Doha, Qatar: Kuwait has announced that it was targeted by an intense wave of Iranian attacks beginning at 8am today, April 8, 2026, with 28 drones successfully intercepted. This was confirmed in a statement issued on the same day by Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense official spokesperson, Colonel Saud A»»»

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»»»

A criminal network linked to Bulgaria has been accused of defrauding dozens of elderly people in northern Greece through an elaborate telephone scam that resulted in losses exceeding 600,000 euros, according to Kathimerini. Investigators say the operation was active between September 2021 and Augus»»»

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»»»

Ahead of the annual slaughter of thousands of lambs for traditional Easter Sunday meals, authorities are stepping up policing of measures to contain a highly contagious livestock disease that’s decimated herds in much of the country, officials said Wednesday. The Rural Development Ministry said spe»»»

As of April 7, there were a total of 94 cases of measles in Bulgaria, with 14 new cases reported, according to the Ministry of Health’s website. Of the newly reported cases, 10 are from Vratsa Region, two from Sofia City, and one each from the Pleven and Lovech regions. The newly infected individua»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian troops have struck facilities of Ukraine's fuel and energy complex and port infrastructure, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "Operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces' battlegr»»»

During their historic lunar flyby, astronauts on NASA's Artemis II mission witnessed meteorites striking the rugged surface of the Moon, a sight that has piqued scientists' curiosity. "That was definitely impact flashes on the moon. And Jeremy (Hansen) just saw another one," mission commander Reid »»»

Kyiv on Wednesday called on the United States to pressure Russia into ending its invasion of Ukraine, saying Washington's ceasefire agreement with Iran showed the success of US "decisiveness." "American decisiveness works. We believe it is time for sufficient decisiveness to force Moscow to cease f»»»

The Supreme Judicial Council’s Prosecutors Chamber has shown that it has no intention of electing a new acting Prosecutor General voluntarily, Deputy Justice Minister Tanya Radulovska said after the Chamber’s sitting on Wednesday. “Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov does not need to be dism»»»

Dubai: Now, you can even get gold delivered home to you. The Dubai Gold District rolled out a new home-delivery service on Wednesday, allowing buyers to browse, select, and purchase gold without visiting the market. Under the new service, buyers can arrange private consultations with participating »»»

Fred Fleitz, former chief of staff of the NSC, predicted Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump could meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a summit sometime this fall. Fleitz made the comment at the Asan Plenum in Seoul. Photo courtesy of Asan Institute of Policy Studies A former Trump»»»

Times have been a bit tough, of late. But chin up, chin up, as Dubai-based Shraddha Mishra, a homemaker insists on telling her children. "There's always a way forward, and that's what we do." Indeed, in the past one month, she along with other residents have looked to make changes in their lives, c»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The use of the Northern Sea Route in the current international situation will be of particular importance, and its reliability will increase, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday. "In the situation that has been developing literally in recent days, in recent h»»»

A total of 12 women hold leadership positions within the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kyrgyzstan, Prosecutor General Maksat Asanaliev said. He made the statement in response to a remark by MP Jamilya Isaeva about the lack of women in senior positions within the agency. According to Maksat Asanali»»»

President Sadyr Japarov signed a law ratifying the agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian government on the construction of a campus for the B.N. Yeltsin Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University (KRSU). The document was adopted by the Zhogorku Kenesh on March 18, »»»

The Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) calls for immediate talks and the signing of an annex to the National Framework Agreement between the BMA and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) that would urgently increase the reimbursement rates for all medical services by at least 25%. At a news co»»»

OVERVIEW No single topic dominates all media on Wednesday. POLITICS An op-ed by economist Boyan Durankev published by Trud lists the strategies implemented by the various political forces that have nominated candidates for the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19. The text reads: "Th»»»

This photo, taken Wednesday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in central Seoul as South Korean stocks jumped nearly 7 percent after the United States and Iran agreed on a two-week ceasefire. Photo by Yonhap South Korean stocks spiked nearly 7 percent after the United States and Iran agreed on a »»»

Dubai: In the UAE, a new kind of economy is flourishing, one powered not just by money, but by generosity. Small businesses have been turning their success into support for local communities, who have been both their customers and partners in giving. What started as simple forms of assistance have »»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.3750 dinars for one euro on Wednesday, which is a slight change relative to Tuesday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is steady against the euro m-o-m, down by 0.2 pct y-o-y and down by 0.1 pct relative »»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran, adding that Kyiv was ready to "respond in kind" if Moscow ceased strikes. "Ukraine has always called for a ceasefire in the war waged by Russia here in Europe ‌against our ‌state and our peo»»»

Ten people, including two wounded gunmen, were in detention Wednesday a day after a deadly shootout near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, the state Anadolu news agency reported. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Turkish media said a gunman who was killed in the shootout was »»»

New York, USA: The State of Qatar sent two identical letters (the 12th and 13th) to HE Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres, and HE Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of April Jamal Fa»»»

Dubai: Airlines are facing rising fuel costs, supply risks and operational pressure, but the global aviation sector is holding steady for now, with strong travel demand helping offset the crisis, said IATA Director General Willie Walsh. Carriers are increasing fares and cutting capacity as oil pric»»»

1 of 2 | Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on Wednesday criticized a Pentagon strategy that shifts responsibility for deterring North Korea onto Seoul. Wicker, seen here at the U.S. Capitol in September 2025, made the comments during a pre-recorded speech at the Asan Plenum policy forum in Seoul. File Ph»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, seen here leaving No. 10 Downing Street in London in January, is leaving for the Gulf on Wednesday following the announcement of a cease-fire in the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Keir S»»»

Two French nationals arrived in Paris on Wednesday after spending more than three years in an Iranian prison on espionage charges, with President Emmanuel Macron hailing "the end of a terrible ordeal." Cecile Kohler, 41, and Jacques Paris, 72, arrived on a commercial flight, landing at Charles de G»»»

Hapag-Lloyd voiced cautious optimism on Wednesday on the prospect of resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after a two-week ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran, but said that resuming normal traffic throughout its network would take at least 6-8 weeks. Speaking in a call to customers,»»»

A Russian overnight drone attack on Ukraine's largest Danube river port, Izmail, damaged a port facility, Ukraine's regional development ministry said on Telegram on Wednesday. "The enemy continues to target logistics and port infrastructure," the ministry ‌said. According to ‌its Telegram post, ‌f»»»

German-Bulgarian solar photovoltaic developer Sunotec said on April 7 it has secured a structured equity investment from funds managed by Blackstone’s Tactical Opportunities unit to support its expansion across Europe. The»»»

Romania’s central bank, the National Bank of Romania (BNR), decided to keep the monetary policy rate unchanged at 6.5% at its April 7 board meeting, opting for caution amid a rapidly shifting macroeconomic environment shaped by both domestic fiscal uncertainties and external shocks stemming from th»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe A Great Victory: Iran Says US Forced to Accept Its 10-Point Plan After Historical Defeat 08-04-2026 11:57 AM A missile exhibited beneath Ir»»»

In the current context in Romania, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need strong anchors. These strategic directions have a common element: the need to strengthen the economy’s resilience in the face of external shocks and structural uncertainties. Opinion by Leonardo Badea, First Deputy Go»»»

US Vice President J.D. Vance has met with Viktor Orban in Budapest in a high-profile visit ahead of a critical parliamentary election. The Hungarian prime minister’s party is trailing that of his pro-EU opponent in the polls, and he has accused Brussels of interfering in the vote. Vance touched dow»»»

The office of former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is seen in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. On Tuesday, voters in Georgia elected her replacement, Republican Clay Fuller. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI) -- Republic»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has added five more universities to its automatic recognition scheme for domestic higher education qualifications, bringing the total number of participating institutions to 38 as part of efforts to streamline procedures and reduce»»»

On April 1, the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic conducted a comparative price monitoring of food products (bakery products, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, meat, milk, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and others) in the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as i»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced the implementation of alternative assessment procedures for the mid-term exams of the second semester of the 2025-2026 academic year. The Ministry, represented by the Assessment Affairs Sector, said this decision applies to stude»»»

Dubai: Oil markets are signalling that prices will remain elevated despite a sharp pullback recorded on Wednesday, as a temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran eases immediate fears but leaves deeper supply risks unresolved. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - si»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Culture has launched the fifth edition of the National Grant Programme for Culture and Creativity, one of the UAE’s flagship national initiatives dedicated to supporting creative Emiratis and enabling them to develop impactful cultural and creative projects. The launch re»»»

Not only did Iran fiercely repel US–Israeli aggression, but “it may lock in de facto control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz,” Yury Lyamin, senior researcher at the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, tells Sputnik. Nevertheless, the two-week ceasefire deal agreed bet»»»

Israel's military said Wednesday its forces would continue their campaign against Hezbollah fighters, claiming the ceasefire with Iran does not apply to Lebanon. "The battle in Lebanon continues, and the ceasefire does not include Lebanon," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Colonel Avichay »»»

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has commenced exports of a new crude oil grade, Cawthorne, as it seeks to boost production and strengthen its position in global markets. The maiden cargo of the new »»»

Iran has put forward a sweeping 10-point plan to secure an end to its war with the United States and Israel, centring on a permanent halt to hostilities, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of sanctions, as both sides agreed to a fragile two-week ceasefire to allow negotiations. T»»»

Ajman: Ajman Bank has allocated Dh1.6 million in charitable contributions to support humanitarian, educational and community initiatives across the UAE. The funds will be distributed to several organisations, including Al Ihsan Charity Association, Beit Al Khair Society, International Charity Organ»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union has begun secretly working on the issue of creating its own nuclear weapons production potential, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said on Wednesday. "In the endless corridors of the European Union headquarters, they have already begun secretly wo»»»

Stock markets in the Gulf region jumped on Wednesday in line with global equities after US President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday. Trump said the last-minute deal was subject to Iran's agreement to pause its blockade of oil and gas supplies through the Strait of »»»

Washington, United States: The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday in an 11th-hour bid to avert all-out destruction threatened by US President Donald Trump. Here's what we know about the truce between two countries, which are set to begin negotiations but remain poles a»»»

Beijing, China: China's top diplomat Wang Yi will travel to North Korea on Thursday, Beijing's foreign ministry said, aiming to deepen relations between the neighbours. China is North Korea's largest trading partner and a vital source of diplomatic, economic and political support for the isolated n»»»