Doha, Qatar: The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari has rejected reports suggesting Iran was "offered" payment to secure an agreement to end the war. In a post on X, Dr Al Ansari said, "The reports suggesting Qatar 'of»»»

As concerns continue to grow over artificial intelligence, national security and digital sovereignty, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has blocked a proposed $50 million contract between the Metropolitan Police and AI giant Palantir. The company had been expected to provide advanced tools to help police pro»»»

Pope Leo XIV on Monday published his long-awaited manifesto on artificial intelligence outlining the Catholic Church’s response to the technology’s ethical and social challenges. The US-born pontiff presented the eagerly awaited “Magnifica Humanitas” encyclical at the Vatican alongside senior Churc»»»

The mullet hairstyle is enjoying a revival, with around 2,000 fans gathering in Belgium for the European Mullet Championship. Beyond the haircut itself, participants described the mullet as a symbol of freedom, individuality and resistance to conformity.»»»

Kyiv is still dealing with the aftermath of a large-scale Russian overnight strike that killed four people and injured dozens, with emergency teams continuing search and cleanup operations across the city. More than 50 sites were hit, including homes, a school and a museum, while Russia says it use»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, 25 May 2026: First, papers discuss whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost support from his backers. Next, a police raid of opposition party headquarters in Turkey is getting considerable coverage. Also, the Enhanced Games do not lead to the»»»

On Monday, Pope Leo XIV unveiled his broad vision for the relationship between artificial intelligence and humanity in his first encyclical, a major papal letter addressed to bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. The document was presented alongside Chris Olah from Anthropic, in what appeared to be»»»

Pope Leo XIV personally presented his first encyclical at the Vatican, outlining a strong warning about artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity. He argued that AI should be “disarmed,” warning it could deepen global conflicts and dehumanise society, while calling for broader regulation a»»»

Mecca: More than 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims gathered on the plain of Arafat on Tuesday to perform the most sacred rite of the Hajj pilgrimage, in one of the world’s largest annual displays of faith and devotion. Pilgrims streamed into the vast desert plain in an atmosphere of calm and order, as Sa»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told confidants in private conversations that Israel has little ability to influence US President Donald Trump’s decision-making on Iran as the president negotiates a deal in the nearly three-month-old war, according to two sources speaking to Reuters o»»»

The Board of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has decided to keep the discount rate at 12 percent. This decision comes into effect on May 26, 2026, the press service of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. Since the beginning of 2026, the external economic environment has been»»»

Former Economy and Energy Minister Rumen Ovcharov sharply criticized the management of Lukoil under special manager Rumen Spetsov, describing the results as “catastrophic” after Parliament moved to limit the powers of the state-appointed administrator. Speaking to Bulgarian National Radio, Ovcharov»»»

Hosting Eurovision 2027 could bring Bulgaria between EUR 45 million and EUR 70 million in net economic revenue, according to a preliminary analysis by cross-border payment company iBanFirst. The estimate depends largely on how many foreign visitors arrive for the contest and how long they remain in»»»

A consortium including private equity firm Advent and FedEx has launched a recommended all-cash public offer to acquire all shares of Polish automated parcel locker operator InPost and delist it from the Euronext Amsterdam exchange. Funds managed and/or advised by Advent International, FCWB - a who»»»

Slovenia’s parliament on May 22 approved right-leaning leader Janez Janša as prime minister-designate, ending a post-election deadlock and paving the way for a new coalition government promising tax cuts and pro-business reforms. Janša, leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), secured 51 vot»»»

Nigeria’s state oil company is considering an equity partnership that could give Chinese investors a controlling stake in the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries of about 51%, marking a potentially significant shift in the country’s downstream restructuring strategy. The proposed arrangement follows»»»

Health authorities across Central and East Africa are racing to contain a rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that insecurity, weak health systems and the absence of an approved vaccine for t»»»

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, deepening uncertainty in the West African state as it attempts to restart suspended negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and stabilise deteriorating public finances. A»»»

Millions of Ukrainian refugees are likely to remain in the European Union for years – and possibly permanently – even if the war with Russia ends, according to a new report by Dutch think-tank Clingendael Institute that warns European governments must prepare for long-term integration rather than a»»»

For years, Ukraine and Moldova have vied for the dubious honour of being the poorest country in Europe. The contest was close enough to be largely academic and they regularly traded last and second to last places for years. That symmetry is over. The average Moldovan today earns approximately 1.5 t»»»

Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine in the past year overnight on May 24, firing waves of missiles and drones at Kyiv and other regions in an attack that killed at least four people, injured nearly 100 and damaged some of the capital’s best-known cultural and government bu»»»

Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults of the war against Kyiv on May 24, firing two Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles alongside hundreds of drones and cruise missiles in what appeared to be retaliation for Ukraine’s large-scale strike on Moscow a week earlier. The overnig»»»

Norway overtook Russia as the world’s biggest exporter of gas via pipeline in 2025, reflecting Moscow’s loss of most of its market share in Europe over the past four years. Norway, now Europe’s biggest gas supplier, piped 108.6bn cubic metres (bcm) of gas to the continent last year, according to a »»»

Saudi Aramco and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) have announced the signing of an agreement for the transfer of Aramco’s equity stakes in Pengerang Refining Company Sdn. Bhd. and Pengerang Petrochemical Company Sdn. Bhd. (collectively, “PRefChem”), located within the Pengerang Integrated Compl»»»

Students from Kyrgyzstan won three bronze medals at the European Mathematical Cup, organized by the Croatian Association of Young Gifted Mathematicians. According to the Ministry of Education, the competition is being held for the 14th year. Winners: Coaches: Mamat Ishmatov, Zholdubai uulu Bekzhol.»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has decided to reorganize the country’s road management system. According to the resolution, the state institution Road Fund under the Ministry of Transport and Communications will be merged into the Department of Road Management. The authorities explained the»»»

One of the biggest stars in global MMA, Valentina Shevchenko, held a joint training session with Kyrgyz UFC fighter Myktybek Orolbai uulu at the JFC GYM in Bishkek. Footage from the gym quickly spread across social media and sparked strong interest among fans. Valentina Shevchenko is a UFC champion»»»

When Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Ossetian President Alan Gagloev signed their "Treaty on Deepening Allied Interaction" at the Kremlin on May 9, the Russian State Duma ratified it within days. The speed was deliberate. So was the date: Victory Day, chosen to frame the absorption of a »»»

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are both pushing hard to become renowned Central Asian technology hubs. Persuading international investors, startup founders and global tech communities – all in search of new high-growth markets beyond more saturated technology ecosystems – is essential to their ambitions»»»

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced new support measures to cushion the impact of the energy crisis caused by the war in Iran. The €710 million package includes extending existing support schemes for sectors such as fishing, farming and construction, as well as a new bonus for tax»»»

Oil futures slid on Monday as traders assessed US President Donald Trump's announcement over the weekend that a deal with Iran had been "largely negotiated". The benchmark Brent crude still remains much higher than when the war started on February 28. Also in this edition: some commercial vessels a»»»

JAIPUR, India: The United States is still willing to mediate in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday after Moscow launched a major attack on Kyiv. “Every time you see these big strikes from one side or the other, it’s a reminder of why this is a terribl»»»

SEOUL: North Korea launched an unidentified projectile off its west coast Tuesday, South Korea’s military said.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff gave no further details.It followed another launch by the North on April 19, in which it fired multiple short-range missiles in what state-media describ»»»

TAIPEI: Taiwan sent ships and fighter jets to monitor the second Chinese “joint combat readiness patrol” in a week near the island, as Taipei steps up its guard over Beijing’s activities. China has pressured Taiwan by increasing its military presence around the island, and Taipei is on high alert f»»»

PARIS: France recorded its hottest day in May on Monday, its weather agency said, forecasting that Tuesday would be even warmer. “Across France as a whole, Monday was the hottest day recorded for the month of May since measurements began,” the agency said. Forecasters said highs of 33°C to 36°C in »»»

DUBAI: Jordan’s Saudi-born Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein attended the country’s 80th Independence Day in a sky blue gown, accessorized with a Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Knot Minaudière Clutch. The royal’s dress features cuffs featuring Arabic calligraphy, as well as a brooch pinned to the bodice of her»»»

The US military has said that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats placing mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations with Tehran were “proceeding nicely.” The strikes were done “to protect our troops f»»»

US Central Command confirmed that American forces carried out strikes in southern Iran, claiming they were conducted in “self-defense.” CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told Fox News that the targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats allegedly attempting to lay mines.“US forces con»»»

“We are not slowing down — quite the opposite, I have ordered an acceleration,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, according to L’Orient Today. “We will intensify the strikes, increase their force, and we will crush Hezbollah,” Netanyahu added.The IDF said it will tighten defensive gui»»»

US President Donald Trump said Iran’s enriched uranium — which he called “Nuclear Dust” — must either be transferred to the United States or destroyed. “The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or… destroyed in»»»

A bill on the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office could be submitted to parliament within one or two weeks, with the Tisza government aiming to grant the new institution the broadest possible powers, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said in an interview with Telex on Monday evening. The prime »»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has adopted a resolution on measures to stabilize prices for fuel and lubricants. The document was signed by Cabinet Chairman Adylbek Kasymaliev. The authorities explained the decision as necessary to ensure the country’s economic security, uninterrupted fuel »»»

The final week of May will begin with heatwave conditions, with peak temperatures expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius. However, a cold front arriving on Wednesday will bring cooler weather and falling temperatures, although no significant precipitation is expected, according to a forecast by Hung»»»

On Pentecost, God offered the whole world the grace that is present in all our souls, especially in those already connected to Christ, Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, said in a Pentecost Sunday video message uploaded to the Cardinal channel of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Bud»»»

During a working visit to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry, Erlis Akunbekov, met with his counterpart Kurbon Hakimzoda. The meeting focused on deepening bilateral cooperation between the two cou»»»

The volume of investments was 0.5% lower, according to raw data, in the 1st quarter of 2026 than in the same period of the previous year. Compared with the previous quarter, the total value of investments – according to seasonally adjusted data – lessened by 0.4% at comparative prices. According to»»»

A 31,135 sqm investment plot in Ursus — a former industrial district in western Warsaw that has been steadily transforming into a residential and mixed-use neighbourhood — is going under the hammer in a court-supervised enforcement auction. The site, valued by a court-appointed expert at just under»»»

Residents of Kraków, Poland's second-largest city, voted in a weekend referendum to remove Mayor Aleksander Miszalski of the ruling Civic Coalition (KO) party from office. Turnout reached just under 30 percent — a whisker above the legally required threshold of roughly 27 percent — and of those who»»»

Three of Poland's independent grocery operators — Eurocash (which distributes under franchise banners including Lewiatan and Delikatesy Centrum), Netto Polska, and the regional chain POLOmarket — are finalising entry into European Marketing Distribution (EMD), a pan-European retail purchasing group»»»

The World Bank (WB) will provide $600 million to fund Egypt’s small and micro- enterprises, said Lead Financial Economist in the WB’s Finance and Private Sector Development Department of the Middle East and North Africa Sahar Nasr. The loan comes as part of the WB’s keenness to increase coopera- ti»»»