The two leaders talked about de-escalation in the region and maintaining deterrence against threats from Iran and elsewhere.

The Republican real estate magnate, who is facing 34 felony counts in New York over alleged hush money paid to an adult film actress, told Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson that nothing would prevent him from running -- even a conviction. The interview, part two of which is expected to...

Jerusalem, Undefined - Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israel's defense minister Yoav Gallant said. "I commend the actions of the soldiers who eliminated two terrorists who opened fire on them near Elon Moreh" an illegal Jewish settlement near the West Bank city of Nablus,...

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, diplomatically isolated since the start of the Syrian war in 2011, has visited the UAE and Oman over the past two months. An Arab League summit is expected to be held in Riyadh in May.

Nearly 900 prisoners, most of whom were fighting with Houthi rebels, will be flown between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which leads the military coalition fighting on behalf of the ousted government, the official said on Tuesday.

At a time when many Western countries are ramping up nuclear power in their transition to greener energy sources, Europe's biggest economy is resolutely sticking to its plans -- though not everyone is in agreement. Germany has been looking to phase out nuclear power since 2002, but the decision was...

The new law would ban Algerian media outlets from receiving funding or "direct and indirect material aid" from abroad, under threat of criminal prosecution including fines of up to roughly $15,000. Dual nationals will be prevented from owning all or part of media outlets and journalists working for foreign media...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE and Malta have signed three memoranda of understanding in areas of maritime affairs, youth, and sports. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Malta....

The day after Israeli police on Wednesday stormed the prayer hall of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque -- Islam's third-holiest site -- more than 30 rockets were fired from Lebanese soil into Israel. The Israeli army said the attack was most likely carried out by the Palestinian armed movement Hamas.

The Saudi ambassador's visit seeks to support the prisoner exchange and also to explore venues of dialogue to reach "a sustainable, comprehensive political solution."

TEHRAN, IRAN  -  Iran's parliament has adopted proposals to toughen penalties for perpetrators of violence against women which could be voted into law within months, state media has reported. Initiated more than 10 years ago, discussions in parliament led to the adoption on Sunday of the general principles of a draft...

Mohammed Fayez Balhan, 15, was killed after being shot "with live occupation (Israeli) bullets in the head, chest and abdomen", the Palestinian ministry said. An earlier statement said two people were injured by "occupation (Israeli) bullets".

After two days of exercises that included simulating targeted strikes on Taiwan and encirclement of the island, the Chinese military said the wargames also included "sealing" it off, and a state media report said dozens of planes had practised an "aerial blockade". One of China's two aircraft carriers -- the...

Dubai, UAE -- Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah has named Manaf Abdulaziz Al Hajri as minister for finance and minister of state for economic and investment affairs in the new cabinet announced Sunday. Most of the ministerial portfolios remain unchanged in the new cabinet, such as Bader Al...

The delegation's arrival comes roughly a month after China helped broker a surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, fuelling hopes for progress on ending the Yemen conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Omani mediators arrived in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Saturday.

Iran's foreign ministry said a delegation will visit Saudi Arabia by April 14 to pave the way for reopening its diplomatic missions there following a similar move by Riyadh. The announcement comes a day after a Saudi delegation arrived in Tehran and follows a historic meeting between the two Gulf...

VATICAN CITY, HOLY SEE - Pope Francis underlined his "deep concern" over a flare-up in tensions between Israel and Palestinians, as he led Easter Mass on Sunday. He said the renewed violence "threatens the desired climate of trust and mutual respect needed to resume dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians," as he...

MUSCAT, OMAN  -   Oman Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion on Sunday  issued an order to regulate the activities of consumer cooperatives. The order aims at promoting Omani products, establishing new supply chains, supporting national industries, developing governorates and providing new investment opportunities. The regulation consummates the "National Product...

In a telephonic conversation with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Blinken urged calm during the coming holiday seasons across the Middle East region. They discussed bilateral and regional issues, including “our shared commitment to peace in Yemen”, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant...

Amman, Jordan--Jordan's army announced that a rocket exploded Saturday evening and its debris fell in Jordanian territory near the border with Syria without causing casualties or damage. It came as the Israeli army announced the launch of artillery strikes in Syria in response to rocket fire from there that landed in...

Tehran, Iran--Police in Iran said on Saturday they plan to use "smart" technology in public places to identify and then penalise women who violate the country's strict Islamic dress code. A statement said the force would "take action to identify norm-breaking people by using tools and smart cameras in public places...

Continuing with their protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to reform the judiciary, tens of thousands of demonstrators filled up Tel Aviv on Saturday despite the process being put on hold. According to organizers some 258,000 people attended the protest. The demonstration happened a day after a car-ramming attack...

Saturday's visit is part of "implementing the tripartite agreement" reached on March 10 between the two regional powers, brokered by China, to restore relations ruptured in 2016, the Saudi foreign ministry said. The two longtime Middle East rivals have now pledged to work together.

Nearly a decade of war in Yemen has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, both directly and indirectly, and triggered what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The Huthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering the conflict with the government backed for eight years by...

They were among 37 people aboard the vessel which had left from Tunisia's coast and then "sank on Friday afternoon", Faouzi Masmoudi, the court spokesman in Sfax city, told AFP, adding that 17 people were rescued.

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Iraqi President Abdel Latif Rashid condemned Turkey on Saturday for bombarding an area near Sulaimaniyah airport in the autonomous Kurdish region, a flashpoint between the two governments. "Turkish military operations against the Kurdistan region continue to take place, the last being the bombardment (Friday) against Sulaimaniyah civilian airport,"...

Amman, Jordan -- Twenty years after the fall of his regime, the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein remains admired and popular in Jordan where his image can still be seen across the country. The instantly recognizable face peers out from everything from bumper stickers to mobile phone cases in neighboring Jordan,...

In response to US and South Kroea military drills, North Korea has tested another underwater nuclear attack drone, though military analysts have questioned if Pyongyang has such a weapon. The reclusive country has tested what state media have termed as an underwater nuclear-capable drone, and also carried out the launch...

Evan Gershkovich was formally charged with espionage by Russia, according to Russian news agencies, accusation rejected both by the reporter and his employer, the Wall Street Journal. The charges are the first of their kind in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, sparking off an outcry from media...

In a PLA statement, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Eastern Theatre Command, said "United Sharp Sword" would involve police patrol drills in the Taiwan Strait, "to the north and south of Taiwan, and in the sea and airspace to the east of Taiwan". The exact location of the...

Following the killing of three people in the West Bank and Tel Aviv, Israel has mobilized police and army reserves in the latest escalation of violence in the Middle East. In spite of appeals for restraint, violence has spiked since Israel police stormed into Al-Aqsa mosque on Wednesday and beat...

Sleeping troubles, fear of spending time indoors and profound fear of the mountains are some of the symptoms survivors in Turkey are showing two months after the quake.

TUNIS, TUNISIA - Tunisia's coastguard said Friday it had intercepted over 14,000 migrants trying to reach Europe from January to March, more than five times the number of those who attempted the trip in the first quarter of 2022. "Coast guard patrols prevent 501 clandestine attempts to cross the maritime border...

France's foreign minister has held a rare face-to-face meeting with her Iranian counterpart in China, urging Tehran to release French nationals "arbitrarily detained" in Iran, the foreign ministry said. Catherine Colonna, traveling with French President Emmanuel Macron on his state visit to China, met Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Beijing.

CAIRO/AMMAN, EGYPT/JORDAN -   Measles and polio vaccination campaign will be launched on Saturday across northwest Syria to protect some 800,000 children under five years from the two potentially deadly but preventable diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement. The vaccination drive, supported by WHO, the Vaccine Alliance...

Experts say developing nations are struggling to find the funds needed to stop burning planet-heating fossil fuels and prepare for tomorrow's climate disasters, as they grapple with rising costs, soaring debts and extreme weather events. Reform plans are gaining momentum because they fill a "policy vacuum" over funding for the...

South Africa's Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said the government was notified on Thursday evening of a Dubai court decision not to allow for the extradition of business tycoons Atul and Rajesh Gupta. The Guptas are alleged to have colluded with former president Jacob Zuma to siphon off state assets from...

Based on data from the WTO, the UAE's export values in 2022 grew by 41%, while imports made up 22% of the total trade value. The UAE was the 11th largest exporter of commodities in the world and ranked 18th in terms of global merchandise goods trade imports.

Tensions have soared between Israel and Palestinians during what is both the Jewish Passover and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, prompting international calls for restraint. On Thursday, the Israeli army said more than 30 rockets had been fired from Lebanese territory into Israel in the largest escalation on the...

The IMF was originally expected to approve a bailout deal on December 19, but that was delayed pending a Tunisian budget, which has since passed, and a law to stop banks charging excessive interest.

A continued slowdown in almost all the world's advanced economies is expected to drag global growth below three percent this year, the International Monetary Fund's managing director warned. "With rising geopolitical tensions and high inflation, a robust recovery remains elusive," Kristalina Georgieva said in remarks ahead of the IMF and...

Beijing, China--French and EU leaders will on Thursday seek to make Europe's case for bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine in a Beijing meeting with Xi Jinping, a close ally of Vladimir Putin. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will be greeted late...

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan have pledged to reopen diplomatic representations within two months.

Condemning the storming of Al-Aqsa mosque by Israeli forces and the beating of worshippers inside, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan termed it as crossing a "red line." He said that Turkey cannot stay silent in the face of these attacks. He was speaking during a dinner for those breaking daytime...

Genesis Market sold the identities of over two million people for as little as $0.70, allowing hackers to target bank accounts and carry out online fraud, officials in several countries said. Police arrested 119 people in the huge crackdown, dubbed "Operation Cookie Monster", which was led by the US FBI...

TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran on Wednesday welcomed a US call to help end the long-running conflict in Yemen by backing a peace process, one year after a United Nations-brokered truce dramatically reduced fighting. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have multiplied since the Yemeni government's main foreign backer Saudi Arabia signed a...

The World Trade Organization said 2023 global trade growth would be slightly better than feared, but would remain "subpar", weighed down by the Ukraine war and stubbornly high inflation. Presenting their annual trade forecast, WTO economists said they expected to see the volume of global merchandise trade slow to 1.7...

Iran and the United Arab Emirates have long had close economic ties which continued even during the diplomatic chill. A veteran diplomat who served most recently as director general of the foreign ministry's diaspora affairs department, Reza Ameri's career had previously taken him to Algeria, Sudan and Eritrea.

Reza Noshadi, who heads the National Iranian Gas Company’s engineering subsidiary, said that Iran will be able to export gas to Oman through the 200-kilometer pipeline from Minab to Kuhmobarak.

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call from Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, during which they discussed bilateral relations. Sheikh Mohamed affirmed the UAE’s ongoing commitment to ties with Israel, describing their cooperation as a strategic approach to peace and...