Scattered rain expected in northern, central-eastern, and Sfax regions Sunday night
Tunis, Dec 21 (TAP) — The weather on Sunday night will be very cloudy with scattered rainfall across northern Tunisia, the eastern central regions, and Sfax, with locally heavy downpours expected along north-western coastal strip.The wind will blow...»»»
Spanish group Cementos Molins acquires Secil, strengthening foothold in Tunisia
Tunis, Dec 21 (TAP) — Spanish construction materials group Cementos Molins on December 19, 2025 announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Portuguese conglomerate Semapa to acquire 100% of Secil, Portugal’s leading cement...»»»
UAE President meets SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk
Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with American entrepreneur Elon Musk, CEO of X, SpaceX, Tesla, and Starlink, to discuss advancements in technology and artificial intelligence. The leaders explored how these innovations can enhance quality of life and promote»»»
Vertex Technologies sponsors MCIT job fair to support youth employment and outsourcing talent
Vertex Technologies participated as an official sponsor of a job fair organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), reinforcing its commitment to youth empowerment and the development of digital and outsourcing talent in Egypt. The job fair aims to connect fresh gra»»»
Power largely restored after unexplained blackout hit San Francisco - UPI.com
San Francisco's skyline is dominated by the 1,070-foot Salesforce Tower as viewed from the top of Mount Tamalpias in Marin County, California on February 18, 2019. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Power has been largely restored after a widespread and unexplained bla»»»
US Senator Accuses Hamas and Hezbollah of Rearming
US Senator Lindsey Graham accused Hamas and Hezbollah of rearming during a visit to Israel on Sunday, and charged that the Palestinian group was also consolidating power in Gaza. After two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory, a fragile ceasefire has held since October»»»
Iraq Says International Firms in Kurdistan Obliged to Transfer Crude Under Deal
Iraq’s state oil marketer SOMO said on Sunday international producers in Kurdistan were still obliged to send it their crude under a September export agreement, after Norway's DNO said it would not take part in the agreement. SOMO said its statement was in response to a Reuters report in September»»»
MOCI organizes awareness workshop for Ehsan Center members on consumer rights
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), in cooperation with the Center for Empowerment and Care of the Elderly (Ehsan), organized an awareness workshop for the center's members as part of its efforts to promote consumer rights awareness and encourage responsible purchasing practi»»»
Russian Special Envoy Should Receive Information on US Contacts With Ukraine and Europeans — Kremlin
ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) - Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, Kirill Dmitriev, during his talks in Miami should obtain information on Washington's contacts with Ukrainians and Europeans, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday. "Dmitriev shoul»»»
Gold prices in Egypt surge by over EGP 2,000 in 2025: iSagha
Gold prices in Egypt continued their upward trajectory last week, rising by 0.8% in local markets, while global gold prices gained about 1%, driven by expectations that the US Federal Reserve will maintain a monetary easing cycle in 2026, according to a report by iSagha. Saied Embaby, CEO of iSagha»»»
Orban mocks Kallas with Hitler comparison
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has mocked EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, suggesting that she believes she can do better against Russia than Napoleon and Adolf Hitler did. Speaking at a conference in the southern Hungarian city of Szeged, Orban argued that many European countries view t»»»
Syria Investment Authority hails repeal of Caesar Act as boost for recovery
Damascus, Dec. 21 (SANA) Syrian Investment Authority Director General Talal al-Hilali said on Sunday that the repeal of the Caesar Act represents “a positive step that contributes to removing the constraints that have affected the national economy, and opens new horizons for a phase of economic rec»»»
Metal Shields Installed at Prime Minister’s Office Ahead of Opposition Protest
One day before the announced opposition protest, workers began installing metal shields on the façade of the Prime Minister’s Office facing the main boulevard “Dëshmorët e Kombit” in Tirana. The protest is scheduled to take place on Monday, December 22, at 18:00. The protective barriers were placed»»»
Russia's Dmitriev Arrives for New Round of Ukraine Talks With Witkoff, Kushner in Miami
MIAMI (Sputnik) - Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, Kirill Dmitriev, returned for a second day of Ukraine peace talks with US negotiators in Miami on Sunday, a Sputnik correspondent reported. Dmitriev arrived in Miami on Saturday and immediately hea»»»
Doha Institute completes mid-cycle review for International Institutional Accreditation
Doha, Qatar: A report issued by the UK's Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has confirmed that the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) has successfully passed the mid-cycle review for its International Quality Review (IQR) institutional accreditation. This institutional review»»»
Mohammed bin Yousef Al Mana re-elected as President of AWF
Doha, Qatar: The Executive Office of the Arab Weightlifting Federation (AWF) held a meeting on the margins of the Combined Weightlifting Championships, hosted by Doha, featuring the Qatar Cup, the Arab Weightlifting Championship, and the West Asia Weightlifting Championship, amid wide Arab and Asia»»»
Five Tunisians ranked among 100 Most Influential Africans for 2025
Tunis, Dec 21 (TAP) — Five Tunisians have been included in New African magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential Africans, published on December 19.The honourees are: Hazem Ben Gacem, Lotfi Karoui, Semia Gharbi, Myriam Ben Salah, and Fadhel...»»»
QSE index closes higher
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed higher on Sunday by 61.74 points, or 0.58 percent, to reach 10,716.39 points. During the session, a total of 78,051,577 shares were traded, with a value of QR 207,635,426.825, through 13,002 transactions across all sectors. The session saw th»»»
Customs Authority thwarts attempt to smuggle over €123,000 through Mitiga Airport
Libya’s Customs Authority reported yesterday that last Friday (19 December) members of the Investigation Unit of the Tripoli Anti-Smuggling and Narcotics Department, assigned to Mitiga International Airport, thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large sum of foreign currency. The suspect, identified as »»»
Vazrazhdane Demands Resignations of Kozloduy NPP Leadership after Early Shutdown of Unit 6
Vazrazhdane wants resignations at Kozloduy NPP after the second emergency shutdown of Unit 6, said Vazrazhdane MP Yordan Todorov quoted by the party's press service on Sunday. Unit 6 of Kozloduy NPP is getting shut down on Sunday morning, one day earlier than the previously announced date, the powe»»»
Thermal tourism in El Hamma off to promising start this season
Gabes, Dec 21 (TAP) — The 2025–26 thermal cure season in El Hamma, launched in late November and scheduled to run until the end of April 2026, has begun with strong momentum, characterised by a notable influx of patients seeking treatment at the...»»»
QF's Earthna and UN-Habitat sign MoU to advance sustainability
DOHA: Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future - a member of Qatar Foundation - and UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Urban Development, establishing a strategic partnership to address sustainabilit»»»
Israel approves 19 new settlements in occupied West Bank
Israel's security cabinet has approved the recognition of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank as the government continues its settlement expansion push. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler who proposed the move alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz, said the decision wa»»»
Inaugural Doha International Music and Marching Festival concludes at Katara
Doha, Qatar: The first edition of the Doha International Music and Dance Festival (Doha Tattoo) concluded at Katara Cultural Village, under the patronage of Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and in the pre»»»
Despite drop in road accidents, fatalities up (National Road Safety Observatory)
Tunis, Dec 21 (TAP) — Road traffic fatalities in Tunisia were up by 6.27% from the start of the year to December 18, 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, according to the latest data released on December 18 by the National Road Safety...»»»
Libyan Film Festival to be held from 26–27 December at Bayt Ali Gana cultural house
Cultural House, Bayt Ali Gana, announce yesterday the launch of its first Libyan Film Festival to be held from 26–27 December. The festival, to be held at Bayt Ali Gana’s Janzour location, aims to bring together filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts in a cultural space that highlights the richness and »»»
The Eurasian Economic Union is Self-Sufficient Center of Emerging Multipolar World - Putin
ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that measures aimed at further deepening interaction within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) would be discussed at the leaders' summit in St. Petersburg on Sunday. "I am pleased to welcome you all. Today, as is customary, we will su»»»
Dubai RTA issues safety advisory for e-scooter riders
Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has urged residents and visitors to use e-scooters responsibly, highlighting key safety guidelines aimed at protecting riders and other road users. E-scooters have become a popular mode of transport in Dubai, offering a convenient and environmentally f»»»
Ashghal Introduces 4G/5G tanker-tracking system, to phase out 2G/3G devices by end of 2025
DOHA: The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ has announced the rollout of enhanced tanker-tracking devices powered by 4G and 5G SIM technology, aimed at improving fleet management efficiency, security, and real-time visibility. In a statement, Ashghal said the new system will provide round-the-clock »»»
Top Ukrainian Official Lobbied FBI to Stay Out of $100M Corruption Case – Report
A high-profile graft scandal unfolded in Ukraine in November when the National Anti-Corruption Bureau watchdog targeted a murky scheme in the country’s energy sector. Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov appealed to FBI Director Kash Patel with a request to pro»»»
High-level national workshop held to review Libya's draft Renewable Energy Law
The Renewable Energy Authority of Libya (REAoL) reported yesterday that, in cooperation with the Germany’s GIZ, it had held a high-level national workshop to review and discuss the draft renewable energy law in Libya. The workshop was held in Tunis from 18 to 19 December. REAoL said the two-day wor»»»
Dreama Center, QRCS sign cooperation protocol
DOHA: The Orphan Care Center (Dreama), one of the centers under the umbrella of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, and the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) signed a strategic cooperation protocol. This protocol aims to provide a comprehensive package of social services that enhance the quality »»»
Dana Gas embarks on well drilling in Egypt
DANA Gas, the Middle East’s leading regional private sector natural gas company, has commenced drilling the Balsam-2 development well in the Balsam Development lease onshore Nile delta. The Balsam-2 well is being drilled with the 2000 HP Egyptian Drilling Company’s Rig #48 and targets the Qawasim f»»»
Look: Sheikh Hamdan hosts, drives Elon Musk in Dubai
Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has surprised social media followers with photos of a personal meeting with Elon Musk in Dubai, where the Crown P»»»
Abu Dhabi weather update: Partly cloudy with light rainfall forecast
Abu Dhabi: The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast that tomorrow’s weather will be partly cloudy, with the formation of some low clouds over islands and parts of western areas, accompanied by a chance of light rainfall. The weather is expected to become humid at night and on Tuesday m»»»
Gold prices rise by 15,000 SYP in Syrian market
Damascus, Dec. 21 (SANA) Gold prices in the Syrian market rose by 15,000 SYP per gram of 21-karat gold on Sunday, reaching 1,375,000 SYP, up from Saturday’s price of 1,360,000 SYP. The Goldsmiths Syndicate set the selling price of 21-karat gold at 1,375,000 SYP per gram and the buying price at 1,34»»»
MSDF unveils details of Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work
DOHA: The Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF) unveiled on Sunday the details of the Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work. This came during a press conference attended by a contingent of national leaders, representatives of public agencies, civil society institutions, and media pro»»»
US views EU as an ‘impotent force’ after failed Russian asset grab – Economist
The EU’s failure to grab frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine will reinforce Washington’s view of the bloc as an irrelevant and “impotent force,” British outlet The Economist reported on Friday. EU leaders had long debated providing cash-strapped Kiev a so-called ‘reparations loan’ backed by Ru»»»
Egypt coach says Salah unaffected by Liverpool turmoil ahead of AFCON opener
Agadir: Mohamed Salah has shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool as he prepares to lead Egypt into the Africa Cup of Nations, Pharaohs coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday. "Salah's morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out wit»»»
Hatif Libya phone company signs MoUs at its "Hatif Libya – 15 Years of Communication" forum
Hatif (phone) Libya Company organized a forum last Thursday (18 December) under the banner “Hatif Libya – 15 Years of Communication”, which it said was a pivotal event that combined reflecting on the company’s institutional legacy with a steady march towards a smarter and more efficient future in t»»»
36th Carthage Film Festival caps off in Tunisia
Tunis, Tunisia: The 36th Carthage Film Festival was capped off on Saturday evening at the Opera Theatre of the City of Culture in Tunis. The feature film The Stories was crowned winner of the Golden Tanit for feature-length fiction films, while the Silver Tanit went to the Nigerian film My Father's»»»
First phase of Hezbollah’s disarmament close to complete, Lebanon PM says – Ya Libnan
Share: The PM says the part of the plan on south of the Litani River is ‘only days away from completion’. Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah in the south of the Litani River before a year-end deadline as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, according to Prime Minister Nawa»»»
Electricity outage hits San Francisco, thousands without power
San Francisco: A huge electricity outage hit San Francisco on Saturday, leaving 130,000 residents without power for several hours at its peak, with the city’s main provider saying all services would return overnight. Pacific Gas & Electric Company said in a statement on X that power had been restor»»»
Safety alert: Abu Dhabi's winter heating guidelines to prevent fires
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police and the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority have urged residents to follow strict safety guidelines when using heating devices and firewood during the winter season, warning that improper use could lead to fires or dangerous cases of suffocation. The call comes as part of »»»
UAE strengthens position as global tourism and investment hub
Abu Dhabi: The UAE continues to make strong gains in the tourism sector, strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading travel destinations while attracting steady investment backed by high returns and a competitive business environment. These achievements are part of a long-term national»»»
World Bank's December 2025 Libya Economic Monitor report highlights improvement in Libya's fiscal management
The World Bank’s December 2025 Libya Economic Monitor report highlighted an improvement in Libya’s fiscal management, noting that the government has begun to implement more transparent and responsible fiscal policies, which have been reflected in measurable economic indicators. In this context»»»
Yemeni Gov't, Houthis Make Progress in Prisoner Swap Talks – Source
CAIRO (Sputnik) - The internationally recognized Yemeni government and the rebel Ansar Allah movement (also known as the Houthis) have made progress in prisoner exchange negotiations taking place in the Omani capital of Muscat under the auspices of the United Nations, a Yemeni government source tol»»»
Speaker of Shura Council meets President of Jordanian Senate
Doha, Qatar: The Speaker of the Shura Council, HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim met on Sunday with the President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Jordan, HE Faisal El-Fayez, who is visiting the country. During the meeting, the Shura Council Speaker emphasized the deep ties that the two brotherly cou»»»
Putin Takes Part in Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg
A meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is taking place in St. Petersburg on December 21. Sputnik is live as Russian President Vladimir Putin participates in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg.The meeting is intended to discuss current issues regarding t»»»
UAE and UNHCR sign agreement to help Sudanese people
Abu Dhabi: The UAE Aid Agency has signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support the delivery of urgent humanitarian and relief aid to the Sudanese people impacted by the repercussions of the ongoing conflict in the country. According to the»»»