Merz facing “chancellor swap” – media
Senior figures within Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) are allegedly discussing the possible ousting of Chancellor Friedrich Merz due to his record-low approval ratings, according to German media reports. According to Bild, talks about potentially “swapping” Merz for another chancellor ar»»»
Israel declares new 'combat zone' in southern Lebanon, orders evacuations
Israel expanded its military campaign in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, ordering residents to evacuate areas south of the Zahrani River as strikes intensified despite an April ceasefire. The escalation comes as Israeli officials seek to pressure Hezbollah while avoiding actions in Beirut that could»»»
Chinese battery plant in Hungary leaked green goo, turns out it contains substance possibly fatal to fetuses
An independent laboratory investigation has found hazardous industrial substances in the bright green liquid that leaked from the Chinese-owned CATL battery plant in Debrecen earlier this month, contradicting earlier claims by the company that the incident involved harmless coloured water. Weird gr»»»
France votes unanimously to abolish Code Noir, a colonial-era slavery law
French lawmakers voted on Thursday to repeal the Code Noir, a law that regulated slavery in the French colonies that was never formally repealed even after the abolition of slavery in 1848. The vote reopened a debate around reparations in a country that has yet to fully come to terms with its histo»»»
Australia launches $1.4B PFAS 'forever chemicals' legal claim against 3M - UPI.com
3M in the United States and Australia were hit with a major lawsuit filed by the federal government in Canberra for the cleanup costs and health impacts from the firm's alleged use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in fire-fighting foam at dozens of military bases across Australia. File photo »»»
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi Dies After Leading Yemen Through Its Most Difficult Period
Former Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi passed away Thursday morning after a political and military career spanning eight decades, during which he witnessed Yemen’s major political transformations and became closely associated with pivotal periods marked by conflict, upheaval and instability.»»»
Starmer and Tusk sign UK–Poland defence pact amid warnings over Russian threats
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk have signed a new defence pact aimed at deepening military and security cooperation between the two NATO allies. The agreement focuses on strengthening joint capabilities, cyber defence and coordination in response to growing con»»»
Kardzhali Mayor Erol Myumyun Detained in Probe Into Alleged Large-Scale Official Crimes
The mayor of Kardzhali, Erol Myumyun, was detained on Thursday and taken in for questioning, according to reports from BNT and Nova TV citing their sources. Municipal officials confirmed that he was brought in for questioning by law enforcement authorities. According to information from the Kardzha»»»
Progressive Bulgaria Proposes Fixing MP Salaries at 4,326 Euros, Ending Link to Average Wage
Progressive Bulgaria (PB) has proposed fixing the base salary of Members of Parliament at 4,326 euros per month, removing the current automatic link between MPs’ pay and the national average wage. The proposal was outlined by Stefan Belchev, an MP and member of the parliamentary budget and finance »»»
Bulgaria’s Kardzhali Mayor Questioned in Multi-Million Public Procurement Probe
Kardzhali Mayor Erol Mumun was taken in for questioning on Thursday as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct linked to a public procurement contract worth more than 5 million leva, according to Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev. Initial reports from several Bulgarian media outlets claim»»»
Sofia Drug Ring Busted: Seven Arrested in Major GDBOP Raid in Druzhba DistrictOpinions
Anti-drug police in Sofia have detained seven individuals during a coordinated operation targeting a suspected narcotics distribution network operating in the Druzhba district, authorities said. The action was carried out by the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) in cooperati»»»
Bulgargaz Proposes Slight Gas Price Drop for June as European Market Levels Stay HigherOpinions
Bulgaria’s state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz has proposed a slight reduction in natural gas prices for June, suggesting a rate of 35.62 euros per megawatt-hour, according to statements made during an open meeting of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC). Company head Veselin Sinabov co»»»
New Rules of Organization and Procedure: National Assembly Establishes Ad Hoc Committees Upon Proposal of 48 MPs
Lawmakers stipulated in the rules of procedure of the 52nd National Assembly that ad hoc committees are formed for specific purposes, to investigate particular issues and to conduct inquiries. On Thursday, Parliament is debating and adopting the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National A»»»
Australian woman held in custody on charges of traveling to Syria to join Daesh group
MELBOURNE: An Australian mother of four was held in custody after she appeared in a court on Thursday charged with traveling to Syria and joining the Daesh group. Rayann El Houli, 34, was arrested at her Melbourne home eight months after she returned to Australia via Lebanon with her children and a»»»
Lost and found: Reuniting pilgrims in a sea of millions
RIYADH: By the time pilgrims reach Mina, for many fatigue will have settled in quietly. Hours of walking under the sun, waves of people moving in every direction, and the emotional intensity of Hajj can blur even the simplest details. A tent number is forgotten. A familiar face disappears into the »»»
Budapest property prices doubled in 5 years: affordable flats are now out of sight
Buying a flat in Budapest for less than HUF 50 million has become almost impossible, according to the latest analysis sent to MTI by Hungarian property portal Ingatlan.com. The study highlights how dramatically housing prices have risen across Hungary over the past five years, particularly in the c»»»
Japan, Philippines to discuss intelligence sharing: Takaichi
Tokyo: The Philippines and Japan agreed on Thursday to negotiate an intelligence sharing agreement, as the two nations draw closer under the increasing shadow of China's naval ambitions. Visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also said they would upgrade th»»»
Burgas Police Seize Four Types of Drugs Worth EUR 200,000, Arrest Suspect
Police in Burgas seized four types of drugs worth around EUR 200,000 during an operation in the Rudnik district, Denislav Kirov, Deputy Director of the Burgas Regional Directorate of the Interior, told a news conference here on Thursday. A 39-year-old man was arrested for possession with intent to »»»
Siddaramaiah steps down, ending era in Karnataka politics
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday resigned from office, bringing an end to his tenure as the state’s longest-serving chief minister and setting the stage for a leadership transition in the Congress government. The resignation followed weeks of speculation over a possible change in l»»»
Naomi Osaka moves into French Open third round
PARIS: Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the French Open for the first time in seven years Thursday with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 win over Croatia’s Donna Vekic.Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka will next take on American teenager Iva Jovic as both players attempt to reach the last 16 at Roland »»»
Spurning just war, Pope Leo ends Catholic ‘permission slip’ for conflicts
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo this week repudiated a major teaching used by the Catholic Church since at least the fifth century to evaluate when countries might be justified in waging wars, in a move experts said could have long-reaching impact for global powers. The disavowal of the doctrine came in th»»»
Construction of Controversial 22-Storey Building in Sofia's Mladost Borough Confirmed by Municipal Council
On Thursday, the Sofia Municipal Council once again endorsed the report submitted by Mladost Mayor Ivaylo Kukurin and Municipal Councillor Dragomir Ivanov to grant building rights for a 22-storey building with nearly 60,000 square metres of gross floor area on municipal land in the Mladost borough »»»
Indian expat couple’s death in Kerala: UAE friends shocked, struggle to believe murder-suicide theory
Ras Al Khaimah: To those who knew him in the UAE, S Sugathan, 67, was not just a successful businessman. He was the man who quietly did many philanthropic activities including building five houses for poor families back home in Kerala, who never let wealth change him, and who had been nursing a dre»»»
Democratic Bulgaria Slams Government's Silence on Bulgaria's Support for UN Rebuke of Russia
The opposition Democratic Bulgaria has accused the government of failing to publicly acknowledge its support for a United Nations statement condemning Russia’s latest large-scale attack on Ukraine. Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of the Yes, Bulgaria party, which is one of two partners in Democratic Bulga»»»
Vucic: I am proud of all we have achieved in China, I had meetings with 29 companies
SHANGHAI - Wrapping up a several-day official visit to China, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday in Shanghai he was proud of everything Serbia had achieved in the past five days and noted that he had held meetings with representatives of 29 Chinese companies. In a statement to repo»»»
Karnataka techie who quit IT for farming killed by lightning while visiting farmland
Dubai: A dream of starting anew in agriculture ended in tragedy for a 43-year-old IT professional from Karnataka after he was struck by lightning while visiting farmland in Mysuru with his family. Roshan Balakrishna, a native of Madikeri town in Kodagu district, had recently left his job in the tec»»»
Attacker wounds three at Swiss train station with 'bladed weapon': police
An attacker wounded three people with a bladed weapon at a train station near Zurich on Thursday morning before being arrested, Swiss police said. "Shortly after 8.30am (0630 GMT), a man injured three people with a bladed weapon" at the station in the city of Winterthur, northeast of Zurich, police»»»
Kardzhali Mayor Denies Hiding, Wrongdoing After Questioning at Interior Ministry
Kardzhali Mayor Erol Mumun stressed that he is not a criminal and that he has no intention of hiding. He was leaving the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry where he was taken for questioning on Thursday. He pointed out that a summons for 10 am had been served to him at 10:10 am the same »»»
France votes to repeal slavery-era Black Code - finally
Paris: For nearly two centuries after France abolished slavery, the colonial-era law that classified humans as property has remained quietly on its books. On Thursday, the lower house of Parliament voted to wipe it from French law. The National Assembly voted 254-0 - a rare show of unanimity - to a»»»
India’s lunar spacecraft detects possible ice on moon
NEW DELHI: Indian scientists have discovered signs of possible presence of ice beneath shadowed craters near the moon’s south pole using data from a lunar orbiter launched almost seven years ago, the country’s space agency has announced. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter was part of a mission that included»»»
16 girls killed, 74 hurt, after fire sweeps through school dorm in Kenya - UPI.com
At least 16 students were killed and scores were injured in the early hours of Thursday after fire ripped through a boarding school dorm in Kenya's Rift Valley region. File photo by Justin Lane/EPA-EFE May 28 (UPI) -- At least 16 students were killed and 74 were injured after fire tore through a gi»»»
Old apartments attract stronger buyer demand in major Romanian cities amid location and fiscal advantages – Storia analysis
In May 2026, the price gap between old and new apartments varied significantly from one city to another, from -9% in Oradea to +26% in Bucharest. In the capital, old apartments are EUR 520/sqm more expensive than new ones, at EUR 2,535/sqm compared with EUR 2,015/sqm. Similar differences, of EUR 14»»»
From Iran to Oman: Trump’s expanding threat rhetoric
Dubai: When US President Donald Trump warned that “Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow ’em up,” the remark appeared at first like another off-the-cuff comment during a White House Cabinet meeting. While there was initial speculation that Trump may have misspoken and mean»»»
Plans for the Gaza International Stabilization Force are in question as troop pledges stall
BANGKOK: The International Stabilization Force for Gaza was announced with great aplomb at the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in February. The American general tapped to lead the 20,000-strong force said it would ensure “future prosperity and enduring peace” after t»»»
First SAFE-funded contract signed for A8 motorway in Moldova region
The National Road Investment Company, CNIR, has signed the contract for section 1 of the A8 Union Motorway, between Târgu Neamț, Moțca, and Târgu Frumos, marking the first A8 contract financed through the European Security Action for Europe, SAFE, programme. The contract, worth RON 4.87 billion exc»»»
Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ Oman
President Donald Trump has suggested that the US would attack its ally Oman if it attempts to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been closed since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran in February. According to Reuters, Trump made the remarks after Iranian state »»»
“Case of 75” defendants speak out for the first time after proceedings begin - | 24.KG
Former prosecutor general Kurmankul Zulushev and former speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu commented to journalists on the criminal case related to the so-called «Letter of 75.» Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu stated that he has no connection to the document and had neve»»»
Cultural program for 6th World Nomad Games announced - | 24.KG
Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy, Mirbek Mambetaliev, presented details of the cultural program for the 6th World Nomad Games at a press conference. According to him, the cultural component is one of three key pillars of the Games, alongside sports and science. Mambeta»»»
SCNS Academy, Military Institute of Armed Forces expand partnership - | 24.KG
On May 26, the Academy of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) named after Lieutenant General A.K. Bakaev and the Military Institute of the Armed Forces named after Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant General K. Usenbekov signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in educational and scientific »»»
Extreme heatwave soaring through Hungary and Europe, chaotic winds at Lake Balaton
Europe is experiencing an extraordinary early-season heatwave, with temperature records tumbling from the British Isles to Southern Europe as an intense “heat dome” traps hot air above the continent. Record temperatures sweep across the continent Meteorologists say temperatures in several countries»»»
Philippines: Senators Estrada, Escudero, Villanueva, Marcoleta accused of kickbacks, plunder
Manila: The Office of the Ombudsman has accused Sen. Jinggoy Estrada of receiving at least ₱573 million in alleged kickbacks tied to infrastructure projects, marking the third plunder case filed against the lawmaker amid a widening corruption crackdown involving several prominent politicians. On Th»»»
UN Condemns ‘Dangerous Escalation’ in Ukraine War
The United Nations rights chief warned Thursday against a "dangerous escalation" in Ukraine, and Russia's threats to ramp up attacks, urging both sides to return to the negotiating table. "I strongly urge restraint. Resume negotiations and end the suffering," Volker Turk said in a statement. His ap»»»
Defence spending to exceed 3% of EU member states’ GDP by 2040 – Deloitte study
Defense spending is estimated to reach at least 3% of the gross domestic product of the European Union member states by 2040, amid the escalation of security challenges, which require an increased budgetary effort, according to the Deloitte study “The Future of Defence 2040. Four scenarios for Euro»»»
US climber smashes Everest speed record
Kathmandu, Nepal: US climber Tyler Andrews set a new speed record using supplementary oxygen on Mount Everest on Thursday, his team told AFP, summiting the world's highest peak an hour quicker than anyone before. Andrews, 36, climbed the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak in just 9 hours and 55 minutes»»»
UAE strongly condemns Iranian missile and drone attacks on Kuwait, supports Kuwait’s security and sovereignty
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the Iranian terrorist attacks targeting Kuwait with missiles and drones. In a statement, the ministry said the attacks constitutes a flagrant violation of Kuwait’s sovereignty and poses a threat to the country’s security and stability. Get upda»»»
Ukraine prepares ‘strong step’ on Gripen fighter jets, Zelensky says as he visits Sweden
UPPSALA: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday he was working with Sweden on a major defense package, including a “strong step” on Gripen fighter jets, as Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed him to Sweden. Kristersson and Zelensky signed a letter of intent last year u»»»
Ethiopian leader Abiy’s party set to dominate elections despite insecurity
NAIROBI: Ethiopians will vote in parliamentary and regional elections on Monday that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s party is expected to dominate despite significant unrest across much of Africa’s second most populous country. Abiy, 49, has consolidated his grip on Ethiopia’s politics since being app»»»
How Israel Has Emptied Southern Lebanon Far Beyond the Front Lines
The ceasefire agreed in Lebanon last month has brought little respite for civilians, who are being driven from a steadily expanding swathe of the country by a relentless Israeli campaign of evacuations and air strikes. The US-brokered truce announced on April 16, after about six weeks of fighting,»»»
Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 14 in Lebanon’s Tyre Ahead of Washington Talks
The Israeli military early Thursday pounded Lebanon's fourth largest city, killing at least 14 people in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington. Several others were injured in the strikes, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agenc»»»
China's Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete handover, ready for returning to Earth
JIUQUAN: China's Shenzhou-21 and Shenzhou-23 astronaut crews held a handover ceremony on Thursday, during which the Shenzhou-21 crew transferred the keys of the country's space station to the latter. The Shenzhou-21 crew has now completed all planned tasks. The three astronauts will take the Shenzh»»»