Dubai: Abu Dhabi developer Modon reported Dh3.9 billion in net profit for 2025 after revenue rose to Dh13.8 billion, supported by record property sales and a sharp rise in its project pipeline. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The group’s revenue backlog reached Dh46 bi»»»

Seoul, South Korea: A South Korean court sentenced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison on Thursday after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection with his martial law declaration in 2024. Yoon abruptly declared martial law in a televised address in December 2024, saying drastic measur»»»

Top national security officials have told Donald Trump the US military could be ready to launch strikes on Iran as early as Saturday, reports CBS News. However, the timeline could potentially stretch beyond the weekend. Trump hasn’t signed off on anything yet, the outlet cites unnamed officials as »»»

On Feb. 19, 1878, Thomas Edison patented the first gramophone. 1 of 6 | Thomas Edison poses in his laboratory in Orange, N.J., on June 16, 1888, amidst his first gramophone invention. The first gramophone was patented on February 19, 1878. UPI File Photo | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- On this dat»»»

The Competition Council has authorised the transaction through which Greenvolt International Power SA of Portugal intends to acquire a stake in the share capital of CEF Pelicanu SRL, the competition authority said in a statement.Following the transaction, CEF Pelicanu SRL will be jointly owned by G»»»

The Government approved on last Thursday a draft emergency ordinance on the implementation of EU Regulation 2023/1804 on the installation of alternative fuels infrastructure.According to a Government press release, the Regulation introduces ambitious and detailed standards and requirements, recomme»»»

Nuclearelectrica's Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders approved on Thursday the adoption of the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) project in Doicesti, based on the project's Feasibility Study, the company informed in a report submitted to the Buch»»»

The President of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE), George Niculescu, and the President of the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste, and Water (RAAEY), Konstantinos Tsimaras, on Thursday signed in Athens a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks an important stage in the »»»

Retele Electrice Romania has begun construction works on a new 110/20 kV transformer station in Balotesti, due to be completed in 2027 following an investment of over 75 million RON, financed from the company's own funds.The project is aimed at increasing connection capacity and improve the securit»»»

The so-called "smart operators" have largely blocked Romania's energy system through speculative investments, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Friday, stressing the need to amend regulations to prevent such practices."We have done many things improperly in recent years. Romania currently produce»»»

Romania is becoming a European leader in next-generation nuclear technology following the investment decision for the SMR project at Doicesti, Valentin-Ovidiu Nae, CEO of RoPower Nuclear, said."Today we are not merely talking about an investment, but about a strategic decision for the next 60 years»»»

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is allocating 34 million euros to support the development of three photovoltaic parks in the south-western region of Romania, which will have a combined capacity of 190 megawatts (MW), enough to power over 160,000 homes in the country.According to a press release »»»

The development of the prosumer segment must be supported to cover own consumption, but its unlimited expansion generates significant costs in the market, of up to RON 372 for each MWh fed into the grid, costs that will ultimately be borne by consumers, Chairman of the Association of Energy Supplie»»»

OMV Petrom has announced the completion of new modernisation works at the Petrobrazi refinery, with an investment worth 20 million euros in advanced wastewater treatment systems.'We are constantly investing in modern technologies at Petrobrazi to reduce environmental impact and increase operational»»»

A burglar who specialised in breaking into apartments in the Kalamaria district of Thessaloniki has been arrested and charged with a string of break-ins that allegedly netted him well over €155,000, police said Thursday. The 36-year-old was detained Wednesday in a Kalamaria apartment block trying t»»»

Speaking at the Security Council session on Libya yesterday, Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to the US President on African Affairs said the US is, ‘‘working on concrete steps for economic and military integration by bringing together senior officials from eastern and western Libya.” He said US Afric»»»

A broad coalition of Sudanese political and civil forces has made an urgent appeal to the leadership of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), calling for a “comprehensive humanitarian truce” during the holy month of Ramadan. The initiative calls for a temporary cessation of »»»

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has toured hospitality facilities and visitor services in Madinah as part of the “Spirit of Ramadan” inspection tour, which also included Jeddah and Makkah. New data show visitor numbers exceeded 21 million over the past year, a 12 percent incre»»»

Hungary will halt fuel supplies to Ukraine and will only resume delivery once Ukraine restarts oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, which has been out of service since the end of January, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced after a cabinet meeting on February 18. »»»

Hungary will halt fuel supplies to Ukraine and will only resume delivery once Ukraine restarts oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, which has been out of service since the end of January, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced after a cabinet meeting on February 18. »»»

Hungary will halt fuel supplies to Ukraine and will only resume delivery once Ukraine restarts oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, which has been out of service since the end of January, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced after a cabinet meeting on February 18. »»»

Hungary will halt fuel supplies to Ukraine and will only resume delivery once Ukraine restarts oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, which has been out of service since the end of January, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced after a cabinet meeting on February 18. »»»

Hungary will halt fuel supplies to Ukraine and will only resume delivery once Ukraine restarts oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, which has been out of service since the end of January, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced after a cabinet meeting on February 18. »»»

The government-critical portal atlatszo.hu has presented an “Election Monitor” which, based on a complex methodology, promises a suspenseful outcome for the elections on 12 April. The “Election Monitor” was developed by local politician Venczel Varjasi. The map of the 106 constituencies shows Fides»»»

Skopje, 18 February 2026 (MIA) – The Ministry of Transport has begun a procedure to sign an air transport agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which, as announced on Wednesday, will establish a legal framework for launching regular flights between the two countries. Until now, there has been»»»

An appeals court upheld and expanded on Thursday a guilty verdict against Father Antonios Papanikolaou, founder of Ark of the World (Kivotos tou Kosmou), a child welfare organization, for abuse. Papanikolaou was convicted on nine of 19 charges (versus five by a lower court) of physical abuse and pu»»»

Baghdad - A promotional video produced by a local platform and sponsored by several companies has sparked widespread criticism in Iraq over content described as “irresponsible,” according to the Iraqi Writers and Authors Union, for allegedly insulting the “Greatest Arab Poet,” Muhammad Mahdi al-Jaw»»»

Average household income per person in Bulgaria grew more strongly than spending during the last quarter of 2025, according to data from the National Statistical Institute. The quarterly total income per household member reached BGN 3,687 (€1,880), marking an increase of 9.4% compared to the same p»»»

Vast stretches of a once-verdant acacia forest south of Sudan's capital Khartoum have been reduced to little more than fields of stumps as nearly three years of conflict have fueled deforestation. What was once a 1,500-hectare natural reserve has been "completely wiped out", Boushra Hamed, head of »»»

Plane maker Airbus aims to deliver a record number of commercial aircraft this year, the company said Thursday, capitalizing on "strong demand" and a jump in profit in 2025. "2025 was a landmark year, characterized by very strong demand for our products and services across all businesses," CEO Guil»»»

The Traffic Information Centre of the Romanian Police informed on Thursday morning that there are no motorways closed to traffic as a result of adverse weather conditions.Fog has been reported reducing visibility in traffic to below 200 metres, in places under 50 metres, on the A2 Bucharest-Cernavo»»»

Romania will be Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2028, the world's most important book fair and creative industries event, with a tradition spanning more than 500 years.According to a press release issued on Wednesday by the Ministry of Culture, this status marks Romania's entry into an i»»»

Large-scale emigration has reduced Romania's resident population by around 2.3 million over the past two decades, yet the country is increasingly becoming an attractive destination for foreign workers, according to a study carried out by EY Romania.The report, "Migration at a Crossroads", analyses »»»

The National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has approved renewable electricity generation capacities totalling 849.36 MW and storage capacities of 596 MW, according to a press release sent by the institution on Wednesday.At the meeting of the Regulatory Committee held on Tuesday, 17 February, i»»»

Discussions on a deadline for Romania's joining the eurozone could start in five years' time if the below 3% deficit reduction programme works, governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) Mugur Isarescu, said on Wednesday."When we manage to bring the government deficit to 3% and you see that it »»»

The National Bank of Romania (BNR) has slightly raised its inflation forecast for the end of 2026 to 3.9%, up from 3.7% previously, and now expects inflation to fall to 2.7% by the end of 2027, Governor Mugur Isarescu said on Wednesday when presenting the central bank's latest Quarterly Inflation R»»»

The updated forecast indicates a slowdown in the annual inflation rate in the first quarter of 2026, followed by a temporary increase in the second quarter, mainly due to base effects associated with price reductions in the second quarter of 2025 recorded for energy products, according to the Febru»»»

Public debt does not rise overnight and is not the result of a single decision, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.Exceeding the 60% threshold is the effect of past accumulations rather than a consequence of any specific decision in recent months, he added.'Roman»»»

Foreign Affairs Minister Oana Toiu said on Tuesday, during a meeting with NATO's Special Coordinator for Hybrid Threats, Jean Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, that "Romania is not merely a security beneficiary, but a cyber expertise hub ready to offer solutions to the entire Alliance".According to a pre»»»

The Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, met on Wednesday with Japan's Ambassador to Bucharest, Katae Takashi, during which the two officials discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral defence cooperation.According to a press release from the Ministry of National Defence sent on W»»»

Foreign Affairs Minister Oana Toiu had a meeting on Tuesday with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp, on the occasion of the visit the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe official is paying to Romania between 16 and 18 February.According to a press rel»»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Wednesday welcomed the decision of Romania's Constitutional Court regarding the special pensions of magistrates, stressing that it confirms the correctness of the Government's approach.'The reform of special pensions has been persistently demanded by Romanian society,»»»

President Nicusor Dan is attending in Washington on Thursday the Board of Peace meeting, an initiative of President of the United States of America Donald Trump, with Romania having an observer status.The head of state's delegation includes Presidential Adviser for National Security Marius Lazurca,»»»

Misrata Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday that it is holding an important workshop for members on the implementation of the registration project on Saturday, 21 February at its headquarters. The ACI project is being implemented directly by the “Libya Trade Network,” the legally authorized ent»»»

Ottawa, Feb. 19 (SANA) Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand said Wednesday that Canada had introduced substantial amendments to the “Syrian Economic Measures Regulations,” including lifting the comprehensive economic embargo in place since May 2011. In a statement, Anand said the amendm»»»

Lyubomir Datsov, a member of Bulgaria’s Fiscal Council, has warned that the country faces a growing problem due to the lack of an anti-inflationary policy, despite the current inflation not being overly high. He made the remarks on NOVA NEWS, noting that while some inflation is normal as the econom»»»

Doha, Qatar: The greatest embodiments of Qatar Foundation’s globally unique education ecosystem are its skilled and values-driven students – and across its schools and universities, 16 of these students have been recognised through the 19th edition of the Qatar Education Excellence Award. The stude»»»

US President Donald Trump will preside over the first meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday with unresolved questions on the future of Gaza hanging over an event expected to include representatives from more than 45 nations. The disarmament of Hamas militants, the size of the reconstruction fun»»»

After Zhanar Akayev left Parliament, the mandate in the Zhogorku Kenesh for electoral district No. 8 has been transferred to Taalaibek Sarybashov, who won nearly 9,000 votes (6.18 percent) in the elections. The decision was adopted by the Central Election Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic. As it wa»»»

Dubai: NutraONE, a nutraceutical and wellness distribution company, has announced an exclusive strategic distribution partnership with Nutrifactor Laboratories, one of the region's largest dietary supplement and nutraceutical manufacturer, to expand access to science led health and wellness supplem»»»