Iran war’s ripple effect: A growing threat to global food systems
The war in the Arabian Gulf is already being felt far beyond the region, reflected in rising fertiliser prices in rural India and in the shifting planting decisions of farmers across Africa and well beyond. For those working on the front-lines of dryland agriculture, including scientists at the Int»»»
Roblox, Nevada settle over child-safety standards - UPI.com
Sophia D'Eramo plays on the online game platform Roblox in 2020 in Franklin, Mass. The state of Nevada and Roblox reached a settlement to better protect young gamers, the Nevada attorney general said Wednesday. File Photo by Emily Flynn/EPA April 15 (UPI) -- Nevada and the online gaming platform Ro»»»
No rules: Where could the next war erupt?
The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran may have paused, but it is far from over. Its consequences, however, are already being felt, not just across the Middle East, but globally. Iran’s desperate confrontation with two nuclear powers which have a vast network of allies and cl»»»
What to know about Lebanon Israel taks in Washington – Ya Libnan
Share: Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiles during a meeting at the State Department in Washington, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) By Kareem Chehayeb and Abby Sewell BEIRUT— Lebanon and Israel’s first direct talks in decades this week, spurred by the latest war between Israel»»»
UAE keeps attracting global capital even amid regional uncertainty
Dubai: Capital continues to flow into the UAE despite rising regional tensions, with investors leaning on policy stability, regulatory clarity and long-term economic planning when deciding where to deploy funds. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.That confidence is visibl»»»
First tanker tests Hormuz blockade as oil traffic stays on edge
A supertanker heading to Iraq made a second attempt Wednesday (April 15) to pass through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Gulf, even as Iran warned that Red Sea trade could grind to a halt as US naval blockade threatens the fragile ceasefire. The crude carrier Agios Fanourios I, which is not b»»»
US blockade: Iran threatens Gulf shutdown — ceasefire on brink despite Trump’s 'war nearly over' claim
Iran has warned it would "retaliate with force" against a US naval blockade, threatening to halt all trade across key regional waterways as tensions rise despite a fragile ceasefire, and plans for second round of talks. Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s joint military command, said the country would bl»»»
QCDC’s 2025 Annual Report spotlights an year of expanded national reach and measurable impact
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), has released 2025 Annual Report, highlighting a year of expanded programmes, stronger partnerships, and measurable progress in equipping young people in Qatar with the awareness, skills, and support »»»
Hezbollah’s Raad: Lebanese “Negotiators” Cooperate with Israeli Enemy to Disarm Resistance, Not End Occupation
Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, Hajj Mohammad Raad, blasted the “negotiation” session between a Lebanese delegation and the representative of the Zionist entity in Washington, describing it as a “photo-op”. MP Raad affirmed that the ‘photo-op’ negotiating session in Washington between r»»»
Jury: Live Nation, Ticketmaster an illegal monopoly - UPI.com
Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation were found to be an illegal monopoly by a Manhattan, N.Y., jury Wednesday. File Photo by Andrew Gombert/EPA April 15 (UPI) -- A jury found Wednesday that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster maintained an illegal monopoly in ticketing. The case»»»
Hend Sabry: ‘Manna’a’ marks my first venture into popular drama; and my boldest role yet
Following the standout success of “Manna’a” during Ramadan 2026–where it topped viewership charts and ignited wide critical and social debate–Tunisian actress Hend Sabry returns to the spotlight in a candid conversation on bold artistic choices, complex characters, and the evolving trajectory of he»»»
30 Prosecutorial Case Files Opened against MP Candidates, Cabinet Urges Prosecutors to Act
Thirty prosecutorial case files have been opened against MP candidates for election-related offences, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said here Wednesday. He was speaking at a news conference in the Council of Ministers' headquarters, held jointly with Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and Justic»»»
Egypt’s premier inspects New Capital command centre managing Middle East’s largest state tech infrastructure
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inspected the new Control, Command and Technical Support Centre in the New Administrative Capital’s Government District on Wednesday, a facility managing what officials describe as the Middle East’s largest technological infrastructure serving 50,000 governm»»»
Trump signals potential Iran deal as mediators push truce extension, US ramps up pressure
US President Donald Trump said talks with Iran on ending the conflict could resume soon and may lead to an agreement, urging the world to watch for “two amazing days,” as regional officials indicated progress in efforts to extend a fragile ceasefire for at least two weeks to allow space for renewed»»»
30 Prosecutorial Case Files Opened against MP Candidates, Government Urges Prosecutors to Act
Thirty prosecutorial case files have been opened against MP candidates for election-related offences, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said here Wednesday. He was speaking at a news conference in the Council of Ministers' headquarters, held jointly with Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and Justic»»»
Mounting Pressure on Iran Revives the Specter of the 2000 Aden Attack
US author Anne-Marie Slaughter argues in The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World that the world no longer operates or interacts according to the logic of a traditional chessboard. The old model was linear and two-dimensional, centered on a single objective: topplin»»»
Sharjah to welcome students back to school on Monday
The Sharjah Private Education Authority has announced the resumption of in-person education for all educational institutions in Sharjah from April 20. The authority has also announced that nurseries located in government facilities and commercial buildings in Sharjah will be ready to receive childr»»»
U.S. eases sanctions on Venezuelan banks - UPI.com
U.S. companies and entities can now conduct transactions with the Central Bank of Venezuela, Banco de Venezuela, Banco Digital de los Trabajadores and Banco del Tesoro, File Photo by Miguel Gutierrez/EPA April 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. government authorized new financial operations with Venezuelan state»»»
Dh30m UAE Lottery: Winning numbers revealed – are you holding a winning ticket?
Dubai: In Saturday’s Dh30 million UAE Lottery Lucky Day draw, multiple participants have walked away with cash prizes. During Draw No. 260415, the winning numbers from the Days section were 18, 14, 25, 22, 1, and 17, while the Months section winning number was 1. In addition, three residents have e»»»
Lebanon complains to UN over Israel's 'Black Wednesday' attacks
Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry has filed an official complaint with the U.N. Security Council over Israel’s intense barrage on the country last week that it says killed over 300 people and wounded 1,150 others. In less than 10 minutes last Wednesday, Israel struck 100 targets across Beirut, the Bekaa V»»»
Pakistani Delegation Arrives in Tehran in Move to Ease Tensions and Arrange More US-Iran Talks
Pakistan’s army chief arrived Wednesday for talks in Tehran in the latest diplomatic move to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war. The Pakistani military said the delegation also included the c»»»
Iran Can Go up to Two Months without Oil Exports Before Cutting Output, Analysts Say
Iran can withstand a complete halt in oil exports of up to two months before being forced to curb production, analysts said, after the US began blocking shipping in and out of the country's ports on April 13. The blockade could prevent roughly 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude from r»»»
Nutella maker says targeted in EU antitrust probe
Milan, Italy: Confectionary giant Ferrero, the maker of Nutella spread and Kinder chocolate, said Wednesday it was being targeted by investigators probing a possible violation of EU anti-trust rules. The European Commission had announced Monday that investigators were raiding the premises of a choc»»»
EU rejects Meta's pay-for-access remedy in WhatsApp AI chatbots probe
Brussels, Belgium: The EU told Meta Wednesday that charging rival AI chatbots for access to its WhatsApp platform runs against the bloc's antitrust rules, rebuffing the measure taken by the US giant in response to a probe. Meta started charging a fee as redress in March after an EU probe found it h»»»
Israeli Settlers Block Palestinian Kids’ Path to School with Tear Gas and Barbed Wire
Hajar and Rashid Hathaleen have always walked to school from their neighborhood on the outskirts of Umm al-Khair. But when classes resumed this week for the first time since the Iran war began, coiled barbed wire blocked the Palestinian siblings' path to the village center. Israeli settlers had ins»»»
BSP Will Be Represented in Next Parliament, Party Leader Zarkov Says in Smolyan
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will be represented in the next parliament, BSP leader Krum Zarkov said during a campaign event in Smolyan on Wednesday. He noted that BSP is going through a difficult period that has not yet been overcome, adding that “those who write off the party underestimate its»»»
Kerala expats in UAE celebrate Vishu in peace, thankful for safety amid regional uncertainties
Dubai: Amid an uncertain geopolitical climate, expats from Kerala in the UAE on Wednesday marked Vishu, the traditional Hindu New Year of the south Indian state, with rituals, ethnic wear and the elaborate vegetarian feast known as sadhya, expressing gratitude for the safety and stability they cont»»»
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia Confirms Oil Negotiations, Coordination Over US-Iran Ceasefire
Pakistan has been in contact with Moscow regarding the ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran and coordinated its position with Russia, Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Will the US-Iran talks continue in Islamabad, does Pakistan intend to buy Russian oil, a»»»
Getting the best out of distance learning
Distance learning has, in recent times, become an essential means of ensuring continuity in education. While it can never fully replicate the richness of face-to-face classroom experiences, it has demonstrated that meaningful learning can continue even in challenging circumstances when schools, stu»»»
Trump again threatens to fire Powell if he doesn't step down - UPI.com
Chair of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference at the Federal Reserve on March 18. Trump has once again threatened to fire Powell. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 15 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump again threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerom»»»
Building on cooperation
Economic cooperation is an integral part of the discussions that President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi is holding with his counterparts during his visit to Germany this week. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will meet his German counterpart Joachim Gauck in Berlin today, Wednesday, during his visit »»»
The Iran war is causing a fertilizer crisis for India's farm
Danish Pandit in HaryanaIndia's small farmers are facing fertilizer shortages tied to the war in Iran and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. What could delayed deliveries mean for farmers and their livelihoods? https://p.dw.com/p/5CEKXAdvertisementIndia’s small-scale farmers are facing a growing »»»
Hezbollah Escalates Politically and Militarily Over Lebanon-Israel Talks
Hezbollah is responding to direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, under US sponsorship, on two tracks: political and military. Politically, it is disavowing the talks and calling on the state to “reconsider its decision to negotiate with Israel,” describing the move as one that “will deepe»»»
‘The star is the team,’ says Al-Khelaïfi after PSG reach Champions League semifinals
Doha, Qatar: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, President of Paris Saint-Germain, praised his side’s collective approach after they secured a place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Liverpool FC at Anfield on Tuesday evening, sealing a 4-0 aggregate victory. PSG are the defending champi»»»
Why the Strait of Hormuz could push 45 million people into hunger
The United Arab Emirates has been elected to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the 2026–2028 term, at a time of unprecedented global food security challenges and mounting risks linked to the near-total disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—developments that coul»»»
Madbouli outlines the new Egyptian government’s priorities
Egypt’s national security, improving citizen’s standards of living, economic development, developing and building the Egyptian citizen, and developing Egypt’s foreign policy. The government statement by the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing, Mustafa Madbouli, was presented to the House of Repr»»»
Trump says China agrees not to arm Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that China has agreed not to send weapons to its close partner Iran and that he has received personal assurances from leader Xi Jinping. "They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran. President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few week»»»
Health Insurance Fund Lacks Right to Audit Pricing for Medicine Not Registered in Bulgaria
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has no authority to audit the pricing and procedures used to negotiate the prices of medicinal products that are not authorized or registered in Bulgaria but are intended for therapies approved under Regulation No. 2 of 2019 of the Health Ministry, the NHIF»»»
Trump vs Pope Leo: Who speaks for morality in war?
What began as a disagreement over the Iran war has escalated into a rare and highly public clash between the White House and the Vatican. US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have repeatedly criticised Pope Leo XIV, accusing him of being “weak on crime” and overstepping into politi»»»
Religious leaders condemn synagogue arson attempt in Skopje
Skopje, 15 April 2026 (MIA) — An attempted arson attack on the Jewish Community building and the Bet Yaakov synagogue was a direct strike against the centuries-old peace and coexistence of Macedonian society, the nation's top five religious leaders said in joint statement issued together with the C»»»
Chaired by Saudi Crown Prince, PIF Board of Directors Approves PIF 2026-2030 Strategy
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) Board of Directors, chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has approved PIF’s 2026-2030 strategy, a continuation of the fund’s long-term strategy that will focus on delivering competitive domestic ecosystems to »»»
Non-Communicable Diseases - Major Public Health Challenge for Bulgaria, Causing Economic and Social Damage
In Bulgaria, 52% of all premature deaths (i.e. deaths before the age of 75) are attributable to four non-communicable diseases (NCDs), shows a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published here on Wednesday. This includes 20% due to cancer, 28% due to cardiov»»»
Independent MP Candidate Calls Smolyan Cemetery Expansion "Insane"
Todor Batkov, an independent parliamentary candidate from Smolyan 22nd Constituency, is alarmed by what he calls "the insanity" of the local authorities, who spent BGN 2.8 million in public money on the expansion of a cemetery without a road and with 82 steps. The cemetery, located in the Raykovo d»»»
US-Iran war ‘very close to being over’ – Donald Trump
The conflict between the US and Iran is close to being settled, President Donald Trump has claimed, adding that the second round of peace talks between the two sides could take place in the next few days. The US president gave interviews to several outlets on Tuesday, where he detailed Washington’s»»»
Iran Denies Extending Ceasefire With US
TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran does not confirm that it and the United States agreed on the extension of the truce, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, media reported, citing officials, that the United States and Iran "agree in principle" to extend the »»»
Foreign media group slams Israel military over AI image of Manar reporter Shoeib
An international media association on Wednesday accused the Israeli military of discrediting a Lebanese journalist it killed last month by circulating an AI‑generated image of him in Hezbollah fatigues. Three Lebanese journalists, including Ali Shoeib -- a prominent correspondent for the Hezbollah-»»»
What Dubai Chambers' new Manila office means for UAE-Philippines trade growth
Dubai: Dubai International Chamber, part of Dubai Chambers, has expanded its international footprint with the opening of a new representative office in Manila, a strategic move aimed at accelerating trade and investment flows between Dubai and the Philippines. The launch has reflected Dubai’s broad»»»
UNHCR chief calls for 'urgent' support to Lebanon during war
United Nations refugee chief Barham Salih on Wednesday called on the international community to provide urgent support to Lebanon, with a fifth of the country's population displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah war. "I call upon the international community to provide urgent support and relief to Lebanon»»»
In Dearborn, a large Lebanese American population lives in constant worry
Eighteen months after the nation's largest Arab American community helped propel Donald Trump to a second term as president, the prayers have not stopped. In Dearborn, just outside of Detroit, families wait restlessly for word from relatives abroad, hoping they are safe, and mourning those already »»»
EU set to roll out age-check app as global push to protect children grows
Brussels: The European Union is set to roll out a new age-verification app for online platforms, as governments worldwide step up efforts to shield children from harmful content and curb access to social media. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the app is “technically ready” a»»»