TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Tehran is demanding the prompt release of crew members from the Iranian-flagged merchant vessel Touska, seized by the United States in the Gulf of Oman, as well as the crew families aboard, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. "The Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of th»»»

Dozens of US veterans and family members of military personnel have been arrested while staging a protest in the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C, in opposition to the war on Iran. At least 62 people were arrested during the demonstration at the Cannon House Office Building, which was organiz»»»

LONDON: The ex-civil servant behind the decision to approve Peter Mandelson’s appointment as British ambassador to Washington says he felt political pressure to rush through the appointment despite security concerns. Olly Robbins, former head of the Foreign Office, was fired by Prime Minister Keir »»»

Israeli troops were demolishing Tuesday houses, schools and buildings in the southern border towns of Khiam, Bint Jbeil, Beit Leef, Shamaa, al-Bayyada and Naqoura, in an area in south Lebanon below what Israel called the "yellow Line". The Israeli military also dropped thermal balloons overnight ov»»»

Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia, has detected a number of violations that required legal action against 14 recruitment offices. It decided to immediately suspend the operations of three recruitment offices, while the licences of 11 were revoked f»»»

Cairo — Egypt’s Egyptian Mineral Resources Company reported a significant rise in financial and operational performance for the fiscal year 2024/2025, according to outcomes approved during its general assembly chaired by Karim Badawi and attended by officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mine»»»

The EU's top diplomat has said 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 ca»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s biggest lenders, including Saudi National Bank, Riyad Bank, and Al Rajhi Bank, reported solid first-quarter earnings, supported by steady lending growth and resilient operating income. SNB, the Kingdom’s largest lender, posted a net profit of SR6.42 billion ($1.71 billion) fo»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A special Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations delivered over 27 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Beirut for the Lebanese population affected by the military conflict, the ministry told Sputnik on Tuesday. "The Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Ministry of Emer»»»

Dubai: The stakes around Shah Rukh Khan’s King have just escalated dramatically and the numbers tell the story. According to trade reports and Times Of India, Pen Marudhar has acquired the film’s all-India theatrical distribution rights for a hefty Rs2.5 billion, positioning it among the most expen»»»

Doha, Qatar: President of the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’, HE Eng. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Meer, has conducted a site visit to the Qatar Academy - Sidra project in Education City. He was accompanied by Nasser Mohammed Al Hajri, Chief Operations Officer at Qatar Foundation for Education, Scie»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved the procedure for state accreditation of secondary and higher medical education institutions. The resolution was signed to implement the presidential decree establishing a state monopoly on the training of medical specialists. The new procedure ap»»»

CFI Financial Group, a globally recognized leader in online trading services, including access to local equity markets, has appointed Amr Abdelbaky as the new Chief Executive Officer of CFI Egypt for Brokerage and Securities and Bonds Trading (CFI Egypt). The move reinforces the Group’s focus on st»»»

Global Village is always filled with different fragrances and scents: Hot chocolate and freshly made churros, or maybe some pizzas sizzling in a corner. This time, the air was also filled with hope. After a month of closure due to the Iran-Israel-US conflict, Global Village reopened with much cheer»»»

ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team have departed for China to compete in the sixth Asian Beach Games, taking place in Sanya from April 22 to 30. The games, organized by the Olympic Council of Asia, will have 3,800 male and female athletes representing 45 countries, competing across 14 sport»»»

Luanda, Angola: Pope Leo XIV begins the final leg of his African tour on Tuesday with a visit to Equatorial Guinea, where his increasingly vocal defenses of human rights will be closely watched in one of the most closed-off states on the continent. After three days in Angola, the US-born pontiff is»»»

COLOMBO: The United Nations urged Sri Lanka on Tuesday to deliver concrete results after long-running investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners. The UN’s top envoy to the country, Marc-Andre Franche, said survivors and families of vi»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan amended resolution No. 236 of April 30, 2022, regulating the application of the Tax Code and EAEU agreements. According to the document, two municipal enterprises—Bishkek Heating and Power Plant (HPP) and Bishkek Heating Networks—were added to the list of orga»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that his country's campaign in Lebanon relied on both military and diplomatic pressure to disarm Iran-allied Hezbollah. "The overarching goal of the campaign in Lebanon is to disarm Hezbollah and remove the threat to the northern communities (of Isr»»»

Dubai: Dubai International Financial Centre said it will become the world’s first AI-native financial centre, embedding artificial intelligence at a foundational level across its legal frameworks, business environment, talent development and infrastructure. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download»»»

The Arab American Civil Rights League says it will take action against the US government on behalf of American citizens who have been impacted by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. The Arab American Civil Rights League says this class-action lawsuit is not just a legal action; it’s about accountability»»»

At least six people were reported injured on Tuesday, a day after a powerful quake rattled northern Japan, but there appeared to be no major damage from the tremor that also triggered tsunami waves up to 80 centimeters (31 inches). However, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) also warned of an in»»»

The container vessel Touska, seen here off Hong Kong's Ap Lei Chau islet in November 2017, was seized by the U.S. military on Sunday. Iran's Foreign Ministry demanded Tuesday that the United States release the vessel. Photo by Jerome Favre/EPA April 21 (UPI) -- Iran on Tuesday demanded the United S»»»

It was with deep appreciation for the country and its leadership that universities across the UAE began to reopen their doors for students, welcoming them back to in-person classes after weeks of remote learning caused by regional friction, on April 20. One of the first to reopen its campus to pupi»»»

SINGAPORE: Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore HE Seah Kian Peng met with Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Singapore HE Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Malki. The meeting discussed bilateral relations.»»»

Kuwait: Renown Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al Fahad passed away at the age of 78 after a battle with illness, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy spanning more than six decades. The late actress was one of the most prominent figures in the region's entertainment scene. She presented dozens of distingui»»»

BLACKSBURG, Virginia: A skydiver crashed into the Lane Stadium scoreboard before Virginia Tech’s spring football game Saturday. Virginia Tech officials said on X that the skydiver “was safely secured and is currently stable” following rescue efforts. The incident caused a delay in the start of the »»»

GDANSK, Poland: French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for the United States and Iran to de-escalate amid increased tensions over the weekend over the Strait of Hormuz. “Our position remains the same. We need ‌to settle ‌things through diplomacy. ‌Everyone must ⁠calm down,” Macron ⁠said »»»

BLACKSBURG, Virginia: A skydiver crashed into the Lane Stadium scoreboard before Virginia Tech’s spring football game Saturday. Virginia Tech officials said on X that the skydiver “was safely secured and is currently stable” following rescue efforts. The incident caused a delay in the start of the »»»

Tokyo: Seeking new fans for Hello Kitty, the company behind the enigmatic character on Tuesday launched a video games division aiming to release 10 original titles over the next three years. Hello Kitty, which started life as an illustration on a 1970s vinyl coin purse, is emblematic of Japan’s luc»»»

Singapore: HE Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore Seah Kian Peng met with HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Singapore Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Malki. The meeting discussed bilateral cooperation relations.»»»

Switzerland’s Sulzer, a world-leading industrial engineering and manufacturing firm, has signed a joint venture with Jawaby Services & Investments Ltd (JSIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), to provide rotating equipment services in Libya. Sulzer said the new en»»»

Helicopters are vital for countering drones and protecting shipping, says Andrei Vrublevsky, commander of the Northern Fleet’s new helicopter regiment. According to the lieutenant colonel, a major refurbishment of the regiment’s air base on the Kola Peninsula is due to be completed in 2027. Lieuten»»»

Washington, April 21 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday rejected remarks by Energy Secretary Chris Wright on fuel prices, saying Americans could see lower costs once tensions with Iran ease. Wright told CNN on Sunday that gasoline prices could fall below $3 per gallon, though he suggested»»»

TOKYO: Japan on Tuesday scrapped a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change in its postwar pacifist policy as the country seeks to build up its arms industry amid worries over Chinese and North Korean aggression. The approval by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet of the new guideline clea»»»

Abu Dhabi: The State Security Department in the United Arab Emirates announced on Monday, April 20, 2026, dismantling of a terrorist organization and the arrest of its members for their involvement in clandestine activities aimed at undermining national unity and destabilizing the country. Accordin»»»

A balloon landed in a Southern California backyard — a balloon with 13 people. The enormous hot air balloon, with a pilot and passengers in the basket, descended perfectly Saturday on a small plot of grass at a home in Temecula. Hunter Perrin said he had no idea that he had visitors until a neighbo»»»

Iran has granted its commanders greater autonomy over armed factions in Iraq, allowing some groups to carry out operations without Tehran’s approval, a shift driven by the pressures of the war, three faction members and two other officials told The Associated Press. Many Iran-backed factions are fu»»»

Manila: The Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) has received 44,199 metric tonnes of diesel shipment at the Port of Subic Bay in Zambales as the government works to bolster fuel reserves and cushion the effects of of global supply shocks. The shipment, totaling about 329,505 barrels of diesel (o»»»

A 59-year-old man was arrested for a fire that broke out in central Greece on Monday. According to the Fire Department’s investigation, the blaze started when the man started burning dry branches in a field near Neochori, in Thessaly, without taking the required safety measures. It took 39 firefigh»»»

Jakarta, Indonesia: Italian energy giant Eni has announced a "major" discovery of natural gas off Indonesia's coast, which the government said would triple the European company's production in the country by 2028. The Southeast Asian archipelago already produces more gas than it uses, with rising d»»»

Pope Leo XIV visited a historic Angolan shrine once tied to the trans-Atlantic slave trade on Sunday, recalling the “sorrow and great suffering” endured by generations of Africans. His remarks come amid renewed scrutiny of the Catholic Church’s historical role in slavery and colonial-era doctrine. »»»

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said on Monday that it was in President Joseph Aoun's interest to withdraw from direct talks with Israel, while adding that his group wanted the current ceasefire to last. "It is in the interest of the state, the interest of Lebanon, the president of the republic»»»

The U.N. Security Council on Monday condemned the recent killing of a French peacekeeper in Lebanon, whose death France has blamed on Hezbollah. The Frenchman was killed and three others wounded when their unit was ambushed on Saturday as it headed to a U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) outpos»»»

iCAUR, the Middle East’s most trend-forward new-generation SUV brand, will host its 2026 International Business Summit this April, bringing together a select group of global partners, media, and creators for an invitation-only programme focused on immersive mobility experiences. Rather than followi»»»

Mr. Mehmet Seman Ağaoğlu, Chairman of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, who was elected as the Governor of Kirkuk by the Kirkuk Provincial Council on 16 April 2026, officially assumed his duties today upon receiving his certificate of appointment from the President of Iraq. The election of a Turkmen Governo»»»

Dubai: For many in UAE, the word “latagan” may be unfamiliar. In Filipino culture, it simply means “to lay out” or “to display” items, often in an open, informal setting where collections are shared for others to see and appreciate. In this context, latagan has taken on a deeper meaning. It is not »»»

Doha, Qatar: As part of a project to provide dialysis supplies for patients with kidney failure in Syria, the field personnel of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) are distributing medical supplies to dialysis centres across the country, to ensure sustained access to such life-saving services. Co-im»»»

Doha, Qatar: LuLu Hypermarket has contributed QR125,000 to Qatar Charity (QC) as part of its ongoing efforts to support humanitarian initiatives. The donation was made through LuLu’s annual ‘Shop & Donate’ campaign, held during the holy month of Ramadan, in collaboration with Qatar Charity’s ‘Chari»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that his country's campaign in Lebanon relied both on military and diplomatic pressure to disarm Iran-allied Hezbollah. "The overarching goal of the campaign in Lebanon is to disarm Hezbollah and remove the threat to the northern communities (of Isr»»»