Today (23 April), the US hosts the second round of talks between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington. The first meeting of these diplomats on 14 April was significant, not because it was the first direct legal contact between senior officials of these states since 1993, or because th»»»

Dubai: As Eid Al Adha approaches, residents across the UAE are looking forward to celebrating the festival with renewed appreciation for family, faith, and togetherness. For many, this year’s occasion carries deeper meaning, with more focus on reflection, gratitude, and a strong sense of community.»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic says the security situation in Serbia is stable but that certain challenges and risks do exist, above all, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija, and noted that the Serbian Armed Forces are fully capable of executing a»»»

ISLAMABAD (Sputnik) - Iran still considers Pakistan as the preferred mediator in the negotiations with the United States, an Iranian diplomatic source told Sputnik. "Iran continues to consider Islamabad as the preferred and reliable mediator in the negotiations between Iran and the United States," »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Arctic is of strategic importance for Russia's economic development and the protection of its sovereignty, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. "I have repeatedly noted the special strategic importance of this region for our country, for the domestic economy, fo»»»

TRIPOI: Libya’s ‌eastern-based coast guard of the Libyan National Army rescued at least 404 migrants on board 10 boats after they had “faced harsh conditions at sea,” the Tobruk Red Crescent said on Wednesday. Tobruk is a coastal city ‌in eastern ‌Libya near the ‌border with ⁠Egypt. The Red Crescen»»»

BEIRUT: Spread across a hillside of southern Lebanon, the tiny village of Beit Lif had been almost entirely flattened. Once home to a few thousand people, nearly every house had been reduced to piles of concrete by Israeli military demolitions. “They were demolishing it gradually until they reached»»»

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin can only meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the purpose of finalizing agreements on the conflict, Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Wednesday. Peskov’s comments on state television, reported by Russian new»»»

LONDON: Dubai Lynx and Middle East Communications Network, or MCN, are bringing the global “See It Be It” program to the MENA region, in a move aimed at widening the pipeline of women into leadership roles across advertising, media and marketing. The regional version, called “See It Be It: Connects»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Authority of Customs and Qatar Aviation Services, QAS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two parties in the field of customs clearance for personal imports. The agreement seeks to enhance service standards, simplif»»»

Al Dhaid: More than 13 tonnes of food unfit for human consumption have been seized and destroyed by Al Dhaid Municipality in a major crackdown on unsafe storage practices, authorities said. The operation was carried out by the municipality’s Food Control Section under the Public Health Department, »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Thursday, losing 135.40 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 11,109.59. The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR6.02 billion ($1.6 billion), as 45 of the stocks advanced and 212 retreated. Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel mar»»»

Located on a 1,200 sq. m. area, the spa centre at Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko offers a wide range of treatments performed by professionals, manager of Kempinski The Spa Kostadinka Vishanina told BTA. Hotel guests and visitors to the spa centre are attracted by the high level of services, in »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 10:00 on Thursday 23-04-2026 a gathering of “Israeli” enemy army soldiers in Taybeh town with a loi»»»

London, April 22 (SANA) British companies reported a record rise in production costs this month, according to a new economic survey, highlighting renewed inflationary pressures that could feed into prices amid global energy disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. Data from S&P Global showed»»»

Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil suggested Thursday that Hezbollah "has lost its internal legitimacy" and "its justification for defending Lebanon." "The great damage to Lebanon is caused by Hezbollah," Bassil, once a key ally of Hezbollah, said in an interview with Al-Arabiya's Al-Hada»»»

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed the United States would destroy any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as he rachets up pressure on Iran to reopen the crucial sea passage. "I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats th»»»

DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani met with Minister of Defence of the friendly Italian Republic HE Guido Crosetto, and the accompanying delegation, during his visit to the country. During the meeting, at»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 06:00 on Thursday 23-04-2026 a gathering of “Israeli” enemy army soldiers in Taybeh town with appro»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he is ordering the United States Navy to triple mine clearing activity in the Strait of Hormuz. The US president said that he ordered the Navy to shoot any Iranian boat allegedly putting mines in the strait. "Additionally, our mine '»»»

The European Union has formally approved a €90 billion ($105 billion) emergency loan for Ukraine for 2026–2027 and adopted its 20th package of sanctions against Russia, the bloc’s presidency said on Thursday. European Council President Antonio Costa said in a statement that increasing pressure on R»»»

Dubai: Aldar Properties has acquired an industrial and logistics portfolio from a subsidiary of AD Ports Group for Dh650 million, expanding its presence in Abu Dhabi’s key economic zone. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The transaction involves the»»»

Thermal SPA Hotel Roman Bath in the village of Banya reports a steady average annual occupancy rate of between 75% and 80%, the management of the complex said. The hotel operates year-round, with the only planned interruption scheduled for May, when routine maintenance, servicing, and facility upgr»»»

RIYADH: The Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission launched the Ebrahim Al-Kazi Chair of Research at the Saudi Center for Research and Knowledge Intercommunication, supported by the Ministry of Culture. “The Commission announces the launch of the Ebrahim Al-Kazi Research Chair, who serves as »»»

RIYADH: Light art festival Noor Riyadh has released a selection of music created by Majdi bin Marwan, who has been blind since the age of 6. Marwan’s “Melodies of Light” were inspired by the musician’s interpretation of Noor Riyadh’s installations. Riyadh Art said the works were gathered through hi»»»

Amsterdam: A picture of an Ecuadoran family separated when US immigration agents arrested the father following a court hearing won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year Award on Thursday. The photo, taken by Carol Guzy of the ZUMA Press agency and iWitness for the Miami Herald, shows the moment Im»»»

The U.S. military on Thursday seized another tanker associated with the smuggling of Iranian oil, ratcheting up a standoff with Iran a day after its paramilitary Revolutionary Guards took control of two vessels in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. The Defense Department released video footage of U.S. f»»»

Saudi Arabia’s debt market is set for a strategic shift in early 2027, following J.P. Morgan’s announcement that local-currency bonds will be included in its global emerging markets bond index. The move represents a vote of confidence in the Kingdom’s structural reforms and is expected to open the »»»

Dhaka: Bangladesh has recorded 194 child deaths due to measles in an outbreak that began last month, while the number of suspected child cases has exceeded 28,000, government data showed on Thursday. Between three and five children have died from the disease every day for the past week. Five childr»»»

Global — Gold prices retreated toward $4,700 per ounce, declining by nearly 1%, as a stronger US dollar and rising oil prices weighed on the metal, according to data reported by Bloomberg. The pullback follows the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has shifted market»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s president and prime minister accused Israel on Thursday of a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country’s south, where Israeli forces occupy several areas. Rescuers and the reporter’s employer on Wednesday confirmed the death of Amal Khalil, a 42-yea»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, has opened registration for the second Researchers in the Service of Pilgrims award, supporting innovation and applied research in the Hajj and Umrah sector. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the aw»»»

TUNIS, April 23, 2026 (TAP) – Tunisia is set to launch, on May 7, 8 and 9, 2026, at the City of Culture in Tunis, the first edition of the “Tunisian Travel Market,” a new professional conference focused on domestic and neighbouring tourism....»»»

SHENZHEN,- Serbian Deputy PM and Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarovic met with top executives of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD in Shenzhen on Thursday to discuss active inclusion of Serbian automotive companies in a sustainable supply chain of a BYD factory in Szeged, Hungary, due to »»»

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) - Sri Lanka is planning to pay for future imports of Russian crude oil in Chinese yuan, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported on Thursday, citing the country's new energy minister, Aruna Karunatilake. The discussions on the matter are still ongoing, the minister said. "We expect t»»»

Lebanon's president and prime minister accused Israel on Thursday of a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country's south, where Israeli forces occupy several areas. Rescuers and the reporter's employer on Wednesday confirmed the death of Amal Khalil, a 42-year-old jo»»»

Cairo — Egypt is advancing its state IPO programme with the addition of six new government-owned companies to the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), in a move aimed at strengthening market depth and broadening investor participation. According to official EGX statements, and as confirmed by Deputy Chairman M»»»

Cairo — Egypt has accelerated its industrial expansion drive with the inauguration of nine new industrial projects in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, as Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly led an official tour of the Sokhna integrated industrial area. The projects span strategic sectors including enginee»»»

Global — Gold prices retreated toward $4,700 per ounce, declining by nearly 1%, as a stronger US dollar and rising oil prices weighed on the metal, according to data reported by Bloomberg. The pullback follows the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has shifted market»»»

US Navy Secretary John C. Phelan has stepped down in an abrupt move announced by the Pentagon without any public explanation or indication that his exit was linked to the naval blockade of Iran. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Phelan was “departing the administration” at on»»»

Organizers of the Cumbria Nature Festival in England issued an "important clarification" about the upcoming event: it is not for nudists. File Photo by Friedemann Vogel/EPA April 22 (UPI) -- Organizers of the Cumbria Nature Festival in England issued an "important clarification" about the upcoming »»»

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hollywood Fire Rescue (@hollywoodfirerescue) April 21 (UPI) -- A Florida woman's home security camera was recording when an electric wheelchair she bought from a thrift store exploded in her driveway. Hollywood Fire Rescue shared a video on social media »»»

London, United Kingdom: Microsoft is facing a £1.7-billion ($2.3 billion) class action lawsuit in Britain alleging that it abused its dominant market position to overcharge businesses, claimants said Thursday. The case was brought by digital markets regulation expert Maria Luisa Stasi on behalf of »»»

Warsaw: A 58-year-old woman was killed by a bear in Southeastern Poland on Thursday, Pawel Giba, press officer for the District State Fire Service Headquarters in Sanok, told AFP. A report received by the fire department "indicated that in the village of Plonna a woman was allegedly attacked by a b»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received Minister of Defence of the friendly Italian Republic HE Guido Crosetto, and his accompanying delegation at his office in the Amiri Diwan, on the occasion of their visit to the country. During the meeting, the»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has urged the Trump administration to pressure Israel to scale back its demands and end its military invasion of the country. In an interview with the Washington Post, Salam said Lebanon could not sign any agreement that does not include a “full withdrawal” of Israeli for»»»

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 U.N. Und»»»

LONDON: Independent Arabia has won a Fetisov Journalism Award prize for its investigation into an adoption-brokers network in Egypt, adding to the outlet’s growing list of honors since its launch in 2019. Journalist Salah Labban won the 2025 prize in the civil rights category for his investigation,»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia will not charge tolls in the Strait of Malacca, its foreign minister said on Thursday, dispelling reports it could follow Iran’s example in the Strait of Hormuz. Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono spoke to reporters in response to media reports over the possible blockage of the»»»

NAIROBI: A Tanzanian government report into election violence that killed hundreds is “an attempt to whitewash the regime’s crimes,” the main opposition party told AFP on Thursday. A commission of enquiry reported on Thursday that 518 people were killed in protests and violence around the election »»»