Experts discussed various forms of corruption and put forward recommendations for countering them at a public discussion in Sofia organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) in connection with the presentation of its latest report, "Safeguarding the Foundations: Strengthening Instituti»»»

OVERVIEW No single topic dominates Friday’s media. POLITICS Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov in an interview for Bulgarian National Television’s morning programme said that ammunition or weaponry cannot be provided if doing so would violate the law and reduce stocks below the required minimum leve»»»

Almost two thirds of EU companies with at least 10 employees used at least one social media platform in 2025, with Romania among the member states reporting the lowest levels of adoption, according to Eurostat data. Across the EU, 63.57% of enterprises used social media in 2025, up from 61.1% in 20»»»

NEW DELHI: India summoned a senior US diplomat on Friday for a second time in two days, after American strikes on three largely Indian-crewed merchant vessels off Oman killed three Indians. The foreign ministry said it had summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission Jason Meeks to lodge “a strong protest …»»»

Dubai: Majid Al Futtaim has said construction at Tilal Al Ghaf remains on schedule, after recent reporting linked customer notifications to possible delivery concerns at the Dubai residential community. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The developer said the notices wer»»»

JEDDAH: With the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, excitement is building among football fans around the globe, as jersey shops across the Kingdom are witnessing a surge in demand as fans flock to stores to buy jerseys of their favourite teams. A visit by Arab News to Jeddah’s sports market present»»»

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has announced a partnership with German startup Tytan Technologies to develop and produce vehicles designed to combat drones, becoming one of the latest European automakers to move towards the defence sector, News.ro reported. The agreement was signed at the ILA 2026 a»»»

Romania’s average gross salary stood at RON 9,740 in April 2026, down RON 162, or 1.6%, compared with March 2026, while the average net salary fell to RON 5,843, down RON 95, or 1.6%, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Compared with April 2025, the »»»

Toronto, Canada: Canada coach Jesse Marsch said Thursday the chance to lead the team in a World Cup on home soil was the reason he took the job, hours before the co-hosts' opening match against Bosnia-Herzegovina. "If you do this for a living this is where you want to be," the American told reporte»»»

Hungary’s new government has set its sights on introducing the euro as soon as possible, but economists warn that achieving this goal will require major economic adjustments. According to a new forecast by K&H Bank, the earliest realistic date for euro adoption is 1 January 2031, provided the count»»»

NAIROBI: There are many “blind spots” in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a World Health Organization expert said on Friday, suggesting the spread of the deadly disease may be much wider than official estimates. Congo said on Thursday the disease had spread to three new healt»»»

RAMALLAH: The head of the Palestinian Football Association is waiting in Mexico City for permission to enter the United States with other federation heads attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Jibril Rajoub went to the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday. But he is among several »»»

RIYADH: The liquidity levels of most Fitch-rated sukuk are improving, signaling a gradual stabilization in the Islamic bond market following disruptions caused by the Iran war, according to the credit rating agency. In its latest report, Fitch Ratings warned that sukuk liquidity has not recovered t»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have liberated the settlement of Priyut in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "Over the past day, as a result of decisive actions by units of the Tsentr battlegroup, the settlement of Priyut of the Donetsk Pe»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that the text of the memorandum of understanding with the United States has been agreed upon on its main points. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that final points of the peace agreement between the United St»»»

A source close to Iran’s negotiating team has released new details of a reported 14-point draft memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, Mehr News Agency reports. According to the draft, the main points include:1.An immediate and permanent halt to the war on all fronts, inclu»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev Friday said that in the medium term, Bulgaria will continue to implement a declaration signed with Greece by the Rosen Zhelyazkov government in 2025 because it is a sound and rational document covering a five-year period. Radev replied to a question from Peter Petrov MP o»»»

Iran said it had yet to make a final decision on an agreement with the United States to end the war, despite U.S. President Donald Trump saying it had been approived and could be signed in the next few days. File photo by Behnam Tofighi/UPI | License Photo June 12 (UPI) -- Iran said it had yet to m»»»

Dubai: For Sharad Kumar Singh, buying Big Ticket entries has become part of his monthly routine. This month, that routine has paid off in a big way. The 44-year-old software consultant from Uttar Pradesh, India, has won Dh250,000 in Big Ticket's series 287, becoming one of five Indian expatriates w»»»

Ahmedabad, India: Families of those killed in last year's Air India plane crash gathered at the site on Friday to mark the anniversary of the disaster, still awaiting answers about its cause. On June 12, 2025, a Boeing 787 crashed into a medical college shortly after take-off in India's western cit»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The historical resilience and martial feats of ancestors for the glory of the Fatherland stand as an enduring source of inspiration, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a congratulatory message to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on Russia Day on Friday. "Your Holin»»»

TUNIS, June 12 (TAP) — Stakeholders from the tourism sector are drafting a working document containing proposals and strategic recommendations aimed at diversifying Tunisia's various tourism segments.The initiative was discussed during a meeting...»»»

Dubai: Kuwait Airways has launched its first commercial flights to Zurich, adding the Swiss city to its summer network as demand for European travel picks up during the holiday season. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The airline will operate two weekly flights to Zuric»»»

DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre said Thursday he hopes his side can deliver a strong World Cup showing after arriving in the US following an imposed quarantine period linked to the Ebola outbreak. The team, making their first appearance at the tournament since 1974, have relocated preparations abr»»»

US forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones as Tehran appeared to attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, hours after US President Donald Trump announced a "great settlement" to end the war. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. • US President Donald»»»

Aziz Abu Sarah is Palestinian. Maoz Inon is Israeli. Both their families have been bereaved by the endless conflict between their two communities. With their book "The Future is Peace" published in April, the two authors aim to rally international public opinion behind their project to put an end t»»»

François Picard is pleased to welcome Avi Meyerstein, co-founder and president of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP). At a moment when international attention is increasingly consumed by conflict across the Middle East, Meyer argues that the crises currently unfolding are not isolated even»»»

Share: PHOTO- Vice President JD Vance, President Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio in the Oval Office on April 23. Photo: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding President Trump claims will soon be signed calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen immediately witho»»»

Dubai: A viral video showing a young woman driving on a public road while her female passenger sat on the vehicle’s door in a dangerous position to take photos has prompted Dubai Police to issue a strong warning against reckless and life-threatening traffic behaviour. The act, which placed both occ»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has instructed state agencies and local authorities to assist energy companies in conducting public outreach among the population and businesses regarding the water accumulation situation in the Toktogul reservoir. The provision is included in the government r»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations issued a warning about possible mudflows in mountainous and foothill areas of the country from June 13 to 17. According to the ministry, the risk is linked to rising air temperatures and expected localized heavy rains. Rising water levels in rivers acro»»»

Paris, France: Massive cuts to international aid have put the world's response to HIV "in peril", the UN's top AIDS official warned Friday, as a new report revealed the scale of disruption to HIV prevention efforts. Last year, the new administration of US President Donald Trump --- with help from t»»»

Taiwan said that Chinese vessels "openly intruded" on disputed waters around Itu Aba island in the South China Sea on Thursday, staying for 15 minutes before the Taiwanese coast guard expelled them. The island is claimed by Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Vietnam. Taiwan said Chin»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on Friday in Belgrade with Greek FM Giorgos Gerapetritis to discuss further strengthening of Serbia-Greece relations, the region's European perspective and preservation of peace and stability in the Western Balkans. "A cordial and substantial discus»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Finland will not become a nuclear power, but will take part in NATO nuclear planning, President Alexander Stubb said. "Finland will participate in NATO nuclear planning, but Finland will not become a nuclear power," Stubb told Yle, commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron's»»»

Approached by reporters in Parliament's lobby about the USAF aircraft deployed at Sofia International Airport, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said here on Friday: "We gave the US side enough time to be able to plan its steps and seek a new location." In his words, such aircraft should be stat»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) revealed that more than 12,000 air-conditioned rest stations equipped with all basic amenities will be provided for delivery service workers across the UAE, in collaboration with its partners from various government entities and t»»»

On June 12, in Bishkek, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who arrived in the country on an official visit. President Sadyr Japarov noted the particular significance of the current visit, which is the first official visit of the Georgian side t»»»

Police in Northern Ireland Thursday prepared for further disorder, as anti-immigration riots may enter its third night. The unrest erupted after a brutal street stabbing Monday involving Sudanese national Hadi Alodid, who has been charged for attempted murder following his attack on Stephen Ogilvie»»»

Washington, United States: The United States plans to slash the number of fighter jets and warships it provides to NATO in Europe, the New York Times reported on Thursday. The reported cutbacks come as European nations race to bolster their defense capacities since Russia's full-scale invasion of U»»»

Brussels, Belgium: For-hire electric scooters will be banned in Brussels starting next year, authorities in the Belgian capital said, citing safety concerns. The decision makes the city the latest to crack down on the app-rented two-wheelers, with Paris, Madrid, and Prague having taken similar meas»»»

The National Assembly has approved an investment expenditure for the purchase of seven new three-coordinate radar systems intended for the Air Force. The decision passed with broad support, receiving 186 votes in favor, while only three MPs from “Revival” opposed it. The total value of the project »»»

The Board of Governors of the European Investment Bank (EIB), comprised of European Union Finance Ministers, endorsed the Bank’s strategy to deliver on shared policy priorities, with increased financing and risk appetite, deploying its full potential to mobilise investments for energy autonomy, tec»»»

Iran's Mehr news agency published on Friday what it said was a draft deal with the United States to provide a framework for an end to the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon. The agency said the memorandum of understanding would include a "permanent and immediate cessation of hostilities on all»»»

NAIROBI: A World Health ​Organization expert said on Friday that there were many “blind spots” in ‌the Ebola outbreak ‌in ​the ‌Democratic ⁠Republic ​of Congo, ⁠indicating that the full scale of the disease ⁠spread is not ‌yet ‌known. “There ​are ‌still many ‌blind spots in some areas that are high»»»

BANGUI: An Iranian woman is among around two dozens migrants set to arrive Friday in the Central African Republic on a deportation flight from the United States, lawyers said, in the latest example of the Trump administration’s widely criticized deals with African and Latin American nations to take»»»

MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan: The death toll from clashes between police and members of a banned protest movement in Pakistan-administered Kashmir has risen to 20, according to an AFP tally on Friday based on official figures. Supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an anti-government move»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump has agreed that one possible solution to Iran’s nuclear issue would be the dilution of highly enriched uranium inside Iran under the supervision of UN inspectors, Axios reported on Friday, citing a senior source in Washington. The United States had previ»»»

Chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), Walid Gamal al-Din, witnessed the signing of a contract with Steel Con to establish an industrial project in the East Port Said Industrial Zone. The factory, which will produce construction components and related metal parts, costs around two milli»»»