America's overarching goal in the region is to ensure a secure Israel and US-friendly neighbouring states with which it can establish commercial ties. But inconsistent policies and mistakes have made this harder to realise. Below is an analysis of the impact of consecutive presidencies on US Middle»»»

An arrested sign was on display during a press conference at the Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 4. Brian Cole Jr. is scheduled for a detention hearing Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Attorneys for Brian Cole Jr., the man »»»

Eurostar passengers wait for train services to be resumed at St. Pancras International station in London Tuesday. Eurostar cancelled all services following a problem with the overhead power supply in the Channel Tunnel and advised all its passengers to postpone their journeys to a different date. T»»»

Damascus, Dec. 30 (SANA) Syria’s Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said the launch of the new Syrian currency marks a pivotal step in managing the banking sector and monetary affairs, while noting that the move is also accompanied by many questions and expectations. In an editorial article publ»»»

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has renewed calls for the release of Tirana’s mayor, Erion Veliaj, who has been held in pre-trial detention for almost a year. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the end-of-year period, Rama urged justice institutions to allow Mr Veliaj to return to office, arg»»»

Bulgaria’s Armed Forces in 2025: Pay Increases, F-16 Deliveries, and Legislative Updates F-16 Fighter Jets In 2025, Bulgaria saw the first deliveries of the F-16 fighter jets under the initial contract with the United States signed in 2019. By December 18, all eight aircraft had been formally prese»»»

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly denied accusations that the ruling Socialist Party has changed its stance towards the justice system in relation to the so-called “Balluku” case. Speaking at a press conference, Rama said the government and parliamentary majority were not acting as a “d»»»

2025 marked a pivotal year for Hagag Development Europe, defined by both consolidation and transformation under the leadership of Yitzhak Hagag, co-founder, controlling shareholder, and Chairman of the Board. The company strengthened its position in Romania’s real estate market and took a major ste»»»

Dubai: Eurostar - the arterial rail link that connects some of the biggest railway hubs in Europe - has suspended all trains connecting London to Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels on Tuesday after a power supply issue in the Channel tunnel, a spokeswoman confirmed. Sign up for our daily business newsle»»»

From New Year's Eve spectacle to historic sporting events to major cultural celebrations, milestones, and influential gatherings, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year in the UAE filled with moments that will capture global attention. The year promises excitement across many fields. Here’s a big»»»

Balancing growth, quality, and consistency while connecting clinicians to innovation, education, and a people-centered, clinically reliable ecosystem remains the central managerial priority for Arhip Pogurski, the founder and CEO of GURSK, who talked to Business Review about the elements behind the»»»

Saudi Arabia has backed a demand from Yemen's presidential council for the United Arab Emirates to withdraw within 24 hours, after a Saudi-led coalition bombed what it said was a weapons shipment for UAE-backed separatists at the port of Mukalla. The Saudi foreign ministry accused the UAE of "press»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan approved the action plan until 2030. The corresponding decision was signed by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev. The document was developed to implement the National Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2030, approved by presi»»»

New Delhi, India: Dense fog on Tuesday shrouded the Indian capital territory and its outskirts, impacting flight and train services. The fog led to the disruption of air travel, causing large-scale flight cancellations and delays at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi. According »»»

The government has authorized Metropolitan EAD to apply a derogation from certain prohibitions under Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine. Some of the systems installed on Sofia's metro»»»

Abu Dhabi: First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Pay10 have officially gone live on Open Finance for retail customers, marking a significant step in the UAE’s Open Finance journey under the Central Bank’s Al Tareq initiative. FAB is among the first banks in the UAE to launch Open Banking services, allowin»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Civil Defence Authority has activated a comprehensive safety and emergency plan to safeguard residents and visitors during New Year’s Eve celebrations, with teams deployed across the emirate to ensure rapid response, risk prevention and seamless coordination. Major Mahmoud Al Zarou»»»

EDINBURGH Thousands of people, some dressed as Vikings carrying flaming torches, marched through Scotland’s capital of Edinburgh as a procession kicked off the country’s world-famous New Year celebrations. Around 15,000 participants, led by bagpipers, walked through the city’s historic centre late »»»

Moscow: Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has entered active service in Belarus, Russia’s Defence Ministry said Tuesday, as the US.efforts to broker a deal to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine have entered a pivotal stage. The ministry released a video showing combat vehicles t»»»

Dubai: Eurostar has warned of major disruption as New Year’s Eve travel peaks, advising passengers to postpone their journeys due to severe delays and last-minute cancellations in the Channel Tunnel. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The operator has urged people not to »»»

Political sources have ruled out the possibility of Israel launching a large-scale war on Lebanon in the foreseeable future, citing the absence of regional and international conditions, the lack of necessary capabilities and resources, the uncertainty of militarily eliminating Hezbollah, and the ri»»»

London, United Kingdom: Eurostar, the operator of the services between Britain and continental Europe, has advised passengers to postpone their journeys on Tuesday to a different date, citing "major disruption" in the Channel Tunnel due to problems with overhead power supply. "Due to a problem with»»»

The UAE has expressed its deep regret regarding the statement issued by the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the serious inaccuracies it contained concerning the UAE’s role in the ongoing events in the Republic of Yemen. The UAE categorically rejects any attempt to involve its name in the tensi»»»

Eurostar has told passengers to postpone their travel plans after power supply problems caused "major disruption" in the Channel Tunnel. Le Shuttle has said services at both terminals in Folkestone and Calais have been temporarily suspended "due to a power supply issue". A number of Eurostar trains»»»

President Donald Trump has stated that US forces destroyed a “big facility” along the shore of Venezuela, marking what appears to be the first known land strike by the US within the country. On Friday, Trump first mentioned the US military action in an interview on WABC radio, saying, “We just knoc»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Battlegroup Zapad took control of the settlement on Boguslavka in the Kharkov region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "As a result of decisive actions, units of the Zapad group of forces took control of the village of Boguslavka in the Kharkov region," the »»»

The upcoming adoption of the euro as the national currency in Bulgaria from the beginning of 2026 dominates the news media on Tuesday. Many outlets carry articles with practical tips to help people through the transition, or recall the key steps Bulgaria took to join the eurozone. TRANSITION TO EUR»»»

Dubai: Syria has unveiled a series of redesigned banknotes as part of a sweeping monetary reform aimed at stabilising the national currency and restoring confidence in the economy after years of turmoil. The new Syrian pound removes two zeros from the old denomination and abandons portraits of form»»»

Dubai: From January 1, 2026, businesses registered with the UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) will no longer need to pay for paper tax certificates, as the Authority shifts fully to free digital registration certificates. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The move falls »»»

Egypt and Djibouti have signed three strategic cooperation agreements covering maritime transport, logistics infrastructure, and renewable energy, underscoring a growing push to deepen bilateral economic and trade relations and strengthen regional supply chains in the Horn of Africa.The agreements »»»

The government in 2025 worked like a programme-based cabinet despite appearing political, outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on Tuesday at the start of the cabinet’s last meeting of the year. Zhelyazkov described the year as dynamic, complex and important on the geopolitical, European an»»»

Dubai: Rumours about Samsung's next foldable are starting to surface, and they suggest some changes are coming with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Leaked information from Mirror Pro's YouTube channel and reports from ET News and Demon's Tech point to both design shifts and technical upgrades that could addre»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) visited a factory producing a multiple rocket launcher system, which he described as capable of "annihilating the enemy" through precise and devastating strikes, state media reported Tuesday. Photo by KCNA/EPA SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong »»»

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has launched a review into what she calls "serious information failures" in the case of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El Fattah. In a letter to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Cooper said she, Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy "were al»»»

DOHA: Qatar National Library (QNL) kicks off 2026 with an engaging lineup of programmes designed to inspire learners of all ages, support personal and professional growth, and bring the community together through culture and creativity. Serving as a vibrant hub for lifelong learning and dialogue, Q»»»

Dubai: Beyoncé has officially joined the world’s billionaire entertainers, according to Forbes, marking another milestone in a career that has long transcended music. With a fortune now exceeding $1 billion, she becomes just the fifth musician to reach 10-figure status, joining her husband Jay-Z, T»»»

The Quality of Life Program Center has launched its new report on "Smart Cities," highlighting key global trends in the development of smart cities and their role in improving quality of life and enhancing urban sustainability. This launch aims to promote human-centered cities and advance smart urb»»»

Doha: Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening the Qatari media sector in 2025, recording notable achievements in professional training and capacity building for its affiliates and media practitioners. The programmes, organised by the Training Department of QM»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited one of the country’s leading defense industrial enterprises, where he reviewed the production of cutting-edge multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) that are soon to enter service with the main combat units of the Korean People’s Army, KCNA reports. Kim was ac»»»

US President Donald Trump threatened to launch another attack on Iran if Tehran attempts to rebuild its ballistic missile programme, warning he would act "immediately" against nuclear development during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 29, a pool video recording »»»

Syria's Central Bank announced regulations for citizens exchanging old Syrian pound banknotes for new denominated currency through 66 companies and 1,000 designated outlets beginning January 1, 2026, Baghdad's Al-Eqtisad News reported on December 29. »»»

US President Donald Trump threatened to launch another attack on Iran if Tehran attempts to rebuild its ballistic missile programme, warning he would act "immediately" against nuclear development during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 29, a pool video recording »»»

US President Donald Trump threatened to launch another attack on Iran if Tehran attempts to rebuild its ballistic missile programme, warning he would act "immediately" against nuclear development during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 29, a pool video recording »»»

Oman's Salalah resort received its first direct flight from Russia on December 29 as Oman Air flight WY 2184 landed from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, marking the beginning of a programme operated by Russian tour operator FUN&SUN running through to May 9, 2026. »»»

Iraqi Securities Commission Chairman Faisal al-Haimas announced the imminent launch of the commission's 2026-2028 strategy aimed at transforming Iraq's stock market into a leading regional financial centre, Shafaq News reported on December 29. »»»

Oman's Salalah resort received its first direct flight from Russia on December 29 as Oman Air flight WY 2184 landed from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, marking the beginning of a programme operated by Russian tour operator FUN&SUN running through to May 9, 2026. »»»

As the March 10 agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces nears its end, more and more new tunnels are under construction in residential neighbourhoods in Raqqa, in northeastern Syria. Locals told us that they are concerned about the underground militarisation of thei»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles on Sunday, state media said, as Pyongyang stepped up military activity it says is aimed at reinforcing its nuclear deterrent amid what it calls growing security threats. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversa»»»

Staff at a major Swedish pharmacy chain are being given paid time off to spend with friends, as Sweden's government calls on businesses to help play a role in tackling loneliness. Yasmine Lindberg, 45, is one of 11 participants taking part in the pilot "friendcare" scheme for the pharmacy group Apo»»»

Control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in east Ukraine has remained one of the main sticking points in peace negotiations since Russia took control of it in March 2022. Zaporizhzhia's proximity to the front lines has sparked international fears for the safety and stability of the nuclear»»»