BELGRADE - Serbian Minister for International Economic Cooperation Nenad Popovic met on Thursday in Belgrade with Russian Deputy FM Alexander Grushko, who is on an official visit to Serbia for a meeting of a Serbia-Russia intergovernmental committee on trade and economic and science and technical c»»»

GENEVA: The United Nations said Thursday it was “working on” maintaining a presence in Lebanon once the mandate for its UNIFIL peacekeeping force expires at the end of the year. “In terms of the post-UNIFIL, we’re currently in the process of working on these options,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the »»»

Doha, Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, HE Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani, met with HE Guido Crosetto, the Italian Minister of Defense, and his accompanying delegation during their visit to the State of Qatar. During the meeting, the two sides »»»

London: Both chambers of Britain's parliament have approved a bill that would ban children aged 17 and under from buying cigarettes during their lifetime. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to stop anyone born after January 1, 2009 (now aged 17) from taking up smoking. Health minister Wes Streeting ca»»»

Gold prices fell on Thursday, pressured by a stronger dollar and elevated oil prices that stoked inflation worries, as investors tried to assess the conflict direction from stalled US-Iran talks. Spot gold was down 0.9% at $4,696.71 per ounce, as of 1135 GMT. US gold futures for June delivery fell »»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank reported a record first-quarter profit, supported by strong lending growth, higher fee income and improved efficiency, as it navigated an evolving operating environment. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Profit befor»»»

Our weekly digest of Hungarian politics continues as we report on developments after the historic April election and on the formation of the Tisza government. This week we cover the following topics: After 10 days, outgoing foreign minister Péter Szijjártó has resurfaced. The newly-victorious Tisza»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Armed Forces intercepted the Majestic X ship in the Indian Ocean, allegedly carrying oil from Iran, the Pentagon said on Thursday. "Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X tran»»»

Doha, Qatar: Unsettled weather conditions featuring rain, thunder, and strong winds are expected to affect Qatar this weekend, stated the Qatar Meteorology Department. In its latest update on social media, the department stated that, today, Thursday, April 23, 2026, will see thundery rain accompani»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump insisted Wednesday there was no time pressure to end the war with Iran and no deadline for when American military action would resume in the absence of a deal, saying the Iranians were more fearful of the U.S. maritime blockade than they were of the bombing. Photo by Dan»»»

Dubai: Workplace stress is no longer just a matter of fatigue or burnout. A new report by the United Nations' International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revealed that it is linked to nearly 900,000 deaths every year worldwide. The study entitled “The psychosocial working environment: Global develo»»»

A massive granite statue discovered in Sharqia during residential excavation, believed to date to the era of Ramses II; transferred to San al-Hagar for examination and restoration near Tell el-Faraoun under strict legal supervision A massive ancient granite statue believed to date back to the era o»»»

Dubai: Indian filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s latest Hindi-language rape trial drama Assi is not an easy watch and it’s not meant to be. Starring Kani Kusruti, Tapsee Pannu, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, and Mohammed Zeeshan, the compelling and visceral courtroom procedural out on Zee5 now delves into sexua»»»

On April 25, the Indian Premier League will be halfway through its 19th edition. Coverage of it dominates the Indian-owned and based cricket media. Last week, Harsha Bhogle, one of its long-serving commentators and journalists, declared that the IPL “has to be one of the greatest sporting phenomena»»»

JEDDAH: Syria has announced plans to launch the Damascus Market for Foreign Exchange and Gold, aiming to strengthen monetary policy and enhance financial stability. Governor of the Central Bank of Syria Abdulkader Husrieh said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to create a balanced and tr»»»

At a forum celebrating powerful women, it was a man who chose to talk about the kind of leadership that rarely makes headlines. Speaking at the session Beyond the Headlines: A Trusted Voice in Times of Crisis, Mark Thompson, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf News, traced his understanding of leadership back »»»

Park Hotel Kyustendil offers opportunity for complete rest and recovery, due to its mineral water with proven therapeutic properties and its proximity to Hisarlaka Park. The hotel combines balneology traditions of the region with modern facilities and services focused on relaxation and health, Ange»»»

Authorities on Crete responded to three separate incidents involving nearly 180 migrants reaching the southern Aegean island by boat on Thursday morning, the state-run Athens Macedonian News Agency reported. The first incident involved a boat that was spotted by a Frontex EU border patrol vessel so»»»

Journalist Gabriela Naplatanova has been elected to chair the Council for Electronic Media (CEM). She was nominated for the position by the previous leader, Simona Veleva, and by member Kadrinka Kadrinova. During a CEM meeting on Thursday, Naplatanova was also supported by Prolet Velkova, while Gal»»»

Tunis, April 23, 2026 (TAP) — The Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) has called on Tunisian SMEs to participate in the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) 2026.The event is expected to bring together more than 430,000...»»»

The White House has reportedly drawn up a NATO “naughty and nice” list, sorting member states into tiers as it considers how to reward countries that backed the US war against Iran and punish those that did not. According to Politico, the internal paper was prepared ahead of NATO Secretary General »»»

BARCELONA: A feature of Jordan’s rise to footballing prominence over the past two years has been their fearsome attacking triumvirate. Stade Rennais’ Musa Al-Taamari might win all the plaudits but his partners in crime, Ali Olwan and Yazan Al-Naimat, scored the goals that delivered World Cup qualif»»»

In 2025, the national poverty line in Bulgaria was set at BGN 866.67 per person per month, with 1,368,700 people, or 21.2% of the population, living below it, according to data published on Thursday by the National Statistical Institute. Compared with the previous year, the poverty line increased b»»»

As the United States edges closer to a critical May 1 deadline in its war with Iran, a decades-old law is quietly becoming one of the most consequential forces shaping the next phase of the conflict. Nearly eight weeks after Washington joined Israeli strikes against Iran, President Donald Trump fac»»»

RIYADH: Female labor force participation across Gulf Cooperation Council countries climbed to 39.3 percent in 2025, as employment gains and falling joblessness signal steady progress in the region’s workforce diversification efforts. The number of employed women rose to 7.3 million in 2025 from 5.7»»»

Doha, Qatar: The price of gold in the Qatari market edged down by 2.61% during the current week, reaching $ 4706.00000 per ounce, according to data issued by Qatar National Bank (QNB). The data showed that the price of gold fell from $ 4832.56640 per ounce recorded last Sunday. It also indicated th»»»

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that regular and reserve soldiers in the Israeli army have been looting civilian property from homes and shops in southern Lebanon, with the knowledge of their commanders and without any prevention or accountability. Citing testimonies, the Israeli paper said »»»

A new push in the US-backed diplomacy between Lebanon and Israel is beginning to take shape, with another round of talks expected in Washington later this week. According to Asharq News, sources say the US is preparing to press Lebanon to reconsider its law criminalizing contact with Israel, follow»»»

LONDON: Britain’s King Charles heads to the United States next week for the most high-profile trip of his reign so far, on a mission to shore up the future ​of the two allies’ “special relationship” which the Iran war has plunged to its lowest point in 70 years. The state visit marks the 250th anni»»»

As part of BR’s new interview series with professionals in the Media & Marketing sector, we sat down with Catalin Albu, Associate Managing Director at Publicis Romania, and talked about the agency’s last year and the near future, AI implementation & trends, as well as what will impact the industry »»»

Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed crimes against humanity charges against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte for deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. A three-judge panel found unanimously there were “substantial grounds” to belie»»»

Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk affirmed that the new fiscal year 2026/2027 budget aims to meet citizens’ basic needs, improve services, and support economic activity. During his presentation of the financial statement for the 2026/2027 draft budget before the House of Representatives on Wednesday,»»»

A shortage of young professionals, significant water losses, and aging infrastructure continue to be among the most pressing challenges for Bulgaria’s water supply sector, said Bulgarian Water Association Chair Ivan Ivanov on Thursday in Ruse during a professional competition for water utility empl»»»

The results of the April 19 parliamentary elections and the resignation of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov dominate Thursday’s news media. POLITICS & ELECTION RESULTS Dnevnik.bg has an article about the news members of Parliament who were elected on April 19. The 52nd National Assembly w»»»

DOHA: As part of its firm commitment to human rights principles and its keenness to promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs continued to implement an integrated package of quality initiatives and programs, across its various»»»

Global energy technology leader Schneider Electric and Deloitte, a leading professional services organization, have announced a collaboration designed to help customers and clients — from manufacturers and industrial operators to data center and infrastructure leaders — modernize end-to-end process»»»

Dubai A shocking investigation by the BBC has uncovered how illegal drugs — including cocaine, cannabis, laughing gas and prescription pills — are being openly sold in mini-marts across UK High Streets, exposing what officials describe as a growing “cancer” of organised crime. Undercover reporters »»»

JOHANNESBURG: The Zambian government says it has taken custody of former President Edgar Lungu’s body from his family in a long-running dispute over where he should be buried after he died in South Africa nearly a year ago. In a statement Wednesday, Zambia’s attorney general said the government had»»»

Lulu Group Chairman M.A. Yusuff Ali held a meeting with Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef and Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif. During the meeting, Ali briefed the ministers on the steps taken by Lu»»»

THE HAGUE: Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed crimes against humanity charges against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte for deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. A three-judge panel found unanimously there were “substantial ground»»»

Dar es Salaam: Violence around Tanzania's election in October last year left 518 dead, a commission of enquiry organised by the government said Thursday, giving a figure far below opposition estimates. "The total number of deaths resulting from the general elections was 518, of whom 490 were male,"»»»

Re:Focus on Agribusiness 2026, the agribusiness event organised by Business Review this week, brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and key stakeholders in Bucharest for a day of discussions on the structural challenges and strategic direction of Romanian agriculture. Against a backdrop »»»

Dubai: On a Wednesday evening at Dubai Autodrome, an 80-year-old man walks briskly ahead of his daughter, lapping the circuit with more energy than people half his age. Nearby, a 13-year-old cyclist carves through the track he has been dreaming of riding for years. A triathlete spots a friend, then»»»

Dubai: A vibrant celebration of Filipino cuisine and culture has been held in the UAE capital as a night market at Madinat Zayed Exhibition brought Philippine flavours, culture, and entrepreneurship together in celebration of Filipino Food Month. The event has been visited by the Philippine ambassa»»»

Recently, headlines have increasingly focused on the decline of gold, with some even suggesting a ‘collapse’ of 20% to 25%. However, when looking at the full picture, the situation is different. Gold underwent a correction after hitting an all-time high at the beginning of 2026, but has since recov»»»

Dubai: Travellers in the UAE will once again have more flight options as Qatar Airways resumes daily services to Dubai and Sharjah from April 23, marking a key step in restoring regional connectivity. The airline confirmed it has restarted daily flights between Doha and both Dubai International Air»»»

UK Chargé D’Affaires Victoria Dunne and Deputy Defense Attaché Thomas Hobbs met Thursday senior officers of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), to deliver UK relief assistance to displaced LAF families, at the LAF logistics hub in Beirut. The UK Ministry of Defense is providing essential and practical»»»

Doha, Qatar: The volume of real estate trading in sales contracts at the Department of Real Estate Registration at the Ministry of Justice during the period from April 12 to April 16, 2026, reached QR404,182,279. Meanwhile, the total sales contracts for residential units in the Real Estate Bulletin»»»

The medical and surgical team of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program began on Thursday the separation surgery for the Filipino conjoined twins Klea and Maurice Ann, who are joined at the head, at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. The surgery is in »»»