As regional economies reel from a complex and uncertain geopolitical landscape, with shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz adding pressure, the latest World Bank report points to standout resilience in Saudi Arabia’s economy. The data show the kingdom on a fiscal consolidation path to s»»»

Washington, April 9 (SANA) In the 40 days since the start of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, 13 U.S. soldiers have been killed and 381 have been wounded, according to data provided Wednesday by U.S. Central Command. “The Defense Department has added the war on Iran to its Defense Casualty Analysi»»»

Donald Tusk reaffirmed that Poland will continue pursuing the “repolonization” of its economy, stressing there is no reversal of this strategy. Speaking at Apator, he said the government aims to strengthen economic sovereignty by ensuring key decisions on production, trade, and supply chains are ma»»»

The EU is relying on non-governmental organizations, bankrolled by billionaire financier George Soros, as well as controlled media to justify its push for more online surveillance and censorship, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has said. On Wednesday, state-owned broadcaster France 24 reported on a st»»»

Paris, France: From bistro counters to luxury hotels, the humble Parisian ham sandwich or "jambon beurre" has undergone a dramatic luxury makeover. Once the no-frills lunch of hurried, cash-strapped workers, the humble ham and butter baguette has in recent years become a gourmet classic. When he wa»»»

Commenting on yesterday’s three announcements of new oil and gas discoveries by Sonatrach, Repsol and Eni, the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Masoud Suleiman, affirmed that the new discoveries made in the Murzuq and Ghadames basins, as well as the offshore area, reflect the signifi»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for International Cooperation HE Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad received Thursday a phone call from Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Responsible for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nati»»»

Dubai-based Al Habtoor Group has announced plans to develop a new commercial tower within Al Habtoor City in Dubai, with an investment exceeding Dh5 billion. The project forms part of the group’s broader expansion strategy in the UAE, as it continues to strengthen its footprint in key sectors acros»»»

A demonstrator faces off with police officers during a protest against Glacier Law reform near Congress in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. Photo by Juan Ignacio Roncoroni/EPA April 9 (UPI) -- Argentina's Chamber of Deputies approved Thursday a reform of the Glacier Law that loosens environmental protect»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have intensified their visible security presence across the emirate, deploying 379 mounted patrols during the first quarter of 2026, covering residential, commercial and tourist areas. The patrols, carried out by the Mounted Police Station, are part of ongoing efforts to enhance»»»

The European development bank said Thursday it was unlocking five billion euros ($5.9 bn) to help shore up economies hit by the Middle East war. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it will "deploy EUR5 billion in 2026 in economies impacted by Middle East conflict". The »»»

The administration of US President Donald Trump is “weaponizing Christianity” to justify its actions in the Middle East, while Israel continues to act with impunity as much of the West turns a blind eye, Irish activist and satirist Tadhg Hickey has said. Appearing on RT’s East Meets West show, host»»»

NEW YORK - Addressing a UN Security Council session on the work of UNMIK, the UN mission in Kosovo-Metohija, Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Thursday its presence continued to serve as a key guarantee of peace, stability and protection of the fundamental human rights of Serbs living in the province»»»

Not so long ago, US President Donald Trump openly endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. From a diplomatic standpoint, urging citizens of another country to vote for a specific candidate is contentious, to say the least.»»»

Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev met his supporters at Festivalna Sports Hall in Vidin, the coalition’s campaign headquarters announced on Thursday. Radev presented the formation as an alternative for restoring trust in the state. Among the main priorities, Radev highlighted the "dismantling»»»

Paris, France: The Cannes Film Festival unveiled its roster of films for this year's edition on Thursday packed with historical dramas, "gentleness" and even football, with the absence of major Hollywood studios set to dial down the American razzle-dazzle of previous editions. Festival director Thi»»»

The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) has announced the launch of a new competency-based regulatory framework under the Qudorat Program for the registration of occupational safety and health (OSH) practitioners and service providers, in a step towards enhancing professional competency standard»»»

Dubai: Dubai is moving to capture a larger share of global shipping revenue by bringing trade, finance and maritime services into a single ecosystem, with the launch of a new Maritime Centre at DMCC. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The initiative is designed to go beyo»»»

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, on Thursday ruled out accepting any restrictions on the country’s uranium enrichment program, as demanded by the United States and Israel. In an interview with the ISNA news agency, Eslami said: “The demands and conditions set by our e»»»

Dubai: The conflict in the region may have grounded thousands of Keralite expats' election plans this year, but for a determined few, no airfare was too steep and no disruption too great to stop them from exercising their democratic right. Regional tensions that forced airlines to scale back servic»»»

Voters across India’s Assam and Kerala states, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry, turned out in large numbers on Thursday in closely watched Assembly elections seen as a key test of political momentum for both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition alliances. With polling»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»

Hungary announced plans to purchase $700mn worth of US HIMARS rocket systems and state oil company MOL agreed to buy 510,000 tonnes of crude oil for $500mn from American suppliers during US Vice President JD Vance's visit to Budapest, Hvg reported on April 8, citing the White House. »»»

Four people were killed and at least 42 others were rescued after a small boat carrying asylum seekers attempting to get to England went down off the coast of northern France near Boulogne. File photo by Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE April 9 (UPI) -- Four people were killed and at least 42 others were rescue»»»

The US war against Iran has "completely" destroyed the country's ability to build missiles or other sophisticated weaponry, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday "We finished completely destroying Iran's defense-industrial base, a core pillar of our mission," Hegseth told reporters. "They c»»»

Damascus, April 9 (SANA) Syria’s Chief of the General Staff Major General Ali al-Naasan received a phone call on Thursday from Chief of the French Armed Forces General Fabien Mandon, according to the Defense Ministry. The ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel that the officials discu»»»

Six formations are certain to enter the next parliament, according to a nationally representative poll conducted by Sova Harris. It was taken between April 2 and 6, 2026, among 800 adult Bulgarian citizens using standardized face-to-face interviews at respondents’ homes. The survey was commissioned»»»

Fujairah: A rare Pallid Scops Owl (Otus brucei) has been successfully rescued, treated and released back into the wild by the Fujairah Environment Authority (FEA), highlighting ongoing efforts to protect the emirate’s biodiversity. The owl was discovered by a farmworker in nearby agricultural land,»»»

Paris, France: China has banned for 40 days civil aviation from a large airspace off Shanghai without specifying the reasons, according to a notice to aviators published by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aviation notice (NOTAM) announcing the access restriction was posted online »»»

Dubai: Festive demand is driving a large-scale airlift of fresh produce from Kerala into the Gulf, with more than 3,000 tonnes of fruits, vegetables and traditional essentials being flown in ahead of Vishu celebrations. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Retail major Lulu»»»

Riyadh, April 9 (SANA) Syrian and Saudi officials met in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on humanitarian efforts and continue supporting initiatives in Syria. Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh met with Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Rabeeah, advisor»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that he urged his U.S. and Iranian counterparts, Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian, to include Lebanon in the ceasefire reached with Iran. Israel announced Wednesday it did not consider Lebanon covered by the Iran-U.S. truce announced overnight. Its »»»

The UAE economy saw a real GDP growth of 5.6 percent in 2025, and is projected to expand at the same pace in 2026, the UAE Central Bank said on Thursday. Releasing its annual report, the regulator said the growth was supported by the growing contribution of non-oil sectors, as well as the success o»»»

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli attacks across several areas in Lebanon, and expressed concern over continued escalation and its repercussions on regional security and stability. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) emphasised t»»»

Beirut, Lebanon: Calls were mounting on Thursday for the ceasefire between the US and Iran to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, after a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people. US President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Middle East war after agreei»»»

Addressing international leaders at the One Health Summit in Lyon, France, the UAE issued a stark warning on the far-reaching global health, environmental, and food system consequences of ongoing illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked attacks in the region. The summit, convened by French President »»»

Dubai: The Endowment and Minors’ Trust Foundation in Dubai (Awqaf Dubai) has reported a significant rise in its educational endowment portfolio, with total assets reaching Dh718 million this year, a 52 percent increase from the previous year. The growth has reflected the emirate’s continued focus o»»»

Calls were mounting on Thursday for the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, after a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people. U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Middle East war after agreeing a two-week»»»

The most pressing question in the minds of Gulf populations today is: Can the Iranian regime escape accountability for its crimes against Gulf countries and their peoples? The core reason behind this question is that the official position of these countries has been limited to a defensive posture, »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s financial regulator has moved to ease operational strain on firms in the Dubai International Financial Centre, introducing temporary regulatory relief measures aimed at maintaining market stability while preserving oversight standards. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Chequ»»»

In our ongoing weekly digest, award-winning journalist Veronika Munk summarises and explains the most important political developments in Hungary. This is our final edition of this series before the election. We guide readers on the route to the crunch Sunday (12 April) election — a poll without pr»»»

A new survey by the “Sova Harris” agency indicates that six political formations would enter the next Bulgarian National Assembly, based on data collected between April 2 and 6 among 800 respondents through standardized face-to-face interviews. The study was commissioned by the newspaper “Trud” and»»»

The appeal court trial of four people convicted in connection with Greece’s phone spyware scandal will be held on December 11. All four were found guilty of misdemeanor charges including breaching personal data, and sentenced to 8 years imprisonment, suspended until the hearing of their appeal. If »»»

French authorities said that at least four people, two men and two women, died on Thursday as they were trying to get onboard an inflatable boat to attempt the perilous sea crossing from northern France to the UK. The prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region in northern France, François-Xavier Lauch, sa»»»

Dubai: Within hours of President Donald Trump announcing a halt to fighting with Iran, confusion over its terms, violations on the ground, and conflicting claims over the Strait of Hormuz cast doubt on whether the ceasefire existed at all. The uncertainty was immediate and multi-layered. The United»»»

AlUla has recorded the highest improvement in the IMD Smart City Index 2026, advancing from 112th place in 2025 to 85th this year, placing it among the most improved cities globally in this edition of the index. This result reflects AlUla's ambition to become an ideal destination for living, workin»»»

Bengaluru: A message allegedly sent by a Bengaluru-based surgeon after his wife’s death has emerged as a key piece of evidence in an ongoing murder investigation, according to Indian media reports. The case relates to the death of dermatologist Dr. Kruthika Reddy, who was declared dead in April 202»»»

Calls were mounting on Thursday for the ceasefire between the US and Iran to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, after a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people. US President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Middle East war after agreeing a two-week tru»»»

Dubai: Mubadala Investment Company's assets under management rose 17% to Dh1.4 trillion in 2025, supported by strong domestic investments and steady returns across its global portfolio. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The sovereign investor reported five-year and ten-y»»»

France's top general on Thursday said the possibility of a war with Russia in the next few years remained his "primary concern" as he defended efforts to ramp up defense spending. The chief of the defense staff General Fabien Mandon spoke in parliament as he presented France's draft legislation to »»»