This article was originally published on April 4, 2026 – French lawmakers are on Thursday set to debate a controversial bill that proposes labeling any implicitly expressed "hatred" against the state of Israel as anti-Semitic, making it a crime under the country’s terrorism laws»»»

In the coming weeks, the streets of Bishkek will begin to visibly transform as the city prepares for one of its most colorful seasons. Municipal services have begun a large-scale planting of annual flowers that will decorate the capital all summer long. According to the press service of the City Ha»»»

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»»»

Ghaziabad District, Afghanistan: In the jagged Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men dug into the rocky bed of the Kunar River searching for a few grams of gold dust as an alternative source of income. At the foot of imposing peaks, some still covered in snow in April, they toiled near»»»

Dubai: A striking fusion of science and creativity is taking centre stage in Amsterdam, where ancient fossils are being transformed into captivating works of art. The “Relics” exhibition at Art Zoo showcases nine pieces by creative duo Jaap Sinke and Ferry van Tongeren, blending natural history wit»»»

US House Democrats introduced six articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing him of "high crimes and misdemeanors" including waging war on Iran without congressional approval. The impeachment resolution is led by Yassamin Ansari, a Democratic Congresswoman fr»»»

London, United Kingdom: United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold talks on Thursday with representatives from social media firms to press them to do more to keep children safe online, as calls grow for a ban on under-16s using the platforms. "Today is about making sure social media compa»»»

A severe traffic accident resulting in fatalities has occurred on Balykchy—Ton road. According to preliminary reports, the driver of a passenger car lost control and crashed into a tree. A video from the scene of the accident is circulating on social media. The footage shows the victims. The exact »»»

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday, reversing earlier declines, on skepticism that peace talks between the US and Iran will reach a deal to end the war that has bottled up oil output from the key Middle East producing region. Brent crude futures were down 26 cents to $94.67 a barrel at 0611»»»

A U.S. official says President Donald Trump would welcome an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict as part of a broader peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon but has not specifically asked for one. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Trump administration’s position d»»»

A three-year-old girl has suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a lion cub during a souvenir photo session at Egypt’s National Circus in the Agouza district of Giza. The incident occurred at the headquarters of the Artistic House for Folk and Performing Arts, widely known as the “Nation»»»

The Labour Ministry is continuing its efforts to stop harmful practices involving pressure on vulnerable citizens through the social system, said caretaker Labour Minister Hasan in a televised interview on Thursday. The goal is to bring these practices to light so they are not repeated. Ademov adde»»»

A London dry gin from the “Milijaš” distillery in Srbac has won a gold medal at the prestigious international competition in Frankfurt, which featured more than 3,300 samples from around the world. In addition to the gold medal awarded at the “Frankfurt International Trophy”, “D Gin” also received »»»

Doha, Qatar: General Authority of Customs participated in the 17th meeting of the Executive Council of the Customs Union Authority of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held virtually, and chaired by President of the General Authority of Customs and Chairman of the Union’s Executive Council H E Ah»»»

Philip Morris International released its Value Report 2025, offering a holistic perspective on the company’s approach to sustainable value creation. The report marks the completion of PMI’s 2025 Roadmap, communicating achievements for each aspiration introduced by the company in 2020, and introduce»»»

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»»»

The United States is discussing a possible second round of peace talks with Iran in Pakistan and is optimistic about reaching a deal, U.S. officials said, as Tehran threatened to shut down Red Sea trade unless Washington lifted a naval blockade of its ports. A Pakistani delegation arrived in Tehran»»»

A new public health initiative titled “Hayat” has been launched in Dubai, bringing together global expertise across pharmaceutical research, body composition technology, and clinical practice in a structured effort to enhance public understanding of obesity. The three-month initiative is supported »»»

Police in London arrested two people on Wednesday over an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in the north of the city, amid an upsurge in “antisemitic” incidents in Britain. The pair -- a 47-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man -- were detained in Watford, north of the capital, and are being hel»»»

The leader of Progressive Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, told election campaign meetings in Kyustendil (Southwest Bulgaria) and Pernik (West Bulgaria) that political circles have the “ill ambition” to discredit the elections because they realize they cannot win them, Progressive Bulgaria said on Thursday. »»»

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»»»

Turkey: Turkey will hold funerals for nine victims killed in a school shooting by a 14-year-old, an attack that has sent shockwaves across the country, with authorities saying the suspect had referenced a US mass killer in a WhatsApp profile image. The attack in the southern province of Kahramanmar»»»

UAE: Joyalukkas, the world's favourite jeweller operating across 12 countries with 190 showrooms worldwide, has unveiled its exclusive Akshaya Tritiya 2026 collections and cashback celebrations, offering customers an opportunity to invest in eternal radiance during the most auspicious day for jewel»»»

TotalEnergies expects a significant increase in first-quarter earnings from a strong trading performance, as well as in its upstream production and oil sales due to higher prices caused by the war in Iran, even as the conflict shut down 15% of the French group's overall production, it said on Thurs»»»

Australia will raise defense spending to 3.0 percent of GDP by 2033 as armed conflicts flare worldwide, Defense Minister Richard Marles said Thursday. The new commitment follows pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration for Canberra to boost military expenditure as a share of total a»»»

Lebanon is "not aware" of any upcoming contact with Israel, an official source told AFP, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of leaders of Lebanon and Israel would speak on Thursday. "We are not aware of any planned contact with the Israeli side, and we have not been informed of any »»»

Turkiye: Turkiye will hold funerals for nine victims killed in a school shooting by a 14-year-old, an attack that has sent shockwaves across the country, with authorities saying the suspect had referenced a US mass killer in a WhatsApp profile image. The attack in the southern province of Kahramanm»»»

Natural gas remained the largest source of electricity generation in the United States, underscoring the fuel’s central role in meeting demand as utilities balance affordability, reliability and the shift toward cleaner energy. Nuclear power held steady as the second-largest source, according to En»»»

Turkish police said on Thursday they had ordered dozens of arrests for people accused of posting controversial content on social media after two deadly school shootings this week. "Arrest orders were issued for 83 individuals found to have engaged in posts and activities praising crime and criminal»»»

The US attorney’s office in Washington has requested that a federal appeals judge overturn convictions for members of far-right groups Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, who had been found guilty of seditious conspiracy over the January 2021 Capitol Hill riots. The members of the groups were granted »»»

The adoption of measures to respond to the new energy shock should not derail the course of fiscal consolidation, according to academician Daniel Daianu, President of the Fiscal Council.'The budget correction programme resulted in the deficit being even lower than the target set at the November 202»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd head coach Roberto Mancini has warned his side face an even greater challenge against Japan’s Vissel Kobe in their AFC Champions League Elite quarter-final at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah as they look to build on their dramatic Round of 16 triumph. “W»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has unveiled a new design and upgraded format for the H H the Amir Basketball Cup 2025–2026 season, signalling a fresh push to elevate one of Qatar’s most prestigious domestic basketball competitions. The announcement was made at a press conference»»»

Washington: David Pierson For much of the last two decades, China has maintained a delicate balance in its military relationship with Iran, offering often indirect assistance instead of arms sales. That approach is now drawing renewed attention after US officials said intelligence agencies were ass»»»

Tisza Party chairman Péter Magyar announced on Wednesday that President Tamás Sulyok will entrust him with forming a government. Magyar spoke to journalists after consultations with the head of state at the Sándor Palace. Leaving the building, the politician said the president had informed him abou»»»

“If the Treasury continues its current practice regarding the solidarity contribution, salaries for 27,000 municipal employees may not be paid in May.” As Mayor Gergely Karácsony said at a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday, he has asked the Treasury in a letter to refrain from “placing anothe»»»

Doha, Qatar: QIIB has announced the winners of its special financing campaign launched during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which offered customers a unique opportunity to win an amount equivalent to the full value of their financing. The campaign reflects the Bank’s ongoing commitment to introducing »»»

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 Dubai Civil Court of First Instance has ruled that property gifts made by a convicted embezzler to his daughter cannot be enforced against creditors, ordering the assets to be restored to his name to allow recovery of funds. The court found that the defendant, previously convicted of embezzling»»»

Erste reduced the economic growth prognosis for Central and Eastern Europe and increased inflation estimates, on the background of turbulences produced by the Middle East war on markets. Romania registers the most serious prognosis review, in conditions in which the price of oil is superposed to bu»»»

The Ministry of National Defence (MApN) said on Wednesday that email accounts belonging to its employees that were compromised by hackers linked to Russia did not contain classified data, but were used for administrative activities and the circulation of public information.According to the ministry»»»

The president of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), Kelemen Hunor, said that maintaining a solid collaboration between the governments of Romania and Hungary was important, and pointed out that the presentation of the future Budapest ruling program was expected, following the electio»»»

The Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition is organizing a march under the slogan “Strong Bulgaria in a Strong Europe,” set to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Sofia on Thursday, the coalition’s press office said. The procession will start from St. Nedelya Square and proceed to the Nation»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), has released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting a year of expanded programmes, stronger partnerships, and measurable progress in equipping young people in Qatar with the awareness, skills, and support needed to»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s banking sector total assets reached QR2.173 trillion in February 2026. The total assets expanded by 5 percent over the past five years (2020-2025). The liquid assets to total assets stood at healthy 30 percent in February this year, according to a report released by QNB Financi»»»

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»»»

GERB–UDF top-of-the-list candidate for Montana's multimember-constituency, Rumen Hristov, has urged voters in the Montana region to vote for their “well-being and secure future” in an address to voters, the coalition’s press office said Thursday. “In the upcoming Sunday elections, vote not for part»»»

Doha, Qatar: DPS-Modern Indian School announced that this year, a DPS-Modern Indian School prodigy Amir Nawaz Razvi Syed has achieved an extraordinary feat of securing a perfect score of 500/500 marks, a testament to the student’s unparalleled dedication, perseverance, and intellectual prowess. The»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has continued to strengthen the role of mosques as centres of religious, educational, and social influence in 2025, combining urban expansion with enhanced services, sustainability initiatives, and human capital development. The ministry’s late»»»

Russia launched overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, killing three people, including a child, and triggering air alerts in Kyiv, officials said Thursday. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a 12-year-old boy and a 35-year-old woman were among the dead as strikes intensified after months of »»»