Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has released its latest statistics on building permits and technical affairs for the first quarter of 2026, highlighting sustained momentum across the construction and urban development sectors. According to the report, a total of 1,777 building permits wer»»»

The Kraken is a huge tentacled sea monster from Norse folklore that drags ships and sailors down into the deep. During the age of dinosaurs, new research shows, there existed a creature as close to a real-life Kraken as you could possibly get - an enormous octopus that prowled the seas as an apex p»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Higher Education Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education held a recognition ceremony on Wednesday for participants in the 2026 “Ruwwad” programme, implemented by the British Council in partnership with the British Embassy in Doha and the Ministry. During th»»»

Interviewed on Bulgarian National Television on Friday, Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy Chair and spokesperson Rositsa Mateva said there were no reports of vote rigging during the April 19 parliamentary elections. She added that she could comment on hypothetical assumptions about manipulat»»»

Although US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made the ultimate war and ceasefire decisions regarding Iran, The Jerusalem Post revealed the details and extent to which Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, US Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, a»»»

Dubai: Filmmaker and former Bigg Boss Malayalam winner Akhil Marar has come under fire for his recent comments on pregnancy, with women, doctors, and activists in Kerala strongly pushing back against his views. In a recent interview, Marar described pregnancy as a “natural process” that has been tu»»»

Demand for new apartments in Poland’s seven largest cities accelerated in Q1 2026, underlining the sector’s resilience. Developers sold 12,900 units, up 11.1% quarter-on-quarter and 35.2% year-on-year, according to JLL. Aleksandra Gawrońska said sales rose despite the long January-February holiday »»»

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced policymakers in Asia to face questions over the security of other maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of Malacca, which is the world's busiest waterway for international trade. Importance of The Malacca Strait The 900-km (550-mile) long Malacca »»»

Washington - Robert Jimison Over nearly eight weeks of war in Iran, Republicans in Congress have turned back repeated efforts by Democrats to halt the operation and force US President Donald Trump, who began the conflict without congressional authorization, to consult with lawmakers on the military»»»

Hungary’s economy is expected to grow only modestly this year, with consumption remaining the main driver of expansion, while investments are likely to pick up more meaningfully only in 2027, according to the Equilibrium Institute (ESI). For 2026, the Equilibrium Institute (ESI – Institute for Equi»»»

Chancellery Minister Gergely Gulyás answered journalists’ questions after consultations on preparations for the next legislative term, addressing the causes of the election defeat and what comes next. Asked whether Viktor Orbán would also step down as leader of Fidesz, Gulyás referred to the party »»»

Geneva: United Nations agencies announced the success of a large-scale global immunization effort known, which reached around 18.3 million children aged between one and five years across 36 countries, delivering 100 million doses of life-saving vaccines. This was stated in a joint release by Gavi, »»»

SEOUL: South Korean special prosecutors requested a further 30-year term on Friday for jailed ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol for allegedly sending military drones into North Korea in 2024. Yoon is accused of ordering the incursion to help create the pretext for his failed declaration of martial law tha»»»

Etel Adnan ‘Untitled’ The late Lebanese-American artist and writer was renowned for her use of bold colors in her paintings. “(Her) vibrant compositions unfold through rich, geometric fields of color, reflecting a dynamic interplay between abstraction and her deep-rooted engagement with landscapes »»»

Brussels: Economic activity in the euro area contracted in April, marking its first decline in 16 months, amid pressures stemming from the conflict in the Middle East and the resulting rise in energy prices and disruption of global supply chains. The composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for t»»»

Kazakhstan has proposed a regional “Green Shield of Central Asia” initiative to combat desertification and dust storms, positioning it as a long-term ecological strategy rather than a one-off tree-planting campaign, officials said at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026. »»»

Central Asian governments pledged to step up efforts to tackle air pollution, with officials calling for deeper regional cooperation and greater international support at a ministerial dialogue in Kazakhstan’s capital. Offi»»»

Kazakhstan has proposed a regional “Green Shield of Central Asia” initiative to combat desertification and dust storms, positioning it as a long-term ecological strategy rather than a one-off tree-planting campaign, officials said at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026. »»»

Kazakhstan has proposed a regional “Green Shield of Central Asia” initiative to combat desertification and dust storms, positioning it as a long-term ecological strategy rather than a one-off tree-planting campaign, officials said at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026. »»»

Kazakhstan has proposed a regional “Green Shield of Central Asia” initiative to combat desertification and dust storms, positioning it as a long-term ecological strategy rather than a one-off tree-planting campaign, officials said at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026. »»»

Kazakhstan has proposed a regional “Green Shield of Central Asia” initiative to combat desertification and dust storms, positioning it as a long-term ecological strategy rather than a one-off tree-planting campaign, officials said at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026. »»»

Central Asian governments pledged to step up efforts to tackle air pollution, with officials calling for deeper regional cooperation and greater international support at a ministerial dialogue in Kazakhstan’s capital. Offi»»»

Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD) withdrew its six ministers from Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet on April 23, triggering a shift to an interim government and deepening the political standoff at the centre of the ruling coalition, according to a PSD statement. The move comes as the»»»

Iran is reportedly moving to expand crude storage at Kharg Island by reactivating the 30-year-old very large crude carrier M/T Nasha, a sign that the country’s main oil hub is nearing its onshore storage limit amid the US blockade of Iranian ports. Maritime analysts say the vessel, which had been a»»»

Britain and France Thursday voiced hope that military plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz were coming together and would succeed in restoring trade flows through the vital passage. At a two-day meeting in London, military planners discussed the practicalities of a multinational mission led by the »»»

As a Canadian who has spent 17 years working in Europe, I feel qualified to speak on behalf of the few remaining brain cells still on active duty (that would be just 40% of all Canadian neurons, according to a recent poll): Canada has zero interest in joining the European Union. All some Canadians »»»

London: King Charles III heads to the United States on Monday with transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and the Epstein scandal's long shadow threatening to intrude on the landmark visit. Both Buckingham Palace and the British government have said the four?day trip will honour the historic rela»»»

The negotiations between Israel and Lebanon went very well, and the ceasefire in southern Lebanon will be extended for three weeks, US President Donald Trump said. "The President of the United States, DONALD J. TRUMP, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, A»»»

The United States is still working on solving the conflict in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump said. "We are working on trying to get that one [conflict] solved," Trump told reporters. President Trump added that he was unaware whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited to the G20 S»»»

Brussels: The European Union on Thursday approved a 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) loan package to help Ukraine meet its economic and military needs for two years after oil began flowing through a key pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia, ending months of political deadlock. The EU also approved a new »»»

The meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington on 23 April, held under US sponsorship, was the first such encounter in decades. Despite fierce opposition and violent threats from Iran and Hezbollah, Beirut pressed ahead with what was an exceptionally difficult decision. Leba»»»

Italian authorities are investigating the deaths of at least 18 wolves and several other wild animals found in recent days in a national park, in what conservation groups say is one of the worst attacks on wildlife in Italy. The carcasses were discovered across several locations in and around the A»»»

GENEVA: The Big Catch-Up (BCU), a historic multi-year, multi-country effort to address vaccination declines driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged 1 to 5 across 36 countries. More than 100 million doses of life-saving vaccines were dispatched, h»»»

ROME: Italian sports officials say four-time champion Italy is not interested in replacing Iran at the upcoming World Cup following a suggestion to that effect by a Trump administration official. Iran has not withdrawn from the World Cup, and the team is preparing to play in the US despite the war »»»

Oil prices jumped on Friday as Iran vowed it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil is shipped, as long as the United States blocks its ports. The price of US crude oil WTI increased 1.23% to $97.03 per barrel early on Friday; Brent crude, the international sta»»»

This Wednesday Donald Trump claimed that out of respect for him, Iran had agreed to spare the lives of 8 young Iranian women facing execution. But he was quickly struck with accusations that the women were AI-generated. Iran gave conflicting information, both mocking the AI claims but also dec»»»

WASHINGTON: Iran’s footballers will be welcome at this year’s World Cup, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday, distancing the US government from a proposal that Italy could take their place in the tournament. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Rubio denied that Washington had asked t»»»

WASHINGTON: The United States will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to a G20 summit in Miami, a US official said Thursday, but President Donald Trump said he doubted his counterpart would come.The invitation would mark a major easing of international pressure on Putin, who has been shunned b»»»

Share: An IRGC boat off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran .President Trump orders U.S. military to ‘shoot and kill’ Iranian boats mining Strait of Hormuz[File: Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA via Reuters] The U.S. also boarded another tanker it said was involved in smuggling Iranian oil, as the intensifying »»»

The Hague, Netherlands: Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for deadly anti-drug crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. A three-judge panel found unanimously there were “sub»»»

First Sermon (Khutbah One) All praise is due to Allah, who has commanded fidelity and trustworthiness, and has forbidden treachery and betrayal. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah alone, without partner—Glory be to Him—“He does not guide the plan of the treacherous” (Q»»»

The Hague, Netherlands: Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for deadly anti-drug crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. A three-judge panel found unanimously there were “sub»»»

With a summer of travel chaos looming for many European holidaymakers, one ferry operator is promising smooth sailing. Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries, tells France 24 the line has enough supplies of maritime fuels to last the season, and vows not to raise ticket prices despite the glob»»»

Share: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office, with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio standing behind him, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 23, 2026. SUMMARY Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following a mee»»»

For years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - the so-called “Quad” linking the United States, Australia, India and Japan - has been presented as a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific stability. The Quad was never a formal allia»»»

For years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - the so-called “Quad” linking the United States, Australia, India and Japan - has been presented as a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific stability. The Quad was never a formal allia»»»

For years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - the so-called “Quad” linking the United States, Australia, India and Japan - has been presented as a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific stability. The Quad was never a formal allia»»»

For years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - the so-called “Quad” linking the United States, Australia, India and Japan - has been presented as a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific stability. The Quad was never a formal allia»»»

For years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - the so-called “Quad” linking the United States, Australia, India and Japan - has been presented as a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific stability. The Quad was never a formal allia»»»

For years, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - the so-called “Quad” linking the United States, Australia, India and Japan - has been presented as a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific stability. The Quad was never a formal allia»»»