April Fools' Day pranks of 2026 include several manmade horrors beyond comprehension. Photo courtesy of Heinz April 1 (UPI) -- Whether we like it or not, April Fools' Day is once again upon us, and with it comes the inevitable annual parade of corporate jests, japes and jokes, including an umbrella»»»

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 Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre Abu Dhabi (ADCMC), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, has launched the “Abu Dhabi Youth in Emergency Response” initiative. It aims to strengthen preparedness and reinforce the role of society as an active partner in the respons»»»

President Donald Trump's speech at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021, was not part of his official duties as president, a judge ruled Wednesday. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 1 (UPI) -- A federal judge ruled that a civil suit against President Donald Trump for his actions on Jan. 6, 2»»»

Traffic along Pireos Street, a key route linking central Athens with Piraeus, was disrupted on Wednesday night after a large tree collapsed over the roadway. No injuries have been reported. Traffic police closed the affected stretch from the intersection with Petrou Ralli Street toward Piraeus, div»»»

The caretaker government is drafting a regular budget proposal to be submitted if the next parliament fails to form a governing majority, caretaker Minister of Finance Georgi Klisurski said on Wednesday. Speaking in a television interview, Klisurski said the draft had not yet been completed, but wo»»»

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,»»»

Global oil prices could surge to $140 per barrel if Houthi rebels target shipping in the Red Sea, potentially worsening what is already considered the largest energy disruption in history, according to a report by Bloomberg Economics. Analysts Dina Esfandiary, Ziad Daoud, and Becca Wasser estimate »»»

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 »»»

Islam Azzam, Chairperson of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), held a meeting with representatives of the Egyptian Mortgage Federation and companies operating in the sector, as part of the Authority’s ongoing engagement with non-banking financial activities. The meeting reflects FRA’s commit»»»

A youth project tackling online gaming addiction and a sports-tech startup took top honours on Wednesday at the EGYPES 2026 Youth Impact Ceremony, hosted by Shell Egypt and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. The event recognised winners from Shell’s NXplorers and Intilaaqah programmes»»»

The Ministry of Finance announced that tax revenues rose by 30.8%, equivalent to EGP 380.3bn, during the first eight months of FY 2025/2026, bringing total collections to EGP 1.614trn, compared to EGP 1.234trn in the same period of the previous fiscal year. In a report issued on Wednesday, the mini»»»

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»»»

"For ten years I have been travelling across Bulgaria, stopping in villages and visiting small shops. What has changed in the last three months is that debts in shopkeepers' notebooks are now in euro," Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev said at a meeting in Dupnitsa, quoted by the party. He cr»»»

Bulgaria must clearly guarantee that its territory will not be used for military actions against Iran and should work towards de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, said Vazrazhdane top-of-the-list candidate in Ruse Zlatan Zlatanov after a meeting with Iran's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Alireza »»»

Since rising to power in 2014, Yemen’s Houthi movement, Ansar Allah, has systematically entrenched itself within the education system, rewriting curricula, renaming schools, and embedding ideological programs. Classrooms have become a frontline in a broader struggle over identity and influence, and»»»

For decades, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) built a strategy around one narrow stretch of water — the Strait of Hormuz, just 33km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point, yet carrying nearly a fifth of the world’s oil every day. It was designed as a trap. Mines seeded beneath the surfa»»»

Representatives of the hotel and restaurant sector in Bulgaria are calling for a reduced VAT rate of 9%, arguing that rising fuel prices are putting serious pressure on their businesses. According to industry organizations, such a measure is necessary to avoid closures and stabilize the sector duri»»»

Doha, Qatar: Research led by Aspetar, in collaboration with global experts, has published two comprehensive scientific reviews outlining a practical framework for national teams preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. »»»

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»»»

The political noise around the agreement signed by Acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 30 in Kyiv has largely drowned out what the document actually says. The caretaker government has since published the full text, and the picture it paints is considerably »»»

Two men who posted on social media incriminating videos of themselves doing illegal motorbike stunts have been identified and face prosecution for reckless driving and incitement to crime, authorities said Wednesday. A police statement said the men, aged 29 and 23, had uploaded footage of themselve»»»

UAE residents have received a mobile alert from the Ministry of Defence confirming that the situation in the country is currently safe, following earlier warnings about potential missile threats. The message, sent across the UAE, thanked residents for their cooperation and reassured the public that»»»

For decades, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) built a strategy around one narrow stretch of water — the Strait of Hormuz, just 33km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point, yet carrying nearly a fifth of the world’s oil every day. It was designed as a trap. Mines seeded beneath the surfa»»»

The heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank on Wednesday said they will form a coordination group to maximize their response to the significant economic and energy impacts of the war in the Middle East. In a joint statement, the three global bodies note»»»

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»»»

The United Arab Emirates is getting ready to become the first Gulf nation to commit its military to the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing Arab officials. Since the start of the conflict a month ago, the UAE has been hit by some 2,500 Iranian missiles and dron»»»

Egypt will extend the opening hours for shops, malls, and restaurants until 11 PM between April 10 and April 13 to mark upcoming Christian holidays, the cabinet announced on Wednesday. The decision, approved during a weekly meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, shifts the closing time»»»

Egypt has pledged to finance and mobilise funding for water-related infrastructure on the Nile basin in Uganda, according to a joint communiqué issued on Wednesday following high-level ministerial talks in Cairo. The Egyptian side reaffirmed its readiness to provide the funding through the Nile Dev»»»

MIDAR for Investment and Urban Development, the master developer of integrated mega cities in New Cairo, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Italy’s Gruppo GKSD, an international leader in healthcare provision, investment, design and engineering, construction, procurement, and envir»»»

The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that air defence systems are actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran, amid ongoing regional hostilities. Authorities have urged residents to stay in safe locations, follow verified government updates, and remain alert as the»»»

The Media Literacy Coalition (MLC) on Wednesday called on all political parties taking part in the April 19, 2026 parliamentary elections to include media literacy as a national priority in their programmes. "Regardless of who wins the elections, we urge parties to unite around the importance of me»»»

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»»»

A major dispute has erupted in Poland’s largest public IT tender, worth PLN 1.86 billion, for equipping schools with AI labs. NASK and the Ministry of Digital Affairs reported bidder Galaxy to prosecutors over suspected use of non-authentic certificates. The investigation concerns possible document»»»

Asseco Poland reported a record net profit of PLN 1.14 bln in 2025, up 119% y/y, supported partly by one-off transactions but also strong organic growth. Revenues rose 12% to PLN 16.78 bln, and operating profit increased by 11%. The company holds strong cash reserves and plans a record dividend of »»»

Scanway has signed a framework agreement with Łukasiewicz – Instytut Lotnictwa to conduct environmental testing of optical instruments for space applications. The cooperation covers vibration and thermal vacuum (TVAC) tests carried out at the institute’s laboratories. The partnership supports Scanw»»»

Wujek Coal Mine has symbolically ended operations after 127 years, entering a four-year decommissioning phase starting April 1. Of around 700 employees, over 300 will work on closure processes, while others will transfer to different mines or receive support packages. The site holds strong historic»»»

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»»»

Hey, good news! The EU has found a new source of desperately needed gas amid the current energy crunch. The bad news? It’s in the US. So it will serve America, first. With Europe getting any sloppy seconds that Daddy Trump feels like overcharging it for when he isn’t threatening to invade. It’ll be»»»

Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev has warned that inflation risks are increasingly driven by geopolitical developments, stressing that Bulgaria remains firmly anchored within the European institutional and political framework. He made the remarks during a meeting with heads of diplomat»»»

DOHA: As part of its efforts to enhance the implementation of excise tax and streamline related procedures, the General Tax Authority (GTA) launched the excise tax warehouse licensing service, with plans to expand the scope of the service at a later stage to include other eligible entities. This se»»»

Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest flight carrier, has resumed flights to some destinations in the Middle East after weeks of disruption caused by the conflict in the region. Mesfin Tasew, group chief executive officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, said on Tuesday that the airline has»»»

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 »»»

The FDA has approved two GLP-1 oral medications, including one by Eli Lilly on Wednesday. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Eli Lilly's pill version of a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, making it the second company to offer a n»»»

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»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah’s Surface-to-Air Missiles Challenge Israeli Superiority, Heavy Rocket Salvos Strike Enemy 01-04-2026 19:55 PM In the context of t»»»