The Sofia Appellate Court Friday upheld a decision by a first-instance court to deny the early release of Evelin "Brendo" Banev who is serving a sentence in Sofia for drug trafficking. The early release application was first denied by the Sofia City Court on March 27, 2026. The application was subm»»»

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday stressed his country was a "reliable member" of NATO, after a report the United States was considering possibly trying to expel Spain over its refusal to support operations in the Middle East war. The Reuters news agency cited an anonymous US official »»»

Throughout this conflict, one of the biggest impacts on many of our I’ve been wearing a beaming smile while dropping my children off at school this week. Not because I was glad to get them out of the house after several weeks of remote schooling (honestly), but because they got to laugh with their »»»

In a Facebook post on Friday, acting Interior Minister Emil Dechev wrote: "Old cops are using dirty tricks - all too familiar to us, endlessly worn-out - to undermine and neutralize Georgi Kandev, the acting Secretary General of the Interior Ministry." Earlier in the day, Kandev said in a video mes»»»

The team of Bulgarian caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov has drafted revisions to the Judicial System Act intended to enhance the election procedures for the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the SJC Inspectorate, Yankulov's Ministry said in a press release on Friday. The draft legislation»»»

Dubai: Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE and across the Middle East can request help through official government channels during crises such as conflict, disasters, or personal emergencies. The Philippine Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW),»»»

The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, announced on Friday that an Indonesian blue helmet died in hospital of wounds suffered on March 29 in an attack on his base. UNIFIL deplored the passing of Pramudia, who was critically injured following a projectile explosion in his base in Adchit Al Qu»»»

Hezbollah reserves the right to respond to any Israeli "aggressions" during the ongoing truce in Lebanon, Ali Fayad, an MP for the party, said on Friday. He said extending the ceasefire "makes no sense" in light of continued "hostile acts" by Israel, saying they gave "the resistance the right to re»»»

Some residents in Beirut believe south Lebanon should be included in a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. They said a deal will not be sustainable without a lasting truce between Iran and the United States. “It is not related to Hezbollah and Israel, but to Iran and the US. If they reach an ag»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese militant group Hezbollah reserves the right to respond to any Israeli “aggressions” during the ongoing truce in Lebanon, Ali Fayad, an MP for the party, said on Friday. He said extending the ceasefire “makes no sense” in light of continued “hostile acts” by Israel, saying they gave»»»

The Macroeconomic Confidence Index of the CFA Romania Association dropped significantly in March, falling by 10.2 points to 38.2. This decline reflects a deterioration in the perceptions of financial analysts regarding both economic prospects and the current situation. According to a statement rele»»»

1/29A stunning solar halo captured over Abu Dhabi by Adel Beheiry.Adel Beheiry2/29Nature’s prescription at Kalba Hanging Garden, where greenery and calm views offer a peaceful escape captured by Ali Mazahir.Ali Mazahir3/29Ankita Vaghela captures a vibrant sky glowing with colour and natural beauty »»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Government Spokesperson Marija Miteva told a press conference on Thursday that Makpetrol has reduced the retail price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Mden 5 per liter, i.e. from Mden 59 to Mden 54, as of midnight. In addition, a decrease of Mden 10 per kilogram has»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - A call for tender has been issued to select supervision services for the third phase of the railway to Bulgaria, and in about ten days a call for tender to select a contractor should also be issued, which will allow work on the ground to begin during the summer, Deputy»»»

The spa centre at Ensana Aquahouse Hotel in the Sts. Constantine and Helena resort near Varna, on the Black Sea, is developing new anti-stress programmes, spa manager Nikolay Popov told BTA. The services are used mainly by working people who need mental recovery. The programmes target to reduce chr»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Minister of Defense Vlado Misajlovski launched on Thursday the regular Macedonian-U.S. bilateral defense consultations, where, together with Deputy Assistant Secretary of War David Baker and the U.S. delegation, discussions were held on regional security, modernization»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi will host on Friday the 20th Conference of Presidents/Speakers of Parliaments of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) held as part of the country’s chairmanship of the AII. The meeting will be attended by presidents, vice‑presidents, and »»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi met Thursday with the Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina's House of Peoples, Kemal Ademović. Speaker Gashi expressed satisfaction with the excellent relations between the two countries, highlighting the role of Bosniaks in the country and»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski met Thursday with United States Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires Nicole Varnes, expressing satisfaction from the enhancement of bilateral relations and cooperation. Minister Mucunski reaffirmed the Government's c»»»

Struga, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Solid waste management and wastewater treatment are the top priorities through which the European Union will do everything in its power so that Struga and Ohrid keep their UNESCO status, said EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas after a meeting with Struga Mayor Mendi Qyra on »»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski says Arben Fetai will no longer serve as Minister for Good Governance and Transparency, while reiterating that the Government reshuffle will most probably happen by the end of May or the start of June. "We talked a couple of weeks ago »»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has said the caretaker government will remain in place for the next elections, after which it will be cancelled, as per the changes to the Law on Government. PM Mickoski told Sitel the opposition and its leader Venko Filipche oppose th»»»

Skopje, 23 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski says he congratulated Rumen Radev on the win at the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, highlighting the commitment to dialogue and goodneighborly relations. "I called Radev the next day and congratulated him. The people's will must b»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic hosted a reception on Thursday evening to mark April 23 - Serbian Armed Forces Day. The reception, held in the Large War Room of the Old General Staff building, was also attended»»»

A US Army Green Beret has been arrested on charges that he used classified information from the operation to kidnap Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to place high-stakes bets on prediction markets already rocked by billions of dollars in suspiciously timed wagers during the US-Israeli war on Ira»»»

Iran is not seeking war, but it is ready to keep fighting, Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, has told RT in an exclusive interview, arguing that the Islamic Republic has never been the side to abandon diplomacy despite repeated stabs in the back. “The general policy of the Islamic Republ»»»

The figures highlight the growing importance of calendar-driven travel moments, as more travelers take advantage of extended weekends to plan quick, efficient trips abroad. A perfect setup for short getaways With a natural window of four to five days, the May 1st holiday is ideally suited for city »»»

Frankfurt, Germany: German business morale dropped in April to its lowest level since the Covid pandemic as the Middle East war hit Europe's top economy hard. The closely-watched Ifo institute confidence barometer dropped to 84.4 in April, down from 86.3 in March, marking its lowest level since May»»»

Businesses and academia risk assuming that the baby boomer generation, aged 60-85 as of this report launch, is uninterested in adopting AI, leaving a huge demographic behind from a societal inclusion perspective, and a missed opportunity from a business perspective. EY Ripples and Older Adults Tech»»»

Tunis, April 24 (TAP) – The Bangladeshi conglomerate Dynamic Group Bangladesh has expressed interest in investing in several strategic sectors in Tunisia. The goal is to foster economic cooperation and support sustainable development, FIPA Tunisia...»»»

The US Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit brought by Carter Page, an aide to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, over secret surveillance by the FBI amid the Russiagate investigation. Page filed the suit in 2020, claiming he was a victim of “unlawful spying.” The ex-aide also alleged a»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has completed its first-ever rail shipment of passenger vehicles for a car dealership, marking a major shift in how vehicles are transported across the country. The milestone saw Al Masaood Automobiles partner with Etihad Rail Freight - a subsidiary of Etihad Rail - to move a shi»»»

As part of BR’s new interview series with professionals in the Media & Marketing sector, we sat down with Irina Mateescu, Founder at Digitalee, and talked about the agency’s present and future, the expectations for the industry in 2026, the changes that are about to happen, as well as how will AI i»»»

JEDDAH: Sarah Alabdali is presenting her third solo exhibition, “The Legends of Motherland,” until May 24 at Al-Balad’s Al-Falah School in Jeddah. The exhibition brings together paintings, prints, and collaborative works that reflect Alabdali’s journey as an artist and researcher whose work explore»»»

KUWAIT CITY: The Kuwaiti military said on Friday that two drones coming from the direction of neighboring Iraq struck border posts on its northern frontier with the country, causing damage but no casualties.“This morning, two of Kuwait’s northern land border posts were targeted in a criminal act of»»»

OVES Enterprise, a Romanian software development company with expertise in creating complex software solutions and AI-driven innovations for the aerospace, defense, and cybersecurity industries, is in talks to raise EUR 55 million, according to a statement by the company. The initiative comes short»»»

Tehran: International flights from Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport will resume on Saturday, the ISNA news agency reported, days after Iran reopened its airspace. The first flights to resume will be to Istanbul and Muscat, the announcement said. Iran's airspace was slammed shut by the US-Israeli war »»»

Dubai: Pilgrims preparing for Hajj 2026 have been urged to take their required vaccinations at least 10 days before departure in order to reduce the risk of infectious diseases during the pilgrimage. The Emirates Health Services (EHS) said early vaccination is essential to allow the body time to bu»»»

The Chairman of the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Anwar Bousta, received the Chargé d’affaires and Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Libya, Daniel Schemsky, at the Chamber’s Tripoli headquarters yesterday. The Chamber’s Board members Essam Al-Jahani and Saad Al-Dhawi were also present. The meeting aim»»»

DOHA: Baladna has signed second-phase agreements exceeding $635 million and launched a major 109-flight airlift program transporting 30,000 high-yield Holstein dairy cows from nine US states to Algeria, marking a significant execution milestone in the $3.5 billion Baladna Algeria integrated dairy d»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian forces destroyed two HIMARS launchers of the Ukrainian armed forces and carried out six group strikes with high-precision long-range weapons and drone strikes on the military infrastructure of Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "From April 18 to April 2»»»

Container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said on Friday that one of its ships has crossed the Strait of Hormuz but did not have any information on the circumstances or timing. Four out of initially six ships remain in the Gulf, after one ship's charter agreement expired, meaning it no longer belongs to»»»

TEHRAN: International flights from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport will resume on Saturday, the ISNA news agency reported, days after Iran reopened its airspace. The first flights to resume will be to Istanbul and Muscat, the announcement said. Iran’s airspace was slammed shut by the US-Israeli war »»»

E-commerce firm Coupang on Friday denied allegations that it lobbied U.S. government officials to pressure South Korea after a data leak controversy. This February 27 photo shows a Coupang distribution center in Seoul. File Photo by Yonhap E-commerce firm Coupang Inc. on Friday denied allegations t»»»

The Libyan-Spanish Economic Forum (23-24 April), organized by the Libyan General Union of Chambers of Commerce in conjunction with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, commenced yesterday in Madrid. The General Union of Chambers said the forum saw high-level participation from government officials and »»»

Political developments involving Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria electoral dominance and Borislav Sarafov’s resignation as acting prosecutor general dominate Friday’s news media, highlighting broader debates on power consolidation and judicial independence in Bulgaria. POLITICS Capital leads wit»»»

The Israeli enemy Israel escalated its sustained campaign against southern border towns on Friday, unleashing heavy airstrikes, artillery fire, and house demolitions across multiple areas, further deepening the devastation. Al-Manar’s correspondent reported that the Israeli enemy carried out intens»»»

French energy major TotalEnergies on Friday said it would invest in a Kazakhstan-based onshore wind and energy storage project, valued at $1.2 billion, and plans to sell the produced electricity to the country's government under a 25-year agreement signed in 2023. The Mirny project, which is schedu»»»

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held phone calls with Pakistan’s powerful military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and the country’s top diplomat, Ishaq Dar, as uncertainty remained over the future of peace talks with the United States. Araghchi also spoke to the president of Iraq’s »»»

Doha, Qatar: Two sites along Kuwait's northern land border were targeted in a drone attack on Friday morning, the country's Ministry of Defense confirmed. Official spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi said, "This morning, two sites of the northern land border c»»»