Oil prices fell for a second day on Wednesday on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran may resume and supply will eventually be released from the key Middle East producing region trapped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures were down16 cents, or 0.2%, to $94.63 a b»»»

Ukrainian Foreign ‌Minister Andrii Sybiha held a call with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar to discuss a Russian vessel carrying what he described as grain stolen from Ukraine that was allowed to dock in an Israeli port. Kyiv considers all grain produced in the four regions Russia claimed as it»»»

Two Israeli strikes on Wednesday hit vehicles south of Beirut, state media reported, while Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel, hours after Lebanon and Israel agreed to hold direct negotiations. Israel is continuing its strikes on southern Lebanon in its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, but has not»»»

Since the US and Israel waged war on Iran on 28 February, China has issued a cascade of diplomatic communiqués condemning the strikes, calling for a ceasefire, invoking UN Charter principles, and proposing a joint five-point peace initiative with Pakistan. Not a single weapon has followed. Not a wa»»»

The International Monetary Fund cut its 2026 growth forecasts for Gulf economies, citing uneven exposure to energy markets and trade disruptions, as well as differing access to alternative oil export routes. Saudi Arabia is expected to lead regional growth at about 3.1 percent this year, supported »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah’s Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Shmona for the second time on Wednesday with a salvo of r»»»

Jawad Younes, 11, and his cousins were playing soccer in the lot between their houses, as they often did. His little brother, 4-year-old Mehdi, had joined them but grew tired, so Jawad took him home and handed him off to their mother before returning to the game. Minutes later, an Israeli strike ca»»»

Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport began recovering on Tuesday from the fallout of the Iran war, as international airlines resumed flights to the Lebanese capital after a roughly 40-day suspension caused by ongoing war, amid US pressure on Israel to spare the airport. The airport schedule »»»

The U.S Central Command said late Tuesday that its forces have halted all maritime traffic to and from Iran. File Photo by Ali Haider/EPA-EFE April 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. military's maritime blockade of Iran has "completely halted" sea-based trade with the Middle Eastern country, U.S. Central Command»»»

Germany has unveiled a sweeping €4bn military support package for Ukraine and Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for the rapid disbursement of a long-delayed €90bn EU loan to Kyiv, as European powers scramble to shore up Ukraine's defences as the Trump administration loses interest in the conflic»»»

Seoul: North Korea is showing a "very serious increase" in its ability to produce atomic weapons, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday on a visit to Seoul. The diplomatically isolated north is believed to operate multiple facilities for enriching uranium, a key step in making nuclear »»»

Sudan’s war enters its fourth year on Wednesday after three years of bitter fighting that have reshaped life for millions, not only in casualty figures but in daily stories of loss, endurance, and shattered hopes for safety and stability. The conflict, which erupted between the Sudanese army and th»»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices. »»»

Gaza’s civil defence agency said on Tuesday that 10 people, including a toddler, were killed in separate Israeli strikes in the north of the enclave. Violence has persisted despite an October 10 ceasefire. A strike on a police vehicle in Gaza City killed four people, including a child, and wounded »»»

Residents in the northern part of Tulcea County received two RO-ALERT messages overnight amid the war launched by Russia in Ukraine, after surveillance systems detected groups of drones near the Romanian-Ukrainian border.In both extreme alerts issued around 02:37 and 05:08, the General Inspectorate»»»

Dubai: Various organisations across the UAE continue to strengthen community ties and extend support to workers and families through a series of humanitarian initiatives rooted in unity and compassion. From meal distributions to gift-giving missions, these efforts reflect the enduring spirit of wha»»»

For the first time in two months, the Gaza Strip has seen a sharp increase in trucks carrying aid and commercial goods, alongside a rise in travelers crossing through the Rafah land crossing in both directions. A total of 323 trucks entered Gaza on Monday, including 220 commercial shipments for the»»»

As military tensions flare in the Strait of Hormuz, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes, one no less dangerous. Insurance companies have emerged as key players shaping the fate of global shipping. With premiums surging to unprecedented levels, experts told Asharq Al-Awsat the world is app»»»

Manila: The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz on February 28, 2026 disrupted passage for roughly a quarter of the world’s daily seaborne oil. To this day, uncertainty remains and the global fuel crunch continues to raise fears of a deeper supply shock. Uncertainty over freedom on navigation»»»

After two days of silence following Hungary's historic elections, US President Donald Trump has issued a measured response to the defeat of his ally Viktor Orban, but refrained from openly congratulating his challenger, Peter Magyar. Meanwhile, the Kremlin expressed support for Magyar’s w»»»

Dubai: Dubai gold prices edged lower on Wednesday morning as signs of easing geopolitical tension in the Iran conflict cooled safe-haven demand, with bullion retreating after Tuesday’s rebound. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and I»»»

The vast majority of Sudanese people have been plunged into poverty, with 11 million uprooted from their homes and nearly twice as many facing hunger as the war between the army and its paramilitary foes enters its fourth year. On the third anniversary of the start of the grinding conflict on Wedne»»»

Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan and six other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on Tuesday while calling "for an urgent end to hostilities" in the country where Israeli attacks have killed over 2,000 people since March. "Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, »»»

The United States and Israel may have obstructed the path towards a future Iran-built nuclear bomb by severely damaging Tehran's nuclear and ballistic capabilities in recent attacks. But they have not succeeded in seizing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, key to any future negotiations betw»»»

An Israeli rights group said Tuesday that it had asked the International Criminal Court to consider legal action against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for allegedly “aiding war crimes” through exports to Iran. Filed by the Shurat HaDin non-governmental organization, which has taken legal act»»»

The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, even though President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week. Trump said negotiations between US and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the »»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape intertwined with change and chaos. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing, Xi said the strong»»»

The U.S. military under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth conducted another strike Tuesday targeting an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacifiic. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. military killed four men on Tuesday in a strike on a suspected drug-traf»»»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and Beijing cannot agree with Western efforts to preserve global dominance. “Blatant attempts by the West, both the United States and Europe, to maintain and even upgrade its hegemony… including the slave trade, colonialism… continue living… at the»»»

NATO allies said on Monday they would not get involved in US President Donald Trump's plan to blockade Iranian ports, ​proposing to intervene only once fighting ends, in a move likely to anger Trump and increase strains in the alliance. "We're not supporting the blockade," British Prime Minister Ke»»»

China's exports grew only 2.5% in March from a year earlier, a significantly slowdown caused by the war in Iran. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up the cost of materials, and many Chinese factories saw their profits squeezed last month. Also in this edition: hundreds of Hollywood sta»»»

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it a "historic opportunity" but making clear that no breakthrough agr»»»

As the ‘meme war’ between the US and Iran continues via AI ‘slopaganda,’ an Iran-linked group named Explosive Media has been pumping out viral LEGO-style videos ridiculing the US war effort in Iran, and trolling President Donald Trump. Many of these videos depict Trump as childish and fickle, »»»

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US-Iran peace talks could resume this week, while Israel and Lebanon agreed to launch direct negotiations, signaling movement on two key fronts in efforts to ease the Middle East conflict. The parallel diplomatic openings came even as violence persisted»»»

1 of 4 | Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a press conference Tuesday after weekly Senate caucus luncheons at the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 14 (UPI) -- A budget resolution to fund federal immigration enforcement could hit the Senate floor by»»»

She was fidgeting so furiously with her pen that it somehow flew out of her hand, into her colleague’s face. It happens, more often than she can count. Maybe not flinging a pen into her colleague’s desk, but fingernail biting and the occasional flying of stationery. Dubai-based Aditi doesn’t hold b»»»

On Andy Corriher's farm in North Carolina, planting and preparations are underway for his corn and soybean crops -- but fertiliser costs have surged on war in the Middle East, and orders he placed weeks ago have yet to arrive. The 47-year-old is among US farmers facing a double whammy of soaring fe»»»