What Bulgaria and Ukraine Actually Signed in Kyiv
The political noise around the agreement signed by Acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 30 in Kyiv has largely drowned out what the document actually says. The caretaker government has since published the full text, and the picture it paints is considerably »»»
Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Kandev: Police Leadership Will Not Be Drawn into Election Campaigns
Acting Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kandev said on Wednesday in a Facebook post that he would not allow the professional leadership of the Ministry to be drawn into election campaigns. "While I hold this position, the law will be applied equally to all citizens of the Republic of Bulgar»»»
Egypt to extend retail opening hours for upcoming Christian holidays
Egypt will extend the opening hours for shops, malls, and restaurants until 11 PM between April 10 and April 13 to mark upcoming Christian holidays, the cabinet announced on Wednesday. The decision, approved during a weekly meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, shifts the closing time»»»
Egypt pledges to finance Nile water infrastructure in Uganda
Egypt has pledged to finance and mobilise funding for water-related infrastructure on the Nile basin in Uganda, according to a joint communiqué issued on Wednesday following high-level ministerial talks in Cairo. The Egyptian side reaffirmed its readiness to provide the funding through the Nile Dev»»»
Egypt Finance Minister says prioritising essential supplies and investor needs key to mitigating economic risks
Egypt’s Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said on Wednesday that prioritising essential supplies for citizens and production requirements for investors is key to mitigating economic risks. Speaking during a meeting of the Crisis Management and Risk Reduction Committee at the Ministry of Finance, Kouc»»»
Water security has become fundamental pillar of national security (Secretary of State)
Tunis, April 1 (TAP) - Water security has become a fundamental pillar of the national security, Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries in charge of Water Hamadi Habib said.Chairing, on Tuesday, the opening...»»»
Germany halts rescue efforts for stranded whale
Berlin: Experts said Wednesday they were halting rescue efforts for a humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off the German coast and had given up hope for its survival. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) animal has been floundering off Germany's Baltic Sea coast for more than a week, having first been »»»
Caretaker PM Gurov Meets Head of OSCE Election Observation Mission
The caretaker government's commitments to organizing fair elections were the focus of a meeting between Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and Dunja Mijatovic, head of the election observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the government press servic»»»
Caretaker Finance Minister Klisurski Says State Is Preparing Regular Budget Draft
The caretaker government is drafting a regular budget proposal to be submitted if the next parliament fails to form a governing majority, caretaker Minister of Finance Georgi Klisurski said on Wednesday. Speaking in a television interview, Klisurski said the draft had not yet been completed, but wo»»»
Sheikh Hamdan directs Dubai government entities to integrate all services
In a landmark step in Dubai’s digital transformation journey, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, announced that the emirate has entered a new era in which »»»
Sofronijevic meets with Czech ambassador to Belgrade
BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Aleksandra Sofronijevic met with Czech Ambassador to Belgrade Jan Bondi on Wednesday to discuss possibilities for advancement of bilateral cooperation, with special focus on development of railway infrastructure. The possibil»»»
PM Edi Rama Announces Social Support Boost for Caregivers and Pension Increases
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced a new set of social support measures during his address at the Socialist Party Assembly, signaling upcoming changes in a forthcoming normative act expected in June. Rama revealed that the government will begin paying social security contributions for family mem»»»
Bolivia alleges fuel sabotage tied to international criminal network - UPI.com
Bilivan consumers have felt the impact of contaminated gasoline. More than 10,000 vehicle owners, including long-distance transport operators and private drivers, have reported severe engine damage. File Photo by Luis Gandarilas/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- Bolivia's government, led by President Rodrigo Pa»»»
King Charles invited to address Congress during visit - UPI.com
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pose at Windsor Castle during the Trumps' state visit to England in September. Charles and Camilla will come to the United States for a state visit in late April, and Charles has been invited to address a joint mee»»»
Dubai rolls out transport fee exemptions and discounts for key groups
Dubai has introduced a package of transport-related incentives, including fee exemptions and discounts, aimed at supporting families and enhancing quality of life, authorities said. The initiative, aligned with the National Family Growth Agenda 2031, follows an agreement between the Ministry of Fam»»»
Bulgarian PM, US Ambassador to Greece Discuss Opportunities for Accelerated Development of Vertical Gas Corridor
Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle met on Wednesday to discuss opportunities for the accelerated development of the Vertical Gas Corridor as a key element of energy and economic security in Southeastern Europe, the government information service sai»»»
Malaysian tourism sector remains resilient despite Mideast conflict: official
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia recorded 2,835,724 international visitor arrivals between March 1 and 26 this year, a 2.4-percent increase from the same period last year and demonstrating the tourism sector's resilience despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tion»»»
Germany Halts Rescue Efforts for Stranded Whale
Experts said Wednesday they were halting rescue efforts for a humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off the German coast and had given up hope for its survival. The 13.5-metre (44-foot) animal has been floundering off Germany's Baltic Sea coast for more than a week, having first been spotted »»»
Britain to host summit on managing the Strait of Hormuz - UPI.com
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a news conference on the situation in the Middle East, at Downing Street in London, England, Wednesday. Pool Photo by Betty Laura Zapata/EPA April 1 (UPI) -- Britain will host a virtual summit Thursday to find ways to open the Strait of Hormuz after»»»
Germany Growth Forecasts Slashed as Mideast War Hits Economy
Leading economic institutes more than halved their growth forecast for Germany on Wednesday, warning that the energy shock caused by the Middle East war would hit Europe's top economy hard. A group of leading institutes slashed their joint GDP growth forecast for 2026 to 0.6 percent, down from a Se»»»
Israel rejects French defense ties amid dispute over blocked ammo flight
Israel’s Defense Ministry has announced retaliatory steps against France after US President Donald Trump openly criticized the European NATO member for refusing to allow access to its airspace for arms shipments being delivered to the Middle East. Posting on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump described»»»
Iran’s block of Hormuz oil flows is ‘global economic extortion,’ says UAE’s Al Jaber
Dubai: Iran’s disruption of energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz amounts to “global economic extortion” that risks destabilising economies far beyond the Middle East, according to Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. The UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of»»»
Albania Says Recent Cyber Attacks Caused No Irreparable Damage
A series of cyber attacks targeting key public institutions in Albania in recent weeks have not caused significant or irreparable damage, according to Economy Minister Delina Ibrahimaj. The attacks are reported to have affected systems linked to parliament, the national postal service and, most rec»»»
Iran attacks threaten global aviation, UN aviation body ICAO says
Dubai: UN aviation watchdog International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has issued a strong condemnation of attacks attributed to Iran, describing them as unlawful acts that pose a direct threat to the safety of international civil aviation. At its 237th session in Montreal on April 1, the ICA»»»
PM Gurov Meets with Representatives of Jewish Community in Bulgaria
Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov met with representatives of the Jewish community in Bulgaria on the occasion of the major religious holiday of Passover, the government press service reported in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Alina Levi, Chair of the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria Shalom, pre»»»
In Israel's north, war-weary residents feel abandoned by government
Whenever war rocks northern Israel, residents of Kiryat Shmona live their lives to the rhythm of rocket sirens. Young people have left the city, and those who remain feel neglected by the government. Some mere three kilometers from Lebanon, this northern settlement is living through its second war »»»
Qatar participates in 43rd session of Arab Interior Ministers Council
Doha: The State of Qatar participated in the 43rd session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, held Wednesday via videoconference. Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Thani led the State of Qatar's delegation participating in the session. Duri»»»
Sniper shooting becomes official sport in Russia
The Russian Ministry of Sport has recognised shooting with sniper rifles as a new official sporting discipline. A ministerial decree states that “military precision shooting” has been included in the official Russian register of sports. The decree was signed by Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev on »»»
No Quorum Halts Parliament Debate on Termination of Bulgaria–Ukraine Security Agreement
The National Assembly's Wednesday extraordinary sitting was adjourned due to a lack of quorum. For more than an hour, Parliament debated a draft decision obliging the Council of Ministers to immediately terminate the ten-year security agreement between Bulgaria and Ukraine, signed by caretaker Prim»»»
Mesarovic, Hebei governor see off train carrying Serbian products to China
BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarovic and the governor of China's Hebei province Wang Zhengpu visited on Wednesday an intermodal terminal in Batajnica and attended a ceremony at which a train carrying Serbian products set off to Hebei and the Shijiazhua»»»
Saudi Arabia unveils rare 1,000-year-old Quran manuscript
Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Public Library has revealed a 1,000-year-old manuscript titled “Gharib Al Quran”, authored by the early scholar Abu Ubaidah Mamar Ibn Al Muthanna. The manuscript, dating to the fourth century, consists of 23 folios measuring 17 by 22 cm. It is written in clear A»»»
France: NATO is Not Designed to Carry Out Operations in Strait of Hormuz
NATO is a military alliance that ensures the security of the Euro-atlantic area and is not designed to carry out operations in the Strait of Hormuz that would breach international law, France's junior army minister said on Wednesday. "Let me remind you what NATO is. It is a military alliance concer»»»
Starmer Says UK to Host Multi-nation Meeting on Hormuz Shipping
Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Wednesday. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters d»»»
Mali: EXPO 2027 Serbia's biggest growth opportunity
MADRID - EXPO 2027 Belgrade is our biggest growth opportunity and we will present Serbia in the right way at the event, Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali has told the Spanish El Mundo daily in an interview. Speaking about Serbia's EU accession, Mali said a decision on the mat»»»
Sharjah allows remote work for mums in government sector
Sharjah has introduced remote working for employed mothers in the government sector, aiming to support work-life balance and family stability, officials said. Hesham Suhail Al Qahtani, Director of HR Systems at the Sharjah Department of Human Resources, said the new policy allows working mothers wi»»»
Iranian Authorities Warned Bulgaria Not to Let US Use Airports
Iranian authorities warned NATO member Bulgaria last month not to let the US use its airports for planes participating in military operations in Iran, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Earlier on Wednesday, Stanislav Balabanov, a deputy with the "There is Such People" party, showed a note fro»»»
Dubai’s timely stimulus sends strong signal of confidence
At a time when regional tensions are casting a shadow over global markets, Dubai’s latest economic stimulus could not have come at a better moment. The approval of Dh1 billion in incentives by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministe»»»
Saudi Arabia: Travel to some countries comes with a ban
Dubai: Saudi Arabia has introduced new penalties for citizens travelling to prohibited destinations, including fines of up to SR30,000 and travel bans of up to two years, under updated regulations approved by Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, Minister of Interior. The fine is doubled for repeat o»»»
Vazrazhdane Says It Will Alert Prosecution Service over "Cabinet's Decision to Allocate BGN 34 Mln to Ukraine"
In a declaration read from Parliament's rostrum on behalf of Vazrazhdane on Wednesday, party leader Kostadin Kostadinov said that they would alert the prosecution service over a government decision to allocate BGN 34 million to Ukraine, as well as a ten-year cooperation agreement signed with Ukrain»»»
'Foreign' drone detected in Finland: police
Helsinki: Finnish police told AFP Wednesday that a "foreign" drone had been spotted on a frozen lake near Finland's border with Russia and media reported that it was Ukrainian. The "foreign unmanned aircraft" was detected on the ice of Lake Pyhajarvi in Parikkala in eastern Finland on Tuesday, two »»»
Deputy prime minister meets Greek defence minister
DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani met with Minister of Defense of the Hellenic Republic HE Nikolaos Georgios Dendias, who is visiting Qatar. The meeting discussed the latest security developments in the region, »»»
Education Minister Ignatov: No Other European Country Matches Ukraine’s Support for Bulgarian Diaspora
No other country in Europe matches Ukraine’s support for the Bulgarian diaspora on its territory said caretaker Minister of Education Sergei Ignatov at a briefing at the Council of Ministers here on Wednesday. He was speaking regarding the signed Protocol between the Ministry of Education and Scien»»»
UAE air defense intercepted 5 ballistic missiles and 35 drones from Iran on April 1, 2026
The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that air defense systems engaged 5 ballistic missiles and 35 drones originating from Iran. Since the start of Iran's attacks, the UAE Air Defenses have engaged 438 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles, and 2012 drones. The attacks have resulted in cas»»»
Cabinet approves draft law on oversight of fuel stations
Doha, Qatar: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani chaired the regular meeting of the Cabinet, held at its headquarters in the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday morning, April 1, 2026. Following the meeting, the Minister of Justice and Mini»»»
Dubai records Dh1b-plus land deal in Palm Jumeirah
Dubai’s real estate market has recorded a landmark transaction with the sale of a granted land plot at the Royal Amwaj project in Palm Jumeirah for more than Dh1 billion, despite regional tensions, according to official data. Figures from the Dubai Land Department’s “Dubai REST” app showed the comm»»»
Energy Minister Designated Competent Authority under EU Regulation on Reduction of Methane Emissions in Energy Sector
The Council of Ministers has designated the Energy Minister as Bulgaria’s competent authority under Regulation (EU) 2024/1787 on the reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector, the Government Information Service said on Wednesday. The State Agency for Metrological and Technical Surveillanc»»»
Investigation into February 2026 Multiple-Deaths Tragedy Still in Progress, Interior Minister Says
The investigation into a tragedy involving six violent deaths in two mountain areas in Bulgaria's Northwest is still in progress, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said here on Wednesday. He spoke during a hearing at an extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly, prompted by "further dism»»»
Deputy PM Nedina to Head Administrative Reform Council
At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the caretaker Council of Ministers appointed Deputy Prime Minister for European Funding Maria Nedina as Chair of the Council for Administrative Reform, the Government Press Service reported. The Council is an advisory body under the Council of Ministers, tasked »»»
Government Sets Up Crisis Task Force to Monitor and Control Prices of Goods and Fuels over Middle East Conflict
The caretaker Council of Ministers decided on Wednesday to establish a crisis task force to monitor and control prices of goods and fuels in response to the conflict in the Middle East, the Government Press Service reported. The task force will request information on the state and dynamics of price»»»
Cabinet praises fraternal visits of Amir to Saudi Arabia, UAE
DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani chaired the regular Cabinet meeting held at its headquarters in the Amiri Diwan. Following the meeting, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HEIbrahim bin Ali Al Moha»»»