President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan, the White House said Friday, just hours after Iran’s top diplomat headed to the South Asian nation where officials have been trying to get the United States and Iran to convene for a second round of ceasefire »»»

For many residents of Damascus’ Tadamon district, Friday felt like a holiday. Celebratory chants rang through the streets and women handed out sweets after authorities officially announced the arrest of “Amjad Youssef,” 40, a criminal who was a former member of military intelligence under Bashar al»»»

NICOSIA: EU leaders vowed to boost security and economic ties with Middle East partners and push for a diplomatic end to the Iran war, after talks in Cyprus focusing on the fallout from the conflict.Leaders from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Jordan as well as the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperati»»»

GENEVA: Porto holding off Benfica in the Portuguese title race is a rivalry between André Villas-Boas and his one-time mentor José Mourinho. Porto have been revived in two years with Villas-Boas as president of his boyhood club that he coached to a league, cup and Europa League treble at age 33 in »»»

Tunis, April 24 (TAP) - The Tunis Court of First Instance has ordered the detention of journalist Zied El Heni, following his hearing on Friday, on charges of offending others on social media, a judicial source told TAP. The Public Prosecutor had...»»»

EU leaders vowed to boost security and economic ties with Middle East partners and push for a diplomatic end to the Iran war, after talks in Cyprus focusing on the fallout from the conflict. Leaders from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Jordan as well as the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Counc»»»

April 24 (UPI) -- A tornado touched down in Enid, Okla., injuring at least 10 people and causing extensive damage to homes in the area, local authorities said. About 40 homes were damaged in the Enid area Thursday evening. The city is in north-central Oklahoma. Local news said the tornado passed th»»»

Led by Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, a multidisciplinary team aims to strengthen Mexico’s position on key issues, including automotive rules of origin and steel tariffs. File Photo by Jeff Kowalsky/EPA April 24 (UPI) -- Mexico's government has assembled a high-level economic team with a»»»

Dubai: “Life never stops. We don’t believe in that. Here in the UAE, life goes on, and every challenge is just one more step towards more strength, right?” That unflinching belief from Emirati filmmaker Nawaf Al Janahi defines the mood at the on-going DIFC Art Nights, where crowds and creativity co»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran will not allow anyone to export oil from the Middle East if the country is not able to do it itself, Iranian Vice President for Optimization and Strategic Management of Energy Affairs Esmaeil Saqqab Esfahani said on Friday. On Wednesday, member of the Iranian parliament's Co»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States and the European Union signed on Friday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on partnership in critical minerals. "We are the largest customers and users of the world [of critical minerals], [we make] sure that these supplies and minerals are available for ou»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed by the phone the situation in the Persian Gulf, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday. "On April 24, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Fore»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is moving forward to strengthen federal death penalty, including through streamlining internal processes to expedite executions and introducing additional methods such as as the firing squad. "Today, the Department of Justice acted to restore its solemn duty»»»

KYIV/MOSCOW: Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner of war swap on Friday, sending back 193 captured personnel each in an exchange both sides said was facilitated by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. “It is important that ‌there are ‌exchanges and that our people ‌are ⁠returning home»»»

1 of 3 | Chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., on March 18. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said she would restart the criminal investigation into Powell if need be. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April »»»

Sharjah: A key interchange near the Sharjah Grand Mosque has been temporarily closed to traffic as part of ongoing Etihad Rail infrastructure works, the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority announced. The closure, which began at midnight on Friday, affects the exit ramp from Emirates Road (E611) t»»»

Police have arrested two teenagers in connection with a series of suspected thefts and robberies at kiosks and petrol stations in the southern suburbs of Athens, authorities said. The incidents are believed to have taken place mainly during overnight hours. The suspects, aged 16 and 17, were brough»»»

Police arrested seven people Thursday morning on the western outskirts of Athens, in Megara and Nea Peramos, in connection with illegal activities including traffic violations, illegal firearm possession, and electricity theft. The arrests followed a coordinated police operation in the area. Author»»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested on Friday that the European Union could ease sanctions on Tehran as part of a comprehensive deal that would end the Iran war, but other EU leaders struck a more cautious note. The 27-nation EU has imposed sanctions on Iran for years, including travel bans »»»

A German court on Friday sentenced a supporter of Lebanon's Hezbollah party to more than three years in jail Friday over for "illegal access to weapons" and social media posts supporting the group. Earlier in the same trial the 30-year-old was acquitted on charges of actually fighting for Hezbollah»»»

The Chair of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member Evelina Slavcheva, met on Friday with Algeria’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Asma Babouche, the Academy’s press service reported. During the meeting, held at the Academy, the two discussed ways to strengthen scientific cooperation betw»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met with Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov in Belgrade on Friday. "The meeting confirmed the friendly relations between Serbia and the Russian Federation and further steps to improve bilateral cooperation were discussed. Topics in the field»»»

Tunis, April 24 (TAP) - A training session for members of the six regional committees tasked with selecting recipients of the "Agri-Accelerator 360°" programme was organised on April 20-24 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United...»»»

A zoo in Florida has two reasons to celebrate — the first birth of a koala and a newly renovated habitat for the cuddly creatures is opening to the public on Saturday. “For the zoo and for us here, it’s the very big deal,” said Amarylis Celestina, who oversees carnivores and koalas at the Palm Beac»»»

With just one year left in his second five-year term, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will quit politics in 2027 -- leaving observers and supporters guessing about his next moves. "I wasn't in politics before and I'm not going to be after," Macron said Thursday during a visit to a high»»»

A lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has said that he was detained by police for wearing a kippah with the Israeli and Palestinian flags on it. Alex Sinclair said in a post on Facebook on Thursday that he had been sporting the kippah for 20 years due to “a messy ambivalence of my Jewish»»»

French television channel M6 has aired a report comparing two unlawfully installed Christian crosses to an act of neo-Nazi vandalism, drawing sharp criticism, according to Tribune Chretienne. The controversy followed a Wednesday broadcast in which sociologist Erwan Lecoeur drew parallels between th»»»

A German court on Friday sentenced a supporter of Lebanon's Hezbollah to more than three years in jail Friday over for "illegal access to weapons" and social media posts supporting the group. Earlier in the same trial the 30-year-old was acquitted on charges of actually fighting for Hezbollah and b»»»

An Israeli strike killed at least three in Gaza on Friday, according to Palestinian health officials. The strike hit a crowded area in Gaza City near an area where local police are stationed to guard a bank, said the medics and eyewitnesses. Gaza's interior ministry said ‌that the strike ‌had kille»»»

MOSCOW: Russia said on Friday that it stood in solidarity with Cuba and would continue to provide humanitarian aid to the Communist-run island republic, rejecting what it described as blackmail and threats from Washington. US President Donald Trump has said that he expects to have the honor of “tak»»»

MILAN: Claudio Ranieri has left his role as senior advisor to Roma's billionaire American owners, the Serie A club said on Friday, after a public row with coach Gian Piero Gasperini meant only one of the pair could stay. In a brief statement, Roma said that "the relationship with Claudio Ranieri ha»»»

BARCELONA: UEFA banned Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for six matches on Friday after a controversial incident in the Champions League clash against Real Madrid in February. The European football governing body said they had taken the decision to ban the Argentine “for discriminatory (i.e. homo»»»

LONDON: Everton manager David Moyes returns ‌to the London Stadium on Saturday armed with the inside knowledge that could harm West Ham United’s hopes of avoiding Premier League relegation. Moyes had two spells as West Ham manager, saving them from relegation in his first short stint before leading»»»

Rome: A new global food crises report has warned that conflict, drought and falling aid will keep hunger at dangerous levels in 2026, with worsening conditions in some of the world's most vulnerable regions. The report found that around 266 million people across 47 countries faced acute food insecu»»»

Tunis, April 24 (TAP) - The Consultative Committee of the Industrial Upgrading Programme (PMN) for enterprises on Friday approved three project files from industrial enterprises for a total investment estimated at TND 65 million and subsidies of...»»»

What's all the buzz about? Melania Trump on Friday announced that she is expanding the White House honey program by adding a beehive in the shape of the White House to two other beehives that have been on the south grounds since 2009. The existing hives can swell to about 70,000 bees during peak su»»»

The UN human rights office said on Friday it has documented patterns of attacks on civilians in populated areas and residential buildings in Lebanon and Israel that may amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law. The report covers the first three weeks of the latest escalation, »»»

A group of British lawmakers has urged the UK Foreign Secretary to impose personal sanctions on several senior officials from Kyrgyzstan. The Guardian reported. The letter was reportedly signed by 26 members of Parliament and the House of Lords. According to the document submitted to the House of C»»»

Customs officers at Lesovo border crossing discovered nearly 363 kg of marijuana in a lorry transporting washing machines, the Customs Agency said on Friday. The narcotic substance is valued at around EUR 3 million at judicial prices. On Thursday, the lorry with Romanian registration arrived at the»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut appealed to The Hague-based International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals on Friday to release former Republika Srpska army general Ratko Mladic from prison for medical treatment in Serbia, and noted that Mladic's life was in danger and that the case had »»»

The Israeli enemy continued its series of violations and attacks against the South Lebanon towns. In this context, warplanes launched a series of raids on the town of Deir Ames in southern Lebanon after threatening it earlier. Al-Manar’s correspondent also reported that “enemy warplanes targeted th»»»

Switzerland said Friday it had begun sending staff back to Tehran and would gradually reopen its embassy, enabling it to continue as a facilitator for diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran. For decades, neutral Switzerland has played a central role in maintaining basic diplomatic contac»»»

Dubai: A UAE court has convicted a husband and wife of mutual assault after finding that both parties physically harmed each other during a domestic dispute, imposing a fine of Dh3,000 on each while suspending the sentence for three years in a move aimed at preserving the marital relationship. Cour»»»

DOHA: The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the State of Qatar, the United States of America, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union mediator), and the African Union Commission on the occasion of the »»»

Houssam Naddaf said no words could capture the shock of seeing an Israeli soldier smash a crucifix in his family's private garden in the southern Lebanese village of Debel — an image he recognized instantly as it spread online. "I saw it on the internet like everyone else," he said. Naddaf had not »»»

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the charter of the state enterprise Center for the Admission of Foreign Students. Deputy Minister of Science, Higher Education and Innovation of Kyrgyzstan Durus Kozuev said at a briefing. According to him, the new center will serve as a unified coordination hu»»»

Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam intend to intensify economic cooperation and are working to eliminate double taxation. The press service of the Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. According to the press service, the second round of negotiations between official delegations of the Kyrgyz Rep»»»

DOHA: The Qatar Sports for All Federation has launched a new training run as part of its 365 Days of Activity program, an initiative aimed at encouraging healthier lifestyles through daily exercise in public parks. The first session took place on the green fields of Al Rayyan Park, where more than »»»

CAIRO: An Israeli strike killed at least three ​in Gaza on Friday, according to Palestinian health officials. The strike hit a crowded area in Gaza City near an area where local police are stationed to guard a bank, said the medics and eyewitnesses. Gaza’s interior ministry said ‌that the strike ‌h»»»

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a press briefing Friday that the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has gone global after seizing two vessels in the Indo-Pacific region this week. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a p»»»