Saudi Arabia’s Business Confidence Index remained in optimistic territory at 52.1 points in March, underscoring private sector resilience despite geopolitical challenges. The index fell from 60.7 in February but stayed above the neutral 50 threshold, reflecting continued confidence in stable econom»»»

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded a visit to Aden, where he met with senior Yemeni government officials to discuss the implications of recent regional and national developments on prospects for peace in Yemen, and priorities for the political, economic and military/security tracks»»»

Indonesia said Friday it had submitted a joint statement on peacekeeper security with dozens of allied nations to the United Nations after three of its blue helmets were killed in Lebanon. In the joint statement, the countries urged the UN Security Council to conduct a thorough investigation into t»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s financial hub has moved to ease pressure on companies operating within its ecosystem, introducing a package of temporary support measures to stabilise cash flows and give firms breathing space. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Dubai International Financia»»»

The Hormuz Strait may be officially “open.” But for the moment, it is still operating more like a high‑risk exclusion zone than a normal shipping lane. News of a two‑week ceasefire briefly sent oil prices plunging and stock markets rallying. But that optimism quickly faded: only a handful of vessel»»»

US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy “a whole civilisation” in Iran has reignited calls to invoke the 25th Amendment and drawn condemnation across the political spectrum. Yet despite a growing chorus of critics, from Democrats to former MAGA allies, the mechanism remains politically out of»»»

Argentina's lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a bill backed by President Javier Milei to permit mining in glacier regions. Environmentalists and ​scientists have ‌warned that mining in in frozen parts of the Andes mountains would threaten water resources. The law takes effect»»»

US first lady Melania Trump gave an extraordinary statement from the White House on Thursday denying any ties to late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said the "lies" linking her to Epstein were "mean-spirited attempts" to defame her reputation. First lady Melania Tr»»»

Police in Caracas on Thursday launched tear gas at thousands of protesters marching towards the presidential palace to demand pay raises and pension increases. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced wage increases on May 1 without disclosing the amount, as many Venezuelans live on salarie»»»

Syria ‌is in the final stages of establishing a correspondent bank account with neighboring Türkiye's central bank and will also discuss a potential currency swap aimed at boosting trade, the Syrian central bank chief said. Türkiye has been the main backer of the Syrian government of President Ahme»»»

Thousands of Palestinians prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque at dawn Thursday, according to Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the compound. For the first time in 41 days, Muslim worshippers returned to Al-Aqsa, which had been shuttered since the start of the war»»»

Pro-Iran groups have used artificial intelligence to create slick internet memes in English to try to shape the narrative during the war against the US and Israel and foster opposition to it. Analysts say the memes appear to be coming from groups linked to the government in Tehran and are part of a»»»

Eduard Kubatov has been appointed Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Kyrgyzstan. The corresponding personnel decision was made by the country’s leadership. Eduard Kubatov is a renowned mountaineer, entrepreneur, and public figure in the Kyrgyz Republic. He is the President of t»»»

On April 13-14, the Asian Alysh Belt Wrestling Championship for Adults will be held at the Zhashtyk Arena in Bishkek. The championship is organized by the Directorate for National Sports jointly with the World Alysh Federation. Leading athletes from Asian countries will participate in the competiti»»»

As many as 33 countries will face extremely high water stress by 2040. A study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) says. The analysis, based on climate models and socio-economic scenarios, indicates that water scarcity will be driven by rising demand and limited resources. Experts say the main c»»»

In Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 13 people at a driver’s license center. CBS News reported, citing the Department of Homeland Security. The 13 individuals were arrested outside the West Kittanning location. One of the detainees repo»»»

Iranians are divided between relief, disappointment, fear and anger after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire and possible peace plan between the USA and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other. The FRANCE 24 Observers team talked to several Iranians inside Iran to capture their responses an»»»

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator between the US and Iran, playing a crucial role in brokering the two-week ceasefire agreement and working with both camps, as well as regional powers, to end the war. Islamabad has ties to Tehran and Washington and is set to hold talks this weekend.»»»

A most confusing Wednesday it was. In the space of six minutes during the same press conference, the White House spokesperson first hailed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz then called on Iran to immediately reopen the planet’s most oil sensitive shipping lane. Five weeks of contradictory »»»

The ceasefire between the US and Iran has sidelined Israel and left its war goals largely unmet, leading Benjamin Netanyahu’s critics to lament a “strategic failure” that has damaged Israel’s standing in Washington. With his hands tied on Iran, the Israeli PM has agreed to peace talks with Lebanon »»»

Israel and Lebanon are set to hold talks in Washington next week as tensions escalate over continued fighting in Lebanon and concerns grow that the fragile US-Iran ceasefire could collapse. The meeting comes amid heavy strikes, rising casualties, and renewed disputes over the scope of the truce and»»»

OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais has reiterated the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ commitment to support market stability and emphasized the need for long-term investment in all energies to meet expected future demand growth. Al Ghais spoke on Thursday at the 16th High-Le»»»

Air raid alerts rang out across Israel early Friday, including in the commercial hub of Tel Aviv and in the southern coastal city of Ashdod following rocket fire from Lebanon. Continued fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah is testing a fragile truce reached between the United States an»»»

Djibouti’s longstanding leader Ismael Omar Guelleh is expected to win Friday’s presidential election, handing him a sixth consecutive term in a race against one weak opposition candidate. While critics dismiss the election as “token competition”, supporters say the 78-year-old incumbent has brought»»»

Two men and two women died on Thursday after being swept away by currents in the English Channel while trying to board a dinghy to travel from France to England.  Four people died on Thursday off the coast of northern France as they tried to board a small boat to cross the Channel to England, »»»

Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun arrived in China on Tuesday for a six-day visit. Although she has long advocated for Taiwan’s independence, she is now working to improve relations with Beijing. Taiwan's main opposition leader landed in China on Tuesday for a rare visit aimed at building cr»»»

An Ethiopian military base close to the Sudanese border is lending support to the Rapid Support Forces, according to a report by a research unit at Yale University released Wednesday. The Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) said analysis of satellite imagery and open-sour»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a ceasefire in connection with the Easter holiday from 16:00 Moscow time (13:00 GMT) on April 11 until the end of the day on April 12, the Kremlin said. "By decision of the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian armed forces, Vladimir Putin,»»»

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that IDF Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir visited southern Lebanon to assess the situation, and approved the continuation of army operations in the region. "The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir, conducted a tour today (Thursday) in southern Lebano»»»

US President Donald Trump claims that the Iranian actions on the Strait of Hormuz are not in line with the ceasefire agreement. "Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the agreement we have!" Trump wrote on Truth S»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov will pay a working visit to Osh region today, April 10, the presidential press service reported. Sadyr Japarov will visit a number of industrial and social facilities, and inspect the implementation of infrastructure projects. These include the construction of »»»

President Donald Trump is tasking the member of his inner circle who has seemed to be the most reluctant defender of the conflict with Iran to now find a resolution to the war that began six weeks ago and stave off the US president's astonishing threat to wipe out its “whole civilization.” Vice Pre»»»

The Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) has approved tariff exemptions in the form of import duty waivers for certain types of vegetables intended for retail sale in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries. Under the decision, Kyrgyzstan has been granted tariff exemptions for the»»»

US President Donald Trump held talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday, the White House said, as he weighed leaving the alliance after it did not join the US in its war against Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was also considering withdrawing US troops from some NATO countrie»»»

US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance's endorsement of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban does not constitute "meddling" in Hungary's parliamentary elections, the US ambassador to the EU said on Thursday. Trump last month said nationalist Orban had his "complete and total" s»»»

Crude oil prices rose again on Thursday as the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump and Iran shows signs of fragility. In this edition, we speak with Ilian Mihov, Professor of Economics at INSEAD, about whether the war and the resulting oil shock could trigger a global recession. He exp»»»

Oil prices have plunged and stock markets soared after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran. But regardless of whether the deal holds, the energy crisis unleashed by the war is far from over. Damage to infrastructure in the region means it could take years for oil and ga»»»

The US and Israel’s war with Iran has triggered one of the biggest global energy shocks in decades. Asian economies, in particular, are facing disruptions to oil and gas supplies, while energy prices have surged worldwide. Climate activists say the shock should serve as a catalyst in the switch to »»»

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Adylbek Kasymaliev, chaired a meeting of the commission monitoring the implementation of the presidential decree on debureaucratization and improving public administration efficiency. He noted that reforms aimed at reducing excessive regulation ha»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seen here in a March 19, 2026, press conference, announced talks with Lebanon in an address to the nation on Thursday. Pool File Photo by Ronen Zvulun/UPI | License Photo April 10 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Thursday that there wa»»»

A Republican-aligned political group has been accused of sending leaflets featuring Ku Klux Klan imagery to voters in Virginia ahead of a high-stakes referendum. The Washington Post has suggested that the campaign primarily targets black voters. The mailers, reportedly distributed in recent weeks b»»»

A TikTok user has been detained. He is suspected of distributing materials calling for the violent seizure of power and organizing mass unrest. The press center of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) reported. According to the SCNS, on April 9, citizen B.K.Zh., 42, was de»»»

The national hockey team of Kyrgyzstan lost to Iceland at the IIHF World Championship in Division II (Group B), stats.iihf.com reports. The score was 6-3. Goals were scored by Ernazar Isamatov, Mamed Seifulov, and Abdumalik Sapitov. The fourth-round matches will be held on April 11, with Kyrgyzstan»»»

Pakistan announced on Friday it would issue visas on arrival for those travelling to Islamabad for the Iran–US talks, signalling strong international media interest in the high-level diplomatic engagement. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Visa faci»»»

Aiperi Medet kyzy won a silver medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek. The UWW website reports. In the final of the 76-kilogram weight class, the athlete lost to Enkh-Amaryn Davaanasan from Mongolia. Earlier, Meerim Zhumanazarova won a gold medal. Sezim Zhumanazarova and Aruuke Kadyr»»»

The national youth football team of Kyrgyzstan lost to Tajikistan at the CAFA U17 Championship in Tashkent. The Kyrgyz Football Union reported. The match score was 0-4. Earlier, the Kyrgyz team defeated Afghanistan (2-1), but then lost to Uzbekistan (1-2). After two matches, the team of Kyrgyzstan »»»

Minister Gergely Gulyás said Hungary’s energy supply remains stable despite mounting external risks, while also addressing a leaked recording involving opposition leader Péter Magyar. Speaking at the Government Info press conference alongside government spokesperson Eszter Vitályos, Minister Gulyás»»»

Sharjah: Sectoral Business Groups operating under the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry affirmed that Sharjah’s economy is advancing a resilient and sustainable growth model. The emirate’s comprehensive development strategy and strong economic framework have enabled it to navigate regional a»»»

First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is due to Allah, the All-Powerful, the Ever-Firm, who supports His servants with His clear victory. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. O »»»

A man was arrested on the Ionian island of Lefkada after he allegedly attacked police officers who stopped his car on the Lefkada-Vasiliki provincial road. According to the police, the suspect “resisted, striking them with his hands and head,” though no injuries were reported. The incident occurred»»»