The Prime Minister Edi Rama is in Brussels today to take part in the EU–Western Balkans Summit, bringing together leaders from the Western Balkans and senior representatives of the European Union. Rama was received in a meeting by the President of the European Council, António Costa. The Albanian p»»»

Representatives of the STOP student initiative called for higher academic scholarships, fair elections with machine voting, and amendments to the Election Code at a press conference in Sofia on Wednesday. The topic of the public discussion was Stop and Restart of the State and Higher Education. The»»»

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) presented a donation to the Children's ENT Department at University Hospital Tsaritsa Yoanna-ISUL here on Wednesday. The donation was handed over by Patriarch Daniil and Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech, head of the BOC’s Cultural and Educational Department. A cere»»»

Brigadier Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department of Community Happiness at Dubai Police, chaired a key coordination meeting of the Joint Media Team for Dubai’s New Year 2026 celebrations. The session brought together representatives from government, semi-government, and private»»»

Ras Al Khaimah Courts have introduced a new civil marriage contract service at the Wasetak Centre for Transaction Clearance and Translation, allowing couples to complete marriage procedures remotely and receive officially attested contracts on the same day. The service was inaugurated in the presen»»»

Greek prosecutors have filed felony charges against an alleged Greek cocaine trafficker and four others in connection with the drug-laden fishing vessel Ourania, authorities said. The alleged ringleader appeared at the prosecutor’s office wearing a bulletproof vest, while investigators believe the »»»

Companies, foundations and individuals donated more than BGN 240 million in 2024, Bulgarian Donors’ Forum (BDF) Executive Director Teodora Bakardzhieva said on Wednesday, while presenting information collected from the National Statistical Institute, the National Revenue Agency, municipalities and »»»

Dubai Police has been officially recognised as the world’s most agile police force, receiving accreditation from the Business Agility Institute (BAI) for excellence in organisational agility. The accolade follows a thorough assessment of leadership capabilities and the maturity of Dubai Police’s ec»»»

Paddy Power Betfair has agreed to pay £2m for failing to step in quickly enough when customers appeared to be problem gambling. The Gambling Commission identified instances where the bookie did not intervene soon enough to customers engaging in harmful gambling behaviour, including when one custome»»»

DOHA: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani received Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and her accompanying delegation. During the meeting, both sides reviewed avenues for enhancin»»»

Tunis, Dec. 17 (TAP) - The exchange of expertise between Tunisia and Qatar in infrastructure projects was the focus of a meeting held between Minister of Public Works and Housing Slah Zouari and President of Qatar’s Public Works Authority...»»»

Two 15-year-olds were arrested on Tuesday afternoon in the Stavroupoli neighborhood of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, after fleeing police on a motorcycle and crashing during a pursuit, authorities said. Police said the teenagers ignored orders to stop for a check and attempted to escape, colliding»»»

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Ivaylo Mirchev told journalists on Wednesday in the parliamentary lobby: “They were obviously frightened by the protest we organized, and Peevski's ruling coalition, the curator of the Museum of Socialist Budgets, immediately voted in the opposit»»»

As the festive season approaches, homes across the UAE are beginning to sparkle with lights, ornaments and Christmas trees – a tradition embraced by the Christian community in the country and increasingly by local retailers catering to every budget and taste. From hypermarkets and home stores to va»»»

Dubai: When the name Dileep hits the headlines in Kerala today, it rarely comes without controversy. The actor, once celebrated for his charm and box-office draw, is now the center of a moral and cultural debate that spans the Malayali diaspora. His upcoming film Bha Bha Ba, released after his rece»»»

GERB leader Boyko Borissov warned that prolonging the existing budget framework would have serious social and financial repercussions. In a video statement from the party headquarters, he reiterated the position earlier voiced in parliament by GERB deputy group chair Denitsa Sacheva: in the plenary»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met on Wednesday in his office at Lusail Palace with Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States of America, Kristi Noem, and her accompanying delegation, who are visiting the country. The meeting discussed »»»

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US will impose a blockade on all “sanctioned oil tankers” entering or leaving Venezuela, dramatically escalating his administration’s campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. The move follows the recent seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coa»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior has emphasized the importance of ensuring that all celebrations reflect the authentic values of Qatari society and present a civilized image of the State of Qatar, on the occasion of the National Day of the State. The event embodies the values of loyalty and na»»»

BRUSSELS - EU member states have postponed the opening of Cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth) in Serbia's EU accession talks. In conclusions on enlargement, the Presidency of the Council of the EU said the Council would "revert to the issue of the opening of Cluster 3 in line with the »»»

Dubai: Construction of the Dubai Metro Blue Line has reached 12 per cent completion, with more than 3,500 personnel now deployed across 12 active sites to ensure the project meets its 2029 deadline. The progress update followed a meeting of the Dubai Metro Blue Line Forum, chaired by Mattar Al Taye»»»

Dubai: Residents and travellers in the UAE are experiencing atmospheric instability as the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) forecasts a mix of heavy rainfall ,duststorms, and shifting winds. A significant shift in the UAE's weather pattern is currently underway as a deep low-pressure system mov»»»

Deir Al Balah: Palestinians in Gaza struggled to recover Tuesday from torrential rains that battered the enclave for days, flooding camps for the displaced, collapsing buildings already badly damaged in the two-year war and leaving at least 12 dead, including a two-week-old baby. The downpour, whic»»»

Skopje, 15 December 2025 (MIA) - Wizz Air is set to launch the Skopje-Prague flight at the Skopje International Airport on Monday. Deputy PM and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski announced the flight over the summer, alongside the airline's other destinations that were set to launch by the en»»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s investment arm, XRG P.J.S.C., has secured near-total control of Covestro AG, holding about 95.10% of the company’s voting rights, according to recent regulatory filings in Germany. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The disclosures,»»»

Deputies of the 8th convocation of Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan elected three Vice Speakers today at their first meeting. MP Chyngyz Azhibaev became First Deputy Speaker. Zhyldyz Taalaibek kyzy and Karim Khanjeza were also elected Vice Speakers. Photo Chyngyz Azhibaev 82 deputies voted for Chyngyz»»»

Police in northeastern Spain carried out eviction orders Wednesday to clear an abandoned school building where hundreds of mostly undocumented migrants were living in a squat north of Barcelona. Knowing that the eviction in the middle of winter was coming, most of the occupants had left to try to f»»»

White Image, Romania’s longest-established email marketing company, has launched the Customer Loyalty Index, a large-scale analysis based on aggregated data from campaigns run for brands in retail, financial services, e-commerce, and B2B. The index analyses post-purchase consumer behaviour in Roman»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s beachfront resorts are heading for sell-out status this New Year’s Eve, as UAE residents rush to lock in last staycation deals under Dh1,000 before they disappear. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.With room rates driven up by record visitor arrivals and s»»»

As France battles an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among livestock, some farmers are protesting government measures such as the culling of entire herds. Videos claiming to support them have gone viral online, but some are AI-generated. In this edition of Truth or Fake, we take a closer look at how»»»

The Louvre Museum will partially reopen on Wednesday after staff voted to extend a strike over pay and working conditions, according to union representatives. Frustrations at the world's most visited museum were further sharpened by fallout from the theft of crown jewels during a daylight robbery t»»»

In a further escalation of tension between the United States and Venezuela, President Donald Trump has ordered a naval blockade to stop sanctioned oil tankers from entering and leaving the South American country. Venezuela - which has the world's largest proven oil reserves - is highly dependent on»»»

The Russian armed forces are demonstrating high military efficiency, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday."In such difficult conditions, our troops are demonstrating high combat effectiveness," Putin said at an expanded meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry Board.The capabilities of»»»

In an unusual diplomatic move, the ambassadors of Germany and France, H.E. Irene Plank and H.E. Marie Dumoulin, personally met with Galina Zakharova, chairwoman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), to express support for the independence of Bulgaria’s judiciary. The joint statement from the two e»»»

A European Ariane 6 rocket blasted off from France's Kourou space base in French Guiana early Wednesday, carrying two Galileo global navigation satellites, according to an AFP correspondent. Lift-off was at 2:01 am local time (0501 GMT) for the fourth commercial flight of the Ariane 6 launch system»»»

Europe must be responsible for its own security, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday. "This is no longer an option. It is a must," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg. She added that Europe "cannot afford to let others define its worldview," adding »»»

Pakistan's most powerful military chief in decades faces the toughest test of his newly amassed powers as Washington pushes Islamabad to contribute troops to the Gaza stabilization force, a move analysts say could spark domestic backlash. Field Marshal Asim Munir is expected to fly to Washington to»»»

Doha, Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani chaired the Cabinet's regular meeting on Wednesday morning at the Amiri Diwan. Following the meeting, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HE Ibr»»»

India plans to roll out an AI-powered, barrier-free tolling and highway management system across national highways by the end of 2026, a move that will eliminate waiting time at toll plazas and significantly improve traffic flow, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told the Raj»»»

President Rumen Radev held consultations here on Wednesday with representatives of the There Is Such a People (TISP) party ahead of the mandate-granting procedure to form a new government, emphasizing that the outgoing government is constitutionally obliged to ensure continuity and stability until »»»

Deputies of the 8th convocation of the Zhogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of Kyrgyzstan approved a list of parliamentary committees at their first meeting. The names of some previous committees have been changed. A new committee, on women’s rights, has also been added. The following committees were appro»»»

A ceremonial flag raising ceremony took place in Batken. The flag was raised on a 35-meter-tall flagpole, accompanied by a military orchestra, the City Hall reported. The event was attended by Aibek Shamenov, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to Batken region, Seitek Kulubaev, Mayor of Batken, gov»»»

1/6Motorists inch forward on Emirates Road through blowing sand and low visibility conditions. Devadasan K P/Gulf News2/6National Centre of Meteorology issues dust alert as winds carry desert sand into city streets. Devadasan K P/Gulf News3/6Dust-laden skies turn horizon hazy, prompting safety advi»»»

Self-evidently, the BBC has a big decision to make. If it hoped the US president might not follow through on his threat to sue, the reality check has arrived. Now it is about gaming out the options but current indications are it plans to fight. "We will be defending this case", the BBC repeated aft»»»

With just 15 days remaining until Bulgaria adopts the euro, preparations for the switch to the single currency are intensifying, even in smaller towns. Both residents and local businesses are eager but still have questions about how transactions will work starting January 1, 2026. In the village of»»»

The humanitarian catastrophe engulfing Sudan, unleashing horrific violence on children and uprooting nearly a quarter of the population, is the world's most neglected crisis of 2025, according to a poll of aid agencies. Some 30 million Sudanese people - roughly equivalent to Australia's population »»»

The war between Russia and Ukraine has ground on since February 2022. According to military and political observers, Ukraine does not want to surrender and Russia does not know how to win this war. Al Majalla spoke to one of Russia’s veteran political scholars, Prof. Sergei Karaganov. Once an unoff»»»

With growing demand for energy at home, Egypt is diversifying its global partners to secure additional natural gas supplies, to maintain power generation and industrial productivity. In recent years, one of its key gas partners has been Israel, but negotiations over a supply deal recently hit the r»»»

With growing demand for energy at home, Egypt is diversifying its global partners to secure additional natural gas supplies, to maintain power generation and industrial productivity. In recent years, one of its key gas partners has been Israel, but negotiations over a supply deal recently hit the r»»»

The war between Russia and Ukraine has ground on since February 2022. According to military and political observers, Ukraine does not want to surrender and Russia does not know how to win this war. Al Majalla spoke to one of Russia’s veteran political scholars, Prof. Sergei Karaganov. Once an unoff»»»