Share: From Reagan’s resolve to today’s drift—how a war meant to tame Tehran left it controlling Hormuz and dictating Gulf security- The Arab Gulf has rarely looked this vulnerable. By : Ya Libnan Editorial Board What was presented as a war to weaken Iran has done the opposite. Instead of isolating»»»

President Donald Trump showed off a rendition of the East Wing with the new White House Ballroom in October to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a White House meeting. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 9 (UPI) -- The Trump administration on Thursday made the case that th»»»

Dubai: While millions of Keralites headed to polling booths across the state on Thursday, one Indian expat in the UAE did something that raised eyebrows and then smiles. Dubai resident Babu MC cast not one, but two votes in the Kerala Assembly Election 2026. And every bit of it was legal. Babu, who»»»

Share: Israel launched a blitz of air strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting over 100 targets in 10 minutes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his government to begin direct talks with Lebanon, he said in a statement on Thursday. Netanyahu said the talks would focus on the disa»»»

Dubai: Rain showers and unusually cool temperatures across the UAE this week may feel surprising for April, but meteorologists say such conditions are a natural part of the country’s spring transition between winter and summer. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said the country is experienci»»»

Although people in Generation Z -- those born between 1997 and 2012 -- continue to use artificial intelligence tools at a steady clip, there is growing skepticism among people in their teens and 20s about the benefits and harms of the technology. File Photo by Wu Hao/EPA-EFE April 9 (UPI) -- Use of»»»

The Trump administration has cautioned Tehran against imposing fees on commercial vessels transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz, amid reports Iran has sought to charge tolls as part of cease-fire arrangements. The White House warned that if reports of charges are accurate, Tehran “better stop n»»»

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti National Guard announced early on Friday that one of its sites was targeted by hostile drones, resulting in significant material damage without any human casualties recorded. Brigadier General Dr Jadaan Fadel, Director of the Moral Guidance Directorate and spokesperson for the N»»»

As regional economies reel from a complex and uncertain geopolitical landscape, with shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz adding pressure, the latest World Bank report points to standout resilience in Saudi Arabia’s economy. The data show the kingdom on a fiscal consolidation path to s»»»

London: Four-time world champion Max Verstappen's future in Formula One was again cast in doubt on Thursday after it was confirmed that his long-time race engineer will leave Red Bull for McLaren. After details of Gianpiero Lambiase's switch emerged earlier on Thursday, Red Bull and McLaren both co»»»

Israel and Lebanon will hold talks next week in Washington after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered direct talks, a source familiar with the situation told AFP Thursday. The talks are expected to take place at the U.S. State Department, the source said on condition of anonymity, afte»»»

Poland’s central bank will report a PLN 35.7 billion loss for 2025, Governor Adam Glapiński confirmed, ruling out any transfer to the state budget. The deficit—larger than expected—stems from a stronger złoty and high interest costs tied to liquidity operations. The last payout to the government wa»»»

US First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday made a surprise statement denying unspecified allegations about her and Jeffrey Epstein, a scandal that her husband President Donald Trump has long downplayed. The 55-year-old former model's on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the blue, with no e»»»

Paris, France: From bistro counters to luxury hotels, the humble Parisian ham sandwich or "jambon beurre" has undergone a dramatic luxury makeover. Once the no-frills lunch of hurried, cash-strapped workers, the humble ham and butter baguette has in recent years become a gourmet classic. When he wa»»»

“Mexico must guarantee its sovereignty. And a fundamental part of sovereignty is energy sovereignty,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has reiterated. Photo by Isaac Esquivel/EPA April 9 (UPI) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum signaled a major shift in the country's energy policy aimed at r»»»

Commenting on yesterday’s three announcements of new oil and gas discoveries by Sonatrach, Repsol and Eni, the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Masoud Suleiman, affirmed that the new discoveries made in the Murzuq and Ghadames basins, as well as the offshore area, reflect the signifi»»»

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Italy’s Eni North Africa announced yesterday the successful drilling of a new gas discovery in offshore Block D (Contract D). The NOC and Eni North Africa, the operator of Contract 4/16, have successfully completed drilling the exploration well (J1-4/16), resu»»»

The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has convened the Industrial Resilience and Supply Chain Continuity Forum in Abu Dhabi, bringing together ministers, senior officials, industry leaders, and financial institutions to accelerate coordinated responses to mounting global trade an»»»

Dubai-based Al Habtoor Group has announced plans to develop a new commercial tower within Al Habtoor City in Dubai, with an investment exceeding Dh5 billion. The project forms part of the group’s broader expansion strategy in the UAE, as it continues to strengthen its footprint in key sectors acros»»»

By a final ruling issued on Thursday, Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) left without consideration two motions entered by the Governing Council of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) in a case concerning Bulgaria's caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov. A duplicate copy of the ruling will»»»

The social system in Bulgaria has been left to drift instead of addressing people's problems, said Ivaylo Papov, top-of-the-list candidate of Vazrazhdane in the 6th multi-member constituency in Vratsa, the party's press office said on Thursday. According to Papov, the system tends to sustain proble»»»

People flee from areas the Israeli army has warned could come under attack in Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday. Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 9 (UPI) -- Lebanese officials engaged Thursday in intensive diplomatic contacts to confirm the country's inclusion in the Pakistan-mediated U.»»»

Traffic has been building up on major routes out of Athens, as thousands of holidaymakers leave the capital for the Greek Easter. By Thursday afternoon, vehicles were moving at slow speeds on key motorways amid increasing congestion. Along Kifissos Avenue, traffic heading north towards Lamia had co»»»

As Israeli forces press deeper into Syrian territory along the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights, a Syrian official source told Asharq Al-Awsat that increased patrols by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) stem from the 1974 disengagement agreement, not new understand»»»

1 of 3 | Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber arrives at the COP28 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on November 30, 2023. As CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, he said the Strait of Hormuz is not unconditionally open. File Photo by Ali Haider/EPA-EFE April 9 (UPI) -- The Strait of Hormuz is not »»»

A 300-million-year-old tentacled sea creature has lost its crown as the world’s oldest octopus, after scientists found evidence that it’s not an octopus at all. Newly published research concludes that fossilized remains listed by Guinness World Records as the earliest known octopus belong instead t»»»

On 28 February 2026, the first day of the US-Israeli war, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, along with several senior military figures and members of his family. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was wounded in the same strike that also killed Mojtaba’s mother, Mansoureh Khojast»»»

Not so long ago, US President Donald Trump openly endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. From a diplomatic standpoint, urging citizens of another country to vote for a specific candidate is contentious, to say the least.»»»

Israeli forces shot and killed a young female student on Thursday while she was attending a class held in a tent in the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, health and education officials said. The education ministry said third-grade student Ritaj Rihan was hit by a bullet in front of he»»»

At a campaign rally in Sopron, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a speech centered on national sovereignty, economic security, and the stakes of the upcoming election, presenting the vote as a decisive choice about Hungary’s future. Opening his remarks, Prime Minister Orbán stressed that the ca»»»

Public officials are attempting to exert improper influence over the electoral process, Bulgaria’s caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said at a briefing in Ruse. He cited specific cases involving a mayor in northwestern Bulgaria and a deputy mayor in a border town. “In one case in northwestern»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s real estate sector recorded a strong start to 2026, with total transactions reaching Dh252 billion in the first quarter, marking a 31 per cent year-on-year increase in value and a 6 per cent rise in volume. Data released by the Dubai Land Department showed that 60,303 real estate tra»»»

Dr. Boyko Takov: Analytical and empirical results from ongoing projects constitute a solid information base A significant number of projects are implemented in Bulgaria every year, financed through European programs, the national budget, and various other international sources. They are developed a»»»

The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) has announced the launch of a new competency-based regulatory framework under the Qudorat Program for the registration of occupational safety and health (OSH) practitioners and service providers, in a step towards enhancing professional competency standard»»»

While a Northern Fleet Akula-class submarine sailed out from the Kola Peninsula as a diversion, other Russian naval units from the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI) began a covert operation, conducting suspicious activity around critical undersea infrastructure in Norwegian and British m»»»

Dubai: Dubai is moving to capture a larger share of global shipping revenue by bringing trade, finance and maritime services into a single ecosystem, with the launch of a new Maritime Centre at DMCC. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The initiative is designed to go beyo»»»

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, on Thursday ruled out accepting any restrictions on the country’s uranium enrichment program, as demanded by the United States and Israel. In an interview with the ISNA news agency, Eslami said: “The demands and conditions set by our e»»»

Dubai: The conflict in the region may have grounded thousands of Keralite expats' election plans this year, but for a determined few, no airfare was too steep and no disruption too great to stop them from exercising their democratic right. Regional tensions that forced airlines to scale back servic»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have called on motorists to exercise heightened caution during rainfall, urging strict adherence to traffic laws and preventive safety measures. Drivers are advised to reduce speed, maintain safe distances between vehicles, and remain fully focused on the road, avoiding any form»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Houthi Praises Iran’s Victory, Underlines Frustration of US-Israeli Scheme in Region 09-04-2026 17:41 PM Sayyed Abdul Malik Badreddine Al-H»»»

While a Northern Fleet Akula-class submarine sailed out from the Kola Peninsula as a diversion, other Russian naval units from the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI) began a covert operation, conducting suspicious activity around critical undersea infrastructure in Norwegian and British m»»»

Washington, United States: The International Monetary Fund expects to have to provide up to $50 billion in immediate financial assistance to countries affected by the Middle East conflict, its managing director said on Thursday, with the crisis likely to have lasting economic effects. "Given the sp»»»

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street on Feb. 20, in New York City. The personal incomes of American workers fell by $18.2 billion in February as inflation maintained a seasonally adjusted rate of 3%, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday. File Pho»»»

Voters across India’s Assam and Kerala states, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry, turned out in large numbers on Thursday in closely watched Assembly elections seen as a key test of political momentum for both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition alliances. With polling»»»

Dubai: Behind the strength and stamina of Dubai athlete Nikola Aleksic lies a five-year battle with a rare autoimmune condition. On May 24, he will be marking his birthday by running 100 kilometres across the city, not just to test his limits, but to raise awareness for the struggles of people livi»»»

The International Monetary Fund expects to have to provide up to $50 billion in immediate financial assistance to countries affected by the Middle East war, its managing director said on Thursday, with the crisis likely to have lasting economic effects. "Given the spillovers of the Middle East war,»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has been added to Brazil's official forced labour blacklist after 163 Chinese workers were found in conditions analogous to slavery at the construction site of its new factory in Camaçari, Bahia, in 2024. »»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»

The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and persistent productivity deficits that no amount of industrial policy can easi»»»