Images circulated on social media of armed groups opposed to Hamas in Gaza brandishing new weapons. The factions have been presenting themselves as replacements to Hamas in ruling the enclave and have been developing new means to oust the movement. The factions are active in areas in Gaza that are »»»

EU taxpayers will have to pay €3 billion a year in borrowing costs to finance Kiev’s collapsing economy and military under a newly approved loan scheme, Politico reported on Friday, citing senior bloc officials. Kiev’s European backers this week failed to approve a ‘reparations loan’ that would hav»»»

In an unusual development, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Iraqi government and influential political actors received two extraordinary warning messages over the past two weeks — one from an Arab country and another from a Western intelligence service — containing what were described»»»

The United States was joined Saturday by Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in urging parties in the Gaza ceasefire to uphold their obligations and exercise restraint, the chief US envoy said after talks in Miami. Top officials from each nation met with Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, »»»

Unit 6 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will be shut down on Sunday, one day earlier than previously announced, the plant said late on Saturday. The shutdown had originally been scheduled for Monday. The decision to shut down the unit earlier was made after an additional defect was discove»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Chess Association (QCA) yesterday underlined its readiness to stage the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2025, bringing the world’s top chess players to the ‘global sport capital’ from December 26 to 30. QCA President and Chairman of the Organising Committee Mohammed Ahme»»»

Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri denied on Saturday that the appointment of civilian negotiators between Lebanon and Israel means that political negotiations have been launched between the two neighbors. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the negotiating team is primarily tasked with ensuring »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Organizing Committee of the 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026 unveiled the official logo of the Games during a ceremony held at Old Doha Port, in the presence of a number of officials, representatives of sports federations, and members of the media, yesterday. The official logo of the 4th »»»

Doha, Qatar: Aeon’s Aegis confirmed his class with a second consecutive victory in QA Gr1 Qatar Derby for 3YO Thoroughbreds, following up his Derby Trial success with a dominant performance in the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC staged Qatar International Derby Day at the Al Rayyan Racecourse »»»

Doha, Qatar: Oil prices edged up on Friday on possible disruptions from a US blockade of Venezuelan tankers as the market waits for news about a possible Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Brent crude futures settled at $60.47, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $56.66. For the week, »»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Foreign Trade H E Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment H E Jacob Helberg chaired the Economic Session held as part of the Seventh Qatar–United States Strategic Dialogue, which was convened»»»

US intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not abandoned his aims of capturing all of Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with US intelligence said, even as negotiators seek an end to the war »»»

Doha, Qatar: The third edition of the “Beyond Reality” International Circus kicked off yesterday at Souq Al Wakra, organised by the Celebrations Organising Committee of the Private Engineering Office, amid strong public turnout from the very first day. Khaled Al Suwaidi, General Supervisor of the I»»»

The United States "apprehended" an oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday, a move Caracas deemed a "theft and kidnapping," in the latest salvo of a pressure campaign by Washington, the US government said. It was the second time in two weeks that US forces have interdicted a tanker in the region, and »»»

Doha, Qatar: Health professionals shared their career journeys with foundation and pre-medical students at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) during the fall edition of the college’s Medical Career Seminar series. The series featured presentations and talks from dean and professor of psychiatry a»»»

In late October, Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries Kirill Dmitriev and US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna met in Florida to discuss continuing Russia-US dialogue. Following the meeting, Luna said that it was productive and that they were able to identify comm»»»

More than half a million people in Cambodia have been displaced from their homes by two weeks of deadly border clashes with neighboring Thailand, Phnom Penh's interior ministry said Sunday. The renewed fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbors this month, including with tanks, drones and artil»»»

In central Tel Aviv, the main stage has now been dismantled in Hostages Square, the focal point for the campaign over the past two years to bring back Israelis held in Gaza. Nearby, signs and posters have been taken down, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum has vacated the offices that serv»»»

Lebanon would have completed the first phase of the army’s plan to impose state monopoly over arms, or the disarmament of Hezbollah, by the end of the year. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s office confirmed on Saturday that the first phase was close to completion. “The first phase of the weapons consol»»»

San Francisco, United States: A huge electricity outage hit San Francisco on Saturday, leaving 130,000 residents without power, the city's main electric utility company said. "We are working with first responders and city officials on an outage in San Francisco affecting approximately 130,000 custo»»»

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has publicly accused Reuters of running a "lie and propaganda" campaign to sabotage recent push to end the Ukraine war. The narrative is being pushed by "warmongers" in NATO and the EU who want to "pull the US military directly into war with Russia." »»»

Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev, who is also the Russian president's special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, called his talks with US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and the US leader's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, constructive»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to engage in dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron, and if there is mutual political will, then the French leader's intentions can only be assessed positively, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik. Earlier, Macron stated that it would be us»»»

Venezuela has sharply condemned the US seizure of another oil tanker off its shores, accusing Washington of carrying out an “act of piracy” as part of a broader campaign to overthrow the government in Caracas and seize the country’s vast energy resources. In an official statement released on Saturd»»»

Alphabet’s Google and Apple have advised some employees on US work visas to avoid international travel, warning that visa stamping delays of up to 12 months could leave staff stranded outside the country, according to reports. Also Read: US widens social media vetting for H-1B and H-4 visa applican»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has described talks in Miami with senior US interlocutors as “constructive,” signaling continued momentum in backchannel diplomacy aimed at exploring a potential settlement to the Ukraine conflict. Dmitriev is holding talks with sen»»»

Seven wild Asian elephants, including calves, were killed when a high-speed train collided with a herd crossing the tracks in north-eastern India, local officials say. They say another calf was injured in the incident early on Saturday in Hojai district, Assam state. The Northeast Frontier Railway »»»

Three Rochester (N.Y.) Police Department officers and another man were shot by an assailant while responding to a domestic disturbance call that ended with the suspect's shooting death on Friday night. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Three officers with the Rochester »»»

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has accused European NATO states of trying to pull Washington into a direct confrontation with Russia and slammed Reuters for “fomenting hysteria” in order to sell war. Russia has consistently rejected claims that it plans to attack EU countries, d»»»

While some West African nations are choosing to cement old ties with France and others cultivate a new relationship with Russia, one country is trying to have the best of both worlds. As the 7 December attempted military coup in Benin collapsed, the rebels' leader, Lt Col Pascal Tigri, made his dis»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio joked on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to overshadow him after learning that his briefing was staged almost simultaneously with the latter’s end-of-year press conference. During the annual Direct Line Q&A session in Moscow, the Russian pre»»»

Several files released on Friday by the Justice Department and regarding the federal sex-trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019, were not available a day later. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Some Jeffrey Epstein case files released on Friday by t»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- Arab and foreign ambassadors to Kuwait congratulated on Saturday His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the second anniversary of assumption of power.In separate statements, the ambassadors extolled His Highness the Amir's wisdom, leading vision a»»»

The US has seized an oil tanker that had recently departed from Venezuela, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. It is the second time this month that the US has seized an oil-carrying ship off the country's coast. The move comes after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was»»»

On a winter morning in 2022 Raphael Wong and Figo Chan walked into Hong Kong's Stanley prison to meet Jimmy Lai, the media billionaire who had been arrested two years before and was awaiting trial charged with national security offences. They had all been part of the turbulent protests that had roc»»»

WASHINGTON, United States — For a reading of Wall Street's shifting mood on the artificial intelligence investment boom, take a look at the daily fluctuations of Oracle stock, analysts say.Shares of the software giant slumped more than five per cent Wednesday following a news report of financing tr»»»

A U.S. military helicopter hovers over an oil tanker seized early Saturday morning in international waters near Venezuela. Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard Dec. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard led another seizure of an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela on Saturday after Presi»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has cast himself and other opponents of the ‘reparations loan’ scheme for Ukraine as ‘EU Ghostbusters’ in a video posted on X on Friday. In the video, released a day after he and his allies blocked the loan scheme at a Brussels summit, the veteran politician mo»»»

The US Justice Department on Friday released a tranche of files related to convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein in accordance with a congressional mandate. The partial disclosure has already drawn criticism from lawmakers and victims’ advocates, who cite the wholesale redaction of some pages and »»»

AmericaFest, the first major Turning Point USA conference since the murder of its founder Charlie Kirk, took place in Phoenix on Thursday – but instead of showing unity, it exposed sharp rifts within the MAGA movement over anti-Semitism, leadership, and its post-Trump future. The first major g»»»

DOHA: 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 presence of Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al Thani, the activities of the first»»»

The United States has seized another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, escalating pressure on Caracas just days after President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete” blockade of unilaterally sanctioned oil shipments. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the raid on Satu»»»

DOHA: The third edition of the International Circus Show 'Beyond Reality'kicked off in Al Wakrah Old Souq on Saturday. It is organized by the Private Engineering Office's celebrations committee. General Supervisor of the International Circus Khalid Al Suwaidi told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the t»»»

Continued from page 1 This builds upon the over $240 billion in economic deals secured during President Trump’s visit to Qatar in May. The PM affirmed that as Qatar charts a path to a diversified economy driven by technology, innovation, and knowledge, its deep investment partnership with the US ha»»»

Continued from page 1  Maritime heritage was highlighted through the Al Bidda zone, which depicted traditional sea life with councils for pearl divers, captains, and merchants, along with maritime games and special museums documenting Qatar’s seafaring past. Children’s activities were a key focus,»»»

Darlene Regis The British Council, in partnership with Years of Culture and Qatar Museums, hosted Tashkilat, the closing event of this landmark edition, on December 10, 2025, at the Central Courtyard of the Museum of Islamic Art. The event celebrated the creativity of Qatari designers, blending her»»»

QNA Jeddah Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and a member of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), HE Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, has affirmed that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the»»»

Tribune News Network Doha The ‘Hour and Hour’ programme organised a celebration on Friday at Lusail Boulevard to mark Qatar National Day, under the slogan ‘Our Identity Lies in Our Heritage’. The event highlighted Qatari heritage and culture, embodied the spirit of national identity, and featured a»»»

The three final matches of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025, the Americas Derby, the Challenge Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup Final, were all held at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, which is directly connected to Al Riffa Mall of Qatar Station, on December 10, 13, and 17, respectively. In terms o»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said a $105 billion loan from the European Union puts Ukrainian officials in a stronger position for negotiating a peace agreement with Russia. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Officials for the European Union have agr»»»