Israel hindering Gaza aid access despite court ruling, says NGO
PARIS: Foreign aid groups are struggling to work in the occupied Palestinian territories including in war-torn Gaza despite Israel’s top court lifting a ban against them, a director at one of the charities said Monday. Israel in December said it was banning 37 non-governmental organizations unless »»»
Palestinians receive demolition orders for 15 shops
SA-NUR, West Bank: A Palestinian village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank received demolition orders for 15 shops on Monday, a day after Israeli ministers celebrated the reestablishment of a settlement on a neighboring hill. Israel’s ruling far-right coalition has supported a rapid expansion of s»»»
Is petrodollar starting to crack? How Iran war puts world oil trade at risk
Dubai: The global financial system’s reliance on the US dollar for oil trade is being tested in real time as the Iran war approaches the two-month mark, with a fragile two-week ceasefire window now in focus. What began as a geopolitical shock has evolved into a deeper market shift, forcing investor»»»
Bulgaria’s Kremlin-friendly ex-president wins election in landslide
SOFIA: Pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev has won Bulgaria’s parliamentary election by a landslide, official results showed on Monday, crushing long-dominant political forces and possibly pushing the EU and NATO member state closer to Moscow. The performance, exceeding opinion poll forecasts»»»
Sudan’s deminers scour shattered capital for hidden explosives
KHARTOUM: Bending low in the baking sun and sheathed in heavy protective gear, Hussein Idris sweeps a metal detector across a vast minefield in central Khartoum that was once a park beloved by local families. The war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has moved on from t»»»
Bulgaria’s Radev pushes for Russia dialogue, ‘pragmatism’ in EU policy
The winner of the Bulgarian parliamentary election, Progressive Bulgaria’s Rumen Radev, has called for dialogue with Russia to be restored. The former president has led the newly formed left-leaning populist party to a landslide victory on a platform of critical dialogue with Brussels and pragmatis»»»
When it Comes to the War and Negotiations With the US, IRGC is in Charge and Here’s Why
After Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top leaders and commanders were killed on February 28, “it took Iran 10 minutes to retaliate” and start targeting US bases across the Gulf and in Israel, says veteran war correspondent Elijah Magnier. “Therefore, the IRGC is the one running the show,” Mag»»»
Trump: New deal with Iran will be better than old one
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Monday he believed a nuclear deal the US is currently negotiating with Iran will be better than a 2015 international agreement to curb Tehran’s nuclear program. “The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA, commonly referred to»»»
ING Bank Romania in 2025: revenue of over RON 4 billion and more than 260,000 new customers
Our performance in 2025 was marked by sustained growth in our loan and deposit portfolio. The gross loan portfolio grew by 12%, bringing our market share to 11%, while deposits reached 72.4 billion lei, up 4% from the previous year, securing a market share of 10.7%. Operating expenses increased by »»»
Kikilias pledges to ‘defend’ Crete against immigrants
Greece’s maritime affairs minister pledged Monday to “defend” the southern island of Crete against a wave of immigration in small boats that risk the long and dangerous passage from north Africa to reach European soil. Speaking during a visit to the island, Vassilis Kikilias said that Crete was his»»»
Iran says 'no decision' on joining new talks, with US delegation set to depart
Iran said it had yet to decide whether to attend a new round of peace negotiations with the United States, as Washington's delegation prepared to depart for Pakistan on Monday. The uncertainty over the talks on ending the war that engulfed the region and rattled global markets came as U.S. Presiden»»»
Supreme Court rejects parents’ complaint over child's gender identity - UPI.com
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case over whether a public school district violated parents’ rights by using preferred pronouns and a preferred name for their child. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo April 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined»»»
Outrage over smashing of Jesus statue by an Israeli soldier in Lebanon – Ya Libnan
Share: The Israeli military said it viewed the soldier’s actions with “great severity” There has been widespread condemnation after an image of an Israeli soldier apparently hitting a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon went viral. Israel’s prime minister said he was “stunned an»»»
Whale stranded on German coast swims off, gets stuck again
Berlin: Efforts to rescue a humpback whale stranded for weeks on Germany's Baltic Sea coast were complicated Monday when the animal unexpectedly swam away but then appeared to have got stuck again. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) whale and its struggle for survival have captured the hearts of the German p»»»
Venezuela in talks with Siemens, GE over power crisis - UPI.com
Avilio Troconiz (C), regional president of the Primero Justicia party in Zulia, speaks at a press conference in front of the Las Tarabas electrical substation in Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela, on March 26. The party denounced the the electricity crisis, which has worsened in recent months. Phot»»»
Journalists urge WHCA not to 'normalize' Trump ahead at press dinner - UPI.com
1 of 3 | A coalition of journalists are calling on the White House Correspondents’ Association to push back on President Donald Trump’s attacks on the press ahead of his attendance at Saturday’s correspondents’ dinner. Photo by Graeme Sloan/UPI | License Photo April 20 (UPI) -- A coalition of journ»»»
Foreign Leaders Congratulate Rumen Radev on Election Victory
Rumen Radev on Monday received congratulations from foreign leaders on his Progressive Bulgaria coalition winning the April 19 snap parliamentary election. Congratulations were cabled by European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary Gen»»»
Vujic visits Mladic, speaks with IRMCT president
THE HAGUE - Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic on Monday visited former Republika Srpska Army General Ratko Mladic and former Republika Srpska Minister Mico Stanisic, who are serving prison sentences in The Hague, and subsequently met with International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (»»»
Did the Pope change — or did the world finally listen?
Luanda: And in Africa, the lion roared. There is a case to be made that Pope Leo XIV, the careful, reserved, Midwestern Augustinian, found his voice on his epic trip through Africa, blasting the “handful of tyrants” and “chains of corruption” that have held the continent hostage for centuries. But »»»
EU to Gauge Member States’ Willingness to Punish Israel
The EU's top diplomat said Monday the bloc will gauge the willingness of member states to take measures against Israel, after Spain re-upped demands to suspend a cooperation deal. Foreign ministers from the 27-nation bloc are expected to discuss the matter at a meeting in Luxembourg Tuesday after a»»»
Libya’s agricultural sector is moving from planning to execution: Ahmed Ghazali at the Paris Libya-France Business Forum 2026
During the “Promoting Food Sovereignty” panel of the Libya France Business Forum held in Paris on 16 April, organised by Business France and the National Development Agency (NDA), Ahmed Al-Ghazali emphasised the fact that Libya’s agricultural sector is gaining momentum, underscoring growing coopera»»»
National Assembly to Most Probably Be Convened Next Week, President Says
The National Assembly will most likely be convened next week, once the election results and the names of the 240 elected members of Parliament have been officially announced, President Iliana Iotova told reporters on Monday. She recalled that the deadline for the Central Election Commission to anno»»»
Angry farmers promised more support as foot-and-mouth spreads
Greece’s first outbreak in 25 years of the deadly livestock foot-and-mouth disease has spread to a new part of the island where it was first recorded last month, authorities said Monday, appealing for farmers’ cooperation to deal with “a very difficult situation.” Rural Development Minister Margari»»»
Who will make up Magyar’s new Hungarian government? Meet the team shaping up to be Tisza’s first cabinet
Originally published at Napunk The soon-to-be-formed Tisza government in Budapest will differ from Viktor Orbán’s governments not only in personnel but also in structure. Over the four terms since 2010, Viktor Orbán has repeatedly reshaped his governments, abolishing traditional ministries and fold»»»
Arab League urges faster aid delivery to Gaza, calls for halt to Israeli violations in the West Bank and Jerusalem
Brussels: The Arab League today called for intensified international efforts to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip, ensuring it meets the needs of all residents, and for the immediate launch of early recovery and reconstruction programs. This came in a speech delivered by A»»»
Romanian PM Congratulates Rumen Radev on "His Clear Victory in Bulgaria's Elections"
In a post on X on Monday, Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan congratulated Rumen Radev, who won the snap parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on Sunday, and stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation, according to Ziare. Bolojan said he looked forward to further strengthening the strategic p»»»
Is Israel replicating Gaza's 'Yellow Line' in south Lebanon?
Israel says it has established a "Yellow Line" in south Lebanon near the border, where its forces are operating despite a 10-day ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah. What is the so-called "Yellow Line", how does it resemble an Israeli military demarcation in the Gaza Strip and where does it leave »»»
Peru to confirm Keiko Fujimori runoff rival by mid-May - UPI.com
Peru’s Fuerza Popular party's Keiko Fujimori reacts after casting her vote in Lima on April 12. She now awaits finding out who her opponent will be in the June 7 presidential runoff. Photo by Renato Pajuelo/EPA April 20 (UPI) -- Peru's National Jury of Elections, known as Jurado Nacional de Eleccio»»»
Bulgaria's Progressive Party wins election amid fears of Russia meddling - UPI.com
Bulgarian Prime Minister-elect, Rumen Radev (C), leader of the Progressive Bulgaria coalition, addresses the media on Sunday night after the first exit polls indicated he was on track to win. Photo by Borislav Troshev/EPA April 20 (UPI) -- Former president Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria Party h»»»
Residents return to ravaged homes months after Hong Kong fire
Hong Kong: Hong Kong residents who lost their homes in a massive fire at an apartment complex last year began returning on Monday for the first time to collect what is left of their belongings. The city's deadliest fire in decades killed 168 people when it ripped through seven of the eight apartmen»»»
E-Governance Ministry: Live Feed Covers 98.56% of Polling Stations on Election Night
Live streaming of ballot counting was available in 98.56% of polling stations on election night and faults affected 1.18% of voting machines, the Ministry of Electronic Governance said on Monday. Automated reports from the video surveillance system sent to the Ministry of Electronic Governance, the»»»
Lucic: Telekom Srbija's 2025 revenues at record-high 2.3 bln euros, profit at 1.3 bln
BELGRADE - Telekom Srbija registered record-breaking business results in 2025, with revenues totalling 2.3 bln euros and an operating profit of 1.3 bln euros, the company's CEO Vladimir Lucic said on Monday, adding that a full abolition of mobile roaming charges with the EU was possible as early as»»»
Graphic storytelling gains attention in Saudi creative scene
DAMMAM: Saudi comic writer Abdullah Al-Otaibi outlined the fundamental differences between graphic novels and traditional fiction during a public discussion hosted at the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts in Dammam on Sunday. The session, part of the Literary Partner initiative launched by»»»
How the US-Israel-Iran conflict may impact the Global South’s harvest season
LONDON: For much of the Global South, the US-Israel-Iran war is no longer a distant geopolitical crisis. It is showing up in farm budgets, fuel queues and food markets, as disruption in the Strait of Hormuz drives up costs and strains already fragile economies. Iran’s blockade of Hormuz has rattled»»»
How Israeli strikes on paramedics are hindering rescue efforts in Lebanon
BEIRUT: Wael Mousawi, a 35-year-old Civil Defense responder in Tyre, says he has spent weeks moving “between death and death,” pulling bodies from the rubble of flattened homes in southern Lebanon as rescue teams struggled to keep pace with the scale of destruction. Paramedics and rescue workers ac»»»
Iran accuses US of ceasefire breach, vows retaliation over attack on ship
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON: Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, accused the US of violating a ceasefire by firing at one of Iran’s commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman, vowing to retaliate. State media quoted a Khatam Al-Anbiya spokesperson as saying early on Monday that the vess»»»
Doubts over talks between Iran and US after violence flares in Strait of Hormuz
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan moved ahead Monday with preparations for a new round of talks between the United States and Iran days before a tenuous ceasefire is set to expire, even as renewed conflict around the Strait of Hormuz raised questions about whether the meeting would take place. Over the weekend, »»»
Nora Attal stars in Dolce&Gabbana Beauty campaign
DUBAI: British Moroccan model Nora Attal stars in a new campaign for Italian label Dolce&Gabbana Beauty, showcasing a new lip product by the Italian luxury label. In the advert, which Attal shared on social media, the model can be seen posing with a red, glossy lip courtesy of the new Rose Dew Lip »»»
Victory certain for EU-skeptic Radev in critical Bulgarian election
Former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has defeated former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov by 30 points in Bulgaria’s general election, according to preliminary exit polls. With some 96% of votes counted, Radev's Progressive Bulgaria coalition has won 44.7% of the vote, followed by Borissov’s GERB-SD»»»
Saudi investment pipeline active as reforms advance, says Pakistan minister
ALULA: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Mohammed Aurangzeb described Saudi Arabia as a “longstanding partner” and emphasized the importance of sustainable, mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly in key economic sectors. Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging M»»»
Global trade isn’t deglobalizing — it’s reshuffling, Harvard economist says
ALULA: Global trade is not retreating into deglobalization despite geopolitical shocks, but is instead undergoing a structural reshuffling led by US-China tensions, according to Harvard University economist Pol Antras. Presenting research at the AlUla Emerging Market Economies Conference, Antras sa»»»
Modern agriculture raises some Saudi farmers’ yields by $0.08 per kilogram
RIYADH: Investing in the restoration of arid and degraded lands is a highly profitable economic investment. Every dollar spent yields direct and indirect economic benefits ranging from $7 to $30. This highlights the significance of Saudi Arabia’s success in rehabilitating the first million hectares»»»
Startup wrap — Funding momentum continues amid Iran conflict
RIYADH: Startups in the Middle East and North Africa region secured multiple funding rounds across different sectors across the beginning of April, despite ongoing market uncertainty caused by the conflict in Iran. This positive momentum continues from the record $7.5 billion raised by MENA startup»»»
5 ways to get more magnesium without taking a supplement
Magnesium supplements are among the most popular dietary supplements in America. Experts say that’s because magnesium plays an important role in our health. It helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It supports your immune system and muscle health. And it can help you get a good nigh»»»
Syria’s central bank governor discusses with Austrian officials restoring ties
Vienna, April 20 (SANA) Central Bank of Syria Governor Abdulkader Husrieh held talks in Vienna with Austrian National Bank Governor Martin Kocher on restoring financial relations between the two countries and resuming money transfers. Talks focused on reactivating cross-border payment systems and a»»»
Why Strait of Malacca Could Be Next Global Chokepoint After Hormuz
An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei warns of “a chain-reaction response” in more critical shipping lanes — and he mentioned Malacca specifically. Here's why:The Strait of Malacca is an narrow bottleneck (2.8 km at the narrowest point) that connects the Indian Ocean to the South Chi»»»
Macron and Tusk meet in Poland to discuss European defence
Poland: French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are meeting Monday in the north of Poland to strengthen defence cooperation in the face of Russian threats and weakening US commitment to Europe. The meeting is the first since the two countries signed a treaty of friend»»»
UK’s Starmer to face grilling from MPs over Mandelson scandal
London: Embattled UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will face lawmakers in parliament on Monday as he bids to quell anger over an unrelenting scandal involving long-time Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson. Starmer, already widely unpopular with the public and many Labour MPs, is struggling to e»»»
Klass Wagen opens its 12th local office in Romania at Târgu Mureș Airport
Klass Wagen continues its expansion strategy in the Romanian market by opening a new office in Târgu Mureș, near Transylvania International Airport, the investment being part of the company’s broader regional development plan. The decision comes at a favourable time for the local market, marked by »»»
What to know as ceasefire in Iran war hangs in the balance
The ceasefire in the Iran war hangs in the balance as Pakistan's capital stands prepared for possible new talks between Tehran and Washington. As of right now, the two-week ceasefire will expire at 0000 GMT Wednesday (8 p.m. ET Tuesday.) But the truce between Iran, Israel and the United States star»»»