The 13-kilometer-long, rehabilitated Bokonbai canal has been commissioned in Toktogul district. The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan reported. Baimuras agricultural cooperative carried out restoration work along the entire length of the canal over the »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s most recognisable hotel, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, is set to undergo its first major restoration programme since opening in 1999. The hotel, owned by Jumeirah Group - a subsidiary of Dubai Holding, said the renovation is aimed at preserving one of the emirate’s most famous symbols for f»»»

Dozens of migrants have been rescued from a small boat in difficulty south of Crete that had crossed over from north Africa, authorities said Wednesday. A Coast Guard statement said 59 men were found by a patrol vessel from the European Union’s Frontex border agency on the boat, some 17 miles south»»»

As military tensions flare in the Strait of Hormuz, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes, one no less dangerous. Insurance companies have emerged as key players shaping the fate of global shipping. With premiums surging to unprecedented levels, experts told Asharq Al-Awsat the world is app»»»

Doha, Qtaar: Old Doha Port marks Family Day in Qatar by celebrating the deep connection between family life and the nation’s maritime heritage, a story that stretches from the neighbourhoods of old Doha to the present day. For generations, Qatari families were shaped by the rhythms of the sea. Fath»»»

Doha, Qatar: Doha Design District (DDD) has announced its Public Art Open Call, inviting artists, designers, and creatives to submit proposals for innovative public artworks. The initiative positions public art as an integral part of the public realm, enhancing everyday urban life while reinforcing»»»

Doha, Qatar: The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) hosted the Intellectual Wellness and Research Excellence Forum (IWRE) as part of its strategic commitment to strengthening an integrated research culture and embedding holistic wellness across its academic environment. The forum »»»

Manila: The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz on February 28, 2026 disrupted passage for roughly a quarter of the world’s daily seaborne oil. To this day, uncertainty remains and the global fuel crunch continues to raise fears of a deeper supply shock. Uncertainty over freedom on navigation»»»

New MP Ulan Sariev took the oath of office in Parliament. He is registered as a member of the Zhogorku Kenesh from multi-mandate constituency No. 19. Ulan Sariev was issued a certificate and a badge of the established format. Following Abdyldabek Egemberdiev’s announcement of his resignation, Ramis»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed a decree appointing Ulan Mamatkanov as Acting Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. His candidacy has been submitted to the Zhogorku Kenesh for further appointment to the position. Mamatkanov, who will oversee the government’s social sector, is 44»»»

After two days of silence following Hungary's historic elections, US President Donald Trump has issued a measured response to the defeat of his ally Viktor Orban, but refrained from openly congratulating his challenger, Peter Magyar. Meanwhile, the Kremlin expressed support for Magyar’s w»»»

The new Hungarian government will face significant macroeconomic and public finance challenges following the election, driven by weak economic growth, a high budget deficit and a rising public debt burden, Fitch Ratings said in an assessment published in London, financial website Portfolio.hu wrote»»»

Doha, Qatar: Building on policy-oriented research and evidence-based advocacy efforts to strengthen family wellbeing in Qatar, the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), a member of Qatar Foundation, has emphasised that the launch of the Parenting Center “Kanaf”, held under the patronage of Pr»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Centre of Legal and Judicial Studies, affiliated with the Ministry of Justice, has announced the organisation of three remote training courses scheduled to take place from April 19 to 23. The initiative is aimed at legal professionals working across ministries and government entiti»»»

Dubai: The United States Embassy in the UAE has lifted its 'shelter-in-place' advisory for its employees following the cessation of recent missile and drone attacks. In an update, the embassy said staff may resume normal movement but advised that they should be ready to seek immediate shelter indoo»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs participated in the 41st meeting of the Permanent Committee of Specialists in Islamic Affairs and Awqaf in GCC countries. The meeting, chaired by the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain, was held yesterday, via video conferencing technology. This parti»»»

Doha, Qatar: Strengthening infection prevention and control measures within the Asnani School Programme is an important step in protecting students and school staff, according to an official. Director of Oral Health Promotion and Prevention Dr. Najat Alyafei said the Oral Health Department in colla»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) has announced the expansion of its partnership with Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative, deepening the connection between world-class sport and international cultural exchange across three landmark destinations in the 2026 season: Mexico City, »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, under the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, has launched a new series of English-language da’wah lessons targeting Muslim expatriate communities who speak English as part of its ongoing efforts to promote religious a»»»

Acting Energy Minister Traycho Traykov said Bulgaria should not tap into its 90-day fuel reserves to ease prices, stressing that they must remain a safeguard in case of an actual supply disruption. Speaking to journalists after the opening of the National Repository for Radioactive Waste, he underl»»»

Dubai: Dubai gold prices edged lower on Wednesday morning as signs of easing geopolitical tension in the Iran conflict cooled safe-haven demand, with bullion retreating after Tuesday’s rebound. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and I»»»

The vast majority of Sudanese people have been plunged into poverty, with 11 million uprooted from their homes and nearly twice as many facing hunger as the war between the army and its paramilitary foes enters its fourth year. On the third anniversary of the start of the grinding conflict on Wedne»»»

Iranian student Mahdieh Esfandiari arrived in Iran after being released in France, Iranian state TV reported on Wednesday, after ‌two French ‌nationals facing security ‌charges ⁠were allowed to ⁠leave Iran following three-and-a-half years in detention. Esfandiari, who was convicted at the end ⁠of F»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan will have the first title of the season in their sights when they take on Muaither in the QSL Cup final at Stadium 974 today. The Vicente Moreno-coached side, currently third in the Qatar Stars League, will start as favourites against their Second Division rivals, who are fea»»»

Doha, Qatar: Shura Council is participating with a delegation led by Speaker of the Shura Council H E Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim in the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the 217th Governing Council meeting in Istanbul, Turkiye, starting today for five days, under »»»

Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan and six other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on Tuesday while calling "for an urgent end to hostilities" in the country where Israeli attacks have killed over 2,000 people since March. "Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is rapidly accelerating its adoption of quantum technologies and building a robust quantum ecosystem. This is part of Qatar National Vision 2030, aimed at diversifying the economy through advanced technology, research, and talent development. In a post on its X platform yesterday»»»

Cloudy skies are forecast for much of Greece Wednesday, with low visibility due to desert sand carried over from North Africa and rain in the west and north. Strong southeasterly winds will blow until the late afternoon in western Greece and the Ionian Sea, while in eastern parts of the country and»»»

American YouTuber Johnny Somali answers questions from reporters before attending his sentencing trial at the Seoul Western District Court in the capital on Wednesday. Photo by Yonhap American YouTuber Johnny Somali, who sparked outrage in South Korea two years ago after kissing a statue symbolizin»»»

The United States and Israel may have obstructed the path towards a future Iran-built nuclear bomb by severely damaging Tehran's nuclear and ballistic capabilities in recent attacks. But they have not succeeded in seizing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, key to any future negotiations betw»»»

An Israeli rights group said Tuesday that it had asked the International Criminal Court to consider legal action against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for allegedly “aiding war crimes” through exports to Iran. Filed by the Shurat HaDin non-governmental organization, which has taken legal act»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov met with residents of Uzgen district as part of his working visit to Osh region. According to him, agriculture is an industry that ensures the country’s food security, provides jobs, and accounts for a significant portion of the gross regional product. «Irrigat»»»

Around 250 people, including children, are feared dead after a migrant boat capsized in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Bangladesh, AFP reported on April 15. The boat sailed from Southern Bangladesh for Malaysia on April »»»

Around 250 people, including children, are feared dead after a migrant boat capsized in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Bangladesh, AFP reported on April 15. The boat sailed from Southern Bangladesh for Malaysia on April »»»

The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, even though President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week. Trump said negotiations between US and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the »»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape intertwined with change and chaos. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing, Xi said the strong»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) will deliver a spectacular evening of classical mastery on Saturday, April 18, at the Katara Opera House, as it presents its highly anticipated concert titled “Brass, Brilliance and Beethoven”. According to post of QPO social media accounts, the p»»»

The U.S. military under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth conducted another strike Tuesday targeting an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacifiic. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. military killed four men on Tuesday in a strike on a suspected drug-traf»»»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and Beijing cannot agree with Western efforts to preserve global dominance. “Blatant attempts by the West, both the United States and Europe, to maintain and even upgrade its hegemony… including the slave trade, colonialism… continue living… at the»»»

Water supply will be suspended in parts of Bishkek on April 16 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., the City Hall’s press service reported. The water outage will affect residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, healthcare, and other social and industrial facilities. The water outage is due to reconstructio»»»

NATO allies said on Monday they would not get involved in US President Donald Trump's plan to blockade Iranian ports, ​proposing to intervene only once fighting ends, in a move likely to anger Trump and increase strains in the alliance. "We're not supporting the blockade," British Prime Minister Ke»»»

China's exports grew only 2.5% in March from a year earlier, a significantly slowdown caused by the war in Iran. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up the cost of materials, and many Chinese factories saw their profits squeezed last month. Also in this edition: hundreds of Hollywood sta»»»

Special Presidential Representative for Special Assignments Bakyt Torobaev held a meeting at the Ministry of Energy. Energy industry investors, partners, and government officials participated in the meeting. It was noted that the country’s strong economic performance has led to a significant increa»»»

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it a "historic opportunity" but making clear that no breakthrough agr»»»

The US wants to blockade Iran into submission, but instead stumbled into a trap of its own making - as Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was only too keen to point out. “Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas," he trolled the US on X. Key points: US gasoline has risen from $3.00–3.»»»

Director of the Consular Department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Kyrgyzstan (MFA), Seitek Zhumakadyr uulu, held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Pakistan, Altamash Wazir Khan, the ministry’s press service reported. The sides discussed issues of Kyrgyzstan — P»»»

Former Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Chingiz Aidarbekov has been charged with abuse of office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. According to the ministry, it has been established that during his tenure as Foreign Minister, he committed a number of violations related to the use of budget »»»

As the ‘meme war’ between the US and Iran continues via AI ‘slopaganda,’ an Iran-linked group named Explosive Media has been pumping out viral LEGO-style videos ridiculing the US war effort in Iran, and trolling President Donald Trump. Many of these videos depict Trump as childish and fickle, »»»

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US-Iran peace talks could resume this week, while Israel and Lebanon agreed to launch direct negotiations, signaling movement on two key fronts in efforts to ease the Middle East conflict. The parallel diplomatic openings came even as violence persisted»»»