Thunderstorms sweep Saudi Arabia, Civil Defense warns of flash flood risks
RIYADH: The Saudi General Directorate of Civil Defense has urged the public to exercise heightened caution as thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and flash flood risks are expected to persist across much of the Kingdom through Tuesday. Residents have been advised to remain in safe locations, avoid valle»»»
Syria accuses Hezbollah-linked cells of plotting attacks. Several arrested – Ya Libnan
Share: A worker tears down the pictures of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, Lebanon’s late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a gas station in Nubl, in rural Aleppo, Syria, December 11, 2024.(photo credit: UMIT BEKTA»»»
US considers suspending Spain from NATO – Reuters
The US is allegedly weighing unprecedented measures to punish NATO members it believes failed to support its war against Iran, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an internal Pentagon email. The options are said to include the possible suspension of Spain from the bloc, according to the outlet. The »»»
Trump orders Navy to kill boats in Strait of Hormuz, claims US control
US President Donald Trump has threatened lethal force against any Iranian boats suspected of laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that Washington now has “total control” over the key waterway until Tehran agrees to a deal. The warning comes amid a maritime standoff in the Strait of Hormuz»»»
Gulf trade faces new shock as Hormuz disruptions test global supply chains
Dubai: Trade flows across the Middle East face mounting strain as geopolitical tensions disrupt critical shipping routes, raising questions over whether the shock will reshape global commerce or prove temporary. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.A n»»»
Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoes bill pausing AI data center development - UPI.com
Maine Gov. Janet Mills on Friday vetoed a bill that would have paused construction of artificial intelligence data centers in the state because lawmakers in the Maine legislature refused a carve-out to the pause for an already in progress project there. File Photo CJ Gunther/EPA April 24 (UPI) -- M»»»
Chile's Kast launches 40-measure reform package with staged corporate tax cut
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast has formally filed the Economic and Social Reconstruction and Development Bill in the Chamber of Deputies, a 40-plus measure package including a staged reduction in corporate tax from 27% to 23% aimed at reviving growth and cutting unemployment, El Mercurio repor»»»
Rotating cast to fill-in for Karoline Leavitt during maternity leave - UPI.com
A rotating cast of people, which could include President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, will fill in for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt when she takes maternity leave after her daughter is born. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- White House Press S»»»
LTDH says has been informed of one-month suspension and will appeal
Tunis, April 25 (TAP) - The executive board of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH) said on Friday evening that it had received information indicating a decision to suspend its activities for one month, pending official...»»»
The World This Week - Iran: Neither war nor Peace, Ukraine’s Lifeline, Starmer: “Just a Scratch”?
In a week where a stalemate appears to have developed after nearly two months of asymmetric conflict between the US and Iran, President Trump’s Truth Social posts have swung between belligerent maximalism and breezy deal-making—one minute suggesting a within-reach deal, and that Iranian forces woul»»»
'Communities Not Cages' anti-ICE protests planned nationwide on Saturday - UPI.com
Protests are planned nationwide on Saturday as part of the "Communities Not Cages National Day of Action" against the growth of ICE and millions of dollars being poured into new immigrant detention centers. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo April 24 (UPI) -- Hundreds of rallies are pla»»»
Tunisian journalist detained after criticizing judiciary, lawyer says
TUNIS: Prominent Tunisian reporter Zied Heni was detained on Friday after writing an article criticizing the judiciary, according to his lawyer, a move the journalists’ union said was part of a broader crackdown on free speech. The Tunisian public prosecutor ordered the arrest, lawyer Nafaa Larib»»»
Children’s lives at risk from US funding cuts to vaccine alliance: CEO
NAIROBI: The head of a global vaccine organisation told AFP on Friday that aid cuts by the United States and other donors have forced it to slash its malaria programme in Africa, threatening tens of thousands of children's lives. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, brings together government and private do»»»
Eye on Africa - Tanzania releases government-led inquiry into poll violence
In tonight's edition, a Tanzanian commission appointed by the President herself, releases its report into last year’s election violence. Also, Pope Leo wraps up his first major international tour with a Mass in Equatorial Guinea. And Congolese music star Fally Ipupa marks 20 years in the indus»»»
Saudi Arabia condemns drone attacks on Kuwait border posts
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday condemned attacks on Kuwaiti border posts by drones launched from Iraqi territory, the foreign ministry said. The Kuwaiti military said on Friday that two drones coming from the direction of neighboring Iraq struck border posts on its northern frontier with the countr»»»
Spring freeze delivers widespread crop losses across mid-Atlantic farms - UPI.com
A late-season freeze this week brought damaging cold to the mid-Atlantic, threatening crops just as orchards and berry fields entered critical stages of growth. Record lows were set in parts of the region Monday and Tuesday, including 24 degrees Fahrenheit in Allentown, Pa. Temperatures also droppe»»»
US still delivering weapons to Ukraine, Zelenskyy says, as Prince Harry visits Kyiv
KYIV: US weapons deliveries to Ukraine haven’t stopped despite the Iran war, and Ukrainian long-range strikes continue to hammer Russian oil production and manufacturing plants, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday. “Of course, we are hitting what is painful for Russia, and it is v»»»
Morocco opens $700M skyscraper as it boosts global ambitions
CASABLANCA, Morocco: Towering over the Moroccan capital’s historic cityscape, a $700 million, 55-story skyscraper opened this week in a move that underscores the country’s expanding global ambitions. Named for King Mohammed VI and inspired by a rocket on its launchpad, the 820-foot Mohammed VI Towe»»»
Abha in bloom: Jacaranda season boosts tourism in Asir highlands
ABHA: The southwestern city of Abha is witnessing the peak of its annual jacaranda bloom, as streets and parks turn into sweeping landscapes of vibrant purple, underscoring the distinctive mountain environment of the Asir region and reinforcing the city’s growing appeal as a seasonal tourism destin»»»
Syrian, Jordanian and Lebanese officials discuss steps to activate Arab Gas Pipeline
Damascus, April 25 (SANA) Representatives from the energy ministries of Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon held a virtual meeting to review the executive procedures required to activate the Arab Gas Pipeline and supply Lebanon with its energy needs. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Energy said the»»»
Justice Department ends death penalty moratorium, rescinds Biden-era commutations - UPI.com
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Friday that the Department of Justice is ending it moratorium on seeking the death penalty in federal capital cases, reinstating the use of single-chemical lethal injection and adding firing squad to methods of execution. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | »»»
Kyrgyzstan's agricultural production doubles in Q1 2026: official
Bishkek: The gross domestic product of agricultural production in Kyrgyzstan amounted to 47.923 billion soms (approximately 547 million U.S. dollars) in January-March, an increase of 102.8 percent year on year, the country's Kabar news agency reported Friday, citing the Ministry of Water Resources,»»»
IRGC Navy Seizes Epaminondas Container Ship in Strait of Hormuz
Exclusive images obtained by Tasnim show Epaminondas, a large MSC-operated containership, after it was intercepted and transferred to Iranian territorial waters by the IRGC Navy in the Strait of Hormuz as part of ongoing maritime security operations targeting violating ships. The IRGC Navy announce»»»
Pakistan says Iranian delegation to hold meetings with senior leadership
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement confirming the arrival of the Iranian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad. The delegation will meet Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, and o»»»
Wounded Lebanese journalist recounts hours of agony after Israeli strike killed colleague Amal Khalil
BEIRUT: A Lebanese journalist who was wounded in an Israeli airstrike that killed her colleague this week described hours of agony as they waited for help to arrive, in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday. Zeinab Faraj, a young freelance photographer and video journalist, frequently mo»»»
Is Israel silencing witnesses? Rising journalist deaths raise accountability concerns
DUBAI: The killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil on Wednesday has renewed scrutiny over the rising number of media workers killed in conflicts involving Israel, with press freedom groups questioning accountability and transparency. Khalil, a correspondent for Al-Akhbar, was reportedly shelteri