US author Anne-Marie Slaughter argues in The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World that the world no longer operates or interacts according to the logic of a traditional chessboard. The old model was linear and two-dimensional, centered on a single objective: topplin»»»

The American military depleted its entire stock of untested Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) early in its attack on Iran last month, a US Army official has said. The short-to-medium ballistic missiles developed by Lockheed Martin are slated to replace the aging Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)»»»

1 of 2 | Pope Leo XIV is welcomed at Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport in Yaounde, Cameroon, Wednesday. The pontiff is on the second leg of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa. Photo by Luca Zennaro/EPA April 15 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV landed in Cameroon Wednesday, and English-speaking separat»»»

Lebanon’s and Israel’s ambassadors to Washington are preparing for a second meeting after an initial round on Tuesday at the US State Department, hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting is aimed at shaping talks and securing a ceasefire pushed by Washington before launching a negotiat»»»

Iran can withstand a complete halt in oil exports of up to two months before being forced to curb production, analysts said, after the US began blocking shipping in and out of the country's ports on April 13. The blockade could prevent roughly 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude from r»»»

Pakistan’s army chief arrived Wednesday for talks in Tehran in the latest diplomatic move to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war. The Pakistani military said the delegation also included the c»»»

Lebanese were divided on Wednesday over their government’s decision to pursue rare, direct negotiations with Israel in hopes of ending the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. Some forced to flee their homes and communities in southern Lebanon say they believe Israel’s ground invasion can »»»

Washington, United States: The World Bank announced a plan Wednesday that aims to improve secure water access for a billion people within the next four years. The "Water Forward" program will "expand reliable water services and strengthen systems against droughts and floods." The Bank said its own »»»

The World Bank announced a plan Wednesday that aims to improve secure water access for a billion people within the next four years. The new "Water Forward" program aims to "expand reliable water services and strengthen systems against droughts and floods." The Bank said its own funds and technical »»»

Israel hailed on Wednesday the opening of direct talks with Beirut as a "historic opportunity" that could end Hezbollah's "stranglehold" on Lebanon. "This is indeed a genuine historic opportunity to end decades of Hezbollah stranglehold over Lebanon," Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told »»»

The initiative to transport enriched uranium from Iran to Russia is not currently under discussion, but Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to return to it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. Other key statements:on Iran:The IAEA has never claimed that Iran attempted to build »»»

Israel's security cabinet will convene on Wednesday to discuss a possible Lebanon ceasefire, a senior Israeli official said, more than five weeks into a war with Hezbollah that spiraled out of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet will meet »»»

Turkish police investigators work at the site of a school shooting that injured 16 people in Turkey Tuesday. On Wednesday, a second school shooting happened in Turkey, and nine people were killed with 13 others injured. Photo by Stringer/EPA April 15 (UPI) -- Nine people are dead after a school sho»»»

Brussels, Belgium: The EU told Meta Wednesday that charging rival AI chatbots for access to its WhatsApp platform runs against the bloc's antitrust rules, rebuffing the measure taken by the US giant in response to a probe. Meta started charging a fee as redress in March after an EU probe found it h»»»

Hajar and Rashid Hathaleen have always walked to school from their neighborhood on the outskirts of Umm al-Khair. But when classes resumed this week for the first time since the Iran war began, coiled barbed wire blocked the Palestinian siblings' path to the village center. Israeli settlers had ins»»»

China's top diplomat told his Iranian counterpart that Beijing "supports maintaining the momentum of the ceasefire and peace talks" in a phone call on Wednesday, as negotiators from Pakistan landed in Tehran to discuss a second round of US-Iran talks. Peace talks are "in the fundamental interests o»»»

Dubai: Amid an uncertain geopolitical climate, expats from Kerala in the UAE on Wednesday marked Vishu, the traditional Hindu New Year of the south Indian state, with rituals, ethnic wear and the elaborate vegetarian feast known as sadhya, expressing gratitude for the safety and stability they cont»»»

Pakistan has been in contact with Moscow regarding the ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran and coordinated its position with Russia, Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Will the US-Iran talks continue in Islamabad, does Pakistan intend to buy Russian oil, a»»»

Two senior Lebanese officials told Reuters on Wednesday they had been briefed that efforts were underway for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but did not have details on when it would begin or how long it would last. The officials both said it was likely the ceasefire's duration would be linked to how long »»»

Dubai: Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has emerged as the most visible power broker in Tehran, stepping into a central role in both the war effort and high-stakes diplomacy as the Islamic republic navigates a new phase following the US-Israel conflict. A pillar of the Iranian est»»»

Danish Pandit in HaryanaIndia's small farmers are facing fertilizer shortages tied to the war in Iran and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. What could delayed deliveries mean for farmers and their livelihoods? https://p.dw.com/p/5CEKXAdvertisementIndia’s small-scale farmers are facing a growing »»»

U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated peace talks with Tehran could resume this week, as the United States turned the screws Wednesday with a naval blockade it said had cut off maritime trade with Iran. Trump's hint came as Israel and Lebanon agreed to open direct negotiations after a rare face»»»

The United Arab Emirates has been elected to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the 2026–2028 term, at a time of unprecedented global food security challenges and mounting risks linked to the near-total disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—developments that coul»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that China has agreed not to send weapons to its close partner Iran and that he has received personal assurances from leader Xi Jinping. "They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran. President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few week»»»

TYRE, Lebanon: Israeli strikes rocked southern Lebanon overnight and into Wednesday, a day after a first round of historic talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington. Smoke rose over the coastal city of Tyre, underscoring the fragility of diplomatic efforts. Though Israeli strikes i»»»

What began as a disagreement over the Iran war has escalated into a rare and highly public clash between the White House and the Vatican. US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have repeatedly criticised Pope Leo XIV, accusing him of being “weak on crime” and overstepping into politi»»»

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia is ready to play a role in resolving the issue of Iranian enriched uranium in a way that is as acceptable as possible to Tehran. "We have good relations with Russia, a very successful experience of cooperation in the nuclear field..»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received President of the European Council António Costa, who is visiting the country. During the meeting, the latest regional developments were reviewed, particularly those related to the ce»»»

At a time when waves of geopolitical tensions disrupt the stability of vital maritime corridors, fundamental questions are emerging about the ability of major economic ambitions in the Gulf to withstand the test of the Strait of Hormuz, which represents an indispensable “lifeline” for the global ec»»»

Berlin: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi met on Wednesday with State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany HE Dr. Geza Andreas von Geyr. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the lates»»»

A student aged about 13 opened fire at random in a Turkish school Wednesday killing four people and wounding 20, just one day after a shooter wounded 16 people and then killed himself in another school, officials said. Kahramanmaras province governor Mukerrem Unluer said a teacher and three student»»»

Dubai: Ships linked to Iran are increasingly adopting “ghost” tactics — going dark, spoofing identities and masking movements — in a bid to evade the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, signalling a shift toward more cautious and covert operations at sea. Maritime intelligence experts say a »»»

A student opened fire randomly at two classrooms at a middle school in southeast Turkey on Wednesday, killing four people and wounding 20 others, an official said, in the second such shooting in the country in two days. The student, who was also killed, arrived at the school, armed with guns believ»»»

The conflict between the US and Iran is close to being settled, President Donald Trump has claimed, adding that the second round of peace talks between the two sides could take place in the next few days. The US president gave interviews to several outlets on Tuesday, where he detailed Washington’s»»»

US President Donald Trump has announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, saying he made the decision after China agreed not to send weapons to Iran. Trump initially announced the blockade of the vital waterway on Sunday after Pakistani-mediated talks failed to produce a peace deal with Iran. On»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran does not confirm that it and the United States agreed on the extension of the truce, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, media reported, citing officials, that the United States and Iran "agree in principle" to extend the »»»

Iran's foreign ministry said Wednesday that Tehran's right to enrich uranium was "indisputable" although the level of enrichment is "negotiable". In a weekly press briefing, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy could not be "taken away under pre»»»

Iran said Wednesday that exchanges with the United States via Pakistan had continued following failed negotiations over the weekend. "Since Sunday, when the Iranian delegation returned to Tehran, several messages have been exchanged through Pakistan," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei »»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Wednesday with President of the European Council HE Antonio Costa, who is visiting the country. During the meeting, they discussed the latest developments in the region, particu»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - A Pakistani delegation may visit Iran to further discuss the negotiation process with the United States, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Wednesday. "As for the negotiations, the exchange of messages continues, various messages have been exchanged through»»»

Commander of Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Air Defense Base Major General Ali Abdollahi warned on Tuesday that the continued US naval blockade and threats against Iranian vessels would amount to a prelude to breaching the ceasefire, raising the risk of renewed escalation. In remarks carried by Iranian me»»»

Iran’s top military commander, Major General Ali Abdollahi, has issued a stern warning to the United States, stating that any attempt to block maritime trade in the Persian Gulf or Sea of Oman would be met with decisive action. In remarks made on Wednesday, Abdollahi, the commander of Khatam al-Anb»»»

Senior UAE and Iranian officials held a call to discuss de-escalation on Wednesday, UAE state media reported, the first high-level call since ties deteriorated over the U.S.-Iran war. UAE Vice President and Deputy Premier Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan "held a phone call with Mohammad Bagher Gh»»»

Dozens of boats carrying activists and aid for Palestinians in Gaza set sail from the northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona on Wednesday. Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla say that more than 70 boats and 1,000 people from around the world will participate, with campaigners saying it's the bi»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that talks to end a seven week-long war with Iran "could be happening in the next two days," most likely in Pakistan. Photo by Salwan Georges/UPI | License Photo April 15 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said peace talks with Iran "could be happening in »»»

United Nations refugee chief Barham Salih on Wednesday called on the international community to provide urgent support to Lebanon, with a fifth of the country's population displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah war. "I call upon the international community to provide urgent support and relief to Lebanon»»»

Eighteen months after the nation's largest Arab American community helped propel Donald Trump to a second term as president, the prayers have not stopped. In Dearborn, just outside of Detroit, families wait restlessly for word from relatives abroad, hoping they are safe, and mourning those already »»»

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, held a phone call with Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, during which they discussed regional developments and ways to de-escalate tensions»»»

Jawad Younes, 11, and his cousins were playing soccer in the lot between their houses, as they often did. His little brother, 4-year-old Mehdi, had joined them but grew tired, so Jawad took him home and handed him off to their mother before returning to the game. Minutes later, an Israeli strike ca»»»

Iran's military warned on Wednesday it would block trade through the Red Sea, along with the Gulf and Sea of Oman, if the U.S. naval blockade continues. In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the head of Iran's military central command center said if the U.S. continues with its blockad»»»