Author: OMN AI

Sofia has formally applied for UNESCO heritage status for two of its most celebrated cultural traditions: the city’s Nestinarstvo fire-dancing ritual and the Rose Festival. Officials say the move is aimed at preserving and promoting these unique practices while highlighting Sofia’s cultural identity on a global stage. The application underscores Sofia’s commitment to safeguarding traditions that have shaped the city’s artistic and social life for generations. Both Nestinarstvo and the Rose Festival are deeply intertwined with local history and are considered symbols of the city’s creativity and community spirit. Nestinarstvo: A Living Tradition Sofia and the surrounding regions have a…

Food prices rose again in August, marking the fifth consecutive monthly increase. Official figures show the fastest rise since early last year. The cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks climbed 5.1% over the year. Beef, butter, milk and chocolate saw the steepest increases. Slower growth in other areas, including air fares, kept overall inflation steady at 3.8%, the same as in July. Economists said supermarkets are passing higher minimum wage and National Insurance costs directly to shoppers. Bank of England expected to maintain rates Inflation remains above the Bank of England’s 2% target. Analysts widely expect no change in interest…

Sky has put 900 UK roles at risk as it restructures to compete with US streaming services, with around 600 expected to be cut and 300 redeployed. The latest round affects technology, product, and corporate teams and follows launches of Sky Glass and the budget-friendly Sky Glass Air. Since early 2023, Sky has cut nearly 3,500 jobs, moving away from traditional satellite pay-TV toward internet-based services. More than 90% of new subscriptions now come from Sky Glass and Sky Stream. The cuts bring Sky’s UK workforce back to roughly 23,000, similar to when Comcast acquired the business in 2018. Earlier…

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada banned fibre optic internet in Balkh province to “prevent immorality,” officials confirmed Tuesday. Residents and Work Disrupted Government offices, businesses, schools, and homes lost Wi-Fi, though mobile data remains slow and costly. One resident may move provinces to maintain work. Authorities Promise Alternatives Provincial spokesman Haji Attaullah Zaid said officials will build an alternative network to provide essential connectivity within Afghanistan.

US President Donald Trump announced he will sue the New York Times for 15 billion dollars, claiming defamation and libel. Trump posted on his platform Truth Social that the newspaper has lied and smeared him for too long and that this must end immediately. Criticism of Kamala Harris endorsement The president attacked the Times for endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. He accused the paper of acting as a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party. Trump said he will file the lawsuit in Florida, a Republican stronghold. The New York Times has not yet responded to the claim. Frustration with…

Seizure in Rotterdam Launched the CaseCourt proceedings have begun in Brussels against Belgian national Flor Bressers, who prosecutors say directed a sophisticated cocaine smuggling ring. The inquiry was initiated after Dutch authorities intercepted 3.2 tonnes of cocaine in 2020, hidden inside a shipment of manganese ore at the port of Rotterdam. Investigators argue that this discovery pointed to a larger network moving drugs through European entry points. Authorities Cite Enormous Criminal RevenueProsecutors allege that Bressers profited by around €230m from ten drug consignments, while Brazilian suspect Sérgio Roberto de Carvalho earned close to €200m. With 30 people in the dock,…

Investors poured money into Alphabet after a US judge blocked the forced sale of Google’s Chrome browser. The ruling ended a nearly five-year antitrust case, preventing a breakup of Google’s key businesses. Shares climbed more than 4% in European trading Monday, extending gains above 30% since January. Alphabet now joins an elite group of tech giants valued over $3 trillion, including Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. Nvidia leads at $4.2 trillion (€3.57tr), Microsoft follows at $3.8 trillion (€3.23tr), and Apple stands at $3.5 trillion (€3tr). Court Preserves Google Assets The US Department of Justice had demanded Alphabet sell Chrome and possibly…

The US and China have agreed on a framework to transfer TikTok to US-controlled ownership, marking a major step in a long-running dispute over the app’s security. US trade representative Jamieson Greer confirmed the deal, while treasury secretary Scott Bessent said the commercial terms had been agreed but would not be publicly disclosed. Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang said both sides reached a basic consensus to resolve TikTok-related issues through cooperation. The agreement follows US security concerns over TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, and legislation signed in 2024 requiring the company to sell the platform to a US-approved buyer or face…

Lawyer Henry Clack has extensive experience with Nigerian criminal gangs. Clack, a solicitor at London-based law firm HFW, represents shipping firms targeted by cyber attacks. He says Nigerian groups are the most frequent adversaries. They have carried out multiple high-value “man-in-the-middle” frauds in recent years. How hackers exploit communication This fraud allows hackers to intercept messages between two parties. They impersonate both sides to steal login credentials, financial data, or full system control. Criminals then demand ransom to restore stolen data or surrender access. HFW data shows attacks on ships and ports are rising sharply. Between 2022 and 2023, the…

Former Bank of England policymakers have called on governor Andrew Bailey to ease pressure on the government’s borrowing costs by reducing or halting its bond-selling programme. Four influential ex-members of the Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) said action was needed as Britain’s long-term borrowing costs hit a 27-year high, ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 26 November autumn budget. While global factors, including Donald Trump’s trade war and tensions over the US Federal Reserve, have pushed yields higher, the Bank acknowledged that its £100bn programme of quantitative tightening (QT) is contributing. The central bank is expected to hold interest rates at…