The Supervisory Board of Bulgaria's National Social Security Institute (NSSI) approved the draft Public Social Insurance Budget Act for 2026, the Institute said on Thursday. The draft reflects the parameters of the social insurance policies planned for the current year and now proceeds to the next »»»

Volunteers from Russia and Kazakhstan are joining the search for a 6-year-old boy who was swept away by a river current after a vehicle fell into the water in Kegeti Gorge. Russian blogger Ruslan Vildyanov announced on social media that he will soon travel to Kyrgyzstan with a group of like-minded »»»

Dubai: Every investment opportunity comes with a trade-off. At one end of the spectrum sit traditional bank deposits, valued for safety, liquidity and capital preservation. At the other end sit equities, private markets and alternative investments, where higher returns often come with higher volati»»»

JEDDAH: The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will begin a new chapter in electric motorsport when the revolutionary GEN4 era makes its competitive debut under the lights of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in December. Formula E and the FIA have confirmed the provisional calendar for the 2026-27 sea»»»

RIYADH: The heirs of late Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have agreed to sell the Villa Certosa to a Qatari company, in what ranks among the largest private real estate transactions in Italian history. Constellation Hotels Holding, a Qatar-owned hospitality group, paid approximately €350 m»»»

For the first time in two years, Hungary has convened a summit of the Visegrad Group – a format designed to allow four Central European nations to coordinate, debate current agendas, and work on their own dimension of European integration matters. In recent years, the forum has not spoken with a si»»»

NATO’s European hawks have spent years pushing a concocted "Russia threat" to justify massive rearmament, but in reality, their defense industry is quietly imploding. Defense stocks are tanking because investors are terrified an end to the Ukraine proxy war might expose that cash-strapped governmen»»»

Saudi Arabia has launched an electronic travel authorisation service for British citizens, allowing them to enter the kingdom multiple times and stay for up to 180 days in a year, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The ministry said the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) service reflec»»»

A series of tankers made their way out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday despite threats to shipping from Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, using a new route close to Oman's shore that has been promoted by a U.N. maritime agency. The development comes as Iran and the United States are incr»»»

Unity and solidarity within NATO remain the most important guarantee of Europe's security, and Bulgaria continues to fulfill its responsibility to strengthen collective defence - that was the overall message of the meeting between Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov and the Commander of Allied Joint »»»

The Supervisory Board of Bulgaria's National Social Security Institute (NSSI) approved the draft State Social Security Budget Act for 2026, the Institute said on Thursday. The draft reflects the parameters of the social insurance policies planned for the current year and now proceeds to the next st»»»

Hayes, United Kingdom: Fans in bedrooms, cold drinks, iced lollies under canopy cover in the garden: a UK care home has been doing what it can to keep vulnerable residents cool amid Europe's heatwave. Kingsley Court, in the west London suburb Hayes, houses 85 residents, some as old as 100, and most»»»

LUXEMBOURG: EU governments’ ministers gathered for a long day’s ​discussion of climate change policies on Thursday were surprised by a fresh-faced participant at their negotiating table: a three-month-old baby. Swedish climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her son, Adam, to the EU council me»»»

MANILA: The Philippines is seeing an increase in the number of foreigners choosing it as a retirement destination, the Philippine Retirement Authority said on Thursday, after recent industry awards recognized its accessibility, affordable cost of living and healthcare quality. The Philippines was n»»»

MANAMA: Israel and Lebanon are making good progress in their talks in the United States and are close to making a “commitment of intent,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday. “I think we are very close in our hopes of getting a commitment of intent between the two countries,” he told re»»»

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has signed a joint implementation program with an organization rehabilitating six hospitals and establishing three oxygen generation units across Sudan. The Organization of Competencies for Studies and Human Development is an implementing partner for KSrelief and h»»»

June 24 (UPI) -- A drone camera captured footage when two paddleboarders found themselves stalked by a great white shark off the California coast. Kayla Ross said she and her paddleboarding partner went out to intentionally try to find the shark that had been spotted off the Santa Barbara coast. Ro»»»

Abu Dhabi: The trial operation of Etihad Rail’s passenger services between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah will commence on June 30, with a journey time of approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. Dubai Station and Al Dhaid Station are scheduled to open on September 30, 2026, while stations in the Al Dhafra reg»»»

Dhaka: India will resume issuing tourist visas to Bangladeshi nationals from June 28, marking a significant step towards normalising ties nearly two years after visa services were suspended following political unrest in Bangladesh. The announcement was made on Thursday by India's newly appointed Hi»»»

Arab Finance: The consolidated net profits attributable to the holding company of Elsaeed Contracting and Real Estate Investment Company declined by 50.15% to EGP 32.193 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 from EGP 64.593 million in Q1 2025, according to the financial results. Earnings per sh»»»

Biarritz, France: A section of cliff collapsed in the French beach resort of Biarritz on Wednesday, killing one woman and leaving a diver missing, local authorities said. The collapse came at around 8:20 pm (1820 GMT) near the Miramar beach, which was packed with swimmers seeking respite from a pun»»»

A time capsule layout ceremony was held in Maydan rural area of Kadamdzhai district to mark the commencement of construction of a new social town. The press service of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in Batken region reported. The event was attended by Mam»»»

Dubai: Three things have happened in the UAE financial infrastructure in the past 12 months that, taken together, mean something significant. VARA has created a licensing framework that institutional capital can point to. The Digital Dirham has moved from pilot to legal tender. And the institutiona»»»

BERLIN: A heatwave sweeping Europe was starting to peak in Germany on Thursday, with several open-air events canceled and temperatures expected to top 40C through the weekend. Large parts of the country are already under “severe to extreme heat stress” with temperatures soaring to around 37C, the G»»»

MOSCOW: Belarus perceives a “blatant” attempt to drag ​it into the war in Ukraine, Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Thursday, warning ‌of growing ‌external pressure ​on ‌the ⁠country. Khrenin ​did not ⁠specify who he believed was behind such efforts, but appeared to ⁠point the finger ‌at ‌th»»»

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said Lebanon and Israel are nearing a "very positive" declaration of intent amid their ongoing talks in Washington. "I think we are very close in our hopes of getting a commitment of inent between the two countries that I think begin to outline a prom»»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian government adopted on Thursday a Conclusion on Establishing the Foundations for Conducting Talks and Concluding an Agreement on Founding the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), whereby Serbia has acquired the status of a WAICO founding member. In a»»»

Prime Minister Péter Magyar and Minister of Health Zsolt Hegedűs visited Budapest’s Uzsoki Street Hospital on Thursday to assess ongoing upgrades to the healthcare facility’s cooling systems as Hungary prepares for an extreme heatwave. Péter Magyar shows progress in hospital air-conditioning modern»»»

Dhaka: India will resume issuing tourist visas in neighbouring Bangladesh, its envoy to Dhaka said Thursday, nearly two years after relations soured when New Delhi's ally Sheikh Hasina was overthrown. India's new high commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, told reporters that tourist visa proc»»»

An Israeli strike targeted a motorcycle between Zawtar and Mayfadoun in south Lebanon on Thursday, as Lebanese and Israeli delegations met in Washington. Meanwhile, Israeli troops burned houses in Ain Arab and deployed stun grenades across several southern regions, including Kfartebnit and Nabatieh»»»

Dubai: The Museum of the Future has launched a global open call inviting people in the UAE and around the world to contribute ideas and creative concepts that will help shape its next generation of immersive experiences and future-focused content. The initiative aligns with the Museum’s evolution j»»»

Tunis, June 25 (TAP)- The 22nd edition of the Tunisia Investment Forum, organised by FIPA-Tunisia, got underway Thursday in Tunis on the theme "Tunisia, Renewed Dynamics, New Opportunities."»»»

Pontoise, France: A three-year-old has died after finding himself trapped in a car in the Paris region in extreme heat, a prosecutor said Thursday, the third such fatality this week. The boy had slipped into the family car while his father thought he was napping, then found himself unable to get ou»»»

Parliament Thursday adopted on second reading draft amendments to the Judiciary Act related to the criteria for the election of Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) members by Parliament and by judges, prosecutors, and investigators. The MP decided that a person who, during a previous composition of the SJ»»»

The head of the National Investigative Service will no longer serve as Deputy Prosecutor General for investigations, under amendments adopted at second reading to the Judicial System Act. Voting on the remaining amendments will continue tomorrow. Parliament also decided that the National Assembly m»»»

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories: Inside a Gaza City culinary academy that has been bombed and rebuilt twice during the war, students chop, whisk, and plate dishes with quiet determination, committed to mastering their craft despite the hardships that surround them. At Smile Kitchen Culinary Acad»»»

On June 25, 2026, the Zhogorku Kenesh (the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan) concluded the first session of its 8th convocation. According to Speaker Marlen Mamataliev, a total of 182 bills were introduced during the session. Of these, 145 were passed, and 94 have already been signed by the President. The »»»

Dubai: The UAE is strengthening market price monitoring at retail outlets as part of wider efforts to protect consumers, maintain market stability and bring commodity prices back to normal levels. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Economic Integration Committee revie»»»

Israeli Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth has revealed dramatic details of the chaotic hours following the killing of the commander of the Israeli army’s 52nd Armored Battalion during fierce fighting with Hezbollah resistance fighters in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tibnit. According to the repor»»»

We are deeply saddened by the loss of many lives and the heavy material damage caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela. We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of Venezuela, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Our Embassy in Caracas i»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent a cable of condolences to Acting President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela HE Delcy Rodriguez, over the victims of the two earthquakes that struck her country, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.»»»

Paris, France: Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, fresh from a spat with US leader Donald Trump, was set Thursday to meet French President Emmanuel Macron Thursday to tighten ties. One of Europe's most prominent right-wing leaders will arrive in the resort of Antibes on the French Riviera for h»»»

At the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Business Forum in Almaty, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Economy and Commerce, Bakyt Sydykov, stated that to attract investment, the country needs to accelerate the preparation of high-quality projects that meet international standards. Speaking at the forum, timed »»»

Kyrgyzstan is experiencing a shortage of AI-95 and AI-98 gasoline. Kanatbek Eshatov, head of the Oil Traders Association, told 24.kg news agency. He pointed out that Russia is the primary supplier of fuel to Kyrgyzstan. The current shortage is linked to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refine»»»

BELGRADE - By adopting all items on the agenda, the Serbian parliament on Thursday concluded an extraordinary session that began on June 17. Besides amendments to a set of judicial laws, MPs also passed health care laws related to transplantation, as well as amendments to a law on establishing a gu»»»

Egypt is considering innovative debt swap agreements aimed at promoting clean energy and human development. During an interview at the World Economic Forum, Egypt’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Kouchouk, revealed ongoing discussions with international partners to implement these swaps, though specifi»»»

The Justice Ministry is launching a project aimed at strengthening efforts to combat corruption and improving the capacity of the ministry and other state institutions to develop, implement, and maintain effective anti-corruption reforms. The project was presented at a press conference today. The t»»»

Manama: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani participated on Thursday in Manama in the joint ministerial meeting of Their Highnesses and Excellencies GCC foreign ministers, with the participation of Secretary of State of the United St»»»

The youth team of Ilbirs Football Club (Kyrgyzstan) took part in the international MADCUP tournament, which was held in Spain. Before the competition, the team completed a full training camp in El Puerto. The tournament, held from June 19 to 24, attracted over 800 teams from over 40 countries, beco»»»

Global oil prices fell to close to their pre-Iran war level after the United States issued temporary authorization for sales of Iranian oil and refined products in the international market and some ships began moving through the Hormuz Strait. File photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo June 25 »»»