diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran. For decades, neutral Switzerland has played a central role in maintaining basic diplomatic contac»»»

Houssam Naddaf said no words could capture the shock of seeing an Israeli soldier smash a crucifix in his family's private garden in the southern Lebanese village of Debel — an image he recognized instantly as it spread online. "I saw it on the internet like everyone else," he said. Naddaf had not »»»

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a press briefing Friday that the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has gone global after seizing two vessels in the Indo-Pacific region this week. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a p»»»

War-torn Gaza is heavily contaminated by unexploded ordnance, which frequently kill and maim people and could threaten recovery efforts far into the future, the UN said Friday. Unexploded ordnance, ranging from undetonated bombs or grenades to simple bullets, has become a common sight in the Gaza S»»»

HAMBURG: Tunisia’s state grains agency is believed to have purchased ​about 25,000 metric tons of animal feed barley in an international tender on Friday, European traders said. The barley was said to have been ‌bought in ‌one ​consignment at ‌an ⁠estimated $265.45 ​a ton ⁠cost and freight (c&f) in»»»

Clutching a battered photo album, Mohamad Ali Hijazi searched a mountain of rubble in south Lebanon's Tyre for mementoes of his family, killed in an Israeli strike minutes before a ceasefire took hold. "I'm trying to find my mother's hairbrush... and a bottle of perfume that she loves," said Hijazi»»»

Madrid: FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he was confident that his side can overcome the loss of Lamine Yamal for the rest of the season and win this season's La Liga title. Barcelona plays away to an in-form Getafe on Saturday after it was confirmed on Thursday that Yamal tore his left hamstrin»»»

ROME: Italy’s government on Friday rushed through a decree amending rules that offered financial rewards to lawyers helping to repatriate migrants, after the scheme drew criticism from opposition parties who said it could be unconstitutional. The measure was part of a broader security package that »»»

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE: Pope Leo XIV urged the United States and Iran to return to talks to end the war Thursday and condemned capital punishment, in a wide-ranging press conference en route home from his trip to Africa. Leo also asserted that countries have the right to control their borders but m»»»

Pune, India: Blink and you might miss Indian speed climber Deepu Mallesh scaling a wall five buses high in five seconds. India, a country obsessed with cricket, has seen a surge in popularity in climbing but those who want to compete internationally have had to crowdfund and there is little governm»»»

Dubai: A mother has lost custody of her two daughters after Dubai’s highest court ruled that the children’s welfare must take precedence over the interests of either parent, affirming a decision to transfer their care to their father. In a final judgment, the Dubai Court of Cassation rejected the m»»»

World-renowned Japanese writer Sayaka Murata visited Bulgaria for the first time during the Literary Talks Festival (April 23–25) in Sofia's City Stage on Thursday. Moderator of the discussion was Bulgarian literary critic Darin Tenev, with interpretation from the Japanese by Albena Todorova. Often»»»

Tyre, Lebanon: Clutching a battered photo album, Mohamad Ali Hijazi searched a mountain of rubble in south Lebanon's Tyre for mementoes of his family, killed in an Israeli strike minutes before a ceasefire took hold. "I'm trying to find my mother's hairbrush... and a bottle of perfume that she love»»»

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday urged NATO allies to stick together, after a report that the United States was mulling action against Spain over its refusal to support operations against Iran. "NATO must remain united. I believe it is a source of strength," Meloni told reporters as »»»

Penalty for unauthorized vessels in EEZ jumps to 1.5 billion won The Korea Coast Guard conducts a drill on waters off Socheong Island to simulate a crackdown on supposed Chinese boats' illegal fishing in South Korean waters, in Incheon, South Korea, 09 April 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA April 23 (As»»»

RIYADH: Officials from the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority at Al-Haditha border crossing have foiled an attempt to smuggle a huge cache of captagon pills. The authority, which seized the contraband, said on Friday: “ZATCA, in coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, thwarted»»»

GENEVA: Drought displaced nearly 62,000 people in just five Somali districts since the start of the year, the UN said Friday, estimating that the countrywide number could be in the hundreds of thousands. The United Nations’ migration agency said that in the five out of Somalia’s 90 districts that i»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Department of State spent $39.7 million on Aegis Defense Services, a firm with a documented history of recruiting former child soldiers from Sierra Leone to reduce labor costs during the Iraq War. The contract for professional security services at the US Embassy in Kiev wa»»»

The quota for foreign workers in the Kyrgyz Republic for 2026 is 52,000. It was announced today at a meeting of Ishenim parliamentary group. As representatives of the Ministry of Labor noted, the quota is being developed based on an analysis of economic sectors. «Permits are issued through the Mini»»»

Members of the non-profit Dignity in Dying campaign group protest outside Parliament in London on Friday where the House the Lords was holding its final debate on an assisted-dying bill before it runs out the clock in the legislative timetable of the current session of parliament, which is due to e»»»

Dubai: The UAE plans to shift 50% of government services to AI within two years, a move that signals a deeper change in how residents interact with everyday processes such as visas, licensing, and document renewals. At first glance, this may sound like another phase of digital government, but the u»»»

The dollar was on track for its first weekly gain in three weeks on Friday in broadly muted trading, as stalled peace negotiations between the US and Iran dampened hopes for an immediate easing of Middle East tensions. While Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks ahead of its e»»»

US President Donald Trump has said that he would like to see his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Miami, but expressed doubt that he would actually come. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that the White House intends to invite Putin to the G20 summit in December, while»»»

The team of Bulgarian caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov has drafted revisions to the Judicial System Act intended to enhance the election procedures for the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the SJC Inspectorate, Yankulov's Ministry said in a press release on Friday. The draft legislation»»»

Dubai: Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE and across the Middle East can request help through official government channels during crises such as conflict, disasters, or personal emergencies. The Philippine Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW),»»»

Some residents in Beirut believe south Lebanon should be included in a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. They said a deal will not be sustainable without a lasting truce between Iran and the United States. “It is not related to Hezbollah and Israel, but to Iran and the US. If they reach an ag»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Minister of Defense Vlado Misajlovski launched on Thursday the regular Macedonian-U.S. bilateral defense consultations, where, together with Deputy Assistant Secretary of War David Baker and the U.S. delegation, discussions were held on regional security, modernization»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has said the caretaker government will remain in place for the next elections, after which it will be cancelled, as per the changes to the Law on Government. PM Mickoski told Sitel the opposition and its leader Venko Filipche oppose th»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski says he congratulated Rumen Radev on the win at the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, highlighting the commitment to dialogue and goodneighborly relations. "I called Radev the next day and congratulated him. The people's will must b»»»

Iran is not seeking war, but it is ready to keep fighting, Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, has told RT in an exclusive interview, arguing that the Islamic Republic has never been the side to abandon diplomacy despite repeated stabs in the back. “The general policy of the Islamic Republ»»»

Frankfurt, Germany: German business morale dropped in April to its lowest level since the Covid pandemic as the Middle East war hit Europe's top economy hard. The closely-watched Ifo institute confidence barometer dropped to 84.4 in April, down from 86.3 in March, marking its lowest level since May»»»

Political developments involving Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria electoral dominance and Borislav Sarafov’s resignation as acting prosecutor general dominate Friday’s news media, highlighting broader debates on power consolidation and judicial independence in Bulgaria. POLITICS Capital leads wit»»»

LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot warned Friday that “margins are small” in the Premier League as Liverpool aim to strengthen their push for a place in next season’s Champions League. The Reds are fifth in the table after two straight league wins, five points clear of Brighton, who have played a game extra. The»»»

McDonald’s served approximately 400,000 customers daily, with over 59 million orders recorded throughout the year. At the same time, the company opened 8 restaurants in several cities across the country: Bucharest, Ploiești, Iași, Timișoara, Bacău, Baia Mare, and Mediaș. The positive growth in 2025»»»

Authenticity, empathy and a people-first approach have become essential leadership imperatives in times of disruption, said panelists during a discussion titled The Human Side of Leadership: Influence & Impact at the Limitless forum. Also Read: Limitless forum: Clarity of communication key to build»»»

Liverpool: Arne Slot warned Friday that "margins are small" in the Premier League as Liverpool aim to strengthen their push for a place in next season's Champions League. The Reds are fifth in the table after two straight league wins, five points clear of Brighton, who have played a game extra. The»»»

Dubai: As global airlines cut flights and trim operations amid jet fuel shortages, the UAE's ENOC Group and Emirates Petroleum Company (Emarat) signed a deal to ensure uninterrupted jet fuel availability across the country’s airports. The agreement, announced on Friday, is focused on strengthening »»»

Dubai: Across the UAE, temperatures have surged well above what is typical for April, catching many residents off guard after weeks of surprisingly mild and even cool weather. The mercury has already broken 44°C in parts of the country this week and the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has sign»»»

Oil rose on Friday on concerns of a renewed military escalation in the Middle East after Iran released footage of commandos boarding a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, and a lack of progress in re-opening the key waterway. Navigation through the strait, which before the war carried about a fifth»»»

A federal judge on Thursday ordered immigration officials to release the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, who is accused of attacking a group of people demonstrating in support of the release of Israeli hostages in June 2025. File Photo Courtesy of Boulder Police Department/UPI | License Photo »»»

Kathmandu: A large ice chunk is blocking the climbing route to Everest’s summit, officials said Friday, risking delays in the summit season at the world’s highest peak. A team of highly skilled mountaineers, known in Nepal as “icefall doctors”, began fixing ropes and ladders on Mount Everest last m»»»

Speaking alongside Trump in the Oval Office, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said Israel and Lebanon “have never been next to each other more than today.” Leiter thanked Trump and Vice President JD Vance for a day he said was decades in the making. “We are going to keep going, working»»»

Paris: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are likely to remain strained through the end of 2027 due to disruptions and infrastructure damage from the US-Iran war, the International Energy Agency said Friday, April 24, 2026. Energy prices have soared since Tehran effectively closed the Strait of H»»»

A three-judge panel of the International Criminal Court has ruled there is enough evidence to try Rodrigo Duterte, seen here as the president of the Philippines in 2019, on charges of committing crimes against humanity. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- A three-judge pa»»»

Kamdesh,: Afghan villagers in isolated mountain areas, cut off from the world by the conflict with neighbouring Pakistan, finally saw relief this week after nearly two months without vital supplies. Some residents in the remote border village of Kamdesh, nestled in the peaks of Nuristan province, s»»»