Gold is a $31 trillion asset. Why aren’t portfolios catching up?
Dubai: The global gold market is now valued at around $31 trillion, built on nearly 220,000 tonnes of above-ground stock accumulated over centuries, making it one of the largest and most enduring asset classes in the financial system. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.De»»»
Trump’s Nato threat rattles alliance as global economy reels from Iran's choking of Hormuz
Of all the pressure tactics in Donald Trump’s playbook, threatening to pull the United States out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) has always been one of the most powerful—and destabilizing. Asked by The Telegraph whether he was reconsidering US membership in the Western military al»»»
Venezuela opens for business, but investors weigh promise against reality
The months since Nicolás Maduro's capture have brought Venezuela closer to the global economy than at any point in a generation. New laws, a US sanctions rollback and a resumption of international engagement have redrawn the investment landscape with striking speed. Yet for many of the large Wester»»»
Trump administration lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s interim leader
The US has lifted sanctions on Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s interim president, in a significant shift following the ouster of Nicolas Maduro. The move comes as relations between Washington and Caracas begin to thaw, with Rodriguez taking steps to open the country’s energy sector to US companies aft»»»
Qatar’s rental market makes strong growth in 2025: Aqarat
QNA & TNN Doha Qatar’s real estate rental market has continued its upward trajectory in 2025, demonstrating strong resilience and sustained demand across the sector. According to the Public Authority for Real Estate Regulatory Affairs (Aqarat), the market has recorded notable growth in rental activ»»»
Qatar participates in 43rd sessionof Arab Interior Ministers Council
QNA Doha The State of Qatar participated in the 43rd session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, held on Wednesday via videoconference. Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Thani led the State of Qatar’s delegation participating in the session»»»
MSDF to host first Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work on Sunday
QNA Doha Under the esteemed patronage of the Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF) will organise the first edition of the “Rawda Award” for Excellence in Social Work on Sunday to honour the winning social initiatives. The Rawda Award»»»
Amir-UAE president talks in Abu Dhabi praised by ministers
Ministers also praised Tuesday’s discussions held in Abu Dhabi between HH the Amir and HH President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which reflected the close fraternal relations and strategic partnership between the two nations and addressed escalating regional tensi»»»
WCM-Q experts highlight role of acupuncture in pain management
Tribune News Network Doha The Institute for Population Health (IPH) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) has published a series of papers evaluating the effectiveness and acceptance of Western medical acupuncture (WMA) for pain management in athletes and its broader role in modern integrative me»»»
QU increases institutional preparedness to ensure safety of the community
Tribune News Network Doha As part of its institutional responsibility and commitment to community safety, Qatar University (QU) confirmed that it continues to implement measures aimed at strengthening institutional preparedness, in line with directives issued by the Ministry of Interior and relevan»»»
MoT moves Autonomous E-Mobility Forum from April to September 7-9
Tribune News Network Doha The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has moved the 2nd edition of the Autonomous e-Mobility Forum to September 7-9, 2026, against the backdrop of the current regional situation. The Forum was initially scheduled this April 7-9. Organised by Just us & Otto Marketing Services, th»»»
Qatar to distance itself from regional conflicts: Al Muftah
Tribune News Network Geneva Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva HE Dr Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah on Wednesday participated in an event titled ‘Diplomacy and Security: Shaping Peace in a Fragmented World’, at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in »»»
Aircon: from comfort to matter of life and death
The last three years were the hottest ever recorded and it’s only going to get worse – to the point where people will start to die from overheating. Unless you have an air conditioner. As a species, humans can only t»»»
Aircon: from comfort to matter of life and death
The last three years were the hottest ever recorded and it’s only going to get worse – to the point where people will start to die from overheating. Unless you have an air conditioner. As a species, humans can only t»»»
Aircon: from comfort to matter of life and death
The last three years were the hottest ever recorded and it’s only going to get worse – to the point where people will start to die from overheating. Unless you have an air conditioner. As a species, humans can only t»»»
Aircon: from comfort to matter of life and death
The last three years were the hottest ever recorded and it’s only going to get worse – to the point where people will start to die from overheating. Unless you have an air conditioner. As a species, humans can only t»»»
BALKAN BLOG: The connection between the Middle East conflict and Slovenia’s closely fought election
Allegations of foreign interference involving an Israeli private intelligence firm cast a shadow over Slovenia’s closely contested parliamentary election, highlighting how geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are increasingly impacting domestic politics in Europe. »»»
Armenian PM strikes assertive tone in talks with Putin
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan adopted an assertive tone during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on April 1, with sharp differences emerging over elections, security ties and Armenia’s geopolitical direction. »»»
Tisza needs supermajority victory in Hungarian elections to unlock EU frozen funds
Hungary’s ability to unlock billions in frozen EU funding will depend heavily on the outcome of its parliamentary election on April 12. The opposition Tisza party led by Peter Magyar will need to win a supermajority if it is to undo laws that have blocked the release of billions of euros in frozen »»»
Gulf interest, market jitters and EU delays shape Ukraine’s defence industry outlook
Ukraine’s defence sector is drawing growing interest from Gulf states even as financial pressures mount and European support faces delays, reported Ukraine Business News. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his recent tour »»»
Gulf interest, market jitters and EU delays shape Ukraine’s defence industry outlook
Ukraine’s defence sector is drawing growing interest from Gulf states even as financial pressures mount and European support faces delays, reported Ukraine Business News. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his recent tour »»»
Pavela Mitova Is Top-of-the-List Candidate of There Is Such a People for Sofia 23rd and Stara Zagora 27th Constituencies
BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party/coalition for all constituencies for the April 19 parliamentary elections. The information about the candidates is provided by the respective political entity, the candidates themselves and other official sources. Pavela Mi»»»
Korneliya Ninova Is Top-of-the-List Candidate of Defiant Bulgaria National Movement for Sofia 25th and Blagoevgrad 1st Constituencies
BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party/coalition for all constituencies for the April 19 parliamentary elections. The information about the candidates is provided by the respective political entity, the candidates themselves and other official sources. Korneliya»»»
Ust-Luga and Primorsk to their lowest levels since pre-war time
Russia has lost over $1bn in oil export revenues Ukraine’s week-long attacks on its two most important Baltic Sea ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk. Weekly shipments through both ports have fallen by two-thirds. However, as U»»»
Armenian PM strikes assertive tone in talks with Putin
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan adopted an assertive tone during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on April 1, with sharp differences emerging over elections, security ties and Armenia’s geopolitical direction. »»»
Germany growth forecasts slashed as Mideast war hits economy
BERLIN — Leading economic institutes more than halved their growth forecasts for Germany on Wednesday, warning that the energy shock caused by the Middle East war would hit Europe's top economy hard. A group of leading institutes slashed their joint growth forecast for 2026 to 0.6 per cent, down »»»
Trump strongly considering pulling US out of NATO, Britain's Telegraph reports
US President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO in an interview published Wednesday by Britain's Daily Telegraph, describing the Western alliance as a "paper tiger". The threat comes after European allies declined to join his war against Iran. U»»»
Trump attends birthright citizenship hearing at Supreme Court in historic first
In a historic first, Donald Trump became the first US sitting president to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Wednesday as it weighed his bid to restrict birthright citizenship. During more than two hours of questioning, justices from across the ideological spectrum assessed the policy’s»»»
Focus - US public media under pressure from White House
Since the start of Donald Trump’s second term, media outlets in the United States have faced an uphill battle. Targeted verbal attacks, attempts to control information and press credentials, and financial pressure are just some of the ways the White House has sought to influence reporting –or label»»»
The Observers - Bedouins in Israel’s Negev desert face bomb shelter shortage
As Iranian and Hezbollah air strikes on Israel continue, tens of thousands of Bedouins living in the country’s southern Negev desert have no access to shelters. While some NGOs are attempting to install mobile shelters, they are primarily calling on the government to take action, denouncing "discri»»»
Qatar's Permanent Representative to UN Office in Geneva participates in diplomacy and security event
Geneva: HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah took part in an event titled "Diplomacy and Security: Shaping Peace in a Fragmented World," held at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. In her remarks, Her Excellency said that in »»»
Congress seeks two-track plan to fund DHS after Trump support - UPI.com
1 of 4 | Department of Homeland Security agents and other law enforcement in uniform patrol the grounds among travelers in Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport on March 24 in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 1 (UPI) -- Republican congressional leaders said Wednesday they »»»
Russia demands France release woman arrested for suspected espionage
Moscow is demanding that Russian-French national Anna Novikova be freed after she was detained in France last year on suspicion of espionage. Novikova is suspected of trying to obtain information about French economic interests. Russia urged France on Wednesday to release Anna N»»»
Fact or Fake - EU cohesion in Corsica by numbers
Renaud Lefort analyses the impact of European funding on economic growth, and highlights the challenges of using it effectively in Corsica.»»»
Suit fights Gulf drilling exemption tied to national security claim - UPI.com
A court battle has begun after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico necessary for national security and received an exemption from endangered species protections. File Photo by Tannen Maury/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth de»»»
Iran’s President to US People: Choosing Confrontation Will Affect Future Generations
The Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian sent on Wednesday a message to the American people, stressing that the Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries. Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futi»»»
Mucunski, Haddad meet in Paris for talks on faster, merit-based EU integration
Paris, 1 April 2026 (MIA) — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski met Wednesday with France's Minister Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad for talks on strengthening bilateral ties, deepening political dialogue and boosting economic cooperation as well as the count»»»
ADCMC, Abu Dhabi Youth Council launch new initiative
The Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre Abu Dhabi (ADCMC), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, has launched the “Abu Dhabi Youth in Emergency Response” initiative. It aims to strengthen preparedness and reinforce the role of society as an active partner in the respons»»»
UAE and US Presidents discuss regional developments in phone call
Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today held a phone call with Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, during which they discussed developments in the region and their serious implications for regional and international peace and security, as »»»
Caretaker Government Drafting Regular Budget for 2026
The caretaker government is drafting a regular budget proposal to be submitted if the next parliament fails to form a governing majority, caretaker Minister of Finance Georgi Klisurski said on Wednesday. Speaking in a television interview, Klisurski said the draft had not yet been completed, but wo»»»
Houthi Red Sea attacks could drive oil to $140, Bloomberg Economics says
Global oil prices could surge to $140 per barrel if Houthi rebels target shipping in the Red Sea, potentially worsening what is already considered the largest energy disruption in history, according to a report by Bloomberg Economics. Analysts Dina Esfandiary, Ziad Daoud, and Becca Wasser estimate »»»
UK to host 35-nation meeting on Hormuz as Starmer vows Britain will not be ‘dragged’ into war
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that the Middle East conflict is “not our war” and announced that the United Kingdom will host a 35-nation meeting this week to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at Downing Street, Starmer confirmed that Foreign Sec»»»
Japan, France agree to coordinate on reopening Strait of Hormuz as Trump says US will have ‘no role’
Japan and France agreed on Wednesday to coordinate closely on efforts to end the war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers, as US President Donald Trump said Washington would play no role in securing the vital waterway. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said after talk»»»
Russia says it has full control of Ukraine’s Luhansk region
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday its forces have seized full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, as Kyiv continues a campaign of drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. Russia has long held more than 99% of Luhansk, one of four Ukrainian regions Moscow said »»»
Egypt targets $1bn in annual marble, granite exports
Egypt’s Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem has held a high-level meeting to discuss mechanisms to boost marble and granite exports and address challenges facing quarry operators. He affirmed the government’s strong commitment to the sector, describing marble and granite as a priority industry with »»»
FRA chair meets mortgage finance firms to boost activity, efficiency
Islam Azzam, Chairperson of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), held a meeting with representatives of the Egyptian Mortgage Federation and companies operating in the sector, as part of the Authority’s ongoing engagement with non-banking financial activities. The meeting reflects FRA’s commit»»»
Al-Sisi underscores commitment to economic reforms, market stability
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi affirmed on Wednesday that the government will press ahead with fiscal reforms aimed at safeguarding economic stability and accelerating private sector growth, amid the continued impact of regional conflict on markets and global supply chains. During a meetin»»»
Progressive Bulgaria Leader: "Since Joining the 'Club of the Rich', Shop Debts in Villages Are Now in Euro"
"For ten years I have been travelling across Bulgaria, stopping in villages and visiting small shops. What has changed in the last three months is that debts in shopkeepers' notebooks are now in euro," Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev said at a meeting in Dupnitsa, quoted by the party. He cr»»»
How ghost robotic kamikaze boats broke the back of Iran's 'swarm' tactics in Hormuz: What happens next
For decades, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) built a strategy around one narrow stretch of water — the Strait of Hormuz, just 33km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point, yet carrying nearly a fifth of the world’s oil every day. It was designed as a trap. Mines seeded beneath the surfa»»»
Restaurants and Hotels in Bulgaria Seek Tax Relief to Curb Price Hikes and Protect Business
Representatives of the hotel and restaurant sector in Bulgaria are calling for a reduced VAT rate of 9%, arguing that rising fuel prices are putting serious pressure on their businesses. According to industry organizations, such a measure is necessary to avoid closures and stabilize the sector duri»»»