Share: Rescuers work at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. A ceasefire deal to pause the war in Iran appeared to hang by a thread Wednesday after the Islamic Republic closed the Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The White House demanded »»»

QNA Doha Director of the Student Assessment Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) Ibrahim Abdullah Rashid Al Muhannadi has emphasised that activating alternative assessment procedures for the mid-term exams of the second semester of the academic year 2025-2026 comes w»»»

QNA New York The State of Qatar sent two identical letters — the 12th and 13th — to António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, permanent representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations and president of the Security Council for April, rega»»»

QNA Doha The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs honoured 48 students who memorised the Holy Quran during the first quarter of 2026. The students were enrolled in Quranic learning centres under the Department of Da’wah and Religious Guidance. The ceremony, part of the “Quran Memorisa»»»

QNA Doha The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), represented by the Evaluation Affairs Department, has announced the activation of alternative assessment procedures for the second semester midterm exams for students from Grade one to 11 (daytime) for the 2025/2026 academic year. The»»»

The fragile two-week truce between Iran and the United States was hanging in the balance on Wednesday, with Tehran threatening to resume hostilities as Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon. Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and negotiations »»»

Paris, France: Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the goals to give a dominant Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, as the holders seized a clear advantage to take to Anfield for next week's return. Doue's shot in the»»»

Oil and gas prices plunged, stock markets soared and the dollar retreated Wednesday after the United States and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire that could lead to the Strait of Hormuz reopening. "A wave of relief has hit financial markets after threats of a devastating escalation of the war we»»»

Share: Rescuers work at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. Marwan Naamani, In Lebanon hundreds were killed and over a thousand were injured by Israel strikes a day after a ceasefire was agreed On Wednesday morning, Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign on Lebanon»»»

Dubai: The Middle East’s oil and gas recovery is set to stretch over months — and in some cases years — even as a ceasefire opens a limited path to resume flows. Around 11 million barrels per day of oil production remain shut in across the region, with recovery dependent first on restoring shipping»»»

Share: Photo- ‘Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief,’ said Turk © Kawnat HAJU / AFP The scale of the killing in Israeli strikes on Lebanon Wednesday is “horrific”, the UN rights chief said, urging the international community to help end the unfolding “night»»»

Tanner Horner pled guilty Tuesday in the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand of Texas. File Photo courtesy of Wise County Sheriff's Office April 8 (UPI) -- Not long after former delivery driver Tanner Horner was arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena »»»

Eman does not remember the last time she manually booked a flight. Her personal AI assistant, linked to her credit cards and loyalty programmes, quietly scans fares, checks her calendar, considers her seat and airline preferences, and then books the optimal option while she sleeps. By the time she »»»

Damascus, Apr.8 (SANA) Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Assad Hassan al-Shaibani, received on Wednesday the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Syria, Clemens Augustinus Hach, to bid him farewell upon the completion of his mission. During the meeting, »»»

Whenever conflict erupts somewhere in the world, energy markets react with remarkable speed. Oil prices move within hours. Shipping routes suddenly dominate strategic discussions. Governments quietly review reserves, supply chains and vulnerabilities. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the G»»»

Markets have accelerated beyond recognition. Themes that dominate for years now peak in quarters: AI infrastructure powered 2024 returns, defense surged through 2025 geopolitical shifts, deep tech looms next. Investors face compressed cycles where narratives flip rapidly, liquidity ebbs sharply, an»»»

A Russian hacking group called Fancy Bear used poorly-protected Wi-Fi routers to hack into governments, the FBI said. File Photo by Sascha Steinbach/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- A Russian hacking group financed by the spy agency GRU managed a large-scale campaign to steal information about militaries and g»»»

Turkish security forces arrested nearly 200 people in a nationwide sweep one day after a shootout outside Israel's consulate in Istanbul, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Wednesday. Gurlek posted on X that officers had arrested 198 suspects in a simultaneous operation in 34 provinces against "the »»»

Dubai: Five people were killed and one person was injured following a horrific collision between two vehicles on Kuwait’s Sixth Ring Road on Wednesday evening. According to the Kuwait Fire Force, firefighters from Al Tahrir station responded to the incident, which occurred opposite the Saad Al Abdu»»»

Share: Israel has bombed locations across Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, in devastating attacks that authorities say has killed at least 254 people and wounded more than 1,165. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier said that Lebanon would not be included in the ceasefire. Th»»»

A ceasefire between the United States and Iran has taken effect with broad international support, but early violations and continued hostilities are already casting doubt on its durability ahead of talks scheduled in Islamabad. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi hailed the announcement as “wel»»»

The UAE is closely following the announcement by US President Donald Trump regarding the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and is seeking further clarification on the agreement’s provisions to ensure Iran’s full commitment to an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the reg»»»

At a time when global supply chains are being reshaped by rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions to key routes, led by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a central player in redirecting trade flows. Leveraging a unique position linking East and West, and advanced logisti»»»

As Iranian officials link any halt in fighting with the US and Israel to all fronts of the so-called “axis of resistance,” with a focus on Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza are negotiating a disarmament plan while pushing to retain part of their arsenal. Israel and »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call from his brother President of the Republic of Turkiye HE Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the call, they reviewed regional developments, particularly the latest developments regarding the ceasefire agreement between the »»»

Audit quality is the lifeblood of financial integrity, yet few in the profession openly discuss its most uncomfortable realities. In boardrooms and audit committee meetings, the narrative often centers on improvements, innovations, and assurances but beneath this polished surface lies a set of trut»»»

Gold is often described as a safe haven, but in practice it responds just as quickly as any risk asset when conditions shift unpredictably. Over the past 12 months, this has been particularly evident: after climbing from around $2,625 per ounce to a recent peak above $5,500 — a surge of more than 1»»»

Citizens gathered outside the Palace of Justice in Sofia on Tuesday to demand the launch of disciplinary proceedings against Emilia Rusinova and her dismissal as acting Sofia City Prosecutor. They also called for the resignation of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov. The protest was organiz»»»

Rio de Janeiro's Military Police reported the seizure of approximately 48 tons of marijuana in the Nova Holanda community, in Complexo da Maré. Photo courtesy of Governo do RJ/X April 8 (UPI) -- Rio de Janeiro's Military Police reported the seizure of approximately 48 tons of marijuana in the Nova »»»

A police operation carried out Tuesday in Fyli, on the northwestern outskirts of Athens, resulted in 20 arrests linked to electricity theft and road traffic violations, authorities said. During the operation, a crew from DEDDIE, the electricity distribution network operator, removed more than 2 kil»»»

Uncertainty reveals what a business is genuinely made of. Across the region, recent developments have introduced pressure on supply chains and influenced how customers approach major decisions. But what we are witnessing is a recalibration. The fundamentals remain intact. Get updated faster and for»»»

Lebanon announced the reopening of the Masnaa border crossing with Syria starting Wednesday evening, state media said, after it had been closed for several days due to an Israeli threat to target it. "The Masnaa crossing will be reopened as of 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) today, with strict measures in place»»»

A US official said Wednesday that a 10-point ceasefire plan published by Iran is not the same set of conditions that were agreed to by the White House for pausing the war. "The document being reported by media outlets is not the working framework," the senior official said on condition of anonymity»»»

Lebanon was left outside contacts that produced a US-Iran ceasefire deal, despite reports it would be included and moves by Iran and Hezbollah suggesting otherwise. Hezbollah halted its military operations before the deal was announced early on Wednesday, while Lebanese officials scrambled to conta»»»

Share: Rescuers work at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir By Nazih Osseiran, Alexander Dziadosz and Alexander Cornwell Summary Israel launches heaviest Lebanon strikes despite Iran ceasefire Hezbollah halts attacks as Israel presses campaign Leb»»»

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said talks on the Iran crisis would be held behind closed doors, and that "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS'" were acceptable to the United States, ‌but gave ‌no other details about ‌the ⁠negotiations. "These are the ⁠POINTS that are the basis on which we »»»

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire does not apply to Israel's strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios, contradicting statements from Iran and the Pakistani mediators. Israel's renewed attacks in Lebanon posed an immediate challenge to the stability of the »»»

The volume of industrial production lagged behind the one year earlier level by 1.5% in February 2026. The working day adjusted index is equal to the non-adjusted one. According to seasonally and working-day adjusted data, industrial output was 1.8% lower than in January 2026. Production volume dec»»»

Italy summoned the Israeli ambassador on Wednesday to demand an explanation over shots fired at an Italian convoy in a UN mission in Lebanon, the foreign minister said, warning Israeli forces had "no authority to touch" Rome's troops. The UN peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, is stationed in sout»»»

Share: Iran continues to control Hormu despite the ceasefire . Iran’s Foreign Minister has declared that vessels seeking to transit the Strait must coordinate directly with Iranian armed forces, subject to unspecified “technical limitations” SUMMARY Iran is accusing Israel of violating the conditio»»»

Manama: The Civil Aviation Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications has announced the reopening of airspace over the Kingdom of Bahrain, following a temporary closure that was implemented as a precautionary measure in light of recent developments in the region. Civil Aviatio»»»

Democratic congressman John Larson has filed articles of impeachment against US President Donald Trump over his actions connected with the Iran war. Larson, a Connecticut Democrat, said on Tuesday he had filed 13 charges, accusing Trump of waging an “illegal war” and escalating threats against Iran»»»

Brazil is heading toward a highly competitive presidential election, with a statistical tie between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (pictured) and Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, amid concerns over possible U.S. influence and geopolitical tensions tied to critical minerals. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI»»»

President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing on Iran at the White House on Monday. On Wednesday, he announced that any country supplying weapons to Iran will face a 50% tariff. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump announced Wednesday morning that any c»»»

Dubai: Dubai Mall visitors were in for a surprise today as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured the mall accompanied by a number of senior officials. Sheikh Mohammed was seen walking through the mall, observing t»»»

Israeli strikes hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut without warning on Wednesday afternoon, hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war with Iran. Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 89 people were killed and 700 were wounded. US President Donald»»»

Lebanon announced the reopening of the Masnaa border crossing with Syria starting Wednesday evening, state media said, after it had been closed for several days due to an Israeli threat to target it. "The Masnaa crossing will be reopened as of 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) today, with strict measures in place»»»

Acting on a motion by its President Galina Zaharova, Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) on Wednesday opened proceedings for the adoption of an interpretative judgment by the General Assembly of the SCC Criminal Chamber. The judgment is supposed to reconcile conflicting case law prompted by»»»

The U.S., Israel and Iran agree that a ceasefire is now in effect, but they're contradicting each other and themselves in terms of what's actually been agreed and what happens now, U.S. news portal Axios reported on Wednesday. Those differences will have to be reconciled at the negotiating table, b»»»

Doha: Global markets reacted quickly to the announced two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with oil prices falling, gold and stock prices rising, and the dollar weakening in Asian trading, raising hopes for a recovery in energy supplies, particularly those related to the Strait of»»»