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»»»

Dubai: Court of Cassation in Dubai has ruled that WhatsApp messages must be carefully examined in divorce disputes when presented as evidence, underscoring their potential legal weight in family law proceedings. Appeal overturned over unexamined digital evidenceIn a significant judgment, the Dubai »»»

During the presentation of the company’s annual results, Stefan Hartung, Chairman of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH, stated: “As a global technology leader, we are committed to shaping trends in the fields of automation, digitalization, electrification, and artificial intelligence, as»»»

WASHINGTON, D.C. April 17, 2026 (TAP) – Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), Fethi Zouhaier Nouri, called in Washington D.C. (United States) for a more coordinated and responsive international approach to support countries affected by...»»»

European Commission officials are due to meet Friday with Peter Magyar, whose Tisza party won a supermajority in Hungary's elections on Sunday. Photo by Tibor Illyes/EPA April 17 (UPI) -- Officials from the European Commission arrived in Budapest for Friday talks with Péter Magyar, who will take of»»»

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi welcoming Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir upon his arrival at the airport in Tehran, on Wednesday. Araghchi announced Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is open. Photo by Iranian Foreign Ministry/UPI. | License Photo April 17 (UPI) -- Iranian Foreign Mini»»»

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slightly lowered its growth forecast for the Bulgarian economy by 0.3 percentage points to 2.8% amid the crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East, which in this regard has no greater impact than in other countries. However, the Fund has expressed conc»»»

London: Global oil prices have dropped by more than 10 percent following the announcement of the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over supply disruptions. The price of Brent crude for June delivery fell by 10.42 percent to USD 89.03 per barrel. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermedi»»»

First published in Denik N Former Bulgarian president (2017 to January 2026) Rumen Radev appears to be on his way back — but this time, to the prime minister’s office. The former air force commander with pro-Russian views, who in January stepped down from the presidency in order to run in Sunday’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»»»

The prosecution service has opened a probe against the Prime Minister, government ministers and the Interior Ministry Secretary General. That was announced by caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov in a Facebook post. He said the prosecutors "have acted on tipoffs from the bludgeons" without providi»»»

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»»»

1 of 2 | Analilia Mejia won the vacant U.S. House seat in New Jersey in a special election on Thursday, maintaining control of the seat for the Democratic Party. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 17 (UPI) -- Analilia Mejia won the vacant U.S. House seat in New Jersey in a special »»»

Geneva: Over 38,000 women and girls were killed in the Gaza war by the end of 2025, the UN estimated Friday, amounting to over half of the 71,000 deaths recorded by the territory's health ministry. "Between October 2023 and December 2025, more than 38,000 women and girls were killed in Gaza -- the »»»

Oil futures tanked on Friday following a statement by Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, reflecting trader relief that the immediate risk of a supply shock had receded. The move marks a notable de-escalation by Tehran. Brent crude fell (down 11.26% to $84.03 as of 9.50 Beijing time); US West Tex»»»

House Speaker Mike Johnson failed to shepherd an 18-month reauthorization of a key part of FISA through Congress after struggling to find enough votes early Friday, but managed to secure a 10-day extension to allow more time for negotiations. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 17 (UPI) »»»

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»»»

Oil futures tanked on Friday following a statement by Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, reflecting trader relief that the immediate risk of a supply shock had receded. The move marks a notable de-escalation by Tehran. Brent crude fell (down 11.26% to $84.03 as of 9.50 Beijing time); US West Tex»»»

Australia’s most decorated living veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, walked free on bail from a Sydney prison on Friday, 10 days after he was charged with war crimes in the killings of five people while serving in Afghanistan. Judge Greg Grogin granted Roberts-Smith bail in a Sydney court around five hour»»»

A South Korean oil tanker has transited the Red Sea for the first time since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Seoul's oceans ministry said on Friday. Import-dependent South Korea has taken steps to mitigate the risks to its energy supplies since US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late Febr»»»

Beirut MPs representing most of Lebanon’s political parties met in the capital to support a government move declaring the city “safe and weapons-free,” following recent security incidents and Israeli strikes. The conference brought together most factions, except MPs from Hezbollah, the Amal Movemen»»»

Saudi Arabia’s Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) held a virtual meeting to consider a package of strategic reports outlining the Kingdom’s economic and development trajectory. The council issued the 2025 annual report on Saudi Vision 2030, showing clear progress across its three pi»»»

Russia has sent an important message to the world by sending a ship with oil to Cuba last month as the US blockades the island, Havana’s envoy to New Delhi has said. Moscow shipped 100,000 tons of oil required for Cuba’s normal functioning after the US imposed restrictions, Juan Carlos Marsan Aguil»»»

Dubai: At a time when headlines feel heavy, South African comedian Robby Collins (read the full interview here) chose laughter over fear. In Dubai with The Laughter Factory, he found packed rooms, warm audiences, and a city that feels incredibly safe, despite uncertainty due to ongoing regional ten»»»

Berlin: A private rescue attempt for a whale stranded off Germany's Baltic coast has entered a "decisive phase", officials said Friday, with the sea mammal showing more activity than in recent days. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) humpback whale's ordeal first began in late March when it was spotted stuck»»»

Washington, April 17 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh and Central Bank Governor Abdulkader Husrieh discussed investment opportunities in Syria during a visit to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, on the sidelines of the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings. The meeting included repr»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanon: Speaker Berri Says Civil Peace Red Line, Rejects Direct Talks with ‘Israel’ 17-04-2026 16:06 PM Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri in an»»»

Belchinski Izvor SPA Complex, located near the village of Belchin, hosted 39,486 guests in 2025. Some 93% were from Bulgaria, while the rest were foreigners, the complex told BTA. The Gala Placidia spa centre features a large indoor mineral pool, an indoor children’s pool, outdoor hot tubs and jacu»»»

An international tourist train operated by Golden Eagle Trains arrived in Bishkek today from Balykchy. The train brought visitors from Western Europe, North America, and East Asia, the state enterprise Kyrgyz Temir Zholu reported. At the railway station, a traditional crafts exhibition was organize»»»

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»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Channel 14: Six Israeli soldiers were injured, two seriously, by an IED explosion in southern Lebanon 17-04-2026 15:32 PM Latest Ne»»»

New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi struck a light-hearted note in the Lok Sabha on Friday during a debate on the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill and delimitation, drawing laughter when he remarked that both he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi do not have “wife issues”. The Leader of the Opposit»»»

Dubai: St. Regis, The Palm in Dubai confirmed Friday that parts of the property will be unavailable from mid-April as it begins refurbishment works. “As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering an exceptional luxury experience, we have embarked on a refurbishment project,” the hotel said in a m»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that he hopes Hezbollah "acts nicely and well during this important period of time," shortly after he announced a ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. "It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!" Trum»»»

After 17 years in journalism, spanning local newsrooms, radio, and national television, Teodora Tompea is stepping into a new rhythm at Observator 16, where speed meets meaning and news reporting blends with storytelling. On March 16, she also hosted the 21st edition of the Business Review Awards G»»»

Jeddah: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed deep concern over the worsening conditions of more than 9,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, including women and children, in addition to detainees from Gaza whose numbers remain unknown. In a statement, the OIC warned of se»»»

Hisense, a leading global brand in consumer electronics and home appliances, has unveiled its new 2026 RGB MiniLED TV range at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, underlining not only its latest advances in display technology but also the strength and maturity of its long-standing partnership with FIFA ahe»»»

Royal Grand Hotel and Spa in Kavarna has introduced therapies using sea mud enriched with calcium and magnesium, which have anti-stress and restorative effects, the hotel’s marketing manager Teodora Chaneva told BTA. "We offer combined packages for relaxation and recovery, weekend programmes, and t»»»

The Court of Audit has raised serious concerns about efforts to hastily complete the national cadastre, warning of prolonged uncertainty over property ownership and a surge in court appeals. In a report, the watchdog said recent measures allowing the register to operate before objections are examin»»»

Paris: The 2026 Paris Book Festival has opened in the French capital, drawing thousands of writers, publishers and readers from around the world for one of Europe's largest literary gatherings. Taking place at the Grand Palais, the three-day event runs until Sunday and features around 1,200 publish»»»

A 53-year-old Indian-origin woman who has lived in the United States for more than three decades has been detained by immigration authorities in Texas, triggering legal challenges and growing concern over her treatment. Meenu Batra, a court interpreter who has spent over 35 years in the US, was arr»»»

ANTALYA - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met with Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday to discuss advancement of bilateral cooperation and the region's EU path. Pirc Musar said the cooperation was on a high level and that Serbia was one of Slovenia»»»

Ras Al Khaimah: In line with the nationwide ‘Proud of the UAE’ initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the General Command of Ras Al Khaimah Police has introduced a new community-focused campaign featuring specially branded patrol vehicles. A number of police patr»»»

Milan: Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has encountered some jet fuel shortages at three airports in Italy, its chief executive said Friday, following warnings about supplies because of the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. "We had problems because of a shortage of jet fuel in three Italian airp»»»

‎Libya’s Airports Authority reported last Wednesday (15 April) ‎that a specialized committee from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) visited Mitiga International Airport to determine the extent of compliance with ICAO’s international standards and recommended practices(SARPs). The»»»

Macquarie invested in Evryo Group in 2021. Evryo Group is the owner of Distributie Energie Oltenia (DEO), a regulated electricity distribution network active in the south-western Romanian region of Oltenia. DEO develops, maintains, and operates the grid to safely supply electricity across 80,000 ki»»»

US President Donald Trump’s policy has ended up creating problems for Americans, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said, citing soaring energy prices linked to the war on Iran. Lula made the remarks in an interview with El Pais published on Thursday. “[Trump] is playing a very dange»»»

Abu Dhabi: Travellers flying from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai and Delhi in India will experience improved travel comfort. UAE’s national carrier Etihad Airways announced Friday that it plans to introduce the game-changing Airbus A321LR twice daily to these two Indian cities, complementing two daily wide-bo»»»