Riyadh: Key energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, including oil, gas, petrochemical, and electricity installations, have been hit in a series of recent attacks, a senior official at the country's Energy Ministry has said. Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, the official said the attacks affected facil»»»

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at NATO over the inaction of European allies during the war with Iran. Trump, according to sources close to bloc chief Mark Rutte who spoke to Bloomberg, has issued an ultimatum to its members demanding a commitment to help secure the Strait of Hormuz “withi»»»

Kagoshima: The wreckage of a Shidenkai fighter plane of the former Imperial Japanese Navy has been salvaged from the waters where it sank off Kagoshima Prefecture toward the end of World War II. About 400 Shidenkai planes were produced, intended to be a vital element of homeland defense. The nonpro»»»

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»»»

Islamabad: Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan HE Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed support for the State of Qatar, praising its leadership's "wisdom and restraint" in responding to recent regional developments. In a statement on X platform on Thursday, HE Sharif said that he had»»»

In Beirut, Lebanon’s leadership signaled it is moving forward with its decision to keep negotiations in official hands, alongside efforts to place all weapons under state control. The government took a further step by ordering the army and security forces to immediately reinforce full state authori»»»

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»»»

Washington, April 9 (SANA) In the 40 days since the start of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, 13 U.S. soldiers have been killed and 381 have been wounded, according to data provided Wednesday by U.S. Central Command. “The Defense Department has added the war on Iran to its Defense Casualty Analysi»»»

Lebanon's health ministry said Thursday that Israeli strikes across the country a day before killed more than 300 people and wounded at least 1,150. In a statement, the ministry said "the Israeli enemy's airstrikes yesterday, Wednesday, resulted in a preliminary toll of 303 martyrs and 1,150 wounde»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer has arrived in Doha on Thursday evening for a working visit to the country. The British Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation were received upon arrival at Doha International Airport by the Minister of State at the Ministry of »»»

A project to improve the functionality, aesthetics and sustainability of the Bulgarian News Agency building has been approved for funding under the "Beautiful Bulgaria" programme, with a total value of EUR 262,792.80. The project is among 52 approved for implementation in 2026. Funding under the pr»»»

Liverpool: Andy Robertson will bring down the curtain on his nine-year career at Liverpool at the end of the season, the faltering Premier League champions announced on Thursday. The 32-year-old has made 373 appearances for the club, winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League as a k»»»

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»»»

Robert Lewandowski has exited the troubled marketing agency Stor9, selling his shares for a symbolic 1 złoty after injecting funds to repay creditors. The agency, recently facing financial strain including unpaid invoices and debt collection action, has now been rebranded as Stor.Agency. Lewandowsk»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has announced the suspension of operations at several energy facilities following recent Iranian attacks to Iran, according to a source at the Ministry of Energy. According to Saudi Gazette, the source said that the strikes targeted major refining sites, including SATORP in Juba»»»

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»»»

The EU is relying on non-governmental organizations, bankrolled by billionaire financier George Soros, as well as controlled media to justify its push for more online surveillance and censorship, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has said. On Wednesday, state-owned broadcaster France 24 reported on a st»»»

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan HE Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed support for the State of Qatar, praising its leadership's "wisdom and restraint" in responding to recent regional developments. In a statement on X platform on Thursday, Sharif said that he had sp»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Leader: Iran’s Heroic People Definitive Victors in Third Imposed War 09-04-2026 21:47 PM New Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Say»»»

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»»»

His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has approved the recruitment of 330 Emirati citizens, including university graduates and high school diploma holders, across the municipalities of the Emirate of Sharjah in various cities, as part of »»»

DOHA: A team of four, including referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim from Qatar have been named among a record 170 match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the decisive rounds of the AFC Champions League. FIFA on Thursday named 52 referees for the World Cup in the summer, including Poland's Szymon»»»

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»»»

Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired by President Donald Trump last week, will not be required to testify about her handling of the investigation into late financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department (DOJ) has announced. In a letter explaining the decisi»»»

A demonstrator faces off with police officers during a protest against Glacier Law reform near Congress in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. Photo by Juan Ignacio Roncoroni/EPA April 9 (UPI) -- Argentina's Chamber of Deputies approved Thursday a reform of the Glacier Law that loosens environmental protect»»»

Doha, Qatar: FIFA has announced the list of referees appointed to officiate matches at the 2026 World Cup finals, which will kick off next June and be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with an expanded 48-team tournament for the first time in its history. The list included a notable »»»

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»»»

Share: Tehran chose Hormuz over its proxies—proving once again that its wars are never its own, but fought by others to serve its interests alone By : Ali Hussein- Lebanese Political Analyst If anyone is still confused about whether Lebanon was included in the ceasefire deal, Iran’s actions—not its»»»

A 17-year-old accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in Thessaloniki has been conditionally released after testifying before an investigating magistrate. The minor, who is reportedly from Egypt, denied the charges, claiming the acts took place with the consent of the alleged victim and that he was un»»»

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.»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have intensified their visible security presence across the emirate, deploying 379 mounted patrols during the first quarter of 2026, covering residential, commercial and tourist areas. The patrols, carried out by the Mounted Police Station, are part of ongoing efforts to enhance»»»

Writer Lyuben Dilov Jr, top-of-the-list candidate of GERB-UDF for Burgas constituency, has donated nearly 500 books, including signed editions, to the Regional Library Peyo K. Yavorov in Burgas, the institution said. The donation includes works by Bulgarian authors such as Dora Gabe, Elisaveta Bagr»»»

In an apparent attempt to divert attention from GUGI’s failed North Sea operation, the Kremlin’s propaganda outlet TASS on Thursday accused Norway of assisting Ukraine in preparing attacks on Russian vessels in the Barents and Norwegian Seas. “The criminal Kyiv regime, with the assistance of milita»»»

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»»»

The Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastian Elcano, carrying Spanish Crown Princess Leonor, arrives in the port of El Callao in Peru in April 2025. File Photo by John Reyes/EPA April 9 (UPI) -- Peru's government approved issuing sovereign bonds worth up to about $1.2 billion to finance expansion »»»

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»»»

Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting any negotiations with Israel, a Lebanese government official told AFP on Thursday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered his cabinet to begin direct talks with Beirut. "Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting negotiations," s»»»

A total of 101 cases of measles have been registered in Bulgaria, the Health Ministry announced on Facebook on Thursday. The cases have been reported in five regions of the country. The biggest number of cases have been registered in Vratsa - 80. Twelve cases have been reported in the Pleven Region»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has recorded three violations at a central market involving pricing non-compliance, commercial fraud, and misleading practices. In a statement on social media, the Ministry said that legal measures have been taken against the Al Sailiya Cent»»»

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 »»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible if the United States complies with its obligations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday. "Safe passage of vessels through this waterway, based on regulations and in coordination with the Ir»»»

The European development bank said Thursday it was unlocking five billion euros ($5.9 bn) to help shore up economies hit by the Middle East war. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it will "deploy EUR5 billion in 2026 in economies impacted by Middle East conflict". The »»»

Share: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he has instructed Israel’s Cabinet to open direct negotiations with Lebanon. “In light of Lebanon’s repeated calls to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the Cabinet yesterday to open direct negotiations with Lebanon as s»»»

In a potential boost to Middle East ceasefire efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he authorized direct negotiations “as soon as possible” with Lebanon aimed at disarming Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the two countries. "In light of Lebanon'»»»

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the new Wages Protection System in the UAE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced the inclusion of four new financial institutions in the system, further strengthening wage management efficiency and expanding options for employers.»»»

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»»»