At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers approved an Action Plan for 2026 containing measures based on Bulgaria’s membership in the European Union (EU). The 2026 Action Plan was drafted from proposals submitted by the working groups of the Council on European Affairs, the Gover»»»

The Council of Ministers Wednesday adopted a decision proposing to the National Assembly the ratification of the agreement between Bulgaria and Italy on cooperation in the field of defence regarding the joint construction and use of military facilities in the Kabile military area. The agreement was»»»

On January 21, Bulgaria celebrates Babinden, or Midwives’ Day, according to the old-style calendar. A traditional hand-washing ritual was held at the Maichin Dom obstetrics and gynaecology hospital in Sofia. Dona Manova, a young mother, washed the hands of Prof. Asen Nikolov, a long-serving doctor »»»

The Government has approved three candidates nominated for the position of European Prosecutor from the Republic of Bulgaria. The nominees were proposed by a Selection Commission appointed by order of outgoing Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev, the Government Information Service reported on Wednesda»»»

Outgoing Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov stated on Wednesday that the country is not planning to send Bulgarian military personnel to participate in NATO exercises in Greenland. He made this statement during a parliamentary Defence Committee hearing on current issues. Zapryanov was responding to »»»

Doha, Qatar: The 2025-2026 Military Sports Association Football Cup, organized by the Military Sports Association, has come to a close. The Amiri Land Forces team secured first place after defeating the Military Parade Center team 1-0 in the tournament's final match. Acting President of the Militar»»»

Many people around the world suffer from food poisoning, a condition that occurs after consuming contaminated food or beverages. Symptoms of food poisoning may appear in some people immediately after eating contaminated food, while others may not experience them until several days later. Food poiso»»»

US President Donald Trump has cast doubt on whether NATO members would come to America’s aid if it were attacked, while stressing that Washington would still defend its allies in the bloc. Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday, Trump credited himself with being NATO’s chief benefactor, while recalling »»»

Dubai: The Terry Fox Run Dubai is set to return on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Expo City Dubai, bringing the community together to support cancer research in the UAE. The annual event, held in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation, invites participants of all ages and abilities to take part in a»»»

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut said the United States remains “committed to delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance and supporting durable solutions for vulnerable communities across Lebanon,” after U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa made a recent visit to North Lebanon and Akkar. Issa and his wife join»»»

At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision to table to the National Assembly a proposal for approval of an investment expenditure project titled “Acquisition of Coastal Anti-Ship Missile Systems” for the Bulgarian Navy. According to the press release from the G»»»

first-reading approval of a bill, proposed by GERB-UDF, providing for the closure of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Atanas Atanassov MP of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria told reporters that investigation findings "will be used against inconvenient figures". Upon the entry into force of »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Wednesday the Serbian government had sent a letter to the US administration in support of a request for an extension of an operating licence for the Serbian oil company NIS, as well as a potential transaction betw»»»

DONETSK (Sputnik) - Mercenaries from the United Kingdom were eliminated following a strike on the Ukrainian armed forces' strategic naval operations headquarters near the city of Nikolaev, the coordinator of the pro-Russian underground network in Nikolaev, Sergey Lebedev, told Sputnik on Wednesday.»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will be briefed on how Russia plans to respond to violations of international maritime law by unfriendly countries, the Maritime Collegium said on Wednesday. "The Chairman of the Maritime Collegium [Nikolai Patrushev] will brief the President of R»»»

DOHA: Hamad International Airport (HIA) concluded 2025 following a year of sustained operational performance, reinforcing its position as a global gateway for Qatar. Serving 54.3 million passengers, the airport delivered smooth, efficient operations that supported the nation’s connectivity, trade, »»»

Dubai: Dubai Customs and Emirates SkyCargo held a strategic meeting on Tuesday to advance plans to integrate sea and air freight operations, as Dubai steps up efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and accelerate cargo movement through the emirate. The talks focused on linking digital system»»»

A meeting comprising Lebanese, Syrian, Egyptian and Jordanian officials will be held in February with the aim of facilitating the exportation of electricity and gas from Jordan and Egypt to Lebanon via Syria, a Lebanese ministerial source told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. The meeting will review prev»»»

The Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) at the American University of Beirut (AUB), through its Business Practice and Policy Initiative (BPPI), hosted an expert roundtable titled “Restructuring Lebanon’s Banking Sector: Global Standards, Local Realities.” The event gathered economists, banke»»»

European Union lawmakers on Wednesday voted to hold up ratification of a major free trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries over concerns about the legality of the deal. In a vote in Strasbourg, France, lawmakers narrowly approved sending the EU-Mercosur agreement to Eur»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday proclaimed his country was the world's "economic engine," and slammed Europe as "not heading in the right direction," as Washington's allies push back against its bid to seize Greenland. "The USA is the economic engine on the planet. And when America booms, »»»

Protests demanding the resignation of acting Chief Prosecutor Borislav Sarafov will be held in front of courthouses in Sofia and several other cities across Bulgaria. Organizers say Sarafov has no right to hold the post and has, for at least six months, concentrated power in the Prosecutor’s Office»»»

Dubai: Kazakhstan has confirmed its participation in the seventh edition of the UAE SWAT Challenge, set to take place from February 7 to 11, 2026, at the Training City in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai. The Central Asian nation will compete with five teams this year, including one all-female unit, underlining »»»

Dubai: A Dubai school is mourning the loss of one of its teachers who died in a road accident over the weekend. Sebastian Charles, a Year 4 teacher at Durham School Dubai, tragically passed away, the school's principal announced in a letter sent to parents on Tuesday. Although Charles had been with»»»

A 16-year-old boy held in custody for the fatal beating of a 17-year-old in Serres, northern Greece, over the weekend, was, in the lead-up, assaulted by three fellow inmates during an incident that began over a minor dispute, authorities said. The incident occurred on Sunday inside the teen’s cell,»»»

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria Deputy Floor Leader Lena Borislavova announced on Wednesday on her official Facebook profile that she will not take part in the next early parliamentary elections. “In recent months, I have been actively working on two new projects through which I will conf»»»

The Council of Ministers adopted a decree establishing a Centre for Arts and Crafts - Oreshak Regional Cultural Institute, the Government Information Service reported Wednesday. The new institute, based in the north-central village of Oreshak, Troyan Municipality, will be a specialized centrе for t»»»

The European Investment Fund (EIF) will reinvest EUR 160 million in Bulgarian businesses by 2035 under the European Commission’s Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises (JEREMIE) initiative, the Government Information Service reported on Wednesday. The funding will be provided to e»»»

DOHA: The Qatar Satellite Company, Es'hailSat, and the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to provide QAF with satellite communication services, ground infrastructure, and secure, flexible network solutions to support sovereign and operational requirements for »»»

President Donald Trump is heading to the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps on January 21, where his ambitions to wrest control of Greenland from NATO ally Denmark could tear relations with European allies. It could also overshadow his original plan to use his appearance at the gathering of glo»»»

US President Donald Trump arrived in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday for the World Economic Forum, where he launched into a speech lavishing praise on the US economy and accusing Europe of "not heading in the right direction". Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.   (FRANCE »»»

Here in France, as well as countries including Hungary, Greenland and Germany, some residents have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. These vibrant scenes are the result of the most powerful solar storm the earth has seen since 2003. But fortunately, little telecommunicati»»»

"In politics as in business – a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something.” Ursula von der Leyen's comments came amid growing tension between Europe and the US over Greenland and France's membership at Trump's Board of Peace, which led the European Parliament to suspend t»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, January 21: US President Donald Trump's upcoming arrival at Davos is all over the front pages, as cartoonists depict the ongoing tensions with Europe. Also, Israel has demolished a United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees compound in East Jerusalem. Next, the Morocca»»»

A commuter train near Barcelona ploughed into the rubble of a collapsed wall on January 20, killing one and injuring dozens. The latest incident is likely to raise more questions about Spanish transport safety, coming two days after the collision of two high-speed trains in the southern region of A»»»

NATO chief Mark Rutte said Wednesday "thoughtful diplomacy" was needed to deal with tensions over Greenland, as President Donald Trump headed to Davos pushing US claims on the territory. Rutte has sought to deflect Trump's interest in the Danish autonomous territory into a broader discussion at NAT»»»

Skopje, 20 January 2026 (MIA) - The retail price of Eurosuper BS-95, Eurosuper BS-98, and extra light household oil will rise by Mden 1.5 per liter, while the price of Eurodiesel (D-E V) will go up by Mden 2 per liter as of Tuesday midnight, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has said. As a res»»»

Skopje, 20 January 2026 (MIA) - The minimal consumer basket in January 2026 stands at Mden 66,413 (EUR 1,079), up by Mden 921 over the one in December, said the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) on Tuesday. According to SSM, renting a 60m2 apartment increases the costs to Mden 81,788 (E»»»

Tunis, Jan. 21 (TAP)- "The situation in dams will not be significantly impacted by the recent high-intensity precipitation across the country," said expert in development and mamanagement of resources Houcine Rhili."No rainfall was reported in the...»»»

Israeli fire killed 11 Palestinians, including two boys and three journalists, in Gaza on Wednesday, local medics ​said, and the Israeli military said it had "eliminated" a Palestinian militant who posed a threat to soldiers. In the latest violence disrupting a brittle, three-month-old ceasefire, P»»»

The Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority has launched the “Your Home Is a Trust” campaign as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance public safety, entrench a culture of prevention, and elevate community preparedness to protect lives and property. The campaign focuses on promoting safe practices within»»»

Ankara, Jan. 21 (SANA) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire following a new agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Syrian Presidency announced Tuesday that a mutual understanding had been reached on several issues co»»»

Hasakah, Jan. 21 (SANA) Seven Syrian soldiers were martyred and 20 others injured on Wednesday when the SDF organization attacked a facility near al-Yaarubiyah crossing in northeastern Hasakah, close to the Iraqi border, the Syrian Ministry of Defense said. The ministry’s Media and Communication Di»»»

1 of 3 | A Swiss brown cow named Veronika was documented using tools -- the first time such a behavior has been noted in bovines. Photo courtesy of Antonio J. Osuna Mascaró Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Researchers in Austria detailed the unusual case of the first cow to be documented using tools -- specificall»»»

Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Serial Guinness World Record-breaker David Rush teamed up with 11 other tech industry workers at a trade show to take on the title for most balloons kept in the air for one minute while standing. Rush, who holds the most concurrent Guinness World Records titles, led the 12-person t»»»

New Delhi, India: Cricket's governing body said Wednesday it had rejected Bangladesh's request to shift their T20 World Cup matches out of India, casting doubt on the team's participation in next month's tournament. "In the absence of any independent security findings that materially compromise the»»»

At the World Economic Forum’s meeting in Davos on Wednesday, five panelists who profess to hate Russian President Vladimir Putin and haven’t been inside Russia in years will attempt to answer the question: “Can Russia sustain a wartime economy?” Predictions of Russia’s imminent collapse have been r»»»

US President Donald Trump is due to address leaders and business elites at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. Trump is set to take the podium after threatening his European allies with tariffs following his vow to seize Greenland from Denmark “the easy way” or “the hard way.” Trump»»»

Gaza's civil defense agency said an Israeli strike in the center of the territory on Wednesday killed three journalists, including a freelancer who previously worked for AFP, despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. In a statement, the civil defense said "the bodies of the three journalists »»»