One day before the announced opposition protest, workers began installing metal shields on the façade of the Prime Minister’s Office facing the main boulevard “Dëshmorët e Kombit” in Tirana. The protest is scheduled to take place on Monday, December 22, at 18:00. The protective barriers were placed»»»

MIAMI (Sputnik) - Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, Kirill Dmitriev, returned for a second day of Ukraine peace talks with US negotiators in Miami on Sunday, a Sputnik correspondent reported. Dmitriev arrived in Miami on Saturday and immediately hea»»»

Doha, Qatar: A report issued by the UK's Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has confirmed that the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) has successfully passed the mid-cycle review for its International Quality Review (IQR) institutional accreditation. This institutional review»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Executive Office of the Arab Weightlifting Federation (AWF) held a meeting on the margins of the Combined Weightlifting Championships, hosted by Doha, featuring the Qatar Cup, the Arab Weightlifting Championship, and the West Asia Weightlifting Championship, amid wide Arab and Asia»»»

Tunis, Dec 21 (TAP) — Five Tunisians have been included in New African magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential Africans, published on December 19.The honourees are: Hazem Ben Gacem, Lotfi Karoui, Semia Gharbi, Myriam Ben Salah, and Fadhel...»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed higher on Sunday by 61.74 points, or 0.58 percent, to reach 10,716.39 points. During the session, a total of 78,051,577 shares were traded, with a value of QR 207,635,426.825, through 13,002 transactions across all sectors. The session saw th»»»

Libya’s Customs Authority reported yesterday that last Friday (19 December) members of the Investigation Unit of the Tripoli Anti-Smuggling and Narcotics Department, assigned to Mitiga International Airport, thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large sum of foreign currency. The suspect, identified as »»»

Vazrazhdane wants resignations at Kozloduy NPP after the second emergency shutdown of Unit 6, said Vazrazhdane MP Yordan Todorov quoted by the party's press service on Sunday. Unit 6 of Kozloduy NPP is getting shut down on Sunday morning, one day earlier than the previously announced date, the powe»»»

Gabes, Dec 21 (TAP) — The 2025–26 thermal cure season in El Hamma, launched in late November and scheduled to run until the end of April 2026, has begun with strong momentum, characterised by a notable influx of patients seeking treatment at the...»»»

DOHA: Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future - a member of Qatar Foundation - and UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Urban Development, establishing a strategic partnership to address sustainabilit»»»

Israel's security cabinet has approved the recognition of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank as the government continues its settlement expansion push. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who proposed the move alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz, said the decision wa»»»

Doha, Qatar: The first edition of the Doha International Music and Dance Festival (Doha Tattoo) concluded at Katara Cultural Village, under the patronage of Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and in the pre»»»

Tunis, Dec 21 (TAP) — Road traffic fatalities in Tunisia were up by 6.27% from the start of the year to December 18, 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, according to the latest data released on December 18 by the National Road Safety...»»»

Cultural House, Bayt Ali Gana, announce yesterday the launch of its first Libyan Film Festival to be held from 26–27 December. The festival, to be held at Bayt Ali Gana’s Janzour location, aims to bring together filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts in a cultural space that highlights the richness and »»»

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that measures aimed at further deepening interaction within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) would be discussed at the leaders' summit in St. Petersburg on Sunday. "I am pleased to welcome you all. Today, as is customary, we will su»»»

Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has urged residents and visitors to use e-scooters responsibly, highlighting key safety guidelines aimed at protecting riders and other road users. E-scooters have become a popular mode of transport in Dubai, offering a convenient and environmentally f»»»

DOHA: The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ has announced the rollout of enhanced tanker-tracking devices powered by 4G and 5G SIM technology, aimed at improving fleet management efficiency, security, and real-time visibility. In a statement, Ashghal said the new system will provide round-the-clock »»»

A high-profile graft scandal unfolded in Ukraine in November when the National Anti-Corruption Bureau watchdog targeted a murky scheme in the country’s energy sector. Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov appealed to FBI Director Kash Patel with a request to pro»»»

The Renewable Energy Authority of Libya (REAoL) reported yesterday that, in cooperation with the Germany’s GIZ, it had held a high-level national workshop to review and discuss the draft renewable energy law in Libya. The workshop was held in Tunis from 18 to 19 December. REAoL said the two-day wor»»»

DOHA: The Orphan Care Center (Dreama), one of the centers under the umbrella of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, and the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) signed a strategic cooperation protocol. This protocol aims to provide a comprehensive package of social services that enhance the quality »»»

DANA Gas, the Middle East’s leading regional private sector natural gas company, has commenced drilling the Balsam-2 development well in the Balsam Development lease onshore Nile delta. The Balsam-2 well is being drilled with the 2000 HP Egyptian Drilling Company’s Rig #48 and targets the Qawasim f»»»

Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has surprised social media followers with photos of a personal meeting with Elon Musk in Dubai, where the Crown P»»»

Abu Dhabi: The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast that tomorrow’s weather will be partly cloudy, with the formation of some low clouds over islands and parts of western areas, accompanied by a chance of light rainfall. The weather is expected to become humid at night and on Tuesday m»»»

Damascus, Dec. 21 (SANA) Gold prices in the Syrian market rose by 15,000 SYP per gram of 21-karat gold on Sunday, reaching 1,375,000 SYP, up from Saturday’s price of 1,360,000 SYP. The Goldsmiths Syndicate set the selling price of 21-karat gold at 1,375,000 SYP per gram and the buying price at 1,34»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF) unveiled on Sunday the details of the Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work. This came during a press conference attended by a contingent of national leaders, representatives of public agencies, civil society institutions, and media pro»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ announced the availability of advanced tanker-tracking devices powered by 4G/5G SIM technology, aimed at improving fleet monitoring efficiency and streamlining operations. Ashghal said the upgrade will enable 24/7 visibility, enhanced security, and »»»

The EU’s failure to grab frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine will reinforce Washington’s view of the bloc as an irrelevant and “impotent force,” British outlet The Economist reported on Friday. EU leaders had long debated providing cash-strapped Kiev a so-called ‘reparations loan’ backed by Ru»»»

Agadir: Mohamed Salah has shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool as he prepares to lead Egypt into the Africa Cup of Nations, Pharaohs coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday. "Salah's morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out wit»»»

Hatif (phone) Libya Company organized a forum last Thursday (18 December) under the banner “Hatif Libya – 15 Years of Communication”, which it said was a pivotal event that combined reflecting on the company’s institutional legacy with a steady march towards a smarter and more efficient future in t»»»

Tunis, Tunisia: The 36th Carthage Film Festival was capped off on Saturday evening at the Opera Theatre of the City of Culture in Tunis. The feature film The Stories was crowned winner of the Golden Tanit for feature-length fiction films, while the Silver Tanit went to the Nigerian film My Father's»»»

Share: The PM says the part of the plan on south of the Litani River is ‘only days away from completion’. Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah in the south of the Litani River before a year-end deadline as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, according to Prime Minister Nawa»»»

San Francisco: A huge electricity outage hit San Francisco on Saturday, leaving 130,000 residents without power for several hours at its peak, with the city’s main provider saying all services would return overnight. Pacific Gas & Electric Company said in a statement on X that power had been restor»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police and the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority have urged residents to follow strict safety guidelines when using heating devices and firewood during the winter season, warning that improper use could lead to fires or dangerous cases of suffocation. The call comes as part of »»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE continues to make strong gains in the tourism sector, strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading travel destinations while attracting steady investment backed by high returns and a competitive business environment. These achievements are part of a long-term national»»»

‎The World Bank’s December 2025 Libya Economic Monitor report highlighted an improvement in Libya’s fiscal management, noting that the government has begun to implement more ‎‎transparent and responsible fiscal policies, which have been reflected in measurable economic indicators.‎ ‎In this context»»»

CAIRO (Sputnik) - The internationally recognized Yemeni government and the rebel Ansar Allah movement (also known as the Houthis) have made progress in prisoner exchange negotiations taking place in the Omani capital of Muscat under the auspices of the United Nations, a Yemeni government source tol»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Speaker of the Shura Council, HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim met on Sunday with the President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Jordan, HE Faisal El-Fayez, who is visiting the country. During the meeting, the Shura Council Speaker emphasized the deep ties that the two brotherly cou»»»

A meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is taking place in St. Petersburg on December 21. Sputnik is live as Russian President Vladimir Putin participates in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg.The meeting is intended to discuss current issues regarding t»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Aid Agency has signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support the delivery of urgent humanitarian and relief aid to the Sudanese people impacted by the repercussions of the ongoing conflict in the country. According to the»»»

Saudi Arabia has surpassed its record for the number of executions carried out annually for a second year in a row. At least 347 people have now been put to death this year, up from a total of 345 in 2024, according to the UK-based campaign group Reprieve, which tracks executions in Saudi Arabia an»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said that the first phase of the weapons monopolization plan related to the area south of the Litani River is "only days away from completion." “The state is ready to move on to the second ‌phase, namely (confiscating weapons) north of the ‍Litani River, based on the »»»

Sharjah Charity International has launched a fundraising drive to build a new school in Kenya at a cost of Dh1.1 million, aiming to improve access to education for children in remote rural communities. The appeal was made during an episode of the charity’s radio and television programme Al Reeh Al »»»

Jerusalem, Dec. 21 (SANA) Israeli airstrikes on Gaza’s Shuja’iyya neighborhood killed three Palestinians on Sunday, in a continued violations of the ceasefire agreement in place since October. Medical officials said one man was killed in a drone strike targeting a gathering of civilians, while two »»»

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday welcomed Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, who is on a working visit to the country. The meeting was held at the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, where Sheikh Mohamed welcomed the French President. Th»»»

Iraq's state oil company, SOMO, reiterated on Sunday its commitment to its oil export deal with the Kurdish regional government ‌which obliges ‌global ‌oil companies ⁠operating in ‌the region to hand over their production of crude oil to the company. SOMO ⁠made the remarks ‌in response to ‍a ‍Reute»»»

Israel's security cabinet approved the establishment of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move the country's far-right finance minister said on Sunday was aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state. The decision brings the total number of settlements approved over th»»»

Cairo, Egypt: The State of Qatar took part in the 136th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Union of Arab Chambers (UAC) in Cairo, Egypt. Qatar Chamber Chairman, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani chaired the QC's delegation in the meeting. The UAC meeting discussed a number of topics relat»»»

Farmers have planned new roadblocks on Sunday in western Greece, while ongoing blockades in the country’s north continue to disrupt traffic. Some farmers’ groups have announced they will unblock highways from Tuesday through Friday to facilitate Christmas travel, before reassessing their actions ah»»»

A 53-year-old man has been arrested in Chania, Crete, after police discovered police and navy uniforms, along with ammunition, at his home. During a search of the residence, officers found and seized 531 cartridges of various calibers, a metal rod, a pistol magazine, a magazine loading device, and »»»

US President Donald Trump is preparing for a more aggressive immigration crackdown in 2026 with billions in new funding, including by raiding more workplaces — even as backlash builds ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Trump has already surged immigration agents into major US cities, where the»»»