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»»»

The Prime Minister has said Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must "pay up now" to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action. Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that money from the sale of the club would be used to benefit victims of the Russian invas»»»

About once a week on average, Russia stages a massive combined drone and missile attack on Ukraine, usually targeting multiple cities. In the capital Kyiv alone, these attacks have killed more than 330 civilians since 2022. At least 900 others have been injured and thousands more have lost their pr»»»

Jamaican superstar Sean Paul is set to return to Bulgaria on May 13, 2026, with the Rise Jamaica concert at Vidas Art Arena, organized by Fest Team. Fourteen years after his first performance in the country, the artist brings a large-scale show promising to immerse fans in the vibrant rhythms of th»»»

Crude benchmarks were rising on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the US would put a stop to any traffic of sanctioned oil tankers in and out of Venezuela. The country's oil revenue is a lifeline for the Maduro government, which now mainly sells its barrels to China. Also in this editi»»»

DOHA: The Qatar Meteorology Department has forecast partly cloudy to cloudy weather on Thursday, with chances of rain beginning from Thursday afternoon and continuing into Friday. The department also warned of a noticeable drop in temperatures and an increased feeling of cold from Thursday evening,»»»

Dubai: Police have arrested a 52-year-old male teacher in Tondo, Manila, for allegedly maltreating a student whom he reportedly forced to consume a cockroach to ensure his silence regarding a separate molestation incident. The suspect, identified by authorities only as 'Nel,' was apprehended by Man»»»

Tunis, Dec. 17 (TAP)- A popular march in support of the July 25 process and President Kais Saied took, place Wednesday at Habib Bourguiba avenue in Tunis. The march was called by political parties and activists in commemoration of the...»»»

President Joseph Aoun announced Wednesday that he has resorted to negotiations with Israel in order to “consolidate security and stability, especially in the South,” stressing that “negotiation does not mean surrender.” “We are counting on the stances taken by U.S. President Donald Trump and his in»»»

1/5Residents capture rare scenes of snow settling on rocky slopes in Trojena.SPA2/5White blankets the mountains of Tabuk as rare snowfall draws residents and visitors outdoors.SPA3/5Cold conditions bring snowfall to higher elevations, offering a striking contrast to the desert climate.X4/5Snow clin»»»

BusinessVenezuelaVenezuela blockade: What it means for Maduro and oil marketsArthur SullivanUS President Donald Trump has threatened Venezuela with a naval blockade to thwart its oil exports — a move that would hit the Maduro government hard but may leave global oil markets unfazed. https://p.dw.co»»»

ConflictsAfghanistanIndia seizes Afghanistan trade opening amid Pakistan riftMurali Krishnan in New DelhiThe Pakistan-Afghanistan crisis and border closures are reshaping regional trade. India is capitalizing on the conflict by deepening economic ties and strategic engagement with Kabul. https://p.»»»

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov, talking to journalists in the parliamentary lobby on Wednesday, said that the best solution for the country is to adopt a completely new state budget. According to him, the current situation in parliament is absurd and unprecedented, as an attempt is being ma»»»

Six Canadian members of parliament, along with a delegation of 24 other people, were denied entry by Israel to the occupied West Bank on Tuesday while trying to cross the border from Jordan. The group were attempting to enter as part of a trip to Israel and the West Bank sponsored by non-profit org»»»

Damascus, Dec. 17 (SANA) Syria’s Transport Minister Yarub Badr held talks on Wednesday with a Saudi logistics official on ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in transport and logistics, at the ministry’s building in Damascus. Badr met with Mohammed Dhiyab Al-Okaili, a logistics official at the»»»

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW), in cooperation with Soudah Development Company, has released a number of birds of prey in Al-Soudah Park, including three griffon vultures, a black kite, an Arabian scops owl, and an Eurasian sparrowhawk, after rehabilitating them at shelter centers. The rele»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued on Wednesday the Amiri Decision No. 64 for 2025, appointing Tariq Ali Faraj Hashim Al Ansari as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada. HH the Amir also issued the Amiri Decision No. 65 for 2025»»»

Dubai: Emirates is set to operate its shortest-ever Airbus A380 service next week, deploying the double-decker aircraft on a brief two-and-a-half-hour flight between Dubai and Madinah in Saudi Arabia, in an unusual move aimed at meeting surging demand for Umrah travel. The one-off service is schedu»»»

Nestlé Egypt CEO and Chairman, Yasser Abdul Malak stated: “Nestlé has been delighting consumers in Egypt since 1870 and we have strong roots in the country where we have long been an integral part of the local community. Over the past 4 years, Nestlé Egypt has invested close to 1 Billion EGP behind»»»

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Plamen Dimitrov, President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB), said that "CITUB and all our federations are calling on MPs to approve the regular budget, which has been updated and adjusted." He made the remarks at a news co»»»

BELGRADE - Economic progress - Serbia's key interest - has materialised in the past 13 years, with its GDP rising from around 33 bln euros in 2012 to more than 90 bln in 2025, Acting Secretary General at the Serbian MFA Dusan Kozarev said on Wednesday. Addressing a Belgrade Economic Forum panel on »»»

A beloved South African radio and club DJ, Warrick Stock, known to fans as DJ Warras, was shot dead in Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon, according to a report on BBC. Police said Stock, 40, was approached by three suspects in the city centre, one of whom opened fire before fleeing on foot. The mot»»»

Damascus, Dec. 17 (SANA) Syria and France discussed the challenges facing Syria’s agricultural sector on Wednesday and explored ways for French support in revitalizing the sector. Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr briefed Jean-Baptiste Faivre, Chargé d’Affaires of the French Embassy in Damascus, a»»»

Dubai: European airlines are upsizing for Dubai’s winter rush. Carriers from Europe are quietly turning Dubai into a big-jet battleground this winter, rolling out larger aircraft and extra capacity as demand for the city surges. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Accordin»»»

Germany has taken note of US President Donald Trump's order to blockade sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela and warned against any steps that would jeopardize peace and security in the region, said a foreign ministry spokesperson, Reuters reported. "The German government has an in»»»

Venezuela has denounced US President Donald Trump’s oil blockade on the country, saying his “interventionist and colonialist” rhetoric proves Washington’s long-standing plan to seize Venezuelan natural resources. Trump had announced the move in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, describing it as “a to»»»

Hungary no longer feels a “loyal” obligation to cooperate with the EU after Brussels deprived Budapest of its veto rights on the issue of frozen Russian assets, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. Last week, the EU temporarily immobilized roughly $230 billion in Russian central bank assets by inv»»»

Ukraine attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure extended into a fifth day overnight with a drone strike on an oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai. The strikes are part of a campaign targeting Russia's war-fighting ability by attacking the infrasructure it depends on for fuel, munitions and other criti»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Parliament adopted on Wednesday a resolution calling for the establishment of a "military Schengen" zone, a framework aimed at ensuring the free and rapid movement of troops and military equipment across European Union borders. "MEPs are calling for the removal of in»»»

Dubai: In a city that never stops innovating, Rashed Al Mansoori found inspiration in something deeply traditional, the abaya. From that simple yet powerful symbol of Emirati identity, he built 3bayti, an app created to give Emirati women a bigger stage for their creativity and businesses. “I just »»»

The National Assembly has adopted at first reading the so called “extended” state budget, following what several parties described earlier in the day as a "political test" by GERB and TISP. Further reading: Bulgaria: Ruling Coalition Tried Again to Pass Controversial 2026 Budget, Opposition Calls f»»»

Speaker of the Arab Parliament Mohamed Al-Yamahi has welcomed the United Nations General Assembly's overwhelming vote in favor of a resolution affirming the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination. The resolution passed with a significant majority of 164 countries voting in fav»»»

Dubai: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has rejected a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, siding instead with a previously agreed deal with streaming giant Netflix and escalating one of the most closely watched media consolidation battles in years. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, »»»

Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar headed to Bulgaria on Wednesday to question a shipowner wanted in connection with the catastrophic 2020 Beirut port blast, a judicial official told AFP. The long-awaited questioning comes after a court this month refused Lebanon's request to extradit»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) announced the listing of Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB) Sukuk on the Sukuk and Debt Instruments Market, marking a landmark milestone as the first Islamic Sukuk to be listed in the Exchange’s history. This achievement reflects the continued developmen»»»

Skopje, 15 December 2025 (MIA) - The prices of fuel and diesel are set to drop by Mden 2 per liter as of Monday midnight, while the price of extra light household oil will drop by Mden 1, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has said. The new retail price of Eurosuper BS-95 will be Mden 73 per li»»»

Skopje, 16 December 2025 (MIA) - In 2024, Macedonians living abroad sent EUR 310 million in personal transfers, representing a surplus of two percent of the country's GDP, as per Eurostat data. Personal transfers in 2024 dropped from EUR 319 million in 2023 and EUR 331 million in 2022. In regional »»»

Steve Cahillane will be the new CEO of Kraft Heinz on Jan. 1, overseeing the company's split into two separate companies. File Photo by Gary C. Caskey/UPI | License Photo Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Steve Cahillane will become the new CEO of The Kraft Heinz Company on Jan. 1, the company announced Tuesday. Th»»»

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev will continue government-forming consultations with representatives of parliamentary groups in the 51st National Assembly on December 18, the head of State’s Press Secretariat said on Wednesday. The President will first meet the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms and »»»

Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev, who is also the Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, said on Wednesday that he expects a "collapse" in the European Union due to a possible rating downgrade of the Belgium-based securities depository,»»»

BEIJING (Sputnik) - China pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy, with Beijing's position on the Ukraine crisis remaining consistent and clear, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said that the Unite»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Wednesday the Amiri Decision No. 64 for 2025, appointing Tariq Ali Faraj Hashim Al Ansari as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada. HH the Amir also issued the Amiri Decision No. 65 for 2025, appointing Dr. Sultan M»»»

Dubai: More than 51,000 passengers were stopped from boarding flights at Pakistani airports this year after failing immigration checks, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told a National Assembly panel on Wednesday. Lahore and Karachi airports recorded the highest numbers of offloaded traveller»»»

A newspaper announced the results of the presidential elections in Santiago, Chile, on Monday. The far-right Jose Antonio Kast won the second round of the presidential elections a day earlier. Photo by Adrianna Thomasa/EPA Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Latin America's political shift toward conservative governm»»»

A 9-year-old student was hospitalized in Agrinio, western Greece, on Monday after participating in a dangerous challenge involving antipsychotic medication, according to reports on Wednesday. Authorities said the child ingested aripiprazole, which a classmate had given him as part of the challenge.»»»

Bulgaria's Parliament on Wednesday voted, 149-38 with 12 abstentions, to pass on first reading a 2026 Budget Extension Bill. No debate was held on the draft legislation. The votes in favour came from GERB-UDF, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, MRF - New Beginning, There Is Such a People, A»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US actions in the Caribbean are rejected by most countries around the world, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday. "As for US behavior, including its actions in the Caribbean, these moves are definitely met with disapproval by nearly all countries, except »»»

Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Park Zoo and Resort (EPZR) has launched a complimentary shuttle service from Al Wahda Mall, aimed at making visits more convenient for families, residents and tourists.The initiative comes as part of a year-long partnership between the zoo and the mall. Operating every Friday, »»»