Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority has issued Law No. (2) of 2026 amending certain provisions of Law No. (25) of 2026 on excise tax, introducing new measures targeting sugary drinks and revising how taxes on sweetened beverages are calculated. The authority stated that the changes aim to curb t»»»

Dubai: A ceasefire in the region is prompting cautious optimism among UAE business leaders, who say the development could help stabilise markets, restore investor confidence and ease pressure on trade flows after a period of uncertainty. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app n»»»

Skopje, 7 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the second session of the Strategic Dialogue between North Macedonia and the U.S., held Tuesday in Washington, will be a productive day and is expected to end with a joint statement. He expects an investment in a major antimony pro»»»

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, condemned the continued Iranian attacks against the Arab Gulf states using ballistic missiles and drones, despite the agreement reached on a ceasefire between America and Iran. He added that Iran’s continuation of these attacks after the»»»

Boris Azarenko is an entrepreneur whose professional background lies in banking and finance and who later founded major property development businesses. Boris Azarenko biography: educational path and early career Born in Moscow on 21 April 1977, Boris Nikolayevich Azarenko studied Finance at the Fi»»»

The US and EU are engaged in a political “proxy war” in Hungary, with Washington and Brussels backing rival sides ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections, according to former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl. Kneissl made the remarks in an interview with RT as US Vice President J.D. V»»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain HE Jose Manuel Albares. The discussion covered the latest regional developments»»»

Bulgaria's caretaker government has decided to endorse the Partnership Agreement between the EU and four Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), the government information service said. Relations between the EU and Mercosur countries have so far been governed by the 1995 Inter»»»

Ahmed Dogan, honorary Chair of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, visited Mineralni Bani and Asenovgrad, where he held meetings with party members and supporters, the Alliance’s press office announced on Wednesday. During his visits, he discussed with local party organizations the current politi»»»

BAFTA racial slur was breach of BBC editorial standards: internal probe London: The BBC breached its own editorial standards by broadcasting a racial slur during the BAFTA awards ceremony, an internal probe found Wednesday. The finding follows a "fast-tracked" investigation ordered by former Direct»»»

Dubai: Just weeks after its much-hyped debut, Primark is opening its second store in Dubai on April 9, this time at City Centre Mirdif, Gulf News can reveal. The new Primark store is located on the Ground Floor (P1 – Entrance C) at City Centre Mirdif and will open at 10 am on Tuesday, according to »»»

Suffering a historical defeat, described by the Zionist circles as worse than October 7, the Israeli enemy launched on Wednesday revengeful and genocidal attacks across Lebanon. Massacres are everywhere, and hospitals are filled with casualties as a result of dozens of Israeli air raids on the Leba»»»

The health ministry said in a preliminary toll that the series of Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds. "In a very serious escalation, Israeli warplanes launched a wave of simultaneous airstrikes on several Lebanese areas, resulting in, in an init»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Martyrs and injuries as a result of the widespread Zionist aggression on Beirut, Dahieh, the South, Bekaa, and Mount Lebanon: Al-Manar repo»»»

Proceedings in the trial over the 2023 Tempe rail disaster resume April 27, when statements supporting the prosecution are expected to conclude, with the Greek state expected to formally join the prosecution. On Monday, most of more than 230 parties listed in the indictment appeared, while some opt»»»

Siyanie (Radiance) coalition leader Nikolay Popov said on Wednesday that he will face a slander accusations without invoking parliamentary immunity as a candidate in the April 19 parliamentary elections. Popov was speaking during a protest in his support in front of the Pleven District Court. Popov»»»

Brentas SPA Resort in Tsigov Chark offers facilities for tourism and relaxation, combining modern comfort with the natural environment of the Rhodope Mountains. Spa centre with a variety of services is available to guests, Maya Uteva from the hotel’s marketing department told BTA. Services include »»»

Paris, France: The Diamond League athletics meeting in Doha has been postponed for six weeks and will now take place on June 19 due to the war in the Middle East, organisers announced Wednesday. The United States and Iran agreed on Tuesday a two-week ceasefire to the war that has killed thousands a»»»

Damascus, April 8 (SANA) Syria is stepping up efforts to promote rainwater harvesting as part of broader measures to improve water management and strengthen agricultural resilience amid growing climate pressures. At a two-day workshop organized by the General Commission for Agricultural Scientific »»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday called on his country's friends to help put an end to Israeli attacks following a series of deadly strikes across the country. In a statement, Salam said that while Beirut "welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our efforts »»»

A Hezbollah official said the militant group backed by Iran is giving a chance for mediators to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon. In the meantime, the official said, "We have not announced our adherence to the ceasefire since the Israelis are not adhering to it." He spoke on condition of anonymity bec»»»

Bangkok: Nearly 70 young Thai men sat on flimsy plastic chairs, faces tense as they waited to draw their fate from a jar -- an annual ritual deciding whether they will serve in the military. The conscription lottery, held across Thailand each April, has taken on added weight this year following sev»»»

Rex Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, Long Island, is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to the killing of seven women. File Photo courtesy of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office April 8 (UPI) -- A man who allegedly killed seven women and discarded their bodies in the Gilgo Beach area of Long Island i»»»

Abu Dhabi: The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast scattered rainfall across the UAE from early tomorrow until Monday, as unsettled weather is expected in several areas. In its latest update, the NCM said rain is likely to fall at intervals from tomorrow morning, affecting various par»»»

The US, UK, and other Western powers with colonial pasts have repeatedly refused to consider reparations for the slave trade and other colonial crimes—yet have set precedents that could allow such claims to be enforced. The West "has been guided by a sense of moral superiority and legal exceptional»»»

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday called on his country's friends to help put an end to Israeli attacks following a series of deadly strikes across the country. In a statement, Salam said that while Beirut "welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our»»»

The Israeli military chief of staff said on Wednesday that Israel will continue to "utilize every operational opportunity" to strike Hezbollah after the military said it struck more than 100 targets within 10 minutes across Lebanon, the largest wave of strikes since March 1. Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir said»»»

Bulgaria is intensifying preparations for the early parliamentary elections on April 19, with authorities emphasizing fairness, technical readiness, and the prevention of electoral violations both domestically and abroad. “It is extremely important to see whether we have fulfilled our promise to co»»»

Dubai: NASA’s Artemis II crew made history by flying farther from Earth than any humans since Apollo 13, and along the way, they gave the internet something unexpected to snack on: a jar of Nutella floating in zero gravity. Probably the only jar in the entire universe to be a part of a mission like»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force 'Lekhwiya', HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, received several messages and cables from Their Highnesses and Excellencies, Ministers of Interior and security officials from brotherly and friendly countrie»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) announced the addition of more than 800 new firms to its business platform from January to March 2026, thus recording an annual growth of 57% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025. The QFC said in a statement Wednesday th»»»

The Employer’s Association of Labor Importers (PIFM), a member of the National Council of SMEs in Romania, is raising a critical alarm regarding the latest version of the Draft Emergency Ordinance (OUG) concerning the registration and obligations of foreign employers, released today for public cons»»»

The caretaker Government approved EUR 1,190,761 for compensation to families whose children were not admitted to state or municipal kindergartens due to lack of available places, the press service of the Council of Ministers reported on Wednesday. The funds will cover 2,029 children in four municip»»»

The caretaker government revoked the Council of Ministers’ January 21, 2026 decision approving three Bulgarian candidates for European prosecutor, the government press service said here Wednesday. The move withdrew the nominations of Dimitar Belichev, Mihaela Raidovska and Plamen Petkov and ordered»»»

After the close of polls on April 19, section election commissions (SECs) will be checked to ensure that the live online video broadcast of ballot counting and tally sheet completion has been activated, caretaker Minister of e-Government George Sharkov said during a meeting with President Iliana Io»»»

Washington, United States: A Republican candidate backed by US President Donald Trump has won a runoff House election in Georgia to replace influential right-wing lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, according to media projections on Wednesday. Clay Fuller defeated Democrat Shawn Harris for the US Hous»»»

TradeIranIs Iran cashing in millions from Strait of Hormuz blockade?Nik MartinAn Iranian lawmaker claims Tehran is quietly charging tankers up to $2 million for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The move threatens to turn the key waterway into a high-stakes toll booth. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»

Sharjah: Construction has officially begun on a groundbreaking residential project in Sharjah designed around daily well-being rather than weekend escapes. Sanzen Developments’ Sukoon project will feature 859 villas and town houses across four thoughtfully designed phases, offering a lifestyle buil»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met with the UK's special Western Balkans envoy Karen Pierce in Belgrade on Wednesday to discuss current political and economic topics, as well as further strengthening of Serbia-UK bilateral relations. "Macut underlined that Serbia attaches great importance to coo»»»

Spain summoned Israel's top representative to Madrid on Wednesday after the Israeli military briefly arrested a Spanish soldier from the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, foreign ministry sources said. Israel's charge d'affaires was summoned "to protest the unjustifiable detention of a Spanish UNIF»»»

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. Rosen Zhe»»»

After the close of polls on April 19, section election commissions (SECs) will be checked to ensure that the live online video broadcast of ballot counting and tally sheet completion has been activated, caretaker Minister of e-Government George Sharkov said during a meeting with President Iliana Io»»»

The government Wednesday approved EUR 5.77 million in funding to secure the operation of the Traffic Safety Fund, the government press office reported. The Fund is overseen by the Interior Ministry. It collects receipts from fines for violations related to equipment, as well as donations and other »»»

April 7 (UPI) -- A woman who jumped into the water to rescue her dog in Florida ended up needing to be rescued alongside the canine. Body camera footage released by the Hallandale Beach Police Department shows police and Broward Fire Rescue personnel lowering a ladder from the Intracoastal Waterway»»»

Caribbean Airlines confirmed a passenger on a flight from Jamaica to New York gave birth just as the flight was landing at John F. Kennedy Airport. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 7 (UPI) -- Caribbean Airlines confirmed a passenger on a flight from Jamaica to New York gave bi»»»

A woman who has been playing the Michigan Lottery's Lotto 47 twice a week for decades had her persistence pay off with a $1.1 million Lotto 47 jackpot. Photo courtesy of the Michigan Lottery April 6 (UPI) -- A woman who has been playing the Michigan Lottery's Lotto 47 twice a week for decades had h»»»

South Korea Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol (L) listens to an explanation about robots during a visit to an innovative AI company in Seoul, South Korea, 27 February 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA April 7 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's internet security agency has launched a project to dev»»»

Amy Dyson earned the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Tomb Raider games. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records April 7 (UPI) -- A British woman showed her love of her favorite video game series by earning the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Tomb Raider game»»»

New York: The UAE has expressed its deep disappointment at the UN Security Council’s failure to take decisive action to address the global repercussions caused by Iran’s illegal closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and failure to adopt a resolution put forward by Bahrain on behalf of the UAE, Kuwait, Q»»»