International Organization for Migration chief Amy Pope told AFP on Thursday in Beirut that the prospects for prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah are at war, were "very alarming". "I think those prospects are very alarming because you look right now at the level of de»»»

Iran said on Thursday it was drafting a peacetime protocol that would supervise maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, state media reported, with Tehran's closure of the vital oil corridor roiling the global economy. Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Russia's Sputnik »»»

A Lebanese mother described the sharp decline in one of her last sources of income, once a pillar of her financial stability, as remittances from her son abroad dwindled in the wake of the war. “My son used to send me $600 a month. I lived on it, covered my medication and basic needs. After the war»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday the tallest bridge in Iran had been destroyed, hours after threatening to bomb the country "back to the Stone Ages." Trump posted footage on social media of smoke rising from the B1 bridge in Karaj, around 20 miles (35 kilometers) southwest of Tehran -- and»»»

1 of 5 | Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives to hear President Donald Trump deliver a prime-time address to the nation from the Cross Hall in the White House in Washington D.C., on Wednesday. Pool photo by Alex Brandon/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump fired Attorney Genera»»»

The Arab League strongly condemned on Thursday the Israeli Knesset’s approval of a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners. It urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to act urgently to compel Israe»»»

Iranian authorities Thursday executed a teenager convicted over January protests after a fast-track trial rights groups labelled as "grossly unfair", as the country ramps up executions during the war with the US and Israel. Amir Hossein Hatami, 18, was sentenced to death in February along with six »»»

The East Wing of the White House was demolished in October. The National Planning Commission will meet today to vote on the ballroom plans. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on President Donald Trump»»»

A month into Israel's war against Hezbollah, invading Israeli troops are gradually advancing in south Lebanon, raising fears for the area's fate following the last Israeli occupation that lasted nearly two decades. Since war erupted last month, Israeli officials have said Israel intends to establis»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday warned that Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem would pay an "extraordinarily heavy price" for escalating attacks during the ongoing Jewish holidays. "I have a clear message for Naim Qassem... you and your associates will pay an extraordinarily heavy »»»

Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday, demonstrating Tehran’s continued ability to strike its neighbors even as US President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated. Iran’s attacks on Gulf states along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hor»»»

UN experts on Thursday called for an international investigation into the death of three Lebanese journalists in an Israeli strike, saying Israel had not provided "credible evidence" of their alleged links to armed groups. The three journalists, including Ali Shoeib, a star correspondent for Al Man»»»

Democrats have filed a lawsuit seeking to block US President Donald Trump’s latest executive order restricting mail-in voting, arguing that the Constitution gives states and Congress – not the president – the authority to decide voter eligibility for mail ballots. Trump on Tuesday signed an executi»»»

Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has denied claims that he told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that up to 80% of Syrians living in Germany could be convinced to return home within three years. Merz cited the figure and timeline on Monday during a joint press conference with al-Sharaa, a former jihad»»»

Eighteen European countries on Thursday urged Israel and Hezbollah to stop fighting as their latest conflict reached one month and with fears over Israeli plans to occupy part of southern Lebanon post-war. "Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah's attacks must cease," the foreign mini»»»

Ankara: Turkiye on Thursday warned of a wider war in the Middle East amid rising regional escalation. In a statement on the latest developments, Turkish Ministry of Defense emphasized that all conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, in line with international law, and affirmed »»»

Emergency medical needs in Iran are rising exponentially, and stocks of trauma kits and other gear could run low if the war persists, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation there said on Thursday. More than 1,900 people have been killed since the»»»

A complaint filed Thursday in France seeks a war crimes investigation into an Israeli strike on a Beirut apartment building in November 2024 said to have killed seven civilians including the parents of a French-Lebanese artist, a human rights group said. The artist, Ali Cherri, and the Internationa»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran has nearly completed its draft protocol, which would establish a new navigation regime in the Strait of Hormuz, and plans to begin talks with Oman to develop a joint solution, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in an interview with Sputnik. "The draft of »»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The Iranian military has attacked US-linked steel and aluminum industry facilities in the Middle East, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday. Iran has previously said that US and Israel attacked facilities of the Iranian metallurgical companies Khouzest»»»

In our ongoing weekly digest, award-winning journalist Veronika Munk summarises and explains the most important political developments in Hungary. We guide readers on the route to the crunch 12 April 2026 election — a poll without precedent in the region over the past 15 years. This week, we cover:»»»

Hezbollah has, in recent days, activated the use of surface-to-air missiles to target Israeli drones, in addition to firing them at helicopters and fighter jets, according to statements it issued. It reported the downing of several drones in southern Lebanon and damage to a helicopter, while expert»»»

London: Shipping companies from Greece, the UAE and China are most affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from Bloomberg and marine traffic organisations. Around 670 commodity vessels sent signals from west of the Strait of Hormuz over the last day, with companies from t»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Health Ministry reports 1,345 martyred and 4,040 wounded since the onset of Israeli aggression 02-04-2026 17:22 PM Latest News Urg»»»

In rugged terrain along the Syrian-Lebanese border, yellow bulldozers raised earthen berms in front of armoured vehicles while soldiers combed through tunnels they said were used by Hezbollah, as Syria reinforces its side of the border. Syria is seeking to stay out of the regional war, whose flames»»»

Paris, France: Citigroup has urged staff in Paris and Frankfurt to work from home, a company spokeswoman said Thursday, as US banks step up security following a thwarted attack against another US financial institution over the weekend. "The safety of our employees is our number one priority, and we»»»

Dubai: Airfares from the UAE are climbing sharply as airlines grapple with a surge in jet fuel prices, tighter capacity and operational disruptions linked to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. For travellers planning summer holidays or last-minute trips, the message is becoming »»»

Sudan has appointed General Yassir al-Atta, a member of the country's Sovereign Council and assistant to the commander-in-chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chief of staff of the country's Armed Forces, a military spokesman told Reuters on Thursday. The move is the most significant personnel shift since»»»

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday there was no end in sight to a war that had already displaced a million people over the last month, as families fleeing Israeli strikes said they were exhausted by repeated rounds of conflict. Lebanon is entering the second month of conflict betw»»»

Iran has accused the US and Israel of genocide over the “deliberate” targeting of schools and education facilities in strikes on the country. In a post on X on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said more than 600 schools and educational facilities across Iran have been targeted i»»»

Poland will not relocate its American-made Patriot air defense missile systems to the Middle East to help the US intercept attacks from Iran, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said. Despite US President Donald Trump claiming that the Pentagon has an “unlimited” stockpile of weap»»»

Polls ahead of the Hungarian elections point to an opposition victory, but players behind the scenes expect Prime Minister Viktor Orban to come out on top. Others say it’s a scenario ripe for a Kiev-style ‘color revolution’. READ MORE: Battle for Hungary: EU attacks on Orban are a sign of worse thi»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for intensifying political and diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "Both sides emphasized the need for a rapid cessation of hostilities and the intensification of political»»»

In a step reflecting a strategic shift in regional energy routes, Baghdad has officially begun exporting crude oil via Syria, in an effort to bypass the paralysis that has affected traditional maritime trade corridors. The move, which Damascus described as a return to its role as a “transit compass»»»

The price of oil surged while stock markets fell back after U.S. President Donald Trump's address Wednesday night stoked fears the Iran war could be about to get a lot worse. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- The price of oil surged while stocks retreated on Thursday afte»»»

Dubai: The UAE government's decision to extend distance learning until April 17 amid regional tensions has been met with relief and gratitude by parents, who say their children's safety outweighs any disruption to routine. For Praseetha Rajesh, a mother of two whose elder daughter Anushka is a univ»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe IRGC announces targeting US-linked steel facilities in Abu Dhabi, parts of aluminum operations in Bahrain, as well as military industries t»»»

When three villagers from China’s Sichuan Province wrote to local officials in 2022 questioning why the government was confiscating their land and evicting them from their homes, they received a brief response: "It is a state secret." An investigation by CNN revealed that this secret centers on Chi»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has stepped up high-level diplomatic engagement with the United States and regional stakeholders in a bid to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, positioning itself as a key facilitator for dialogue amid a conflict that has rattled global energy markets and heightened geopolitic»»»

Vienna: Austria has rejected US requests for military overflights of its territory since the start of the conflict in the Middle East in line with its policy of neutrality, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP on Thursday. "There have indeed been requests and they were refused from the outset," Co»»»

US President Donald Trump addressed the nation in a speech that resembled political theater more than presidential leadership, offering remarks that reflected less a coherent strategy than a projection of self-crafted illusion. Claiming sweeping military triumphs—including the destruction of Iran’s»»»

London: Britain accused Iran on Thursday of holding the world's economy hostage as diplomats from more than 40 countries held talks on ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The U.S. is not attending the virtual mee»»»

The dollar rose sharply on Thursday after US President Donald Trump's address on Iran shattered hopes for a swift end to the conflict, sending investors towards safe-haven assets as oil prices jumped and stocks tumbled. In a televised speech, Trump vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran in the next »»»

Dubai: Rows of luxury boutiques line an upmarket Dubai mall, yet a month into the Middle East war their sales staff sit idly, phones in hand, watching for the rare customer. Salespeople in immaculate suits say they have been told not to speak to reporters, but one briefly described the mood. "Of co»»»

A month into Israel's war against Hezbollah, invading Israeli troops are gradually advancing in south Lebanon, raising fears for the area's fate following the last Israeli occupation that lasted nearly two decades. Since war erupted last month, Israeli officials have said Israel intends to establis»»»

Dhaka: Bangladesh on Thursday hiked prices of liquefied petroleum gas used for cooking and compressed natural gas in some cars by 29 percent, as the Mideast war worsens an energy crunch. The South Asian nation of 170 million people imports 95 percent of its oil and gas needs. With the latest price »»»

Seoul, South Korea: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that a military operation to liberate the Strait of Hormuz is "unrealistic", expressing frustration at US President Donald Trump's alternating statements on the Iran war. "There are those who advocate for the liberation of the St»»»

Dubai: Japan has introduced a major reform to its family law, allowing divorced couples to share custody of their children for the first time. The amendment to its Civil Code, which took effect starting this April, has marked a step away from the system that granted custody to only one parent after»»»

The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that air defenses engaged 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones originating from Iran. Since the start of Iran's brazen attacks, the UAE air defenses have engaged 457 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles, and 2,038 drones. The attacks have resulted in ca»»»