Dubai: Singapore Airlines has extended the cancellation of its Dubai flights until May 31, citing the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. In an advisory, the airline confirmed that these two services will remain suspended during this period - SQ494 departing Singapore for Dubai and S»»»

When three villagers from China’s Sichuan Province wrote to local officials in 2022 questioning why the government was confiscating their land and evicting them from their homes, they received a brief response: "It is a state secret." An investigation by CNN revealed that this secret centers on Chi»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has stepped up high-level diplomatic engagement with the United States and regional stakeholders in a bid to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, positioning itself as a key facilitator for dialogue amid a conflict that has rattled global energy markets and heightened geopolitic»»»

Sharjah: The Sharjah City Municipality has issued a set of guidelines to curb mosquito breeding during the rainy season, urging residents to take preventive measures to protect public health and maintain environmental standards. The municipality highlighted that Puddle or standing water remains the»»»

London: Britain accused Iran on Thursday of holding the world's economy hostage as diplomats from more than 40 countries held talks on ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The U.S. is not attending the virtual mee»»»

Restaurant and café prices in Bulgaria have increased sharply over the past decade, rising by close to 110%, according to analysis by the Institute for Market Economics. Economist Adrian Nikolov pointed out that this growth significantly outpaces the rise in key cost components such as labor, elect»»»

Dubai: Rows of luxury boutiques line an upmarket Dubai mall, yet a month into the Middle East war their sales staff sit idly, phones in hand, watching for the rare customer. Salespeople in immaculate suits say they have been told not to speak to reporters, but one briefly described the mood. "Of co»»»

Dubai: Sending money home could soon become faster and more flexible for thousands of Filipinos living in the UAE. Digital wallet platform du Pay has partnered with GCash to improve cross-border transfers, aiming to make it easier for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to support families back home. »»»

Manila: Manny Pacquiao's planned September fight with Floyd Mayweather will not be an exhibition, the Philippine boxing legend said Thursday, days after his fellow hall of famer said their bout would be strictly entertainment. Netflix last month announced a long-awaited rematch of the highest-gross»»»

The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that air defenses engaged 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones originating from Iran. Since the start of Iran's brazen attacks, the UAE air defenses have engaged 457 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles, and 2,038 drones. The attacks have resulted in ca»»»

Airborne attacks across large areas of Ukraine by Russian forces with drones and artillery killed at least five people, injured 11 others over the past 24 hours, inflicting widespread damage to infrastructure and in residential areas. File photo by Sergey Kozlov/EPA April 2 (UPI) -- At least five p»»»

Umm Al Quwain: Umm Al Quwain Police General Headquarters has urged parents to prevent children from using unlicensed motorcycles and electric bikes in residential areas, citing rising safety risks and noise complaints. The Traffic and Patrols Department said reckless riding by untrained youngsters—»»»

Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal has nearly doubled aviation fuel prices as global energy costs surge during the Middle East war, officials said Thursday, raising fears of a fresh blow to its tourism-dependent economy. The landlocked Himalayan nation of 30 million relies almost entirely on India for its fos»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran will not provide a durable solution to the issue of Tehran's nuclear program and that Trump cannot keep "contradicting" himself every day on Iran. "A targeted military action, even for a few weeks, will not allo»»»

The King Charles III House in Viscri brings to Romania the exhibition of the Romanian Cultural Institute in London, ‘Marie of Romania: Artist Queen. A Floral Conversation,’ dedicated to the artistic universe of Queen Marie of Romania and her fascination with the flora of her adopted country. After »»»

Hezbollah said its fighters launched drones and rockets at northern Israel on Thursday, with the Israeli military's Home Front Command saying air raid sirens were activated across the border. In north Israel, Hezbollah targeted Even Menachem, Ga'aton, Wadi Hunin, Yir'on, Malikiyah, Avivim, Metula, »»»

Dubai: Emirates NBD has closed $2.25 billion in long-term financing, drawing strong participation from international lenders as it seeks to diversify funding and strengthen liquidity. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here. The transaction comprises a $1»»»

Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday, demonstrating Tehran's continued ability to attack even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated and predicted the war would end soon. Iran's strikes on its neighbors along with its cho»»»

Stockholm, Sweden: Sweden's government announced on April, 2, 2026, that it was investing more than $900 million in air and drone defence capabilities. The investment would cover multiple systems, such as radar and anti-aircraft weapons systems as well as electronic warfare platforms. The 8.7 billi»»»

Dubai: Nearly everyone in the UAE knows seat belts save lives. About 95 per cent of residents, in fact. So why are only 24 per cent of rear-seat passengers actually wearing one? A new survey in the UAE has identified what it calls the single biggest opportunity to reduce road fatalities in the coun»»»

Dubai: The northern Iranian coastline of the Arabian Gulf, once a hub of coexistence and shared prosperity among diverse communities, has been transformed by the Iranian regime into a platform for regional aggression, said Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President. He said»»»

The Bulgarian brewing sector has consolidated its position as one of the most dynamically developing production branches in the country. With increased investments, innovations and adaptation to consumer attitudes, the industry has made a significant contribution to the economy, regional growth and»»»

The National Institute of Statistics (INS) reports that Romania’s population reached 21.64 million on 1 January 2026, marking a 0.5% decline compared to the same period of last year. The urban and female populations remain the majority, representing 55.2% and 51.2% of the total, respectively. Accor»»»

Talks with the tourism sector show readiness to maintain the prices of already agreed tourist packages for the summer season, provided there is no sharp increase in fuel and electricity prices, caretaker Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva told journalists on Thursday after a meeting with President Il»»»

Dubai: Plans to develop a new airport and metro system in Mecca are progressing, Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Mecca City and the Holy Sites, said in an interview with Harvard Business Review Arabia on March 25. He said detailed studies for a world-class airport in the holy city»»»

Since October 2023, the Middle East and North Africa have been set ablaze, with war coming to Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, and Iran, to name but a few. In large part, Iraqis felt that they had been dodging bullets, miraculously emerging mainly unscathed amidst the mayhem. In recent w»»»

An improved courtroom layout and tighter security did not produce the calm sought on the second day of the trial over the Tempe rail disaster. Proceedings at the Larissa Mixed Jury Court of Appeal unfolded with fewer tensions than the opening session, but disputes persisted over seating arrangement»»»

On April 1, Centrum Air launched regular flights Tashkent—Osh —Tashkent, opening a new route between Uzbekistan and the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan. The press service of Airports of Kyrgyzstan OJSC reported. Flights will be operated regularly twice a week—on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Modern Airb»»»

For Iraq, this is a strange moment both politically and militarily. The state of Iraq has proximity to—but no direct connection to—the fierce battle raging between Iran on one side and Israel and the United States on the other, with Gulf states becoming Iranian targets as a result. That is the stat»»»

Dubai: The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast a notable weather shift across the UAE this weekend, with fog alerts, rising temperatures, and a chance of rain set to affect residents and travellers from Friday through Sunday. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app»»»

OVERVIEW No single issue dominates Thursday’s media, but the note sent by Iran to Bulgaria, the security agreement signed between Bulgaria and Ukraine, and the justice minister’s request for the disciplinary dismissal of the acting prosecutor general, are among the main topics. POLITICS Speaking on»»»

The Ethics Commission at the Prosecutors' Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) opened proceedings on its own initiative following media reports concerning the head of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, Emilia Rusinova, and requested information from the competent authorities, the SJC pres»»»

Canberra, Australia: Exposure to extreme heat is increasing the risk of babies being born underweight, according to new research led by Australia's Adelaide University. The study analyzed health data from more than 85,000 mothers and babies in Pakistan, combining 10 years of birth records (2008-201»»»

Dubai: Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken a key step toward what could become the largest stock market debut in history, after confidentially filing for an initial public offering in the US. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The company submitted draft registration documents t»»»

April is World Autism Acceptance Month. It is a moment that has shifted from awareness to acceptance – a distinction worth pausing on. Awareness tells us something exists. Acceptance asks us what we do about it. Walk into almost any school staffroom, workplace, or family gathering and ask what peop»»»

This photo, taken Thursday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in central Seoul as U.S. President Donald Trump gives a televised address. South Korean stocks plunged more than 4 percent on Trump's renewed threat of strikes against Iran. Photo by Yonhap Seoul stocks fell sharply Thursday, as U.S. P»»»

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday warned of the risk of a widening war in Iran, stressing that his government’s priority is to steer the country through the current regional turmoil unharmed and keep it away from escalating conflict. Erdogan placed primary responsibility for the w»»»

Doha, Qatar: While Australia and Malaysia are taking steps to conserve fuel, several Chinese airlines have raised fuel surcharges on domestic flights. The World Bank has also expressed concern over the impact the war will have on inflation, jobs and food security. Stay tuned for more updates: -----»»»

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (L) speaks with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (C) and a delegation of U.S. Senators during a meeting at the Defense Ministry on Thursday. Photo courtesy of South Korea Ministry of Defense Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Thursday held talks with a delegation»»»

Tunis, April 2 (TAP) – The weather, on Thursday, will be cloudy with scattered rainfall over the north, the western center, and locally in the south. These showers will be temporarily thundery and at times heavy in the northwest, with possible hail...»»»

Beijing: Several Chinese airlines, including national carrier Air China, said they will raise their fuel surcharges on domestic flights from Sunday as the war in the Middle East drives up oil prices globally. Air China, China Southern and its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines said in statements that they »»»

Doha: The Qatar Meteorology Department has forecast windy conditions and rising temperatures across the country over the weekend, with rough seas expected at times. For today, temperature is predicted to be around 27°C during the day accompanied by slight dust and relatively cold at night. On Frida»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s housing market is beginning to diverge across cities, with Jeddah recording its strongest year in recent memory while Riyadh shows signs of strain and Dammam gains ground on pricing appeal. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.According to Cavendish Ma»»»

Orange alert, the second of three warning levels, has been issued for heavy rain on Thursday in the southern Bulgarian regions of Plovdiv, Smolyan, Kardzhali and Haskovo. The four regions will get a rainfall of 35 to 65 litres per square metre. The lowest, yellow, alert is in place in 15 other regi»»»

Hezbollah said its fighters launched drones and rockets at northern Israel on Thursday, with the Israeli military's Home Front Command saying air raid sirens were activated across the border. In separate statements, the group claimed rocket fire targeting Israeli troops in border areas and a drone »»»

Dubai: The government of Dubai has called on residents to stay informed with facts amid the rapid spread of misinformation and rumours on social media. Daily posts claiming statements such as ‘I hear explosions in Dubai,’ “’ubai faces severe shortage of goods,’ or ‘Life in Dubai has come to a stand»»»

Iraqi oil fields once alive with the buzz of workers are nearly deserted. Ports that pulsed with the churn of cargo have fallen still, the din of commerce replaced by the soft rhythm of waves. A month after the war in Iran started, workers at ports and oil fields in the province of Basra, where alm»»»

Damascus, April 2 (SANA) The head of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority said Wednesday that a newly signed air transport agreement with Germany marks a significant step toward developing civil aviation in Syria, strengthening bilateral cooperation and aligning the sector with international standar»»»

A police operation in Burgas has led to the discovery of a significant quantity of ammunition and a weapon equipped with optics in a residential property in the Ostritsata-2 area, near the Banevo district. The search was carried out on April 1 by officers from the Criminal Police Department of the »»»

Dubai: In just over a month, the global aviation industry has undergone a dramatic shift, with airfares climbing sharply across major routes, including from the UAE. What was once a relatively stable pricing environment has become volatile, as airlines grapple with rising fuel costs, reduced capaci»»»