Oil futures showed mixed movements Thursday morning (April 2, 2026) amid ongoing volatility tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict. As of the latest snapshot: WTI Crude rose to $103.69, up +$3.57 (+3.57%). Brent Crude climbed to $105.53, up +$4.37 (+4.32%). Murban Crude (UAE benchmark) fell to $103.63, dow»»»

US President Donald Trump has urged countries that buy oil from the Middle East to unblock the Strait of Hormuz by force unless Iran reopens the vital shipping route to all vessels. He made the appeal in his first address to the nation on Wednesday, after weeks of chastising NATO members for refusi»»»

Dubai/Sharjah: As Dubai's Indian schools prepare to begin Academic Year 2026–27 online, several institutions are going the extra mile, quite literally, by delivering textbooks and other school supplies straight to students' doorsteps Dubai's Indian schools are scheduled to reopen online on April 6,»»»

UAE authorities (Ministry of Defence) confirmed the situation is safe following successful interceptions of Iranian missile and drone threats, allowing residents to resume normal activities while remaining cautious. Residents received official alerts via mobile phones acknowledging successful neutr»»»

By this time, we are all familiar with the image of some harried schoolteacher attempting to maintain control over a classroom where the majority of students are transfixed by their smartphones instead of the dusty chalkboard. The dangers of social media for the minds of young and old alike has alr»»»

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. »»»

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»»»

The husband of former US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem allegedly led a double life as a cross dressing fetishist who spent thousands of dollars on online models and shared photos of himself in exaggerated feminine attire, according to a Daily Mail investigation. Kristi»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday hailed his country's "historic" ties with Japan following talks in Tokyo with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, part of a three-day visit that will include a meeting with the emperor of Japan. Touching on the war in the Middle East, the two leade»»»

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»»»

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new law Wednesday making voters prove their citizenship. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo April 1 (UPI) -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Wednesday a state bill similar to the federal Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. The law will take ef»»»

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»»»

British Defense Secretary John Healey revealed Wednesday that UK pilots and aircrew have flown over 1,200 hours on defensive missions across the Middle East since the conflict with Iran erupted, saying they have now had over 80 engagements together with RAF Regiment Gunners. In an interview with As»»»

Share: Rescue workers inspect the scene of Israeli airstrikes, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) The Lebanese health ministry said Wednesday that Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and a nearby town killed at least seven people, as Israel’s military sa»»»

The U.S. and Iran are discussing a potential deal that would involve a ceasefire in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, three U.S. officials told U.S. news portal Axios on Wednesday. The officials did not say whether those discussions had taken place directly or only through mediators»»»

The mineral water in Constantzia Balneohotel in Kostenets Village resort has therapeutic effects for conditions affecting the musculoskeletal, central, and peripheral nervous systems, hotel manager Antoaneta Puncheva told BTA. The location of the resort combines nature with access to mineral water,»»»

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 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»»»

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 »»»

1 of 6 | President Donald Trump departs the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices hear oral arguments in his administration's attempt to limit birthright citizenship in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 1 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump took the unusual ste»»»

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flies by the pink moon at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 12, 2025. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo April 1 (UPI) -- April's full pink moon, the first full moon of spring, will be visible Wednesday night. Peak viewing will be around 10:11 p.m. Wedn»»»

A message from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, to Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem, thanking him for condolences over the death of his father, “leader of the Islamic Revolution,” came at a pivotal moment of regional escalation, giving it clear political weight and signaling messages»»»

Wine procedures are among the most popular spa procedures in the Estreya Residence and Estreya Palace hotels in the resort town of Sts. Constantine and Helena. The Estreya hotels specialize in offering spa and wellness treatments, therapies and programmes. In addition to treatments at the rehabilit»»»

The assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Youssef Hashem at dawn on Wednesday has laid bare signs of security breaches the group had previously said it had resolved before the latest war. It has also exposed a mix of advanced techniques and what sources describe as Israeli data originating fr»»»

Berlin: Experts said Wednesday they were halting rescue efforts for a humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off the German coast and had given up hope for its survival. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) animal has been floundering off Germany's Baltic Sea coast for more than a week, having first been »»»

Dubai: Signs are growing that Donald Trump may be preparing to wind down the war with Iran — even as the fate of the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved — raising the risk that a quick exit could translate into a strategic setback. According to CNN, US officials have indicated Washington may not ta»»»

The bodies of 19 migrants were recovered from a boat off the coast of Lampedusa on Wednesday by the Italian coastguard, the island's mayor told AFP. Mayor Filippo Mannino said seven other migrants, including two children, were being treated for "hypothermia and intoxication from hydrocarbon fumes".»»»

Bilivan consumers have felt the impact of contaminated gasoline. More than 10,000 vehicle owners, including long-distance transport operators and private drivers, have reported severe engine damage. File Photo by Luis Gandarilas/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- Bolivia's government, led by President Rodrigo Pa»»»

The surge in volumes was driven by the war; however, as risks escalate in the Gulf region, a sustained opportunity could emerge—provided Pakistan is prepared for it, Ali Khizar, Director of Research at Business Recorder, told Sputnik. Pakistan's ports are handling 10 to 15 times their normal transs»»»

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the investigation into the oil spill is ongoing. Authorities reported retrieving more than 800 tons of waste across more than 373 miles of coastline. Photo by Mario Guzman/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- Fishing communities in the Gulf of Mexico are facing heavy econom»»»

Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pose at Windsor Castle during the Trumps' state visit to England in September. Charles and Camilla will come to the United States for a state visit in late April, and Charles has been invited to address a joint mee»»»

Spa Hotel Ata in Varshets offers treatments with salt and the resort's healing mineral water, which ranks among the top 20 best mineral waters in the world, hotel manager Nikolay Konovski told BTA. In recent months, the hotel has invested in the construction of an outdoor salt thermal pool, where g»»»

Experts said Wednesday they were halting rescue efforts for a humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off the German coast and had given up hope for its survival. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) animal has been floundering off Germany's Baltic Sea coast for more than a week, having first been spotted »»»

Sunny Garden SPA Hotel in Varshets is offering year-round spa services, and guests can enjoy the healing effects of the mineral water, the hotel management told BTA. The hotel has a capacity of 35 rooms with a total of 90 beds. Most of the guests are Bulgarians, but the hotel is highly regarded by »»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a news conference on the situation in the Middle East, at Downing Street in London, England, Wednesday. Pool Photo by Betty Laura Zapata/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- Britain will host a virtual summit Thursday to find ways to open the Strait of Hormuz after»»»

Leading economic institutes more than halved their growth forecast 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 GDP growth forecast for 2026 to 0.6 percent, down from a Se»»»

The GERB–UDF coalition has provided the strongest and most consistent support for the education system and will continue to do so, the coalition's top-of-the-list candidate in Stara Zagora, Krasimir Valchev, has told teachers at a meeting in the city, according to the GERB press centre. The discuss»»»

An Israeli strike in the Jnah area of Beirut early on Wednesday killed Hezbollah's top commander for Iraq military affairs, Youssef Hashem, a Lebanese security source and a Hezbollah source both told AFP. The security source said "a senior Hezbollah official, who is the military chief for the Iraq »»»

Whenever war rocks northern Israel, residents of Kiryat Shmona live their lives to the rhythm of rocket sirens. Young people have left the city, and those who remain feel neglected by the government. Some mere three kilometers from Lebanon, this northern settlement is living through its second war »»»

President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that Iran has asked for a cease-fire. He said he told them only if the Strait of Hormuz is open. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 1 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Wednesday that Iran asked for a cease-fire, but he »»»

The bodies of 19 migrants were recovered from a boat off the coast of Lampedusa on Wednesday by the Italian coastguard, the island's mayor told AFP. Mayor Filippo Mannino said seven other migrants, including two children, were being treated for "hypothermia and intoxication from hydrocarbon fumes".»»»

The United States will be "out of Iran pretty quickly" and could return for "spot hits" if needed, President Donald Trump told Reuters on Wednesday, hours before he was scheduled to make a primetime address to the nation. Trump also said he would express his disgust with NATO for what he considers »»»

Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Wednesday. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters d»»»

Dubai: Beauty pageants have long been more than just a display of physical beauty. In Southeast Asia, they are a cultural phenomenon that carries deep significance for communities both at home and abroad. For many Filipinos, Thais, and Vietnamese among others, pageants are closely tied to national »»»

March 31 (UPI) -- A North Carolina horse showed off his skills by performing 38 tricks in under three minutes, earning a Guinness World Record in the process. Gringo, a 19-year-old white mustang trained by his owner, Lauryn Zepeda, performed tricks including dancing, kicking a ball, waving a flag, »»»

NASA is set to launch four astronauts as soon as Wednesday evening on a 10-day flight around the moon, marking the most ambitious US space mission in decades and a major step toward returning humans to the lunar surface before China's first crewed landing. NASA mission managers on Monday polled "go»»»

MADRID - EXPO 2027 Belgrade is our biggest growth opportunity and we will present Serbia in the right way at the event, Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali has told the Spanish El Mundo daily in an interview. Speaking about Serbia's EU accession, Mali said a decision on the mat»»»