As the US-Iran war with Iran continues to disrupt global shipping, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has convened around 40 countries to demand the "immediate and unconditional reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards effectively shut the key waterway and oil conduit wh»»»

United Airlines on Thursday announced a $10 increase to its checked baggage fees, making it the second airline this week to do so after JetBlue raised its fees by $4 or $9, depending on whether you fly on a peak or off-peak date. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- Unite»»»

Iran and its allies traded fire with Israel and the United States, as Washington-linked assets across the Middle East were targeted alongside energy and civilian infrastructure -- with the month-long war on Friday showing little sign of easing. Strikes have increasingly targeted economic and indust»»»

General Randy George was asked to step down and retire immediately. U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George on Thursday was asked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to step down from his position and retire immediately. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- Secretary o»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has decided to adjust the tariffs imposed on imports of steel, aluminum, and copper to reduce duties on derivatives made from these metals, simplify compliance procedures, and prevent manipulation of import values. The White House stated in a briefing Thursday »»»

The leaders of the UK and Australia have told their citizens to cut fuel consumption and prepare for months of hardship as a result of the US-Israeli war with Iran. But Keir Starmer and Anthony Albanese couldn’t bring themselves to name who’s responsible. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Aust»»»

A survey found that despite many colleges have rules limiting or banning students' use of artificial intelligence tools for their coursework, the majority of students are using the technology at least once per month to understand material, save time or improve their performance in school. File Phot»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar was targeted on Thursday by a number of drones launched from Iran, according to country's Ministry of Defence. In a statement, carried by Qatar News Agency (QNA), the ministry said that the Qatari Armed Forces successfully intercepted all the drones. Get updated faster and »»»

US War Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army Chief of Staff Randy George to step down and retire, a US official confirmed to NPR. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the move publicly. It is unclear who will replace George. The move came a»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 16:00 on Thursday, 02-04-2026, a Merkava tank at Al-Sala’ Hill in Al-Qantara town with a loitering »»»

QNA New York The State of Qatar has sent a 10th identical letter to Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of April, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, regarding t»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar was targeted on Thursday by a number of drones launched from Iran, according to country's Ministry of Defence. In a statement, carried by Qatar News Agency (QNA), the ministry said that the Qatari Armed Forces successfully intercepted all the drones.»»»

The International Criminal Court is alleging that Italy is not complying with the rules of the Rome statute. File Photo by Robin Utrecht/EPA-EFE April 2 (UPI) -- The International Criminal Court on Thursday referred Italy to the Assembly of States Parties over a case in which it alleges the country»»»

Houston: NASA gave the Artemis astronauts the green light on Thursday to head for the Moon and carry out the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. The four astronauts currently circling Earth will fire up the engine of the Orion capsule at 7:49 pm Eastern Time (2349 GMT) to send it on a t»»»

London: British police on Thursday launched a new national hub aimed at cracking down on the sale of banned knives and machetes, often to children, on an online "grey market". In the year ending September 2025 there were about 50,000 knife crimes in England and Wales, according to the Office for Na»»»

Damascus, April 2 (SANA) United Nations development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Alexander De Croo said on Thursday that Post-war Syria can be a success story if “we stand with its people,” “It’s time for the international community to scale up development support — so hospitals can be rebuilt, s»»»

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., joined Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in countering President Donald Trump's renewed overtures that he wants to pull the United States out of NATO. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- Two Republican members of the U.S. Senate have broken with Pre»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 20:00 on Thursday, 02-04-2026, a gathering of “Israeli” enemy soldiers and vehicles in Shamaa town »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Yemeni Ballistic Missiles Hit Tel Aviv, Armed Forces Consider Updating Strikes 02-04-2026 22:07 PM The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out on T»»»

Park Hotel Pirin is cementing its position as one of Bulgaria’s leading spa and wellness destinations through its highly effective treatments, therapeutic mineral water and refurbished facilities, hotel manager Georgi Mitrev told BTA. The hotel is the first in Bulgaria to earn the EUROPESPA WELLNES»»»

Eighteen European countries on Thursday urged Israel and Hezbollah to stop fighting as their latest conflict reached one month and with fears over Israeli plans to control part of southern Lebanon post-war. "Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah's attacks must cease," the foreign min»»»

U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher on Thursday expressed concern that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon could be long-lasting, potentially resulting in a "fresh occupation." "One depressing impression I had, and I think it's shared by so many people in Lebanon -- there was a se»»»

International Organization for Migration chief Amy Pope told AFP on Thursday in Beirut that the prospects for prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah are at war, were "very alarming". "I think those prospects are very alarming because you look right now at the level of de»»»

Kuwait: The Kuwait National Guard announced Thursday that it downed four drones in areas under its responsibility for securing the country during the past 24 hours. Brigadier General Dr. Jadaan Fadhel, the official spokesperson for the Kuwait National Guard, said in a press statement that this acti»»»

Talking to residents of Vratsa on Thursday, Continue the Change Chair Assen Vassilev said that what is evident from the election campaign over the past few days is yet another attempt to scare Bulgarian citizens. Referring to the 10-year bilateral security agreement signed between caretaker Prime M»»»

The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) Thursday said it had dismissed an appeal filed by the Velichie party against a Central Election Commission (CEC) decision of March 28, specifically the part determining the locations and number of polling stations in Germany and in the United Kingdom and North»»»

Iranian authorities Thursday executed a teenager convicted over January protests after a fast-track trial rights groups labelled as "grossly unfair", as the country ramps up executions during the war with the US and Israel. Amir Hossein Hatami, 18, was sentenced to death in February along with six »»»

Amman: The Jordanian Armed Forces announced Thursday that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed an Iranian missile targeting a site within the kingdom, with four incidents over the past 24 hours, involving falling debris and projectiles, with no casualties, according to Jordan's Public Securit»»»

A month into Israel's war against Hezbollah, invading Israeli troops are gradually advancing in south Lebanon, raising fears for the area's fate following the last Israeli occupation that lasted nearly two decades. Since war erupted last month, Israeli officials have said Israel intends to establis»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday warned that Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem would pay an "extraordinarily heavy price" for escalating attacks during the ongoing Jewish holidays. "I have a clear message for Naim Qassem... you and your associates will pay an extraordinarily heavy »»»

Copenhagen: More than 200 years after being sunk by Adm. Horatio Nelson and the British fleet, a Danish warship has been discovered on the seabed of Copenhagen Harbor by marine archaeologists. Working in thick sediment and almost zero visibility 15 meters (49 feet) beneath the waves, divers are in »»»

Caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev Thursday said that public trust in the Ministry’s new leadership has increased. He pointed to what he described as a several-fold increase in alerts about election-related crimes compared to the October 2024 parliamentary elections. Dechev noted that the Mini»»»

Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday, demonstrating Tehran’s continued ability to strike its neighbors even as US President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated. Iran’s attacks on Gulf states along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hor»»»

UN experts on Thursday called for an international investigation into the death of three Lebanese journalists in an Israeli strike, saying Israel had not provided "credible evidence" of their alleged links to armed groups. The three journalists, including Ali Shoeib, a star correspondent for Al Man»»»

The US has removed the sanctions on interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, according to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. The move was announced on Wednesday and marks a significant policy shift as Washington builds closer ties with Caracas after kidnapping Venezuel»»»

Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has denied claims that he told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that up to 80% of Syrians living in Germany could be convinced to return home within three years. Merz cited the figure and timeline on Monday during a joint press conference with al-Sharaa, a former jihad»»»

Ankara: Turkiye on Thursday warned of a wider war in the Middle East amid rising regional escalation. In a statement on the latest developments, Turkish Ministry of Defense emphasized that all conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, in line with international law, and affirmed »»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has issued a public notice urging the public to refrain from playing or circulating audio or video clips that include sounds of the National Warning System, citing concerns over public safety and social stability. In a statement released on Thursday, the ministr»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah fighters targeted a gathering of IOF soldiers at the Ras Al-Naqoura Israeli site with a rocket barrage: Military Media Statement »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters targeted gatherings of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Friz Hill and Ghadmatha Hill in the town of A»»»

Emergency medical needs in Iran are rising exponentially, and stocks of trauma kits and other gear could run low if the war persists, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation there said on Thursday. More than 1,900 people have been killed since the»»»

A complaint filed Thursday in France seeks a war crimes investigation into an Israeli strike on a Beirut apartment building in November 2024 said to have killed seven civilians including the parents of a French-Lebanese artist, a human rights group said. The artist, Ali Cherri, and the Internationa»»»

DOHA (Sputnik) - Foreign Ministers of Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE condemned Israel for passing a death penalty bill for terrorists and warned it will heighten regional tension, according to a joint statement released on Thursday. On Monday, Israeli Mini»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday it would be unrealistic to launch a military operation to force open the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump challenged US allies to work towards reopening it. Thousands of people have been killed across the Middle East since February »»»

Concentrations of Saharan dust over Crete reached up to ten times recommended limits on Wednesday, as strong winds from North Africa carried a dense orange haze across the island, according to data from the University of Crete. Winds of up to 140 km/h transported large quantities of dust from easte»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran has nearly completed its draft protocol, which would establish a new navigation regime in the Strait of Hormuz, and plans to begin talks with Oman to develop a joint solution, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in an interview with Sputnik. "The draft of »»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The Iranian military has attacked US-linked steel and aluminum industry facilities in the Middle East, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday. Iran has previously said that US and Israel attacked facilities of the Iranian metallurgical companies Khouzest»»»

1 of 6 | The Earth is seen from NASA’s Orion spacecraft as it orbits above the planet during the Artemis II test flight. NASA astronauts launched at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Wednesday for a 10-day mission around the Moon and back to Earth. Image courtesy of NASA April 2 (UPI) -- The Artemis II astronauts h»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Defense has announced that Qatar was subjected to an attack today, April 2, involving a number of drones launched from Iran. The Ministry also confirmed that all incoming drones were successfully intercepted and neutralized by the Qatar Armed Forces.»»»

In our ongoing weekly digest, award-winning journalist Veronika Munk summarises and explains the most important political developments in Hungary. We guide readers on the route to the crunch 12 April 2026 election — a poll without precedent in the region over the past 15 years. This week, we cover:»»»