Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a halt in fighting during celebrations for the end of Ramadan, after the deadliest strike in their escalating conflict killed hundreds in Kabul earlier this week. The governments in Islamabad and Kabul said in separate statements that Saudi Arabia, Qa»»»

Israel kept up its campaign of targeting Iran’s leaders on Wednesday, killing the country’s intelligence minister, and an Iranian offshore natural gas field was struck in a sign of the war’s mounting pressure – from both sides -- on the region's economic lifeblood: energy. Iran has been taking aim »»»

Tunis, March 18 (TAP) - A Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday at the Government Palace in Kasbah recommended establishing a unified strategic framework to monitor projects carried out within the framework of bilateral, multilateral, and Arab and...»»»

Doha: Qatar’s Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs issued on Wednesday a set of guidelines for worshippers attending Eid Al-Fitr prayers for the year 1447 AH, aimed at ensuring safety and smooth organisation at mosques. In a statement, the Ministry urged worshippers to arrive early at»»»

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a halt in fighting during celebrations for the end of Ramadan, after the deadliest strike in their escalating conflict killed hundreds in Kabul earlier this week. The governments in Islamabad and Kabul said in separate statements that Saudi Arabia, Qa»»»

After years of discussion, reforms and policy shifts, the healthcare system has completely lost its direction and is not delivering its most important outcome – health, Parliamentary Health Committee Chair Kostadin Angelov said on Wednesday. He was speaking at a forum on health from public attitude»»»

Canterbury, United Kingdom: Hundreds of masked-up students queued Wednesday to get vaccinated at the UK university campus at the heart of a deadly meningitis outbreak, as the number of cases rose to 20. "It's quite a concerning thing. It all happened so fast," said Jack Jordan, a 19-year-old studen»»»

In order for innovations and a higher level of prevention to enter, investments are required, said Dr. Nikolay Branzalov, Chair of the Bulgarian Medical Union, at the "Priority: Health - from public attitudes to political decisions" discussion on Wednesday, organized by the Bulgarian Medical Union »»»

The National Assembly unanimously voted, 145-0 with no abstentions, to mandate the caretaker government to state Bulgaria's position at the March 19-20 European Council on the need to temporarily suspend the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) until its ongoing review at EU level is co»»»

1 of 5 | Emergency response and command vehicles surround the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 16, 2016. Pulse Nightclub, the site of a mass shooting that killed 49 people in Orlando in 2016, was demolished on Wednesday. File Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo March 18 (UPI) »»»

Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib has been killed, the country's president has confirmed. Masoud Pezeshkian said the "cowardly assassination" had left Iran "in deep mourning", after Israel said on Wednesday it had killed Khatib in an air strike. It comes a day after Israel announced it had»»»

Dubai: The UAE has launched the first phase of its Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentives Programme, offering businesses tax credits to encourage investment in innovation and technology. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Under Phase 1, companies can claim a non-re»»»

Ten European Union member states, including Greece, have called on the bloc to keep handing out free carbon permits to industry to ‌help curb costs as the US-Israeli war on Iran sends energy prices soaring. European Union leaders, who meet for a summit in Brussels on Thursday, are debating proposal»»»

Bulgaria’s Fiscal Council Wednesday issued a statement to the media regarding the amendment proposals submitted by three parliamentary groups between the first and second readings of the 2025 Budget Extension Act. According to the Fiscal Council, the amendments proposed by GERB-UDF, MRF - New Begin»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has warned that targeting energy facilities linked to the South Pars gas field constitutes a serious escalation and poses a direct threat to global energy security. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said attacks on energy infrastructure associate»»»

Dubai: Air India and Air India Express are set to operate a total of 48 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the GCC countries on March 19, 2026. Alongside regular services, the airlines will operate 32 additional non-scheduled flights to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. These flights are subje»»»

Israel's defense minister said the Israeli military had destroyed two bridges spanning the Litani River in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, alleging they were being used by Hezbollah. "The IDF (Israeli army) today struck and destroyed two additional bridges over the Litani River that were used for sm»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar welcomed the announcement of a temporary truce between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr, considering it a positive step that contributes to de-escalation and fosters a more conciliatory atmosphere between the two sides. In a st»»»

A judge in Poland has ruled that Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin can be extradited to Ukraine, although his defence says he will appeal. Butyagin is being held in a Warsaw prison for allegedly conducting illegal excavations and plundering artefacts from the ancient city of Myrmekion in Cri»»»

Used primarily in the aerospace, energy and petrochemical industries, rhenium plays a key role in high-performance applications. Photo by cottonbro studio/pexels SANTIAGO, Chile, March 18 (UPI) -- The United States is continuing efforts to secure supplies of critical minerals deemed vital to nation»»»

Several countries have confirmed Friday, March 20, 2026, as the first day of Eid Al Fitr, following the completion of 30 days of Ramadan and the unsuccessful sighting of the Shawwal crescent. Countries confirming Eid on Friday include Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey, and Australia»»»

Special operations forces from Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardia) recently conducted military exercises on the Kola Peninsula, using FPV kamikaze drones to neutralise “armed saboteurs” in a simulated combat scenario. The drills, held in the Khibiny Mountains, involved Rosgvardia’s elite units wor»»»

Ervin Salianji has publicly called for the departure of Sali Berisha from the leadership of the Democratic Party of Albania, ahead of the party’s internal election scheduled for May 23. Speaking for the media, Salianji argued that the party has weakened in recent years, attributing its decline to t»»»

A 23-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing a 20-year-old in Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, was remanded in custody after his testimony, authorities said Wednesday. He faces charges of intentional homicide and illegal weapon possession and use. During his testimony, he allegedly said he stabbed the vic»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar expressed its welcome for the announcement of the temporary truce between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on the occasion of the upcoming blessed Eid al-Fitr, and considers this step a positive initiative that contributes to de-escalation and streng»»»

Gas prices were up in Walnut Creek, Calif., on March 10. To help ease the surge of gas prices in the United States, President Donald Trump temporarily waived the Jones Act, allowing more foreign shipments of oil to travel between U.S. ports. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo March 18 (UPI)»»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija said on Wednesday a first-instance ruling by a so-called court in Pristina under which Kosovo-Metohija Serbs Zoran Kostic and Dragan Milovic had been convicted to 15 and seven years in prison, respectively, for alleged war crimes represen»»»

NATO chief Mark Rutte said Wednesday that allies of the military alliance were in discussions on the "best way" to open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large chunk of the world's oil supply normally passes, AFP reported. "I have been in contact with many allies. We all agree, of course, that »»»

It was late at night when an Iranian cluster bomb flew through the ceiling of an elderly couple's apartment in central Israel and exploded in their tiny living room, killing them both. The path of the bomb was still clearly mapped onto the ash-covered debris left behind. A large hole in the ceiling»»»

Minister Enea Karakaçi said Albania’s fuel supply has not been impacted by tensions in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, despite concerns over global energy disruptions. Karakaçi outlined the government’s long-term strategy to strengthen energy security. He announced that a new law on strat»»»

The Federal Reserve will announce its next move on interest rates, or if it will make a move at all, on Wednesday. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo March 18 (UPI) -- The Federal Reserve will announce its next move on interest rates, or if it will make a move at all, on Wednesday. »»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE announced on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, that the first day of Eid Al Fitr will be observed on March 20, after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted. Earier this month, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation h»»»

In the mood for some outdoorsy time with the kiddos over the Eid break? That’s perfect – there’s just about that lovely nip in the air that makes the shade perfect for some down time as you kid watch. Dubai Municipality has put out the timings of the parks and other recreational areas within those »»»

Prime Minister, Edi Rama held a meeting with with fuel suppliers on Wednesday, calling for cooperation to reduce the impact of the ongoing global crisis while protecting consumers from rising prices. Rama emphasized that the government will not establish a fuel monitoring board for now, signaling a»»»

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed on Wednesday that Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in the war with the US and Israel, blasting a "cowardly assassination". In a post on X, Pezeshkian did not say who had carried out the attack but earlier Israel's defence minister anno»»»

Two people who allegedly pulled off successful phone scams on vulnerable people, stealing about €70,000 in five days, have been arrested in northern Greece, police said Wednesday. A police statement said the men were detained Tuesday near the town of Drama on suspicion of having defrauded seven eld»»»

Caretaker Health Minister Michail Okoliyski announced the launch of expanded neonatal screening in Bulgaria, the Health Ministry said on Facebook on Wednesday. Together with Deputy Minister Petar Gribnev, he visited the specialized obstetrics and gynaecology hospital Maichin Dom in Sofia, where one»»»

The Central Election Commission (CEC) held a draw on Wednesday to determine the numbers under which the parties and coalitions will appear on the ballot for the early parliamentary elections on April 19. These will be the eighth elections since 2021. The draw was streamed online. Representatives of»»»

If you are in the UAE and having trouble accessing your X account, do not be alarmed for you are not alone. Downdetector, the website that lets you know when services are down based on real-time reports, has confirmed that there has been a spike in complaints over the microblog this evening (March »»»

A dozen people have been arrested for allegedly illegally connecting their homes to the power network and stealing electricity amid a crackdown all over the country, police said Wednesday. A police statement said eight suspects, aged 19-53, were detained in the Ptolemaida area of northern Greece Tu»»»

Foot-and-mouth disease is closing in on the Bulgarian border, and a national operational crisis taskforce has been established, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) reported on Wednesday. According to the agency, the first outbreak in Greece has been confirmed on the island of Lesbos after 40 ou»»»

A 48.9% increase in prices for fresh and dry vegetables was a big factor in the rising index for foods in February, the U.S. Burea of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. File Phot by Gary C. Caskey/UPI | License Photo March 18 (UPI) -- The producer price index for final demand goods had its sharpe»»»

Dubai: It’s official. Saudi Arabia announced today (March 18, 2026) that the first day of Eid al Fitr will fall on March 20, after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted. The moon-sighting committee convened and verified the sighting of the new moon, marking the end of Ramadan after 30 days of f»»»

Israel's military said Wednesday it had struck gas stations in south Lebanon belonging to a company owned by the Iranian-backed armed group Hezbollah. "Overnight, the 'Israeli army' struck Al-Amana Fuel Company gas stations in southern Lebanon", the military said. A map shared with the statement sh»»»

A strike near Iraq's western border with Syria killed three fighters from former coalition Hashed al-Shaabi on Wednesday, the alliance said. The fighters from the alliance -- also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), now part of Iraq's regular armed forces -- were hit in an US or Israeli»»»

Kyrgyzstan will launch a pilot project to develop a meat production cluster in Chui region and Bishkek to increase output and stabilize meat prices. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry Erlist Akunbekov announced. The proj»»»

Americans increasingly view artificial intelligence as a threat to their livelihoods and believe the government should prioritize protecting workers over maximizing tech industry profits, polling data published by Blue Rose Research has indicated. The survey, conducted earlier this month with 2,716»»»

Healthcare costs are a very serious burden for about 800,000 people, mainly elderly citizens, said Trend polling agency head Dimitar Ganev on Wednesday. He presented findings from a survey on public attitudes toward the healthcare system in Bulgaria at a forum on health from public attitudes to pol»»»

Several officials and companies associated with them have been detained in Kyrgyzstan as part of a criminal investigation into corruption at Kyrgyzneftegaz OJSC. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. The case was previously opened based on materials from the State Tax Se»»»

The Bulgarian Central Election Commission (CEC) has completed the lottery to assign numbers to the political parties and coalitions participating in the country's early parliamentary elections on April 19. In total, 24 formations will appear on the ballots, comprising 14 parties and 10 coalitions. »»»