Thiel brings his 'Antichrist' lectures to the Vatican’s doorstep, and Catholic institutions back away
ROME: One of the hottest tickets in the Vatican's backyard these days is for a four-lecture series on the Antichrist being given by Silicon Valley tech billionaire Peter Thiel. The invitation-only conference in Rome, from Sunday to Wednesday, has proven so controversial that the Catholic universiti»»»
French vote tests polarised electorate with right hoping to win control of Paris
France is preparing to vote in town council elections, whose results will be closely analysed for trends ahead of next year's presidential votes. A strong showing for Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) would be a boost for the nationalist right - even as she awaits a judicial decision on whether s»»»
Winners, Sinners and record breakers: 17 fun facts about this year's Oscars
When Sinners director Ryan Coogler went to the movies as a child, he would smuggle in some snacks - and get particularly creative with the cinema's drinks machine. "I'm not a big soda person, but when they started to let you mix and match the drinks, I got involved with that," he told Amy Poehler's»»»
QA transports 300 tonnes of vital goods to Qatar since beginning of March
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Airways (QA) has made the necessary arrangements to ensure the arrival of essential goods to Qatar since the beginning of March, transporting nearly 300 tonnes of vital supplies to the country. The shipments include medicines, baby milk, fresh food such as meat, fish»»»
EU ‘held hostage’ by Trump over Iran war – Spanish deputy PM
Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz has accused EU leaders of weakness over the US-Israeli war on Iran, warning that Brussels’ “servile” attitude toward US President Donald Trump risks fueling Euroskeptic sentiment. In an interview with Politico published on Thursday, Diaz described the EU a»»»
What crude oil the world produces — why some barrels are more valuable
Dubai: Crude oil is often discussed as a single commodity. In reality, the oil traded in global markets exists in dozens of different grades, each with distinct physical characteristics that determine how easily it can be refined and what fuels it ultimately produces. Sign up for our daily business»»»
Italy’s Meloni breaks with Trump over Iran war
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has criticized the US-Israeli war on Iran, branding it part of a dangerous trend “outside international law.” She also condemned a deadly strike on an Iranian school widely attributed to the US. Meloni delivered the r»»»
Greece's Defence Minister Discusses Middle East Conflict with Bulgarian PM, Defence Minister
Greece's National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias was on a one-day visit to Sofia on Thursday at the invitation of Bulgaria's caretaker Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov. During his visit, Dendias met with members of the cabinet to discuss the military conflict in the Middle East and its potentia»»»
Iranian Strategy Built on Lessons of US Wars, Faith and Homegrown Tech
Iran has learned from decades of US wars in the Middle East and beyond and has been preparing for war for at least 25 years, Iranian-American international affairs analyst Mohammad Marandi tells Sputnik. US Wars in Middle East and North AfricaIraq War, spring 2003: Rationale: Toppling Saddam Hussei»»»
Central Election Commission, International Observers Discuss Legal Framework, Challenges
Bulgaria's Central Election Commission (CEC) conferred with the core team of the election observation mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), CEC said in a press release on Thursday. That was th»»»
Head of EU Intellectual Property Office: IP Should Boost Growth, Not just Protect Innovation
Speaking at the high-level industrial property conference "Innovation Empowered: Protect, Compete, Succeed" here on Thursday, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) Executive Director Joao Negrao said that achievements do not appear in isolation but flourish where innovation is pro»»»
Qatar Airways transports nearly 300 tonnes of essential goods to Qatar since beginning of March
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways announced that since the beginning of March it has made the necessary arrangements to ensure the arrival of essential goods to the State of Qatar, with approximately 300 tons of essential goods being transported to the country, including health medicines, baby milk, fresh»»»
Caretaker Government Prepares Targeted Measures to Offset Fuel Price Rise
The caretaker government is preparing targeted measures to support vulnerable households and businesses in response to rising fuel prices, it was announced at a briefing at the Council of Ministers on Thursday. Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said the government has been working intensively o»»»
Infosan reports 20 million RON turnover for 2025 and targets up to 20% growth in 2026, driven by a new clinic in Bucharest
Infosan, the only private ophthalmopediatric hospital in Romania, recorded a turnover of approximately 20 million RON (approx. €3.9 million) in 2025, generated entirely from medical services. These results reflect a steady increase compared to the previous year, when medical revenues stood at appro»»»
Epstein used modelling agent to recruit girls, Brazilian women tell BBC
Warning: This story contains graphic sexual descriptions. "If I had disobeyed my mother and gone to New York, what might have happened to me?" asks Gláucia Fekete. In 2004, as a 16-year-old living in the Brazilian countryside, she was taking her first steps in the modelling world. She says French m»»»
The first 3D-guided electroporation ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in Romania performed at NORD Pipera Hospital
NORD Pipera Hospital, part of the MedLife Group, marks a national premiere in interventional cardiology for the treatment of atrial fibrillation through the implementation of 3D-guided Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA – electroporation) technology. This method is internationally recognized as a standard »»»
Air France-KLM hikes long-haul ticket prices
Paris, France: Air France-KLM said Thursday it is raising long-haul ticket prices due to soaring jet fuel prices caused by the Middle East conflict. "The current geopolitical situation in the Middle East has led to a sudden and significant increase in fuel prices, particularly kerosene. As a result»»»
31 days to election: Orbán claims Ukrainians are threatening his children and grandchildren
In our ongoing weekly digest, award-winning journalist Veronika Munk summarises and explains the most important political developments in Hungary. We guide readers on the route to the crunch 12 April 2026 election — a poll without precedent in the region over the past 15 years. This week, we cover:»»»
Deputy Prime Minister receives phone call from Hungarian Minister of Defense
Doha, Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of State for Defense Affairs, HE Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani, received a phone call this Thursday evening from the Minister of Defense of Hungary, HE Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. During the call, the two sides reviewed latest securit»»»
‘We know where he lives, where he sleeps’: Ex-Ukrainian general threatens Orban
A former Ukrainian Secret Service (SBU) general and MP has issued an open public threat against the family of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, days after Vladimir Zelensky suggested his military could be despatched to speak with him “in its own language.” Speaking to Pryamy TV, Ukrainian poli»»»
War disrupts fertiliser supplies, puts food security at risk
Paris: With production in the Gulf countries at a standstill and gas prices rising, the war in the Middle East is disrupting the supply of fertilisers and posing risks for food security. A third of fertiliser shipped by sea comes from the region and cannot make it to the global market as Iran has e»»»
Digital Sovereignty Is Key for Economic Resilience, Innovation Minister Says
Bulgaria's Innovation and Growth Minister Irena Mladenova said digital sovereignty is no longer an abstract concept, it has become a key factor for the economic resilience and strategic autonomy of states. She addressed a conference on "Digital Sovereignty: The strategic issue for businesses and in»»»
How Iran war laid bare the world's reliance on Gulf oil and gas
The US-Israel war with Iran has made startlingly clear how much the world relies on energy from the Gulf region. Since the conflict began, the price of oil has soared and is currently trading at over a third higher at $100 a barrel, pushed up by air strikes on shipping and energy infrastructure, an»»»
Kyrgyzstan’s laboratories receive International ILAC ‘Quality Mark’ - | 24.KG
Laboratories of the Environmental Monitoring Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyzstan have confirmed their compliance with the international ISO standard. The ministry’s press service reported. Kyrgyzstan’s laboratories have received the »»»
The reality of second-hand market: cars that have had their mileage rolled back by 320,000 km
Research conducted in Romania and other European countries by the automotive data company carVertical examined the most extreme cases encountered in 2025 on the used car market. We discovered cars that had been “refreshed” with hundreds of thousands of kilometers, repair costs reaching astronomical»»»
Sly fox sneaks onto cargo ship in Southampton and arrives in New York
A red fox that sneaked onto a cargo ship off the coast of Southampton has successfully made it thousands of miles across the Atlantic and is now in the care of the Bronx Zoo in New York. The zoo said on Wednesday that the fox - a two-year-old male weighing roughly 11lb (5kg) - is currently in the A»»»
Mali: Serbia 2030 aimed at building modern, strong country, EXPO to be pinnacle
BELGRADE - Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said on Thursday the Serbia 2030 strategy was a programme aimed at building a modern, strong and successful Serbia for the decades and generations to come, and noted that 2027 would be one of the more important years in Serbia's ec»»»
Why did Rashmika Mandanna threaten legal action and give ultimatum?
Dubai: Actress Rashmika Mandanna has threatened legal action after an alleged audio clip involving her mother began circulating widely on social media, reviving discussion around her past relationship with Rakshit Shetty. According to reports, the audio surfaced just weeks after Rashmika married Vi»»»
US will permanently close the consulate in Peshawar
WASHINGTON The State Department will permanently close the US consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, which has been America’s closest diplomatic mission to the Afghan border and was a primary operations and logistics point before, during and after the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. The department notified»»»
Is the Iran war the Biblical end times?
The war between Israel, the US and Iran is raging. Throughout these days I’m woken to the sounds of emergency alerts on my phone, air raid sirens ringing, or the boom-boom in the skies above me as missiles are being intercepted. I have this song by the band REM looping in my head. You know the one.»»»
Bulgaria's Defence Minister: Iran's Unprovoked Attacks on Cyprus and Turkiye Cause Serious Concern
Bulgaria's Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told reporters that Iran's unprovoked attacks on Cyprus and Turkiye are causing serious concern. Zapryanov and Greece's National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias made a joint statement after their meeting here on Thursday. Dendias is on a one-day visit to »»»
Oil price hike threatens Germany's economy
BusinessGermanyOil price hike threatens Germany's economySabine KinkartzHow high will the Iran war drive up the prices of oil, gasoline, and diesel? There is great concern that the price shock could dash hopes for economic recovery in Germany. https://p.dw.com/p/5AH3aGermany holds 143 million barre»»»
Bulgaria's Zapryanov and Greece's Dendias Highlight Patriot Missile Support and Joint Defense Projects
Bulgaria and Greece see significant potential to deepen cooperation in defense innovation, according to Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, following talks with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in Sofia. Zapryanov highlighted that recent unprovoked Iranian attacks on Cyprus and multiple»»»
Video: US prepares B-1B bombers at RAF Fairford airbase
Dubai: US military personnel have been seen preparing B-1B Lancer bombers on the tarmac at RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force station in the United Kingdom used by American forces. The long-range strategic bombers were readied for potential operations as tensions remain high in the Middle East followi»»»
Mobile diagnostic complex begins work in Osh region - | 24.KG
A mobile multi-diagnostic complex has been operating in Aravan district of Osh region since March 2026. Residents receive free medical examinations there. According to the Ministry of Health’s press center, the diagnostic complex provides free medical examinations, specialist consultations, treatme»»»
Looks like the EU might have to pay Zelensky just to shut up
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky have a little something for the ladies for Women’s History Month. They’re apparently going to spend the entire time beaking each other off on the global stage. Get your wads of bills ready to toss, girls! Especially you, Q»»»
Media Review: March 12
POLITICS Mediapool features an article on Generation Z’s role in Bulgaria’s political scene three months after the protests that led to the fall of the government and ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. The publication highlights that the caretaker Prime Minister’s first meeting after ta»»»
ETHYDCO Sales Exceed EGP 5.7bn as Petrochemical Exports Expand
FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedinCopy URL The Egyptian Ethylene and Derivatives Company (ETHYDCO) reported strong operational and commercial performance, with total sales in domestic and export markets surpassing EGP 5.7 billion and exports rising by 5.4 per cent, according to statements made during »»»
BR Analysis | Office market awaiting new projects after stagnation in deliveries in 2025
2025 brought an unfortunate first on the Bucharest office market: it was the first year in the last two decades with no deliveries of new office space. Against this backdrop, total leasing demand fell by around 25% year-on-year, to approximately 250,000 square metres, while take-up of new space tot»»»
Cathay Pacific roughly doubles fuel surcharge on most routes
Hong Kong aviation giant Cathay Pacific announced new fuel surcharges for most routes Thursday that are roughly double the existing ones. The company revealed a detailed list of affected routes in a statement titled "Fuel surcharge updates", a day after warning that fuel prices had soared in March »»»
Travelling from the UAE? What your travel insurance really covers during regional tensions
Dubai: With airspace disruptions and heightened geopolitical tensions affecting parts of West Asia, travel insurance is back in the spotlight for UAE travellers. Stay updated: Get the latest faster by downloading the Gulf News app - it's completely free. Click here for Apple or here for Android. Yo»»»
Dh220m villa deal shakes up Dubai luxury property market
Dubai: Dubai’s property market recorded a major transaction on Thursday with the sale of a luxury villa on the World Islands for Dh220 million, highlighting strong demand and sustained momentum in the emirate’s real estate sector. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Accord»»»
EY–Eurelectric Report: Electrifying commercial fleets – savings of 246 bln. euro by 2030
Fleet electrification represents a significant economic and climate opportunity for Europe, according to the EY and Eurelectric report: Fleet Forward: powering the transition to electric mobility. The report shows that the transition of Europe’s fleets could generate cumulative operational cost sav»»»
Rising Hunger Risk: Iran War Threatens Crops, Fertilizer, and Fuel
While attention has focused on oil and LNG tankers blocked in the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Iran is creating a quieter but equally alarming threat: disruptions to global fertilizer shipments and food imports. The Gulf states, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, rel»»»
Greek Patriot Shield Active: Bulgaria’s Skies Now Fully Covered
Acting Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov announced that the Patriot air defense system provided by Greece is already on duty and that Bulgaria currently has full air defense coverage. Speaking to journalists in the National Assembly, he said the system began operating roughly 16 hours after Greece »»»
Norway arrests three brothers over US embassy bombing in Oslo
Norway police on Wednesday said they had arrested three brothers suspected of a "terrorist bombing" outside the US Embassy in Oslo that caused minor damage but no injuries, as investigators probed possible motives including links to Iran. Norwegian police said Wednesday that three brothers had been»»»
DP World implements network measures to manage shipping disruption
Dubai: Operations at Jebel Ali Port remain fully functional with no infrastructure damage, although regional security developments have temporarily reduced inbound vessel traffic into the port. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.DP World said mitigation measures are being»»»
Europe’s Ammunition Stocks Could Run Out In Days – Rheinmetall CEO
Vladimir Putin stressed that the West’s fearmongering about the supposed Russian threat aims to distract Western countries’ populations from the real problems they face at home. “The greatest need is for ammunition. Almost no one in Europe has enough ammunition. In a crisis, the stockpiles would be»»»
Russia pockets €6bn in fossil fuel revenues in first two weeks of war
Russia has pocketed over $6bn of excess revenues in just the first two weeks of war in Iran, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said in a report released on March 12. Russia’s fossil fuel revenues have »»»
Russia pockets €6bn in fossil fuel revenues in first two weeks of war
Russia has pocketed over $6bn of excess revenues in just the first two weeks of war in Iran, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said in a report released on March 12. Russia’s fossil fuel revenues have »»»