GERB Chair Borissov to Speak on Resignations After Jan. 1, Calls Euro Area Accession Bulgaria’s Geostrategic Task Ahead of No-Confidence Motion
Commenting on the upcoming no-confidence motion against the government, GERB-UDF Floor Leader and GERB Chair Boyko Borissov told reporters on Thursday that Bulgaria’s entry into the euro area is a geostrategic task that he wants to see through to the end. He said he had informed all partners of thi»»»
Parliamentary e-Government Committee Backs 2026 State Budget Bill at First Reading
Bulgaria’s parliamentary Committee on e-Government and Information Technologies has approved the draft 2026 State Budget Act at first reading, submitted by the Council of Ministers. The decision was passed Wednesday with seven votes in favour, three against and no abstentions. Speaking at the commi»»»
Anti-Government Protest “Resignation! Peevski and Borissov Out of Power” Planned in Sofia on December 10
A protest under the slogan “Resignation! Peevski and Borissov Out of Power” is set to take place in Sofia on December 10, starting at 6 p.m. at Independence Square (ed. the square known as the Power Triangle, where the new National Assembly building is flanked by the Presidency and the Council of M»»»
Paks expansion progressing ahead of schedule
Construction of the Paks nuclear power plant expansion is progressing faster than planned, allowing engineers to begin the technical tasks preceding first concrete as early as next week, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced in Moscow, according to the ministry. Speaking a»»»
Parliamentary e-Government Committee Backs 2025 State Budget Bill at First Reading
Bulgaria’s parliamentary Committee on e-Government and Information Technologies has approved the draft 2025 State Budget Act at first reading, submitted by the Council of Ministers. The decision was passed Wednesday with seven votes in favour, three against and no abstentions. Speaking at the commi»»»
Brazilian lawmakers clash over proposal to slash Bolsonaro’s prison term
Brazil’s Congress descended into chaos on Tuesday when a lawmaker disrupted a lower house vote on a bill that could cut former president Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year sentence for an alleged coup plot. His lawyers separately asked the Supreme Court to release him for surgery and home detention on humani»»»
EU opens probe into Google for training AI without paying content creators
The EU opened an investigation Tuesday to assess whether Google is breaching European competition laws by using online content to train its generative AI models without paying publishers or even giving them the possibility of opting out of having their data used. The EU announced Tuesday it h»»»
Hair loss breakthrough: Going bald? This acne drug could help
A common acne medication may soon offer hope to millions of men struggling with hair loss. Ireland-based pharmaceuticals reported that clascoterone, a topical drug originally approved for acne, produced remarkable hair growth in two large Phase III trials. Also Read: Baldness breakthrough: Taiwanes»»»
Gene Simmons, others testify on proposed American Music Fairness Act - UPI.com
1 of 3 | KISS bassist and co-founder Gene Simmons testified on behalf of music artists who are fighting to be paid royalties by AM/FM radio stations during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 9 (UPI) -- KISS »»»
AI planning, crypto gifting, eSIM roaming: How you shop, travel will change in 2026
Dubai: Forget predictions — the data shows exactly which tech UAE shoppers and travelers already rely on. Eight in ten now turn to AI before buying anything. Crypto is becoming a mainstream gift. Digital wallets are edging out cash. And roaming bills are finally being tackled with eSIMs. Sign up fo»»»
US Judge Orders Unsealing of Grand Jury Transcripts From Maxwell's 2021 Case – Document
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – A US federal judge has ruled to release grand jury transcripts and exhibits from Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal case, paving the way for public access to details surrounding the convicted associate of infamous financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, according to a court f»»»
State Budget Bill Result of Consensus Between Employers, Trade Unions, Says Health Committee Chair
The proposed 2026 State Budget Bill is the result of a consensus reached between employers and trade unions, Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee Kostadin Angelov (GERB–UDF) told journalists on Tuesday. Angelov commented on the revised draft budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF»»»
‘Weak’ people leading a ‘decaying’ Europe – Trump
US President Donald Trump has denounced Western Europe as a “decaying” group of nations led by “weak” leaders, accusing its governments of mishandling migration and failing to help end the Ukraine conflict. In an interview with Politico published on Tuesday, Trump described Western Europe’s politic»»»
Sens. Grassley, Durbin move to protect children from online predators - UPI.com
1 of 3 | Executive Director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Exploited Children's Division Lauren Coffren speaks during a Senate Judiciary hearing on protecting children against online predators at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License P»»»
President Radev Comments on Tuesday's MRF-New Beginning Rallies
Commenting on Tuesday's rallies held by MRF-New Beginning across the country, President Rumen Radev told journalists that Bulgarians are outraged by the arrogance and high-handedness of oligarchs, as well as by the provocations they are orchestrating to discredit the protest of free citizens. The l»»»
Trump hits the road to sell economic message and counter cost of living concerns
US President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday where he is expected to defend his economic record and address voter concerns about the rising cost of living. His trip to the town of Mount Pocono comes as polls suggest public trust in his administration's handling of the econ»»»
Sharjah takes rental services online with end-to-end digital system
Sharjah has taken a major step in streamlining its rental market with the launch of a revamped package of rental services on the Aqari platform, reinforcing the emirate’s push towards fully integrated digital government services. Also Read: Sharjah Municipality simplifies attestation of overdue lea»»»
2026 State Budget Bill Passes Committee Stage at First Reading
The parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday voted, 12-8 with no abstentions, to approve Bulgaria's 2026 State Budget Bill on first reading. This is a second version of the country's annual financial plan, after the first one was withdrawn by the Council of Ministers on December 2. Bud»»»
EU investigates Google over alleged anti-competition violations in AI - UPI.com
The European Union is investigating Google for antitrust practices. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The European Commission launched an investigation Tuesday into Google on allegations of antitrust practices for using websites in its artificial intelligence to the d»»»
Dubai launches citywide one-time contactless hotel check-in system
Dubai: Dubai is rolling out a citywide one-time contactless hotel check-in system that will allow visitors to complete their registration before arrival and bypass reception desks entirely, the government announced on Tuesday. The move positions Dubai as the first destination to introduce the solut»»»
Continue the Change Leader Vassilev: Philosophy of Revised Budget BIll Hasn't Been Changed
“The philosophy of the revised budget bill is the same as the philosophy of the budget that was withdrawn,” Continue the Change chairman Assen Vassilev told journalists after a meeting on Tuesday of the parliamentary budget committee, at which the 2026 budget bill and the draft budgets of the Publi»»»
Proposed State Budget Bill Result of Consensus Between Employers, Trade Unions, Says Parliamentary Health Committee Chair
The proposed 2026 State Budget Bill is the result of a consensus reached between employers and trade unions, Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee Kostadin Angelov (GERB–UDF) told journalists on Tuesday. Angelov commented on the revised draft budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF»»»
Healthcare Professionals without Doctor's Degree to Start Protest Actions over National Health Insurance Fund, State Budget Bills
Healthcare professionals will begin protest actions from December 10 in connection with the new 2026 State Budget Bill and the 2026 National Health Insurance Fund Budget Bill, the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals without Doctor’s Degrees (BAHP) announced on Tuesday. “We want to wor»»»
Congress ups pressure to release boat strike video with threat to Hegseth's travel budget
US lawmakers are trying to pressure the Trump administration to release video of a controversial "double-tap" military strike by limiting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget. The incident on 2 September, in which the US carried out a second deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean, has r»»»
Crunch budget vote risks trouble for French PM
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu faces a crucial test on Tuesday as the country's divided parliament prepares to vote on a 2026 budget bill. If Lecornu fails to win a majority in the National Assembly for his social security budget, it bodes ill for the main budget bill which follows and whi»»»
EU opens antitrust investigation into Googleآ’s use of AI
BRUSSELS, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it has opened a formal investigation into suspected anticompetitive practices by the US company Google, related to its use of online publishersآ’ content as well as materials uploaded by users on the YouTube platform for th»»»
Weaponising secularism: French politicians accused of using ‘laicité’ to target Muslims
Conservative lawmakers have put forward a number of proposals targeting France’s Muslims, including a ban on under-18s wearing hijabs in public, citing the threat from radical Islamists. Critics say the measures violate the very secular rules they profess to defend, and highlight the grow»»»
French Prime Minister Lecornu faces high-stakes social security vote
France’s social security budget heads into a knife-edge vote on Tuesday that could plunge Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's government into a new political crisis and open a €30-billion gap in funding for welfare, pensions and healthcare. France's social security budget faces a knife-ed»»»
Judge orders testimonies in contempt inquiry over deportation flight - UPI.com
A federal judge on Monday ordered two senior Justice Department lawyers, including one who was fired, to testify in a case concerning a deportation flight to El Salvador. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said in sworn statement that she was the one who decided for the plane to complete i»»»
Hamas Reports ‘More Serious’ Talks on Phase Two of Gaza Deal
Hamas sources say negotiations over the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement have entered a “more serious” stage, amid intensified efforts by mediators and growing US pressure on Israel to advance the process. The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hamas is awaiting confirmation from mediato»»»
Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan faces pitfalls as it moves into new phase
With the remains of one hostage still in Gaza, the first phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas is nearly complete, after a two-month process plagued by delays and finger-pointing. Now, the key players — including Israel, the Palestinian militant Hamas group, the U»»»
Bill granting temporary residency to foreigners who invest in Romania, withdrawn from Senate's legislative circuit
The Senate approved on Monday the withdrawal from the legislative circuit of the bill submitted by a group of PNL parliamentarians regarding a "Golden Visa Romania" Residency by Investment Program, which would have offered citizens from states outside the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation a temporary resi»»»
Senate rejects president's objections to anti-extremism bill
The plenary of the Senate adopted on Monday the draft law regarding measures for the prevention and combating of anti-Semitism, Xenophobia, radicalisation and hate-speech in initial form, rejecting the objections formulated by president Nicusor Dan in his request for re-examination of the document,»»»
Florida designates Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR as foreign terrorist groups - UPI.com
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Florida has designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Rel»»»
U.S. Foreign Relations Committee: Syria’s liberation paves the way for a better future
Washington, Dec. 9 (SANA) U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch and committee member Jeanne Shaheen said Monday, that the first anniversary of Syria’s liberation, is an extraordinary achievement that recalls the victory of freedom over tyranny and offers hope for greater peace »»»
QFFD advances global development through signing of agreements exceeding QR2.016bn
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) announced the signing of 18 development and humanitarian agreements, with a total contribution exceeding QR2.016 billion, targeting more than 4.7 million beneficiaries worldwide, on the sidelines of the 23rd edition of the Doha Forum 2025. These agreem»»»
EU Looking at Options for Boosting Lebanon's Internal Security Forces
The European Union is studying options for strengthening Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF) to help free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming the armed group Hezbollah, according to a document seen by Reuters on Monday. A 2024 truce between Lebanon and Israel remains fragile, with Israe»»»
Honduras issues arrest warrant for ex-president pardoned by Trump - UPI.com
Honduras on Monday issued an arrested warrant for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was released from U.S. prison earlier this month after receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump. File photo by Gustavo Amador/EPA Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Honduras' attorney general on Monday night »»»
US Congress Moves Toward Repeal of Tough ‘Caesar’ Sanctions on Syria
A set of tough US sanctions imposed on Syria under its former leader Bashar al-Assad could be lifted within weeks, after their repeal was included in a sweeping defense policy bill unveiled during the weekend and due for votes in Congress within days. The Senate and House of Representatives include»»»
Budget Committee Discusses Revised 2026 Draft Budgets at First Reading
The National Assembly Committee on Budget and Finance is expected today, December 9, to discuss revised versions of the 2026 State Budget Bill, the Public Social Insurance Budget Bill and the National Health Insurance Fund Budget Bill at first reading, according to information published on the legi»»»
Indiana Senate panel approves bill to redraw congressional map - UPI.com
An Indiana Senate panel has approved a bill to redraw the state's congressional districts. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo Dec. 8 (UPI) -- An Indiana Senate panel on Monday approved legislation to redraw congressional district maps that are expected to give Republicans two additional»»»
Abu Dhabi road closure begins as accidents and congestion slow morning commute in Dubai and Sharjah
Dubai: Abu Dhabi Mobility (AD Mobility) has announced a partial closure on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, which commenced on Tuesday, 9 December, and is scheduled to remain in place until Monday, 22 December, as crews carry out essential road maintenance works. The authority advised the public on »»»
Zohran Mamdani will live in historic Gracie Mansion as New York mayor
New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani will live in the Manhattan mansion that his predecessors have called home, leaving behind a rent-stabilised apartment that became the subject of heated debate during his campaign. Gracie Mansion, which dates to 1799, has served at the residence for most New »»»
Philippines: Tissue paper tsunami, ghost pensions, $5.6 million in 'bonuses' drain SSS, in fresh challenge to President Marcos Jr
Manila: State auditors have uncovered a tissue paper tsunami at the state-controlled Social Security System (SSS), local media reported on Monday (December 8). The Commission on Audit (COA) exposed shocking mismanagement at the SSS in 2024, where a staggering ₱13.195 million (about $225,000) was sq»»»
Dileep acquitted: Who is Honey Varghese, the judge behind the actress assault case verdict
In a major development, Malayalam actor Dileep has been acquitted in the 2017 case involving the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent actress in Kochi. Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese cleared Dileep of all charges while convicting six others, including prime »»»
Congresswoman Luna Questions $400Mln Military Aid for Ukraine in 2026 Military Budget
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna questioned the inclusion of hundreds of millions in military aid for Ukraine in the House's draft of the 2026 national defense budget on Monday. “Why is there more funding in NDAA for Ukraine?” Luna wrote in an X post. She stressed that the »»»
Congress to vote on defense bill, release of unedited boat strikes video - UPI.com
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, whose department has faced backlash over video of a second strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, looks on during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on November 7. Congress will vote this month on the annual Defense Dep»»»
Trump says survivors of scrutinised US strike were trying to right boat before 2nd missile was fired
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Monday justified the U.S. military's decision to fire a second missile in a heavily scrutinised attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea by claiming that two suspected drug smugglers were trying to right the vessel after it had capsized in the initial strike. Trum»»»
Doha Forum 2025 concludes with a focus on mediation, negotiation and Africa-GCC collaboration
Tribune News Network Doha Doha Forum 2025 concluded with a dedicated day of partner-led sessions, collaborative engagements, and hands-on negotiation training, reflecting the commitments, insights, and shared priorities that emerged across the global gathering. The discussions reinforced Doha Forum»»»
Alina Habba steps down as U.S. attorney in N.J., becomes Pam Bondi adviser - UPI.com
Attorney General Pam Bondi swears in Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office of the White House on March 28. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Alina Habba announced Monday she is leaving as the top prosecutor in New Jersey after federal courts rule»»»