Saturday, April 18, 2026

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Bahrain court sentences over a dozen who protested prison conditions during Covid

Bahrain sentenced 13 political prisoners who protested against medical negligence in their prison at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, a rights group has reported.

Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan transferred to another jail after custody extended

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been moved to a jail near capital Islamabad after a court extended his custody by two more weeks in a state secrets case related to his 2022 removal.

Saudi envoy cancels Al-Aqsa visit after backlash over possible normalization with Israel

Saudi Arabia's non-resident ambassador to Palestine has postponed a planned visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque following criticism by some Palestinians who viewed the visit as validating the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem. Some called for the Saudi delegation to be prevented from entering the mosque.

Yerevan says over a third of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenians fled region

More than a third of the 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh have fled the region as part of an exodus triggered by a military offensive which brought the enclave back under Azerbaijan’s control, Yerevan announced on Wednesday.

Israeli tourism minister arrives in Saudi Arabia in first public visit

The Israeli tourism minister has travelled to Riyadh for a United Nations conference, his office has confirmed, describing the visit as the first public trip to Saudi Arabia by an Israeli cabinet member.

Azerbaijan says ready to organize UN mission to Karabakh

The authorities of Azerbaijan are ready to organize a visit of a UN mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

More than 100 killed, dozens injured as fire rips through wedding party in Iraq

A fire at a wedding in northern Iraq has killed over 100 people and injured 150 others, local authorities have confirmed.

Scores die in Nagorno-Karabakh blast as Armenians flee region

At least 125 people were killed in a Monday explosion at a fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to Armenian media reports on Tuesday night. The blast took place as tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians were fleeing the region ahead of its takeover by Azerbaijan.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 580

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

China censures Iran-related sanctions by US

Beijing has blasted a recent move by Washington to impose a new round of sanctions against a number of Chinese individuals and entities over accusations of providing Tehran with drone production materials.

Syria urges US, Europe to end ‘economic terrorism’

Syria has called for the lifting of sanctions imposed by Washington and its European allies on other countries, describing them as “economic terrorism”, which must end.

Kremlin says Putin, Raisi discuss steps to ensure Iran joining full-fledged BRICS activities, Nagorno-Karabakh

The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that the Russian and Iranian presidents held a telephone conversation on Tuesday at the initiative of the Iranian side. Vladimir Putin and Ebrahim Raisi have discussed the steps to ensure Tehran's joining full-fledged BRICS activities as well as the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

Saudi delegation visits West Bank for first time in three decades

Saudi Arabia, which has engaged in US-brokered talks with Israel to potentially normalise relations, Tuesday sent a delegation to the occupied West Bank for the first time in 30 years.

US says it captured Daesh official in Syria after helicopter raid

The United States Central Command says its forces have captured an ISIS official after conducting a helicopter raid in northern Syria.

Iran says Japan proposed initiative to revive JCPOA

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian told Kyodo News that Japan has proposed an initiative to salvage the stalled nuclear deal struck in 2015 between Tehran and six major powers.

Iranian Military chief warns enemies not to entertain idea of aggression against Iran

The Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, has said Tehran’s high military preparedness and power have discouraged the foes from daring to launch an onslaught against it.

Armenia calls for active communication with Iran during “difficult period for region”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed the need for "active communication" between Yerevan and Tehran under the existing difficult regional conditions.

Russia says Armenian PM making a big mistake by flirting with West

Moscow told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday that he had only to blame himself for Baku's victory over Nagorno-Karabakh because he had insisted on flirting with the West rather than working with Russia and Azerbaijan for peace.

Palestinians slam Israel army’s ‘barbaric’ university raid and students arrests

Palestinians have strongly condemned the Israeli army's storming of a leading West Bank university and the detaining of student activists.

Erdogan says Azerbaijan ‘forced’ to conduct operation in Nagorno-Karabakh

Baku was forced to conduct its counterterrorism operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Monday after talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, in Nakhchivan.

Saudi Arabia says planning tougher IAEA oversight of its nuclear activities

Saudi Arabia announced on Monday it has decided to end light-touch checks of its nuclear activities by the United Nations atomic watchdog and switch to full-blown safeguards, a change the nuclear agency has been demanding for years.

Palestinian teenager succumbs to wounds sustained in Gaza rally

A Palestinian teen has died of injuries he sustained during an anti-Israel rally in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s residents begin to leave en masse for Armenia

Ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh started a mass exodus by car toward Armenia after Azerbaijan “defeated the breakaway region's fighters” in a conflict dating from the Soviet era.

BRICS expansion crucial with more than 80% of world’s oil reserves to be included: Venezuela

The expansion of BRICS is very important especially for energy sector, as after the inclusion of new members the bloc will account for over 80% of global oil reserves and production, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil told Sputnik on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in New York.

Iraqi central bank says to restrict internal trade to Dinar

Iraq’s central bank will restrict all internal commercial transactions to the Iraqi dinar starting next year, the bank has announced in a statement, citing governor Ali Al-Allaq.

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