Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. Investors were closely watching whether a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran was already slipping after a round of deadly Israeli stri»»»

The trouble started with a beautiful photo. Social media was soon awash with the lovely view of Japan's snow-capped Mount Fuji looming over a red pagoda and the short-lived cherry blossoms that herald the approach of spring. Tourists wanting a similar shot soon packed this peaceful town at the foot»»»

Russia’s federal budget deficit widened sharply in the first quarter as oil and gas revenues fell steeply, with economists warning that a price surge linked to the Iran conflict has yet to feed through into state finances. (chart) »»»

Mount Everest is seen from an aircraft over Nepal in 2013. Jim Whittaker, the first U.S. man to reach the summit of Mount Everest, died Tuesday at the age of 97. File Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- Jim Whittaker, the first citizen of the United States to reach the top of Mount Ever»»»

Police say they have broken a gang that allegedly scammed motorists in western Athens who stopped to help people in cars that had ostensibly broken down. A police statement said three foreign nationals aged 32, 48 and 61 were arrested near Omonia Square in central Athens on Sunday on suspicion of h»»»

A wolf that escaped from a zoo in South Korea remained at large Thursday, authorities said, prompting a local school to close over safety concerns as the search continued. The male wolf -- born in 2024 and weighing about 30 kilograms - escaped from a zoo at a theme park in Daejeon, about 150 kilome»»»

Dakar, Senegal: The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was in Dakar yesterday, nearly a month after the body’s shock decision to strip Senegal of its AFCON title and award it to Morocco. Patrice Motsepe announced the trip at the end of March, stating that he would travel to Se»»»

Clouds and rain are forecast for much of the country Thursday, with high winds in the Ionian Sea, some light snowfall in northeastern mountainous areas and an overall drop in temperature. Rain is expected in the eastern and northern mainland and in the Aegean Sea, with storms potentially hitting th»»»

Monte Carlo: Daniil Medvedev slipped to an embarrassing 6-0, 6-0 thrashing by Matteo Berrettini in the Monte Carlo Masters second round yesterday, as Alexander Zverev dug deep to beat Cristian Garin. Medevdev completely unravelled against Berrettini after missing two break points in the opening gam»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd and Al Rayyan launched their campaigns in the 2025–2026 Qatar Basketball Cup with strong performances, securing important victories in the quarter-finals at Al Rayyan Club Hall yesterday. In the first game, Al Sadd showcased its readiness to contend for the title, defeating Al »»»

A Syrian man accused of crimes against humanity denied dozens of charges of torture and sexual violence in the opening of his trial in the Netherlands on Wednesday, according to AP. The 58-year-old, identified only as Rafiq al Q. due to Dutch privacy regulations, claimed he was being conspired agai»»»

British Foreign ‌Secretary Yvette Cooper will say on Thursday that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around a fifth of the world's oil and gas, must be toll-free, countering a push by Iran to control the vital waterway. Iran has ‌said it ‌wants to charge fees ‌for ⁠ships to pass »»»

The World Bank has slashed its 2026 growth forecast for Middle East economies, saying overall GDP growth in ⁠the region is expected to slow from an estimated 3.6% in January to 1.8% for 2026. The closure of the strategic ⁠Strait of Hormuz, and destruction ⁠of energy and public infrastructure, had d»»»

Bulgaria recorded the fastest annual increase in industrial producer prices among EU member states in February, Eurostat data showed on April 8, underlining persistent cost pressures in the bloc's newest eurozone member. I»»»

Doha, Qatar: Shagraan delivered a commanding performance to land the Msheireb Cup for owner-trainer Saeed Mohammed Shafi Al Shafi at the Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday. Positioned comfortably in midfield for most of the race, the six-year-old bay gelding unleashed a powerful turn of foot in the hom»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar University (QU) announced that its College of Business and Economics has received international recognition through the selection of its Dean, Prof. Rana Sobh, as a recipient of the AACSB International Global Impact Award in the category of Impactful Leadership. The recognition h»»»

Doha, Qatar: The crisis across the Middle East exacted a devastating toll on millions of children, with urgent calls for stronger international action to safeguard their rights, according to speakers at a high-level webinar convened yesterday by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secre»»»

The DPRK’s Academy of Defence Science and Missile Administration conducted a series of tests of key weapon systems on April 6–8, KCNA reported. The tests included electromagnetic weapons, carbon fiber bombs, and tactical missile warheads, as well as verification of a mobile short-range anti-aircraf»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Halting hostilities in Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran, Vice President JD Vance claimed o Wednesday, further calling the matter a "misunderstanding". US President Donald Trump earlier on Wednesday said ending hostiliti»»»

Indonesia recently announced that it had delayed the rollout of its windfall tax proposal on coal and nickel exports. The country noted that the complexity of balancing fiscal needs with industrial policy is behind the delay, Indonesia Business Post reports. »»»

A new energy pathway is emerging for developing economies, one that challenges the assumption that fossil fuels are a prerequisite for growth, according to a new report by Ember. More than 700mn people still lack access to»»»

A new energy pathway is emerging for developing economies, one that challenges the assumption that fossil fuels are a prerequisite for growth, according to a new report by Ember. More than 700mn people still lack access to»»»

A new energy pathway is emerging for developing economies, one that challenges the assumption that fossil fuels are a prerequisite for growth, according to a new report by Ember. More than 700mn people still lack access to»»»

Argentina’s government revoked press credentials for several local media outlets on April 6 following allegations they were linked to a Russian-backed disinformation campaign uncovered by an international investigation, escalating tensions between President Javier Milei’s administration and th»»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

Iran accused the United States of violating three clauses of its 10-point negotiating framework on April 8, less than a day after the ceasefire took effect and two days before formal talks are due to begin in Islamabad. In»»»

In less than three years, the GCC states have quietly built something the world has not fully reckoned with: the most concentrated and strategically significant digital infrastructure outside the continental United States. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait have collectively attracte»»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

For years, Beirut lived by an unspoken rule: war has its boundaries. The southern suburbs of the capital, traditional Hezbollah strongholds, would burn, frontlines would shift, but parts of the city, its administrative core, its coastal landmarks, remained untouched. »»»

Americans’ views of Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, have grown markedly more negative over the past four years, with disapproval now spanning age groups and widening across political divides, according to new data from Pew Research Center. »»»

Kuwait's air defences intercepted a wave of 28 Iranian drones targeting the country on April 8, with some striking oil installations, power stations and water desalination plants in the south, causing significant damage. The United Arab Emirates also reported its air defences were firing at incomin»»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

In less than three years, the GCC states have quietly built something the world has not fully reckoned with: the most concentrated and strategically significant digital infrastructure outside the continental United States. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait have collectively attracte»»»

Americans’ views of Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, have grown markedly more negative over the past four years, with disapproval now spanning age groups and widening across political divides, according to new data from Pew Research Center. »»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»

Iran accused the United States of violating three clauses of its 10-point negotiating framework on April 8, less than a day after the ceasefire took effect and two days before formal talks are due to begin in Islamabad. In»»»

In less than three years, the GCC states have quietly built something the world has not fully reckoned with: the most concentrated and strategically significant digital infrastructure outside the continental United States. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait have collectively attracte»»»

Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements governing one of the world’s most strategically important shippi»»»

  Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7. »»»