Abu Dhabi: The UAE has secured the inscription of four new cultural elements on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reinforcing the country’s growing profile as a regional and global leader in heritage preservation. The decision was taken during the 20th se»»»

Dubai: The UAE has sharply accelerated the processing of work permit quotas, cutting approval times from up to 10 days to just one second, as part of the country’s efforts to eliminate bureaucracy and embed artificial intelligence across government services. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emir»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, 17 December 2025: Vanity Fair's interview of Susan Wiles makes headlines across the United States. Next, The New York Times investigates Jeffrey Epstein's wealth and career. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé has won a court case against his former club Paris Saint-Ge»»»

Researchers tracking wild polar bears in northern Canada witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a mother bear adopting a cub that was not biologically her own. The five-year-old mother bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the annual polar bear m»»»

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith arrived on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a high-stakes, closed door hearing about his two defunct criminal investigations into President Donald Trump. According to prepared remarks, Smith planned to tell Congress his team "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt"»»»

US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will attend a ceremony on Wednesday to honor US personnel killed in Syria over the weekend by a suspected ISIS attacker. Trump and his wife will travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to be present for what the Air Force calls the "dignifie»»»

A prosecutor at the appeal trial of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn group has proposed that all 42 defendants be convicted in line with the original indictment, during proceedings before a Five-Member Court. The case concerns charges of running a criminal organization, as well as the 2013 murder of anti-f»»»

Parliament on Wednesday passed on second reading the 2026 Revenue Collection and Expenditures Bill, the so-called 2026 Budget Extension Bill. Earlier in the day, the bill was approved on first reading. Lawmakers adopted a proposal by Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria co-leader Assen Vasilev p»»»

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - Srpska lista leader Zlatan Elek said on Wednesday the December 28 early elections for the Kosovo-Metohija provincial assembly were extremely important and historic, and called on Serbs in the province to turn out and vote for Srpska lista. Addressing a Kosovska Mitrovica rally »»»

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Dozens of residents from the West Bank's emptied Nour Shams refugee camp returned on Wednesday to retrieve belongings ahead of the Israeli military's demolition of 25 residential buildings there. Early this year, the military launched an ongoing operation it said was aimed at rooting out Palestinia»»»

The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence service said on Tuesday that the country must "ensure" Iran doesn't restart its nuclear program, six months after it bombed Tehran's atomic facilities during a 12-day war. "The idea of continuing to develop a nuclear bomb still beats in their hearts. We bear»»»

A meeting was recently held between Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and some U.S. officials concerned with the south Lebanon file, who were led by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and a number of U.S. experts and security officials involved in the work of the Mechanism committee, a ministerial sou»»»

Dec. 17 (UPI) -- A well-known South African radio and club DJ was fatally shot sparking nationwide outrage in a country already struggling with high crime rates. Warrick Stock, who performed as DJ Warras, was fatally shot in downtown Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon, the BBC reported. "He spoke hi»»»

Americans still struggle with the high cost of living as inflation has remained above Federal Reserve goals and economic data was delayed by the government shutdown. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Economic markers say inflation has slowed and steadied since 2023 »»»

President Donald Trump meets with South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in the the White House in May. On Wednesday, South Africa arrested seven undocumented Kenyans working illegally in the country processing refugee visas for the U.S. government. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI | License Photo»»»

Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, announced that Egypt is preparing to enter a new phase of institutional development aimed at achieving the full digital transformation of government and investment services. He said the Ministry is currently working on the launch of a unif»»»

Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, held a meeting with a group of investors to discuss opportunities to expand sustainable environmental investment in Egypt’s natural reserves and to promote eco-tourism. The meeting was attended by the Head of the Environm»»»

Doha: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stressed that the State of Qatar is marking this year's anniversary of the founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, amid comprehensive achievements across all fields under the wise lead»»»

BusinessGlobal issuesWealthy nations curb labor migration as demand surgesNik MartinEven before Donald Trump returned to the White House, anti-immigration politics were reshaping migration flows to high-income countries. Borders have been tightened despite economies facing urgent labor shortages. h»»»

BusinessGlobal issuesSilver: Why the price of 'poor man's gold' hit a recordNik MartinSilver recently reached an all-time high of $64. Although gold has eclipsed the white metal as a store of value, DW explores why silver is regaining global relevance. https://p.dw.com/p/553P9Silver has gone from a»»»

The Libya Energy & Economic Summit (LEES) returns to Tripoli for its fourth edition, taking place from 24–26 January 2026 under the official endorsement of the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Oil & Gas, National Oil Corporation (NOC), and the Renewable Energy Authority of Libya (REAOL). T»»»

Nato countries' pledge to spend 5% of their economic output on defence is Donald Trump's "biggest foreign policy success," the alliance's chief has said. In an interview with the BBC, Mark Rutte said it was thanks to Donald Trump that Nato was "stronger than it ever was", adding that Trump "is good»»»

MRF – New Beginning said on Wednesday that the security detail of the party’s Floor Leader, Delyan Peevski, is not larger than that of the President or the Prime Minister, that no millions of leva are being spent on his protection, and that the vehicle he uses does not belong to the National Servic»»»

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, as well as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), has called for the formation of the Dubai RDI Ecosystem. This structure, under DFF’s»»»

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would achieve its goals in Ukraine by diplomatic or military means, and would seek to expand a "security buffer zone" there. "First, the goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to do this and addres»»»

In tonight's edition: Rwandan-backed M23 rebels say they've agreed to conditionally withdraw from the strategic Congolese town of Uvira. Also, the rebels' offensive in eastern DR Congo has forced tens of thousands of people to flee into neighbouring Burundi. Plus a new report by the World Meteorolo»»»

The CEO of a huge organisation that has helped millions of girls across a series of African countries has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how the group she now runs helped her when she was a girl. Angeline Murimirwa was able to continue her education thanks to CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education. I»»»

Dubai: A minor earthquake was recorded in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Saudi Geological Survey, with authorities confirming that the tremor caused no damage or injuries. The survey’s official spokesperson, Tareq Aba Al Khail, said seismic monitor»»»

France and Italy said Wednesday they remain opposed to a trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, dashing hopes of the contentious pact being signed this week. Paris demanded "mirror clauses" requiring Mercosur products to comply wit»»»

Christmas is just around the corner, and for many people in France, the end-of-year holiday season is synonymous with chocolate. In this edition of Entre Nous, we speak to chef Jade Genin, who has made a name for herself in France's highly exclusive chocolate world and has become famous for her inc»»»

Senior British police officials said Wednesday that in the light of recent deadly antisemitic attacks they would now arrest protesters using language or signs that intimidate Jews. File photo by Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Demonstrators on the streets of Britain's two largest cities, chant»»»

Amman, Dec. 17 (SANA) The Syrian delegation of Social Affairs and Labor Ministry participated in the two-day meeting of Arab Ministerial Social Affairs Council, kicked off Wednesday in Amman. The meeting was held with closed sessions dedicated to discussing the agenda and draft resolutions, in prep»»»

Hezbollah’s Arab and international relations official, Ammar al-Moussawi, has been carrying out a secret visit to Saudi Arabia for the past three days, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Wednesday. The daily noted that Moussawi had visited Turkey on December 6-7 at the head of a Hezbollah del»»»

Skopje, 16 December 2025 (MIA) — A delegation led by Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Sanja Bozhinovska paid a working visit to the Czech Transmission System Operator ČEPS in Prague, according to an official press release. The visit was carried out as part of the state's agenda for »»»

On Wednesday, the Varna Regional Court ordered bail as a preventive measure for municipal councillors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov. The two are defendants in a case involving an alleged criminal conspiracy to obtain unlawful benefits together with Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. Until now, bot»»»

Abu Dhabi: Blood samples in Abu Dhabi could soon travel through the air rather than via city roads, as the emirate launches a pilot project using drones to speed up the movement of critical medical diagnostics between healthcare facilities. PureLab, operator of the largest network of laboratories i»»»

Dubai: Dubai Municipality issued crucial safety guidelines on Wednesday to help residents protect themselves and their properties as weather conditions shift and the UAE is bracing for rains and strong winds. The civic body shared preventive measures designed to help people navigate rainfall and st»»»

Bulgaria is expected to see mostly sunny skies on Thursday, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) forecast for December 18. Fog or low clouds will linger in many plains and lowland areas until midday, but visibility is expected to improve rapidly after a weak weste»»»

A three-year-old child was pronounced dead on arrival at Alexandroupoli University Hospital in northeastern Greece after being brought in by its mother in a severely malnourished condition. Local media reported that doctors observed signs consistent with prolonged and extreme malnutrition. The chil»»»

A 16-year-old student has been ordered held in custody after allegedly stabbing a classmate at a school in central Athens. Prosecutors are also investigating her parents for possible neglect. The attack took place around noon Monday at the 15th High School of Athens in Kypseli. Police said the two »»»

Abu Dhabi Police have warned the public about the spread of unauthorised QR code stickers in some locations, cautioning that they may be used in digital fraud schemes aimed at stealing banking and personal information. In a statement, the police said fraudsters have been placing counterfeit QR code»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah City Municipality has intensified its preparations for the upcoming rainy season, deploying 405 tankers and pumps and completing extensive maintenance works aimed at minimising water accumulation and ensuring smooth traffic flow across the emirate. The municipality said it has adop»»»

Pakistan’s information minister said Wednesday that his country has been the victim of a coordinated online disinformation campaign following the mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach. Attaullah Tarar accused “hostile countries,” including India, of spreading false claims that one of the two att»»»

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani stressed that the State of Qatar is marking this year's anniversary of the founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, amid comprehensive achievements across all fields under the wise leadership»»»

Doha In a world rife with crises and conflicts and facing several challenges, the name of the State of Qatar stands out as a shining beacon of dialogue, mediation, and the promotion of peace, security, and stability around the world, thanks to the wise guidance and sound vision of His Highness the »»»

Warner Bros. Discovery is trying to fend off a hostile bid by Paramount Skydance to buy the company. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Warner Bros. Discovery's board of directors urged shareholders on Wednesday to reject the hostile takeover by Paramount Skydance. The board s»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) launched the Maritime Bundle, the first of its kind worldwide, to unify maritime transport services under a comprehensive digital umbrella, offered to both national and foreign vessels calling at UAE ports. The launch ceremony drew the par»»»

Italy and France on Wednesday said they were not ready to back a trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, dealing a blow to hopes of finalizing the deal in the coming days. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been expected to fly to B»»»

The Libyan General Union of Chambers of Commerce reported last Monday (15 December) that the Second Session of the Libyan Indonesian Joint Committee convened in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday, to strengthen the existing friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries. The Libyan side wa»»»