Manila: A state witness told the an ati-graft court (known as "Sandiganbayan") that for every ₱100 million allocated to flood control projects under the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO), only about ₱35 million was actually used for implementation. Henry Alcantara, former district engin»»»

These elections will not resolve the political crisis in Bulgaria; they may even deepen it, Blue Bulgaria Coalition co-founder Vili Lilkov said in Sofia as the coalition closed its election campaign on Friday. "This is why we must be prepared to run in the next elections. If not in early parliament»»»

For Pakistan, it's critically important not only to serve as a peacemaker, but also to succeed as a peacemaker, economic policy analyst Syed Ali Ehsan told Sputnik. As the world watches the US-Iran conflict de-escalate, Pakistan finds itself trapped in a paradox. It is both one of the crisis' most »»»

Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc issued on Friday a statement that underlined how the authorities in Lebanon endangered the nation and its integrity by holding direct negotiations with the the Israeli enemy. The Lebanese authority has involved the nation in a stage that endangers its existence as a s»»»

MANILA: In Philippine folklore, the agimat or anting-anting is a talisman believed to make its bearer bulletproof, invisible to enemies — or mysteriously protected from harm. In modern Philippine politics, some officials seem to wear a different kind of anting-anting: impunity. Also Read: Flood con»»»

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen can ignore voters’ opinions as she essentially cannot be voted out like recently defeated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Alice Weidel, co-chair of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has said. The AfD is the most popular par»»»

Bulgarians at home and abroad are going to the polls on Sunday to elect their new lawmakers. These will be the country's eighteenth parliamentary elections since the start of democratic changes in 1989 and the seventh snap ones in a row since 2021. The Election Code that regulates the process was a»»»

Dubai: Most schools across the UAE are set to welcome students back to classrooms from Monday, ending more than 40 days of distance learning introduced in response to regional conflict linked to the US-Israel Iran war. However, while campuses reopen, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said school tran»»»

President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that direct negotiations with Israel were crucial, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and an upcoming meeting between their leaders. "Direct negotiations are crucial... and a ceasefire is the gateway to proce»»»

Denis Kitaev is a property developer, a co-founder and shareholder of Vesper, a firm specialising in premium residential construction and renovation. Born in Moscow on 3 February 1977, Denis Vladimirovich Kitaev attended Secondary School No. 622, where he developed a marked interest in drawing and »»»

The upcoming April 19 early parliamentary elections and the anticipated results is a major topic for Bulgarian media on Friday. POSSIBLE OUTCOMES – ANALYSIS Capital: “At this stage, we do not have a clear political partner, because all of them, in one way or another, have entered into harmful allia»»»

On April 17, 2013, an explosion at a West, Texas, fertilizer plant killed 15 people, injured dozens and caused massive property damage in the community. 1 of 4 | Remains of a fertilizer plant and other buildings smolder after the plant exploded in West, Texas on April 17, 2013. File Photo by Larry »»»

Doha, Qatar: The total earnings for Qatari-listed companies witnessed a gain of 3.7% during fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 to reach $3.1bn as compared to $3bn in Q4-2024. The surge in earnings was primarily driven by earnings growth in the Telecom, Capital Goods and F&B sectors. In terms of FY-2025, n»»»

GENEVA: New data released today by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, shows that lower income countries have collectively contributed over US$ 300 million towards Gavi-supported immunisation programmes for 2025, setting a new record for annual country investment in vaccines. This performance reflects the »»»

Manila: Former Zaldy Co, a fugitive at the center of a sprawling corruption scandal, has been detained by Czech authorities in Prague, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Thursday night, ending months on the run. Marcos posted on social media that Co had been arrested, added that th»»»

France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade, Dr Bamo Nouri, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, says that t»»»

The House on Thursday passed a bill to extend temporary protected status for Haitians that currently live in the United States on a bipartisan vote, but the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate and may be vetoed by the White House if it is sent the President Donald Trump's desk. File Photo by »»»

The United States on Thursday announced sanctions against two sons of Nicaragua's presidential couple, both of whom hold government posts, as well as several enterprises involved with gold mining in the Central American country. Washington has branded the government of President Daniel Ortega and h»»»

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

France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade, Dr Bamo Nouri, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, says that t»»»

BlackRock, Inc (NYSE: BLK), the world’s largest asset manager, is among big funds that have signalled their support for the Uzbek state’s first foray into global equity markets by signing cornerstone agreements that will back a National Investment Fund of the Uzbek Republic (UzNIF) initial public o»»»

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 »»»

In a speech in Riyadh in May 2025, US President Donald Trump appeared to criticise his White House predecessors, including fellow Republican President George W. Bush, for invading Iraq in 2003, bringing down Saddam Hussein’s regime, and trying to rebuild the Iraqi state. Trump’s barb was at “so-cal»»»

At a meeting here on Thursday, the Council of Ministers approved an agreement with the International Bank for Economic Co-operation (IBEC) settling the mutual obligations arising from the country’s withdrawal from the agreement on IBEC's organization and activities and from its membership in the IB»»»

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»»»

A US lawmaker has introduced six articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over actions tied to the war on Iran. The resolution, submitted earlier this week by Democratic Representative Yassamin Ansari and backed by eight Democratic co-sponsors and several anti-war groups, outli»»»

Dubai: The CBSE Class 10 board examination results for 2026 (Phase 1) have delivered a historic moment for Indian schools across the UAE, with multiple students scoring a perfect 100% and almost all institutions recording a 100% pass rate. What makes the results even more extraordinary is the backd»»»

Europe, Middle East and Africa President of Snap, Ronan Harris (L), and Wifredo Fernandez, director of global government affairs at X, leave No. 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday morning after meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss ways to protect children safe when they are on social»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) has decided to reschedule Qatar Cup 2026, to be included in 2026-2027 season calendar. In a statement today, Qatar Stars League (QSL), said it had, in co-ordination with relevant stakeholders, discussed the remaining fixtures of the current 2025-2026 season»»»

Visiting British Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer on Thursday called for a ceasefire in Lebanon where Israel and Hezbollah are at war, and welcomed direct talks between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war on March 2 after militant group Hezbollah fired rockets at Isr»»»

Dubai/ Sharjah: As UAE schools prepare for the gradual return to in-person learning from Monday, April 20, some schools have informed parents they will not be reopening their campuses on that date — while certain schools have made physical attendance compulsory for students who travel by private tr»»»

His itinerary included Cugir, Alba County, and Bucharest, with the objective to assessing the potential for industrial partnerships with Romanian defense manufacturers and opening a series of bilateral discussions with relevant industry and institutional stakeholders. The visit has three concrete o»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s energy system is undergoing a deep transformation amid rising demand and deteriorating infrastructure. In an interview with 24.kg news agency, Kubatbek Rakhimov, an expert on infrastructure projects in Central Eurasia and head of Applicata Center for Strategic Solutions, explained why »»»

Nuqi Gold, a DMCC-registered fintech entity, and Mawarid Finance, a UAE Central Bank–regulated institution, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch the GCC's first gold-backed co-branded card — a landmark step in ethical, asset-backed digital finance. The partnership brings togeth»»»

Iran may be forced to ramp up imports of petrochemical products to supply feedstock for downstream industries after US-Israeli air strikes hit its main production hubs earlier this month, a government spokesperson said, in remarks carried by state news on April 16. »»»

Iran may be forced to ramp up imports of petrochemical products to supply feedstock for downstream industries after US-Israeli air strikes hit its main production hubs earlier this month, a government spokesperson said, in remarks carried by state news on April 16. »»»

Bulgaria has officially opened a national repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste at the Radiana site near the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, the country's energy ministry said. The facility, located at»»»

As Romanian companies navigate increasing regulatory complexity and operational pressure, business software is becoming a critical foundation for growth. Business Review spoke with Roxana Epure, the CEO of Symfonia in Romania, about the company’s strategic transformation, its vision for the local m»»»

French MPs have introduced a bill aimed at removing the statute of limitations for crimes against children. Under current legislation, survivors of rape can pursue legal action up to 30 years after the day they turn 18. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks with Mié Kohiyama, co-founder of the Brave Mo»»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his opposition to Taiwanese independence during a meeting with Cheng Li-wun, leader of Taiwan's pro-Beijing opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. Her official trip to Beijing, the first such visit in a decade, sparked controversy in the self-ruled»»»

Two U.S. nationals were sentenced to federal prison for helping North Korean operatives obtain remote IT jobs, the Justice Department said Wednesday. This photo from the Department shows North Korean IT workers that were allegedly part of a scheme to help Pyongyang fund its weapons programs. Photo »»»

An opinion poll, conducted by Market Links and co-financed by bTV, indicates that five political formations would enter the new Bulgarian parliament, while four others remain near the 4% threshold, show the survey’s results, which were circulated to the media on Thursday. The national quantitative »»»

Romania has made significant progress in the process of aligning with the standards of developed economies and joining the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), having already obtained 24 of the 25 formal opinions required within the OECD committees. The completion of the a»»»

Periods of change and disruption place leadership under sharper focus, testing the ability to respond with clarity, speed and conviction. Recent regional developments have created one of the most critical strains in recent times, emphasising the importance of firm response under pressure. To highli»»»

John Eastman, a former lawyer to President Donald Trump, was disbarred in California on Wednesday over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. File Photo by Michael Reynolds/EPA April 16 (UPI) -- The California Supreme Court has disbarred John Eastman, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, ove»»»

Dubai: Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD have launched a new financing model that will allow buyers of off-plan homes in Dubai to secure mortgage approval earlier in the purchase process. Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD have launched a new financing model that will allow buyers »»»

The agricultural sector is of strategic importance for Romania, but its structural transformation remains a challenge, shows the assessment report titled "Policies for the Future of Farming and Food in Romania" released on Wednesday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEC»»»

Drugs once hailed as a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer's disease do not meaningfully help patients, a major review found Thursday, however some experts criticized the research. The review by the Cochrane organization -- which is considered the gold standard for analyzing existing eviden»»»

The fundamental vulnerability of the US Multi-Domain Operations doctrine is “centralization and the idea that the entire battle space can be effectively managed from the top,” retired USAF Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former DoD analyst, tells Sputnik. Kwiatkowski calls it “a kind of arrogance and»»»