Fentanyl, other high-risk narcotic substances, and precursors for their production were seized by police during a special operation ordered by Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev a week ago, the Ministry said on Wednesday. Seized items included 1.78 kg of fentanyl, 9.27 kg of green plant material an»»»

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday considers a resolution reinforcing states’ obligations to combat climate change, a long-awaited move toned down under pressure from major greenhouse gas emitters. “We can’t take any more disaster and destruction. We all have a right t»»»

Doha Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and COFIDES, Spain's state-owned financial institution, announced an agreement to establish a joint EUR 300 million investment fund to invest in strategic projects across Spain, with a particular focus on financing the green transition, digital transformation a»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Wednesday Serbia would make it possible for foreign students to obtain Serbian citizenship to enable them to stay and work in the country after completing their studies. "I will do my best to ensure we enable those who have studied for seve»»»

His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, has ordered the release of 230 inmates who have demonstrated good conduct during their sentences in punitive and corrective institutions in the emirate, on the occasion of Eid Al Adha. This humanitarian gest»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police honoured 1,921 employees and 28 work teams from police stations across the emirate for outstanding performance during the first quarter of 2026, recognising achievements in criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, administrative excellence and specialised police services. T»»»

JAKARTA: The Indonesian government is urging local businesses to seize opportunities emerging under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and expand the presence of their products, especially consumer goods, in the Kingdom’s market. President Prabowo Subianto and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed »»»

DUBAI: With “Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu,” director Jon Favreau delivers a film that is undeniably charming on the surface. It is packed with adorable Grogu reaction shots, new creatures to enjoy, familiar and new planets, and just enough nostalgia to remind audiences why the galaxy far, far»»»

DUBAI: Cate Blanchett returned to the Cannes Film Festival this week to unveil the second cohort of filmmakers selected for the Displacement Film Fund, a global initiative supporting stories shaped by migration, exile and forced displacement. The Oscar-winning actor and UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambass»»»

GENEVE: The deadly Ebola outbreak raging in central Africa probably began several months ago, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, deeming the risk high in the region but low worldwide. WHO experts said that investigations were under way into the origins of the outbreak, which was declared»»»

TUNIS: Tunisian authorities have lifted a ban on the local branch of prominent international NGO Avocats Sans Frontieres, the branch said on Wednesday without providing further details on the measure. ASF said in a statement it was “resuming activities starting May 20” after the ban, imposed on May»»»

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha visited Salla and Classera in Jeddah as part of the ministry’s efforts to support the growth of national technology companies and enable smart solutions for key sectors, including Hajj and Umrah services. »»»

LONDON: The Committee to Protect Journalists has urged Israeli authorities to immediately release journalists detained aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Israeli forces began intercepting vessels from the flotilla in international waters near Cyprus on Monday, as the convoy attempted to r»»»

Iran and the US traded threats as President Donald Trump warned of renewed strikes a day after he said he held off a major assault in hopes of a peace deal. Reporting from Tehran, FRANCE 24’s Reza Sayah says Iranian officials have maintained their position that “they prefer diplomacy. They don't se»»»

Annette Young welcomes Julie Drouet, DRC Director for Action Against Hunger. She offers a sobering assessment of the early Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Speaking from the frontline of a rapidly evolving health emergency, Drouet describes a humanitarian »»»

François Picard is pleased to welcome Paranjoy Guha-Thakurta, an Indian journalist, investigative author and filmmaker. He offers a sweeping critique of the nexus between oligarchic wealth, political power and weakened institutional accountability in contemporary India. Drawing on the allegations s»»»

Tunis, May 20 (TAP) — Secretary of State for Energy Transition Wael Chouchane said energy management has become a matter of national sovereignty and economic resilience amid global geopolitical and economic challenges.Speaking at the opening of the...»»»

Democratic Bulgaria (DB) filed a complaint with the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC), providing information that raises reasonable suspicion of possible improper influence in the awarding and execution of public contracts. The reason for the report is Delyan Peevski’s frequ»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Amiri Decree No. 25 of 2026, appointing HE Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki as President of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The decision is effective starting its date of issue and is to be published in th»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar and the European Union have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector during high-level virtual talks held on Wednesday. Minister of State for Energy Affairs HE Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi met HE Dan Jorgensen, the European Union's Commissioner for »»»

Justice Minister Nikolay Naydenov announced that he has proposed the dismissal of Daniela Miteva as head of Bulgaria’s Registry Agency following what he described as years of “shocking and unacceptable practices” inside one of the country’s most sensitive administrative institutions. Speaking after»»»

Investigative outlet BIRD.bg has published what it says are previously unseen official documents from the Financial Intelligence Unit of Liechtenstein, outlining an alleged complex financial structure involving concealed ownership and cross-border transactions. The reports reportedly place Bulgaria»»»

Georgi Angelov, chief economist at the Institute for Market Economics, has warned that Bulgaria’s current economic expansion is being driven less by productive capacity and investment and more by a rapid increase in borrowing and household consumption, creating what he described as a risk of overhe»»»

Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Ayatollah Sayyed Mujtaba Khamenei issued a message on Wednesday marking the second martyrdom anniversary of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, describing the occasion as a reminder of a long line of officials who “served the country with sincerity and w»»»

Capitals, May 20 (SANA) Oil prices, gold and global stock markets fluctuated this week as investors assessed uncertainty surrounding the conflict involving Iran, the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the outlook for inflation and interest rates. The S&P 500 closed down 0.1% on Monday, while the »»»

Dubai: Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is transforming how it manages marine public transport through the expansion of its Seasonal Network initiative, a data-driven framework that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to dynamically adapt services in response to shiftin»»»

At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers endorsed the EU-Mexico Modernised Global Agreement (MGA), officially known as the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Political Affairs, Economic Relations and Cooperation. The deepening of EU-Mexico partnership would bring long-term bene»»»

DOHA: Chairman of Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) HE Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani met on Wednesday with Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the State of Qatar HE Neerav Patel. During the meeting, they discussed relations between the two countries in the media fields and ways to support and develo»»»

ROME: The State of Qatar and the Italian Republic have held high-level talks focusing on bilateral cooperation and regional security, including efforts to maintain the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and reduce tensions across the Middle East. Minister of State at the Ministry of Forei»»»

Abu Dhabi-based BILDCO and Wujod Real Estate Development have signed a strategic partnership agreement to develop a large-scale sustainable urban community in Abu Dhabi, with first-phase investments estimated at Dh2 billion. The planned development will span an initial area of 10 million square met»»»

Dubai : With 1,642 security patrols, two helicopters, 160 ambulatory points and 208 Civil Defence vehicles deployed across the emirate, Dubai’s Event Security Committee has completed preparations to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow during the Eid Al Adha holidays. Major General Saif Muhair Al »»»

The government approved on Wednesday a draft decision to grant a derogation from Regulation (EU) No. 833/2014. This authorizes the transit of industrial gas turbines from the UK through the territory of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation, intended for the Russian section of the Caspian Pipeline Con»»»

The Smolyan District Prosecutor’s Office has received an alert for illegal logging within the municipality’s territory, spokesperson Stancho Stanchev told BTA on Wednesday. The complaint was submitted by former acting Agriculture Minister Ivan Hristanov and forwarded by the Supreme Cassation Prosec»»»

Hezbollah said Wednesday its fighters were engaged in clashes with a force of Israeli soldiers that repeatedly tried to advance from the southern border town of Rshaf towards Haddatha. The group said in a statement that the Israeli force had tried to enter Haddatha three times in one week amid fier»»»

Rome: The State of Qatar and the Italian Republic have held high-level talks focusing on bilateral cooperation and regional security, including efforts to maintain the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and reduce tensions across the Middle East. Minister of State at the Ministry of Forei»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday talks with Hungary's MOL about its acquisition of a Russian majority stake in the Serbian oil company NIS were not going well and that he was not too optimistic about a deal being reached by May 22 - a deadline set by the US Office of »»»

A report issued by Colliers, the diversified professional services and investment management company, on the performance of the UAE real estate market during the first quarter of 2026, revealed that the sector has entered a new phase of balanced and sustainable growth following the exceptional mome»»»

Skopje, 17 May 2026 (MIA) — Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said Sunday that the terms proposed by budget airline Ryanair to enter the Macedonian market were unrealistic. Nikoloski said the carrier requested a subsidy of EUR 25 per seat, which is more than double w»»»

The U.K. government has delayed some new sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to shelter Britons from the cost-of-living squeeze triggered by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Iran war. A trade license that came into effect Wednesday permits the import of Russian oil that has be»»»

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni slammed as "unacceptable" the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel, after an Israeli minister posted a video of them bound and forced to kneel. "It is intolerable that these protesters, among whom there are many Italian citizens, are subjecte»»»

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev has been appointed Chair of the Administrative Reform Council by a decision of the Council of Ministers, the Government Information Service reported on Wednesday. The Council is an advisory body to the Council of Ministers tasked with coordinat»»»

At its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a legislative programme in the May-June period. The Cabinet also adopted an operational programme for the period, which provides information about the consequences of the implementation of the proposed legislation, about the goals»»»

Pension payments will be expedited, and no delays will be permitted when the payment date falls on a non-working day. Amendments to this end were adopted by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, the Government Information Service reported. Currently, post offices, banks, and other payment service »»»

Dubai: The UAE demanded on Wednesday that Iraq "immediately" prevent further attacks from its territory, following an accusation by the Emirates that a drone targeting a nuclear plant was launched from there. The foreign ministry in a statement called on "Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originatin»»»

Suwon, Republic of Korea: North Korea's first sports team to visit the South in eight years reached the Asian Women's Champions League final on Wednesday as Naegohyang Women's FC beat Suwon FC Women 2-1. Naegohyang came from behind to defeat their rivals from the South amid torrential rain in Suwon»»»

Tunis, May 20 (TAP)- The fifth round of Tunisia-Finland political consultations took place Tuesday in Helsinki.The meeting was co-chaired by Director General of Relations with Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad...»»»

Dubai: EFG Holding reported a strong start to 2026, posting an 18 per cent year-on-year increase in revenues to EGP 6.6 billion during the first quarter, supported by growth across all three of its business verticals despite mounting regional geopolitical tensions. The financial institution, which »»»

Dubai: At least 42 United States military aircraft — including fighter jets, drones, refuelling tankers and surveillance planes — were lost or damaged during the war with Iran, according to a report prepared for the US Congress, highlighting the scale and cost of a conflict that Washington initiall»»»

Five people were killed after a fire broke out in a house in Kuwait’s Jleeb Al Shuyoukh area on Wednesday, the country’s General Fire Force said. Firefighters from the Al Somoud and Ardiya fire stations responded to the blaze and brought the fire under control, according to a statement carried by K»»»