Dubai: Kuwait is moving towards introducing a regulated freelance visa, as part of an effort to overhaul its labour market and curb the long-standing trade in residency permits. Also Read: New residency fees and conditions set for expat families in KuwaitThe proposal, announced by First Deputy Prim»»»

Al Ain: The city of Al Ain is experiencing a vibrant Ramadan season this year, with a wide-ranging programme of cultural, heritage and community events designed to bring families and visitors together in a unique atmosphere that blends tradition with modern experiences. The Department of Culture an»»»

The European Climate Law does not prescribe specific policies or measures, which allows flexibility for EU Member States and takes into account the regulatory framework for achieving the 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, Plamen Peev, an expert in environmental and climate law and poli»»»

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde has attempted to calm speculation about her stepping down early that has called into question the central bank's separation from politics, telling the Wall Street Journal she expects to complete her term. Lagarde's status as leader of Europe's most »»»

Venezuela's National Assembly on Thursday unanimously approved a long-awaited amnesty law that could free hundreds of political prisoners jailed for being government detractors.»»»

Dubai: Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ver has recently met with Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on development projects in the Philippines. During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on »»»

"I put my trust in everyone joining this Cabinet, assuming that they join with a clear conscience, and today I accept responsibility for this choice," Bulgarian caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov told a news briefing at the Council of Ministers on Friday after accepting the resignation of Stoil »»»

The Bulgarian right-wing political party "Revival" has announced plans to hold local referendums in the municipalities of Sredets and Simeonovgrad concerning the construction of new facilities for accommodating illegal migrants. The party’s leader, Kostadin Kostadinov, made the declaration during a»»»

For the Kurdish people, history seems to repeat itself. Kurdish forces are an asset for the West when allies are needed in the region, but left aside when political choices need to be made. The agreement signed at the end of January between Damascus and the Syrian Kurds dealt a blow to the dream of»»»

DOHA: The holy month of Ramadan continues to consolidate its position as a peak season for the gold market in Qatar, despite unprecedented global price levels for the precious metal, which have recently surpassed the $5,000 per ounce threshold for the first time in history. This year's Ramadan coin»»»

A former Conservative Party member of the British parliament has announced that he has joined Ukraine’s Azov Brigade. The unit was formed in 2014 by far-right activists and football hooligans and was subsequently incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard. Azov’s first commander was white supremaci»»»

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Andrey Yankulov is convening a plenary session of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on February 26, the Justice Ministry press service reported on Friday. The single item on the agenda will be appointing an acting prosecutor general. In his r»»»

POLITICS All dailies report on the new caretaker government, headed by caretaker PM Andrey Gurov. *** Trud writes that Bulgaria’s 106th government, the 12th caretaker cabinet, is sworn in on February 19, 2026, and that political scientist Milena Stefanova warns its work risks sliding into the elect»»»

Mixed-use urban development projects, which combine multiple functions, from retail to office and entertainment have proven their attractiveness to communities, becoming favourite destinations. Their new generation has raised the bar, giving cities back areas that were once grey and underutilized, »»»

Acting Minister of Justice Andrey Yankulov has called a plenary session of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for February 26, with the sole agenda item being the appointment of a new interim Prosecutor General. Yankulov cited the ongoing legal and institutional crisis caused by Borislav Sarafov, w»»»

Massive snowstorms caused power outages and transport chaos in Austria on Friday, forcing the Vienna airport to temporarily halt all flights. Flights departing from the capital, a major European hub, were cancelled or delayed, and more than 230 arrivals were similarly disrupted or rerouted. "Passen»»»

President Iliana Yotova said she would promptly sign a decree relieving Deputy Prime Minister for Fair Elections Stoil Tsitselkov of his duties, provided such a proposal is submitted by caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. She made the statement in an interview with bTV, her first since assuming»»»

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Andrey Yankulov is convening a plenary session of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on February 26, the Justice Ministry press service reported on Friday. The single item on the agenda will be appointing an acting prosecutor general. In his r»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump promised $10 billion and Muslim-majority nations offered funding and troops for Gaza as he inaugurated his "Board of Peace," a new institution whose ultimate mission has drawn questions. Trump brought together allies from around the world -- many authoritarians, with few»»»

Nearly two thirds of business leaders (62%) expect threats facing companies to increase in 2026, yet more than four in five (85%) remain optimistic about the growth prospects of their own organisations, according to a global survey conducted by Grayling among senior executives in IT, finance, energ»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov has publicly addressed the resignation of Stoil Tsitselkov from his post as Deputy Prime Minister for Fair Elections, affirming that the decision to appoint him was entirely his own and that he takes full responsibility for it. Gyurov made his remarks during a»»»

President Iliana Iotova said an initiative for a referendum on the euro adoption by Bulgaria was driven by conflicting assessments from national institutions and European partners about Bulgaria’s readiness to join the eurozone, speaking on This Morning. President Rumen Radev, with Iliana Iotova th»»»

Vazrazhdane Floor Leader Kostadin Kostadinov stated in a declaration from the parliamentary podium Friday that they will hold a referendum at the Sredets, Burgas Region and Simeonovgrad, Haskovo Region on establishing immigration detention centres. He added that this follows a former Zhelyazkov cab»»»

Singapore, Feb. 20 (SANA) Oil prices rose on Friday amid escalating concerns over a potential conflict between the United States and Iran and possible supply disruptions. Brent crude futures gained 25 cents, or 0.4%, to settle at $71.91 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 31 cen»»»

As Iran issues blunt warnings of strikes on US bases and assets if war erupts, Washington is already on the move. Massive C-5M Super Galaxy cargo planes — among the largest military aircraft in the world — have been spotted heading into the Middle East, hauling heavy equipment as tensions spike. Th»»»

Abu Dhabi is stepping into 2026 with a renewed focus on families and young children, building on a year of record-breaking engagement and service expansion, the city’s Early Childhood Authority (ECA) said. Dr Yousef Al Hammadi, Executive Director of ECA’s Knowledge & Impact Sector, highlighted that»»»

Dubai: The UAE economy expanded steadily during the first nine months of 2025, with gross domestic product reaching about Dh1.4 trillion, supported by continued strength in non-oil sectors and broad-based growth across key industries. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Da»»»

Cabinet Chairman Adylbek Kasymaliev participated in the capsule-laying ceremony for the construction of Tamchy Special Financial and Investment Zone (SFIT) in Issyk-Kul district. The Cabinet of Ministers’ press service reported. Speaking at the event, the Cabinet Chairman emphasized that the Tamchy»»»

The United States under President Donald Trump is pressing Nato to significantly reduce its foreign engagements, including scaling down the alliance’s long-running peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Politico reported on February 19, citing statements from four diplomats. »»»

The United States under President Donald Trump is pressing Nato to significantly reduce its foreign engagements, including scaling down the alliance’s long-running peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Politico reported on February 19, citing statements from four diplomats. »»»

Onodrim Industries, a defence technology startup headquartered in Amsterdam and led by Lithuanian executive Aistis Simaitis, has raised €40mn in fresh investment to accelerate its growth, the company said in a press release.  »»»

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, seen here campaigning in November 2025, is to give the Democrats' response next week to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has been tapped to give the »»»

Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania are ready to deploy peacekeeping forces to Gaza, US Major-General Jasper Jeffers has said during the first ‘Board of Peace’ meeting in Washington on Thursday. The troops are to serve in the International Stabilization Force (ISF), while Egypt and J»»»

For FY 2025, the Group recorded revenue of EUR 5,639 million, up 4.5% at constant currency compared with FY 2024. This increase breaks down into a 2.4% rise at constant currency for the Premium, Midscale and Economy division and a 9.8% rise at constant currency for the Luxury & Lifestyle division. »»»

Deputy Prime Minister for Fair Elections Stoil Tsitselkov announced his resignation on Friday, stating that his departure is intended to keep attention focused on the upcoming elections. Speaking at a briefing at the Council of Ministers, Tsitselkov emphasized that the recent attacks on his profess»»»

In 2025, at least 19 people died while working on construction sites. Cholponkul Madirov, Deputy Director of the Service for Control and Supervision of Labor Legislation, announced at parliamentary hearings on the draft law «On Occupational Safety». According to him, the service can only conduct sc»»»

The arrest of Britain’s former prince Andrew underscored the stark contrast between Europe's response to the Epstein files and that of the United States, where only Ghislaine Maxwell is facing justice for her links to the convicted sex offender. Members of Congress from both parties have called for»»»

Doha: QNB Group has announced international football star Achraf Hakimi (pictured) as its new Global Brand Ambassador, marking the start of the partnership with the release of its Ramadan “No matter how big we grow, those who matter most to us remain bigger” TV commercial. The appointment of Hakimi»»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi’s real estate market recorded its strongest performance on record last year, with total transactions reaching Dh142 billion across more than 42,800 deals, reflecting sustained investor demand and rising market confidence. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balance»»»

DOHA: Qatar’s total residential stock reached 404,612 units by the end of second half (H2) of last year, including 255,959 apartments and 148,653 villas. An estimated 1,975 units were delivered during H2 2025. The notable completions included 799 homes in Yasmeen City Phase 1, 350 homes in La Plage»»»

DOHA: The National Planning Council (NPC) has released the new Monthly Industrial Production Index (IPI) of December 2025, calculated using 2018 as base year. The relatives of the four main industrial sectors were as follows: “Mining” (weight: 82.46 percent), “Manufacturing” (weight: 15.85 percent)»»»

On February 16, a delegation from Kyrgyzstan led by First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev paid a working visit to Russia. In Moscow, talks were held with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev on cooperation in the fuel and energy sector. The meeting was attended by»»»

Sharjah: The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has announced a temporary road closure in Sharjah as part of ongoing development works, with motorists urged to plan alternative routes over the weekend. The Ministry said the Mosque Road and the distributor road at the Al Badee intersection, in th»»»

Doha: World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz extended his strong start to the 2026 season with a hard-fought 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Karen Khachanov to book a Qatar ExxonMobil Open semi-final clash against title-holder Andrey Rublev yesterday. Alcaraz recovered from a tight opening-set loss to seal his ma»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to lift living standards as he opened a landmark congress, state media said Friday, offering a glimpse of economic strains within the sanctions-hit nation. Supreme Leader Kim took center stage with a speech to start the Workers' Party congress, a gathering that»»»

British police were searching the former mansion of King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Friday after a photograph of the royal emerging from a police station was splashed on newspapers around the world. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday, his 66th birthday, on susp»»»

1 of 3 | Elfateh Abdullah Idris Adam is one of three leaders of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces sanctioned by the United States on Thursday. Photo courtesy U.S. Treasury/Release Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The United States is sanctioning three leaders of Sudan's warring Rapid Support Forces on accusations of co»»»

On February 16, a delegation from Kyrgyzstan led by First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev paid a working visit to Russia. In Moscow, talks were held with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev on cooperation in the fuel and energy sector. The meeting was attended by»»»

At a zoo outside Tokyo, the monkey enclosure has become a must-see attraction thanks to an inseparable pair: Punch, a baby Japanese macaque, and his stuffed orangutan companion. Punch's mother abandoned the macaque when he was born seven months ago at the Ichikawa City Zoo and when an onlooker noti»»»

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), shown on a screen in the trading room at Hana Bank in Seoul, topped a record-high 5,800 on Friday. Photo by Yonhap South Korean stocks topped the 5,800-point mark for the first time Friday to end at a fresh record high amid expectations that upcoming i»»»