A mischievous cat in eastern China is lucky to be alive after taking an unplanned spin in a washing machine. Jintiao, the adventurous feline, somehow climbed into the drum while the machine was running and spent more than 10 minutes being tumbled around. Miraculously, the only visible damage was a »»»

Around 80% of Romanian Gen Z youth (born between 1996 and 2015) make more purchases during the winter holidays, with nearly two-thirds (64%) influenced by personalised offers, according to the Financial Seasons Barometer, conducted by the CFA Romania Association with the support of UniCredit Bank.T»»»

Starting December 11, 2025, ING Bank customers is able to receive instant euro transfers, free of charge, from all European countries that have adopted the euro currency. They will also be able to receive instant incoming payments from SEPA countries that do not use the euro, from banks that have j»»»

Next year could start with a decrease in mortgage interest rates in Romania, both in the fixed segment, which represents over 98% of total new mortgage loans, and in the variable interest segment, as a result of the decrease in the reference indicator for mortgage loans granted to consumers (IRCC).»»»

The share of problem (non-performing) loans fell to 2.85% in September 2025 for the population, which shows that people are managing their debts well. However, the situation is much worse for companies, the National Bank shows in the Stability Report. Unfortunately, companies have greater problems »»»

Romania has no alternative to fiscal discipline, but the PNRR can represent the engine of investments and can mitigate the contractionary effects coming from fiscal policy, argues Cristian Popa, member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), in the article "The engine of gr»»»

The most recent report published by the European Commission (EC) on the VAT collection deficit (VAT Gap), covering the period 2019 – 2024, indicates a compliance gap of 30% in 2023, at the same level as in 2019. Again, Romania is in last place in this ranking. At the European level, member states l»»»

Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare supported, at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting, the modernization of European customs systems, the acceleration of capital market integration, the strengthening of financial supervision and a more balanced assessment of the impact of EU l»»»

A new shipment of food aid from Russia has arrived in Kyrgyzstan. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported. According to the WFP, more than 1,147 tons of food have arrived at warehouses in Bishkek and Osh. This contribution will support vulnerable families across the country through projects that»»»

Egypt has signaled a new push to deepen economic cooperation with Qatar, announcing a set of investment facilitation measures aimed at boosting bilateral trade and attracting Qatari capital. The announcement came during the Egyptian–Qatari Business Forum held in Cairo on Sunday. Egypt’s Minister of»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library has launched a first-of-its-kind exhibition titled Heritage in Art: Reflections by Qatari Artists, featuring works by seven Qatari artists. The opening took place yesterday in the presence of Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library, H E Dr. Hama»»»

Doha, Qatar: The twelfth annual Gulf Studies Forum concluded in Doha yesterday. The forum was organised by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and held over two days. This year’s forum was structured around two parallel tracks: the first examining “Arab Gulf States and Transformations i»»»

Iran on Sunday said its armed forces are in full readiness to deal with any emergency, while reiterating its continued contacts with the International Atomic Energy Agency to reach a solution to its nuclear file. On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied the presence of»»»

The average net salary in Romania stood at 5,492 lei, in October, up 4.3% compared to the same period last year, with the highest values recorded in information technology service activities (11,810 lei), according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).At the opp»»»

Romania saved, by means of hard measures, less than half of what it could save by VAT incomes at EU27 level. At the same time, reducing VAT gap to 9.5% would bring additional incomes of 1.4% to GDP, according to Social Monitor data, a project of Friedrich Ebert Romania foundation. “Romania has by f»»»

Net investments in the national economy amounted to 143.196 billion lei between January 1 and September 30, 2025, up 3.9% compared to the same period last year, according to provisional data released by the the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Friday.By sector, growth was recorded in new c»»»

Romania did not collect about 35% of the estimated profit tax for 2019, the year analyzed by a European Commission report, the non-collection rate being three times higher than the average rate estimated at 10.9% of the 23 EU member states included in the analysis, representatives of consulting com»»»

Violating international sanctions, such as failing to comply with the freezing of financial funds or continuing transactions with a country targeted by the respective penalties, constitutes a crime and can be punished with imprisonment from one to five years, according to the law promulgated on Fri»»»

Romania's annual inflation rate held steady at 9.8% in November, with services up 10.99%, non-food goods 10.73% and food products 7.64%, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS)."The consumer price index in November 2025 compared with October 2025 was 100.»»»

The BlueSpace Technology company presented on Friday the prototype of the first armored vehicle made entirely in Romania, and the first vehicle intended for series production could be ready at the end of the first quarter of 2026."The way in which public opinion reacted to VLAH, the first armored v»»»

The reconstruction of Ukraine is a continental project whose success will influence the economic and security landscape of Europe, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said on Thursday at the "Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment" conference."The reconstruction of Ukraine is a conti»»»

Several thousand people protest on Saturday evening in Victoriei Square in the capital city Bucharest, showing banners and chanting messages in support of an independent justice system, and demanding the resignation of the current president of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ), Lia Sav»»»

Hundreds of prosecutors and judges have signed so far the message supporting the magistrates who had the courage to make disclosures in the Recorder investigation about the serious problems in the justice system.European Prosecutor's Office chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi heads the list."We a»»»

The Judges' Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) on Friday informed about its decision to notify the Judicial Inspection to verify the irregularities in the justice system signaled by the documentary made by Recorder, an independent Romanian investigative NGO specialising in video an»»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated on Friday, during a visit to the A3 motorway construction site in Oradea County, that rebuilding citizens' trust in institutions ? particularly in the justice system ? is a critical priority for Romania."Restoring trust in institutions is a priority, including the»»»

President Nicusor Dan invites all magistrates who want to raise the issues in the system to a discussion "without time limit", on December 22, starting at 10:00 a.m."When 200 magistrates say that there is an integrity problem in the justice system, things are very serious. I invite all magistrates »»»

Dubai: Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is facing renewed criticism after appearing in a cameo in Dileep’s upcoming film Bha Bha Ba, just days after Dileep was acquitted in the high-profile 2017 actor assault case. The cameo has reignited debate over accountability, gender sensitivity, and professional»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with Modern Home, Belkin products dealership in Qatar, announced the recall of BPB002 Belkin Boost Charge USB-C PD Power Bank 20K, manufactured in China, 2021, and MMA008 Auto-Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit for iPhone, manufactured»»»

Doha, Qatar: University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) represented Qatar at the 10th World InterUniversities Championships in Barcelona, Spain. Competing against over 5,000 athletes from top universities worldwide, UDST participated in male football, male badminton, male swimming, male t»»»

Doha, Qatar: A leading Arabic NLP researcher, Houda Bouamor (pictured) outlines the key challenges for AI in the Middle East—and how CMU-Q is building a new generation of talent to meet them. The future of artificial intelligence in the Middle East hinges on solving its “inclusion” problem, accordi»»»

The US has lifted sanctions on a Brazilian judge who led investigations into Jair Bolsonaro, days after a bill which would cut the former president's jail sentence passed a major hurdle. Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election, but would see his t»»»

Skopje 13 December 2025 (MIA) - Macedonian delegation, headed by Minister of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources Sanja Bozhinovska, along with the oil and gas sector team and executives from Nomagas, MEMO, and MEPSO, visited Belgrade at the invitation of Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubr»»»

Authorities have seized a large quantity of cocaine, estimated by police to exceed one tonne, on a Greek-owned vessel, Kathimerini has learned. The investigation was carried out by Greece’s Narcotics Division in cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to sources, th»»»

Dubai: A civil court in Dubai has ruled that a man must pay Dh239,000 plus legal interest and damages to his former partner after he failed to honour his promise to repay loans she took out to fund an alleged business venture. The dispute came before the Dubai Civil Court of First Instance after th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Duty Free (QDF) announced it has been named the World’s Leading Airport Duty Free Operator 2025 at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala, held on December 6, 2025, at Exhibition World in Bahrain. This is the highest award in the category, recognising Qatar Duty Free’s outstand»»»

Doha, Qatar: Over the course of an entire week, the Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center organised a series of lectures for the Indonesian community, which were attended by hundreds. The topics varied between preaching and Islamic jurisprudence, as the Center is keen to host s»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ambassador of UK to Qatar H E Neerav Patel has congratulated Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the people of Qatar on the occasion of Qatar National Day. In a message, the Ambassador said, “On behalf of the United Kingdom, I extend heartfelt congratulations to the Amir H»»»

Doha, Qatar: CEO and Publisher of the Herald Media Group, Jin Young Choi, has emphasised that credibility remains the bedrock of journalistic influence, particularly highlighting print media’s enduring values, in-depth reporting, and gravitas as its core strengths to adapt and achieve a complementa»»»

Doha, Qatar: The management and students of The Next Generation (TNG) School, Al Daayen Campus, welcomed distinguished guests from the Embassy of Pakistan to their school. The delegation included Atiya Iqbal, Deputy Head of Mission, and Osama Idrees, Community Welfare Attaché. The visit was part of»»»

Tensions between Lebanon and Iran have reached unprecedented levels, reflecting a shift in how Beirut views its ties with Tehran, especially when it comes to Hezbollah’s arsenal and Iranian meddling in Lebanese internal affairs. The tensions are not just playing out in the media, but in official po»»»

Dubai: The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts have expanded their suite of services for complex digital and financial disputes, announcing the introduction of digital custodian and blockchain intelligence tools through regulated third-party providers. The move forms part of the newl»»»

Dubai: A few flights between the UAE and Delhi have been delayed or cancelled due to dense fog that continues to blanket the region. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.UAE-based passengers travelling to India’s capital have been advised to check their flight status before»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Doha International Music and Marching Festival (Doha Tattoo) is set to begin this week. Residents and visitors can now secure their tickets ahead for the four-day programmetaking place on December 16, 17, 19 and 20, 2025 at Katara Cultural Village. This edition will bring together »»»

Doha: Qatar hosted yesterday the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Construction, chaired by Minister of Social Development and Family, H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi. In her remarks, Al Nuaimi said it was an honour for Qatar to assume the presidency of the counci»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Digital Incubation Center (DIC) under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announced the signing of an agreement with Ibtechar Digital Solutions LLC, supported by AlchemistX and Innovation Foundry. The initiative aims to develop and implement the operati»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Day is an opportunity to honour the legacy of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani and to reflect on the values that continue to shape modern Qatar: unity, resilience, and a deep commitment to progress grounded in cultural identity, the Ambassador of Germany H E Oliver O»»»

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could be forgiven for wondering who his true friends are. Once rock solid, his reliance on his two main allies - China and Russia - now appears increasingly uncertain. For years, both countries supported Venezuela's socialist-led government politically, financial»»»

Starting January 1, 2026, Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) ticket offices will accept cash payments in both Bulgarian levs and euros, in line with the country’s adoption of the euro. This transitional period will continue until January 31, after which only euro payments will be accepted from February»»»