Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he would pursue a policy of "encouraging the migration" of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported Wednesday. "We will eliminate the idea of an Arab terror state," said Smotrich, speaking at an event o»»»

School bus driver Ali al-Dorr averts his gaze every time he passes the rubble of his son's home -- destroyed by an Israeli strike in south Lebanon despite a year-old ceasefire. Though his son managed to evacuate in time, the attack left notebooks, papers and furniture strewn among the debris of the»»»

Damascus, Feb. 18 (SANA) Syria’s Investment Authority met with representatives of the Syrian-British Business Council on Tuesday to discuss expanding cooperation and organizing a future investment forum aimed at attracting international companies. Talal Hilali, head of the Syrian Investment Authori»»»

Meteorologists predict rain in Bishkek during the second half of the week. February 19: Sunny. Nighttime temperatures around +7°C, daytime highs up to +24°C. February 20: Partly cloudy. Night +7°C, daytime +21°C. February 21: Rain expected. Night lows of +5°C, daytime highs up to +11°C. February 22»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set to add around 390,000 new homes by 2030, marking one of the largest residential expansion cycles in recent years, according to a new industry report. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The first-ever Alpen GCC Real Estate 2026 report by Alpen Capital»»»

Iraqi Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declined at the last minute to attend a meeting of the pro-Iran Coordination Framework on Monday night that was aimed at settling the crisis over his nomination as prime minister. Instead of declaring that he was pulling out as candidate, as had been expe»»»

Almost half of Romania, including the Municipality of Bucharest, will come under Code Yellow warnings for cold weather, snowfall and strengthening winds starting Tuesday at 10:00, the National Meteorological Administration (ANM) announced.According to meteorologists, between 17 February, 10:00 and »»»

Bucharest will apply to host the Cities Forum 2027, an event of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission.The event focuses on supporting EU cities, in particular through the urban dimension of Cohesion Policy.The General Council of Bucharest (CGMB)»»»

The number of employees in Bucharest reached, at the end of November 2025 1,113,044 people, dropping by 880 people (minus 0.08%) against the previous month, according to the data centralized by the National Institute for Statistics.Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of employees increa»»»

A number of 4,698,070 pensioners was registered in January 2026 in Romania, 1,489 fewer than in the previous month and the average pension was 2,779 lei, according to the data centralized by the National House for Public Pensions (CNPP).The total value of pension entitlements amounted to 13.055 bil»»»

Romania's population has declined by more than 4.16 million people over the past 35 years, with external migration accounting for 63% of the decrease and negative natural growth for 37%, according to an expert analysis published on Tuesday by the head of the National Institute of Statistics (INS), »»»

The Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), meeting on Tuesday, decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 6.50% per year, the BNR informed in a press release.According to the cited source, the Board of Directors also decided to maintain the interest rate for the len»»»

The annual inflation rate will extend its slow drop in quarter 1, 2026, while in quarter 2 it will register an increase, on the background of influences coming from basic effects, and from the evolution of the quotation of goods and the eliminaton of VAT level for basic goods. Later on, the annual »»»

The state must encourage people to save for the retirement age and, therefore, I supported the European Commission's project on occupational and pan-European personal pension products (PEPP) at the ECOFIN meeting, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said on Tuesday."The future of Romanians' pensions »»»

The minister of defense, Radu Miruta, received on Monday a delegation of the Congress of the United States of America led by senator Jeanne Shaheen with whom he visited the Training Centre for F’16.’The main moment of the meeting was the visit to the F-16 Training Centre, inaugurated in 2023 at the»»»

The report from the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on the elections in Romania is "erroneous" and "partisan", Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen told a Monday's press conference in Bucharest."The report is an ideological, partisan document that no one is paying any attentio»»»

President Nicusor Dan on Tuesday said that economy has an increasingly important weight in international affairs, and Romania must stick to its international commitments, but at the same time pursue its national interest."Issues that seemed stable once and for all are being questioned. Obviously, t»»»

The meeting between President Nicusor Dan and the leaders of the governing coalition, which took place on Tuesday at Cotroceni Palace, has ended.The meeting was called for 3:00 p.m., a day after the coalition leaders established several budgetary measures.Furthermore, the meeting at Cotroceni Palac»»»

Defense minister Radu Miruta, announced on Tuesday, that unless individual purchase programs proposed to be financed through SAFE Program are not signed before May 31 the money will be lost. “You should know those who inquire about SAFE are not very interested in supplying the Romanian Army, but in»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu, Minister of Internal Affairs, had a bilateral meeting in Washington on Tuesday with a delegation of the FBI leadership, consisting of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, the Deputy Director of the FBI, Christopher Raia, and the Ass»»»

President Nicusor Dan believes it is in Romania's interest to take part in the Board of Peace as an observer.The head of state told Radio Romania Actualitati that the organisation has a Charter already signed by member states, which contains provisions that conflict with international commitments u»»»

Sydyk Duishenbiev, nicknamed Pito, who is associated with the former leadership of the Department of the State Committee for National Security for Bishkek, has been placed in pretrial detention until April 15, 2026. According to the press service of Pervomaisky Court, Sydyk Duishenbiev is charged w»»»

The Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria parliamentary group has begun collecting signatures for the resignation of National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan, Continue the Change (CC) Chair Assen Vassilev said on Bulgarian National Television’s morning show on Wednesday. The reason, he added, is t»»»

Tunis, Feb. 18 (TAP) – The weather, on Wednesday, will be cloudy across most regions.Winds will blow from the south. They will be light to moderate from the south, gradually becoming fairly strong near the coasts, the National Institute of...»»»

On Feb. 18, 1979, snow fell in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the first known time. It fell a second time in 2016 and a third time in 2018. 1 of 7 | On February 18, 1979, snow fell in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the first known time. It fell a second time in 2016 and a thir»»»

Al-Bunyan Engineering Consulting Company reported last Monday (16 February) that over the past few months it had completed the first phase of a technical study assessing existing damage at the Zumurrud (Emerald) Shopping Mall Investment Project. The project is part of the Tripoli Gate (Bab Trabulus»»»

Damascus, Feb. 18 (SANA) Syria is seeking to expand economic ties with Uzbekistan in a move aimed at opening Central Asian markets to Syrian exports and attracting investment in key sectors as part of efforts to support the country’s economic recovery. A Syrian economic delegation visited Uzbekista»»»

This Ramadan, ibis Doha invites families, friends, and corporate groups to gather for a thoughtfully curated Iftar Buffet at Charlie’s Corner, a tradition that has become a familiar part of the city’s Ramadan dining scene over the past four years. Priced at QR99 per person, with children aged 4 to »»»

Thousands of Muslim worshipers performed the Isha and Tarawih prayers on Tuesday at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem, marking the first night of the holy month of Ramadan. According to local sources, thousands of Palestinian citizens managed to reach the Mosque despite Israeli restrictions »»»

This Ramadan, Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl–Doha invites guests to discover Sultana, A Royal Ramadan Experience, an opulent sanctuary where revered traditions are gracefully reinterpreted through contemporary sophistication, in harmony with the hotel’s distinguished identity as The Palace of Exp»»»

As the new moon is sighted and nights grow quieter, Ramadan gently unfolds as a season of reflection, connection, and shared rituals. This year, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas invites guests to experience Ramadan Under the Same Moon, a soulful journey where distance fades, time slows, and toget»»»

Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Search-and-rescue personnel working through dangerous weather conditions recovered six skiers who were stranded in Northern California's backcountry following an avalanche on Tuesday, according to authorities, who said rescue efforts were ongoing to locate nine more people unaccoun»»»

Dubai: Emirates Skywards is marking Ramadan with a major rewards campaign, giving members the chance to win a share of 2 million Skywards Miles. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.In a statement issued on February 18, a day after Ramadan was announced in the UAE, the loya»»»

Dubai: eNovate, a subsidiary of eFinance Investment Group, and Cobi, a UAE-headquartered AI-native customer intelligence platform, today announced the integration of Cobi’s AI-powered intelligence infrastructure across its digital payment ecosystem to redefine how young people across Egypt engage w»»»

Tunis, February 18, 2026 (TAP) – The National Agency of Energy Management (ANME) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) announced on Tuesday in Tunis their intention to jointly develop a project centered on a “just and sustainable...»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Next Generation School (TNG) marked its “Efforts for Excellence” team appreciation event, honouring the dedication and impact of educators, researchers, and team members who bring the school’s vision to life each day. The evening brought together distinguished guests from the Minis»»»

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde plans to leave her job before next year's French presidential election to allow Emmanuel Macron to have an input into picking her successor, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Lagarde's term is due to end in October 2027 but some fear that t»»»

The EU is facing the deepest crisis in its history, with economic problems compounded by a lack of leadership and long-term vision in Brussels, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned. Fico made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking at a conference on affordable rental housing in country’s cap»»»

Doha, Qatar: The organising committee of the Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Qur’an Competition at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs has announced the registration of 2,848 male and female contestants for the Junior category (Baraim) in 2026 edition, marking the 31st edition of th»»»

Nando’s is marking the season with specially curated Ramadan sharing platters, bringing together its signature flame-grilled PERi-PERi flavours and generous portions designed for gatherings across Doha. Known for its bold Afro-Portuguese chicken and vibrant dining atmosphere, the popular restaurant»»»

Doha, Qatar: The sports competitions organised by Safari Group in connection with Qatar National Sports Day concluded with enthusiastic public participation. Hundreds of sports lovers took part in the events held across various Safari outlets on February 10th. The main attraction, the arm wrestling»»»

The 2026 SABIS STEAM Competition brought together the largest gathering of young innovators from across the SABIS Network, transforming an ordinary weekend into a vibrant showcase of creativity and future‑ready skills. With record participation, the event welcomed over 500 students from 21 schools »»»

Authorities have scrapped plans to lease the two main sand beaches on the tiny island of Ano Koufonissi to businesses that planned to set up sun loungers and umbrellas there, ending their free and unrestricted use by the public. The Finance Ministry, which is responsible for leasing Greece’s once p»»»

Tripoli Port reported yesterday that a joint technical team from the Libyan Ports Company’s head office and its Tripoli Port branch, led by technicians from the Turkish supplier, Portunus, begun assembling and installing the new Kone Crane-type grab, which recently arrived from head office. The por»»»

The European Commission said it is closely following a proposed amendment to Albania’s Criminal Procedure Code that would bar courts from suspending senior government officials from office. The draft changes, presented Feb. 16 by the ruling majority led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, seek to amend Art»»»

Radisson Blu Hotel, Doha, a landmark destination with nearly five decades of heritage, proudly announces its special offerings for the Holy Month of Ramadan. Blending tradition with refreshing new experiences, the hotel invites residents and visitors to celebrate through curated dining, staycations»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Press Center marked 15 years of the State’s National Sport Day with a panel discussion titled “National Sport Day: Results and Legacy,” held as part of its Press Club activities. The session reviewed the achievements of the initiative since its launch in 2011 and examined its»»»

Britain's annual ‌rate of consumer price inflation fell to 3.0% in January from 3.4% in December, official figures showed on Wednesday. A Reuters poll of economists had shown a median forecast of 3.0% in January and the Bank of England projected earlier this month that the headline measure of infla»»»

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Adverse weather and high winds caused dozens of cars to crash on a southeastern Colorado highway, resulting in four deaths and sending at least 29 people to area hospitals, authorities said. The multi-car pileup occurred at about 10 a.m. MST Tuesday on Interstate 25 near Pueblo, Co»»»

As the Holy Month of Ramadan approaches, The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort and La Marsa Restaurant are preparing to welcome guests to two of Doha’s most refined and memorable Ramadan destinations. Combining timeless hospitality, breathtaking settings, and exceptional culinary experiences, both venues»»»