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»»»

French MPs have introduced a bill aimed at removing the statute of limitations for crimes against children. Under current legislation, survivors of rape can pursue legal action up to 30 years after the day they turn 18. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks with Mié Kohiyama, co-founder of the Brave Mo»»»

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»»»

London: British no-frills airline EasyJet on Thursday said it expects to post a deeper first-half loss compared with one year earlier after the Middle East war sent jet fuel prices soaring. EasyJet said it expected a headline loss before tax of between GBP540 million and GBP560 million ($733 millio»»»

Over 4 million people are set to be newly displaced around the world by the end of next year as donors step back from providing life-saving aid, the Danish Refugee Council said on Thursday. There are already some 117 million people forcibly displaced worldwide as the number of conflicts has surged »»»

Two U.S. nationals were sentenced to federal prison for helping North Korean operatives obtain remote IT jobs, the Justice Department said Wednesday. This photo from the Department shows North Korean IT workers that were allegedly part of a scheme to help Pyongyang fund its weapons programs. Photo »»»

The Israeli military killed four Lebanese rescue workers and wounded six others in three consecutive, targeted strikes Wednesday, paramedic groups said, a stark illustration of the human cost of the Israeli military campaign in southern Lebanon a day after Lebanon and Israel held historic talks in »»»

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»»»

Central Asia is becoming one of the world’s most promising tourism regions. Cordula Wohlmuther, Regional Director for Europe of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, stated speaking at Turkmentravel 2026 conference. «Central Asia is today becoming one of the world’s most promising tourism »»»

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»»»

DOHA: The Community Policing Department at the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Behavioral Healthcare Center (Daam), organised a training workshop titled 'Building Positive Behavior Within the Family'. The workshop addressed several specialized topics in the field of behavioral health,»»»

An opinion poll, conducted by Market Links and co-financed by bTV, indicates that five political formations would enter the new Bulgarian parliament, while four others remain near the 4% threshold, show the survey’s results, which were circulated to the media on Thursday. The national quantitative »»»

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»»»

On April 13, Maksat Tentimishov, Consul General of the Kyrgyz Republic in Yekaterinburg, received Alexey Kabanov, CEO of Voyager. During the meeting, the company’s CEO expressed gratitude to the Consulate General for its assistance, which resulted in the restart of production at Kadamdzhai Antimony»»»

Kyrgyzstan has begun conducting DNA testing within the country. This was announced during a meeting between the President and residents of Nookat district. The medical examinations will be conducted at facilities of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS). Previously, such tests were perfo»»»

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 bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine in southern Ecuador Wednesday, killing 14 people and injuring at least 29, emergency officials said. The accident happened in the Molleturo area in the Andean province of Azuay, whose capital Cuenca is Ecuador's third most populous city, AFP repor»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukrainian border guard troops have been recruiting Colombians into the Ukrainian armed forces at the border with Poland, a source linked to the Colombian recruitment circles in Ukraine and the Middle East told Sputnik. "Once mercenaries reach the Polish-Ukrainian border, they are»»»

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»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar condemned and denounced the shooting incident that occurred in a school in Kahramanmaras province in the fraternal Republic of Turkiye, which resulted in deaths and injuries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated in a statement today the State of Qatar's firm stance ag»»»

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»»»

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»»»

New York, April 16 (SANA) Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, said transitional justice and redress for victims of crimes committed against Syrians form the foundation for building a new Syria. Speaking at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednes»»»

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 »»»

National Company Nuclearelectrica has launched a tender for a feasibility study on doubling the production capacity of CANDU-6 nuclear fuel assemblies, a contract estimated at 630,000 euros, according to an announcement posted on the public procurement platform."The object of the procurement is the»»»

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»»»

National Electricity Transmission Company Transelectrica S.A. is managing EUR 51.7 million in financing from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) - REPowerEU component, for three key investments aimed at modernizing, increasing efficiency and digitalizing Romania's Electricity Transmiss»»»

Canberra, Australia: A fire broke out Thursday at an oil refinery in Geelong, southeastern Australia, according to Australian authorities. Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said that the impact on fuel production will be significant, especially at this stage. Meanwhile»»»

Part one of the Libya France Business Forum 2026 officially kicked off last Tuesday (14 April) in southern French city of Marseille, with broad and high-level participation from economic institutions and business leaders from Libya and Franch. The opening session was attended by the Chargé d’affair»»»

On April 16, 1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote "Letter from Birmingham Jail" while imprisoned in Alabama for protesting segregation. 1 of 7 | The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is seen as cherry blossoms begin to bloom in Washington, D.C., on March 27, 2025. On April 16, 1963, MLK wrote »»»

President Iliaana Iotova has expressed condolences to the family and relatives of singer Margret Nikolova, the presidential press office said. Margret Nikolova, one of the most prominent and iconic voices in Bulgarian popular music, died at the age of 97, the Bulgarian National Television reported »»»

Doha, Qatar: Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan powered their way to gold with a commanding run at the AVC Beach Tour 25th Samila Open, sealing victory in the men’s final in Songkhla yesterday. The Qatari duo capped an impressive campaign with a hard-fought win over Australia’s Ben Hood-Thomas Hodges»»»

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»»»