President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov has once again commented on the resignation of former State Committee for National Security (SCNS) Chairman Kamchybek Tashiev, stating that he maintains friendly relations with him, but that his return to public service is out of question. Photo Internet Accord»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Lithuania, HE Gitanas Nauseda on the occasion of his country's National Day.»»»

"I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you! How dare you?" Tyra Banks' rant - angry and disappointed - at America's Next Top Model (ANTM) contestant Tiffany Richardson is the stuff of reality TV legend. Watching the former supermodel lay into the young hopeful in front of millions of viewe»»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced that the recently formed Board of Peace will unveil a humanitarian and reconstruction aid package for Gaza, along with a major international security commitment, during the Board's inaugural meeting in Washington scheduled for Thursday. In a post on h»»»

Instead of the usual 10 days, schoolchildren in Kyrgyzstan will have only one day off during the spring break. According to the basic curriculum for general education institutions in the Kyrgyz Republic, school students will rest only on Friday, March 6. After the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, th»»»

The car and the entrance to the home of Samuil Popov, mayor of the village of Bistritsa, were deliberately set on fire in the early hours of the morning, shortly after 1:30 a.m. Popov said he was awakened by a loud sound similar to an explosion, which initially made him think thunder had struck nea»»»

Dubai: Carriers based in the United Arab Emirates are not pressing the brakes on expansion in 2026 — with new destinations across Europe, North America, Central Asia and beyond planned by Emirates, Etihad and other operators. Travellers from the UAE will for the first time see direct flights to Hel»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that he will hold technical discussions with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi in Geneva ahead of negotiations with the United States. "Joined by nuclear experts, I will meet Rafael Gros»»»

Washington is preparing to send the final draft of a proposed UN-backed mechanism to monitor a humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan to the warring parties, according to Massad Boulos, special adviser to US President Donald Trump for Middle East affairs. Speaking at a Sudan session during the Munich Secu»»»

Downtown Munich is best-known for chic shops and flashy fast cars but right now its streets are bedecked with posters advertising next generation drones. "Europe's security under construction" boasts the slogan on an eye-catching set of sleek black-and-white photographs, festooned across a scaffold»»»

The Military Medical Academy Monday announced Open Days for prospective military doctors and nurses. The initiative will run for four days until February 20. The Academy is delivering its training programme jointly with the Naval Academy in Varna, and the Medical University of Varna. Graduates rece»»»

Authorities are actively working on the case involving the arson attack on the car and front door of the Mayor of Bistritsa village (near Sofia), Samuil Popov, the Interior Ministry told BTA on Monday. Active investigative measures are underway. A report was received between 1:30 a.m. and 1:40 a.m.»»»

1/15Shukla, whose images helped shape the visual memory of a young nation, died at Rashid Hospital in Dubai, his family said. Gulf News archives2/15An iconic picture of the UAE’s rulers, captured by Ramesh Shukla in 1971. Ramesh Shukla3/151967. Aerial view of Maktoum Bridge, which crosses Dubai Cre»»»

Tunis, Feb. 16 (TAP) – The weather, on Monday, will be cloudy nationwide. At times, cloud cover will be heavier in the north, bringing scattered showers to the far northwest. These rains are expected to spread to the rest of the northern regions by...»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko has been charged with money laundering, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said on Monday. "NABU and SAPO [Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office] have broadened the list of suspects in the 'Midas ca»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The political course of Moldovan President Maia Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) could lead the southeastern European country to a repeat of the Ukrainian scenario, former Moldovan President Igor Dodon told Sputnik. "What worries me most is that the Moldovan authoriti»»»

Iran is ready to consider compromises to reach a nuclear deal with the US if the Americans are willing to discuss lifting sanctions, an Iranian minister has told the BBC. US officials have repeatedly emphasised that Iran, not the US, is holding up progress in this protracted negotiating process. On»»»

A new survey by the sociological agency Market Links shows that if parliamentary elections were held now, five political formations would enter the National Assembly, with the future coalition around Rumen Radev clearly in the lead. According to the data, Radev’s formation would win 25.6% of the vo»»»

A man accused of killing 15 people in a mass shooting at a Jewish festival on Sydney's Bondi Beach appeared in court Monday for the first time since his release from the hospital. Naveed Akram appeared in Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court via a video link from the maximum security Goulburn Correc»»»

On Feb. 16, 2005, after a five-month lockout, the National Hockey League canceled its entire 2004-05 season. 1 of 5 | NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman meets the New York media on February 16, 2005, to announce the cancellation of the 2004-05 hockey season. File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI | License Pho»»»

German Galushchenko, Ukraine's former energy minister, pictured here in Britain in April 2025, was detained Sunday while attempting to leave Ukraine. Photo by Chris J. Ratcliffe/EPA Feb. 16 (UPI) -- A Ukrainian anti-corruption law enforcement initiative on Monday announced it has detained former En»»»

The demand for qualified chefs in Bulgaria continues to grow, driven by tourism, urban development, and rising expectations in the hospitality sector. Restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses are no longer looking only for short-term solutions—they need reliable professionals who can contribute»»»

Washington: US President Donald Trump announced that the recently formed Board of Peace will unveil a humanitarian and reconstruction aid package for Gaza, along with a major international security commitment, during the Board's inaugural meeting in Washington scheduled for next Thursday. In a post»»»

Doha, Qatar: Estithmar Holding announced yesterday the establishment of its fifth group, “Estithmar Capital,” in a strategic step aimed at strengthening the company’s expansion and diversifying the sectors in which it operates. Estithmar Capital will specialize in managing financial investments, st»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Insurance (QIC, the Company), the leading insurer in Qatar and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, yesterday reported a net profit of QR791m for the full year 2025, a rise of 9% from QR725m in the previous year. Following a meeting of the Board of Directors yesterday,»»»

Unknown vandals attacked the National Resistance Memorial of Kaisariani, a former shooting range where 200 Greek resistance fighters were executed by Nazi occupation authorities on May 1, 1944. Images showed a black granite monument engraved with the victims’ names smashed, with shattered pieces sc»»»

The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) has begun setting up Ramadan tents, launching its seasonal “Iftar Saem” (Iftar for Fasters) project under the campaign Ramadan… Giving Without Limits. The initiative forms part of a nationwide programme supporting vulnerable families and individuals across the UAE du»»»

Two female Israeli soldiers had to be rescued by police after being chased by a crowd of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. Footage from the city of Bnei Brak showed the women running through streets strewn with rubbish and overturned bins as police officers formed a protective barrier. More than 20 people»»»

Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand's North Island on Monday, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in W»»»

Israel's government has approved a process to register land in the West Bank, drawing condemnation from Arab nations and critics who labelled it a "mega land grab" that would accelerate annexation of the Palestinian territory. Israel's foreign ministry said the measure would enable "transparent and»»»

Dubai: Oman has opened the Al Rawdah border crossing for commercial goods in a move aimed at strengthening trade links with the United Arab Emirates, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said. The Directorate General of Customs, under the ROP, said the crossing in Al Buraimi Governorate will facilitate the »»»

Interest rates on Romania's RON- and euro-denominated loans have dropped significantly, meaning lower interest costs for the state and more resources that can be directed toward investments or other economic needs, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said last week."Romania's interest rates are falli»»»

Fiscal uncertainty, administrative pressure, and high expectations regarding the modernisation of the tax authority are the main challenges flagged by CFOs in Romania this year, according to the EY Romania Tax Policy Survey conducted in January 2026. These concerns follow a 2025 marked by significa»»»

Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Romania has announced the signing of two guarantee agreements with the Investment and Development Bank (IDB), aimed at strengthening its role in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as public-interest projects with economic and social impact. The first a»»»

Three minutes. That is all it takes to secure an insurance policy through Siguu.ro to protect a business and the owners family’s finances from disaster. The launch of this innovative digital solution, fast and easy to use, marks a significant step in the digitalization of the insurance market and r»»»

The integration in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) offers Romania a reference framework for structural measures which can bring an additional increase of approximately 0.8% - 1% of the GDP, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) Leonardo Badea »»»

In such an environment of stagflation, bankruptcies may occur in certain sectors, and additional caution could be adopted by the banking system and private equity investors, the president of the CFA Romania Association, Adrian Codirlasu, told a Wednesday's specialized event."Last year we had modest»»»

Fondul Proprietatea has played a major role in developing and increasing the visibility of Romania's capital market, and dividends paid to investors during Franklin Templeton's mandate exceed RON 29.2 billion, Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) CEO Remus Vulpescu said on Thursday at the event marking 1»»»

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has participated in the initial public offering (IPO) of ElectroAlfa International SA (EAI), a leading Romanian provider of advanced electrical engineering solutions for critical infrastructure. The bank subscribed EUR 16.4 million in newl»»»

The Investment and Development Bank (IDB) has so far signed 18 guarantee agreements with financial intermediaries in Romania, of which 10 agreements for the portfolio guarantee intended for funding SMEs and eight agreements in support of investments in the public sector. Partnerships geared towards»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to President of the Republic of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nauseda, on the occasion of his country's National Day.»»»

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was in Geneva on Monday ahead of a second round of negotiations with the United States, saying he had “real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal.” According to Tehran, "indirect" Iran-US nuclear talks mediated by Oman will be held on Tuesday, although W»»»

A legal opinion issued by Lebanon’s Ministry of Justice’s Legislation and Consultations Authority, responding to a query from Interior and Municipalities Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Hajjar on expatriate voting, has further unsettled the electoral scene in the country. The opinion addresses whether Le»»»

Two thirds of the Europeans (68%) consider that the security of their country is threatened and the majority (52%) trust that the EU will consolidate security and defense, shows a new Eurobarometre survey published on Friday, before the Council for Security in Munich. The member states with the hig»»»

Romanian consumers are experiencing high levels of anxiety driven by the intersection of geopolitical conflict and economic instability, but they are more concerned about health than the global average, according to a specialist study.Rising concerns about war, safety and economic strain are taking»»»

The idea of introducing an automatic mechanism for commercial addition ceiling when inflation exceeds the alert level of 5% is an economic policy measure very attractive from the election point of view, but full of structural traps, according to an analysis made by Frames, a consulting company. Alt»»»

The Young Entrepreneurs' Association from Romania (PTIR) is calling for the urgent adoption of a comprehensive package of measures to revive the economy and restore predictability and confidence in the business environment, following Romania's entry into a technical recession.According to a press r»»»

The real risk for Romania is not a temporary 'technical recession' but a reversal of the fiscal adjustment process and any deviation from the consolidation path would erode investor confidence, increase financing costs and put pressure on the country's rating, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said»»»

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Romania's Long-Term Foreign-Currency (LTFC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'BBB-' with a Negative Outlook, according to a press release the credit rating agency issued on Friday."Romania's 'BBB-' rating is supported by EU membership and related capital inflows that have s»»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said that 2026 would be a year for economic adjustment, with the effects expected to become visible in the second half of the year, based on measures already adopted and those to be implemented in the coming period, especially in the energy and economic sectors.He thus r»»»