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»»»

ABU DHABI: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday received the credentials of a number of newly appointed ambassadors to the UAE. During the credential presentation ceremony, His Highness welcomed the ambassadors and wished them success in strengthening cooperatio»»»

A ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday as US President Donald Trump pushes for broader regional diplomacy, including a possible first-ever leaders’ meeting. The truce comes amid efforts to end wider conflict involving Iran and follows weeks of intense fighting and heav»»»

The words we hear in our childhood rarely pass through our lives unnoticed. They linger like a cloud in the mind, reminding us — every time the rain of their conversations falls — of the thorns of negativity. For years, that narrative persisted in the minds of many across the region we share in lan»»»

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»»»

France announced Tuesday that it will expand access to sustainable menstrual products by reimbursing reusable cups and underwear for eligible young women and low-income groups. The move, aimed at tackling period poverty, is expected to benefit millions once implemented through the country’s social »»»

A federal jury in New York finds for the plaintiffs in an antitrust lawsuit against concert giant Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster. We take a closer look. But first: the IMF warns on mounting public debt amid a global energy crisis, and China's economy beats expectations as growth accelerates d»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has affirmed the continued stability of the labour market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the uninterrupted continuity of business operations despite ongoing regional developments. This reflects the strength and diversity of»»»

South Korean government secures alternative oil supplies of 27 million barrels in June, expands support to diversify imports amid Middle East disruptions. Trade, Industry and Resources Minister Kim Jung-kwan attends a press conference at the government complex in Sejong, central South Korea. Photo »»»

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told reporters Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz needs to reopen "but not at any price," adding that G7 leaders stand ready to mitigate the war's economic fallout. Finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven advanced economies added i»»»

Share: Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 10, 2026. REUTERS/Raghed Waked/File Photo Summary A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect»»»

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 Muscat The Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman discussed developments in the region amid rising regional tensions during a meeting at Al Baraka Palace in Muscat on Thursday. They exchanged views on current developments, particularly»»»

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has welcomed the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, and commended the diplomatic efforts led by President Trump in facilitating this agreement. Also Read: UAE President accepts US invitation to Board o»»»

Tribune News Network Doha The Gold and Jewelry Committee of the Qatar Chamber (QC) recently held a joint meeting with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) to review key challenges facing the sector and explore practical solutions to support its growth and sustainability. The meeting was cha»»»

QNA Doha The Qatar Social and Cultural Center for the Blind (QSCCB) organised a special awareness seminar on psychological resilience and smart coping in times of crisis. The session was presented by disability expert, psychological consultant, and advisor to the Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of»»»

Ashraf Siddiqui Doha Naveed Kamran Baloch, Federal Ombudsman of Pakistan, has stated that his office plans to engage with embassies and consulates worldwide as part of a broader outreach strategy. In his maiden interview since taken over present responsibilities with Qatar Tribune in Islamabad, Bal»»»

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»»»

A new U-S-born Pope on a first-ever visit to Cameroon’s restive English-speaking northwest, and who’s not turning the other cheek: “Blessed are the peacemakers! But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that »»»

DOHA: Minister of Public Health HE Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud has issued a circular replacing health cards with ID cards for residents at public healthcare facilities. A statement from the Ministry of Public Health on Thursday said that under Circular No. (10) of 2026, residents will be require»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium and that the two sides were "close" to a peace deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East. The United States had earlier threatened to resume airstrikes on the Islamic republic and m»»»

The UAE has welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, commending the diplomatic efforts that led to the breakthrough. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that the development would represent a positive step»»»

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry on Thursday welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting militant group Hezbollah since last month. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom's welcome of the announcement by... Trump of a ce»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Public Health HE Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud has issued a circular adopting the valid national ID (QID) card for residents in place of the health card when visiting Hamad Medical Corporation, Primary Health Care Corporation, and other government health sector in»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium and that the two sides were "close" to a peace deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East. The United States had earlier threatened to resume airstrikes on t»»»

AMMAN — Commissioner for Investment and Economic Affairs at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Mohammed Abu Omar, said on Thursday that Aqaba is rapidly moving towards consolidating its position as a regional hub for the digital economy.Abu Omar said through the development of digit»»»

AMMAN — Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jordan marks a "further" step in deepening investment ties between the two countries, as bilateral cooperation shifts toward implementation across key sectors.Investment Minister, Tareq Abu Ghazaleh, said the agreem»»»

AMMAN — Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khreissat on Thursday said Jordan’s agricultural sector continues to post strong performance, underpinned by improved supply chains and growing domestic production.Speaking to Al Mamlaka TV, Khreissat described the sector as a "success story" despite limited nat»»»

Pet insurance grows 3.5-fold in three years... insurance industry moves to boost awareness A chart shows the number of pet insurance policies in South Korea rising sharply from 51,727 in 2021 to 251,961 in 2025. Graphic by Asia Today and translated by UPI April 15 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's pet »»»

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said the UAE has the right to seek guarantees to prevent the repetition of cowardly Iranian attacks and to be compensated after the Iranian aggression against GCC countries. “The Iranian regime has attacked everyone in the Gulf, ev»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov Thursday expressed concern over what he described as systemic abuses within Bulgaria’s healthcare financing system, where hospitals exploit legal loopholes in order to maximize their profit and not to improve patient care, and demanded changes in the applicable»»»

Sharjah : Seventy schools and nurseries from across the UAE took part in the third edition of the “My Green Environment is My Future” initiative, it was revealed when the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah honoured winners during a closing ceremony at Al Dhaid Wildlife Muse»»»

Lebanon and Israel have agreed to observe a 10-day ceasefire that begins at midnight Beirut time, the United States said. Below is the full text of the statement that was agreed to by the Government of Israel and Government of Lebanon, as published by the U.S. State Department: "Following productiv»»»

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»»»

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer takes part in a stop in Minneapolis on January 9. Hennepin County prosecutors announced charges against an ICE officer accused of pointing his weapon at people in a moving vehicle in February. File Photo by Craig Lassig/UPI | License Photo April 16 (UP»»»

The government has adopted a package of legislative amendments aimed at establishing an effective and functional mechanism for investigating the prosecutor general, the Council of Ministers reported on Thursday. The package introduces mandatory judicial review of decisions to terminate or suspend c»»»

The International Monetary Fund said the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan were facing a pivotal and exceptionally difficult moment in their modern economic history after the war that broke out on Feb. 28, 2026, describing it as a severe and multifaceted shock to one of the world’s most strat»»»

Hezbollah plunged Lebanon into war with Israel in early March. Six weeks later, the group, which had suffered setbacks in 2024, is still putting up a fight. But how? And can the Lebanese government succeed in getting the militant group to disarm? In this edition of Middle East Matters, we are »»»

The Council of Ministers on Thursday approved a draft Act on Tackling Corruption of Public Office Holders, the Government Information Service said in a press release. The new bill has been drafted implementing the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and the recommendations of the European »»»

Plastic sheeting serving as tents and mattresses laid on the ground: in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, the widows of fallen soldiers are struggling to survive in a makeshift camp. They say they fled the capital of North Kivu province, Goma, after it fell to the M23 rebels in January 2025. Left»»»

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 »»»

The caretaker Government Thursday approved the establishment of an interagency working group to coordinate industrial cooperation in projects for the procurement of defence equipment and products for the needs of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, the Government Information Service reported. The working g»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The protracted Middle East conflict has had significant impact on international energy security and the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday. "The US-Israel war against Iran should never have started. The protracted conflic»»»

The caretaker Government Thursday approved an Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement), signed by the Republic of Bulgaria on September 20, 2023. The Government proposes that the Nat»»»

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»»»

As France debates a controversial antisemitism bill, Oliver Farry welcomes Renaud Foucart, Economist, Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University, for a nuanced and critical examination of the so-called Yadan Bill. Speaking from both an economic and institutional perspective, he evokes three competing »»»

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The ongoing blockade by the US Navy of Iranian waters is a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Iranian Permanent Representative to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said on Thursday. "The imposition of a maritime blockade announced by the United States constit»»»

At a sitting on Thursday, the Council of Ministers adopted a report approving Draft Amendment and Supplement No. 1 to the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) BU-B-UCR Procurement of Ammunition for Stryker Vehicles. Proposing amendments and supplements to existing contracts under the Foreign Milita»»»

Dimitar Karbov, the top-of-the-list candidate of Nation for Varna, is quoted by the party’s press office as saying that "Children are our greatest treasure and hope for Bulgaria’s future, which is why addressing the country’s demographic crisis is a top priority for Nation." Karbov added that solvi»»»