Los Angeles, USA: U.S. entertainment and media giant Disney on Tuesday began cutting as many as 1,000 positions in one of the first significant moves under its new CEO, Josh D'Amaro. In a memo obtained by media outlets, D'Amaro wrote, "We have experienced a great deal of change these last few years»»»

Washington, USA: Apple announced Wednesday the launch of its new comprehensive Apple Business platform for managing devices and services within organizations in a unified digital environment. The platform features built-in mobile device management, helping businesses easily configure employee group»»»

As part of the construction of Kyrgyzstan—China—Uzbekistan railway, tunnel excavation and infrastructure preparation are currently underway. The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan reported. According to the ministry, key preparatory infrastructure has already been put in place. »»»

Caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said he has information that a large amount of counterfeit euros is being prepared for vote buying in the coming days. Speaking on Nova TV on Wednesday, he added that this would effectively allow elections "to be bought without real money". He declined to spe»»»

Doha, Qatar: Coach Roberto Mancini heaped praise on Al Sadd SC after their outstanding display secured a place in the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026 on Monday. The Qatari side showed tremendous resilience, coming from behind three times to force extra time after a thrilling 3-3 draw,»»»

Malé, Maldives: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has cut down his cabinet and brought in new ministers, the government said on Wednesday, following his party's defeat at local polls. Muizzu introduced four new faces into a cabinet trimmed to 15 members from the previous 20. Foreign Minister Abdull»»»

Film O'Clock International Festival #6 will take place from April 16 to 19 in 12 European and African countries, the organizers informed in a release.The festival brings together 12 countries - Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and South »»»

In February 2026, compared with January 2026, factory-gate prices fell by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the European Union (EU), and Romania is among the member states with the sharpest declines in industrial producer prices, according to data published Wednesday by Eurostat. According to th»»»

Romania is preparing a new industrial policy package comprising nine state aid schemes, with an estimated budget of around EUR 5 billion by 2032, including a dedicated instrument for projects exceeding EUR 200 million, according to an analysis published on Tuesday.According to consultants at EY Rom»»»

Romania's Finance Minister, Alexandru Nazare, will take part in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), held in Washington, DC, United States, between 14 and 20 April 2026.According to a press release from the Ministry of Finance, the main objectives o»»»

Senate President Mircea Abrudean said on Tuesday that the result of the elections in Hungary confirms the pro-European direction of the entire region."I believe it is a result that confirms the pro-European direction of the entire region. I think this is what we should focus on more, not on individ»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s top beach volleyball pair of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan powered into the semi-finals of the 2026 AVC Beach Tour - 25th Samila Open in Thailand after a flawless run marked by dominant straight-sets victories. The Qatari duo, former Olympic bronze medallists, and Asia’s top»»»

Dubai: Various organisations across the UAE continue to strengthen community ties and extend support to workers and families through a series of humanitarian initiatives rooted in unity and compassion. From meal distributions to gift-giving missions, these efforts reflect the enduring spirit of wha»»»

Doha, Qatar: The FEI Group VII Finals kick off today at the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab, bringing together more than 100 riders from across the region. Running over four days, the championship will feature junior, youth, and senior athletes competing for a total prize purse of €318,000. In a milest»»»

Dubai: A 21-year-old woman is in critical condition after an acid attack in Delhi’s Indira Vihar area, police said. The victim was rushed to Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, where doctors said she remains in a critical state. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply »»»

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that Russia can fill the energy shortfall in China and other interested countries caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. On Russia-China Relations"Russia can certainly fill the resource gap that has arisen in Chin»»»

Doha, Qatar: QIIB announced the winner of the Grand Triple Prize as part of its unprecedented promotional campaign for debit and credit cards, “Win Your Apartment… Your Car… and a Cash Prize All at Once”. The Bank also revealed four additional winners, each receiving a cash prize of QR100,000 as pa»»»

The 13-kilometer-long, rehabilitated Bokonbai canal has been commissioned in Toktogul district. The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan reported. Baimuras agricultural cooperative carried out restoration work along the entire length of the canal over the »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s most recognisable hotel, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, is set to undergo its first major restoration programme since opening in 1999. The hotel, owned by Jumeirah Group - a subsidiary of Dubai Holding, said the renovation is aimed at preserving one of the emirate’s most famous symbols for f»»»

Dozens of migrants have been rescued from a small boat in difficulty south of Crete that had crossed over from north Africa, authorities said Wednesday. A Coast Guard statement said 59 men were found by a patrol vessel from the European Union’s Frontex border agency on the boat, some 17 miles south»»»

As military tensions flare in the Strait of Hormuz, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes, one no less dangerous. Insurance companies have emerged as key players shaping the fate of global shipping. With premiums surging to unprecedented levels, experts told Asharq Al-Awsat the world is app»»»

Doha, Qatar: Doha Design District (DDD) has announced its Public Art Open Call, inviting artists, designers, and creatives to submit proposals for innovative public artworks. The initiative positions public art as an integral part of the public realm, enhancing everyday urban life while reinforcing»»»

Manila: The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz on February 28, 2026 disrupted passage for roughly a quarter of the world’s daily seaborne oil. To this day, uncertainty remains and the global fuel crunch continues to raise fears of a deeper supply shock. Uncertainty over freedom on navigation»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed a decree appointing Ulan Mamatkanov as Acting Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. His candidacy has been submitted to the Zhogorku Kenesh for further appointment to the position. Mamatkanov, who will oversee the government’s social sector, is 44»»»

After two days of silence following Hungary's historic elections, US President Donald Trump has issued a measured response to the defeat of his ally Viktor Orban, but refrained from openly congratulating his challenger, Peter Magyar. Meanwhile, the Kremlin expressed support for Magyar’s w»»»

The new Hungarian government will face significant macroeconomic and public finance challenges following the election, driven by weak economic growth, a high budget deficit and a rising public debt burden, Fitch Ratings said in an assessment published in London, financial website Portfolio.hu wrote»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Centre of Legal and Judicial Studies, affiliated with the Ministry of Justice, has announced the organisation of three remote training courses scheduled to take place from April 19 to 23. The initiative is aimed at legal professionals working across ministries and government entiti»»»

Dubai: The United States Embassy in the UAE has lifted its 'shelter-in-place' advisory for its employees following the cessation of recent missile and drone attacks. In an update, the embassy said staff may resume normal movement but advised that they should be ready to seek immediate shelter indoo»»»

Doha, Qatar: Strengthening infection prevention and control measures within the Asnani School Programme is an important step in protecting students and school staff, according to an official. Director of Oral Health Promotion and Prevention Dr. Najat Alyafei said the Oral Health Department in colla»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) has announced the expansion of its partnership with Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative, deepening the connection between world-class sport and international cultural exchange across three landmark destinations in the 2026 season: Mexico City, »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, under the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, has launched a new series of English-language da’wah lessons targeting Muslim expatriate communities who speak English as part of its ongoing efforts to promote religious a»»»

Acting Energy Minister Traycho Traykov said Bulgaria should not tap into its 90-day fuel reserves to ease prices, stressing that they must remain a safeguard in case of an actual supply disruption. Speaking to journalists after the opening of the National Repository for Radioactive Waste, he underl»»»

Dubai: Dubai gold prices edged lower on Wednesday morning as signs of easing geopolitical tension in the Iran conflict cooled safe-haven demand, with bullion retreating after Tuesday’s rebound. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and I»»»

The vast majority of Sudanese people have been plunged into poverty, with 11 million uprooted from their homes and nearly twice as many facing hunger as the war between the army and its paramilitary foes enters its fourth year. On the third anniversary of the start of the grinding conflict on Wedne»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan will have the first title of the season in their sights when they take on Muaither in the QSL Cup final at Stadium 974 today. The Vicente Moreno-coached side, currently third in the Qatar Stars League, will start as favourites against their Second Division rivals, who are fea»»»

Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan and six other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on Tuesday while calling "for an urgent end to hostilities" in the country where Israeli attacks have killed over 2,000 people since March. "Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, »»»

Cloudy skies are forecast for much of Greece Wednesday, with low visibility due to desert sand carried over from North Africa and rain in the west and north. Strong southeasterly winds will blow until the late afternoon in western Greece and the Ionian Sea, while in eastern parts of the country and»»»

The United States and Israel may have obstructed the path towards a future Iran-built nuclear bomb by severely damaging Tehran's nuclear and ballistic capabilities in recent attacks. But they have not succeeded in seizing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, key to any future negotiations betw»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov met with residents of Uzgen district as part of his working visit to Osh region. According to him, agriculture is an industry that ensures the country’s food security, provides jobs, and accounts for a significant portion of the gross regional product. «Irrigat»»»

The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, even though President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week. Trump said negotiations between US and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the »»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape intertwined with change and chaos. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing, Xi said the strong»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) will deliver a spectacular evening of classical mastery on Saturday, April 18, at the Katara Opera House, as it presents its highly anticipated concert titled “Brass, Brilliance and Beethoven”. According to post of QPO social media accounts, the p»»»

Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will depart for an official visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, his office said, as Islamabad continues rounds of diplomacy aimed at facilitating US-Iran peace talks. "Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will depart from Islamabad for »»»

The U.S. military under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth conducted another strike Tuesday targeting an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacifiic. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. military killed four men on Tuesday in a strike on a suspected drug-traf»»»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and Beijing cannot agree with Western efforts to preserve global dominance. “Blatant attempts by the West, both the United States and Europe, to maintain and even upgrade its hegemony… including the slave trade, colonialism… continue living… at the»»»

Water supply will be suspended in parts of Bishkek on April 16 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., the City Hall’s press service reported. The water outage will affect residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, healthcare, and other social and industrial facilities. The water outage is due to reconstructio»»»

NATO allies said on Monday they would not get involved in US President Donald Trump's plan to blockade Iranian ports, ​proposing to intervene only once fighting ends, in a move likely to anger Trump and increase strains in the alliance. "We're not supporting the blockade," British Prime Minister Ke»»»

China's exports grew only 2.5% in March from a year earlier, a significantly slowdown caused by the war in Iran. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up the cost of materials, and many Chinese factories saw their profits squeezed last month. Also in this edition: hundreds of Hollywood sta»»»

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it a "historic opportunity" but making clear that no breakthrough agr»»»

The US wants to blockade Iran into submission, but instead stumbled into a trap of its own making - as Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was only too keen to point out. “Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas," he trolled the US on X. Key points: US gasoline has risen from $3.00–3.»»»