Scope Ratings has completed its latest review of Bulgaria and confirmed the country’s long-term credit rating at A- with a stable outlook, alongside short-term ratings of S-1/Stable. The agency highlights several factors that continue to support Bulgaria’s position, most notably the forthcoming ent»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s aviation sector posted another month of solid growth in November 2025, with new data from the Civil Aviation Authority showing increases across aircraft movements, passenger traffic, and cargo volumes, underscoring the country’s continued rise as a global transit and tourism hu»»»

US authorities on Friday unsealed the warrant for an oil tanker seized off the coast of Venezuela decried as "international piracy" by Caracas. President Donald Trump's administration has been piling pressure on Venezuela for months, with a major naval buildup in the region that has been accompanie»»»

(News report) KUWAIT, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- Kuwait has witnessed a diplomatic outreach enabling it to expand regionally and globally by broadening strategic partnerships via a series of deals and MoUs covering diplomatic, economic, military, security, health, scientific research sectors and artificial i»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- 1954 -- The Publications Directorate was established by a decision of the Higher Executive Committee, and Bader Khaled Al-Bader was appointed as its director. 1972 -- Rashed Al-Saif, a renowned poet and scholar, passed away at age of 72. 1993 -- Al-Dhuba'iya power transform»»»

Doha, Qatar: Jordan held their nerve to edge past Iraq 1-0 and book a semi-final place at the FIFA Arab Cup 2025 following a thrilling last-eight clash at the Education City Stadium yesterday. A 41st-minute spot kick from Ali Olwan sealed the deal for the Jordanians, who will take on Saudi Arabia f»»»

Dubai: The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast partly cloudy to cloudy weather for Saturday, with a chance of rain in scattered areas, especially along the coast and in northern regions. Conditions are expected to turn more humid overnight and into Sunday morning across some coastal a»»»

Washington: Twenty US states filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, arguing the policy is unlawful and threatens essential public services. The lawsuit targets a policy implemented by the Department of Homeland Security t»»»

Dubai: US President Donald Trump’s decision to allow Nvidia to sell its H200 artificial-intelligence chips to “approved customers” in China is rippling across global tech and geopolitical circles. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.On the surface, the move appears to reop»»»

BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (KUNA) -- European Union governments on Friday approved an agreement to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe, removing a major hurdle to the possible future use of these funds to support Ukraine.Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy and Malta confirmed in a joint state»»»

When China’s President Xi Jinping inaugurated Peru’s Chancay megaport in November 2024, he was doing far more than opening a Chinese offshore project; he was executing a vision that has reshaped global power three times before and is poised to do so again. The $1.3bn deep-water facility, capable of»»»

The operation to refloat the tanker Kairos, which ran aground near Ahtopol, is proceeding on schedule and without delays, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said on Friday. The government approved BGN 1.2 million to finance the operation, and the agreement with the selected contractor is »»»

A large fire broke out on a Turkish car ferry anchored at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa after it was hit in a strike on Friday. The company that operates the Cenk T confirmed the attack occurred at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) shortly after it docked at the Chornomorsk port. Ukraine's President »»»

WASHINGTON, Dec 11 (KUNA) -- The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on six shipping companies operating in Venezuela's oil sector, three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife; and a Maduro-affiliated businessman from Panama.In»»»

When China’s President Xi Jinping inaugurated Peru’s Chancay megaport in November 2024, he was doing far more than opening a Chinese offshore project; he was executing a vision that has reshaped global power three times before and is poised to do so again. The $1.3bn deep-water facility, capable of»»»

Damascus,12. Dec (SANA) Mohammad al Bakour, Head of the Syrian Economists Syndicate, stressed the importance of the U.S. House of Representatives’ vote to repeal the “Caesar Act,” noting that it will help reposition the Syrian economy on sound foundations that directly improve citizens’ lives and s»»»

President Donald Trump might sign an executive order as soon as Monday to compel the federal government to reclassify cannabis and make it legal for medicinal but not recreational use. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Dec. 12 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump has voiced support for r»»»

The Foreign Ministry advises Bulgarian nationals to closely monitor the latest updates on possible transport disruptions in Brussels due to an upcoming strike, the ministry announced on its website on Friday. On December 15, Monday, a general strike and demonstration are planned in Brussels, Belgiu»»»

A nonprofit organisation tasked by the US Congress with helping preserve historic sites has sued the White House to stop construction on President Donald Trump's new ballroom. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the suit on Friday, arguing that the White House failed to seek necessar»»»

A cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia's Portovaya plant was delivered to the Beihai terminal in China on December 8. This marks the first delivery since the facility was placed under US sanctions in January 2025. The development highlights deepening China-Russia energy ties as Moscow s»»»

The European Parliament is set to adopt its negotiating mandate on Mercosur, after which talks on the final shape of a trade deal can begin. The accord with Latin American countries would create a free trade area of more than 700 million people, at a time when the EU is locked in trade conflicts wi»»»

Iran will raise the price of its heavily subsidized gasoline for heavy users on Saturday, state media reported, as the OPEC member seeks to control rising fuel demand without triggering public anger. Proposals to increase Iran's fuel prices, some of the lowest in the world, have long been postponed»»»

BELGRADE - National Bank of Serbia (NBS) FX reserves hit 29,366.6 mln euros at end-November, their highest end-of-month level on record, after increasing by 2.5 mln euros from a month ago, the central bank announced on Friday. In a statement, it said the reserves had covered "164.2 pct of money sup»»»

Gaza: A wave of severe weather and extreme cold that has been hitting the Gaza Strip since yesterday has caused the deaths of 13 Palestinians in less than 24 hours, in addition to a series of widespread collapses in several areas. Civil defense teams are continuing search and rescue operations unde»»»

Austria’s OMV prepares to lift force majeure and resume its exploration commitments in Libya The National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) Exploration Department discussed last Wednesday (10 December) OMV’s 2025 exploration activities, including post-drill evaluation of discovery B1-106/4 and drilling resul»»»

President Rumen Radev will start the constitutionally required consultations for forming a new government in Bulgaria on Monday, December 15. The announcement came from the presidency’s press office on Friday afternoon, only hours after lawmakers unanimously accepted the resignation of Rosen Zhelya»»»

Ukraine could join the European Union as early as January 2027 under the latest US plan to end the war with Russia, a senior source familiar with the matter told AFP on Friday. The complicated EU accession process usually takes years and requires a unanimous vote from all 27 members of the bloc, an»»»

Israel and Costa Rica have signed a free trade agreement, but it must be ratified by Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly in the face of opposition by pro-Palestinian groups. File Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Costa Rica and Israel finalized a free trade agreement this week that eliminates»»»

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul addresses journalists outside Government House in Bangkok on Friday after dissolving the House of Representatives, the country's parliament. Photo courtesy Royal Thai Government/EPA Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved parliament»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is inflaming tensions and undermining peace talks on Ukraine, and Hungary, as a NATO member, rejects his statements about the need to prepare for a war with Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday. On Thursday, Rutte at »»»

Kilmar Abrego Garcia delivers remarks during a rally before his check-in at the ICE Baltimore Field Office on August 25. A federal judge said Friday that he can't be re-arrested at a similar check-in Friday. File Photo by Shawn Thew/EPA Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Maryland ruled Friday that»»»

PoliticsAfricaTrump's new security strategy: A chance for Africa?Martina SchwikowskiUS President Donald Trump's new foreign policy focuses less on aid and more on trade with African countries, specifically on raw materials. Could this be a wake-up call for Africa to become more economically indepen»»»

The operation to refloat the tanker Kairos, which ran aground near Ahtopol, is proceeding on schedule and without delays, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said on Friday. The government approved BGN 1.2 million to finance the operation, and the agreement with the selected contractor is »»»

Skopje, 9 December 2025 (MIA) - The Consumer Price Index in November, compared to the same month in 2024, increased by four percent, while the Retail Price Index increased by three percent, said the State Statistical Office on Tuesday. Inflation measured through the Consumer Price Index in November»»»

This holiday season isn't quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds. The vast majority of U.S. adults say they've noticed higher t»»»

President Rumen Radev will begin consultations with the parliamentary groups in the National Assembly on Monday, December 15, as part of the process of forming a new regular government, the head of State’s press secretariat said on Friday. The consultations will start at 10 a.m. on Monday with repr»»»

The rescue operation to get Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado out of Venezuela involved disguises, two boats through choppy seas and a flight, the man who says he led it told the BBC. Dubbed Operation Golden Dynamite, the dangerous journey was cold, wet and long -»»»

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to curb individual state-level regulation of artificial intelligence, until a nationwide policy is adopted. A fragmented legal landscape threatens America’s AI competitiveness compared to China, the US federal government has said. The »»»

As the festive season gets into full swing in France, a video showing people seizing Christmas trees has gone viral on social media. Some, including the spokesperson for Eric Zemmour's far-right Reconquête party, are falsely claiming that the footage is proof that immigrants are destroying Chr»»»

The boss of Lululemon Athletica, the brand known for its expensive yoga leggings and other sports clothing, is to leave the company early next year. Calvin McDonald, the firm's chief executive, will depart at the end of January after more than seven years at the helm. The decision comes amid a run »»»

HEADLINES Friday’s print media focus heavily on the political crisis in the country, following the resignation of the government on Thursday, possible early elections, and decisions linked to the adoption of the euro and the 2026 State Budget. 24 Chasa leads with several political front-page headli»»»

US prosecutors on Thursday sentenced cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon to 15 years in prison over fraud tied to the collapse of his company, which erased about $40 billion in investor funds and rattled global crypto markets. Kwon pleaded guilty in New York after an international manhunt and still»»»

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan and caused small tsunami waves but no apparent damage Friday, days after a stronger quake in the same region. Friday's quake occurred off the east coast of Aomori prefecture, in the north of Honshu, the main Japanese island, at a depth of 20 kilom»»»

Dubai: Gold prices pushed to a seven-week high on Friday, riding a weaker dollar, rate cut expectations and fresh safe-haven flows amid geopolitical strains. Dubai’s 24-karat gold reached Dh519.75 per gram by mid-afternoon, up from Dh515.75 the previous day, while the 22-karat variant climbed to Dh»»»

A large-scale operation targeting the illegal activities of an organized crime group running several call centres in Sofia was carried out on December 11, 2025, the prosecution office reported here on Friday. The operation, led and supervised by the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office (SCPO), involved o»»»

Gold prices rose to a seven-week high on Friday, bolstered by a soft dollar, expectations of interest rate cuts and safe-haven demand prompted by geopolitical turbulence, while silver hit a record high. Spot gold rose 0.7% to $4,311.73 per ounce by 0945 GMT, its highest level since October 21, and »»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.3559 dinars for one euro on Friday, which is a slight change relative to Thursday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is down by 0.1 pct against the euro m-o-m and by 0.3 pct y-o-y and relative to the begi»»»

BusinessChinaWhy US giant Chevron, not China, may save oil-rich VenezuelaAstrid Prange de OliveiraChevron is driving Venezuela's oil rebound while China is pulling back. As President Nicolas Maduro's fate grows uncertain, Washington's renewed leverage is reshaping the country's economic and geopoli»»»

An oil tanker seized by US forces off Venezuela’s coast will be taken to a US port, the White House said on Thursday, heightening tensions between the two countries. Washington said it took control of the vessel in a helicopter raid targeting assets linked to President Nicolas Maduro’s government. »»»

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan and caused small tsunami waves but no apparent damage Friday, days after a stronger quake in the same region. Friday's quake occurred off the east coast of Aomori prefecture, in the north of Honshu, the main Japanese island, at a depth of 20 kilom»»»