This article was originally published on April 4, 2026 – French lawmakers are on Thursday set to debate a controversial bill that proposes labeling any implicitly expressed "hatred" against the state of Israel as anti-Semitic, making it a crime under the country’s terrorism laws»»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his opposition to Taiwanese independence during a meeting with Cheng Li-wun, leader of Taiwan's pro-Beijing opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. Her official trip to Beijing, the first such visit in a decade, sparked controversy in the self-ruled»»»

London: British no-frills airline EasyJet on Thursday said it expects to post a deeper first-half loss compared with one year earlier after the Middle East war sent jet fuel prices soaring. EasyJet said it expected a headline loss before tax of between GBP540 million and GBP560 million ($733 millio»»»

Over 4 million people are set to be newly displaced around the world by the end of next year as donors step back from providing life-saving aid, the Danish Refugee Council said on Thursday. There are already some 117 million people forcibly displaced worldwide as the number of conflicts has surged »»»

Two U.S. nationals were sentenced to federal prison for helping North Korean operatives obtain remote IT jobs, the Justice Department said Wednesday. This photo from the Department shows North Korean IT workers that were allegedly part of a scheme to help Pyongyang fund its weapons programs. Photo »»»

The Israeli military killed four Lebanese rescue workers and wounded six others in three consecutive, targeted strikes Wednesday, paramedic groups said, a stark illustration of the human cost of the Israeli military campaign in southern Lebanon a day after Lebanon and Israel held historic talks in »»»

Ghaziabad District, Afghanistan: In the jagged Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men dug into the rocky bed of the Kunar River searching for a few grams of gold dust as an alternative source of income. At the foot of imposing peaks, some still covered in snow in April, they toiled near»»»

Pontianak, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities are searching for a helicopter with eight people on board after they lost contact with the chopper on Thursday, a rescue official told AFP. The helicopter, owned by local firm Matthew Air Nusantara, took off from the West Kalimantan province on the Borne»»»

Dubai: A striking fusion of science and creativity is taking centre stage in Amsterdam, where ancient fossils are being transformed into captivating works of art. The “Relics” exhibition at Art Zoo showcases nine pieces by creative duo Jaap Sinke and Ferry van Tongeren, blending natural history wit»»»

US House Democrats introduced six articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing him of "high crimes and misdemeanors" including waging war on Iran without congressional approval. The impeachment resolution is led by Yassamin Ansari, a Democratic Congresswoman fr»»»

DOHA: The Community Policing Department at the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Behavioral Healthcare Center (Daam), organised a training workshop titled 'Building Positive Behavior Within the Family'. The workshop addressed several specialized topics in the field of behavioral health,»»»

An opinion poll, conducted by Market Links and co-financed by bTV, indicates that five political formations would enter the new Bulgarian parliament, while four others remain near the 4% threshold, show the survey’s results, which were circulated to the media on Thursday. The national quantitative »»»

Former deputy chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS), Timur Shabdanbekov, has been remanded in custody until June 13. This decision was made by the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek on April 15. According to the court’s press service, Timur Shabdanbekov is ch»»»

A meeting of the Tripoli Libyan government team tasked with following up on the US State Department’s Investment Climate Report was held in Tripoli last Monday, pursuant to Prime Minister’s Resolution No. (593) of 2025. The meeting was attended by the team leader and Minister of Economy and Trade, »»»

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday, reversing earlier declines, on skepticism that peace talks between the US and Iran will reach a deal to end the war that has bottled up oil output from the key Middle East producing region. Brent crude futures were down 26 cents to $94.67 a barrel at 0611»»»

A bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine in southern Ecuador Wednesday, killing 14 people and injuring at least 29, emergency officials said. The accident happened in the Molleturo area in the Andean province of Azuay, whose capital Cuenca is Ecuador's third most populous city, AFP repor»»»

A three-year-old girl has suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a lion cub during a souvenir photo session at Egypt’s National Circus in the Agouza district of Giza. The incident occurred at the headquarters of the Artistic House for Folk and Performing Arts, widely known as the “Nation»»»

The Labour Ministry is continuing its efforts to stop harmful practices involving pressure on vulnerable citizens through the social system, said caretaker Labour Minister Hasan in a televised interview on Thursday. The goal is to bring these practices to light so they are not repeated. Ademov adde»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has inaugurated the Boumerzaz Cemetery Mosque in the Boumerzaz area, located along Al Mazrouah Road, west of Umm Salal Ali, as part of its strategic plan to expand mosque infrastructure and enhance religious facilities across the country. The i»»»

Doha, Qatar: Pakistan International School Qatar (PISQ) successfully organised its Qirat competition, “Echoes of Devotion – Edition 2,” under the esteemed patronage of Principal Ch. Muhammad Afzal. The event brought together students and faculty in a spiritually uplifting atmosphere, celebrating th»»»

Doha, Qatar: General Authority of Customs participated in the 17th meeting of the Executive Council of the Customs Union Authority of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held virtually, and chaired by President of the General Authority of Customs and Chairman of the Union’s Executive Council H E Ah»»»

Philip Morris International released its Value Report 2025, offering a holistic perspective on the company’s approach to sustainable value creation. The report marks the completion of PMI’s 2025 Roadmap, communicating achievements for each aspiration introduced by the company in 2020, and introduce»»»

Romania has made significant progress in the process of aligning with the standards of developed economies and joining the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), having already obtained 24 of the 25 formal opinions required within the OECD committees. The completion of the a»»»

The United States is discussing a possible second round of peace talks with Iran in Pakistan and is optimistic about reaching a deal, U.S. officials said, as Tehran threatened to shut down Red Sea trade unless Washington lifted a naval blockade of its ports. A Pakistani delegation arrived in Tehran»»»

A new public health initiative titled “Hayat” has been launched in Dubai, bringing together global expertise across pharmaceutical research, body composition technology, and clinical practice in a structured effort to enhance public understanding of obesity. The three-month initiative is supported »»»

Police in London arrested two people on Wednesday over an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in the north of the city, amid an upsurge in “antisemitic” incidents in Britain. The pair -- a 47-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man -- were detained in Watford, north of the capital, and are being hel»»»

The leader of Progressive Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, told election campaign meetings in Kyustendil (Southwest Bulgaria) and Pernik (West Bulgaria) that political circles have the “ill ambition” to discredit the elections because they realize they cannot win them, Progressive Bulgaria said on Thursday. »»»

Periods of change and disruption place leadership under sharper focus, testing the ability to respond with clarity, speed and conviction. Recent regional developments have created one of the most critical strains in recent times, emphasising the importance of firm response under pressure. To highli»»»

Turkey: Turkey will hold funerals for nine victims killed in a school shooting by a 14-year-old, an attack that has sent shockwaves across the country, with authorities saying the suspect had referenced a US mass killer in a WhatsApp profile image. The attack in the southern province of Kahramanmar»»»

UAE: Joyalukkas, the world's favourite jeweller operating across 12 countries with 190 showrooms worldwide, has unveiled its exclusive Akshaya Tritiya 2026 collections and cashback celebrations, offering customers an opportunity to invest in eternal radiance during the most auspicious day for jewel»»»

TotalEnergies expects a significant increase in first-quarter earnings from a strong trading performance, as well as in its upstream production and oil sales due to higher prices caused by the war in Iran, even as the conflict shut down 15% of the French group's overall production, it said on Thurs»»»

Australia will raise defense spending to 3.0 percent of GDP by 2033 as armed conflicts flare worldwide, Defense Minister Richard Marles said Thursday. The new commitment follows pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration for Canberra to boost military expenditure as a share of total a»»»

Turkiye: Turkiye will hold funerals for nine victims killed in a school shooting by a 14-year-old, an attack that has sent shockwaves across the country, with authorities saying the suspect had referenced a US mass killer in a WhatsApp profile image. The attack in the southern province of Kahramanm»»»

Natural gas remained the largest source of electricity generation in the United States, underscoring the fuel’s central role in meeting demand as utilities balance affordability, reliability and the shift toward cleaner energy. Nuclear power held steady as the second-largest source, according to En»»»

New York, April 16 (SANA) Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, said transitional justice and redress for victims of crimes committed against Syrians form the foundation for building a new Syria. Speaking at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednes»»»

The US attorney’s office in Washington has requested that a federal appeals judge overturn convictions for members of far-right groups Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, who had been found guilty of seditious conspiracy over the January 2021 Capitol Hill riots. The members of the groups were granted »»»

Onshore drilling company Foraj Sonde Videle has acquired 100% of the share capital of Raffles Energy Ltd., a UK holding company that owns Raffles Energy SRL and Zenith Resources SRL, two Romanian energy firms active mainly in natural gas and electricity production. The transaction is expected to be»»»

Schoenherr advised Renalfa Power Clusters ("Renalfa") on the acquisition of Horia 2, a photovoltaic power plant with an installed capacity of 365 MWp located in Arad County, Romania. The project is part of the Horia-Arad cluster, which also includes a standalone BESS project recently acquired by Re»»»

KMG International (Rompetrol) has recently integrated a new retail IT system that serves the entire network of fuel stations managed by Rompetrol Downstream in Romania, the company announced on Wednesday in a press release.This year, the system will be expanded and finalized in the Republic of Mold»»»

Canberra, Australia: A fire broke out Thursday at an oil refinery in Geelong, southeastern Australia, according to Australian authorities. Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said that the impact on fuel production will be significant, especially at this stage. Meanwhile»»»

Romania is set to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Lebanon, comprising 15 tonnes of food, tents and bedding supplies.The decision was taken by the National Committee for Emergency Situations, convened by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, in response to a request for assistance made through the E»»»

Part one of the Libya France Business Forum 2026 officially kicked off last Tuesday (14 April) in southern French city of Marseille, with broad and high-level participation from economic institutions and business leaders from Libya and Franch. The opening session was attended by the Chargé d’affair»»»

On April 16, 1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote "Letter from Birmingham Jail" while imprisoned in Alabama for protesting segregation. 1 of 7 | The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is seen as cherry blossoms begin to bloom in Washington, D.C., on March 27, 2025. On April 16, 1963, MLK wrote »»»

Doha, Qatar: Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan powered their way to gold with a commanding run at the AVC Beach Tour 25th Samila Open, sealing victory in the men’s final in Songkhla yesterday. The Qatari duo capped an impressive campaign with a hard-fought win over Australia’s Ben Hood-Thomas Hodges»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has unveiled a new design and upgraded format for the H H the Amir Basketball Cup 2025–2026 season, signalling a fresh push to elevate one of Qatar’s most prestigious domestic basketball competitions. The announcement was made at a press conference»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Saad Ahmed Al Saad yesterday excelled to win the CSI U-25 Special Two Phase class on the opening day of the FEI Group VII Finals at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab yesterday. Riding Craquante de Mazin, Al Saad produced two flawless rounds to clock 33.01 seconds and secure first»»»

Doha, Qatar: Ghanem, ridden by Marco Casamento, produced a commanding late surge to capture the Rodat Al Maida Cup, winning the Purebred Arabian Handicap 85-105 (Class 2) at Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday. The six-year-old bay, trained by Gassim Al Ghazali, was held off the early pace over the 1700»»»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun hailed on Wednesday the “balanced and wise” efforts made by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, saying his endeavors have created an “atmosphere to support stability, which Lebanon appreciates as a source of pride”. In a post on media platform X»»»

Washington: David Pierson For much of the last two decades, China has maintained a delicate balance in its military relationship with Iran, offering often indirect assistance instead of arms sales. That approach is now drawing renewed attention after US officials said intelligence agencies were ass»»»

John Eastman, a former lawyer to President Donald Trump, was disbarred in California on Wednesday over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. File Photo by Michael Reynolds/EPA April 16 (UPI) -- The California Supreme Court has disbarred John Eastman, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, ove»»»