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Israel Says Will Ban French Hard-Left Leader Melenchon from Entry

World  Leftist party La France Insoumise (LFI) candidate in France's 2027 presidential election Jean-Luc Melenchon gestures as he delivers a speech during a campaign rally in La Souterraine on November 11, 2026. (AFP)

Israel Says Will Ban French Hard-Left Leader Melenchon from Entry

Israel said on Thursday it would ban French hard-left presidential contender Jean-Luc Melenchon from visiting after he vowed that if he were elected, French…

World US special envoys Steve Witkoff, right, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speak to the media at the airport in Dublin, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026.(AP)

Kushner Says US Working Toward ‘Largest Prisoner Exchange’ of Russia’s War in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said on Thursday Russia and Ukraine agreed to expand the next round of talks to include European…

World  US Vice President JD Vance speaks at the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball in New Bern, North Carolina, US, November 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Trump Bluntly Tells JD Vance to Shift Focus from Iran to Targeting ‘Corruption and Crime’ at Home

President Donald Trump on Thursday directed Vice President JD Vance to shift his focus away from the Iran war and instead devote himself to fighting what the…

World Rescuers and security officers examine the wreckage of an ambulance helicopter after it collided with a hospital building and crashed into the ground, in Mugla, Türkiye, December 22, 2024. REUTERS/Kenan Gurbuz Purchase

Military Helicopter Crashes in Southern Türkiye, Killing 4

A military helicopter crashed in southern Türkiye on Thursday, killing four personnel, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. The aircraft crashed for unknown…

Asharq Al Awsat
World US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance look on during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, US, November 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

Trump Says US Does Not Need Iran Deal

President Donald Trump said on Thursday the US does not need a deal with Iran and directed Vice President JD Vance, who has played a role in efforts to resolve…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)

World Trump Reportedly Plans Long Blockade of Iran

Trump Reportedly Plans Long Blockade of Iran

President Donald Trump has told US national security officials to prepare for a long blockade of Iran's ports in order to compel Tehran to give up its nuclear…

Asharq Al Awsat
World US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 24, 2026. (Photo by Annabelle GORDON / AFP)

US Lawmakers to Grill Hegseth for 1st Time Since Start of Iran War

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will face tough questions from lawmakers about the Iran war on Wednesday during his first testimony to Congress since the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
World Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

US Calls for Coalition of Like-Minded Partners, Dozens of Countries Urge Reopening of Hormuz

Dozens of countries gathered at the United Nations in New York on Monday to discuss “the safety and protection of waterways in the maritime domain,” demanding…

Ali Barada (Washington)
World Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)

UK Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Embassy’s ‘Unacceptable’ Comments on Social Media

Britain said on Tuesday the Iranian ambassador to London had been summoned over what the government described as the Iranian embassy's "unacceptable and…

World US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)

Trump and Charles Greet Each Other Warmly as the King Begins a Day of Diplomacy in Washington

President Donald Trump and King Charles III greeted each other warmly on Tuesday as the monarch began a day of diplomacy in Washington designed to emphasize a…

World Police officers inspect fragments of a Russian drone after an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP)

Ukraine Says It Shot Down 33,000 Russian Drones in March, a Monthly Record

Ukraine used interceptor systems to shoot down more than 33,000 Russian drones of various types in March, a record monthly figure since Moscow launched its all…

World Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives to attend an informal European leaders' summit in Ayia Napa, Cyprus April 23, 2026. (Reuters)

Ukraine Accuses Israel of Importing Grain ‘Stolen’ by Russia as Zelenskyy Warns of Sanctions

Ukraine accused Israel on Tuesday of allowing the import of grain it says Russia stole from occupied areas, prompting a sharp exchange between officials. …

World  Women carry Iranian flags as they cross an intersection to attend a pro-government gathering in Tehran, Iran, Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP)

Iran Says US No Longer in Position to ‘Dictate’ Policy to Other Nations

Iran said on Tuesday that the United States was no longer able to "dictate" what other countries do, as Washington weighed a new proposal from Tehran on…

World Troops from New Zealand, the Philippines, US, and Australia pose for a photo with their national flags after participating in counter-landing live fire exercises during Balikatan, the annual joint military exercises between the US and the Philippines, at Long Point Beach, Brgy. Aporawan, Aborlan, Palawan, Philippines, April 27, 2026. (Reuters)

Philippines Is Not Concerned Iran War Will Distract US from Region, Defense Secretary Says

The Philippines is not worried about any reduction in US deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific due to the Middle East war, though China would likely try…

World A crater is seen at the site of the Russian strike on a residential area in Odesa, Ukraine, 27 April 2026. (EPA)

Ukrainian Strikes Kill 3 in Russian Border Region

A Ukrainian drone attack Tuesday killed three people in the Russian border region of Belgorod, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. "Three civilians…

World  A drone view shows ambulances standing by at the station following a deadly collision between a commuter line train and a long-distance train, in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, April 28, 2026. (Reuters)

Train Collision Kills 14, Injures Dozens Near Jakarta

Indonesia's president ordered an investigation Tuesday after a long-distance train smashed into a stationary commuter train overnight, killing 14 people and…

World A boat sails past a tanker anchored on the Strait of Hormuz off the coast Qeshm island, Iran, April 18, 2026. (AP)

Trump Says Iran Has Told Him It Is in a ‘State of Collapse’

Donald Trump said Iran had informed him it was in a "state of collapse" and was figuring out its leadership situation, as efforts to end the conflict appeared…

World 26 April 2026, North Korea, Pyongyang: A ceremony to open a museum and memorial complex dedicated to the North Korean servicemen who took part in the liberation of Russia's Kursk Region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. (Vadim Savitsky/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa)

North Korea Sharply Increased Executions During Pandemic Lockdown, Rights Group Says

North Korea ‌sharply raised the number of executions it conducted after shutting its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the largest share linked…

World In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, stranded residents are evacuated on a boat after flooding from heavy rainfall in Qinzhou in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday, April 27, 2026. (Ao Shuaichang/Xinhua via AP)

Heavy Flooding in Southern China Forces Evacuations and Leaves Vehicles Submerged

Heavy flooding from torrential rain left cars submerged and forced the evacuation of more than 200 residents in a southern Chinese city, state media reported…

World US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent testifies during the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on “A Review of the President's FY2027 Budget Request for the Department of the Treasury” on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 22 April 2026. (EPA)

US Treasury Chief Says Businesses Working with Iranian Airlines Risk Sanctions

Businesses working with Iranian airlines risk US sanctions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday, calling the warning a part of a campaign to put…

World  25 April 2026, US, Washington: US President Donald Trump delivered remarks during a press conference in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House, following the cancellation of the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner amid reports of a possible shooting. (dpa)

White House to Review Trump’s Security After Gunfire Near Press Dinner

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles will meet with law enforcement and homeland security early this week to review security protocols after Saturday's…

World 27 April 2026, Russia, Saint Petersburg: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Saint Petersburg. (Kremlin/dpa)

Putin Praises Iranian People for Resistance to US in Talks with Araghchi

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday praised the Iranian people for battling to stay independent in the face of US and Israeli pressure and said Moscow…

World A woman walks past a billboard with a graphic design about the Strait of Hormuz on a building, amid a ceasefire between US and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 27, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

UN Maritime Agency Rejects Iran’s Demand for Hormuz Tolls

The head of the UN's maritime agency said Monday there was "no legal basis" for imposing any fees for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping…

World 28 February 2026, Afghanistan, Torkham: A Taliban fighter checks his weapon next to an armored vehicle at a checkpoint near Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan. (dpa)

Four Killed, 70 Injured in Mortar, Rocket Attacks by Pakistan, Afghan Taliban Says

Mortar and rocket attacks launched by Pakistan against Afghanistan killed four people on Monday and injured 70 more, the Taliban government said, as fighting…

World View of Mount Carmel city and port of Haifa in northern Israel. (AFP)

Report: Ukraine to Take Measures Against Israel if Grain Ship Docks

Israel ‌risks a diplomatic and legal response from Kyiv if it allows a vessel carrying grain from Russian-occupied Ukraine to dock at the port of Haifa, a…

World United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to delegates during a meeting on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at UN headquarters in New York City, US, April 27, 2026. (Reuters)

‘Looming’ Risk of Nuclear Arms Race, UN Proliferation Meeting Hears

Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty began a meeting at the UN on Monday as fears of a renewed arms race escalate, with atomic powers…

World British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech at the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) Annual Delegate Meeting at the Winter Gardens Blackpool, in Blackpool, Britain, April 27, 2026. (Reuters)

UK PM Starmer Faces Vote on Possible Parliamentary Probe Over Mandelson

Britain's parliament will vote on Tuesday on a possible inquiry into Prime Minister Keir Starmer, looking at whether he misled the House of Commons over the…

World  Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during a press conference after taking part in an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia on April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Germany's Merz Says Iran is Humiliating US as Talks Stall

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday Iran's leadership was humiliating the United States and getting US officials to travel to Pakistan and then…

World  27 April 2026, Berlin: Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, gives a statement on the military section of Berlin Brandenburg Airport on an aircraft of the air force before his departure to the United Nations in New York. (dpa)

German Foreign Minister: We Need Deterrence in Face of Nuclear Threats

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday that deterrence is needed amid nuclear threats, even as he underscored support for nuclear non…