Author: Publisher
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles (left) and Japan’s Minister of Defense Koizumi Shinjiro shake hands during a Defence Ministers’ Meeting at…
Children play football amid makeshift shelters for displaced Palestinians in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on April 18, 2026. Since October 10, a fragile US-sponsored truce in Gaza has largely halted the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas, but both sides have alleged frequent violations. Source link
A farmer inspecting a rice field that has recently been treated with microbial solution Soil Digest, in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. (AFP) Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings — a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring.A quick and affordable way to prepare for a new growing cycle, the practice has long been seen as the only feasible option for millions of Thai rice farmers.But for the couple from Chiang Rai, abandoning what Amnat called “the old way of doing things” for new microbial solutions has been a boon.Thanks to the hungry bacteria that chew up post-harvest leftovers — their soil is softer, their yields are up and their fertiliser bills are down.”My life has changed,” said Siriporn, 63, as she sloshed through a verdant paddy field in Chiang Rai. “I’m so happy… we don’t have to burn anymore.” This aerial photo…
Zahra Eid, 60, who was displaced in Byblos district, reacts while inspecting her house destroyed by Israeli strikes, after returning to her village, following the ceasefire…
New Delhi summoned the Iranian ambassador yesterday to lodge a protest over a “shooting incident” involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said. Iran has reversed its pledge to reopen the strategic trade route to commercial traffic during a ceasefire in the Middle East war in protest at a US counter-blockade of the waterway, a crucial passage for crude oil and gas.Security monitors said several commercial ships came under fire and threats from Iranian forces yesterday as they tried to cross the strait. India’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Secretary Vikram Misri summoned the Iranian ambassador and “conveyed India’s deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz”. New Delhi also urged Iran to “resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait”, the statement said, adding that the envoy “undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities”. Monitoring site TankerTrackers.com said in post on X that “two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran’s Sepah (IRGC) Navy”, adding one of the vessels was “an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 mn barrels of Iraqi oil”. India, the world’s second-largest buyer of liquefied petroleum gas, has managed to secure passage for several Indian-flagged vessels in recent weeks. India imports about 60% of its LPG needs and has been grappling with a gas crunch since the war in the Middle East began on February 28. New Delhi maintains strong relations with Tehran but has steadily expanded co-operation with Iran’s rival Israel in defence, agriculture, technology and cybersecurity. Source link
Israeli occupation forces again incurded today into the town of Taranga in the northern Quneitra countryside in southern Syria, arresting a Taranga resident.Local sources reported that an Israeli military patrol stormed the town before arresting a resident and transferring him to an Israeli military base inside the Jubata al-Khashab nature reserve in the northern part of the governorate.This incursion comes amidst repeated incursions by Israeli occupation forces into the Quneitra countryside, where they have carried out similar raids and house searches over the past two days.The Israeli occupation continues to violate the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, despite Syrian demands to halt these violations and for Israeli forces to withdraw from Syrian territory. Source link
The Trump administration on Friday renewed a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil at sea for about a month, even as lawmakers accused the government of going easy on Moscow as its war on Ukraine grinds on. The Treasury Department’s waiver lets countries purchase Russian oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of Friday through May 16. It replaces a 30-day waiver that expired on April 11 and excludes transactions involving Iran, Cuba and North Korea. The move is part of the administration’s effort to control global energy prices that have shot higher during the US-Israeli war with Iran. It came after countries in Asia, suffering from the global energy shock, pressed Washington to allow alternative supplies to reach markets. “As negotiations (with Iran) accelerate, Treasury wants to ensure oil is available to those who need it,” a Treasury Department spokesperson said. Just two days earlier, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not be renewing the waiver for Russian oil and another for Iranian oil, which is set to expire on Sunday. Global oil prices tumbled 9% on Friday to about $90 a barrel after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, an oil choke point in the Gulf. But the war has already created the worst global energy supply disruption in history, the International Energy Agency has said. The war, which enters its eighth week on Saturday, has damaged more than 80 oil and gas facilities in the Middle East, and Tehran has warned it could close the strait again if the recent US Navy blockade of Iranian ports continued. High oil prices are a threat to President Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections. Trump has also faced pressure from partner countries on the oil price. A US source said partner countries on the sidelines of Group of 20, World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington this week had requested the US extend the waiver. And he spoke about oil this week in a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, a big purchaser of Russian oil. The waiver on Iranian oil, which the Treasury Department issued on March 20, allowed about 140mn barrels of oil to reach global markets and helped relieve pressure on energy supply, Bessent said last month. US lawmakers from both political parties had slammed the administration over the sanctions waivers, saying they stood to help the economy of Iran while it was at war with the US and of Russia as it was at war with Ukraine. The waivers could impede the West’s efforts to deprive Russia of revenue for its war in Ukraine and put Washington at odds with its allies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said now is not the time to relax sanctions against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev said an extension of the US waiver will affect another 100mn barrels of Russian oil, bringing the total volume affected by both waivers to 200mn barrels. Dmitriev, who travelled to the US on April 9 for meetings with members of the Trump administration ahead of the previous waiver expiry, said on his Telegram channel that the extension faced “active political opposition.” Brett Erickson, a sanctions expert at the consulting firm Obsidian Risk Advisors, said Friday’s renewal is likely not the last waiver Washington will issue.“The conflict has done lasting damage to global energy markets, and the tools available to stabilise them are nearly exhausted,” Erickson said. Waiver aims to stabilise energy prices amid Iran war and Middle East tensions; Lawmakers criticise waivers for benefiting Russia during war with Ukraine; Analyst warns energy market tools are ‘nearly exhausted’; EU urges no relaxation of Russia sanctions Source link
A man drives as he flashes a victory sign following a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Nabatieh, Lebanon, April 18, 2026.…
Pope Leo XIV (CL) is welcomed by Angola’s President Joao Lourenco (CR) upon his arrival at the “4 de Fevereiro” Luanda International Airport in Luanda on…
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reaffirmed its enduring commitment to promoting a stable and secure environment and adopting constructive policies based on development and prosperity rather than wars and conflicts, in a way that strengthens mutual trust with regional and international partners and consolidates its position as a reliable partner on various fronts.Secretary-General of the GCC Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi stated during a session titled ‘A Middle East Beyond Zero Sum Politics,” held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, that the GCC has always been a partner in solutions based on diplomacy and dialogue.Albudaiwi also addressed the treacherous Iranian attacks targeting GCC countries and their serious repercussions on security and stability, explaining that GCC states made significant efforts to prevent war but were nonetheless surprised by these unjustified and unlawful attacks.He stressed that the GCC has played a proactive role in several regional issues, particularly the Palestinian cause, supporting international efforts to achieve a two-state solution, alongside providing humanitarian aid and political initiatives in many areas. He emphasized that these roles reflect the GCC countries’ belief that regional and international stability is a shared responsibility.He added that the role of regional organizations is no longer optional but has become an imperative necessity. Their success, he said, is measured not only by internal cohesion but also by their ability to build bridges of cooperation, establish partnerships, and actively contribute to global stability.In this context, he pointed out that the GCC has embraced this responsibility seriously by establishing 28 strategic partnerships with countries worldwide, in addition to its cooperation with eight regional organizations, thereby reinforcing its regional and international standing as an effective link that promotes dialogue, supports peace, and advances stability and prosperity.He also praised the achievements of GCC countries not only in economic growth but also in resilience and their ability to face challenges, noting that joint action has proven capable of exceeding expectations and strengthening their global position.In conclusion, Albudaiwi affirmed that these collective Gulf efforts have contributed to building a regional system based on cooperation and integration, serving as an active force in achieving regional and international security and stability. Source link