Celebrations and safety are the need of the hour, and Abu Dhabi Police and Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority are at the front lines of making sure this is exactly what happens over the course of the Eid Al Fitr holiday. To ensure this, they have issued certain guidelines: Remain attentive and reduc»»»

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir on Wednesday criticized a recent rise in settler attacks in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, calling the violence against troops and civilians "morally and ethically unacceptable". At least six Palestinians have been killed in attacks by Israeli »»»

The killing of Iran's most influential powerbroker, Ali Larijani, has pushed the country into a more uncertain phase, complicating decision-making in Tehran and narrowing its options as the war grinds on. The US-Israeli war on Iran began with the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei alongside a g»»»

The parents of a group of teenagers believed to have vandalized two state schools in northern Greece have covered the cost of repairs to avoid legal action, municipal officials said. The municipality of Thermi near Thessaloniki said police used security camera footage to identify nine local high sc»»»

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a halt in fighting during celebrations for the end of Ramadan, after the deadliest strike in their escalating conflict killed hundreds in Kabul earlier this week. The governments in Islamabad and Kabul said in separate statements that Saudi Arabia, Qa»»»

Israel kept up its campaign of targeting Iran’s leaders on Wednesday, killing the country’s intelligence minister, and an Iranian offshore natural gas field was struck in a sign of the war’s mounting pressure – from both sides -- on the region's economic lifeblood: energy. Iran has been taking aim »»»

Paris, France: Unusually strong winds and warm ocean water likely drove a rapid plunge in Antarctic sea ice in recent years, scientists said on Wednesday, shedding new light on a puzzling event. While the Arctic sea ice area has been steadily declining, the story has been very different in Antarcti»»»

Gas prices were up in Walnut Creek, Calif., on March 10. To help ease the surge of gas prices in the United States, President Donald Trump temporarily waived the Jones Act, allowing more foreign shipments of oil to travel between U.S. ports. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo March 18 (UPI)»»»

NATO chief Mark Rutte said Wednesday that allies of the military alliance were in discussions on the "best way" to open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large chunk of the world's oil supply normally passes, AFP reported. "I have been in contact with many allies. We all agree, of course, that »»»

In the mood for some outdoorsy time with the kiddos over the Eid break? That’s perfect – there’s just about that lovely nip in the air that makes the shade perfect for some down time as you kid watch. Dubai Municipality has put out the timings of the parks and other recreational areas within those »»»

Two people who allegedly pulled off successful phone scams on vulnerable people, stealing about €70,000 in five days, have been arrested in northern Greece, police said Wednesday. A police statement said the men were detained Tuesday near the town of Drama on suspicion of having defrauded seven eld»»»

If you are in the UAE and having trouble accessing your X account, do not be alarmed for you are not alone. Downdetector, the website that lets you know when services are down based on real-time reports, has confirmed that there has been a spike in complaints over the microblog this evening (March »»»

Doha, Qatar: The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) remains prohibited in the country until further notice, the Ministry of Interior affirmed in a post on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. In a statement on X, the Ministry reminded the public to comply with directives issued by the competent authori»»»

Cairo: The Arab Parliament reiterated its strong condemnation of the continued and repeated Iranian attacks targeting a number of Arab countries, stressing that the attacks disregard all rules of international law and the United Nations Charter, and constitute a serious and direct threat to peace a»»»

Authorities on Tuesday fatally shot a gunman accused of wounding one person at a Veterans Affairs clinic in Jasper, Ga. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo March 17 (UPI) -- Police fatally shot a gunman Tuesday at a Veterans Affairs clinic in rural Georgia where the suspect opened fi»»»

A cyberattack by Iran-linked hackers on the medical technology company Stryker last week highlighted the modern threats facing the United States. File Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA March 18 (UPI) -- A cyberattack by Iran-linked hackers on the medical technology company Stryker last week highlighted»»»

Actor, producer and politician Kamal Haasan said he feels a deep connection with Kerala, even as some people see him as an outsider. In a post on X, Haasan wished Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan success in the upcoming elections. “I wish Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan all the very best,” he wrote,»»»

Healthcare is a topic that should unite Bulgarians and should be a national ambition, said President Iliana Iotova in her address to the participants in a discussion on healthcare from public attitudes to political decisions, organized by the Bulgarian Medical Association on Wednesday. Iotova said »»»

Share: PHOTO- A person walks past debris at the site of an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Zuqaq al-Blat district in central Beirut, Lebanon, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi Beirut- It is unreasonable to ‌expect th»»»

U.S. forces targeted hardened Iranian missile sites on the Iranian side of the Strait of Hormuz with bunker-buster bombs in an effort to prevent attacks on shipping transiting the strategically key waterway. File photo courtesy Royal Thai Navy/EPA March 18 (UPI) -- U.S. forces successfully deployed»»»

Dubai: As the UAE awaits for Eid Al Fitr, authorities have issued fresh guidance to ensure that residents and visitors alike can celebrate safely and with peace of mind. The Dubai Media Office has released a safety guide explaining what to do if you receive an emergency alert on your phone, which c»»»

The main square of the Hungarian city of Eger was filled on Tuesday (17 March) with people welcoming the prime minister like a star. But it was not only his supporters who turned up. Spontaneous chants of ‘Viktor! Viktor!’ greet me as I arrive at Viktor Orbán campaign rally, a good half-hour before»»»

When the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America on June 11, 2026, it will be the largest sporting event ever staged. Matches will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, involving millions of spectators and a global television audience expected to exceed five bi»»»

On the evening of 17 March 2026, Israel announced it had killed Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), in an air strike on Tehran, along with Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Tehran later confirmed both assassinations. It is a development that has dire impl»»»

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now officially recognized in Bulgaria. This was reported during a news conference to present the results of years of efforts by the medical community and patient organizations to improve the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease. Hristina Nikolova, Chair»»»

US President Donald Trump has criticized other NATO nations’ unwillingness to join the US-Israeli military operation against Iran, calling the bloc a “one-way street” that America has never really needed. The remarks came a day after US allies, including NATO members, ignored or rejected Trump’s ca»»»

The killing of senior Iranian officials by the US and Israel will not cripple the government, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said. Araghchi made the comments shortly after Iran confirmed that Ali Larijani, the country’s security chief and one of its most powerful politicians, was kille»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tehran does not seek a ceasefire and does not believe in it, but wants an end to the war, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday. "We are not seeking a ceasefire because we do not want this scenario to happen again after a while. We want the war to stop complet»»»

It is unreasonable to expect the Lebanese government to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah while the country is being bombed by Israel, France's special envoy for Lebanon said on Wednesday. Jean-Yves Le Drian said only negotiations would resolve the crisis, in which Lebanese authorities say over 900 peop»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Hungary believes that it is necessary to build a new European security, trade and energy system, but with Russia's participation, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Wednesday. "The point is that we think that the Russians should not be pushed out first from the Europea»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia strongly condemns any actions aimed at harming the health or murder of representatives of the Iranian leadership, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "Actions aimed at harming health or even killing and eliminating representatives of the leadership of sovere»»»

British health authorities are scrambling to contain what officials have described as an “unprecedented” meningitis outbreak centred around a university and linked to a popular nightclub in southeastern England. The outbreak in Kent has claimed the lives of two young people — a 21-year-old universi»»»

BELGRADE - In a reaction to a statement by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese in which she criticised the Serbian authorities over their cooperation with Israel, the Serbian MFA said on Tuesday Serbia pursued an "independent and sovereign foreign policy, grounded in its national interests and»»»

Ireland's Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin prides himself on his boxing skills from the years he spent as an amateur in the ring and those skills came in handy in Washington on Tuesday. His opponent? President Donald Trump. The venue? The Oval Office, home territory for the US leader. And »»»

Dubai: As the war with Iran intensifies, US President Donald Trump is increasingly focused on what may be the most dangerous decision of the conflict — whether to launch a ground operation to seize or destroy Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Repeatedly over recent days, Trump has argued»»»

Dubai: Dubai Airports has facilitated the journeys of over one million passengers in the past 17 days, even as airspace closures and regional tensions disrupted operations, CEO Paul Griffiths told CNN’s Becky Anderson. Griffiths said Dubai International Airport (DXB) has handled over one million pa»»»

Dubai: Cloud cover and strong winds forecast across parts of the UAE on Wednesday could make it more difficult to sight the Shawwal crescent moon, as the country’s moon-sighting committee prepares to meet after Maghrib prayers to determine the end of Ramadan. According to the National Center of Met»»»

On Sunday, Tehran launched the two-stage solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) against US and Israeli positions during the 54th wave of Operation True Promise 4. Nicknamed the "dancing missile" for its unpredictable flight path, the Sejjil is designed to do one thing: bypass multi-layere»»»

Hong Kong: A woman on an evening walk in Macau was briefly hospitalised after a humanoid robot startled her and left her feeling unwell, police told AFP on Wednesday. Police said they had received a call for assistance for the woman, who "was startled when she suddenly noticed a robot behind her wh»»»

At the start of Wednesday’s plenary sitting, the Vazrazhdane party called in a declaration for the National Assembly of Bulgaria to formulate Bulgaria’s position on carbon emissions trading ahead of the upcoming European Council meeting on March 19, 2026. Speaking from the parliamentary rostrum, MP»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov emphasized on Wednesday, before the Council of Ministers meeting, that the most powerful safeguard for democracy is active citizen participation. He called on all Bulgarians to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections. “The message I want to send»»»

Over 2,000 jobs in Bulgaria’s coal sector have been lost amid the ongoing shift toward a low-carbon economy, CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov reported at a labor market forum focused on the energy transition. He noted that roughly 1,000 jobs disappeared in the Maritsa Basin alone, while other region»»»

Cuba's leader on Tuesday said the US would face "unbreakable resistance" if it tries to take over the impoverished island nation, as communist authorities scrambled to fix a nationwide electricity blackout. Cuba's government is under increasingly crushing pressure, with Washington enforcing an oil »»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said citizen participation is the strongest safeguard of democracy, speaking before the start of the Council of Ministers’ meeting on Wednesday. He urged Bulgarian citizens to vote in the upcoming elections. “That is why my appeal to all Bulgarians is: ‘Vote!’,»»»

The United Arab Emirates welcomes the blessed occasion of Eid Al-Fitr with a festive atmosphere filled with artistic shows, cultural festivals, and family-oriented activities across public spaces, shopping malls, and entertainment destinations. These venues have been beautifully adorned with lights»»»

Romania has defensive capabilities against a potential ballistic offensive from Iran, Defence Minister Radu Miruta said on Tuesday, adding that the recent statements from Iran do not concern the military situation."The explicit statements mentioned yesterday referred to the political and legal situ»»»

European NATO members and other US allies do not want to get involved in the war against Iran, Professor Mehran Kamrava from Georgetown University in Qatar tells Sputnik. "America's treatment of NATO has undermined America's standing not just globally, but particularly among America's traditional a»»»

Iran will hold a funeral Wednesday for its security chief Ali Larijani as it vowed revenge, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel after it killed the powerful figure in an air strike. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, while Gulf nations interce»»»

Iran will on Wednesday hold a funeral for former security chief Ali Larijani, who died in an Israeli strike on Tuesday, while the Revolutionary Guards said they had launched missiles at central Israel as retaliation for his killing. Two people were killed by Iranian missiles near Isr»»»

Amid Israel's further military escalation and Hezbollah's "illegal armed activities", Lebanon is confronted with an acute humanitarian and political crisis. To better understand the impact the conflict is having all across Lebanese society, FRANCE 24's Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Ghassan Salamé»»»