Macron invites Aoun to co-chair Paris conference as Haykal meets Berri
President Joseph Aoun on Thursday received an official invitation from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to join him in presiding over the Lebanese Army support conference that will be held in Paris on March 5, the Presidency said. “Your personal participation in this conference will represent»»»
Arab Group calls for UN steps to compel Israel to reverse West Bank annexation
New York, Feb. 19 (SANA) The Arab Group at the U.N. Security Council renewed its condemnation of Israel’s recent measures aimed at asserting control over the West Bank, expanding settlements, enabling settler violence and forcibly displacing Palestinians. The group said these unilateral actions vio»»»
Health Ministry urges citizens, residents to receive vaccinations before travelling for Umrah
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has called on all citizens and residents planning to travel to the Holy Sites to perform Umrah to take the initiative to receive the essential vaccinations that will ensure a safe and healthy journey, foremost among them the meningococcal meningitis»»»
Thrifting in Dubai: Your guide to hidden vintage gems
Dubai: I started thrifting five years ago and I haven’t looked back. It's not just cheap, but makes me feel like I am saving the planet, one Jean Paul Gautier top (yes, I got one in a bin) at a time. Let's also not forget that the fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters, from texti»»»
Media Review: February 19
OVERVIEW All media report on the caretaker cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-designate Andrey Gurov to President Iliana Iotova on Wednesday. Iotova signed a decree appointing the caretaker government on Thursday morning. POLITICS In an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Continue th»»»
Caretaker Labour Minister Hasan Ademov Assumes Post from Borislav Gutsanov
Hasan Ademov took over as caretaker Minister of Labour and Social Policy from Borislav Gutsanov at a ceremony at the Ministry on Thursday. Earlier in the day, the caretaker government of Andrey Gurov was sworn in before the National Assembly. Assuming the post, Ademov said that the caretaker cabine»»»
Caretaker Finance Minister Sets Priorities for Election Funding, Budget Extension
Caretaker Minister of Finance Georgi Klisurski said the caretaker government’s three priorities for his ministry were funding the April 19 elections, extending the budget law and ensuring fair distribution of funds earmarked for municipalities, during a handover ceremony at the Ministry of Finance »»»
Ramadan boosts demand for Qatari dates as strong local production ensures ample availability
Doha, Qatar: Demand for dates is witnessing a marked increase during the holy month of Ramadan, driven by dietary traditions associated with fasting. At the same time, market supply remains diverse and robust, benefiting from continued government support that has strengthened domestic production to»»»
Strike as soon as this weekend? US forces surge near Iran
Dubai: The rapid buildup of US military forces in the Middle East has progressed to a stage where President Donald Trump now has the option of launching military action against Iran as soon as this weekend, The New York Times reported, citing administration and Pentagon officials. The report unders»»»
Summer 2026 Sees New Burgas-Radom Connection for Holiday Travelers
Wizz Air, the leading airline in Bulgaria by market share, has announced the launch of a new direct route connecting Burgas with Radom, Poland. Flights on this line will operate twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, beginning on July 21, 2026, at the peak of the summer travel season. Tickets are»»»
Rumyana Bachvarova Appointed Chef de Cabinet to Caretaker Prime Minister Gurov
Rumyana Bachvarova has been appointed Chef de Cabinet to caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, the government’s press service told BTA on Thursday. Earlier in the day, she attended the handover ceremony at the Council of Ministers. Bachvarova holds a degree in sociology from Sofia University St. K»»»
Court hands 9-year prison sentence to child charity founder
An appeals court in Athens has sentenced the founder of a Greek child charity to nine years and six months in jail for his role in a case involving the abuse of minors under his care, converted into a financial penalty of 10 euros per day. Earlier on Thursday, the court upheld and expanded a guilty»»»
Caretaker PM Gurov Deposits His Resignation Letter as Deputy Governor of BNB
National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan announced on Thursday that Parliament received on the same day a letter from caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, in which he states that taking into consideration his appointment as a Caretaker Prime Minister, he hands in his letter of resignation as a deput»»»
GERB-UDF Say President Iotova Does Bear Responsibility for Caretaker Cabinet
Representatives of GERB-UDF said they disagreed with claims that President Iliana Iotova bears no responsibility for the caretaker government. “With regard to the prime minister, we agree that the choice was limited, but as for the composition of the cabinet, we cannot agree that Iotova carries no »»»
Thai cops go undercover as lion dancers to nab suspected thief
Bangkok: Thai police donned a lion dance costume during this week's Lunar New Year festivities to arrest a suspect accused of stealing about $64,000 worth of Buddhist artefacts, police said Thursday. Officers dressed as a red-and-yellow lion made the arrest on Wednesday evening after receiving a re»»»
Jose Balcazar elected as new Peruvian president
Lima, Peru: Peru's Congress on Wednesday elected lawmaker Jose Balcazar as its new leader, who assumes the country's presidency under constitution. Balcazar was sworn in as Peruvian president shortly after the vote. His term will run through July 28, 2026, in accordance with the current presidentia»»»
UK Police Detain Ex-Prince Andrew Amid Scandal Over Connection With Epstein – Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK police have detained the brother of British King Charles III, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, amid the scandal over his involvement into the Epstein case, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Thursday. The police visit coincided with the prince's birthday; he turns 66 on Februa»»»
Kremlin Says Has Nothing to Add to Characteristics of Geneva Talks Given By Medinsky
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow has nothing to add to the description of the latest round of negotiations on Ukraine in Geneva given by head of the Russian delegation and Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. "At the moment, we have nothing to add »»»
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested on Suspicion of Misconduct in Public Office
UK police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The Thames Valley Police, an agency that covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, said it was “assessing” reports that the former Prince Andrew sent trade reports »»»
Ukraine's officials to boycott Paralympics over Russian flag decision
Ukrainian officials will boycott the Paralympic Winter Games, Kyiv said on Wednesday, after the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flag. The EU's sports commissioner Glenn Micallef said he would also skip the opening ceremony. »»»
West Bank: Israeli occupation forces begin demolishing a Palestinian home in the Ein Al-Bayda area of the northern Jordan Valley - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe West Bank: Israeli occupation forces begin demolishing a Palestinian home in the Ein Al-Bayda area of the northern Jordan Valley 19-02-2026»»»
Poultry population in Kyrgyzstan reached 8.6 million in 2025 - | 24.KG
The poultry population in Kyrgyzstan reached 8.6 million in 2025, the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. Total livestock figures at the end of 2025 According to the National Statistical Committee, farms also own 23,751 donkeys, 11,290 rabbits, and 217 camels. Regional d»»»
West Bank: Young Man Martyred in Settler Attack as IOF Arrests Sweep Across Cities
A 19-year-old Palestinian succumbed to his wounds on Wednesday evening after being shot by Israeli settlers, as Israeli occupation forces (IOF) simultaneously launched a large-scale arrest campaign across multiple areas of the West Bank, detaining more than two dozen Palestinians. Young Man Martyre»»»
TISP Renews Allegations of Caretaker Cabinet's Links to Petrohan Case
On the day the caretaker cabinet took the oath of office, There Is Such a People (TISP) again tied the new government to the Petrohan crime case, echoing allegations circulated on Wednesday by TISP itself, Vazrazhdane and MRF-New Beginning. Reading a declaration on behalf of his parliamentary group»»»
Operation starts off Chios to find, raise migrant boat sunk in deadly collision
Authorities on the eastern Aegean Sea island of Chios started efforts Thursday to locate and raise a migrant boat that sank after colliding with a Coast Guard patrol vessel this month, killing 15 people. Coast Guard vessels and divers were in the area of the accident, some 1.5 nautical miles off th»»»
Judges College Relieves Caretaker Minister of Interior Dechev of Sofia City Court Judge Post
The Judges College of the Supreme Judicial Council released Caretaker Minister of Interior Emil Dechev from his post as a judge at the Sofia City Court on Thursday. The decision, taken under the Judicial System Act, took effect from the date of his appointment by decree of the President of the Repu»»»
UK police arrest ex-prince Andrew on suspicion of misconduct
London, United Kingdom: Britain's former prince Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct during his time as a trade envoy, police said Thursday. "As part of the investigation, we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office," th»»»
Djokovic to play at Miami Masters
MIAMI - Serbia's top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic is on the list of participants of the upcoming Miami Masters tournament, the organisers have announced. The 2026 Miami Masters will be played from March 18 through 29. Last year, Djokovic lost to Czech Jakub Mensik in the final. Other partici»»»
Brazilian Mercenary Beaten to Death at Ukrainian Military Unit in Kiev - Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Brazilian mercenary was beaten to death at a base of the foreign legion of Ukraine's Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) in Kiev, Kyiv Independent reported. A Kyiv Independent investigation revealed that a 28-year-old recruit from Brazil died after being subj»»»
Bulgaria: Peevski Rejects Gyurov Cabinet, Citing Threats to Children and Morality
Delyan Peevski, leader of the DPS-New Beginning parliamentary group, issued a strongly worded statement in response to the swearing-in of the “Gyurov” caretaker government before the National Assembly. Peevski said his group did not honor the oath of the new cabinet, arguing that it “does not repre»»»
UN: At Least 15 Children Killed in Sudan Drone Strike
A drone strike on a displacement camp in Sudan killed at least 15 children earlier this week, the United Nations reported late on Wednesday. "On Monday 16 February, at least 15 children were reportedly killed and 10 wounded after a drone strike on a displacement camp in Al Sunut, West Kordofan," th»»»
UAE joins global AI push as 58 nations back cooperation roadmap
Dubai: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the opening session of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on behalf of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, joining global leaders in discussions focused on expanding international coopera»»»
MECh Leader Says New Caretaker Cabinet Includes “Shocking Names” and Will Not Receive Party Support
Commenting on the composition of the new caretaker cabinet, Radostin Vasilev, Chair of the Morality, Unity, Honour party (MECh), said that the line-up contained what he described as “shocking names” that could not receive his party’s backing. Vasilev singled out Stoil Tzitzelkov, noting that he had»»»
Legislature Makes Public Part of National Register of Cases of Paedophilia
Part of the data in the National Register of Cases of Paedophilia will be made public, the National Assembly decided on Thursday. The legislature approved unanimously, at first and second reading in one sitting, a bill amending the Child Protection Act, submitted by Kostadin Kostadinov (Vazrazhdane»»»
Mixed Reactions to Bulgaria’s Caretaker Cabinet as Opposition Questions Choice of Deputy PM
Deputy Chairwoman of the GERB parliamentary group, Denitsa Sacheva, voiced strong criticism of the new caretaker government immediately after its swearing-in, calling the appointment of the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for fair elections a “false start.” Speaking to journalists in the National»»»
MSF Will Keep Operating in Gaza 'as Long as We Can'
The head of Doctors Without Borders in the Palestinian territories told AFP the charity would continue working in Gaza for as long as possible, following an Israeli decision to end its activities there. In early February, Israel announced it was terminating all the activities in Gaza by the medical»»»
Petroleum Ministry: EGYPS 2026 set to open March 30
The ninth edition of the Egypt International Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (EGYPS 2026) is scheduled to take place from March 30 to April 1, 2026, under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The Supreme Committee for the Egypt International Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (EGYPS»»»
Another Deputy Mayor of Osh city resigns - | 24.KG
Personnel changes are ongoing at the Osh City Hall. Deputy Mayor Mirlan Kazybai uulu has been relieved of his post at his own request. The municipality’s press service announced. According to the press service, he submitted his letter of resignation voluntarily. Mirlan Kazybai uulu served as Deputy»»»
Taalaibek Masabirov elected head of Ala-Too parliamentary group - | 24.KG
The Ala-Too parliamentary group has a new leader. Deputy Baktiyar Kalpaev announced this at a meeting of the Zhogorku Kenesh. He noted that following the appointment of the previous group leader, Zhanarbek Akayev, to another position, the Ala-Too members held an extraordinary meeting and elected a »»»
New PM Gyurov: “No Revanchism, Only Fair Elections and Accountability”
The transition of power in Bulgaria was marked by a formal ceremony in the Granite Hall of the Council of Ministers, where former Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov handed over authority to Acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. Zhelyazkov described the moment as one of responsibility both accepted and »»»
Drive safe this Ramadan: Patience and responsibility on UAE roads
Dear Readers, As we welcome the Holy Month of Ramadan, Gulf News is proud to launch the Safe Roads during Ramadan campaign. This initiative serves as a vital reminder of the importance of patience, responsibility, and respect on our roads during this significant time. Ramadan is a month of reflecti»»»
Vucic: We must build infrastructure for greater AI use and change education system
NEW DELHI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday in New Delhi, where he is attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026, that Serbia must build infrastructure for greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) and change its education system. "Many young Indians came to our booth, and we e»»»
Russian Air Defense Shoot Ukrainian Storage Facilities and Energy Infrastructure
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian air defense systems shot down two guided aerial bombs, 10 HIMARS shells, and 301 UAVs of the Ukrainian armed forces, while Russian troops hit a fuel storage facility and energy infrastructure facilities used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian Defe»»»
Israel on alert on Lebanon border as Iran war threat grows
Israeli forces are on alert on Lebanon’s border out of concerns of a possible escalation with Hezbollah in connection with the growing possibility of a war with Iran, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported. The Israeli media outlet also said that the United States would inform Israel »»»
Rovaniemi in Arctic Finland chosen for NATO’s Forward Land Forces HQ
Once established, the Multinational Staff Element will become Nato’s Forward Land Forces’ permanent presence in the region. Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP) has chosen Finnish Lapland’s capital of Rovaniemi as the location of Nato’s Forward Land Forces (FLF) headquarters, according to a minist»»»
Former Prince Andrew arrested over misconduct in public office
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested by UK police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the BBC has reported. Police are currently considering allegations including that a woman was trafficked to the UK by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for the former prince. Andrew has consis»»»
Coasts and Borders Security graduates 31 officers from specialized maritime courses
DOHA: The General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security celebrated the graduation of four specialized training courses: Watchtower Officer Course, Inland Waters Boat Commander Course, Basic Marine Engineering Course, and Advanced Marine Engineering Course. The courses were attended by 31 train»»»
Thai Cops Go Undercover as Lion Dancers to Nab Suspected Thief
Thai police donned a lion dance costume during this week's Lunar New Year festivities to arrest a suspect accused of stealing about $64,000 worth of Buddhist artifacts, police said Thursday. Officers dressed as a red-and-yellow lion made the arrest on Wednesday evening after receiving a report earl»»»