BELGRADE - Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic announced on Thursday he was back at work following a 36-day sick leave and that he would be returning to his duties from next Monday. "In the coming days, I will have to follow all instructions given to me by doctors and be careful. From Monday, I w»»»

MP Ghayath Yazbek of the Lebanese Forces said Thursday that an "Iranian-made" drone that crashed earlier in the day in the Batroun district had been headed to the nearby Hamat airbase, which is used by U.S. forces, suggesting that Hezbollah and Iran were behind it. "They have lost their political a»»»

London: Shipping companies from Greece, the UAE and China are most affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from Bloomberg and marine traffic organisations. Around 670 commodity vessels sent signals from west of the Strait of Hormuz over the last day, with companies from t»»»

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received a phone call from King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, during which they discussed regional developments and their serious implications for regional and international security and stability. »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Health Ministry reports 1,345 martyred and 4,040 wounded since the onset of Israeli aggression 02-04-2026 17:22 PM Latest News Urg»»»

In rugged terrain along the Syrian-Lebanese border, yellow bulldozers raised earthen berms in front of armoured vehicles while soldiers combed through tunnels they said were used by Hezbollah, as Syria reinforces its side of the border. Syria is seeking to stay out of the regional war, whose flames»»»

A private school teacher in Thessaloniki has been sentenced to two years in prison, convertible to a daily fine of €10, after being found guilty of sexually harassing six female students aged 10 and 11. The Single-Member Misdemeanor Court of Thessaloniki convicted the 49-year-old of repeated indece»»»

Paris, France: Citigroup has urged staff in Paris and Frankfurt to work from home, a company spokeswoman said Thursday, as US banks step up security following a thwarted attack against another US financial institution over the weekend. "The safety of our employees is our number one priority, and we»»»

NEW YORK: The State of Qatar has sent a 10th identical letter to Secretary-General of the United Nations HE Antonio Guterres, and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for April, HE Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, regarding the latest »»»

New York: The State of Qatar has sent a 10th identical letter to HE Secretary-General of the United Nations 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 Fares Alrowaiei, regardin»»»

DOHA: Minister of State for Energy Affairs HE Saad Sherida Al Kaabi met with Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero of the United Kingdom HE Ed Miliband. Discussions during the meeting, which was held virtually, dealt with the impact of the ongoing regional conflict on the global energ»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov has announced that authorities have seized more than half a million euros in what he described as funds intended to influence or distort the outcome of the upcoming elections in Bulgaria. In a recorded video message distributed on social media, he said the gov»»»

Dubai: Airfares from the UAE are climbing sharply as airlines grapple with a surge in jet fuel prices, tighter capacity and operational disruptions linked to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. For travellers planning summer holidays or last-minute trips, the message is becoming »»»

April 2 (UPI) -- A shipment of Russian crude delivered to Cuba is expected to sustain the island's electricity system and key economic activities for about 10 days, officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines told the Cuban News Agency. The tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, described as part of Russia's»»»

Sharjah: A 12-year-old boy has died after drowning in Wadi Al Helo in the Kalba area of Sharjah, prompting Sharjah Police to issue an urgent warning against swimming in wadis and rainwater pools. Police said the incident was reported at 7:05pm on Wednesday, when the operations room received a call »»»

Sudan has appointed General Yassir al-Atta, a member of the country's Sovereign Council and assistant to the commander-in-chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chief of staff of the country's Armed Forces, a military spokesman told Reuters on Thursday. The move is the most significant personnel shift since»»»

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday there was no end in sight to a war that had already displaced a million people over the last month, as families fleeing Israeli strikes said they were exhausted by repeated rounds of conflict. Lebanon is entering the second month of conflict betw»»»

Iran has accused the US and Israel of genocide over the “deliberate” targeting of schools and education facilities in strikes on the country. In a post on X on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said more than 600 schools and educational facilities across Iran have been targeted i»»»

Several tour guides in Nepal ran a fake helicopter rescue racket to defraud insurance companies in Australia and the UK, the Kathmandu Post has reported. Investigations by the paper revealed that the guides first staged a medical emergency, called in a helicopter, and checked tourists into a hospit»»»

Poland will not relocate its American-made Patriot air defense missile systems to the Middle East to help the US intercept attacks from Iran, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said. Despite US President Donald Trump claiming that the Pentagon has an “unlimited” stockpile of weap»»»

Polls ahead of the Hungarian elections point to an opposition victory, but players behind the scenes expect Prime Minister Viktor Orban to come out on top. Others say it’s a scenario ripe for a Kiev-style ‘color revolution’. READ MORE: Battle for Hungary: EU attacks on Orban are a sign of worse thi»»»

Three new secretaries have been appointed to President Iliana Iotova since she took office at the end of January, shows information on the President's website. They are Meglena Plugchieva, Kristiela Simeonova, and Milena Dimitrova. Plugchieva has been appointed Secretary for Foreign Policy. She has»»»

The Hague: Dutch authorities on Thursday showed off a recovered priceless gold 2,500-year-old helmet from Romania that was stolen last year during a brazen heist in the Netherlands. Flanked by balaclava-clad police officers, a spokesman for Dutch prosecutors unveiled the 5th-century BC golden Helme»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the passing of HH Princess Aljawhara bint Faisal bin Abdullah Al Abdul»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for intensifying political and diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "Both sides emphasized the need for a rapid cessation of hostilities and the intensification of political»»»

The Senate Thursday sent a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security back to the House of Representatives. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- The Senate sent its bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security back to the House Thursday morning after t»»»

The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan over the victims of floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries. Get updated faster and for FREE: Do»»»

In a step reflecting a strategic shift in regional energy routes, Baghdad has officially begun exporting crude oil via Syria, in an effort to bypass the paralysis that has affected traditional maritime trade corridors. The move, which Damascus described as a return to its role as a “transit compass»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Athletes Commission of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) held its Ordinary General Assembly meeting 2026 on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by Secretary-General of the Commission Mutaz Essa Barshim, in the presence of Assistant Secretary-General of the Athletes Commission Nada Mo»»»

Dubai: Dubai is accelerating its push toward an AI-driven government, with all public services set to be integrated into a single digital ecosystem within one year. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The directive was issued by Sheikh Hamdan bin Moha»»»

The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with Afghanistan over the victims of floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall that affected several regions, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click »»»

London: Reports of the death of the world's oldest living land animal - a nearly 200-year-old tortoise - were greatly exaggerated. Jonathan, believed to be 193, is still kicking - albeit slowly - on the island of St. Helena. "It was a hoax," Anne Dillon, head of communications on the island, told T»»»

The price of oil surged while stock markets fell back after U.S. President Donald Trump's address Wednesday night stoked fears the Iran war could be about to get a lot worse. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 2 (UPI) -- The price of oil surged while stocks retreated on Thursday afte»»»

Doha, Qatar: After careful consideration, in light of the evolving situation in the region, Qatar Museums and Design Doha have made the decision to postpone the opening of the Design Doha Biennial 2026 to Nov. 5-7, 2026, with exhibitions remaining on view until Dec. 31, 2026. Qatar Museums remains »»»

Bulgaria has formally requested assistance from the European Union to counter potential foreign interference and disinformation campaigns ahead of its upcoming parliamentary elections, according to reporting by POLITICO and correspondence seen by the publication. In the request, Bulgarian authoriti»»»

At this point, more than half a million euros have been seized in police operations related to the upcoming elections, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said in a video published on his Facebook page on Thursday. According to him, this is the budget of a small municipality. “Against this sum, t»»»

Doha, Qatar: President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) HE Felix Tshisekedi left Doha on Thursday, following a working visit to the country. His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were seen off upon departure from Doha International Airport by HE Minister of State for Foreign A»»»

BELGRADE - The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade on Thursday dismissed as untrue reports by some media outlets about a fresh "raid" of the Faculty of Philosophy building in Belgrade by Criminal Police Directorate personnel. In a statement on its website, the prosecutor's office said tha»»»

The Rossiya Segodnya media group has launched a new SputnikPro internship for nine specialists from leading media in South Asia at its headquarters in Moscow. The project is part of the InteRussia programme of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund.The event was opened by Director for Intern»»»

Dubai: At a time when the US–Israel–Iran conflict is reshaping geopolitical and economic realities, businesses across the region are being tested on their ability to adapt and endure. Against this backdrop, Danube Group’s Founder and Chairman Rizwan Sajan is setting a strong example of leadership b»»»

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday warned that Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem would pay an "extraordinarily heavy price" for escalating attacks during the ongoing Jewish holidays. "I have a clear message for Naim Qassem... you and your associates will pay an extraordinarily heavy »»»

Dubai: Singapore Airlines has extended the cancellation of its Dubai flights until May 31, citing the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. In an advisory, the airline confirmed that these two services will remain suspended during this period - SQ494 departing Singapore for Dubai and S»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Minister of State for Energy Affairs, HE Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, met today, April 2, 2026, with the Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero of the United Kingdom. Discussions during the meeting, which was held virtually, dealt with the impact of»»»

Dubai: The UAE government's decision to extend distance learning until April 17 amid regional tensions has been met with relief and gratitude by parents, who say their children's safety outweighs any disruption to routine. For Praseetha Rajesh, a mother of two whose elder daughter Anushka is a univ»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe IRGC announces targeting US-linked steel facilities in Abu Dhabi, parts of aluminum operations in Bahrain, as well as military industries t»»»

When three villagers from China’s Sichuan Province wrote to local officials in 2022 questioning why the government was confiscating their land and evicting them from their homes, they received a brief response: "It is a state secret." An investigation by CNN revealed that this secret centers on Chi»»»

COSMO PHARM, one of Romania’s most prominent producers of dietary supplements, has continued to expand its network of retail partners, achieving a 25% increase in 2025 compared to 2024. This growth has directly enhanced the visibility of the company’s products, which are now available in over 1,000»»»