Dubai: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (pictured) yesterday defended controversial ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, revealing that organisers had received a record 150 million requests for tickets in the past two weeks. Speaking at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Infantino stressed that all »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Al Ahli FC will face Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan FC of Iran in the Round of 16 of the AFC Champions League (ACL) Two following the conclusion of the knockout stage draw yesterday. The draw set the path for the 16 remaining teams, with all eight Round of 16 ties offering intriguing»»»

Rabat, Morocco: Tanzania reached the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, 45 years after their maiden appearance, by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow qualifiers Tunisia in Rabat. Ismael Gharbi converted a penalty just before half-time for Tunisia and Feisal Salu»»»

Indonesian authorities have raised the alert level for the Mount Bur Ni Telong volcano in the country’s westernmost province of Aceh to its second highest following a series of increased activity and volcanic earthquakes, official said Wednesday. The 2,624-meter (8,600-foot) stratovolcano in Aceh's»»»

Dubai: The UAE fuel price committee on Wednesday announced petrol and diesel prices for the month of January 2026. Super 98 petrol will cost Dh2.53 a litre, compared to Dh2.70 a litre in December, while Special 95 will cost Dh2.42 a litre, compared to Dh2.58 a litre the previous month. Also In This»»»

As Bulgaria adopts the euro, small settlements lacking post offices, ATMs, and other essential services face a particularly difficult transition. One such place is the village of Emen in Veliko Tarnovo region, home to roughly twenty elderly residents. Emen lacks public transport, a post office, and»»»

Kazakhstan’s leader, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, sent a message of congratulations to Sadyr Japarov, the head of Kyrgyzstan, and the people of the country on the upcoming New Year 2026. In his congratulatory telegram, the head of Kazakhstan wished Sadyr Japarov inexhaustible energy, family well-being, a»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatari athletes endured mixed fortunes in the passing year, marked by historic achievements, extraordinary individual performances and moments of heartbreak. Al Annabi experienced a roller-coaster 2025, but their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup on merit saved the blushe»»»

New York: US singer Beyonce is now a billionaire, Forbes magazine said on Monday, becoming only the fifth musician to achieve such a milestone. The 44-year-old entertainer joins a select club that includes her husband, rapper Jay-Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna, according »»»

TEHRAN — Some shopkeepers in Tehran shut their stores for the second day in a row Monday in protest against economic hardships and sharp swings in Iran's embattled currency, media reports said.The rial has hit new lows on the unofficial market, with the US dollar trading at around 1.42 million rial»»»

Once Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry, among other countries, denounced the “deplorable attack” on the Russian President's residence, Ukraine has been scrambling to contain the “diplomatic fallout,” writes t»»»

France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen will attend the screen legend Brigitte Bardot's funeral next week, but President Emmanuel Macron will not, their teams said on Tuesday. In her later years, Bardot was an outspoken supporter of the far right and was convicted in court for hate speech, stirring»»»

Ajay Kumar waited nearly eight years for that life-changing call and when it finally came, it was from the unmistakable voice of Big Ticket host Richard. Kumar, a finance analyst from Kerala who has called Dubai home for 17 years, won Dh100,000 in the Big Ticket e-draw, sending his excitement soari»»»

Dubai: Shah Rukh Khan has arrived in Dubai, with videos circulating across social media showing the Bollywood superstar around town just in time for the city's most anticipated New Year's Eve event. His presence adds an extra layer of excitement to what's already shaping up to be one of Dubai's gra»»»

Somalia is weighing options to defend its unity and sovereignty and is consulting strategic allies and partners in the region and beyond to determine the best course of action, its ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union said on Tuesday. Abdullahi Warfa told Asharq Al-Awsat that the consultati»»»

Dubai: Emirates is warning passengers of a major rush at Dubai International Airport from January 2 to 5, with high volumes of departures and arrivals expected to create gridlock on roads, packed car parks and longer queues inside the terminal. The airline recommends arriving four hours before depa»»»

Doha, Qatar: Norway’s Magnus Carlsen completed a dominant double at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships Qatar 2025, adding the Blitz world title to his rapid crown at the Qatar University Sports and Events Complex yesterday. Carlsen defeated Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov in a tense bl»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s financial wealth grew by 4.1% between 2023 to 2024, rising from $408bn to $424bn. Real assets declined by 6% in 2024, reaching $394bn, with projected growth to $434bn by 2029. Liabilities rose by 1.8%, from $52bn to $53bn. The Global Wealth Report 2025: Rethinking the Rules for»»»

Central Asia, the Sahel region and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European Copernicus program. Globally, the last 12 months are expected to be the third hottest ever recorded after 2024 and 2023, according to the pr»»»

As the Lebanese army presses ahead with efforts to seize weapons inside Palestinian refugee camps across the country, a key question remains unresolved: what will become of Hamas’s arsenal in Lebanon, as the group continues to defy a government decision and a Lebanese-Palestinian agreement requirin»»»

In 2025, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan strengthened financial protection for citizens and laid the legal foundation for the transition to digital som. Melis Turgunbaev, the National Bank Chairman, posted on Facebook, summing up the results. He also noted the introduction of a self-ban procedure f»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov will spend the New Year holidays in Kyrgyzstan. Presidential press secretary Askat Alagozov told 24.kg news agency. According to him, the head of state will celebrate the holiday with his family. At the same time, Sadyr Japarov will be in constant contact with »»»

The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, wished President Sadyr Japarov and the people of the Kyrgyz Republic Happy New Year. According to the press service of the head of state, Xi Jinping sent a personalized greeting letter conveying his best wishes for a Happy New Year.»»»

Doha, Qatar: Hamad International Airport (HIA) has announced enhanced services and operational procedures in preparation for the anticipated increase in passenger traffic returning to Doha after the winter holidays. In a statement released yesterday, HIA issued a set of guidelines for a smooth and »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), in cooperation with Nasser Bin Khaled and Sons Automobiles, Qatar’s Mercedes dealership, has announced the recall of Mercedes-Benz AMG SL Class and AMG GT 2024-2025 Models. The recall is due to the software of the powertrain control unit do»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) participated in the “Little Employee” initiative in cooperation with the Qatar Career Development Center, hosting 50 children of its employees at the Ministry’s headquarters. The initiative aims to give children the opportunity to spend an i»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is witnessing rapid development in the information technology sector and is among the top 20 countries globally this year which demonstrates the robust business environment in the country. Qatar has achieved a remarkable advancement in the 2025 World Digital Competitiveness Ranki»»»

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Governorate showcased its environmental wealth and natural diversity during its participation in Gulf Wildlife Day, highlighting its status as one of the Kingdom’s key regions rich in biodiversity and geology, featuring unique landscapes that include volcanic mountains, valleys»»»

A growing body of evidence from Lebanese security and judicial investigations is strengthening suspicions that Israel’s Mossad intelligence service orchestrated the luring and abduction of retired General Security captain Ahmed Shukr, whose disappearance nearly two weeks ago has raised alarm within»»»

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan clarified new entry requirements for foreigners entering Georgia. Effective January 1, 2026, new entry regulations will apply to all foreigners: they must have valid health and accident insurance for the entire period of their stay in Georgia. This requ»»»

Doha, Qatar: President of the National Cyber Security Agency, H E Eng. Abdulrahman bin Ali Al Farahid Al Malki, received Director of the Gulf Cooperation Council Emergency Management Center, H E Brig. Gen. Dr. Rashid bin Mohammed Al-Marri, during an official meeting aimed at strengthening joint coo»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Society of Engineers (QSE) yesterday launched the ‘Engineers Without Borders’ programme, the first of its kind in Qatar, and inaugurated its official website. Chairperson of the Board of Directors of QSE, Eng. Amna Mohammed Al Naama, said the programme is one of QSE’s flagshi»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf’s department of Islamic Research and Studies announced yesterday that it will organise a seminar on January 6 at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd Al Wahhab Mosque after Isha prayer. Director of the Department of Islamic Research and Studies Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-T»»»

Doha, Qatar: The "Cultural and Artistic Transformations: Beyond the Oil Drop" exhibition was recently inaugurated by Director General of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Professor Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti at Katara. The exhibition, which is being held in collaboration with the Qatar »»»

Doha, Qatar: In the Arabian Gulf, some of the region’s richest pockets of marine life are forming in unexpected places: around the steel legs of offshore oil platforms. And according to Director of Research and Policy Development at Qatar Foundation’s Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future, Dr. Ra»»»

US President Donald Trump warmly greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida this week as the two leaders put on a public display of unity on multiple fronts—from Gaza to Iran to Netanyahu’s legal and political challenges at home. This meeting came after week»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB) has launched the redesigned website of the “Mawared” system, introducing a modernised interface and enhanced digital services aimed at supporting human resources operations across government entities. The announcement was made i»»»

Engineer Badr Basalmah, an adviser to the Yemeni president, said Yemen is entering a decisive phase in which the state is attempting to reclaim control of the political landscape through what he described as a process of “reverse engineering,” backed by close regional support and aimed at restoring»»»

The US could face serious problems sustaining a strike group deployed in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, notes the New York Times. One potential challenge for the Trump administration is reportedly the cost of maintaining a massive military presence in the area.The aircraft c»»»

Cabinet Chairman Adylbek Kasymaliev congratulated the employees and veterans of the Customs Service of Kyrgyzstan on their professional holiday. The congratulatory message noted that customs authorities play a key role in ensuring the country’s economic security, protecting national interests, and »»»

More than 500 employees of Mailuu-Suu Lamp Plant are being sent on unpaid leave, the office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in Jalal-Abad region reported. Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative Nurlan Ermatov met with the plant’s workforce and management to discuss the current sit»»»

Yerevan: The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, HE Vahan Kostanyan, has received a copy of the credentials of HE Mansour bin Abdulla Al Sulaitin as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to Armenia.»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s startup ecosystem has gained significant momentum in 2025, with government-led initiatives and private sector programmes driving entrepreneurship, job creation, and broader economic growth. Recent reports indicate that these efforts are helping to diversify the economy and boos»»»

Japan’s sustainable finance agenda moved from vision to execution in 2025, marking a year in which policy intent, market standards and capital mobilisation began to align at scale, Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) writes. What had previously been framed as aspiration increasingly took on the cha»»»

Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers that were captured in July during deadly border clashes. The release was part of a deal signed on Saturday by both countries, where Thailand had agreed to the release if a truce held for 72 hours. But this was delayed by nearly a day after Thailand accuse»»»

Doha, Qatar: The launch of numerous national and sectoral strategies in 2025 marked a pivotal moment in Qatar’s development journey, reflecting a strong commitment to long-term, coordinated planning. These strategies, introduced by various ministries and entities, were designed to translate the obj»»»

Doha, Qatar: The first edition of the international exhibition on robotics and artificial intelligence technologies – ROBOTECH 26 is set to take place in Doha from October 27-29, 2026. ROBOTECH is a specialised exhibition that aligns with Qatar’s Digital Agenda 2030. The expo highlights the importa»»»

Doha, Qatar: In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, nations around the world are racing to build robust Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (DEEs) that can drive economic growth, foster innovation, and ensure global competitiveness. Qatar has emerged as a notable player in this arena, a»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s tourism sector recorded a landmark year in 2025, with hotel room nights sold reaching 9.7 million and visitor numbers expected to reach their highest level in the country’s history. Ayman Al Qudwa, Member of the Tourism and Exhibitions Committee at the Qatar Chamber, said in an»»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai were unchanged on Wednesday, holding firm after a volatile December that saw prices surge to record highs before easing toward month-end. As of 8.40 am, 24-karat gold was priced at Dh525 per gram, while the 22-karat variety stood at Dh486.25. (Check latest UAE gold price»»»