The current challenges in the healthcare system, in addition to staffing shortages, include ensuring access to quality medical care and timely prevention, caretaker Health Minister Michail Okoliyski said on Wednesday. He was speaking at a forum titled “Priority: Health – from Public Attitudes to Po»»»

A cyberattack by Iran-linked hackers on the medical technology company Stryker last week highlighted the modern threats facing the United States. File Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA March 18 (UPI) -- A cyberattack by Iran-linked hackers on the medical technology company Stryker last week highlighted»»»

Actor, producer and politician Kamal Haasan said he feels a deep connection with Kerala, even as some people see him as an outsider. In a post on X, Haasan wished Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan success in the upcoming elections. “I wish Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan all the very best,” he wrote,»»»

At least four explosions were heard on Wednesday in the city of Erbil in the autonomous Kurdistan region, AFP journalists reported. It was not immediately clear what the target was. From a suburb of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, AFP journalists saw interceptions of projectiles over th»»»

Dubai: This Eid, ANAX Holding, a Dubai-based investment firm, supported the noble initiatives carried out by the Emirates Red Crescent benefiting vulnerable families and individuals across the UAE. During a visit to the Emirates Red Crescent Dubai Center, Satish Sanpal, Founder and Chairperson of A»»»

Dubai: Aster DM Healthcare said it has secured overwhelming shareholder and creditor approval for its proposed merger with Quality Care India Limited (QCIL), clearing a key step toward creating one of India’s largest hospital networks. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.T»»»

“I am convinced that, for the first time in many years, there will be an election campaign that is not built solely on conflict and confrontation, but will feature a clash of proposals and ideas," President Iliana Iotova told journalists. She was speaking at a forum on healthcare, organized by the »»»

Healthcare is a topic that should unite Bulgarians and should be a national ambition, said President Iliana Iotova in her address to the participants in a discussion on healthcare from public attitudes to political decisions, organized by the Bulgarian Medical Association on Wednesday. Iotova said »»»

The UAE air defence systems on Mar 18, 2026 (today) 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones launched from Iran. Since the onset of Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,699 drones. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of two members of t»»»

The leadership of the EU and NATO is the worst either bloc has had in decades, marked by incompetence, a policy of appeasing the US, and failing to protect European interests, according to a scathing critique by journalist Claudi Perez in Spain’s leading newspaper, El Pais. The opinion piece, publi»»»

Joe Kent, head of the US National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned in protest over Washington’s war with Iran, saying that Israel has dragged the US into another “never‑ending” conflict that does not serve American interests. A former military officer who also served in the CIA, Kent was nomin»»»

The software code of 100% of the installed voting machines will be verified for the upcoming elections, up from the previous 30%, caretaker Electronic Governance Minister George Sharkov, who is also coordinator of the election process, told a briefing here on Wednesday. To carry out the checks, the»»»

When the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on 28 February, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and crippling Tehran’s military infrastructure, the world witnessed a dramatic reshaping of the Middle East’s power structure. Beijing’s public response—measured moral condemnations, an e»»»

This operation is not just about neutralizing militants; it is about compelling Kabul to act responsibly and stop tolerating groups that destabilize the region, Sultan M. Hali said. Earlier cross-border actions were limited to tactical raids against militant hideouts. However, Operation Righteous F»»»

Gold prices fell to a one-month low on Wednesday as investors weighed the risk of a more hawkish US Federal Reserve policy stance, with high oil prices fuelling concerns about inflation. Spot gold fell 2% to $4,903.19 per ounce as of 1216 GMT, its lowest level since February 18. US gold futures for»»»

Sara Saleh and her family fled wearing their pyjamas on Wednesday when Israel's military said it would strike a central Beirut building near the school-turned-shelter where they had been staying. Several other strikes, however, came without warning, jolting terrified residents in the middle of the »»»

Share: PHOTO- A person walks past debris at the site of an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Zuqaq al-Blat district in central Beirut, Lebanon, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi Beirut- It is unreasonable to ‌expect th»»»

President Iliana Iotova said that she expects a more comprehensive compensation package due to rising prices. “This is only the first step. I expect a more comprehensive package if the war continues,” she told journalists regarding the caretaker government’s aid porposal. She participated in a foru»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said in an interview for Radio Free Europe that the state has fuel reserves at quite solid levels, as required by law. Gurov noted that all traders are currently maintaining the required reserve levels, explaining that under the Crude Oil and Petroleum Products»»»

BELGRADE - Speaking to reporters after the signing of a commercial agreement with the Azerbaijani company Azvirt to design and build an expressway that will connect the Backi Breg border crossing with Srbobran via Sombor, Kula and Vrbas, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said its first section, sp»»»

Gila Pahima returned to Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel last spring, 18 months after its population had been evacuated because of Hezbollah rocket fire. Now air raid sirens are again sounding around the clock as the boom of missiles and interceptors echoes overhead. "I feel like we're in constant »»»

Share: PHOTO – Flames engulf a building following an Israeli air strike in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebanon, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer Israeli warplanes hit central Beirut in the early hours of Wednesday, destro»»»

Five members of Iran's national women's football team have returned to the country after dropping their bids for Australian asylum. The players were pictured in their team tracksuits as they crossed into Iran from Turkey on Wednesday afternoon, having flown back via Malaysia and Oman. They had init»»»

In 2025, over 4,400 Bulgarian and foreign hunters took part in organised hunting tourism activities, generating nearly EUR 3.8 million in income, Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Nikolay Vassilev said Wednesday during the official opening of the Nature. Hunting. Fishing and Flower Spring exhibi»»»

Interior Minister of Interior Emil Dechev on Wednesday conferred with Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Sait Uyanık. During the meeting, the sides discussed countering illegal migration, combating smuggling and drug trafficking, easing passenger and cargo traffic across the shared border, as well as measur»»»

U.S. forces targeted hardened Iranian missile sites on the Iranian side of the Strait of Hormuz with bunker-buster bombs in an effort to prevent attacks on shipping transiting the strategically key waterway. File photo courtesy Royal Thai Navy/EPA March 18 (UPI) -- U.S. forces successfully deployed»»»

Dubai: As the UAE awaits for Eid Al Fitr, authorities have issued fresh guidance to ensure that residents and visitors alike can celebrate safely and with peace of mind. The Dubai Media Office has released a safety guide explaining what to do if you receive an emergency alert on your phone, which c»»»

The main square of the Hungarian city of Eger was filled on Tuesday (17 March) with people welcoming the prime minister like a star. But it was not only his supporters who turned up. Spontaneous chants of ‘Viktor! Viktor!’ greet me as I arrive at Viktor Orbán campaign rally, a good half-hour before»»»

Dubai: UAE officials conducted an inspection at a Carrefour distribution centre to review food supply, procurement and stock levels, as authorities monitor market stability and ensure continued availability of essential goods nationwide. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances»»»

When the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America on June 11, 2026, it will be the largest sporting event ever staged. Matches will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, involving millions of spectators and a global television audience expected to exceed five bi»»»

Police officers Wednesday detained four people in Haskovo on suspicion of vote-buying, said Miroslav Hristov, Director of the Haskovo Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry. Police officers found several lists of names of people and amounts of money, which lead to the assumption of vote-buyi»»»

Senior Commissioner Tsvetan Yotsov, National Police General Directorate Deputy Director, said at a briefing on Wednesday, at the Council of Ministers, that 39 reports of election violations and crimes had been received by Tuesday morning. Approximately 12-13 investigations have been launched and in»»»

On the evening of 17 March 2026, Israel announced it had killed Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), in an air strike on Tehran, along with Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Tehran later confirmed both assassinations. It is a development that has dire impl»»»

Good news, people with cars. ParkinUAE has announced free parking over the Eid Al Fitr period. The parking solutions provider in the UAE tweeted that all public parking will be free, with the exception of multi-storey parking, between Thursday, March 19, and Sunday, March 22. We’ll be back to payin»»»

VRSAC - Serbian PM Djuro Macut visited Vrsac-based pharmaceuticals firm Hemofarm on Wednesday and met with company executives, headed by CEO Ronald Seeliger, to discuss the Hemofarm Group's operations and future plans. The meeting was also attended by Minister of Internal and External Trade Jagoda »»»

Dubai: Gold prices fell below the Dh600 mark on Wednesday afternoon, with the 24K rate dropping to Dh597 per gram at 3.40 pm from Dh601 in the morning, while 22K declined to Dh552.75 from Dh556.50, tracking a broader pullback in global markets. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices i»»»

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now officially recognized in Bulgaria. This was reported during a news conference to present the results of years of efforts by the medical community and patient organizations to improve the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease. Hristina Nikolova, Chair»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Finland and the European Union as a whole might have to recognize Ukraine's de facto territorial concessions to Russia, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said. "Finland or any European country will never ever accept a de jure land swap. De facto might be a reality, but de jur»»»

The latest heavy fighting between warring parties along Sudan’s border with Chad has killed 17 people and many wounded, a medical group said. The attacks on Monday in Tina left 66 people in serious condition, Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF, said in a post on»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar Mourns Director of Political Programs Martyred in Israeli Bombing of Beirut 18-03-2026 13:49 PM Al-Manar veteran anchor and Direct»»»

Israel Says Killed Iran Intel Chief, Tells Military to Hunt Down Officials Israel said Wednesday its forces had killed another top Iranian official, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and said its military was authorized to kill any senior figure of the country in its sights. The announcement, th»»»

Dakar: Senegal football fans slammed AFCON'S decision to strip the country of its Africa Cup of Nations title and give it to Morocco, calling the move a "disgrace for Africa" as they woke up to the news Wednesday. Gora Ndiaye, a resident of Dakar who works as a chauffeur, told AFP he felt like he h»»»

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has approved a housing benefits package wor»»»

US President Donald Trump has criticized other NATO nations’ unwillingness to join the US-Israeli military operation against Iran, calling the bloc a “one-way street” that America has never really needed. The remarks came a day after US allies, including NATO members, ignored or rejected Trump’s ca»»»

The killing of senior Iranian officials by the US and Israel will not cripple the government, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said. Araghchi made the comments shortly after Iran confirmed that Ali Larijani, the country’s security chief and one of its most powerful politicians, was kille»»»

The UAE air defence systems on 18th March 2026 engaged 13 ballistic missiles and 27 UAVs launched from Iran. Since the onset of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,699 UAVs. Also Read: US‑Israel war on Iran, Day 19: Israel s»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Digital Development and Innovative Technologies, Azamat Zhamangulov, commented on the construction of a National AI Center on Birinchi Radio. According to him, digitalization is not just a building or «some hardware,» but, first and foremost, personnel and IT expertise. «Re»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tehran does not seek a ceasefire and does not believe in it, but wants an end to the war, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday. "We are not seeking a ceasefire because we do not want this scenario to happen again after a while. We want the war to stop complet»»»

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton appears to have won the Democratic primary for US Senate, edging ahead of her opponents after a late surge of support in a highly competitive, expensive race. Stratton was leading her main opponent, congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, with roughly 90% of t»»»

It is unreasonable to expect the Lebanese government to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah while the country is being bombed by Israel, France's special envoy for Lebanon said on Wednesday. Jean-Yves Le Drian said only negotiations would resolve the crisis, in which Lebanese authorities say over 900 peop»»»