Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has thanked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, China and Egypt for supporting the ceasefire process. In a post on X, he said these countries extended “invaluable and all out support towards reaching the ceasefire” and gave “peaceful diplomatic efforts a chance t»»»

Israeli forces fired warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on Wednesday, damaging a vehicle but causing no injuries, the Italian government said. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the incident was "unacceptable" while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the government »»»

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»»»

Lebanon's government said Wednesday Israeli strikes killed dozens and wounded hundreds across the country, with the capital Beirut hit by the most violent bombardment since the start of the war with militant group Hezbollah. AFPTV's live broadcast showed plumes of smoke rising over Beirut and the s»»»

DOHA: The 2025-2026 winter camping season has been described as 'largely successful', with high turnout of citizens and residents supported by well-organized camps and comprehensive services. Speaking to Qatar News Agency, Chair of the Winter Camping Committee at the Ministry of Environment and Cli»»»

There is little doubt that the influence of Hezbollah in Lebanon, or more precisely, Iranian influence, represents one of the most dangerous consequences of Iran’s expansion beyond its borders. Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Tehran has persistently sought to export instability and conflict thro»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after the United States and Iran reached a Pakistani-mediated two-week cease-fire. Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 8 (UPI) -- Israel carried out intensive, large-scale airstrikes on Wednesday, targeting several neighborhoods »»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority has issued Law No. (2) of 2026 amending certain provisions of Law No. (25) of 2026 on excise tax, introducing new measures targeting sugary drinks and revising how taxes on sweetened beverages are calculated. The authority stated that the changes aim to curb t»»»

Dubai: A ceasefire in the region is prompting cautious optimism among UAE business leaders, who say the development could help stabilise markets, restore investor confidence and ease pressure on trade flows after a period of uncertainty. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app n»»»

The US and EU are engaged in a political “proxy war” in Hungary, with Washington and Brussels backing rival sides ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections, according to former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl. Kneissl made the remarks in an interview with RT as US Vice President J.D. V»»»

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 »»»

Damascus, April 8 (SANA) Syria is stepping up efforts to promote rainwater harvesting as part of broader measures to improve water management and strengthen agricultural resilience amid growing climate pressures. At a two-day workshop organized by the General Commission for Agricultural Scientific »»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday called on his country's friends to help put an end to Israeli attacks following a series of deadly strikes across the country. In a statement, Salam said that while Beirut "welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our efforts »»»

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»»»

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday called on his country's friends to help put an end to Israeli attacks following a series of deadly strikes across the country. In a statement, Salam said that while Beirut "welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) announced the addition of more than 800 new firms to its business platform from January to March 2026, thus recording an annual growth of 57% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025. The QFC said in a statement Wednesday th»»»

TradeIranIs Iran cashing in millions from Strait of Hormuz blockade?Nik MartinAn Iranian lawmaker claims Tehran is quietly charging tankers up to $2 million for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The move threatens to turn the key waterway into a high-stakes toll booth. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»

April 7 (UPI) -- A woman who jumped into the water to rescue her dog in Florida ended up needing to be rescued alongside the canine. Body camera footage released by the Hallandale Beach Police Department shows police and Broward Fire Rescue personnel lowering a ladder from the Intracoastal Waterway»»»

Caribbean Airlines confirmed a passenger on a flight from Jamaica to New York gave birth just as the flight was landing at John F. Kennedy Airport. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 7 (UPI) -- Caribbean Airlines confirmed a passenger on a flight from Jamaica to New York gave bi»»»

New York: The UAE has expressed its deep disappointment at the UN Security Council’s failure to take decisive action to address the global repercussions caused by Iran’s illegal closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and failure to adopt a resolution put forward by Bahrain on behalf of the UAE, Kuwait, Q»»»

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister HE Shehbaz Sharif has thankedChina, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, and Qatar for supporting the ceasefire process. In a post on X, he said these countries extended “invaluable and all-out support towards reaching the ceasefire” and gave “peaceful diplomatic effor»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, chaired Wednesday the regular Cabinet meeting. Following the meeting, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HE Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi stated the followi»»»

Dubai: Iran has officially confirmed that it will participate in the upcoming peace talks with the United States in Islamabad, a key step in efforts to secure a peaceful settlement to their ongoing conflict, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office announced Wednesday. The announcement came after a 45‑mi»»»

Dubai: In the end, the deal was not decided in Washington — but in Tehran, where Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei quietly gave the green light, a decisive intervention that broke weeks of deadlock, according to Axios. The ceasefire that followed brought a sudden halt to weeks of escalating confronta»»»

Dubai: After weeks of intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Pakistan has emerged as a central player in brokering a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, a breakthrough that diplomats say would not have been possible without Islamabad’s sustained efforts since the conflict began. The»»»

Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has reassured residents that the UAE remains secure and stable under its wise leadership and the vigilance of its armed forces. Speaking during a phone call on the “Direct Line” programme bro»»»

A gas station in London, England, displays the latest price for a liter of regular unleaded on Wednesday morning hours after crude oil prices fell sharply on news disruption to the global supply of oil caused by the Iran war may be about to ease. Photo by Andy Rain/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- Global oil p»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) said it successfully managed more than 80 million cubic metres of rainwater within a week following the heavy rainfall that recently affected the emirate. The department said the volume of water handled was equivalent to around 32,000 »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received a delegation of China's Shandong Hi-Speed Group corporation on Wednesday to discuss new possibilities for deepening cooperation in areas that are of great importance for Serbia's development. "With representatives of the Shandong Hi-Speed Group»»»

“It is extremely important to see whether we have fulfilled our promise to conduct fair and transparent elections,” President Iliana Iotova said during a meeting with the institutions responsible for organizing the early parliamentary elections. “It is crucial to assess how far we have come in prep»»»

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has claimed that “not a single cent” from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya found its way into his 2007 election campaign, at an appearance before a Paris appeals court on Tuesday. He is appealing a five-year prison sentence handed down in 2025 after being found guilty»»»

The judicial system continues its digital transformation efforts, with the ultimate goal of transitioning to a fully-fledged e-justice system and strengthening public trust in the judiciary. The press service of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. According to the press service, in a»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire agreement between the U.S., Israel and Iran "fully includes Lebanon," which is in opposition to the stance taken by Israel as it continues an offensive there. Macron said the inclusion of Lebanon in the deal is "a good and even essential thing." "»»»

A total of EUR 6,835,500 have been allocated for organizing the elections abroad, which is sufficient to cover all planned activities, caretaker Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky said during a meeting between President Iliana Iotova and representatives of institutions responsible for ensuring the i»»»

Zenith Multi Trading DMCC has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Singular Aircraft S.L., a Barcelona-based aerospace technology company specialising in light aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The agreement marks a decisive and deliberate entry by the Dubai-based investment platform into»»»

Major shipping companies and tanker operators have began moving vessels more freely once the risk of attack diminished following the two-week ceasefire declared by Iran-US ceasefire. While the ceasefire remains fragile, marine traffic has started moving, though it remains far below pre-crisis level»»»

The Kyrgyz Republic welcomes the ceasefire agreement in the Middle East, as well as the efforts of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other stakeholders to facilitate de-escalation and promote peaceful dialogue. The press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan reported. A»»»

Abu Dhabi: A delegation from the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), led by its Chairman Dr Salem Al Neyadi, has conducted field visits to several locations across the UAE to assess the impact of Iranian attacks that it said directly violate a number of fundamental rights protected under inte»»»

President Joseph Aoun welcomed on Wednesday the two-week ceasefire agreed by the United States and Iran, saying he hoped his country would be included in the regional truce. Aoun said Beirut "continued efforts to ensure that the regional peace includes Lebanon in a stable and lasting manner", accor»»»

Kolkata, India: India is considering releasing snakes and crocodiles along its frontier with Bangladesh, the Border Security Force said Wednesday, as New Delhi seeks to stave off unauthorised crossings. Senior Border Security Force officer Manoj Barnwal told AFP that "the use of reptiles" was discu»»»

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday that “no one negotiates for Lebanon except for the Lebanese state” - in his first comments since the two-week ceasefire was reached between the US and Israel over Iran. Addressing the debate over whether Lebanon was included in t»»»

Change fatigue is becoming a significant challenge for employees at the global level, with one in three reporting that they have gone through more than 15 major changes in the past year alone, driven either by evolving customer expectations or shifts in business strategy and operating models, accor»»»

The Institute of Space Research and Technology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia held an Open House to mark the International Day of Aviation and Cosmonautics on April 12. The event also celebrated the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first spaceflight and the 45th anniversary of Bulg»»»

Dubai: Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has announced that its public bus fleet have surpassed a cumulative operational distance of 2 million kilometres, setting a new international benchmark for asset longevity in public transport. The milestone, achieved over 18 years of continuous service, »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health has announced the designation of five healthcare facilities under the ‘Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative,’ launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), following their successful compliance with internati»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia hopes that US negotiators will have more opportunities to participate in trilateral negotiations on Ukraine in the foreseeable future, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "We hope that in the foreseeable future they [the US negotiators] will have more time a»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, considering it an initial step towards de-escalation, and stressing the need to build on it urgently to prevent the spread of tension in the region.»»»