Oil prices jumped while stock markets mostly retreated and the dollar firmed Thursday as hopes of a Middle East peace accord faded on conflicting headlines on the state of talks. US President Donald Trump has described the latest discussions as being on the "borderline" between a deal and renewed s»»»

A bill to amend and supplement the Act on Administrative Regulation of Economic Activities Associated with Oil and Petroleum Products was passed on first reading on Thursday by the parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on Budget and Finance with 13 votes in favour, no votes against, and 4 abstentions. The»»»

Detained activists, their hands tied and forced to kneel as the Israeli national anthem is belted out in the background. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released footage on X of him taunting the activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla. The video sparked widespread international cond»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, May 21: There's outrage and condemnation in the international papers over a video showing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting detained flotilla activists. One Israeli editor says he should be fired for his video. Also: the US indicts former Cuba»»»

Bulgaria is stepping up efforts to attract more visitors from Romania, Germany, and Poland as the country looks to strengthen its tourism sector ahead of the upcoming seasons. Tourism Minister Ilin Dimitrov held discussions with Bulgaria’s tourism attachés in Germany and Poland, as well as with Bul»»»

RIYADH: Jordan’s local revenues increased 1.6 percent year on year to 2.19 billion Jordanian dinars ($3.08 billion) in the three months to the end of March, mainly driven by higher non-tax revenues, despite regional challenges. According to the country’s Ministry of Finance, non-tax revenues increa»»»

A top UAE official denounced Iran's claim of control over Emirati waters in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz as a "pipe dream" Thursday, following an announcement by an Iranian body overseeing the strait. "The regime is trying to establish a new reality born from a clear military defeat, but attempts»»»

Russia will hold its latest Russia-Africa summit in October, according to officials involved in preparations for the event, as Moscow seeks to expand political, military and economic influence across Africa amid continuing confrontation with western powers. The date of the summit has not yet been c»»»

Elon Musk's SpaceX filed for a stock market debut on Wednesday that could become the largest IPO in history, seeking to raise up to $75 billion at a valuation of as much as $1.75 trillion, according to US media reports. Musk would remain CEO, CTO and chairman after the listing. Elon Musk's Spa»»»

In tonight's edition: First responders to DR Congo's Ebola outbreak say they're struggling to source the basic supplies they need. Plus Kenyan campaigners give their government an ultimatum to deliver on promises to bring down the number of femicides.»»»

Manila: Seven beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, known as "4Ps" formally received socialized condominium units on Thursday (May 21, 2026) under the administration’s flagship housing initiative. This marks what officials described as a "milestone" in President»»»

Bangkok, Thailand: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on Thursday that it has elevated surveillance and prevention measures for the Ebola virus disease within the country's civil aviation system. This move follows the World Health Organization (WHO)'s declaration of the Ebola viru»»»

Romania's energy production fell by 2.3% in the first three months of this year compared with the same period in 2025, while final electricity consumption decreased by 2.2%, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) data published on Friday.According to official statistics, between 1 »»»

Romania produced 579,400 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) of crude oil in the first three months of 2026, down by 52,300 toe (-8.3%) compared with the same period of 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) data.Crude oil imports exceeded 1.576 million toe in the first quarter (Q»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained in power for most of the past 17 years due in part to a tight alliance with ultra-Orthodox religious parties. But that alliance is tearing apart his governing coalition and proving to be another major liability for the long-serving Israeli lead»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained in power for most of the past 17 years due in part to a tight alliance with ultra-Orthodox religious parties. But that alliance is tearing apart his governing coalition and proving to be another major liability for the long-serving Israeli lead»»»

Romania once again had the highest annual inflation rate in the European Union in April, data published by Eurostat on Wednesday showed. Prices rose by 9.5% year-on-year in Romania, while inflation in the EU rose to 3.2% and in the eurozone to 3%. Data from the European Statistical Office show that»»»

The Security Action for Europe (SAFE) is a topic that should not be politicized because it is about a European programme and Romania is currently doing everything it can, Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) President Kelemen Hunor believes.He was asked at Digi 24 private television station»»»

Chamber of Deputies Speaker Sorin Grindeanu on Wednesday filed with the Constitutional Court a request to settle a constitutional legal conflict between Parliament and the Government triggered by the adoption of Emergency Ordinance 38/2026 regarding the SAFE Programme.Grindeanu asked the Constituti»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov described the recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Rumen Radev and U.S. President Donald Trump as a sign of a new stage in Bulgarian-American relations, arguing that communication is now taking place “at the presidential level” rather than through inter»»»

Bulgaria’s National Assembly has given final approval to the country’s accession to the Treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism, formally integrating the country into one of the eurozone’s key financial protection instruments. The European Stability Mechanism, known as the ESM, was cre»»»

US special envoy to Greenland Jeff Landry said on Wednesday Washington needed to rebuild its presence on the Arctic island, where the United States once operated 17 military facilities during the Cold War. President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued US control of Greenland is vital to prevent Chin»»»

In less than two years, Egypt has slashed its arrears to international energy companies by over 88%, hoping to encourage exploration amid the Iran war spillover, which is making its gas deficit harder to sustain. Drilling more wells is providing much-needed supply. But whether new gas discoveries c»»»

French-Italian auto group Stellantis and China's Dongfeng have announced a plan to launch a joint venture based in Europe, with Stellantis having a controlling 51% stake.  The deal would see Dongfeng's new electric models assembled in Stellantis' plant in western France to comply with the EU's»»»

Vanessa Trump, seen here at 2018 Easter Egg Roll at the White House, announced Wednesday that she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. File Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo May 20 (UPI) -- Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr., announced Wednesday that she was recently diagno»»»

Lithuania’s Social Democratic Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene apologised for failing to warn the public in a timely manner about an incoming drone on the morning of May 20 and pledged to provide more frequent updates on drone-related incidents and shelter instructions. Warnings of attack danger (red »»»

The listing of the Uzbekistan National Investment Fund (UzNIF) on the London Stock Exchange marked a landmark development whose importance extends far beyond a single financial transaction. It signifies a new phase in Uzbekistan’s economic transformation, highlighting the growing international reco»»»

MEO had the pleasure to Chit chat with Dr. Najla Najib Psychologist and founder of Inside Out Counseling to uncover to our readers the effect of the economic crisis on the mental health and how to prevent the critical psychological drawbacks that could result in from facing various financial stress»»»

The United States indicted former Cuban president Raul Castro in connection with a 1996 incident, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on Wednesday, marking ​an escalation in the pressure campaign against the communist government in Havana. Castro faces charges including murder, conspirac»»»

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on Wednesday of some 430 activists detained from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, many of them bound and kneeling, accompanied by the message: "Welcome to Israel." European governments and Israeli politicians were qui»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar University (QU)’s Office of the Vice President for Strategy and Institutional Effectiveness organised a forum for the sector’s staff members to highlight the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace and its role in facilitating daily tasks and enha»»»

Tunis, May 20 (TAP) - Tunisia's Ambassador to Iraq Chokri Latif, placed emphasis on boosting bilateral tourism cooperation and preparations for a promising 2026 summer season during a visit on Wednesday to the headquarters of the Association of...»»»

By now the world is all too familiar with the Hormuz Strait and the economic distress that the strangulation of a small-but-vital territorial zone can cause to markets the world over. Perhaps now then is a good time to take a look at the Wakhan Corridor, the narrow, protruding strip of land in nort»»»

PARIS: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to impose “permits” on submarine fiber-optic cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Here is what you need to know about cable infrastructure in the region and how the threats could play out: What cables run through Hormuz? Major c»»»

In “The Curse of Cash,” acclaimed economist and bestselling author Kenneth Rogoff explores the past, present, and future of currency, showing why, contrary to conventional economic wisdom, the regulation of paper bills—and now digital currencies—lies at the heart some of the world’s most difficult »»»

French prosecutors on Wednesday announced a probe against former prime minister Édouard Philippe, a centrist seen as one of the leading contenders to replace President Emmanuel Macron in next year's presidential race, over alleged embezzlement of public funds. Polls suggest Philippe could win »»»

On May 15, Palestinians commemorated the Nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic), referring to the forced exodus of Palestinians during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Around the same time, Israelis celebrated what they call the "reunification of Jerusalem" in 1967, meaning the occupation»»»

In this edition of Entre Nous, we explore the rapidly expanding market of non-alcoholic wine. Amanda Thomson, founder and CEO of Noughty, speaks to FRANCE 24 about the factors driving the sector’s success and explains why alcohol-free wine is creating excitement among consumers. Thomson, a for»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

For third consecutive day, opposition political forces and Progressive Bulgaria (PB) clashed over the amendments to the National Assembly’s rules of procedure proposed by the ruling coalition. On Wednesday, opposition parliamentary groups warned of democratic backsliding, while PB denied accusation»»»

Egypt has signed agreements valued at approximately $3 billion with energy giants Shell and TotalEnergies. These deals will secure 60 shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the year 2025, multiple market insiders disclosed to S&P Global Commodity Insights. While Shell has chosen not to commen»»»

German police on Wednesday arrested a married couple on charges of spying for China, accusing them of seeking information on advanced technology with military uses. The couple, German nationals partially named as Xuejun C. and Hua S., were arrested in the southern city of Munich, said the federal p»»»

A major international investment is set to support the modernization and expansion of Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport, with €70 million allocated to the project by global investment firm M&G. According to the company announcement cited by BTA, the funding is directed toward SOF Connect, the operat»»»

The planned construction of Units 7 and 8 at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant could generate up to 55 billion euros for Bulgaria’s economy over their operating lifetime, according to project representatives presenting updated progress on the initiative. The briefing, held in Sofia with participatio»»»