Dubai: A proposal to rename the south Indian state of Kerala as “Keralam” has sparked debate among the UAE’s large Malayali community, with many welcoming the cultural assertion while others question its timing, practicality and global recognition. The discussion follows India’s Union Cabinet appro»»»

Dubai: Wiping tears, then flashing a wide smile and jumping with joy as golden confetti rained down on him, UAE Lottery's first Dh5 million winner Murugananth Govinthan has shared a message for anyone who has ever struggled: one day, it can all turn around. In an emotional video interview posted on»»»

1 of 5 | Members of the Syrian security forces stand in front of the gate of the al-Hol camp, which houses families of suspected ISIS fighters, after the Syrian government took control of the area, in Hasakeh province, Syria, on Jan. 21. The Syrian government said Wednesday that there was a "mass e»»»

Rock singer Yungblud is taking his music festival BludFest abroad, but the move has split fans. The third edition of the event is going to take place in the Czech Republic in June, after being held in Milton Keynes for the past two years. Some fans told BBC Newsbeat they are glad festival-goers in »»»

Several countries have begun withdrawing dependents of diplomatic personnel and non-essential staff from some locations in the Middle East, or advising citizens to defer travel to Iran, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Here are some of the moves: AUSTRALIA: The government has tol»»»

Parliament Wednesday rejected, 126-86 with 11 abstentions, President Iliana Iotova's veto on amendments to the Election Code, which limit to 20 the number of voting sections in Bulgarian elections in non-EU countries. The vote of the MPs from the Socialists' BSP - United Left group was critically i»»»

Dubai: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken to social media in Malayalam to mark Union Cabinet Committee’s approval to rename the south Indian state of Kerala as “Keralam”. In his tweet, Modi praised the willpower of the state’s people and said the move strengthens the bond with India’s ri»»»

In a world on edge waiting to see what US President Donald Trump does next in the Middle East, he provided no clear signal when he presented the longest ever State of the Union address. The world's most powerful commander-in-chief decided not to make his comprehensive case for possible military act»»»

Dubai: The UAE ended 2025 with clear evidence that economic diversification is no longer an ambition - it is a fact, and one that is occurring at an accelerated pace. Non-oil sectors continue to grow faster than the oil sector, and they now account for over 77 percent of GDP. This represents the hi»»»

A Hezbollah official said Wednesday that the Lebanese militant group would not intervene militarily in the event of "limited" U.S. strikes on its backer Iran, but would consider any attack against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a "red line". Lebanese authorities fear that Hezbollah would bec»»»

Thailand's Election Commission confirmed the victory of caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's conservative party on Wednesday, ratifying most of the results of this month's vote. The commission certified the results for 396 newly elected MPs in the 500-seat lower house, with Anutin's Bhumj»»»

Dubai: British citizens who also hold another nationality could be stopped from travelling to the UK from Wednesday under new border rules linked to the rollout of the country’s electronic travel authorisation system, complicating travel for British dual nationals in the UAE. Sign up for our daily »»»

A new travel system for visitors to the UK comes into force from Wednesday for citizens of dozens of countries like the US and Australia. The government says electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will improve the immigration system. However, it has created problems for dual nationals, who have been»»»

The Australian government has told dependants of Australian diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the two Middle East countries, citing a deteriorating security situation in the region, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The government has also offered voluntary departures to Australian dip»»»

Dubai: An Indian expat from Kerala working at a Dubai typing centre has struck it rich, winning $1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw held at Concourse C of Dubai International Airport on Wednesday. Premadasan Makkalikkal, 47, won in Millennium Millionaire Series 537 »»»

Students and educators across UAE schools have welcomed the revised pattern of the CBSE Class 10 Science examination, which for the first time introduced a strict section-wise split into Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Initial feedback suggests the paper was largely student-friendly, with most desc»»»

Parliament Wednesday rejected President Iliana Iotova's veto on amendments to the Election Code, which slash the number of polling stations in Bulgarian elections in non-EU countries. Ahead of the vote, Velichie MP Stiliana Bobcheva said that her parliamentary group would back the veto, which gives»»»

The Foreign Office in Berlin has warned of a deterioration in the security situation in Lebanon should a war be waged on Iran, cautioning that “in the event of further escalation, flight restrictions could occur at any time.” It advised German nationals to closely follow travel and security advice »»»

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was evacuated from his residence in Canberra for several hours Tuesday after a bomb threat was received by a U.S.-based performing arts group linked to China's Falun Gong movement. File photo by Lukas Coch/EPA Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Australian police evacuated P»»»

Dubai: Etihad Airways will introduce its flagship Airbus A380 on its Abu Dhabi to Bangkok service from October, marking the aircraft’s debut in Thailand and adding significant capacity ahead of the winter travel season. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The double-decker»»»

The Lebanese Presidency has not received any warnings suggesting that Israel will attack Lebanon’s infrastructure if Hezbollah backs Iran militarily, a minister close to President Joseph Aoun said. “The Lebanese Presidency received reassurances through Speaker Nabih Berri that Hezbollah will not in»»»

An Israeli official has reportedly denied a claim by Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji that Israel would target civilian infrastructure across Lebanon if Hezbollah decided to support Iran in a possible war, threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump. The official told Al-Arabiya news channel T»»»

Türkiye is ‌evaluating all aspects of potential measures that may be taken in the event of a conflict between its neighbor Iran and the United States, a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on Wednesday. Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month as Washington builds up mi»»»

Speaking to reporters in Parliament’s lobby on Wednesday, Continue the Change Chair Assen Vassilev said a protest would be held on Wednesday evening in front of the Sofia Palace of Justice to call on the Supreme Judicial Council to “stop tearing meniscuses and start doing the job it is paid more th»»»

HOME SCENE Bulgarian National TV (BNT) reported on Tuesday that the Sofia City Prosecution Office has ordered a preliminary check into the actions of caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev following three reports alleging pressure on investigators working on the Petrohan–Okolchitsa case, the prose»»»

Egypt will enter the derivatives arena on 1 March 2026, as the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) begins trading futures contracts tied initially to the EGX30 index. The move marks the most significant structural reform of the country’s capital markets in years, expanding beyond cash equities into leveraged, »»»

Richard Axel, Nobel Prize winner for physiology or medicine, announced his resignation Tuesday from the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. File Photo by Arianne Starnes/UPI | License Photo Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Nobel Prize-winner and scientist Richard Axel announced he is resigning as co-director »»»

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday he did not take his security for granted, after he was evacuated from his residence for several hours following a bomb threat sent to a Chinese dance group. Albanese was evacuated from his residence in Canberra late on Tuesday following t»»»

Dubai: Music may follow you everywhere in life. Spotify now wants it to follow you into the afterlife. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The streaming giant has partnered with beverage brand Liquid Death to launch what they describe as the world’s first music-streaming u»»»

Dubai: Beneath the cold blaze of surgical lights, a patient lies open-eyed and conscious whilst a surgeon navigates the most complex structure known to science - the human brain. Electrodes map neural pathways in real time, a theatre of clinicians works in near-silence and the patient, feels nothin»»»

As Lebanon prepares for its parliamentary elections, reports say the country is under pressure to postpone the juncture. A report published Tuesday in pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper said the United States, Saudi Arabia, and France are pressuring Lebanon to postpone the elections for at least one»»»

The European Union and Samir Kassir Foundation launched Wednesday the 21st edition of the Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press. The award, which has been granted by the European Union since 2006, honors the Lebanese journalist and writer Samir Kassir, who was assassinated in 2005. The compet»»»

Rene Karabash’s novel She Who Remains has been selected for the longlist of the International Booker Prize, according to information published on the award’s official website and cited by BTA. This marks the second time a Bulgarian novel has reached this stage of the prestigious competition, follow»»»

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, seen here in November 2025, gave the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union on Tuesday night. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Feb. 25 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump is not working for the American people but enriching hims»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Gharafa have been one of the standout sides for much of the ongoing Qatar Stars League (QSL) season, but a recent dip in form has complicated their pursuit of the title. The Pedro Martins-coached side had been sitting at the top of the standings before a costly three-match losing st»»»

Dubai: Dubai gold prices edged higher on Wednesday morning, extending a volatile month shaped by global trade tensions, geopolitical risks and shifting expectations around US interest rates, all of which continue to steer investor appetite toward safe-haven assets. (Check latest UAE gold prices her»»»

Colombo: Sri Lanka's criminal investigators arrested the country's former intelligence chief on Wednesday in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, police said. Retired Major-General Suresh Sallay was taken into custody at dawn in a suburb of the capital, police sai»»»

In 2025, Kyrgyz athletes won 846 medals at various world and Asian competitions. The State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports reported. According to the agency, 267 of these medals were gold. «In addition, Kyrgyzstanis won 234 silver and 345 bronze medals. Last year, the country’s national team»»»

Kyrgyz athlete Ernazar Akmataliev is ranked third in the United World Wrestling (UWW) rankings. In 2025, the 25-year-old Kyrgyzstani won a bronze medal in the 70-kilogram weight class at the World Championships in Croatia. Thanks to his points at the World Championships, Akmataliev is now third in »»»

US President Donald Trump boasted Tuesday of a "turnaround for the ages" in a State of the Union speech, seeking to reverse his dismal polls and see off mounting challenges at home and abroad ahead of crucial midterm elections. Arriving to address a joint session of Congress, Trump was welcomed wit»»»

Dubai: As the Trump administration debates whether to launch a military operation against Iran, America’s top military officer has cautioned that depleted weapons stockpiles and limited allied backing could significantly raise the risks of any sustained campaign, according to a Washington Post repo»»»

At the UAE Pavilion during Expo 2025 Osaka, a vibrant group of Youth Ambassadors introduced visitors to Emirati culture. For 27-year-old Akari Okita, one of the Japanese team members, the experience proved life-changing. Months after the Expo, she arrived in the UAE – not as a visitor, but to begin»»»

Bangladesh’s general election on February 12 has eased near-term political and policy uncertainty, potentially supporting macroeconomic stability, according to Fitch Ratings. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured an overwhelming parliamentary supermajority in a referendum that should now pave th»»»

A tanker widely believed to be carrying Russian fuel is heading towards Cuba, potentially setting the stage for a fresh confrontation between Moscow and Washington as the island struggles under a de facto US fuel embargo that has crippled power generation, transport and basic services. »»»

A tanker widely believed to be carrying Russian fuel is heading towards Cuba, potentially setting the stage for a fresh confrontation between Moscow and Washington as the island struggles under a de facto US fuel embargo that has crippled power generation, transport and basic services. »»»

Dubai: You might expect the person steering tourism in Ras Al Khaimah at this pivotal moment to be loud, flashy and relentlessly high-octane. Instead, in walks Phillipa Harrison — warm, composed and quietly formidable. She has the kind of open, unfiltered laugh that makes you lean in — a warmth tha»»»

Dubai: The UAE has moved into the top tier of global residence destinations after posting the strongest climb in the 2026 Global Residence Program Index, published by Henley & Partners. The country rose from fifth place last year to joint second, marking its first appearance in the top three since »»»

Abigail Spanberger, the first female governor in Virginia's history, will give the Democrats' response to US President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address since returning to the White House. Trump is set to deliver the speech on Tuesday night, and after his remarks Americans will hear f»»»

Dubai: Have you ever wondered how your food arrives on time despite traffic and busy roads? Delivery riders navigate tight schedules and crowded streets, but their safety has become a major concern. In the first weeks of enforcing a new regulation, Dubai Police issued 8,152 fines to riders for usin»»»

President Donald Trump will deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term at 9PM PST Tuesday (6AM UAE Time, on Wednesday). Priorities for the Republican's administration have centred largely on the economy, immigration, crime, energy and national security. Trump has spent the last»»»