Seoul: South Korean K-pop megastars BTS kick off their world tour on Thursday, riding the momentum of a chart-topping comeback album and a landmark performance in the heart of Seoul. The seven-member group -- widely regarded as the world's biggest boy band -- took to the stage together for the firs»»»

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran published a chart Thursday suggesting the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard put sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz during the war, in a message that may be intended to pressure the US as uncertainty hangs over a days-old two-week ceasefire and further ne»»»

A 53-year-old man with a criminal record has been detained in Bulgaria during a targeted police operation against vote buying, carried out in the village of Brestnitsa in the Lovech region. Authorities uncovered more than 40,000 euros in cash inside his home, according to Acting Secretary General o»»»

An Iranian delegation is expected to arrive in Islamabad late Thursday ahead of Pakistan-brokered talks with the United States, Iran's envoy said. Pakistan has been preparing for talks involving representatives from the US and Iran over the Mideast war, with the White House saying Vice President JD»»»

Lebanon declared a national day of mourning on Thursday after Israeli strikes pummeled the country, shaking a fragile truce less than 48 hours after it came into force. Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and negotiations aimed at ending a war that has »»»

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Edil Baisalov, announced his resignation after 4.5 years in office. He announced his decision during a speech at an international symposium at the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University. In a video published by a media outlet, he speaks about his »»»

A man has been arrested for allegedly running a small urban marijuana plantation in a rented Thessaloniki apartment, authorities said Thursday. A police statement said the 47-year-old suspect was found to be hydroponically growing 40 cannabis plants indoors in an eastern Thessaloniki flat. He was t»»»

President Donald Trump warned late Wednesday that the U.S. military will remain deployed around Iran. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 9 (UPI) -- U.S. military forces will remain deployed around Iran until a "REAL AGREEMENT" is reached and fully complied with, President Donald Trump w»»»

On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Norway and Denmark. 1 of 4 | German officers stand before Oslo's National Theater after taking control of Norway during World War II. On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Norway and Denmark. File Photo by Willi Ruge/German Federal Archives April 9 (UPI) -- On this dat»»»

Iran has warned ships near the Hormuz Strait must obtain “permission” from its naval forces before transiting the narrow waterway. It underscores Tehran’s grip over the strategic chokepoint. “You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy for passing through the strait. If any vessel tries to »»»

Islamabad, Pakistan: An Iranian delegation is expected to arrive in Islamabad late Thursday ahead of Pakistan-brokered talks with the United States, Iran's envoy said. Pakistan has been preparing for talks involving representatives from the US and Iran over the Mideast war, with the White House say»»»

President Nicusor Dan declared on Wednesday that, beyond the political battles, "which are inherent", Romania needs a collaboration between institutions in order to attract as much money as possible from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).Nicusor Dan was asked, in a press conference, »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar correspondent reports Israeli strikes on a number of southern Lebanese toens including Qlaileh, Harouf and Kawnin 09-04-2026 09:48»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Prime Minister declares Thursday a national day of mourning for the martyrs and wounded of the Israeli attacks, and ordered the cl»»»

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»»»

Daily satellite observations have revealed a continued nighttime brightening globally due to artificial lighting, with important regional variations including a surge in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia alongside a deliberate dimming in Europe driven by concerns over energy conservation and li»»»

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»»»

Bulgaria is bracing for an increase in disinformation activity in the run-up to the parliamentary elections on April 19, with authorities warning of coordinated attempts to influence voters and destabilize public trust. Acting Deputy Foreign Minister Velizar Shalamanov said institutions are already»»»

A Thai court has fined a man $300 after he broke into the enclosure of Moo Deng, an endangered baby pygmy hippo and internet sensation, the zoo director said Wednesday. Moo Deng -- whose name translates as "bouncy pork" -- has gained global attention thanks to social media videos showing her adorab»»»

Singapore: Gold prices stabilized on Thursday as investors remained cautious, awaiting clearer signals on ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran, ahead of key US inflation data due later today. Spot gold was steady at $4,715.42 per ounce, while US gold futures for June delivery fell 0.8»»»

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Thursday said it fired rockets towards Israel in response to its "violation" of the US-Iran truce agreement. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Israel's massive attacks in Lebanon as the ceasefire appeared to hang by a thread. Follow our liv»»»

As part of its 10-point proposal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, Tehran is pushing for ongoing control over the vital Strait of Hormuz – including charging what officials suggest could be as much as $2 million per ship to help the country rebuild its bombed-out infrastructure and maintain c»»»

Dubai: UAE authorities have issued safety warnings and revised speed limits as a low-pressure system brings unsettled weather and scattered rainfall to the country, a condition expected to persist through Monday. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) confirmed on Thursday that an extension of su»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) will host the Electronic Qatar Stars League (E-QSL), set to take place from April 20 to 22, 2026. A total of 12 teams from the 2025-2026 Qatar Stars League season will take part, and the official draw saw the teams being divided into two groups of six each.»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai eased slightly on Thursday morning, giving up a small portion of the gains seen earlier this week as global markets weighed fragile geopolitical signals against shifting rate expectations. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The 24-karat rate st»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

Kyrgyzstan significantly tightened liability measures for harming wildlife, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision reported. According to the ministry, the resolution was signed by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. The document provides for a substantial increa»»»

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»»»

As Donald Trump threatened to wipe out an entire civilisation in Iran ahead of his latest deadline for Tehran to open up the Strait of Hormuz, Qatar's foreign ministry official warned that the world was nearing a point beyond which the war would be out of anyone's control. Oil markets continue to b»»»

A two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran on Wednesday led to a steep drop in oil prices and a rebound in Asian and European equities. In this edition, we see what the various stakeholders are saying the deal means for the future of the Hormuz Strait through which a fifth of»»»

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: The shares in Qatar’s stock market witnessed a notable bounce-bank as the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index surged 376.67 points or 3.66%, yesterday to close at 10,662.33 points. Global markets reacted quickly to the announced two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with »»»

Wars cause large and persistent economic losses in countries where fighting takes place, with output declining by roughly 7% over five years on average, and economic scars lasting for more than a decade, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in research released on Wednesday. The IMF examined »»»

Law enforcement agencies in Issyk-Kul region solved 347 crimes in March as part of Arsenal campaign, detained 20 wanted individuals, and found 23 missing persons, the press service of the regional Internal Affairs Department reported. During the raids, officers inspected 3,647 hunters and 27 licens»»»

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»»»

Police have arrested four people on suspicion of trafficking large quantities of drugs in the Greater Athens region, and confiscated 165 kilograms of marijuana. A police statement said Wednesday’s arrests followed a surveillance operation in which the suspects were observed loading sacks of drugs f»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Katara Cultural Village Foundation has announced that the fifth edition of the Katara Prize for Arabic Poetry, themed “Mothers of the Believers” (may God be pleased with them), received 562 entries from 25 Arab and international countries. The prize committee selected Sawda bint Za»»»

Doha, Qatar: The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) organised Skills Day 2026, a co-curricular highlight of the academic year, reinforcing its dedication to hands-on learning, creativity, practical problem-solving, and teamwork. The event brought together 1,000 students across 48 »»»

Doha, Qatar: When teachers are parents themselves, they have the opportunity to observe how children learn and behave at home during online lessons. Reflecting on this, Leena Ayoub, a mother of three daughters and a teacher at Qatar Foundation’s Qatar Academy Doha (QAD), the same school her childre»»»

I know I have to do this. But I can't. That's the inner monologue that most, have been facing of late. And it could be something as basic as sending an email. Sometimes, it’s almost physically difficult to do it. There's a heaviness that settles on your fingers. You can't finish a task. You’re func»»»