The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said the repercussions of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a global food security shock, warning that disruptions to fertilizer and fuel supplies, rising input costs, and declining purchasing power are threatening producti»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s benchmark Tadawul All Share Index held steady on Monday, seeing a neglible fall off 97.75 points, or 0.85 percent, to close at 11,366.79. The parallel market Nomu declined 205.04 points, or 0.89 percent, to 22,863.75, while the MT30 index dropped 13.28 points, or 0.86 percent»»»

Tunis, April 20 (TAP) - Tunisia will play host next July 1- 3 to the CTF7 or the 7th COMESA Women in Business Trade Fair and Business Conference.More than 500 delegations representing 21 member countries are expected at this continental event...»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser visited the dedicated terminal for the Makkah Route initiative at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, where he welcomed a flight of beneficiaries arriving from Bangladesh. The minister was briefed on proc»»»

ISTANBUL: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has participated in the ministerial meeting of the Group of Eight at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye. The meeting was also attended by foreign ministers and representatives of Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Turkiye, and the UAE, the Saudi Pres»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, met with India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval in Riyadh on Sunday, where the two sides discussed cooperation and regional developments. The meeting took place at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in the Saudi capi»»»

RIYADH: The head of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars inaugurated a new body, the Global Council for Scientific Miracles in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur. MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa took part in the even»»»

RIYADH: The Saudi chemistry team is participating in the 60th International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad, hosted in Moscow, Russia, from April 15-23. First launched in 1967, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious global chemistry competitions, known for its advanced questions and rigorous for»»»

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s General Directorate of Civil Defense has urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid flood-prone areas as thunderstorms are forecast to continue affecting much of the country through Friday, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Citing projections from the National Center for»»»

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»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has implemented its Noor program to combat blindness and eye diseases in Yaounde, Cameroon. During the week-long campaign, its volunteer medical team examined 4,679 beneficiaries, distributed 926 eyeglasses, and performed 448 surgeries, the Saudi Press Age»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers and promoting safe digital engagement across the State of Qatar, while continuing its efforts to foster a digitally aware generation capable of making informed decisions in an increasing»»»

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Olympic Council of Malaysia President Dr. Norza Zakaria warmly welcomed HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, President of OCA and President of NOC Qatar, on a one-day working visit to Malaysia on Monday, April 20. Dr. Norza, Vice President of the OCA for the Southeast Asia Zo»»»

Dubai: Airlines are no longer just flying passengers — they’re now dressing them too. Sports apparel giant Adidas and Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia have launched a new travel-focused clothing line across the Middle East and North Africa, starting April 20. The aim, according to the airline»»»

Sharjah :The Sharjah Judicial Department has launched the first centre under its “Itmam” judicial services initiative, marking a key step in enhancing service delivery and improving access to judicial processes in the emirate. Announcing the launch, Judge Dr Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Chairman of the»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police marked the return of in-person learning with a series of field events aimed at welcoming students and fostering national pride. Through the “School Security” initiative, officers distributed UAE flags to students across schools, reinforcing a sense of belonging and identity from»»»

A distant second place was taken by the retail sector, with 8% of the total, followed by hotels (2%) and the industrial segment, with just 1%. The investment volume in the first three months of 2026 is approximately 7% above the quarterly average of 2025 but remains 2.5% below the level recorded in»»»

DOHA: Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HE Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi honoured a cohort of ministry staff who successfully completed a leadership development program, in a move aimed at strengthening skills and enhancing government performance. Organised by the ministr»»»

TUNIS, April 20, 2026 (TAP) – Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), Fethi Zouhaier Nouri, held a series of high-level meetings with officials from international financial institutions, institutional investors, and his counterparts from...»»»

LONDON: Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met with Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah in Doha on Monday to discuss efforts to deescalate hostilities and restore stability in the Middle East. The meeting focused on regional developments and the need to intensify Arab efforts to ac»»»

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced on Monday new partnerships in energy supply chains and critical technologies to address global trade fallout from the US–Israeli war on Iran. Lee arrived in India as the war, which started on Feb. 28, »»»

Tehran: Iran reopened its main Imam Khomeini and Mehrabad airports in capital Tehran on Monday, April 20, 2026, the country's aviation authority said, after closures caused by the weeks-long war with the United States and Israel. "Authorization for passenger flights at Imam Khomeini International A»»»

The American Library Association's list of the "Top 11 Most Challenged Books List of 2025" includes titles by John Green, Sarah J. Maas and Anthony Burgess. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo April 20 (UPI) -- The American Library Association released its list of the "Top 11 Most Challeng»»»

The unique maritime climate of the St. Vlas resort can help treat chronic pulmonary diseases. This was established in the 1960s, when St. Vlas was recognized as one of Bulgaria's most favourable locations for climatotherapy and rehabilitation, Daniela Dineva of hotel owner Dinevi Group told BTA. Th»»»

Dubai: The UAE is aiming to turn 1,000 Emirati families into entrepreneurs over the next five years, as part of a wider push to reduce reliance on state support and build a more self-sufficient economy. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Announced under the national campa»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE State Security authorities announced they have dismantled a terrorist cell and arrested its members over alleged involvement in covert activities aimed at undermining national unity and destabilising the country. According to the statement carried by Emirates News Agency (WAM), inves»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set for a stretch of cooler and unsettled weather beginning Tuesday and continuing through the end of the week, with dusty conditions, shifting winds and intermittent chances of light rainfall, according to the latest forecast, according to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM)»»»

A Thessaloniki prosecutor has ordered an investigation after ground subsidence during a cable-laying project led to a parked car tumbling into a fenced construction site Monday. The incident beside what used to be the Papafis stables in the city’s Toumba district reportedly came after a water main »»»

A total of 3,021 case files have been reported to and opened by the prosecution service since the start of the election campaign until this morning, with 599 pre-trial proceedings initiated, including 252 fast-track proceedings for crimes against citizens’ political rights, the prosecution service »»»

Beirut, April 20 (SANA) Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned attempts to destabilize Syria and undermine public order, referring to a plot announced by the Syrian Interior Ministry on April 19. In a statement, the ministry expressed solidarity with Syria and rejected any involvement by Le»»»

DUBAI: A “terrorist organisation” has been dismantled and its members arrested over alleged plans to carry out coordinated attacks aimed at undermining national security, authorities in Abu Dhabi said on Monday. The State Security Service said investigations found the group had links to Iran’s “Wil»»»

BPI Real Estate Poland has acquired a site of nearly 13,000 sq m on Wągrowska Street in Poznań's Rataje district to deliver the next two phases of its Panoramiqa residential scheme. Panoramiqa 2 and Panoramiqa 3 together will add more than 600 flats and over 32,000 sq m of net saleable area, with c»»»

Dubai: UAE carrier flydubai has announced it will start daily flights to Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok from 1 July 2026, marking its second destination in Thailand after Krabi. The service will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport and will strengthen travel links bet»»»

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»»»

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»»»

RIYADH: Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council of the Republic of Sudan, arrived in Jeddah on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of Makkah Re»»»

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»»»

LUXOR: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has completed work on Cache Hall at Luxor Museum in preparation for its reopening. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said that the project supported the strategy to modernize museums and enhance the cultural experience for visitors. Pro»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday during which they discussed efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to navigation. During the call, the leaders discussed "»»»

LONDON: Reverberations of the conflict in the Middle East are being felt across the region both physically and metaphorically. The booms and jolts of missile interceptions over Gulf cities and industrial sites may have halted since President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire on April 8, b»»»

LONDON: The Syrian Arab Republic’s Anti-Narcotics Department, in collaboration with Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, thwarted an attempt to smuggle 500,000 captagon pills on Sunday. Authorities arrested two suspects while they were transporting the shipment in D»»»

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, »»»

TUNIS: Algerian police shut down a book signing by sociologist Fatma Oussedik and temporarily closed the bookstore slated to host it, her publisher said on Sunday, calling the incident "as incomprehensible as it is illegal". The Koukou Editions publishing house said police on Saturday seized copies»»»

TEHRAN: Iran executed two men on Monday convicted of having links to Israel’s spy agency, the judiciary said, the latest in a string of executions since the outbreak of war with Israel and the United States. “The death sentences of Mohammad Masoom-shahi and Hamed Validi were carried out at dawn tod»»»

JERUSALEM: Israel’s military on Monday warned Lebanese civilians against returning to dozens of villages in southern Lebanon, claiming Hezbollah’s activities in the area were violating a ceasefire agreement struck last week. Thousands of displaced residents have begun making their way back to parts»»»

Hezbollah said it detonated explosives Sunday afternoon in an attack against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. The group said in a statement Monday that bombs planted by Hezbollah fighters exploded and destroyed four tanks in a convoy of eight tanks that was passing the village of Deir Siryan. It»»»

BEIRUT: The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon on Monday led a solemn tribute to a French soldier killed in a shooting incident in the country’s south, praising his “service and sacrifice” and urging an investigation into the attack. Major General Diodato Abagnara, commander of the Unit»»»