Abu Dhabi Police have invited motorists to benefit from traffic points services during the Liwa International Festival, offering eligible drivers the opportunity to restore their driving licences or reduce accumulated traffic points. Also Read: Abu Dhabi Police tighten rules for drivers under 21The»»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the country's economy is expected to have grown "around five percent" in 2025, despite "pressure" during a year he described as "very unusual", state media said. The announcement came in a New Year's Eve speech by Xi to a top political consultative b»»»

The EU warned Wednesday that Israel's threat to suspend several aid groups in Gaza under new registration rules would block "life-saving" assistance from reaching the population. "The EU has been clear: the NGO registration law can not be implemented in its current form," EU humanitarian chief Hadj»»»

Heavy snowfall in Poland caused tailbacks stretching as far as 20 km (12.43 miles) on a motorway between ​the capital Warsaw and the Baltic port city of Gdansk during the night, police said on Wednesday. While the situation left hundreds of people trapped in their cars in freezing conditions, by th»»»

Iran on Wednesday appointed a new governor to the central bank after the former one resigned following a record currency fall against the US dollar that sparked large protests. The plummeting of the rial, Iran's currency, sparked the largest protests in the country in three years, with rallies that»»»

Hadhramaut Governor Salem Ahmed al-Khanbashi called on Wednesday inhabitants of the governorate who are involved with the Southern Transitional Council to "return home" and join their "brothers in the National Shield Forces". In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he pledged that they will be welcomed in t»»»

Iran's prosecutor general said on Wednesday that economic protests that had gripped the country were legitimate, but any attempt to create insecurity would be met with a "decisive response". "Peaceful livelihood protests are part of social and understandable realities," Mohammad Movahedi-Azad told »»»

Taking stock of the outgoing year in a Facebook post on Wednesday, GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader Denitsa Sacheva said that 2025 was like a kaleidoscope and predicted that "2026 will not be any easier but it could be clearer." "The euro area was discussed as if it were both a lifebuoy and an apocalyp»»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.2820 dinars for one euro on Wednesday, which is a slight change relative to Tuesday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is up by 0.1 pct against the euro m-o-m, down by 0.2 pct y-o-y and by 0.2 pct relativ»»»

Doha, Qatar: QatarEnergy has announced on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, the fuel prices for January 2026. According to its announcement, the prices for Premium-grade petrol and Super have been reduced in comparison to December 2025. The Premium-grade petrol is now priced at QR 1.95 per litre, while»»»

Elsewedy Electric, Egypt’s leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate (SWDY), has announced plans to invest in at least two new renewable energy projects in Europe during 2026, as part of a broader strategy to expand its diversified clean-energy portfolio across the continent. The company revea»»»

Dubai: Emirates, Dubai’s flagship airline, wrapped up 2025 with milestones that reshaped global travel. The airline carried 55.6 million passengers in 2025, operating nearly 180,600 flights and circling the Earth more than 29,000 times. It took 29, 290 laps around the earth to be precise. The airli»»»

Syrian authorities have arrested 21 people in the coastal province of Latakia over alleged links to the ousted government of former president Bashar al-Assad, state media reported, after sectarian violence prompted an overnight curfew in the provincial capital. Authorities in Syria’s Latakia provin»»»

Mali and Burkina Faso say they will bar US citizens from entering their countries in response to a similar move by the Trump administration. The two West African states were recently placed under full entry restrictions under US President Donald Trump's expanded travel ban. In separate statements, »»»

Dubai: Pakistan’s federal government has amended the National Identity Card (NIC) Rules to formally recognise facial and iris scans as valid biometric identifiers, expanding the definition of biometrics beyond fingerprints, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) said on Wednesday.»»»

Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers held prisoner since border clashes broke out between the two countries in July as part of a renewed ceasefire signed Saturday. Dozens of people have been killed and more than a million more driven from their homes after renewed fighting erupted in December. T»»»

Tunis, Dec. 31 (TAP) – The Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) decided, during its meeting held on December 30, 2025, to cut the key interest rate by 50 basis points, bringing it down to 7%, effective January 7, 2026.Accordingly,...»»»

Damascus, Dec. 31 (SANA) Syria’s Ministry of Justice on Tuesday affirmed that preserving the unity and sovereignty of the state is a core constitutional principle that may not be violated, warning that any incitement or practices that undermine this principle constitute serious crimes threatening s»»»

Doha, Qatar: The committee responsible for the GCC Tourism Capital has officially announced Doha as the GCC Tourism Capital for 2026, within the framework of strengthening joint tourism cooperation among GCC member states. This decision has been approved by Their Excellencies the Ministers responsi»»»

2025 was an important year for Servier Romania, as the company continued to strengthen its leadership in cardiology and venous disease, expanded access to oncology treatments, and advanced major public health initiatives. Under the leadership of General Manager Dr. Jan-Frederic Kesselhut, Servier R»»»

Abu Dhabi: As the New Year approaches, six patients have been given a second chance at life, following a generous decision by the family of an Indian expat in the UAE to donate his organs after a tragic accident. M. Baburajan, a 50-year-old goldsmith from Kerala, died following a road accident in A»»»

Hundreds of thousands of people travelled from across Bangladesh to the capital Dhaka on Wednesday to pay their final respects to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Zia, who was the country's first female prime minister, died on Tuesday from a prolonged illness. She was 80. The mourners held out th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met on Wednesday with the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the State of Qatar, HE Marat Nuraliev, on the occasion of the end of his tenure. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs thanked the Ambassador for his»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority (GTA) has announced that the tax return filing period for the financial year ended December 31, 2025, will commence on January 1, 2026 and continue until April 30, 2026. This comes in compliance with the provisions of Income Tax Law No. (24) of 2018, its Execu»»»

Doha, Qatar: As Qatar Foundation marks its 30th anniversary, it has launched The QF Generation, an immersive storytelling initiative that brings together 30 individuals whose lives have been shaped by QF. Through personal reflections, they share their journeys and highlight how they are now contrib»»»

Doha, Qatar: Old Doha Port unveiled its key milestones in 2025, concluding an exceptional year across tourism performance and maritime operations, with record figures across key indicators. During the year, the Port expanded its international presence and implemented tourism initiatives that contri»»»

Dubai: Double-decker buses have returned to Karachi after more than six decades, marking a significant moment for public transport in Pakistan’s largest city as authorities seek to ease chronic mobility problems for its growing population. Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Wednesday inau»»»

Dubai: Pakistan is set to enter 2026 as the world’s fifth-most populous country, with its population surpassing 225 million, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The milestone highlights the urgent need to address rapid population growth amid high fertility rates, persistent gen»»»

Türkiye on Wednesday detained scores of people suspected of affiliation with the ISIS group during nationwide raids, the interior minister announced on X. "We captured 125 ISIS suspects in simultaneous operations carried out in 25 provinces this morning," Ali Yerlikaya said.»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukrainian drones that attacked Putin's residence took off from Sumy and Chernigov regions, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated. Ukraine attempted the strike from multiple directions — drones were shot down over Bryansk, Smolensk, and Novgorod regions. "The attack by the Kiev r»»»

Public transport in Sofia will remain operational through New Year’s Eve, with a special night schedule in place between 23:30 on December 31, 2025 and 04:30 on January 1, 2026. During these hours, selected tram, trolleybus, bus and metro lines will run at extended intervals to serve residents and »»»

Kyrgyzstan is consistently implementing measures to substitute imports of vegetable oil, the press service of the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry reported. According to the ministry, five new oilseed processing enterprises were launched this year: one in Issyk-Kul r»»»

On New Year’s Eve, top performers of Kyrgyzstan will take the stage for audience on Ala-Too Square. The press service of Bishkek City Hall reported. According to the announcement, the festive show program on December 31 will begin at 6 p.m. «Altynai Asanbekova, Nazik Abdymamytova, Akbar Suyunbaev, »»»

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubaev introduced Ruslan Rakhimov to the staff of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the new rector. During the meeting, it was noted that the newly appointed rector has extensive experience in research activitie»»»

Berlin, Germany: Robbers used a large drill to break into a German savings bank's vault room and steal cash, gold and jewelry worth some 30 million euros ($35 million), police said Tuesday. The heist in the western city of Gelsenkirchen saw the thieves break into more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes,»»»

DUSHANBE (Sputnik) - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has sharply condemned the recent drone attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s Novgorod Region, the Tajik president’s office said on Wednesday. "During a telephone conversation, the President of Tajikistan sharply c»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has urged citizens and residents to strictly follow safety guidelines when attending gatherings in public areas. The Ministry emphasised the importance of complying with laws, regulations and public etiquette, and avoiding any behaviour that could cause h»»»

Israel's Mossad spy agency issued a direct call urging Iranians to press on with protests, saying it was supporting them "on the ground" as demonstrations spread in capital Tehran and other Iranian cities. "Go out into the streets together. The time has come. We are with you," Mossad wrote in a pos»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority (GTA) has announced that the tax return filing period for the financial year ended December 31, 2025, will commence on January 1, 2026 and continue until April 30, 2026. This comes in compliance with the provisions of Income Tax Law No. (24) of 2018, its Execu»»»

Dubai: Iran is once again facing a moment of deep uncertainty as economic collapse, public anger and regional tensions converge. In recent days, the country has seen its largest protests in three years, sparked by a sharp fall in the national currency and a steady erosion of living standards. While»»»

The outgoing United Nations refugee chief fears an increasingly fragmented world is fueling global conflicts and crises, and inflaming hostility towards people desperately fleeing for safety. Reflecting on his decade at the helm of the UNHCR, Filippo Grandi told AFP that one of the most worrying de»»»

South Korea's Unification Ministry said Wednesday it would prioritize confirming the fate of separated family members in North Korea if inter-Korean relations improve. In this February 2021 photo, visitors look at ribbons wishing for Korean Unification near the DMZ. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI»»»

The daughter of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy tycoon jailed in Hong Kong, has expressed concerns about her father's deteriorating health in prison, saying that his fingernails "sometimes fall off" and his teeth are rotting. Lai, 78, has been detained since December 2020 and faces life in prison. Ear»»»

China's factory activity unexpectedly grew in December, snapping a record eight straight months of decline, lifted by a rise in pre-holiday orders ​as officials seek to spur the $19 trillion economy's manufacturing sector without worsening deflation. The official purchasing managers' index (PMI) ro»»»

A head-on collision between two trains on the line that services Peru's Machu Picchu killed one person and injured at least 40 others, authorities said, updating an earlier toll. The deceased was the conductor of one of the two trains, according to the prosecutor's office in Cusco, the city closest»»»

Two minors, ages 13 and 14, were arrested in the western city of Patra after allegedly assaulting a 15-year-old boy and threatening him with a knife, police said. Authorities said the suspects approached the teenager outside a school and punched him in the face, causing injuries. During the assault»»»

Tunis, Dec. 31, 2025 (TAP) – The 3rd International Conference “TuniRock 2026” will be held from April 9 to 12, 2026, in Hammamet. This major scientific event will focus on advances in rock mechanics and their strategic applications, particularly...»»»

In 2025, Bulgaria recorded a markedly positive migration balance, with arrivals significantly outnumbering departures. Data from the National Statistical Institute, cited by Nova TV, show that around 13,000 people left the country during the year, most of them heading to Germany and the United King»»»

Doha, Qatar: Doha Metro and Lusail Tram announced updates to their service hours for today, December 31, 2025. According to a statement on X, the last train from Lusail QNB will be at 2:22am while the last train from Lusail QNB that allows connection to Gold and Green lines is scheduled for 2:07am »»»

Russia’s top general said its forces were pressing forward in northeastern Ukraine and President Vladimir ​Putin had ordered expansion of territory Moscow calls a buffer zone there in 2026, Russian news agencies said on Wednesday. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Putin ordered expan»»»