Tonight's second round of preparatory direct talks between Lebanon and Israel will be held at the White House instead of the State Department, Lebanese TV networks said. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 pm Beirut time (8:00 pm GMT). MTV and Al-Arabiya later reported that U.S. President Donald Tru»»»

Dubai: Iran’s decision-making core has undergone a quiet but profound transformation, with real power shifting away from clerics to a hardened network of military commanders, according to a detailed report by The New York Times. At the centre of this shift is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamen»»»

Berlin: The sad saga of a humpback whale stranded a month ago on the German coast has sparked a flood of compassion but also a media frenzy, angry spats, conspiracy theories and death threats. As Germans have followed the travails of the sea mammal, dubbed "Timmy" by a newspaper, on their live news»»»

GENEVA: An Iranian government spokesperson says the men’s national team are preparing for “proud and successful participation” in their World Cup games in the United States. Iran’s ability and willingness to go to the World Cup across north America starting June 11 has been unclear since the US and»»»

ANKARA: Turkiye is making efforts to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and bring together the leaders of the warring sides, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a meeting in Ankara, the Turkish presidency said on Wednesday. Earlier on Wednesday, Ky»»»

Dubai: Dubai's flagship Emirates is confident it will rebound quickly from disruptions caused by the Iran conflict, with President Tim Clark saying strong demand will help the airline recover lost ground and fend off competition. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Speakin»»»

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»»»

Tripoli — Sulzer has launched a joint venture with Jawaby Services & Investments Ltd, a subsidiary of the National Oil Corporation, marking a significant step toward rebuilding and localizing Libya’s industrial and energy services sector. The new entity, Jawaby Sulzer Services, will operate from th»»»

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea: Pope Leo XIV wrapped up his African odyssey on Thursday with a final Mass in Equatorial Guinea, bringing to an end one of the newsiest papal trips in the history of popes on the road, thanks to his extraordinary back-and-forth with President Donald Trump. A powerful rains»»»

Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has issued an Emiri Decree on the establishment of “Wadi Al Qarha” Nature Reserve in the Emirate of Sharjah. The decree stipulates that a natural reserve named “Wadi Al Qarha Nature Reserve”»»»

Paris, France: The Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) unanimously adopted the International Action Plan to Protect Education from Attacks during its 224th session, in what was described as a first-of-its-kind step within international fr»»»

Britain and France Thursday voiced hope that a military plan to protect the Strait of Hormuz was coming together and would succeed in restoring trade flows through the vital passage. At a two-day meeting in London, a dedicated operational planning group on Wednesday presented a decision brief to mi»»»

Lebanon has accused Israel of war crimes after a reporter for a Lebanese newspaper was killed on Wednesday in a strike on a house in the southern village of al-Tiri, where she had taken cover after an earlier attack targeted the vehicle she was traveling in. Amal Khalil, a reporter for Al-Akhbar, w»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s conjoined twins separation program began one of the most complex surgeries of its kind in the world on Thursday morning in an operation expected to take 24 hours. The separation of conjoined Filipino twins Klea and Maurice Ann, joined at the head, presents a number of challen»»»

The UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia, are among the most exposed to undersea cable failures. Possible damage would result in a 70 to 90% loss of connectivity for Arab Gulf States, and up to 35% for Saudi Arabia alone, risking slowdowns in e-commerce, banking, and global servi»»»

DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, known as Ithra, is off to Europe for Milan Design Week, on until April 26. Ithra is showcasing key features of the newly-rebranded Ithra Design Week, formerly known as Tanween, its annual flagship design event, now in its ninth year. As a part o»»»

Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Executive Council, on Thursday approved a comprehensive package of incentives aimed at supporting the emirate's tourism sector, including the deferral of fee payments and fine waivers, in a move designed to stimulate activ»»»

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said Lebanon “has started to gradually reclaim its natural right to determine its own fate independently of others’ calculations,” stressing that the Lebanese state “alone holds the decision to negotiate,” and that Lebanon “is not subordinate to anyone and is»»»

For the first time in decades, Israeli and Lebanese civilian officials sat across a table in Washington and began talking. The discussions—convened in the shadow of a wider war with Iran, mediated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and given a 10-day ceasefire window by Donald Trump—are truly histo»»»

Since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria on 8 December 2024, the country’s border with Lebanon has been subject to an unprecedented mobilisation, with Damascus ramping things up in recent weeks by sending heavy reinforcements to the frontier to confront Hezbollah’s smuggling operations. Under As»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan voiced hope for progress in US-Iran negotiations, stressing the need to sustain diplomatic channels to address the escalating Middle East crisis. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in talks with US Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad Natalie Baker, called for maintaining momentum, inclu»»»

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said Lebanon “has started to gradually reclaim its natural right to determine its own fate independently of others’ calculations,” stressing that the Lebanese state “alone holds the decision to negotiate,” and that Lebanon “is not subordinate to anyone and is»»»

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.»»»

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»»»

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, »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, today announced the appointment of Hussain Salman as Enterprise Services Director for the Gulf Region, where he will lead across the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. With the region consistently ranking among »»»

Dubai: Iran’s move to impose and reportedly collect tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz marks a direct challenge to international law and a dangerous escalation in its confrontation with the United States and its allies. A senior Iranian parliament official has claimed that Tehran»»»

Dubai: Air travel across the UAE continues to operate under strain nearly two months after the US-Israel-Iran conflict that erupted on February 28, with airlines relying on restricted air corridors, longer flight paths, and reduced schedules to maintain connectivity. The aviation sector has been am»»»

Dubai: Dubai toll operator and DFM-listed Salik Company has signed a strategic agreement with Valtrans Transportation Systems and Services to roll out digital payment solutions for valet parking across more than 100 locations in the UAE. The partnership will allow customers to pay for valet service»»»

There is a unique sense of pride that comes from witnessing a nation transform challenges into a masterclass in stability. Over the past 50 days, as regional uncertainty dominated global headlines, I have watched the UAE once again demonstrate why it stands as a global standard for crisis managemen»»»

GENEVA: 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 »»»

Gold prices fell on Thursday, pressured by a stronger dollar and elevated oil prices that stoked inflation worries, as investors tried to assess the conflict direction from stalled US-Iran talks. Spot gold was down 0.9% at $4,696.71 per ounce, as of 1135 GMT. US gold futures for June delivery fell »»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank reported a record first-quarter profit, supported by strong lending growth, higher fee income and improved efficiency, as it navigated an evolving operating environment. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Profit befor»»»

Dubai: The UAE will transform half of its government sectors, services and operations to autonomous artificial intelligence systems within two years, under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The major government shift was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mo»»»

Dubai: Emirates Minting Factory has launched a limited-edition gold and silver coin collection in collaboration with Dubai Gold District, with proceeds set to benefit Ferjan Dubai, a social enterprise focused on community development across Dubai. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf »»»

Dubai: Workplace stress is no longer just a matter of fatigue or burnout. A new report by the United Nations' International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revealed that it is linked to nearly 900,000 deaths every year worldwide. The study entitled “The psychosocial working environment: Global develo»»»

A massive granite statue discovered in Sharqia during residential excavation, believed to date to the era of Ramses II; transferred to San al-Hagar for examination and restoration near Tell el-Faraoun under strict legal supervision A massive ancient granite statue believed to date back to the era o»»»

Dubai: Indian filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s latest Hindi-language rape trial drama Assi is not an easy watch and it’s not meant to be. Starring Kani Kusruti, Tapsee Pannu, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, and Mohammed Zeeshan, the compelling and visceral courtroom procedural out on Zee5 now delves into sexua»»»

On April 25, the Indian Premier League will be halfway through its 19th edition. Coverage of it dominates the Indian-owned and based cricket media. Last week, Harsha Bhogle, one of its long-serving commentators and journalists, declared that the IPL “has to be one of the greatest sporting phenomena»»»

JEDDAH: Syria has announced plans to launch the Damascus Market for Foreign Exchange and Gold, aiming to strengthen monetary policy and enhance financial stability. Governor of the Central Bank of Syria Abdulkader Husrieh said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to create a balanced and tr»»»

At a forum celebrating powerful women, it was a man who chose to talk about the kind of leadership that rarely makes headlines. Speaking at the session Beyond the Headlines: A Trusted Voice in Times of Crisis, Mark Thompson, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf News, traced his understanding of leadership back »»»

Authorities on Crete responded to three separate incidents involving nearly 180 migrants reaching the southern Aegean island by boat on Thursday morning, the state-run Athens Macedonian News Agency reported. The first incident involved a boat that was spotted by a Frontex EU border patrol vessel so»»»