Istanbul: The Shura Council participated Thursday in the 217th session of the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), as part of the 152nd Assembly of the IPU, currently underway in Istanbul, Turkiye. The Shura Council was represented at the event by Deputy Speaker of the Shura Co»»»

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast (C) arrives by car at the Metropolitan Cathedral to attend aass and a 'Prayer for the People of Chile and the New Government' in Santiago on Sunday. Photo by Allen Diaz/EPA SANTIAGO-Chile, April 16 (UPI) -- Chilean President José Antonio Kast announced a package »»»

Boyanka Yankova, top-of-the-list candidate of the Treti Mart [March 3] coalition in Stara Zagora, presented her priorities for the regional city here on Thursday, the coalition said in a press release. Yankova highlighted energy independence, a decent standard of living in rural areas, and a return»»»

The Council of Ministers Thursday approved a Strategy for the Development of the Bulgarian Defence Technology Industrial Base, the Government Information Service reported. The need to develop a new strategy to replace the existing one stems from the mismatch between the current strategic framework »»»

Pope Leo XIV condemned "a handful of tyrants" that were ravaging the world with war on Thursday, calling instead for the billions spent every year on weapons to go instead towards healthcare and education. The pontiff's strident comments came during a visit to Cameroon's separatist west, where thou»»»

Tunis, April 16 (TAP) - Tunisia's Ambassador in Paris Dhia Khaled received President of the Syndicat des Entreprises du Tour-Operating (SETO) Patrice Caradec, at a meeting held at the embassy to promote Tunisia as a destination in the French...»»»

1 of 2 | Pope Leo XIV waves to supporters as he leaves after his visit to the Ngul Zamba orphanage in Yaounde, Cameroon, Wednesday. Pool photo by Alberto Pizzoli April 16 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV spent his second day in Cameroon in the city of Bamenda, the center of separatist fighting, calling for pe»»»

The French government on Thursday said it was pushing for the release of an 86-year-old French citizen who has been detained by ICE since early April. Marie-Thérèse Ross, who is now widowed, moved to the US last year to marry her sweetheart from the 1950s.  French officials have said they»»»

Angela Diffley is pleased to welcome Bilal Y. Saab, Senior Managing Director of TRENDS US.Former Pentagon Official in the first Trump administration. According to Saab, Lebanon is at a crossroads: the government is committed to reform, is fundamentally “pro-Lebanese” and rejects interference from e»»»

This week in French Connections we take a step away from the news and focus on France's love for a specific type of musical ensemble, known as a fanfare. Somewhere between a marching band and a brass band, "la fanfare" is an institution in France and it says a lot about the country because its hist»»»

More than 100 authors said they would leave France's Grasset publishing house on Thursday after the surprise departure of its long-time CEO, thought to be sparked by a disagreement with billionaire owner Vincent Bolloré. Critics accuse Bolloré of championing far-right views in his media e»»»

From a quick sandwich or a supermarket salad, to a three-course meal, to solo dining, lunch breaks are evolving in France. Has French culture reached a fork in the road when it comes to its traditional lunch break? With upcoming reforms to meal vouchers (titres-restaurant), we take a look at h»»»

Istanbul: Speaker of the Shura Council HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim affirmed that the State of Qatar, under the leadership of The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, will continue its steadfast approach based on dialogue, mediation, and preventing escalation, which contributes to supportin»»»

Tunis, April 16 (TAP) - B2B business meetings covering several sectors will be organised next June 17-18 in Saint Petersburg (Russia) by the Export Promotion Centre (French: CEPEX), on the fringes of the NEVA BUYERS WEEK 2026. Over the two days of...»»»

South Korea recorded a first-quarter record of 4.76 million foreign tourist arrivals, up 23 percent from a year earlier, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday. The figure represents the highest first-quarter total on record, achieved despite geopolitical tensions in the Mid»»»

Rome: Bank robbers in Italy held 25 people hostage for two hours on Thursday, before making their escape through a tunnel, a police source told AFP. Three robbers, one of whom "was certainly armed", entered a branch of the French Credit Agricole bank in Naples at around 11:30am (0930 GMT), the sour»»»

Geneva: Four more current and former officials are now under criminal investigation in the probe into Switzerland's Crans-Montana fire disaster, sources close to the case told AFP on Thursday. "The investigation has been extended to include four new individuals, bringing the total number of defenda»»»

Tunis, April 16 (TAP) - Twelve Tunisian companies partook in the Djazagro: Agro-food production trade show, held April 12-15 in Algiers (Algeria), the Export Promotion Center (French: CEPEX) said Thursday. Founded in 2003, the tradeshow Djazagro...»»»

Our weekly series on Hungarian politics continues so we can report on developments after these historic elections and on events around the formation of the Tisza government. This week we cover the following topics: We may know the final election result on Saturday (18 April). Tisza’s victory has re»»»

Dubai: The UAE has held a series of high-level meetings with global finance leaders in Washington, focusing on strengthening financial partnerships, expanding tax frameworks and reinforcing its role in supporting international financial stability. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques »»»

Sydney: Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle claimed Thursday she has been "bullied and attacked" on social media every day for a decade and was "the most trolled person in the entire world". The 44-year-old former American actress made the comments during the couple's four-day tour of Australia, as t»»»

Industrial and logistics infrastructure is a quiet enabler of modern economies — and a critical foundation for job creation. From manufacturing and e-commerce to export competitiveness, high-quality logistics networks underpin productivity, resilience, and integration into global value chains that »»»

More than three dozen Democrats supported an effort by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to block arms sales to Israel, signaling a growing discontent in the party with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the wars in Gaza and Iran. The two resolutions to block U.S. sales of bulldozers and »»»

SCOR, a leading global reinsurer headquartered in Paris, offers its clients a diversified and innovative range of reinsurance and insurance solutions and services to control and manage risk. In 2025, the Group generated premiums of EUR 18.7 billionand serves clients in more than 150 countries throu»»»

The EU spy campaign that helped bring down Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a lesson to anyone who defies Brussels, former Slovak Interior Minister Vladimir Palko has warned. “What they did to Orban yesterday, they can do to you tomorrow,” he told the outlet ‘Marker’ on Monday. Orban’s Fide»»»

While others are talking about compensations or promotions, we are talking about reforming entire systems, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Krum Zarkov said in Samokov on Thursday. He took part in the closing event of the election campaign of BSP – United Left for the Sofia region. "Unlike ot»»»

Bamenda: Pope Leo XIV blasted the “handful of tyrants” who are ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, as he preached a message of peace Thursday in the epicentre of a separatist conflict considered one of the world’s most neglected crises. Leo travelled to the western Cameroon city of Bamenda, w»»»

In the heart of the Liwa desert, an Emirati-led project is helping protect wildlife and preserve heritage, with a focus on breeding the houbara bustard, a key symbol of the UAE’s desert environment. The project, led by Ahmed Hayay Al Mansoori, began as a personal initiative and has grown into a str»»»

President Joseph Aoun on Thursday stressed the importance of a ceasefire before any direct negotiations with Israel, ahead of possible talks with Israel's leader that Beirut has not confirmed will take place. "The ceasefire requested by Lebanon with Israel is the natural starting point for direct n»»»

Dubai: Pakistan on Thursday said no date has been set for the second round of talks between the United States and Iran, urging the media to avoid speculation as diplomatic consultations continue under a highly confidential process. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, during »»»

India is moving towards one of the most significant changes to its parliamentary structure since independence, with plans to expand the size of Parliament while reserving one-third of seats for women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pitched the move as a “historic step” to empower women and reshap»»»

An anti-France activist and influencer has been arrested in South Africa for “inciting rebellion” by openly supporting last year’s foiled coup in Benin. Kemi Seba was born in France to Benin parents but was stripped of his French nationality two years ago for his many attempts to fuel anti-French s»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic and military outreach across the Middle East this week in a coordinated effort aimed at easing regional tensions, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif toured key Gulf capitals while the country’s army chief held high-level talks in Iran. The parallel engag»»»

The Justice Ministry announced Thursday that it has introduced a set of proposed amendments to the Civil Procedure Code aimed at strengthening protections against abusive lawsuits, commonly known as SLAPP cases (from "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation"). These cases are typically used»»»

The report highlights both operational pressures—particularly the shortage of skilled labor—and a shift in how companies plan their investments, with an increasingly clear focus on efficiency, infrastructure, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Long-term planning and the absorption of Euro»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and His Excellency Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, discussed the latest regional and international developments, particularly those in the Middle East, during a meeting held today, April »»»

Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty met with Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Brian Mast as part of a series of meetings he is holding with leaders and members of the US Congress during his visit to Washington. Abdelatty a»»»

BELGRADE - A parliamentary session on an opposition no-confidence motion against the Serbian government was postponed again on Thursday due to a lack of quorum. Instead of a majority of MPs, just twenty lawmakers were in attendance. Again, MPs of the ruling coalition did not provide the quorum. Dep»»»

Dubai: Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort has ceased operations, bringing a pause to one of the more distinctive hospitality concepts within Dubai’s World Islands development. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Minor Hotels confirmed in a statement that the resort stoppe»»»

BELGRADE - A parliamentary session on an opposition no-confidence motion against the Serbian government was postponed again on Thursday due to a lack of quorum. Instead of a majority of MPs, just twenty lawmakers were in attendance. Again, MPs of the ruling coalition did not provide the quorum. Dep»»»

Britain's economy put on a burst of growth in February, suggesting it was in slightly better shape before the start of the Iran war than many economists had feared, official figures showed on Thursday. Gross domestic product expanded 0.5% month-on-month in February, the biggest increase since Janua»»»

As Auchan celebrates two decades of activity in Romania, the company’s journey reflects both impressive growth and a strong commitment to innovation. From its early days to its current role as a leader in modern retail, Auchan has consistently shaped the market, supported local producers, and intro»»»

Incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar called on the president, Tamas Sulyok, to resign after the new government is formed, saying otherwise the new majority would seek his removal, Telex.hu reported on April 15.  According to Magyar's account, President Sulyok had told him that he, to»»»

Cairo — Egypt has commenced implementation of a major logistics zone in the city of Arish, North Sinai, as part of a broader strategy to enhance trade infrastructure and position the region as a key hub for regional connectivity. According to an official statement by the Ministry of Transport Egypt»»»

Dubai: DIB, the world’s leading Islamic financial group and the largest in the UAE, has launched a dedicated financial support initiative for the UAE’s frontline heroes, reinforcing its commitment to the nation and those who continue to serve at the forefront during critical times. Designed to deli»»»

Russia’s proposal to host Iran’s enriched uranium remains on the table despite having been previously rejected by the US, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. The issue of Tehran’s nuclear program has long been a sticking point in talks with Washington. US President Donald Trump has demanded t»»»

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, seen here at a meeting with senior aides at the Blue House Thursday, is considering joining talks led by Britain and France over the Strait of Hormuz, his office said. Pool Photo by Yonhap South Korea has been positively considering joining talks led by Britain»»»

The Ministry of Innovation and Growth has officially submitted the application of Sofia Tech Park for an accelerator in the DIANA network (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic), NATO’s initiative for accelerating defence innovation, the Ministry’s press centre announced Thursday. T»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s labour market continues to demonstrate resilience and stability despite ongoing regional developments, with businesses operating smoothly and workers receiving wages on time, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). In a statement issued on Thursday, »»»