Indonesian kids brace themselves for social media ban
Jakarta: Bradley Rowen Liu, 11, wonders what he will do with himself once Indonesia's social media ban for under-16s enters into force on Saturday. As things stand, he spends most of his free time on TikTok. The primary schooler is one of about 70 million children the government is hoping to shield»»»
Mladen Marinov Is Top-of-the-List Candidate of GERB-UDF for Sofia Region 26th Constituency
BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party/coalition for all constituencies for the April 19 parliamentary elections. The information about the candidates is provided by the respective political entity, the candidates themselves and other official sources. Mladen Ma»»»
Egyptian FM discusses US-Iran talks with Turkish, Pakistani counterparts
Cairo: Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, held two phone calls with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Turkiye's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, to discuss rapidly evolving developments and military escalation in the region, as well as jo»»»
Why Pakistan has emerged as a mediator between US and Iran
As fears of a wider regional conflict escalate following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began in late February, Pakistan has emerged as an unexpected mediator, offering to help bring Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table. Islamabad isn't often called on to act as an intermediary in »»»
Israel strikes Tehran, warns attacks 'will escalate and expand'
Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iran and threatened on Friday that its attacks "will escalate and expand" after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going well and gave Tehran more time to open the Strait of Hormuz, though there have been no signs of Iran backin»»»
Observers of Voting Machine Certification Have Received Access
The Minister of e-Government, the Chairperson of the Bulgarian Institute of Metrology (BIM), and the Chairperson of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BIS) have approved a schedule for granting access to the certification of the voting machines to individuals regis»»»
Reports of Electoral Crimes Surge as Citizens Encouraged to Come Forward, Says Interior Minister
The number of citizen reports of electoral crimes has increased several times, said caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev to journalists on Friday following the Firefighter of the Year ceremony in Sofia. Over a very short period, the Interior Ministry leadership has managed to convince people tha»»»
Troops surge, strikes paused: What is Trump planning next?
The United States is ramping up its military footprint in the Middle East, sending around 10,000 additional troops even as President Donald Trump says Washington will not launch new attacks on Iran “for now,” in a strategy that blends deterrence with restraint. The deployment, as reported by The Wa»»»
Israel Hits Tehran with Wave of Strikes and Warns Attacks on Iran ‘Will Escalate and Expand’
Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iran and threatened on Friday that its attacks “will escalate and expand” after US President Donald Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going well and gave Tehran more time to open the Strait of Hormuz, though there have been no signs of Iran backing »»»
War between Hezbollah and Israel Deepens Fractures in Lebanon
War between Israel and Hezbollah is pushing Lebanon's fragile state and society towards breaking point, straining sectarian and political faultlines as Shi'ite Muslims are displaced and enmity deepens between the Iran-backed group and its opponents. Of all Lebanon's many crises since a 1975-90 civi»»»
[Interview] Journalist Szabolcs Panyi: ‘Being accused of espionage after exposing Hungarian foreign minister’s Russian links is a sign of weakness’
Journalist Szabolcs Panyi exposed Russian interference in the Hungarian election campaign and the suspicious relationship between Hungary’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov — and in response, the Viktor Orbán’s government has filed an espionage complaint a»»»
Media Review: March 27
Friday’s media coverage focuses on the fallout from the Advocate General’s opinion in the case involving caretaker PM Andrey Gurov and his removal as deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, election-related police actions ahead of the April 19 vote, and the economic spillover from the Middl»»»
Country managing situation properly, set of measures could stir inflation: FinMin
Skopje, 24 March 2026 (MIA) - It is easy to pass a set of measures but they could stir inflation. Measures should be carefully analyzed and it is no coincidence that we have started with the VAT decrease. We will respond as necessary, said Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska Kochoska on Tuesday. "»»»
Valentin Velikov Named Firefighter of the Year for 2026
Valentin Velikov, Head of the First Regional Fire Service in Burgas, has been named winner of the Firefighter of the Year competition for 2026. He received the award from caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev at a special ceremony at the Ministry of Interior on Friday. In 2025, Velikov led and to»»»
Female Suspect in Sofia Stabbings Likely Has Mental Health Issues, Interior Minister Says
The woman suspected of carrying out multiple stabbings in Sofia on Thursday evening likely has mental health problems, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said at a briefing here on Friday. He noted that an expert assessment is required to confirm whether such issues are present. Authorities ha»»»
Next meeting of EAEU Intergovernmental Council to be held in Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev participated in an expanded meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council. The meeting was held on March 27 in Shymkent as part of his working visit to Kazakhstan. The meeting was attended by the heads of government of the Eu»»»
South Africa disinvited from G7 in France, backtracks on initial claim of US pressure
South Africa announced Thursday that it has been excluded from the G7 summit in France this June, sparking tensions with the United States. Initially blaming Washington for pressure on Paris, Pretoria later backtracked, emphasising ongoing diplomatic engagement. South Africa said on Thursday it has»»»
Abortion anarchy: What the new UK law will really achieve
In March 2026, the BBC announced: “Peers in the House of Lords have backed plans to decriminalize abortions, which MPs voted in favour of last summer.” Immediately, and following demonstrations in front of the House of Lords, people went into a fury on social networks, accusing the government of th»»»
Election Crime Surge in Bulgaria Tied to More Citizen Reports, Interior Minister Says
Interim Interior Minister Emil Dechev said that the rising number of detected election-related crimes is linked to a growing willingness among citizens to report suspected violations. He noted that the Interior Ministry has encouraged people to submit signals when they witness or become aware of vo»»»
India slashes fuel taxes due to Mideast conflict shortages: finance minister
New Delhi: India has reduced taxes on diesel and petrol, the government announced Friday, as the Middle East conflict continues to disrupt global energy supplies. "In view of the West Asia crisis, the central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption has been reduced", Finance Minis»»»
US Obviously Seeking to Take Control of Int'l Energy Infrastructure - Kremlin
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - It is obvious that the United States is seeking to take control of the international energy infrastructure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. "The fact that the United States tends to take control of the international energy infrastructure is obvious," Peskov said, »»»
Egypt, Syria Boost Rapprochement Through Reconstruction, Economic Cooperation
Egypt and Syria are seeking to strengthen bilateral cooperation and expand economic and trade partnerships, following a series of visits and meetings at various levels in recent weeks. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed his country’s “commitment to actively contributing to efforts to »»»
NATO: All allies met defense spending target for first time last year - UPI.com
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced Thursday that all 32 member nations met their defense spending goals for last year. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo March 27 (UPI) -- All 32 NATO nations met or exceeded the alliance's target for defense spending last year, Secretary-General»»»
Prime minister meets US vice president, treasury secretary
WASHINGTON: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met in Washington with Vice President of the United States HE JD Vance and Secretary of the Treasury HE Scott Bessent. The meeting discussed the close strategic cooperation between the »»»
Prime Minister meets US Vice President, Treasury Secretary
Washington: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met in Washington with Vice President of the United States HE JD Vance and Secretary of the Treasury HE Scott Bessent. The meeting discussed the close strategic cooperation between the »»»
Nepal’s youngest PM 'Balen' takes charge: A nation’s expectations soar
Nepal’s youngest prime minister, Balendra Shah, was sworn in on Friday after a landslide election victory, marking a dramatic political shift in the Himalayan nation. At 35, Shah — widely known as “Balen” — becomes one of the youngest leaders globally, riding a wave of public anger against corrupti»»»
China Says Hopes to Boost Trade Cooperation with US
China wishes to strengthen economic cooperation with the United States to avoid "vicious competition", commerce minister Wang Wentao told US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to a readout released on Friday. The two met on Thursday on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization (WTO) m»»»
Transport Minister and PM's Financial Advisor Shahoubi meets US Chargé d'affaires Berndt - Unified Development Programme, transport sector and unifying institutions discussed
The Minister of Transport and Financial Advisor to Prime Minister Aldabaiba, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi, met yesterday with the Chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy, Jeremy Berndt. The Unified Development ProgrammeThe Tripoli meeting focused on the importance of the Unified Development Programme for enha»»»
Russia’s Lavrov Says US Wants to Take Over Nord Stream Gas Pipelines
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the US has been seeking control over the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, which were damaged by mysterious blast in September 2022. Explosions that destroyed the pipelines more than three years ago largely severed Russian gas transit to Europ»»»
With Top Figures Dead, Who Is Now Running Iran?
Iran's veteran supreme leader and a host of other top figures and Revolutionary Guards commanders have been killed in US-Israeli strikes, but the ruling system has maintained its ability to strategize and operate in the war that began on February 28. Born from a 1979 revolution, the Iranian regime»»»
Kiosks and canopies banned in multi-story building courtyards in Bishkek - | 24.KG
The Ministry of Construction, Architecture, Housing, and Communal Services of Kyrgyzstan has banned the placement of lightweight structures in the courtyards of apartment buildings in Bishkek. The corresponding order was signed by Minister Nurdan Oruntaev. According to the document, the ban applies»»»
China Demands More Than Just ‘Regret’ From Japan After Embassy Break-in
Japan has expressed its "regret" over the break-in into the Chinese embassy in Tokyo by a knife-wielding Japanese military officer, but that is "far from enough", said the Chinese foreign ministry on Friday. The Japan side has still not said anything about the details of the incident, Lin Jian»»»
Oil jumps, stocks drop on uncertainty over US-Iran talks
London: Oil prices jumped and equities slid yesterday as hopes for a peace deal between the US and Iran wavered after Tehran rejected Washington’s bid to wind down the nearly four-week war. Markets had been buoyed this week by US President Donald Trump’s announcement that strikes targeting Iran’s e»»»
No ‘Positive Signs’ as Israel Refuses to Tie Ending War on Lebanon to Iran
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated on Thursday the need for the state to impose its authority throughout its territories and impose monopoly over weapons as part of an initiative to launch direct negotiations with Israel to end the war. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that his »»»
LuLu’s Yusuffali briefs Indian PM on continuous food supplies to GCC
DOHA: India continues to play a crucial role in ensuring stable and uninterrupted supply of food products to GCC countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed by Yusuffali M A, Chairman of LuLu Group, on a series of initiatives being undertaken to maintain supply continuity during the »»»
PM Bolojan emphasizes the United States' vital role for Romania, security- and economy-wise
The United States has played a vital role for Romania in terms of security and the economy, and the partnership with the U.S. is a strategic priority Romania will continue to support in the coming years, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Thursday, as he attended the meeting of the General Assembl»»»
Senate: Simple motion of no confidence against Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu, filed by PACE - Romania First
Ninel Peia, PACE-Intai Romania senator, announced on Wednesday in the Senate plenary the lodging of a simple motion against the minister of Environment, Diana Buzoianu.The motion entitled ‘ Diana Buzoianu, the Red-Green commissionaire of thirst and darkness. How the Bolshevik from the Environment M»»»
PM Bolojan, Speaker Kurtulmus highlight strategic Romanian-Turkish partnership
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Thursday held talks at the Victoria Palace of government with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmus, with discussions highlighting the strong and strategic nature of Romanian-Turkish relations.According to a government press release, th»»»
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is visiting Romania today
Slovak premier Robert Fico will make an official visit in Romania on Friday and will have talks with premier Ilie Bolojan at Victoria Palace. According to the program announced by the government, the two premiers will have a private meeting, followed by a plenum meeting with the delegates' plenum a»»»
Iran’s Araghchi Warns Gulf Hotels Against Hosting Military Personnel - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iran’s Araghchi Warns Gulf Hotels Against Hosting Military Personnel 27-03-2026 09:50 AM Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (image from a»»»
Qatar participates in meeting of Executive Bureau of Arab Social Affairs Ministers Council
Doha: The State of Qatar participated in the extraordinary session of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, held yesterday via video conference, to discuss developments in the social and humanitarian situation in Palestine and Lebanon amid escalating developments »»»
Prime Minister meets US War Secretary
Washington: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has held talks with United States Secretary of War HE Pete Hegseth to discuss strategic cooperation between the two countries. The meeting took place in Washington on Thursday and focus»»»
German Foreign Minister: US, Iran Have Been in Contact Indirectly and Plan to Meet
Germany's foreign minister said on Friday that the United States and Iran have had indirect negotiations and that representatives from both sides plan to meet shortly in Pakistan. "Based on my information there have been indirect contacts, and preparations have been made to meet directly»»»
GCC ministers address supply chain risks, boost transport coordination
DOHA: Qatar’s delegation headed by Minister of Transport H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al-Thani took part in the 28th extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Transport Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, held via videoconference yesterday. The GCC transportation»»»
Oil Drops as Trump Pauses Iran Strikes, but Stock Traders Nervous
Oil prices fell Friday after Donald Trump again pushed back a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though most equities also dropped as traders shrugged at the news following a series of conflicting messaging from the White House. The US president had warned last Saturday he would obli»»»
India slashes fuel taxes due to Middle East war shortages: finance minister
New Delhi: India has reduced taxes on diesel and petrol, the government announced Friday, as the Middle East war continues to disrupt global energy supplies. "In view of the West Asia crisis, the central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption has been reduced", Finance Minister N»»»
Rubio Holds Call with Iraqi Kurdish Leader, State Department Says
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday, the State Department said, adding he expressed "gratitude" to KRG for enabling oil from Iraq, including from Iraq's Kurdistan, to reach global markets. "The secretary also expresse»»»
Venezuelan Diplomats Say Kicked Off Talks With US State Department in Washington
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Venezuela's diplomatic delegation has launched a working visit to Washington, completing its initial meetings with US State Department counterparts, Oliver Blanco, Venezuela's vice minister of Foreign Affairs for North America and Europe, said. "We are in Washington represen»»»
Cuba Will Further Defend Sovereignty at All Costs Despite US Energy Blockade - Official
SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan (Sputnik) - Cuba will continue to defend its sovereignty at all costs, despite the massive negative effect of the US energy blockade, Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga said on Friday. At an expanded meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Shymkent»»»