Protesters in New York demand the release of Mohsen Mahdawi after his arrest in April amid an effort by the government to deport him on grounds his acitivism regarding Palestinians and the Gaza war threatened U.S. foreign policy. A federal judge has now thrown out the case. File Photo by Sarah Yene»»»

Alex Soros, heir to his father’s empire, met with some of US President Donald Trump’s leading opponents at the Munich Security Conference. Looking behind the hugs and handshakes, it’s clear that the eye of Soros is fixed on the 2028 election. Soros’ weekend in Munich was a whirlwind of photo opport»»»

Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US aimed at ending Moscow's war in Ukraine have concluded without a breakthrough. The trilateral meetings, held in Geneva, went on late on Tuesday but only lasted two hours on Wednesday. Although US envoy Steve Witkoff had expressed optimism over the talks, bot»»»

TechnologyIndiaIndia AI summit: Brazil's Lula lands, US giants tout plansMark Hallam with AFP, AP, ReutersBrazil's President Lula da Silva has arrived in New Delhi, joining Emmanuel Macron, Pedro Sanchez and other leaders. Meanwhile, Google and Nvidia touted their Indian expansion plans at the AI I»»»

“I conducted the talks independently and I take full responsibility for all the ministers in this cabinet,” said Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, speaking to journalists after presenting the lineup of the caretaker government to President Iliana Iotova. “With Andrey Yankulov as caretaker depu»»»

Nikolay Denkov, co-chair of the parliamentary group Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), commented on Wednesday that he does not see any bright political figures in Andrey Gurov's draft cabinet. "I don't see bright political figures, but an attempt for each minister to understand the wo»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Occupation Forces Escalate Incursions into Southern Syria, Raiding Villages and Detaining Civilians 18-02-2026 15:51 PM QUNAITRA, S»»»

Catholics from different Emirates in the UAE has marked the start of the Lenten season today with Ash Wednesday. For Filipino believers, the tradition is observed wherever they may be across the globe. The cross-shaped ashes in their forehead signifies the beginning of a spiritual time filled with »»»

An international probe into Volodymyr Zelensky could reveal he’s just one link in a sprawling corruption chain, according to Volodymyr Oleynyk, a Ukrainian politician and former MP of the Verkhovna Rada. "Most Western leaders are entangled in Ukrainian corruption schemes," Volodymyr Oleynyk, a Ukra»»»

Before Pakistan commits to sending troops to Gaza as part of the International Stabilization Force it wants assurances from the United States that it will be a peacekeeping mission rather than tasked with disarming Hamas, three sources told Reuters. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set t»»»

Dubai: Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar has never played it safe in her career. Her first film was the incredibly enjoyable romantic comedy 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' in which she played a plus-size woman navigating an arranged marriage to a vain high-school drop out. The self-made star, Bhumi, was brill»»»

The history of wine production is a history of constant adaptation, said shadow rapporteur on the so-called "wine package" in the European Parliament, MP Eric Sargiacomo (France, S&D), during a discussion on the topic "The Future of the Wine Sector: European Perspectives", which took place in Sofia»»»

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Bulgaria is honouring its national hero, revolutionary and freedom fighter Vasil Levski (1837-1873) on the 152nd anniversary of his death. In a declaration delivered on behalf of the parliamentary group Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, MP Elisaveta Belobradova sa»»»

Iran says it temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. The move came as semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported live fire exercises in the vital waterway, through which 20% of the world's oil passes. The move is a rare, perhaps unprecedented shutdow»»»

The Israeli government has scrapped a longstanding rule preventing Israeli citizens from buying land directly from Palestinians, in a bid to establish facts on the ground that would prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. The previous rules—in place since 1967—served as a legal obstacle t»»»

Indonesia is tightening state control over the world's largest nickel supply after years of betting the metal would anchor a homegrown electric-vehicle industry, and just as global demand begins shifting away from heavy reliance on nickel. The move could still ripple through global EV supply chains»»»

The Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented additional findings on the cases at Petrohan and Okolchitsa during a joint briefing, attended by Deputy Appellate Prosecutor Natalia Nikolova, senior officials from the Interior Ministry, and Criminal Police representatives. Aut»»»

The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize. It could begin very soon, U.S. news portal Axios reported on Wednesday. A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weeks-long campaign that would look more like full-fledged war than »»»

Neel let out a piercing cry at the New Sonapur Crematorium on Wednesday as he bid farewell to his father, Ramesh Shukla – the legendary lensman known across the UAE as the “royal photographer”. From Shukla’s wife Tarulatta and grandchildren to relatives, friends and staff at the Four Seasons Ramesh»»»

Dubai: Carrefour is pulling back from more countries as it tries to rebuild profits and simplify its sprawling global business, even as its stores remain a familiar sight for shoppers across the Gulf. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The French supermarket group said on»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov said the nomination of Andrey Yankulov sends a clear message about the importance placed on judicial reform. According to Gyurov, Yankulov’s role in investigating the “Eight Dwarfs” case provides strong moral grounds to demand accountability from the Prosecuto»»»

Day one of three-way peace negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States yielded noteworthy progress, according to the man moderating the talks, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Photo by Al Drago/UPI | License Photo Feb. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff early Wednesday rep»»»

Over 1,040 people on motorbikes and electric scooters were stopped and fined for not wearing crash helmets in the second week of February, police said Wednesday, compared to more than 1,240 a week earlier. Police said 832 of the people were driving motorcycles, 122 were driving electric scooters an»»»

On Monday, February 16, an Israeli drone strike killed a Lebanese citizen in the southern town of Tallousah. But beyond the brief headline lies a deeper story, one that speaks to the resolve of ordinary people who, when confronted with sudden death, choose composure over fear and stand firm to defe»»»

For much of the past decade, bioplastics were viewed as a niche solution driven largely by consumer sentiment and corporate sustainability pledges. That perception is now changing at speed. What was once considered an optional sustainability upgrade is rapidly becoming a supply chain necessity, sha»»»

Economic news, the latest developments in the Petrohan criminal case, and the caretaker government's lineup dominate Wednesday's news media. POLITICS On bTV's morning show, Anton Kutev commented on former president Rumen Radev's upcoming political project. Kutev, former caretaker government spokesp»»»

Speaking to reporters in Parliament’s lobby on Wednesday, National Assembly Deputy Chair and GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader Kostadin Angelov said that his political entity believes the proposed caretaker Cabinet is the personal responsibility of President Iliana Iotova. He was commenting on the lineu»»»

French authorities on Tuesday arrested nine people over the fatal beating of a 23-year-old far-right activist on the sidelines of a protest in Lyon last week. The attack has heightened political tensions ahead of key elections. French authorities on Tuesday arrested nine suspects over the killing l»»»

Dubai: After a morning that already tested the patience of commuters across the emirate, Dubai's roads are now entering what is arguably the most critical window of the entire Ramadan driving calendar, the pre-Iftar rush. With the first fast breaking at approximately 6:18 pm this evening, the next »»»

‌Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Washington in lieu of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" on Thursday, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. A Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters ‌that Fidan, during the ‌»»»

There’s trade deals, there's partnerships and then there's fighter jets. French President Emmanuel Macron is in Mumbai to put the finishing touches on a €30 billion sale of 114 Rafale jets. This third batch comes as France struggles to convince European neighbours to either buy its warplanes, build»»»

A new study by Reveal Marketing Research analysed the meaning of loyalty for Romanian consumers across product and service categories, highlighting shifts in attitudes and behaviours compared with similar research conducted in 2021. According to the study, Romanian consumer loyalty rests on three m»»»

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rebuked US President Donald Trump’s remarks on “regime change” in Tehran, stating the American leader will not succeed in destroying the country, just as his predecessors failed before him. While the US has been pressing Iran into abandoning its nuc»»»

In a declaration delivered on behalf of the parliamentary group of the BSP–United Left, MP Galin Durev said Wednesday that Vasil Levski left not only the idea of liberation but also a moral compass for statehood, for a just, democratic, pure and sacred republic where the law stands above personal i»»»

The United States will deter Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons "one way or the other", US Energy Secretary Chris Wright warned on Wednesday. "They've been very clear about what they would do with nuclear weapons. It's entirely unacceptable," Wright told reporters in Paris on the sidelines of meet»»»

NEW DELHI An Indian professor has sparked ridicule after falsely suggesting a Chinese-made robot dog displayed at a major AI summit in New Delhi was developed by her university. The silver mechanical dog - a model sold by Chinese startup Unitree - appeared at a booth run by the private Galgotias Un»»»

Dubai: Aster Clinics UAE has launched a new specialist diabetes centre in Dubai, together with its public awareness campaign, in response to the country's recent tiered sugar tax that took effect this year. The healthcare provider has opened the Aster Diabetes 360 Care Clinic in Al Qusais, while al»»»

Little Ramadan lanterns and string lights appeared on streets lined with collapsed buildings and piles of rubble in Gaza City, bringing joy and respite as Islam's holiest month began -- the first since October's ceasefire. In the Omari mosque, dozens of worshippers performed the first Ramadan morni»»»

Dubai: In a new move to simplify its services, Meta has announced that it will shut down the standalone Messenger website starting this April. This is not the first time that the tech giant has made significant changes. Last year, it discontinued the Messenger desktop apps for Windows and Mac. What»»»

Bulgaria is entering a new political phase as the caretaker government led by Andrey Gyurov takes shape, with early parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19, 2026. President Iliyana Yotova received Gyurov at “Dondukov” 2, where he formally presented the composition of his interim cabinet. The»»»

A panel of independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council has concluded that millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein point to a “global criminal network” whose actions may amount to crimes against humanity. In a statement released on [Day], the experts detailed that the crimes do»»»

What began as an ordinary shift for Jerusalem bus driver Fakhri Khatib ended hours later in tragedy. A chaotic spiral of events, symptomatic of a surge in racist violence targeting Arab bus drivers in Israel, led to the death of a teenager, Khatib's arrest and calls for him to be charged with aggra»»»

Dubai: As US and Iranian negotiators cautiously sustain indirect talks in Geneva, diplomacy is unfolding against one of the most heavily militarised backdrops in recent US–Iran history. American carrier strike groups sit within operational reach of Iran, while Tehran conducts missile exercises near»»»

Dubai: When the alarm doesn’t go off (or you hit snooze one too many times) suhoor can quickly turn into a rushed glass of water and a promise to 'eat better tomorrow'. But skipping suhoor during Ramadan isn’t just uncomfortable, it can mean low energy, headaches and serious brain fog by mid-mornin»»»

In a declaration delivered on behalf of the parliamentary group of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, MP Yavor Haytov said from the parliamentary rostrum on Wednesday that the day marked 153 years since the snowy February day of 1873, when on the outskirts of Sofia, amid the shouts of a crowd ga»»»

New Delhi: An Indian professor has sparked ridicule after falsely suggesting a Chinese-made robot dog displayed at a major AI summit in New Delhi was developed by her university. The silver mechanical dog -- a model sold by Chinese startup Unitree -- appeared at a booth run by the private Galgotias»»»

The narrative pushed by Zelensky and European leaders that Ukraine is "defending" Europe, is nothing but a big lie, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. The conflict in Ukraine is not Europe's issue, and therefore he considers assertions touted by both Ukrainian and European leaders tha»»»

Long known for its olives and seaside charm, the southern Greek city of Kalamata has found itself in the spotlight thanks to a towering mural that reimagines legendary soprano Maria Callas as an allegory for the city itself. The massive artwork on the side of a prominent building in the city center»»»

Dubai: Dubai South has opened a new aviation support facility designed to help airlines repair and service aircraft equipment more quickly. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The new centre, launched at the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH), will be operated by RH»»»

Dubai: Emirates NBD has approved a draft plan to merge its Indian branches with RBL Bank, subject to the acquisition of a majority stake, marking a key regulatory step in what would be the UAE lender’s largest international banking expansion. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bal»»»