Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Kremlin said, offering mediation amid large-scale protests in Iran. "Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benja»»»

The European Union would do well to “find a balance again with our largest European neighbor,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated, in a reversal of his previous position on contacts with Russia. Most EU member states have sought to isolate Russia since the escalation of the Ukraine conflic»»»

Hungary will not be drawn into the war in Ukraine—neither financially nor militarily—Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared in his Friday interview on Kossuth Radio. Warning of growing pressure from Brussels, PM Orbán rejected the latest EU plans for Ukraine funding and reaffirmed that his government»»»

Vazrazhdane calls on President Rumen Radev to appoint a caretaker cabinet as soon as possible and issue a decree scheduling elections, party leader Kostadin Kostadinov told journalists in Parliament's lobby on Friday. Vazrazhdane's call comes after the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APR) parliam»»»

LONDON, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Britain said on Friday that it will boost its energy partnership with Ukraine with GBP 20 million following Russian attacks on the latter's energy sector.A statement by the British government revealed that this new support will help Ukrainians' heating and power needs, prov»»»

Bulgaria’s outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov Tuesday declined to speculate on who could be appointed as caretaker prime minister and stressing that the decision rests solely with the president. Speaking to journalists in Veliko Tarnovo, Zhelyazkov said there has so far been no express refusa»»»

Ukraine's new energy minister on Friday ordered state companies to ratchet up imports from abroad, pointing to the struggles plaguing the grid after a systematic bombing campaign by Russia. Engineers and rescue crews have been braving sub-zero temperatures to restore operations at power plants and »»»

Egypt achieves self-sufficiency of natural gas for all state sectors in 2018 Global companies motivate to search for oil and gas quickly in the concession areas New global bed is offered this year to search for gold in 7 areas at the Eastern desert Foreign partners’ accumulated dues reach now $3.6 »»»

PoliticsGermanyGermany's farms are failing despite high food pricesJens ThurauAs Berlin's Green Week, the largest international agriculture fair, kicks off, German farmers raise the alarm over price pressure from retailers and international trade agreements like the impending EU-Mercosur deal. http»»»

Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Innovation and Growth Minister Tomislav Donchev Friday said the current situation on Bulgaria's fuel market has been normalized and he sees neither short- nor medium-term risks ahead. He was answering a question from the MECh parliamentary group. Donchev said ther»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have discussed the situation in the Middle East and Iran during a phone conversation, the Kremlin said on Friday. "Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minis»»»

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had formed a Gaza “board of peace,” a phase two element of a US-backed plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory. The board will oversee a technocratic committee, led by Ali Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official, tasked wi»»»

TOKYO, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni agreed Friday to elevate relations between Japan and Italy as a "Special Strategic Partnership" in order to further promote their ties in a wide range of fields, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.D»»»

President Joseph Aoun on Friday presided over a security meeting in Baabda that was attended by Minister of Defense Michel Menassa, Minister of Interior Ahmed al-Hajjar, Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, and the heads of the various security agencies. The president praised the ongoing coopera»»»

Iraqi politicians and observers warn of the potential fallout from a comprehensive review of suspicious financial transactions in Iraq as promised by US envoy Mark Savaya. Meanwhile, a surprise decision by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the leading vote-getter in the elections, to re»»»

Negotiations are underway with Wildberries marketplace in Kyrgyzstan over construction of a large logistics center. Minister of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Sydykov announced at a meeting of Ala-Too deputy group, where members of Parliament discussed issues in the garment industry. Resp»»»

Mauritania is positioning its mining weight and strategic Atlantic Ocean location as an “African mining gateway” for Saudi investments, extending a clear invitation to move immediately into partnerships that go beyond traditional extraction and open new horizons in downstream and value-added indust»»»

The National Assembly is currently the biggest pre-election platform, outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told journalists here on Friday. He was commenting on statements made in the plenary hall earlier in the day that "instead of attending Question Time, the Prime Minister is pretending to b»»»

Tunis, January 16, 2026 (TAP) – Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin stressed that "Tunisia and the Maghreb must be Europe’s priority partner," urging a fundamental overhaul of Europe’s relations with its southern neighborhood.In an...»»»

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a deal with China's Xi Jinping on Friday to reduce tariffs on each country's products after the two leaders met in Beijing. "Canada and China have reached a preliminary but landmark trade agreement to remove trade barriers and reduce, reduce tariffs," C»»»

The Australian government announced Friday that more than 47 million social media accounts have been removed under the country's new ban on those under the age of 16 accessing such services. File Photo by ghcassel/Pixabay Jan. 16 (UPI) -- More than 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to Aus»»»

The White House says it is moving into the second phase of President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan – breathing new life into a proposal that aims to rebuild the war-ravaged area and reshape the wider Middle East. Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, broke the news Wednesday in a post on X, sa»»»

President Rumen Radev handed over the third exploratory mandate to the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) as part of the ongoing effort to form a government. The delegation that received and then returned the mandate at the presidency included Khairi Sadakov, Taner Ali, Ahmed Vranchev, Sevim Al»»»

President Rumen Radev said Bulgaria is headed for snap parliamentary elections after the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) received and returned the third mandate to form a government on Friday. ARF Floor Leader Hayri Sadakov was designated to received the mandate, which he returned immediatel»»»

Abu Dhabi: January 17 is observed as the 'Day of Resolve', a national milestone symbolising the UAE’s strength, unity, and readiness in the face of threats. Also Read: UAE observes ‘Day of Resolve’ to mark Houthi attack in Abu DhabiThe occasion recalls the 2022 terrorist attack on Abu Dhabi, when H»»»

The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) returned the third exploratory government-forming mandate to President Rumen Radev unfulfilled, immediately after it was handed to them by the head of State on Friday. The President handed over the mandate to ARF, tasking the parliamentary group with nomin»»»

Abu Dhabi: In the national memory, some dates do not simply pass. They become moments of reflection, awareness, and renewal. For the fourth year, the UAE is marking January 17 as the ‘Day of Resolve’, a national occasion that has evolved into a symbol of unity, resilience, and shared purpose, follo»»»

The Israeli army on Thursday issued evacuation warnings for two buildings in West Bekaa's Mashghara after bombing two threatened buildings in Sohmor, also in West Bekaa, after similar warnings. "Urgent warning to the residents of South Lebanon, specifically in the village of Sohmor," the military's»»»

RIYADH: Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater has held meetings in Riyadh with her Saudi and Yemeni counterparts to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation in the education sector. Al Khater met Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HE Yousef bi»»»

In a controversial move just months ahead of the parliamentary elections, Bulgaria’s parliamentary majority is pushing through sweeping changes to the voting system that would eliminate machine voting and replace electronic vote counting with manual scanning of paper ballots. The proposals, discuss»»»

DOHA, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed several regional and international developments of mutual interest over the phone on Friday.During the phone conversation, they underlined the significance of exchanging viewpoints and consultat»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar participated in the Golden Jubilee celebration marking the founding of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Qatar was represented by a delegation headed by Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Lolwah bint Rashid bin »»»

Election technology should not replace political debate and the clash of ideas, said Tomislav Donchev, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth, during Friday's Question Time in Parliament. He was replying to a question from the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria »»»

Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare signed on Thursday a second financing contract with the European Investment Bank (EIB) worth EUR 500 million, to support the construction of the Sibiu - Pitesti Motorway, the Finance Ministry announced."Today, January 15, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare signed th»»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan established, on Thursday, through a decision, the duties that Deputy Prime Minister Radu Miruta, Minister of National Defense, will have, in order to ensure the fulfillment of the major priorities of the government program.According to the decision published on Thursday »»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan received on Thursday, at Victoria Palace, the Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs, Ali Yerlikaya, who was on an official visit to Romania, in which context he welcomed the sustained dynamics of bilateral cooperation in recent years in political, economic and security te»»»

Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on Thursday, live on Digi24, that Romania is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and has raised the travel alert to the highest level, 9/9, for Romanian citizens. Toiu said that “some of the non-essential mission personnel” in Iran have started to return to the »»»

Gosuslugi, Russia's system of government digital services, will undergo a comprehensive transformation aimed at making it user-friendlier, while maintaining the “single window” approach, which made it very popular among Russians. »»»

Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie met with member of the Hellenic Parliament H E Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou. The meeting discussed several topics of mutual interest and areas of cooperation in environment and climate change, in a»»»

A US announcement launched the second phase of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, as questions swirl over the future of Hamas after nearly two years of an unprecedented war with Israel that has only partially subsided. The ceasefire is part of a peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trum»»»

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, during the first visit by a Canadian leader to China in eight years after a period of testy relations. Carney hailed a “new strategic partnership” as Ottawa seeks to reduce reliance on the US afte»»»

Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has urged everyone across the UAE to follow our national media channels, which will broadcast the national anthem at 11:00 am t»»»

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) on Thursday approved a package of measures to fill membership vacancies and improve public services and administrative performance, in a move it said was aimed at meeting citizens’ expectations and opening a new phase based on partnership and justice. T»»»

DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call yesterday from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom H E Keir Starmer. During the call, several regional and international developments of common interest were discussed, especially those related to the importance of streng»»»

Doha: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced significant reductions to a range of service fees, alongside the expansion of fee exemptions for many transactions for the first time, in a move aimed at easing access to government services and strengthening the country’s investment environment. Th»»»

DOHA: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani met yesterday with the Qatari security forces participating in securing the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy taking place from February 6 to 22, 2026»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli occupation forces carry out incursion into Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip amid heavy gunfire: Palestinian sources 16-01-2026 0»»»

Dubai: Dubai will host the largest edition of the World Governments Summit (WGS) in its history in 2026, with 35 heads of state and government confirmed to attend, according to Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation. S»»»

The President will hand over a government-forming mandate to the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms on Friday, the head of State's press centre said. The second mandate - to Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria - was returned unfulfilled on January 14. After Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov tende»»»

A political leader demanding questionable policy from the central bank and testing the legal limits to get it - to Martin Redrado, sitting in Argentina, Donald Trump's stand-off with the Federal Reserve feels surprisingly familiar. Redrado was fired as head of Argentina's central bank in 2010, afte»»»