The Hafter-controlled National Development Agency (NDA) announced yesterday the start of construction work on the “Palm City” (New Sabha) project, which it said is one of the most prominent residential projects overseen by the NDA, in a move that it says reflects a genuine transformation in urban d»»»

Eman does not remember the last time she manually booked a flight. Her personal AI assistant, linked to her credit cards and loyalty programmes, quietly scans fares, checks her calendar, considers her seat and airline preferences, and then books the optimal option while she sleeps. By the time she »»»

Whenever conflict erupts somewhere in the world, energy markets react with remarkable speed. Oil prices move within hours. Shipping routes suddenly dominate strategic discussions. Governments quietly review reserves, supply chains and vulnerabilities. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the G»»»

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel remains prepared to confront Iran if necessary, despite a truce reached between the United States and Iran. "Let me be clear: We still have objectives to complete, and we will achieve them -- either through agreement or through r»»»

Markets have accelerated beyond recognition. Themes that dominate for years now peak in quarters: AI infrastructure powered 2024 returns, defense surged through 2025 geopolitical shifts, deep tech looms next. Investors face compressed cycles where narratives flip rapidly, liquidity ebbs sharply, an»»»

A Russian hacking group called Fancy Bear used poorly-protected Wi-Fi routers to hack into governments, the FBI said. File Photo by Sascha Steinbach/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- A Russian hacking group financed by the spy agency GRU managed a large-scale campaign to steal information about militaries and g»»»

Audit quality is the lifeblood of financial integrity, yet few in the profession openly discuss its most uncomfortable realities. In boardrooms and audit committee meetings, the narrative often centers on improvements, innovations, and assurances but beneath this polished surface lies a set of trut»»»

To overcome the statehood crisis, parliamentary politics must follow the commitments made during election campaigns, Pavel Popov, top-of-the-list candidate of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) for Varna’s 3rd multi-member constituency, said during a meeting with citizens and support»»»

Share: Rescuers work at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir By Nazih Osseiran, Alexander Dziadosz and Alexander Cornwell Summary Israel launches heaviest Lebanon strikes despite Iran ceasefire Hezbollah halts attacks as Israel presses campaign Leb»»»

1 of 3 | Attorney General Pam Bondi attends a dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 19. Now that she's no longer attorney general, Bondi won't give a deposition to the House Oversight Committee, the Justice Department said. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI)»»»

Israeli strikes hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut without warning on Wednesday afternoon, hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war with Iran. Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 89 people were killed and 700 were wounded. US President Donald»»»

The U.S., Israel and Iran agree that a ceasefire is now in effect, but they're contradicting each other and themselves in terms of what's actually been agreed and what happens now, U.S. news portal Axios reported on Wednesday. Those differences will have to be reconciled at the negotiating table, b»»»

Doha: Global markets reacted quickly to the announced two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with oil prices falling, gold and stock prices rising, and the dollar weakening in Asian trading, raising hopes for a recovery in energy supplies, particularly those related to the Strait of»»»

France is to ramp up explosive drone stocks by up to 400 percent by 2030, draft legislation showed Wednesday, as the country seeks to accelerate rearmament to face an aggressive Russia. The military spending bill was presented after France's top commanders said the country must be ready in the next»»»

Damascus, April 8 (SANA) Director General of the Syrian Development Fund, Safwat Raslan, discussed with representatives of Istanbul Development Agency (IDA) means of enhancing joint cooperation, supporting development projects and expanding economic partnerships. During a meeting held in Istanbul, »»»

Beirut, April 8 (SANA) Lebanon has officially announced the reopening of the Masnaa border crossing with Syria, effective from 6:00 PM this evening, Wednesday. The crossing had been closed since last Saturday following Israeli military threats to target the vital link. The Lebanese Prime Minister’s»»»

Share: A high rise building in Tyre was bombed by Israel Wednesday , April 8, 2026 BBC Verify has been examining videos of reported strikes in southern Lebanon this morning, after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is continuing to target Hezbollah despite ceasing attacks on Iran. One verified»»»

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a formal warning over serious labor and human rights violations in Cuba's overseas medical brigades, saying some cases may amount to forced labor or "contemporary forms of slavery." File Photo by Jose Valle/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- The Inter-American»»»

Since the start of the campaign for the early parliamentary elections on April 19, a total of 225 people have been detained in Bulgaria on suspicion of election-related crimes, compared to 42 during the 2024 parliamentary elections, acting Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kandev said here o»»»

Dubai: A fragile ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran has brought a sense of relief to the UAE’s travel and hospitality sector. Now, industry leaders are pointing to cautious optimism, steady operations and a steadfast focus on recovery. While businesses say confidence is slowly returning, mos»»»

Cairo — Moody’s Ratings has affirmed Egypt’s sovereign credit rating at Caa1 for both foreign and local currency, maintaining a Positive Outlook, reflecting cautious confidence in the country’s ongoing economic reform program. The agency cited continued primary fiscal surpluses since FY2023/24 and »»»

Lebanon's government said Wednesday Israeli strikes killed dozens and wounded hundreds across the country, with the capital Beirut hit by the most violent bombardment since the start of the war with militant group Hezbollah. AFPTV's live broadcast showed plumes of smoke rising over Beirut and the s»»»

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, seen here in 2025, is set to visit Washington to soothe tensions with the cornerstone of the defensive pact after amid threats by Trump to pull out. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was set to kick»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

New Delhi: Bangladesh's foreign minister met his Indian counterpart in New Delhi on Wednesday, the most senior visit by a Dhaka envoy since the 2024 revolution toppled India's old ally Sheikh Hasina. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is taking part in a "goodwill visit", Bangladesh's state news agen»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, chaired Wednesday the regular Cabinet meeting. Following the meeting, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HE Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi stated the followi»»»

Germany’s military spending shot up by over 23% to €39 billion ($45 billion) last year, pushing the budget deficit to the highest level in four years, the Federal Statistical Office has reported. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Berlin began a military buildup, with defense»»»

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»»»

Varna could become an industrial centre, GERB-UDF's top-of-the-list candidate Vladislav Goranov said during a public meeting, quoted by the coalition’s press office on Wednesday. He argued that the city has significant potential thanks to its six universities and the infrastructure already develope»»»

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, calling the agreement a "very good thing," but said he wishes it will include Lebanon. "We expect, in the coming days and weeks, that it will be fully respected throughout the region and will allow negotiations»»»

The market share of fully electric cars in total registrations in Romania reached 6.5% in March this year, up from 2.8% in the same period of 2025, according to an analysis by the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Importers (APIA) cited by Agerpres. Electrified cars, including fully elect»»»

Voting machines will be available in 130 polling stations across 20 countries, Central Election Commission (CEC) Chair Kameliya Neykova said during a meeting between President Iliana Iotova and the institutions responsible for organizing the early parliamentary elections. Neykova explained that the»»»

Bangkok: 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 has gained global attention thanks to social media videos showing her adorable antics, drawing tens of thousands»»»

Change fatigue is becoming a significant challenge for employees at the global level, with one in three reporting that they have gone through more than 15 major changes in the past year alone, driven either by evolving customer expectations or shifts in business strategy and operating models, accor»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia hopes that US negotiators will have more opportunities to participate in trilateral negotiations on Ukraine in the foreseeable future, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "We hope that in the foreseeable future they [the US negotiators] will have more time a»»»

Ahead of the annual slaughter of thousands of lambs for traditional Easter Sunday meals, authorities are stepping up policing of measures to contain a highly contagious livestock disease that’s decimated herds in much of the country, officials said Wednesday. The Rural Development Ministry said spe»»»

The Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) calls for immediate talks and the signing of an annex to the National Framework Agreement between the BMA and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) that would urgently increase the reimbursement rates for all medical services by at least 25%. At a news co»»»

OVERVIEW No single topic dominates all media on Wednesday. POLITICS An op-ed by economist Boyan Durankev published by Trud lists the strategies implemented by the various political forces that have nominated candidates for the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19. The text reads: "Th»»»

This photo, taken Wednesday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in central Seoul as South Korean stocks jumped nearly 7 percent after the United States and Iran agreed on a two-week ceasefire. Photo by Yonhap South Korean stocks spiked nearly 7 percent after the United States and Iran agreed on a »»»