Romanians pay among the lowest taxes and associated costs in Europe when buying a home through a mortgage loan
Home buyers in Bucharest pay among the lowest taxes and associated costs in Europe when purchasing a home through a mortgage loan, about EUR 2.500 for an average one-bedroom apartment, while buyers of a similar home in other European capital cities pay total associated costs that reach several tens»»»
Trump gives no clear signal on Iran in State of the Union
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»»»
Uber: Valentine’s Day led to higher evening mobility
As the celebrations around the season of love conclude with Dragobete, Uber analyzed mobility patterns to understand how people moved across the city on February 14th, comparing similar weekend periods year over year. The data shows a clear increase in ride volumes and a noticeable shift toward eve»»»
Germany's Merz secures 120 aircraft Airbus deal in Beijing talks with Xi
China will buy up to 120 aircraft from European aviation giant Airbus, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following talks with President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. Merz's visit comes as Berlin and Beijing seek to build on their decades-old economic ties to weather global uncertainty spa»»»
About Trump’s Complex Strategic Calculations on the Confrontation with Iran: Israeli Explainer
US President Donald Trump’s approach to a potential confrontation with Iran is driven by layered strategic calculations, senior researchers at the Zionist entity’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) found on Wednesday. In an article published in the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom on Wed»»»
Lebanese Army Exclusively Controls Hamat Air Base: Defense Minister
The Lebanese Minister of National Defense, General Michel Mnassah, issued a statement to comment on recent reports about the Hamat Air Base in the Batroun district of North Lebanon Governorate in light of the regional developments. Mnassah said that Hamat Air Base is a Lebanese military airbase und»»»
Heated Rivalry cottage in Canada will soon be up for rent
For Heated Rivalry fans, "I'm coming to the cottage" is the line that cemented Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander's romance. Soon, others will be able to head to the cottage, too. The lakefront property in Muskoka, Ontario, that served as the backdrop for the finale of the hit TV ice hockey romance w»»»
Report: Israel killed more journalists that any other country in 2025 - UPI.com
Protesters at a World Press Freedom Day event in Kuala Lumpur hold a banner that reads, "Targeting Journalist is A Crime" and a poster of Palestinian-American Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh who was killed while reporting in the West Bank in 2022. Israel accepted she was likely killed by IDF »»»
Varoufakis indicted to stand trial over drugs comments
Left-wing politician and former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has been indicted to stand trial for allegedly promoting the use of drugs in a podcast, his small MeRA25 party said Wednesday. A party statement said the former SYRIZA party official is due to apprear in court on December 16, and acc»»»
US and South Korean Militaries will Have Joint Drills in March as Tensions with North Korea Escalate
The US and South Korean militaries said on Wednesday they will conduct their annual springtime exercises next month to bolster their countries’ combined defense capabilities against a backdrop of a deepening diplomatic freeze with nuclear-armed North Korea. The Freedom Shield drills is set for Marc»»»
West won’t deploy troops to Ukraine without Russian approval – Telegraph
Western European nations will not deploy troops to Ukraine without Russian consent, The Telegraph reported Tuesday, citing anonymous sources. The UK-French initiative to deploy troops to Ukraine has been promoted as a deterrent against Russia which could follow a potential peace deal. Russian Presi»»»
Egypt backs stability in South Sudan and urges Nile co-operation
Cairo: Egypt's foreign minister has reaffirmed Cairo's support for stability in South Sudan and called for closer co-operation among Nile Basin countries during talks with his South Sudanese counterpart in Cairo. Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday met Monday Semaya Kumba, who is currently visiting the Egy»»»
Why talent will define Abu Dhabi’s next decade of growth
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»»»
Hezbollah official says group won't intervene in event of 'limited' US strikes on Iran
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»»»
Bulgaria: Acting Interior Minister Rejects Pressure Allegations over “Petrohan” Investigation
Acting Interior Minister Emil Dechev told the National Assembly that he is the target of a deliberate attack by what he described as “frightened individuals” who do not want the truth clarified regarding the “Petrohan” and “Okolchitsa” cases. He appeared for a hearing at the request of There Is Suc»»»
Thailand Election Body Confirms Win by PM's Party
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»»»
US, Canada to Meet in Coming Weeks on Trade, Greer Says
US and Canadian trade officials spoke on Wednesday and plan to meet in coming weeks, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, adding that the Trump administration was open to their ideas on how to reach an agreement, Reuters reported. "They have a few ideas on how they might want to have a deal»»»
Syria Confirms Mass Escape of Militant Relatives from Al-Hol Camp
Syria confirmed on Wednesday the mass escape of relatives of suspected ISIS group militants from the Al-Hol camp last month following the withdrawal of Kurdish forces who had overseen the facility. "When our forces arrived, they found cases of collective escapes due to the camp having been opened u»»»
NGOs want ex-Meta MEP removed from EU digital rules relaxation
Transparency and lobbying watchdogs have called for MEP Aura Salla to be removed as a lead European Parliament legislator on the controversial Digital Omnibus proposal, due to her former employment as a lobbyist for the US Big Tech giant Meta. Salla is a Finnish centre-right politician with the Eur»»»
MECh Says High Voter Turnout Expected in Turkiye Despite Small Number of Voting Sections
Radostin Vasilev, Chair of the Morality, Unity, Honour party (MECh), told journalists on Wednesday that he expects high voter turnout in Turkiye despite the small number of voting sections. Vasilev was commenting on Parliament's rejection of the presidential veto on Election Code amendments. "The a»»»
Bulgarian Town Pushes Back Against Government Refugee Center Plans
Simeonovgrad Municipality has formally opposed plans to construct a refugee center in the Bulgarian town. The proposal for the facility was approved last week during a Council of Ministers meeting, BGNES reported from Haskovo. Under the government’s decision, the State Agency for Refugees is to rec»»»
IAAPA and MENALAC to launch IAAPA MENA
IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, has announced plans to strengthen its presence in the Middle East and North Africa with the launch of a new regional office and the creation of IAAPA MENA. The official launch will be celebrated during IAAPA Expo Middle East, with the new »»»
Samana Developers donates Dh15 million to Edge of Life campaign
Samana Developers has contributed Dh15 million to support the Edge of Life campaign to rescue five million children from hunger. Launched in Ramadan by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the campaign aims to raise a m»»»
Pope lines up trips to Central Africa, Algeria, Spain, Monaco
Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV will visit four African nations in April, the Vatican said Thursday, including Algeria -- the first time a pope will travel to the North African Muslim nation. The Vatican announced a series of international trips in the months ahead for the US pontiff, who was elected la»»»
New UK rules kick in, complicating travel for British dual nationals in UAE
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 »»»
Nine inmates arrested after cell raids at Domokos prison
Nine inmates were arrested Wednesday following cell raids in a prison in central Greece, for alleged possession of weapons and mobile phones, police said. Police carried out searches in 40 cells across two wings and in the common areas of Domokos prison following the murder of a 43-year-old lifer i»»»
Trump’s Tariff Decisions Could Shake Bulgaria’s Automotive Industry
US President Donald Trump has stepped back from his earlier threat to raise global tariffs to 15%, leaving current rates on US exports at 10%, according to Politico. This move spares the UK and the EU from facing higher trade barriers under the new White House regime. Yesterday, the European Parlia»»»
Djuric, Tenney discuss topics related to Serbia, region
WASHINGTON - Serbian FM Marko Djuric met on Wednesday in Washington with US Congress member Claudia Tenney, co-chair of the Serbian Caucus in the US Congress, to discuss key topics related to Serbia and the region that are also of interest to Capitol Hill. Djuric gave a comprehensive snapshot of th»»»
Hungary to Deploy Military Personnel, Equipment Near Key Energy Facilities - Orban
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Hungary will deploy military personnel and equipment near key energy facilities, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Wednesday. Hungary will strengthen the protection of the critical energy infrastructure in order to protect it from further hostile actions by Ukraine, O»»»
Seven dead in 11 accidents in one day, despite overall decrease (ONSR)
Tunis, Feb. 25 (TAP) - Seven people were killed and seven others injured on Wednesday in 11 road accidents across Tunisia, according to the latest statistics released by the National Road Safety Observatory (ONSR).Despite these figures, the ONSR...»»»
Would you take an Uber… in the sky? Dubai air taxis explained
Dubai: Uber has introduced Uber Air, powered by Joby, offering riders a first look at how they will be able to book Joby Aviation’s all-electric aerial taxis directly in the Uber app, in collaboration with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA). Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheque»»»
New travel rules for UK visitors kick in - how are you affected?
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»»»
Gucci criticised for 'AI slop' images ahead of major fashion show
Gucci is facing a backlash after using AI to generate images to promote its forthcoming show at Milan Fashion Week. The images have been posted on social media - where users have questioned how using AI instead of human models and photographers is in keeping with the fashion house's claim that it c»»»
Majority That Rejected President's Veto on Election Code Revisions Was Predictable - Former PM Zhelyazkov
The majority that rejected the President’s proposal to reconsider a bill proposing amendments to the Election Code was predictable, as was the joint vote of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) and Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning, former prime minister and current GERB»»»
Caretaker Interior Minister Denies Meeting Investigators over Petrohan-Okolchitsa Case
Caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev told Parliament on Wednesday that he had not met with law-enforcers investigating the Petrohan–Okolchitsa case and that all other claims were untrue. Dechev was heard in Parliament following three reports alleging pressure exerted by him on investigators work»»»
Australia Tells Families of Diplomats to Leave Israel, Lebanon
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»»»
New Council of Ministers Representatives Appointed to National Council for Tripartite Cooperation
Under the Labour Code, the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation consists of two representatives each from the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria, the nationally representative workers’ and employees’ organisations, and the employers’ organisations. The Council is chaired by a Deputy Prime Mini»»»
Three MPs of New Beginning to Correct Their Votes on Election Rules Veto Without Changing Outcome
Three MPs of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning made a mistake and will correct their votes on President Iliana Iotova's veto of Election Code amendments, the group's Deputy Floor Leader Iskra Mihaylova told journalists on Wednesday. The National Assembly overrode the presidential»»»
CIA offers tips to potential informants in Iran
The Central Intelligence Agency offered help to potential informants in Iran on Tuesday, providing Farsi-language instructions on ways to safely contact the U.S. spy agency as President Donald Trump mulls possible military strikes. The post is the latest in a series of recruitment pitches in Farsi,»»»
Israel committed two-thirds of record press killings in 2025
A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday, blaming Israel for two-thirds of the deaths. It was the second consecutive annual record for press deaths and the deadliest year since the CPJ began collecting data more th»»»
Syria confirms mass escape from Al-Hol camp for relatives of jihadists
Syria's interior ministry confirmed on Wednesday the mass escape of relatives of suspected Islamic State group jihadists from the Al-Hol camp last month following the withdrawal of Kurdish forces who had overseen the facility. "When our forces arrived, they found cases of collective escapes due to »»»
Lebanese Army Blocks Israeli Enemy Advance Line in Khiam, Occupation Soldiers Move Back
The Lebanese Army continued on Wednesday confronting the Israeli occupation army in south of Khiam town, South Lebanon, in light of the ongoing Zionist violations and atacks. Al-Manar correspondent reported that a bulldozer belonging to the Lebanese army raised an earthen barrier to block the advan»»»
No more UK visa stickers? What Pakistan travellers need to know
Dubai: Pakistani visitors heading to the UK — including those travelling from the UAE — can now use a new digital eVisa system instead of receiving a visa sticker in their passport, the British High Commission in Pakistan has announced. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.»»»
Dubai typing centre worker wins $1m in Dubai Duty Free draw
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 »»»
‘Easy’ or ‘hard’? UAE students react to new CBSE Class 10 Science exam format
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»»»
Three held over cocaine in microwave oven
Three people have been arrested in northern Greece on suspicion of belonging to an international drug smuggling gang that imported cocaine hidden in household appliances, police said Wednesday. A police statement said that another two people were wanted in connection with the case. The arrests were»»»
Qatar Stock Exchange index closes lower
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed Wednesday's trading lower by 19.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to settle at 11,270.62 points. During the session, a total of 144,344,605 shares were traded, with a value of QAR 406,385,822.777, through 24,007 transactions across all sectors. The»»»
Socialist MPs Who Voted against Veto Not to Be Part of BSP Group in Next Parliament, Party Leader Says
Parliament Wednesday rejected President Iliana Iotova's veto on amendments to the Election Code due to 8 MPs of BSP - United Left, BSP leader Krum Zarkov told journalists after the National Assembly's sitting. Zarkov specified that these MPs were three of the ministers in the Zhelyazkov cabinet, Dr»»»
Cabinet Approves Up to EUR 900 Mln in February Financing for Social Payments and Budget Expenditure
The Council of Ministers approved financing of up to EUR 900 million for expenditure in February 2026, covering personnel costs, social payments and other state budget spending, as well as transfers from the State Budget to the budgets of the Public Social Insurance, the National Health Insurance F»»»
Germany, Australia warn their citizens in Lebanon; Israel sends mobile bunkers to border
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 »»»