Orientation seminars for deputies of the 8th convocation of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan have begun. Participants will be trained in key aspects of parliamentary work — from lawmaking and oversight to engagement with citizens and the media, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) repor»»»

Share: Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs © Ibrahim Amro, AFP A growing number of Shiite families displaced by the war in Lebanon say they’re being pushed out of towns where they feel unwelcome over the suspicion that they may be Hezbollah members By : BA»»»

Dubai: For thousands of students across the UAE who have spent a long time preparing for high-stakes international examinations, the news recently arrived in waves. First the IB. Then Cambridge, Pearson and OxfordAQA. One by one, the major exam boards have confirmed that traditional in-person writt»»»

Many international shipping vessels, such as the one pictured in March, have been anchored and idling in the Middle East after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian traffic after the United States and Israel engaged in a war there. Friday, Iran allowed vessels linked to France and Japan t»»»

Air India and Air India Express will operate a total of 42 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West Asia region on April 4, 2026. This includes 26 non-scheduled flights to and from the UAE, subject to slot availability and other operational conditions at departure airports. All flig»»»

Washington: The White House administration Friday called on Congress to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defense budget for next year. This request comes amid the ongoing war between the US, Israel and Iran and Washington's efforts to fund its military operations and replenish its weapons stockpiles»»»

The Uffizi Galleries, home to Italy's most precious art, were hit by a cyberattack, the museum said. The museum claims there was no data stolen. File Photo by Claudio Giovannini/EPA April 3 (UPI) -- The Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Italy, said Friday it suffered a cyberattack, but not a breach of »»»

Tensions escalated after remarks by United Kingdom Ambassador Richard Porter, who reaffirmed British sovereignty over the islands. The dispute over the Falkland Islands dates to the 19th century and remains unresolved. File Photo by Javier Lizon/EPA April 3 (UPI) -- Bolivia defended its support for»»»

A 40-meter Ferris wheel, the tallest in Bulgaria, was unveiled in the Boris’ Garden in Sofia as part of the city’s newest event, Sun Fest Sofia. The opening of the Ferris wheel is included in the festive program marking 147th anniversary of Sofia as capital of Bulgaria. The attraction was manufactu»»»

Tunis, April 3 (TAP) - Tunisia’s Ambassador to China Adel Elarbi on Thursday in Ulaanbaatar, presented his credentials to President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tunisia to...»»»

BELGRADE - Secretary General at the Serbian MFA Dusan Kozarev met with North Macedonian Ambassador to Belgrade Nikola Tupanceski on Friday to discuss stepping up economic and cultural cooperation, as well as strengthening ties in the infrastructure and energy sectors. "Serbia remains firmly committ»»»

A photo exhibition titled "In the Footsteps of Mykhailo Parashchuk," dedicated to the 147th anniversary since Sofia was declared Bulgaria’s capital, was opened on St Nedelya Square on Friday. Mykhailo Parashchuk was a Ukrainian sculptor and the author of sculptural facades and decorations on buildi»»»

Caretaker Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov discussed current topics on environmental protection with the Ambassador of France to Bulgaria Marie Dumoulin, the Ministry's press centre reported on Friday. A topic raised by the French side was the import of batteries and solar panels. Pop»»»

The White House sent a spending proposal to lawmakers Friday calling for a massive $1.5 trillion US defense budget next year as it faces increased costs due to the war in Iran. The total year-on-year increase in Pentagon spending would be the largest since World War II, US media reported, although »»»

BELGRADE - Serbia's January-February 2026 external goods trade totalled 11.5 bln euros, which is a 1.3 pct decline y-o-y, according to figures released by the national statistical office this week. Goods exports were worth 5,291.6 mln euros, rising by 1.6 pct y-o-y, while imports totalled 6,227.9 m»»»

Ghana’s central bank governor says a synchronised improvement in key economic indicators reflects coordinated monetary and fiscal policy, as inflation, interest rates, and the currency stabilise after years of crisis. Bank»»»

1 of 2 | President Donald Trump has requested that Congress increase the Pentagon’s budget by $1.5 trillion while cutting funding to domestic programs for fiscal year 2027 on Friday. Pool Photo by Alex Brandon/UPI | License Photo April 3 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump has requested that Congress i»»»

DOHA: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi has discussed escalating regional tensions with Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Qatar HE Cao Xiaolin. Friday's talks in Doha focused on developments related to the ongoing military es»»»

Doha: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi has discussed escalating regional tensions with Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Qatar HE Cao Xiaolin. Friday's talks in Doha focused on developments related to the ongoing military es»»»

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps has launched a campaign aimed at recruiting children as young as 12 for the “defence of the homeland”. More than a month into the war triggered by the US and Israel, rights groups highlight the life-threatening risks&nbs»»»

Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan Marlen Mamataliev met with British Ambassador Nicholas Bowler. The two sides discussed the development of political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation, as well as strengthening interparliamentary ties. Mamataliev proposed intensifying work»»»

Cape Canaveral: NASA's Artemis II astronauts fired their engines and blazed toward the moon Thursday night, breaking free of the chains that have trapped humanity in shallow laps around Earth in the decades since Apollo. The so-called translunar ignition came 25 hours after liftoff, putting the thr»»»

The Blue Bulgaria coalition stands for strong Bulgarian agriculture and clean food, Tsveta Kirilova, the coalition's top-of-the-list candidate in Haskovo, said during a meeting with voters, as quoted by her campaign headquarters. “Agriculture is not just a sector of the economy; it is the foundatio»»»

Skopje, 1 April 2026 (MIA) - Industrial production dropped by 4.2 percent in February 2026, compared to February 2025, the State Statistical Office said on Wednesday. According to the State Statistical Office, the biggest impact on the decreasing of industrial production in February 2026, was the d»»»

Key projects were implemented in Muntenia, Banat and Dobrogea regions and involved the modernization of existing primary stations and secondary stations, along with works for the modernization and extension of underground and overhead power lines. In 2026, the company will continue its investment p»»»

The most important thing is to have receptiveness in Parliament so that progress can be made in the fight against corruption and the investigation of crimes in Bulgaria, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov said during a news briefing at the Council of Ministers buil»»»

Reporting from Tehran early Friday, FRANCE 24’s Reza Sayah says there’s been a “disturbing trend” in recent days of US-Israeli strikes hitting non-military targets across Iran. A strike on Iran’s tallest bridge last night killed eight people and wounded 90 others, said Sayah. The war has seen »»»

More than 530 kilograms of meat, dairy products, semi-processed foods, as well as non-animal-origin foods and additives for meat production have been placed under a ban in the village of Radievo, near Dimitrovgrad (Southern Bulgaria), the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency said on Friday. The products, l»»»

Four Artemis astronauts were zooming towards the Moon late Thursday after a major engine firing, a milestone that commits NASA to the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century. With enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway driving speed in less than three seconds, the Orio»»»

ECONOMY – ENERGY The media cover the requested price increases by heating utilities. Trud: Bulgarian district heating companies have requested significant price increases for heating and hot water starting July 1, 2026, with Toplofikatsia Sofia seeking a nearly 30% hike and Toplofikatsia Veliko Tar»»»

Dubai: Good Friday and Easter are important days in the Christian calendar, observed by millions around the world. They mark two connected events, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday, and his resurrection three days later on Easter Sunday. This year, Good Friday falls on April 3 for Cath»»»

NASA launched its first crewed lunar flight in more than 50 years on Wednesday, as the Artemis II mission began with liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission comes at the dawning of a new age of competition in space. What is Artemis II?Artemis II is the second mission in NASA’s»»»

The volume of cash in circulation in Kyrgyzstan amounts to approximately 280 billion soms. Kumushai Artykova, chief expert of the Cash Management Department at the National Bank, told journalists. According to her, the ratio of cash to non-cash money in the country currently remains roughly balance»»»

When the Israel- Hezbollah war broke out in early March, Hussein Shuman fled the heavy bombardment of the southern suburbs of Beirut, but he didn't bother trying to rent an apartment elsewhere. In areas deemed "safe" because the Lebanese militant group has no presence, he feels that Shiite Muslims »»»

A clash is occurring between Libya’s secular and religious orders as to the permissibility of merchants imposing an extra charge for receiving payments, for goods or services, electronically versus in cash. The religious viewLast Wednesday (1 April), the Libyan Fatwa House in Tripoli (Dar Al-Ifta) »»»

Ghana’s central bank governor says a synchronised improvement in key economic indicators reflects coordinated monetary and fiscal policy, as inflation, interest rates, and the currency stabilise after years of crisis. Bank»»»

With the initial months following the introduction of the euro, institutional oversight in Bulgaria is gradually shifting from intensive inspections to a more systematic and long-term monitoring framework. Authorities, including the National Revenue Agency (NRA) and the Consumer Protection Commissi»»»

Iran has begun selectively allowing oil and cargo vessels from certain countries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, offering rare relief to a handful of import-dependent nations even as it maintains an effective chokehold on one of the world’s most critical energy routes. The latest to secure pa»»»

Bangladesh has ‌launched fresh measures to curb energy consumption, cutting office hours and trimming public spending as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global fuel markets and strains power supply in the South Asian nation. Officials said the steps approved by cabinet on Thursday aim to stabi»»»

Dubai: The UAE and the Philippines have reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the welfare and rights of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Emirates, reinforcing a long-standing partnership built on trust and cooperation. Senior officials from both countries have emphasised the importance»»»

The Russian Embassy in Sofia has circulated a warning issued by the Foreign Ministry in Moscow, cautioning its citizens about what it describes as a heightened risk of detention abroad at the request of US authorities. Among the countries mentioned as posing such a risk is Bulgaria, alongside a bro»»»

The Finance Ministry planned, in April 2026, to borrow from commercial banks 3.9 billion lei, to which could be added 15% of the nominal value adjudicated at reference tenders, within additional sessions of non-competitive offers organized exclusively for benchmark instruments. The total amount of »»»

Romania represents a direct gateway to the European Union, having a special importance for Uzbekistan, stated on Thursday, Amirsaid Agzamhodjaev, the ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Romania with residence in Warsaw, at an event organized by the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry»»»

The UN Security Council has postponed a vote scheduled for Friday on authorizing the use of "defensive" force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks, according to the official program. The 15-member body was set to vote Friday morning on a draft resolution brought by Bahra»»»

The NATO alliance has in recent years survived existential challenges - ranging from the war in Ukraine to multiple bouts of pressure and insults from US President Donald Trump, who has questioned its core mission and threatened to seize Greenland. But it is the US-Israeli war with Iran, thousands »»»

The official opening ceremony of a Traditional Crafts Center was held at the Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts. This event was made possible through cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Korea. The initiative aims to modernize production and introduce digital ma»»»

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday they planned to boost defense cooperation and work together to address the economic and energy crises triggered by the war in Iran. Macron arrived in South Korea on Thursday for a two-day state visit after also»»»

Kyrgyzstan has officially launched a national digital exchange trading mechanism for precious metals on the platform of the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange (KSE). The KSE, Kyrgyzaltyn OJSC, and Central Depository CJSC have signed a trilateral agreement enabling the free buying and selling of precious metals »»»