Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria ranking members Ivaylo Mirchev hopes for 2026 to be the year when full euro integration and civic awakening change the country for the better. "Let 2026 be the year in which our full euro integration and civic awakening will change our country for the bette»»»

Outgoing Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said she is happy to have had the opportunity to be part of the fulfillment of a dream shared by generations of Bulgarians. She wrote that in a post on Facebook after Bulgaria became the 21st member of the eurozone from the first day of 2026. “Bulgaria i»»»

US President Donald Trump has stepped back from plans to deploy National Guard troops in several large, Democrat-led US cities, he announced on Wednesday. The decision underscores the legal and political limits he has faced in using the military to support his tough-on-crime agenda during his secon»»»

The past year will go down in history as 12 turbulent months that brought both despair and hope for the Bulgarian people, said Vazrazhdane party leader Kostadin Kostadinov in a video address on Facebook. He argued that many times “free Bulgarians” striving for an independent state were placed at a »»»

For Bulgaria, 2026 is a pivotal year as the country achieves full membership in the eurozone, enabling it to take its rightful place in the European family, wrote National Assembly Chair Raya Nazarayan in a Facebook post after midnight on January 1, 2026 as Bulgaria officially adopted the euro. Naz»»»

QNA Doha The contests of the 17th Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026), patronised by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, are set to kick off today, Thursday, at Marmi Sabkha in Sealine and will continue until January 24, 2026. This festival has been held annually as part o»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Lusail Boulevard hosted a spectacular celebration on Wednesday night, lighting up the city’s skyline with the largest fireworks display in the Qatar. Tens of thousands of visitors gathered to enjoy a one-of-a-kind festive atmosphere as they welcomed the New Year 2026. The »»»

Without a doubt, 2025 proved to be one of the most intense years for the Middle East in the past decades, marking a definitive shift from “managed crises” to a phase of multi-layered and poorly controlled escalation. Unlike previous years, when conflicts – primarily between Iran and Israel – unfold»»»

The German military has characterized hybrid measures such as cyberattacks and so-called disinformation campaigns as preparatory stages leading up to a military conflict, Politico has claimed, citing a classified document. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Berlin has pu»»»

QNA Doha Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs HE Ghanem bin Shaheen Al Ghanim inaugurated the Company Zakat Calculation Service, launched by the ministry’s Department of Zakat Affairs on its official website and app. This step reflects the ministry’s commitment to developing digital s»»»

QNA Doha The General Tax Authority (GTA) has announced that the tax return filing period for the financial year ended December 31, 2025, will commence on January 1, 2026 and continue until April 30, 2026. GTA said in a statement on Wednesday that this comes in compliance with the provisions of Inco»»»

Continued from page 1 The Cabinet also approved the draft MoU regarding joint cooperation between the Public Prosecution of the State of Qatar and the Public Prosecution of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Cabinet concluded its meeting by reviewing two reports and taking the appropriate measures in »»»

AL MURAIKHI BIDS FAREWELL TO AMBASSADOR OF KYRGYZSTAN Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi on Wednesday met with Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Qatar HE Marat Nuraliev, on the occasion of the end of his tenure. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs thanked the ambas»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has successfully performed the first robotic bilateral ureteric reimplantation in Qatar at Aisha Bint Hamad Al Attiyah Hospital, marking a significant advancement in the treatment of complex urinary tract obstruction and reinforcing HMC’s co»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Old Doha Port unveiled its key milestones in 2025, concluding an exceptional year across tourism performance and maritime operations, with record figures of more than seven million visitors across key indicators. During the year, the Port expanded its international presenc»»»

Hanane Djoua Doha As Arab travellers increasingly seek destinations that combine authenticity, nature and cultural depth, Kazakhstan is emerging as a compelling choice one that surprises, reassures, and invites discovery. According to Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Qatar, HE Arman Issa»»»

Tribune News Network Doha With the generous support of donors, Qatar Charity (QC) delivered significant humanitarian and development achievements in Mauritania throughout 2025. Its office in Nouakchott implemented 280 diverse projects across education and culture, economic empowerment, health, wate»»»

Tribune News Network Doha As the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 concluded, Vodafone Qatar successfully delivered on its role as the Official Technology Sponsor, supporting the tournament with connectivity solutions that enabled seamless fan experiences and smooth tournament operations. Vodafone Qatar’s a»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Museums (QM) has honoured the patrons whose generosity has enriched its collections and played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s cultural landscape. From families sharing treasured heirlooms and artists donating unparalleled works, to corporations and diplomatic»»»

Continued from page 1 Doha’s selection was underpinned by a set of strategic pillars, including its advanced transport and mobility infrastructure. This encompasses Hamad International Airport, internationally recognised for operational excellence, Qatar Airways’ global network connecting Doha to m»»»

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday released the transcript and video of former special counsel Jack Smith's 8-plus hour closed-door testimony about his efforts to prosecute President Donald Trump. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Former special counsel Jack Smith de»»»

Chinese people will pay a 13% sales tax on contraceptives from 1 January, while childcare services will be exempt, as the world's second-largest economy tries to boost birth rates. An overhaul of the tax system announced late last year removes many exemptions that were in place since 1994, when Chi»»»

Sydney has welcomed the New Year with a message of peace following the Bondi Beach mass shooting, as huge crowds gathered to watch the city's annual fireworks display. The words peace and unity were projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as thousands of heavily armed police officers patrolled th»»»

With the start of the new year and the adoption of the euro, Bulgaria has been given a chance for a new beginning, MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski wrote in a Facebook post. He said the country must now "move forward with confidence, stability and national self-esteem, and must not allow d»»»

In a New Year address, published on the Council of Ministers’ Facebook page, Bulgaria's outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said: "We are welcoming the New Year 2026 as a member of the euro area – a strategic step that brings greater security, financial stability and more opportunities for bot»»»

“I am convinced that the Eurozone is not just a change of currency, but a civilizational choice. This key decision required from the political class a clear choice - narrow party populism or statesmanship,” wrote GERB leader Boyko Borissov on Facebook. “For GERB, the choice was clear. This choice a»»»

Open-source imagery and data confirm that the vessels targeted by the Saudi-led coalition air strike on Mukalla, Yemen, on December 30, originated from the United Arab Emirates. The ships were carrying Emirati military vehicles used by a separatist group. Images of the air strike on Yemen’s port of»»»

Dozens of NGOs expect to see their licenses to operate in Gaza revoked on January 1 for failing to comply with Israel’s new rules for the Palestinian territory. Their expulsion comes as Gazans face harsh winter conditions and a deepening humanitarian crisis.  Medical charity Doctors Without Bo»»»

Bulgaria officially adopts the euro as of the first day of 2026 and becomes the 21st member of the eurozone. This happens exactly 19 years after the country joined the European Union. Until the end of January, the lev will remain a legal means of payment alongside the euro, and from February 1 the »»»

Amid conflicts and crises, 2025 also brought reasons for optimism, medical breakthroughs, encouraging signs for the planet and sporting and cultural surprises. As the world heads into 2026, FRANCE 24 looks back at some of the stories that offered moments of relief.  Welcome to 2026! As the new»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron said in his New Year's address that 2026 "can be and must be a fruitful year" as he attempts to regain some momentum and launch the final projects of his second five-year term. Macron outlined his three wishes for the French people in his New Year's speech: unity, s»»»

French lawmakers are set to debate a ban on social media for children under the age of 15 – as well as a prohibition on the use of mobile phones in high schools – that could begin with the next school year in September 2026.  The draft bill on social media restrictions, which also include»»»

Bulgaria - the poorest country in the European Union - has become the 21st member of the eurozone - leapfrogging more obvious and prosperous candidates like Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. For mostly urban, young and entrepreneurial Bulgarians, it's an optimistic and potentially lucrative l»»»

“To regain our democracy, we must not waste the energy and hope that were born in the squares, nor the opportunity to change Bulgaria,” said President Rumen Radev in a televised New Year’s address to the nation. “We are counting down the last minutes of the passing year. In the comfort of our homes»»»

Australia, New Zealand and several eastern Asian nations were the first countries to ring in 2026 with spectacular fireworks displays. The rest of Asia, Africa and Europe will be the next regions to watch as the countdown clock ticks down to midnight.   The world is welcoming 2026 with a »»»

Iran will meet any attempt to use ongoing protests driven by economic hardship to foment insecurity with a "decisive response", prosecutor-general Mohammad Movahedi-Azad said Wednesday. Shopkeeper-led demonstrations broke out Sunday to protest the sanction-hit country's rising cost of living. »»»

Lusail, Qatar: A spectacular display of pyrotechnics and synchronised drone technology illuminated the skyline over Lusail Boulevard at midnight on Thursday, as Qatar formally ushered in the year 2026. The celebration, which drew tens of thousands of residents and international visitors, has garner»»»

US President Donald Trump has said he is withdrawing National Guard troops from several US cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, after a Supreme Court ruling last week undermined his authority to use troops for policing. "We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when c»»»

Sofia residents and visitors flooded the city’s central Battenberg Square for the traditional open-air New Year’s concert on December 31, 2025. For the second consecutive year, the municipality is replacing traditional fireworks with a large-scale light show for a more environment-friendly New Year»»»

“For the first time since the Second Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria is printing a currency that is accepted beyond the country’s borders. January 1, 2026 marks the beginning of an era. Bulgarians travel freely, work, and develop businesses as equal citizens in the richest union in the world,” said Cont»»»

1 of 2 | A menorah is projected onto the pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia, during a New Years Eve tribute to the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting on Dec. 14. Photo by Dan Himbrechts/EPA Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Australia rang in 2026 with fireworks, solidarity, words of encou»»»

Dubai: As the New Year rang in, 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, marked the start of 2026 by sharing New Year wishes with the nation. Sheikh Hamdan poste»»»

The Justice Department on Wednesday announced it is reviewing 5.2 million more pages of Jeffrey Epstein case files and intends to make them available in January. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice is reviewing 5.2 million more pages of the Jeffr»»»

Tunis, Dec. 31 (TAP) - Speaker of the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP), Brahim Bouderbala, called on the Executive to speed up the submission of draft laws to the Assembly so that they can be examined thoroughly and carefully, in the...»»»

“In these moments, just before the New Year, we all feel the passage of time. Before us is the future. And how it will unfold largely depends on us,” President Vladimir Putin said as he addressed his fellow Russians in the final minutes of 2025. The president also said that:As Russians are always r»»»

The US Congress has released the transcript of testimony by former Special Counsel Jack Smith, in which he defended his decision to lead two defunct criminal investigations into Donald Trump. The transcript, released on New Year's Eve by the House Judiciary Committee, is 255 pages. It features ques»»»

New York: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has strongly criticised Israel's decision to suspend the work of a number of humanitarian organisations, calling the move shameful and part of a pattern of unlawful restrictions on aid. In a statement issued in New York on Wednesday,»»»

The firm behind US President Donald Trump's Truth Social platform said it will issue a new cryptocurrency to its shareholders, marking the Trump family's latest foray into digital assets. The digital token from Trump Media and Technology Group will add to the Trumps' crypto ventures, which have gen»»»

The year has shown that there are still opportunities for restoring relations between Moscow and Washington, Russian Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev has said in a holiday message. ”The past year has been challenging, but it has also opened up opportunities for restoring Russian-American rel»»»

Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been allowed to participate in the Munich Security Conference (MSC) next year, the event’s chairman has said. The AfD, known for its anti-migrant rhetoric and calls for Berlin to stop sending military aid to Ukraine, had been barred from »»»