As 2025 draws to a close, the Middle Eastern political theatre is bracing for a seismic shift. At its zenith lies the long-anticipated normalisation between Israel and several Gulf capitals—a process that has remained in the wings since Donald Trump’s first term. However, the foundations of this sh»»»

China said on Thursday its arms trade with Thailand and Cambodia is unrelated to the current conflict between the Southeast Asian neighbours, with which Beijing has close ties. "We hope relevant parties will refrain from making subjective speculation and malicious hype," the Chinese Defense Ministr»»»

China told the United States on Thursday to "immediately stop" arming Taiwan after Taipei said Washington had authorised a $11 billion weapons package to the island. Approved by the State Department but awaiting congressional approval, the sale would take effect in about a month, according to Taiwa»»»

New Delhi: Delhi authorities on Wednesday intensified vehicle checks across the National Capital as stringent pollution-control measures under GRAP Stage IV (Severe+) came into force, including denial of fuel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate and restrictions on »»»

A Bulgarian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Maria Anguelieva, who is the National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism, took part in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's winter plenary session in Jerusalem from December 14 to 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The d»»»

A Russian diplomatic delegation is expected to travel to Florida this week for talks with the US representatives involved in President Donald Trump’s push to broker a peace agreement in the Ukraine conflict, according to media reports. The delegation will reportedly be led by senior negotiator Kiri»»»

New Delhi: Indian Railways has electrified 99.2 per cent of its broad gauge network, marking a major milestone in India’s transport infrastructure push and placing the country ahead of several major railway systems globally, including the UK, Russia and China, according to a Ministry of Railways st»»»

Muscat: Oman Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik conferred ‘The First Class of the Order of Oman’ on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday - an award that has previously been presented to Queen Elizabeth, Queen Maxim, Emperor Akihito, Nelson Mandela and King Abdullah of Jordan. This is the 29th such global»»»

Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez (shown) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a security cooperation agreement to strengthen efforts against organized crime, drug trafficking and other transnational threats, Photo by Juan Pablo Pino/EPA Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Paraguay signed a security»»»

Parliament adopted amendments to the Family Code on second reading on Thursday, which provide for the possibility of the court to order shared parenting. When both parents have expressed a desire to exercise parental rights and this is in the best interests of the child, the court may order the joi»»»

Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan as leader of the Catholic Church in New York, replacing the prominent conservative prelate with a little-known 58-year-old bishop from Illinois, Ronald Hicks, in a major shake-up of the country's Catholic leadership. Pope Leo»»»

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The US Department of War has approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, marking the largest US weapons package ever for the island, following a $330 million deal in November for spare and repair parts for aircraft. The deal includes eight separate purchases covering 82 HIMARS rocket systems an»»»

In a powerful display of courage amid tragedy, Ahmed Al-Ahmed has emerged as the "Sydney hero" following the devastating mass shooting at Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025. Also Read: Viral video: Hero tackles Bondi beach shooter in life-saving takedownA now-viral video shows that during a Hanukkah »»»

Venezuela on Wednesday said its crude oil exports were not impacted by US President Donald Trump's announcement of a potentially crippling blockade, insisting it was proceeding with business as usual. Venezuela struck a defiant note Wednesday, insisting its crude oil exports were not impacted by US»»»

All eight F-16 Block 70 fighter jets procured under Bulgaria’s first contract with the United States have arrived at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, were welcomed during an official ceremony on Thursday. These include six single-seat and two two-seat aircraft, all cleared for service and operational. Spea»»»

The US Congress has voted to permanently repeal sweeping sanctions imposed on Syria under former leader Bashar al Assad, clearing the way for foreign investment and marking a significant shift in Washington’s policy towards the war-ravaged country following the rise of a new government. The US Cong»»»

A viral video falsely claiming that a coup d’État has taken place in France has racked up more than 13 million views on social media. Although clearly AI-generated, it sparked tensions between the Élysée Palace and Facebook's parent company, as Meta initially refu»»»

After a three-and-a-half-month trial, anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier was sentenced Thursday in Besançon to life in prison for all the charges against him, a verdict he plans to appeal. Péchier is accused of poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died, between 2008 and 2017. A French court on Thursday sen»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, December 18: French paper Le Monde reveals who was behind the viral AI fake news video that announced a coup in France. Next, some good news: a mama polar bear adopts a cub in a rare case of polar bear bonding. Also: the new season of Emily in Paris is out and we calculate »»»

A kid isn’t totally to blame when it acts like a lunatic in public. Particularly when you take a good look at the parents. Such is the case of the Bulgarian establishment – the European Union’s latest “foster kid” on the verge of being fully adopted into the family, despite being in the middle of a»»»

Dubai: AD Ports Group has formed a strategic joint venture with CEI Supply Chain Private Limited to expand its logistics footprint in Pakistan and offer integrated, door-to-door supply chain services across the country. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The new joint ven»»»

Sharjah Charity International’s “Dirham Al Hamd” initiative has contributed more than Dh23 million to charitable projects since its launch in 2017, reinforcing its role as one of the organisation’s key funding streams for humanitarian programmes inside and outside the UAE. Built on a simple daily m»»»

The Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs has finalized its security arrangements ahead of tonight’s large protest in the so-called Triangle of Power in central Sofia, according to the director of the capital’s police, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov. He announced that police will set up 20 che»»»

Interest rates have been cut to 3.75%, the lowest level in almost three years, but further reductions are set to be a "closer call", the Bank of England has said. In a knife-edge vote, policymakers voted 5-4 in favour to lower rates from 4% reflecting concerns over rising unemployment and weak econ»»»

Farmers in tractors blocked roads, threw potatoes and eggs, and set off fireworks in Brussels on Wednesday outside a European Union leaders' summit, prompting police to respond with tear gas and water cannons as protesters rallied against a major free-trade deal with South American nations. Farmers»»»

Police in London arrested two people who called for "intifada" during a pro-Palestinian protest, which followed a decision by authorities to toughen enforcement of hate speech laws after a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. The arrests Wednesday came hours after police in London »»»

Oil prices rose slightly on Thursday as investors assessed the likelihood of further US sanctions against Russia and the supply risks posed by a blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers. Brent crude rose 32 cents or 0.54% to $60 per barrel at 0910 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 38 cents, or»»»

Saudi Arabia's largest telecoms operator STC on Thursday announced a joint venture with the kingdom's artificial intelligence company Humain to develop and operate data centers. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the venture, in which Humain will hold a 51% stake, while»»»

The head of the U.N. refugee agency in Lebanon said Thursday that the move by the United States to lift sweeping sanctions on Syria could encourage more refugees to return to their country. The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to permanently remove the so-called Caesar Act sanctions after the administra»»»

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a stark warning Thursday as he arrived for a key European Union summit in Brussels, saying that if Ukraine's allies failed to provide it with financial support to continue defending itself against Russia and keep the country running, Europe would be next. Ph»»»

Greece’s main urban transport operator has extended the deadline for applications to hire bus drivers once again, underscoring a growing staffing crunch that is disrupting public transit even as the Greek capital’s fleet is modernized. OSY, which operates buses and trolleybuses in the Athens area, »»»

Greece’s farmers appear ready to escalate their protest actions, based on decisions taken at local assemblies. However, Thursday’s meeting of representatives from the farmers’ blockades, scheduled for 2 p.m. in Serres, will also determine whether a delegation will agree to meet with the government.»»»

A 54-year-old academic accused of defrauding the family of a missing doctor by claiming he could help locate him using “quantum technology” is expected to appear before judicial authorities in Crete on Friday. The suspect was brought before prosecutors on Tuesday but was granted a delay and will be»»»

Greece’s population continued to edge downward in 2024 despite strong migration inflows, according to new estimates released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). ELSTAT said the country’s estimated permanent population stood at 10,372,335 people as of January 1, 2025, down 0.03% from a r»»»

The organization and management of unlicensed nursing homes will be criminalized, the National Assembly decided on Thursday, adopting amendments to the Penal Code at second reading. Providing a social care service without a license will be punishable by up to five years in prison if the offender ha»»»

Dutch and British gas prices posted small gains on Thursday morning but are largely expected to trade sideways with rising demand from colder weather easily met by pipeline and liquefied natural gas deliveries. The benchmark Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub was up 0.19 euros at 27.57 euros»»»

Global football icon Lionel Messi made a special visit to Vantara, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation centre founded by Anant Ambani. At the centre, initiatives traditionally begin with seeking blessings in accordance with Sanatana Dharma, which emphasises reverence for nature and r»»»

The Sofia Municipal Council voted, 31-3 with 15 abstentions, to approve Mayor Vassil Terziev's proposal to restructure Sofia Municipality on Thursday. The proposal was previously rejected twice in November. The main objective is to reform the organizational structure of the municipal administration»»»

The net flows of foreign direct investment in Bulgaria presented according to the directional principle recorded a positive value of EUR 2,566.2 million (2.3% of GDP) in January – October 2025, growing by EUR 135.4 million (5.6%) from January – October 2024 (positive value of EUR 2,430.8 million, 2»»»

Washington: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi met with Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America HE Christopher Landau, on the sidelines of the seventh strategic dialogue between the two countries, which is being»»»

Dubai: As part of the ‘Year of Community’ initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion and empowering community-focused institutions, the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai honoured 30 outstanding non-profit organisations at a ceremony held at Emirates Towers on Wednesday. The rec»»»

Dubai: Dubai's flagship carrier, Emirates, has urged all passengers departing Dubai on December 18-19 to arrive at the airport at least four hours before departure, as rainy and windy weather is expected to slow road traffic across the UAE. The advisory, issued during one of the busiest holiday tra»»»

Police in London arrested two people who called for “intifada” during a pro-Palestinian protest, which followed a decision by authorities to toughen enforcement of hate speech laws after a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. The arrests Wednesday came hours after police in London »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s cargo security has been given a major upgrade, as Dubai Police will now be able to monitor and operate X-ray machines across dnata’s Dubai International Airport (DXB) warehouse from a single high-tech control room. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The new»»»

Thursday’s plenary session in Albania’s parliament was marked by sharp confrontations and chaos after opposition lawmakers disrupted proceedings inside the chamber. Tensions escalated further during the swearing-in of Endrit Shabani as the country’s new Ombudsman. MPs from the Democratic Party reac»»»

A Briton who fought in Ukraine has been sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security prison, the Russian Prosecutor-General's office has said. Hayden Davies, a former British soldier who Russia has called a "mercenary", was reportedly captured in Ukraine's Donbas region in late 2024 or early 2025 wh»»»

All eight F-16 Block 70 fighter jets under the first contract between Bulgaria and the United States are now at the air base, outgoing Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said here Thursday. He was speaking at an official ceremony at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, where the aircraft were presented. Those a»»»

During consultations with President Rumen Radev here on Thursday, ahead of the procedure to hand out mandates for forming a new government, MECh Chair Radostin Vasilev said that his party sees no possibility of forming a functioning government through "political betrayals". Vasilev said: "The curre»»»