U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced Friday the suspension of a lottery run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that allocates up to 50,000 green cards to applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | Lice»»»

“Drones today play a key role along the entire line of contact, determining the success or failure of assault units in various situations,” National Defense magazine editor-in-chief Igor Korotchenko said, commenting on President Putin’s remarks at Friday’s year-end presser about Russia’s drone supe»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy Parliament Speaker Marina Ragus said on Friday Serbia was under no obligation to align with the EU foreign and security policy at this time and that 100 per cent alignment was an obligation only right before a country joined the EU. Commenting on a decision by EU member st»»»

Damascus, Dec. 19 (SANA) Syria welcomed on Friday the full repeal of the Caesar Act sanctions, describing the move as a significant step toward easing the burdens on the Syrian people and opening the door to recovery and stability. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to the Uni»»»

GENEVA, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Friday for the urgent restoration of evacuation from Gaza to the West bank, including East Jerusalem, and to other countries.In a post on (X), Ghebreyesus warned that more than 1,092 p»»»

The South African government has dismissed accusations by the US that it harassed and intimidated American officials during a raid on a centre processing applications by white South Africans for refugee status in the US. Tuesday's raid saw seven Kenyans expelled from South Africa for working in the»»»

Civilian and military representatives from Lebanon and Israel met on Friday as part of the 'Mechanism' committee monitoring implementation of the year-long Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said, noting that the "security and economic tracks" advanced "in parallel" in the talks»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized the EU’s decision to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion interest-free loan, warning that the move brings the bloc “closer to war.” He argued, however, that an alternative plan to seize Russian frozen assets would have been even worse. Speaking ea»»»

Israel's military said Friday a man seized last year in Lebanon's Batroun was a Hezbollah operative who played a key role in planning a covert maritime force for the militant group. The Israeli army said special unit troops apprehended Imad Amhaz in November 2024 from the north Lebanese city of Bat»»»

The move by the United States to lift sweeping sanctions on Syria could encourage more refugees to return to their country and also help encourage investments, the head of the U.N. refugee agency in Lebanon said. The U.S. Senate voted on Wednesday to permanently remove the so-called Caesar Act sanc»»»

Israel's military said Friday a man seized last year in Lebanon was a Hezbollah operative who played a key role in planning a covert maritime force for the militant group. The military said special unit troops apprehended Imad Amhaz in November 2024 from the north Lebanese city of Batroun, and tran»»»

In a market where deals close fast but investor protection often lags behind, Resura Real Estate has launched a comprehensive advisory-led investment model that fundamentally reimagines how international buyers navigate Dubai's booming property sector. The boutique firm's new framework addresses wh»»»

Raluca Tintoiu, Head of Wholesale Banking and a member of the Executive Committee at ING Bank Romania, talked to Business Review about the bank’s ambition to steer its clients and partners to more sustainable business practices and the way it manages to maintain focus on such goals amid market unce»»»

The discussion about AI in UI/UX has quickly become very present, but also very noisy. There is a lot of talk about automation and speed, less about decision and real impact on users. Looking towards 2026, one thing is clear: AI will be part of any relevant digital product. The difference will not »»»

In 2025, Altex Romania integrated the Brico Depot network and carried out a comprehensive upgrade of its digital infrastructure, setting the foundation for a broader, more efficient retail ecosystem. Founder and CEO Dan Ostahie reflects on the impact of these developments and on the growing role of»»»

Dubai Police have made it easier for residents to obtain official certificates for vehicles damaged by weather conditions through their website and smart app. The move is part of Dubai Police’s ongoing efforts to streamline services and reduce the need for in-person visits. Motorists can now apply »»»

Sweden summoned the Iranian ambassador this week following reports that a Swedish citizen had been sentenced to death in Iran, the country's foreign minister said on Friday. "Sweden and the EU's position on the death penalty is very clear. We always oppose it. Everywhere and regardless of circumsta»»»

Huawei set the stage in Dubai last night with the highly anticipated Unfold the Moment launch event, unveiling a new lineup of flagship devices. From innovative foldable engineering to ultra-luxury wearables and cutting-edge tablets, the event introduced the HUAWEI Mate X7, the brand’s latest folda»»»

Lebanese Army chief General Rodolphe Haykal agreed to document the army's progress in disarming Hezbollah during talks Thursday with international envoys in Paris, the French foreign ministry said, as Beirut seeks to forestall expanded Israeli attacks. Israel and Hezbollah clashed for more than a y»»»

Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal met Thursday in Paris with French army chief Fabien Mandon ahead of a key meeting with U.S., French and Saudi officials to discuss ways of assisting the army in its mission to boost its presence in the border area. The Paris meeting will discuss reinforcing th»»»

Kyrgyzstan ranked 41st in the global ranking of average gasoline prices, published by the analytical portal Global Petrol Prices. According to the ranking, the average price of a liter of gasoline in the country is $0,935, or approximately 81.8 soms. Over the past year, Kyrgyzstan has fallen 13 pla»»»

A top Hamas official said that talks in Miami on Friday to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must aim to end Israeli truce "violations" in the Palestinian territory. "Our people expect these talks to result in an agreement to put an end to ongoing Israeli lawlessness, halt all violations»»»

Vòya, a groundbreaking education technology platform, today announced its launch as the first unified digital ecosystem designed to integrate academics, career development, finances, productivity, and community into a single intelligent interface. Built for the modern learner, Vòya marks a signific»»»

More than a month after Iraq's parliamentary elections, the country's top leaders remain locked in talks to form a government while facing pressure from Washington to exclude Tehran-backed armed groups. Amid seismic changes in the Middle East, where new alliances are forming and old powers waning, »»»

A top Hamas official said that talks in Miami on Friday to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must aim to end Israeli truce "violations" in the Palestinian territory. U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is to meet senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in Fl»»»

In a video posted on Facebook on Friday, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said that when elections come around, people immediately start talking about the Election Code, voting machines, and fraud. GERB has won elections with machine and paper ballots alike, "so whatever they decide, it makes no differen»»»

Dubai: A video capturing a lone man standing in the pouring rain at Business Bay, directing traffic, has gone viral on social media. On Instagram, footage shows a man braving heavy rain in Business Bay, directing traffic and helping motorists navigate waterlogged streets — a striking act of heroism»»»

Russia and China have continued to rapidly expand their bilateral relationship across economic, diplomatic, and people-to-people channels in 2025, with trade turnover exceeding $200 billion for a third consecutive year, Moscow’s ambassador to Beijing, Igor Morgulov, has told RT. In an interview air»»»

PROTESTS AND POLITICS The news media cover the latest wave of protests when thousands gathered in Sofia and other major Bulgarian cities on Thursday. The demonstrations were peaceful and demanded amendments to the Election Code and judicial reform. The rallies were triggered by the ruling coalition»»»

European leaders on Friday decided to finance Ukraine's war effort for at least two years through a joint loan of €90 billion, without resorting to Russian assets due to a lack of agreement. Kyiv was at risk of running out of money as early as the first quarter of 2026. EU leaders struck »»»

(Report) KUWAIT, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Kuwait celebrates tomorrow, Saturday, the 2nd anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabahآ’s assumption of office, as the Gulf nation witnesses multi-faceted development elevating its status regionally and internationally.His Highn»»»

USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said Friday that the DMZ should not be "politicized," as debate swirls around a South Korean bill calling for government control of non-military access. In this July photo, Brunson speaks at a ceremony in Goyang marking U.N. Forces Day. Photo by Yonhap The command»»»

The decision on whether to build Kyrgyzstan’s first nuclear power plant will be made only after broad nationwide public discussions. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev said in an interview with state television channels. He added that Russian technologies today ar»»»

Egypt has drawn explicit “red lines” regarding the conflict in Sudan, warning that any attempt to cross them would directly threaten Egyptian national security. Cairo signaled it is prepared to take all measures permitted under the Joint Defense Agreement between the two countries, a position analy»»»

President Putin’s comments on the current state of the special military operation signal just how precarious Ukraine’s positions are in the areas of the Donetsk People’s Republic that it still occupies, military expert and combat veteran Anatoliy Matviychuk told Sputnik. “Dimitrov is an agglomerati»»»

Riyadh, Dec. 19 (SANA) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday the United States’ decision to lift sanctions on Syria imposed under the Caesar Act, saying the move would support stability, prosperity, and development in the country. In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said »»»

The opposition party “We Continue Change” (WCC) has launched a campaign to recruit volunteers to serve as guarantors of fair elections, under the slogan “It will happen this way.” The initiative aims to ensure that Bulgaria’s elections are conducted transparently and without irregularities, followi»»»

Private consumption and external demand, in Latin America are expected to lose momentum in 2026. File Photo by Antonio Lacerda/EPA Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean said the region will remain on a low growth path in 2026 and warned that the main drivers o»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ambitions for Israel hold a major key to what will occur in the Middle East in 2026. Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The conflict-ridden Middle East will stand at a critical juncture in 2026 after power shifts and unresolved war»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow’s troops were advancing across the battlefield in Ukraine, voicing confidence that the Kremlin's military goals would be achieved. Speaking at his highly orchestrated year-end news conference, Putin declared that Russian forces have “fully se»»»

Japan needs to consider developing its own nuclear weapons, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has reportedly told journalists. The unnamed official, who advises the prime minister on national security, argued that Japan’s long-standing reliance on the US nuclear deterrent may no lon»»»

US President Donald Trump has signed the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law, approving a record $901 billion in military spending while allocating $800 million in funding for Kiev over the next two years. The bill, which sets Pentagon priorities for fiscal year 2026, authoriz»»»

The EU’s plan to steal Russian assets held in the bloc in order to fund Ukraine’s military and prolong its disastrous war has failed to get the backing of bloc leaders. The other key EU summit pillar – approving a contentious trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur – was also aborted at th»»»

After 17 hours of at times heated debate, EU leaders agreed in the early hours of Friday morning to jointly raise €90bn (£79bn; $105bn) in zero-interest loans to keep Ukraine financially afloat for the next two years. Kyiv had been clear: the money wasn't a nice-to-have; it was a must-have. With th»»»

As of December 19, 2025, the interstellar visitor known as 3I/ATLAS (officially designated C/2025 N1) is making its closest approach to Earth before continuing its journey out of our Solar System. This enigmatic object, the third confirmed interstellar comet to pass through our neighbourhood, has c»»»

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young delivers opening remarks at the Northeast Asia Peaceful Coexistence Forum at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 12. Photo by Asia Today Dec. 18 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's Unification Ministry is seeking a larger role in shaping North Korea policy, but cr»»»

Mourners lay flowers as a tribute at the Bondi Pavilion in memory of the victims of a shooting at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, on Monday, December 15, 2025. Photo by NSW Premier's Office/UPI | License Photo Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday proposed a national gun buy»»»

MADRID, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Spain strongly condemned the announcement of new sanctions adopted by the United States against two judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging their direct involvement in politically motivated and illegal actions against the Israeli occupation.In a statement»»»

Greece's Coast Guard rescued about 545 migrants from a fishing boat off Europe's southernmost island of Gavdos on Friday, one of the biggest groups to reach the country in recent months. The migrants were found during a Greek search operation some 16 nautical miles (29.6 km) off Gavdos, Reuters quo»»»

Dubai: Snowfall transformed parts of northern Saudi Arabia into an unexpected winter playground this week, drawing residents outdoors to ski, celebrate, and capture a scene rarely seen in the Kingdom. In the mountainous areas of Tabuk and Hail, particularly around Jabal Al Lawz near the Jordanian b»»»