Customs officers seized 82.3 kg of marijuana worth more than BGN 1.3 million in the area of the Danube Bridge at Ruse, the Customs Agency reported on Thursday. The offence was detected on December 17 at around 23:30 hrs after a van driven by a 50-year-old Bulgarian crossed the bridge from Romania i»»»

Dubai: flydubai has urged passengers to allow extra time to reach the airport ahead of their flights, citing unstable weather conditions and their impact on traffic movement across Dubai, as the airline moves to safeguard traveller safety and ensure smooth airport operations. In an advisory publish»»»

A small aircraft has crashed while landing at a regional airport in North Carolina, officials say. Multiple people died in the crash, a local sheriff told CBS, the BBC's US partner. It is unclear how many people were on the plane. The plane crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport arou»»»

Pope Leo XIV pictured in May in St Peter's square in the Vatican. On Thursday, the U.S. born pontiff accepted the resignation of New York's archbishop and appointed Ronald Hicks, formerly bishop of Joliet in the pope's native Illinois, as his successor to lead one of America's largest Catholic dioc»»»

The parliamentary Committee on the Internal Security and Public Order unanimously approved at first reading on Thursday, with 18 votes in favour, a bill amending and supplementing the National Service for Protection (NSP) Act concerning the provision of security for Members of Parliament. The bill »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Western diplomatic missions in Kiev are noticing the growing negative consequences for Ukraine in connection with the case of Volodymyr Zelenskys close associate, Timur Mindich, which has entangled the entire top leadership of the country, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Interior has reaffirmed its full readiness to respond to any emergencies arising from the continuing spell of unstable weather and heavy rainfall across the UAE, with all competent authorities coordinating closely to ensure public safety and rapid intervention. Senior off»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Government has issued a Federal Decree-Law regulating industrial and medical uses of industrial hemp, establishing a new economic sector and paving the way for a promising market aligned with international best practices to support sustainable economic development, enabling its u»»»

Saudi Arabia has achieved an unprecedented milestone, ranking second worldwide in the 2025 GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) released by the World Bank, covering 197 economies. The results were announced at a press conference in Washington on Thursday. According to the GTMI findings, Saudi Arabia excel»»»

Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Supreme Court on Dec. 8 for a hearing in the murder case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. Pool Photo by Sarah Yensel/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The evidentiary hearing in the case against Luigi Mangione in Manhattan ended Thursda»»»

Brazilian opposition senators celebrate during a Senate session in Brasilia, Brazil, on Wednesday after a bill passed that could reduce the sentences of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison, and other participants in the coup plot that followed the 2022 elections»»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (2nd-R) looks on as U.S. special Envoys Jared Kushner (4th-L) and Steve Witkoff (3rd-L) greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (3rd-R) during talks at the Chancellery in Berlin on Sunday. Kushner and Witkoff were expected to hold negotiations with Russian coun»»»

Citizens calling for an independent judiciary gathered outside the Palace of Justice in Sofia on Thursday evening. The facade of the building featured a laser light show displaying slogans such as "Sarafov Out", "Pigsty", and images of a broom, a pig and a red card. The demonstration was organized »»»

LONDON —The Bank of England cut its key interest rate to 3.75 per cent on Thursday after UK inflation eased faster than expected and as the economy weakens."We've passed the recent peak in inflation and it has continued to fall, so we have cut interest rates," BoE governor Andrew Bailey said.The wi»»»

New plaques have appeared under the portraits of former US presidents at the White House. Unlike Donald Trump's previous statements about his predecessors, which have been delivered through speeches, interviews and social media posts, these plaques - installed outside the West Wing - represent a mo»»»

China has condemned the US decision to approve a record $11.1 billion weapons sale to Taiwan on Thursday, urging Washington to “immediately stop” arming the island. The warning follows the Department of War greenlighting a massive package of advanced weaponry for Taiwan. China, which views the self»»»

BELGRADE- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke with US economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs on Thursday, noting that they had discussed all important aspects of the global situation and the circumstances in Serbia and the region, the increasing polarisation in the world, th»»»

Sharjah: The Sharjah Civil Defence Authority has ramped up its preparedness for the upcoming rainy season, stepping up field operations and activating proactive response plans to ensure quick handling of emergency calls. The move includes reinforcing the readiness of teams and equipment, as well as»»»

The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday for the fourth meeting in a row as the economy in the 20 countries that use the euro increasingly looks strong enough to get by without the stimulus of lower borrowing costs for businesses and consumers. Bank President Christine Lagar»»»

Tunis, Dec. 18 (TAP) - The National Energy Conservation Agency (ANME) has signed a new partnership agreement with the Tunisian Guarantee Company (SOTUGAR), aimed at reactivating the loan guarantee fund for businesses investing in energy efficiency...»»»

A teenager who escaped from a French prison in November has been arrested, authorities have told the BBC. The 19-year-old - along with a 32-year-old man - had fled a prison in the eastern city of Dijon. They sawed through cell bars and climbed down a wall using bed sheets, according to local media.»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Civil Defence has placed all its units on heightened alert, mobilising round-the-clock operations across the emirate as unstable weather conditions linked to a low-pressure system continue to affect the country. The General Directorate of Dubai Civil Defence said all 26 of its centre»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric met with Georgian FM Maka Botchorishvili in Belgrade on Thursday to discuss advancement of bilateral cooperation, and thanked Georgia for its firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, noting that, in the same way, Serbia supported Georg»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday that the new Oreshnik missile system was put on combat duty in Belarus on December 17. "The first positions are equipped with the Oreshnik missile system; we received it yesterday and it is now on combat duty," Lukas»»»

The Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 armed group said Wednesday it had begun withdrawing its troops from Uvira, a strategic town in eastern DR Congo that it captured in early December. The AFC/M23 began withdrawing on Wednesday from the eastern DR Congo city of Uvira, which fell to the Rwanda-backed mil»»»

More than 1,000 civilians were killed when Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces took over the famine-stricken displacement camp of Zamzam in Sudan's Darfur in April, according to a UN report published on Thursday. About a third of the victims were summarily executed, says the UN Human Rights O»»»

An Azerbaijani state prosecutor has requested a life sentence for Ruben Vardanyan, a billionaire and former Russian citizen standing trial in Baku on multiple charges, as reported by local media. The Armenian-born businessman gave up his Russian citizenship after relocating to the Nagorno-Karabakh »»»

Thai fighter jets on Thursday struck a building in the Cambodian border city of Poipet, a casino hub popular with Thai gamblers, amid renewed clashes between the neighbouring countries just months after they agreed to a truce brokered by the US and regional powers. Thailand on Thursday bombed a bui»»»

The opposition Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition Thursday submitted a bill amending and supplementing the Election Code, which fully reinstates machine voting. The reasoning of the bill is that "it is a necessary and timely step to strengthen democratic principles, enhance»»»

Dubai: The UAE Football Association announced that the third-place playoff between the UAE national team and Saudi Arabia at the Arab Cup in Doha was officially cancelled on Friday by decision of FIFA, after severe storms and heavy rainfall left the pitch at Khalifa International Stadium unplayable»»»

A husband and wife have died after being trapped in a private sauna room that caught fire in Japan on Monday. Tokyo police are investigating whether a faulty doorknob trapped the couple inside the room at Sauna Tiger, in the city's Akasaka district, local media has reported. Investigators also foun»»»

Brian Walshe was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife, Ana Walshe. File Photo by CJ Gunther/EPA Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Brian Walshe was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for the murder of his wife Ana Walshe. Walshe was also sentenced to no less than 19 years for lying to police and »»»

Saturday marks the 45th Powerball drawing in the current jackpot streak and the longest in game history. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The Powerball prize has risen again with $1.5 billion now up for grabs this weekend with an estimated to be $686.5 million in ca»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s diplomatic mission in Muscat has advised Emirati citizens currently in the Sultanate of Oman to remain vigilant as unstable weather continues to affect parts of the country, bringing thunderstorms and strong winds linked to a low-pressure system. In its advisory, the mission urged »»»

The opposition coalition “We Continuing the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB) is testing whether the momentum of public demonstrations can be sustained even after the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s government. Thousands have gathered in Sofia. Their demand is for fair elections»»»

Tunis, Dec. 18 (TAP) – Around 90% of the Ministry of Environment’s budget for the 2026–2027 period will be allocated to sanitation-related projects, Minister Habib Abid said at an information day to review the progress of the rehabilitation project...»»»

Ajman: The Ajman government has announced that its employees will work remotely on Friday, December 19, in response to the expected weather conditions and ongoing atmospheric fluctuations affecting the UAE. The decision applies to staff across all government entities in the emirate, except for role»»»

Fujairah: His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, issued Law No. (2) of 2025 amending the Human Resources Law for employees of the Government of Fujairah. The law takes into account the stability of the legal and financial status of government»»»

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order that would expand access to cannabis, a long anticipated move that would mark the most significant shift in US drug policy in decades. The order is expected to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I narcotic, to a Schedule III drug - plac»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the US was sanctioning two judges of the International Criminal Court for targeting Israel. "Today, I am designating two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, pursuant »»»

Two of Italy’s top newspapers, La Repubblica and La Stampa, are likely to be sold to Greek media tycoon Theodore Kyriakou, whose political and business links abroad have sparked concern over editorial independence. The proposed sale, which involves foreign investment from Gulf allies and has drawn »»»

A 48-year-old man has been arrested in Nea Filadelfia, central Athens, for stealing containers of olive oil and honey intended for household use from the storage rooms of apartment buildings. He, along with an accomplice, is accused of forming a criminal group and committing aggravated thefts repea»»»

Dubai: Dubai Municipality has urged residents and visitors to avoid beaches and refrain from maritime activities as unstable weather continues to affect the emirate. In a statement, the municipality said these precautionary measures are aimed at protecting public safety during periods of weather vo»»»

General Rudolf Heikal, the Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces, met with French Chief of Defence Staff Fabien Mandon on Thursday to discuss strategic security challenges as international powers move to formalise a mechanism for disarming Hezbollah. The meeting in Paris, attended by repr»»»

Dec. 17 (UPI) -- A 92-year-old Japanese grandmother showed off her skills at popular video game Tekken 8 and was named the winner of an esports tournament. The Care eSports Association, an organization specializing in video game tournaments for senior citizens, announced its 12th biannual tournamen»»»

Dec. 17 (UPI) -- A bus driver in Brisbane, Australia, spotted a koala darting through traffic on a busy road and brought the animal aboard the vehicle to wait for rescuers. Koala Rescue Brisbane South said on social media that the Brisbane CityGlider bus driver spotted the koala on Wiles Street at »»»

Dubai: As a low-pressure system continues to affect parts of the UAE, bringing fluctuating weather conditions to several regions, authorities have reaffirmed their full readiness to respond to any developments through an integrated national coordination framework aimed at protecting lives and prope»»»

The head of the UN refugee agency in Lebanon said Thursday that the move by the United States to lift sweeping sanctions on Syria could encourage more refugees to return to their country. The US Senate voted Wednesday to permanently remove the so-called Caesar Act sanctions after the administration»»»

Bulgaria is ready to act as a responsible and active partner within the European Union’s monetary union, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said Thursday during meetings with EU leaders in Brussels ahead of the European Council session, the government press office reported. Zhelyazkov told European Co»»»

A Bulgarian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Maria Anguelieva, who is the National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism, took part in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's winter plenary session in Jerusalem from December 14 to 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The d»»»