Emergency workers assess the scene of a blaze at Pakistan Institute of Medical Science in Islamabad on Wednesday that killed at least 14 newborn babies. Photo by Sohail ShahzadEPA Aug. 26 (UPI) -- At least 14 newborn babies were killed early Wednesday after fire swept through the maternity departme»»»

WASHINGTON: US Senate ​Democrats on Wednesday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rein in a “surge” of violence by West Bank settlers and mass arrests of Palestinians by Israeli security forces in the occupied territory. In the letter to Netanyahu, seen by Reuters and signed by 42 of»»»

The battle against Hezbollah has not ended yet and the group suffered major damage but is still present as an organization, an Israeli military source said. “We hope not to be forced to work militarily in the heart of Lebanon and the Lebanese state is the side responsible for addressing the file of»»»

Atanas Gebrev, a prosecutor at the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office, has been nominated for election to Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) from the prosecutors' quota, the SJC said on Wednesday. Gebrev has 36 years of experience as a magistrate. He began as a judicial candidate at the So»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov received the credentials of Mongolia’s and Kazakhstan’s newly appointed Ambassadors to Kyrgyzstan, Tegshjargal Demchig and Abylkair Skakov, respectively, the presidential administration reported. During his meeting with the Mongolian diplomat, Japarov and the a»»»

The United States has temporarily postponed immigrant visa interviews at its embassies and consulates worldwide, Reuters reported, citing a Department of State spokesperson. Diplomatic missions will adjust their appointment schedules due to global training for consular officers. The Department of S»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Europeans' unwillingness to notice systemic problems in the Ukrainian leadership is a big mistake, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "There is a quasi-political fuss in the depths of the Kiev regime, it is becoming more active. The Kiev regime is collapsing f»»»

Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi have developed a new biodegradable, 3D-printed gastric stent. Named BRIDGE (Biodegradable aRchitected Internal DrainaGE), the device could improve treatment for gastric leaks, a serious complication that can occur following weight-loss surgery. Get updat»»»

WASHINGTON: A US military strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean on Tuesday killed four people, officials said. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that the strike targeted a vessel "operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean." "Confirm»»»

BEIRUT: As extreme heat fuels wildfires worldwide this summer, Lebanese officials and residents have accused Israel’s military of systematically sparking blazes that have burnt swathes of forest and farmland in the country’s south. In the village of Shaqra, Haidar Qoteish, 36, says he has watched f»»»

Women's presence today in all areas of public life is the result of a long struggle for rights and equality, National Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva said in her address to participants at an international conference, "Women's Voices – Rights, Strength, Change", which opened in Kazanlak. Delcheva urge»»»

A report containing a personal assessment and allegations of unlawful actions by the acting prosecutor general was submitted on August 14 to the office of ad hoc prosecutor Anton Urumov, who investigates crimes committed by the prosecutor general or their deputies, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC»»»

Russian forces have liberated the settlements of Nezhenka in the Zaporozhye Region and Pisarevka in the Sumy Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. “Units of Russia’s Battlegroup Sever liberated Pisarevka in the Sumy Region, while Battlegroup Vostok advanced deeper into Ukrainian d»»»

RIYADH: Saudi-listed utility developer Acwa, formerly ACWA Power, and South Korea’s Korea Western Power Co. have signed an agreement to explore renewable energy, energy storage and related infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan. The memorandum of understanding establishes a framework for the compani»»»

Elin Pelin Municipality will provide EUR 10,000 to families for the birth of a third or subsequent child, the municipal press office said on Wednesday. The Municipality said the support is believed to be the largest of its kind in Bulgaria. Mayor Ivaylo Simeonov emphasized that the initiative aims »»»

US President Donald Trump has submitted a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review, an administration official said. The classified pact, sent to Capitol Hill on Monday, is aimed at bolstering Riyadh’s nuclear programme but remains contingent on Saudi Arabia n»»»

CFA Romania’s Macroeconomic Confidence Indicator rose by 6.7 points to 44.2 points in July, amid the confirmation of Romania’s investment-grade rating by rating agencies. At the same time, the Current Conditions Indicator increased by 8.1 points to 36.9, while the Expectations Indicator rose by 6.1»»»

The US-led board overseeing the Gaza peace plan warned Hamas on Tuesday to halt militant activity, including flying kites, after Israel threatened retaliatory strikes. A Board of Peace official said Israel must also respect the ceasefire, limiting military action to responses to “genuine and immine»»»

TAIPEI: Taiwan must demonstrate its resolve to defend ​itself and pass a six-year, T$210 billion ($6.6 billion) special budget to buy military drones, President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday ahead of a crucial vote in the opposition-controlled parliament. Taiwan’s government says the plans to buy »»»

Dubai: “For two hours I kept crying and wailing.” Jaweria had lost her newborn in the fire that swept through a maternity ward at Islamabad’s biggest public hospital. As families gathered outside on Wednesday, her grief turned to anger over why help had not come sooner. “Rescue teams arrived too la»»»

Police in Sandanski and Petrich discovered and destroyed around 421 cannabis plants weighing approximately 833 kilogrammes during a special operation on August 25, the Blagoevgrad Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. About 214 plants weighing 551 kilogrammes were found i»»»

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov and representatives of the German company Diehl Defence discussed the establishment of a maintenance centre for defence capabilities in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence said. Bulgaria expects that the acquisition of new defence capabilities under the SAF»»»

One million children subject to severe acute malnutrition in Afghanistan are at risk of dying if they do not receive immediate treatment, the UNICEF warned on Tuesday. Nearly 40 percent of those admitted to hospitals comprise babies under six months old. One million children in Afghanistan are»»»

AI is advancing faster than the companies using it, according to the 2026 edition of the global The State of AI study by McKinsey & Company: 80% of respondents say AI has increased productivity, and 50% say it helps them make better decisions, yet only 37% report a positive contribution to operatin»»»

Opposition parties "We Continue the Change" (PP) and "Democratic Bulgaria" (DB) are set to support Andrey Gyurov's bid for president and Georgi Kandev's candidacy for vice president, according to PP lawmaker Radoslav Ribarski. Speaking on NOVA NEWS, Ribarski said the two parties are expected to for»»»

A drone was found on Kabakum beach near Varna on Wednesday morning, prompting Border Police and Navy teams to cordon off the area as a precaution. The unmanned aircraft was discovered by people on the beach and was later secured for transport to the Varna Naval Base. The Ministry of Defense said th»»»

Bulgaria's ruling majority, represented by Progressive Bulgaria (PB), the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) and Revival, rejected a request by Democratic Bulgaria (DB) to summon Economy, Investments and Industry Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Pulev to parliament over the Lukoil N»»»

Kyrgyzstan plans to produce fuel meeting Euro-5 standards. Ravshanbek Sabirov, head of the National Investment Agency of Kyrgyzstan, signed a new agreement with Central Asian Energy Company LLC as part of a project aimed at significantly increasing petroleum product output and improving fuel qualit»»»

It appears that Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party he leads will continue to shape Hungarian public life for some time to come. Yet the country’s current prime minister is making remarkably modest claims in this regard, while his intended involvement in public affairs appears strikingly limited. Vikt»»»

DUBAI: French-Algerian singer-songwriter Lolo Zouai posted a video for “Coquelicot,” the 10th track from her album “Reverie,” on Instagram this week, extending a summer of promotion for the record. The post, captioned “Track 10. Coquelicot,” carries a heavily blue-tinted, grainy video built around »»»

A drone attack caused a massive fire that destroyed a warehouse run by Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, officials said early on Wednesday, as Ukraine pushes ahead with its campaign to hurt Moscow’s economy by targeting online retailers. Two people were wounded in ‌the overnight strike ‌in Russ»»»

The Israeli army targeted multiple towns across southern Lebanon overnight into Wednesday, including Hadatha, al-Qantara, al-Mansouri, Ali al-Taher, and Kfar Remman. Israeli forces were also burning, destroying and detonating lands and houses in Bouyout al-Siyed, Majdalzoun, Serbine, al-Khiam and M»»»

President Joseph Aoun has contacted the U.S. administration to find a solution for the strategic Ali Taher hill, in order to prevent any escalation of the situation, Qatar’s al-Araby al-Jadeed news portal reported. The president “proposed the entry of the Lebanese Army into it after the withdrawal »»»

Schneider Electric has launched Easy UPS 3S Pro, a new 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) designed to provide simplified, reliable, and cost-effective protection for companies operating critical infrastructure and applications. Easy UPS 3S Pro is now available across all IEC markets worldwi»»»

Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Finance has issued new rules setting out which entities within multinational groups must file information with the Federal Tax Authority under the country's Pillar Two corporate tax framework. Ministerial Decision No. 133 of 2026 specifies the entities required to file a »»»

Parliament approved on Wednesday at first reading two bills amending the Weapons, Ammunition, Explosives and Pyrotechnic Products Act. One bill, submitted by the caretaker government of Andrey Gurov, was adopted by 132 votes in favour, with two abstentions. The second, tabled by the regular governm»»»

Vazrazhdane has submitted a request for the full record, or a copy of the record, of talks between Bulgaria and Turkiye concerning the so-called renegotiation of the contract with Turkish energy company BOTAS, party leader Kostadin Kostadinov told journalists in Parliament on Wednesday. Kostadinov »»»

Doha, Qatar: As Swiss International School in Qatar (SISQ) welcomes families for the 2026–2027 academic year, the school proudly celebrates another year of exceptional International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) results, reaffirming its position as one of Qatar's leading IB World School»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior has warned the public that driving without a license constitutes a traffic violation punishable by imprisonment or heavy fines. In a social media post, the Ministry said: Driving without a license is a traffic violation that poses a risk to the safety of all ro»»»

Atomic Eagle (ASX: AEU; OTCQX: AEUXF) has agreed to terms with Niger for a new mining convention that would restore a 60% interest and operational control in the Madaouela uranium project, resolving a dispute that followed the withdrawal of the project’s mining permit in 2024. The Australian-listed»»»

Three drone incidents in 36 hours last week highlighted the growing security challenge facing Nato's Black Sea flank, culminating in Romania scrambling an F-16 to destroy an explosive-laden naval drone near the country's biggest new offshore gas project. European officials have warned that repeated»»»

A US Army Black Hawk went down during a training flight in Colorado on Tuesday, just a day after CNN reported that Apache attack helicopters are crashing at a historically high rate amid persistent mechanical problems. The Black Hawk went down on the east side of Thorodin Mountain in Gilpin County,»»»

Two people have died of measles in Pennsylvania, decades after the disease was considered eradicated. Measles is currently making a resurgence in the US, with cases at a 35-year high. The two victims were residents of Lancaster County, a largely rural county west of Philadelphia, state health offic»»»

Global fertility may have fallen below replacement level for the first time in human history, putting the world population on course for decline within roughly one generation, a new study has warned. The paper, Terra Incognita: The Economics of a Shrinking World, published earlier this month by eco»»»

DUBAI: Israeli forces were recently seen preventing Knesset lawmaker Ofer Cassif from reaching a Palestinian family whose home has been surrounded by settlers in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra. Louai Ridi, a Palestinian American, has been effectively trapped on his property since settlers »»»

Ukraine turned 35 on August 24 and its president spent the occasion asking for two things: money and missiles. Volodymyr Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv on August 23 that ballistic missile defence and war funding were Ukraine's "two major challenges". The defence ministry is carrying a budget shor»»»

The United States has paused or rescheduled visa appointments at diplomatic missions around the world as the State Department conducts a global training programme for consular officers, according to reports by Reuters and the Financial Times. The move comes as President Donald Trump’s administratio»»»

Danube water levels in the Bulgarian section remained largely unchanged over the past 24 hours, with only slight increases recorded at Novo Selo, Nikopol and Vidin, the Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River said on Wednesday. No change was recorded at the gauging stat»»»

Waste collection in Sofia's Poduyane, Slatina and Izgrev districts has been operating according to schedule since last week, Sofia Deputy Mayor for Environment Nikolay Nedelkov said at a briefing on Wednesday. Other services in Zone 3, including street washing, emptying of waste bins and sweeping, »»»

In this Parliament, the only consistent opposition is Vazrazhdane, party leader Kostadin Kostadinov said from the rostrum of the National Assembly in a declaration on Wednesday. “We heard declarations in which some of the parties distanced themselves from the ruling party,” Kostadinov said. He comp»»»