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»»»

The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah commander in Beirut on Wednesday, after Lebanese state media reported that Israel had targeted the Tallet al-Khayyat residential neighborhood in the capital. "A short while ago, the IDF struck a Hezbollah commander in Beirut," the military said. The s»»»

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»»»

The Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon is not covered by a temporary ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran, U.S. public broadcaster PBS quoted President Donald Trump as saying Wednesday. "They were not included in the deal," Trump said, according to a social media post by PBS News Hour cor»»»

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 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»»»

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»»»

Washington, United States: During their historic lunar flyby, astronauts on NASA's Artemis II mission witnessed meteorites striking the rugged surface of the Moon, a sight that has piqued scientists' curiosity. "That was definitely impact flashes on the moon. And Jeremy (Hansen) just saw another on»»»

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»»»

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»»»

US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on the Iran war has undergone a striking shift — from threats of overwhelming destruction to projecting a “Golden Age of the Middle East” following a fragile ceasefire agreement. As Washington and Tehran enter a two-week truce aimed at paving the way for negotia»»»

France is to ramp up explosive drone stocks by up to 400 percent by 2030, draft legislation showed Wednesday, as the country seeks to accelerate rearmament to face an aggressive Russia. The military spending bill was presented after France's top commanders said the country must be ready in the next»»»

There is a growing trend toward offering fully personalized services that meet today’s travellers’ high expectations, Penelope Palace Apart Hotel management told BTA. This individual approach is becoming a key factor in ensuring consistent hotel occupancy rate throughout the year, they added. Inter»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani received several messages and cables from Their Highnesses and Excellencies, Ministers of Interior and security officials from fraternal and friendly countries,»»»

In Hungarian society, the rules of baseness have taken root: be ruthless, be selfish, lick upwards, kick downwards, despise the weak. We spoke with psychiatrist and writer Péter Hunčík about how society and political power have changed over the past 16 years of prime minister Viktor Orbán’s rule. F»»»

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a formal warning over serious labor and human rights violations in Cuba's overseas medical brigades, saying some cases may amount to forced labor or "contemporary forms of slavery." File Photo by Jose Valle/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- The Inter-American»»»

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi raised "ceasefire violations" by Israel with Pakistani mediators on Wednesday, an Iranian ministry statement said, as reports citing senior officials warned that Tehran could pull out of the truce over attacks on Lebanon. Araghchi "discussed the Zionist regim»»»

There are no unverified reports or facts concerning election violations, which has increased public trust in law enforcement authorities, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said during a working meeting with the leadership and staff of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Ha»»»

Since the start of the campaign for the early parliamentary elections on April 19, a total of 225 people have been detained in Bulgaria on suspicion of election-related crimes, compared to 42 during the 2024 parliamentary elections, acting Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kandev said here o»»»

Dubai: A fragile ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran has brought a sense of relief to the UAE’s travel and hospitality sector. Now, industry leaders are pointing to cautious optimism, steady operations and a steadfast focus on recovery. While businesses say confidence is slowly returning, mos»»»

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) and the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) announced the establishment of a Currency Swap Agreement between the UAE Dirham (AED) and the Bahraini Dinar (BHD) during a virtual signing ceremony. The agreement has a nominal value of Dh20 billion; BHD2 bi»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, on the first stop of a Gulf tour aimed at bolstering the ceasefire in the Middle East war, Downing Street said. Starmer — on his first visit to the region since the US-Israeli war against Iran started on February 28 — was expect»»»

Glavatarski Han Hotel Complex, located on the shores of the Kardzhali Reservoir, is designated as a wellness centre and is a popular choice both for relaxation and business conferences and private celebrations. The most popular services at the hotel’s spa centre are the massages and the hammam. The»»»

Caretaker Labour and Social Policy Minister Hasan Ademov said on Wednesday that political parties do not provide support for vulnerable groups through hot meals, personal assistants or European Solidarity Corps programmes. Ademov was speaking in the southern town of Haskovo following reports of all»»»

1 of 4 | Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with the United States suspending bombing in Iran for two weeks if the country reopens the Straight of Hor»»»

Dubai: Iran has warned ships near the Strait of Hormuz that they must seek permission from its naval forces before transiting the critical waterway, underscoring Tehran’s continued grip over the strategic chokepoint despite a ceasefire agreement. “You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy»»»

Regional Development and Public Works Minister Nikolay Naydenov Wednesday presented to the press a new interactive road map that, for the first time ever, makes public details about road repairs in Bulgaria. The aim is to improve transparency about how taxpayer money is spent by the Road Infrastruc»»»

Doha: QNB Group announced a 2 percent increase in net profit during the first quarter of 2026, reaching QR 4.332 billion, compared to QR 4.260 billion for the same period in 2025. A statement issued by the group and published on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) website on Wednesday indicated that ear»»»

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, seen here in 2025, is set to visit Washington to soothe tensions with the cornerstone of the defensive pact after amid threats by Trump to pull out. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was set to kick»»»

NEW YORK - Serbian FM Marko Djuric will attend a UN Security Council session on the work of UNMIK, the UN mission in Kosovo-Metohija, on Thursday. The UN secretary general's regular semi-annual report on the mission's work will be debated at the session, scheduled to begin at 4 pm CET. New UNMIK he»»»

India has withdrawn its offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference Of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, two government officials familiar with the matter told Reuters. India communicated its decision to not host the conference this month, the officials said, but it was not immediately cl»»»

Caretaker Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski said he expects fuel prices at gas stations to ease in the coming period, pointing to a sharp decline in international oil markets. He noted that crude prices have already dropped by around 15% to 20% following what he described as a two-week ceasefire ag»»»

Skopje, 7 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the second session of the Strategic Dialogue between North Macedonia and the U.S., held Tuesday in Washington, will be a productive day and is expected to end with a joint statement. He expects an investment in a major antimony pro»»»

Boris Azarenko is an entrepreneur whose professional background lies in banking and finance and who later founded major property development businesses. Boris Azarenko biography: educational path and early career Born in Moscow on 21 April 1977, Boris Nikolayevich Azarenko studied Finance at the Fi»»»

Dubai: Just weeks after its much-hyped debut, Primark is opening its second store in Dubai on April 9, this time at City Centre Mirdif, Gulf News can reveal. The new Primark store is located on the Ground Floor (P1 – Entrance C) at City Centre Mirdif and will open at 10 am on Tuesday, according to »»»

Siyanie (Radiance) coalition leader Nikolay Popov said on Wednesday that he will face a slander accusations without invoking parliamentary immunity as a candidate in the April 19 parliamentary elections. Popov was speaking during a protest in his support in front of the Pleven District Court. Popov»»»

Brentas SPA Resort in Tsigov Chark offers facilities for tourism and relaxation, combining modern comfort with the natural environment of the Rhodope Mountains. Spa centre with a variety of services is available to guests, Maya Uteva from the hotel’s marketing department told BTA. Services include »»»

Paris, France: The Diamond League athletics meeting in Doha has been postponed for six weeks and will now take place on June 19 due to the war in the Middle East, organisers announced Wednesday. The United States and Iran agreed on Tuesday a two-week ceasefire to the war that has killed thousands a»»»

Bangkok: Nearly 70 young Thai men sat on flimsy plastic chairs, faces tense as they waited to draw their fate from a jar -- an annual ritual deciding whether they will serve in the military. The conscription lottery, held across Thailand each April, has taken on added weight this year following sev»»»

Rex Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, Long Island, is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to the killing of seven women. File Photo courtesy of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office April 8 (UPI) -- A man who allegedly killed seven women and discarded their bodies in the Gilgo Beach area of Long Island i»»»

Bulgaria is intensifying preparations for the early parliamentary elections on April 19, with authorities emphasizing fairness, technical readiness, and the prevention of electoral violations both domestically and abroad. “It is extremely important to see whether we have fulfilled our promise to co»»»

Dubai: NASA’s Artemis II crew made history by flying farther from Earth than any humans since Apollo 13, and along the way, they gave the internet something unexpected to snack on: a jar of Nutella floating in zero gravity. Probably the only jar in the entire universe to be a part of a mission like»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force 'Lekhwiya', HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, received several messages and cables from Their Highnesses and Excellencies, Ministers of Interior and security officials from brotherly and friendly countrie»»»