A set of tough US sanctions imposed on Syria under its former leader Bashar al-Assad could be lifted within weeks, after their repeal was included in a sweeping defense policy bill unveiled during the weekend and due for votes in Congress within days. The Senate and House of Representatives include»»»

The National Assembly Committee on Budget and Finance is expected today, December 9, to discuss revised versions of the 2026 State Budget Bill, the Public Social Insurance Budget Bill and the National Health Insurance Fund Budget Bill at first reading, according to information published on the legi»»»

The US position towards Ukraine's Zelensky has hardened, including on issues of territory and control of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, according to an Axios report. Zelensky is being pressured to accept serious territorial concessions as part of President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan, s»»»

The owners of a nightclub in Goa, India, where a devastating fire killed 25 people on Sunday, fled the country hours after the tragedy, police have said. Indian authorities confirmed the two brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, boarded a flight to Phuket in Thailand shortly after the incident. Inve»»»

Sapporo, Japan: A big quake off Japan injured at least 30 people, authorities said Tuesday, damaging roads and knocking out power for thousands in freezing temperatures. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the magnitude 7.5 quake at 11:15 pm on Monday (1415 GMT) -- downgraded from its first readin»»»

A young man who rented a vehicle for 114 days and failed to settle the outstanding charges has been ordered to pay Dh20,174 to the car rental company, according to a ruling by the Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administrative Court. Court records show that the company filed a lawsuit demanding the un»»»

Ukraine is preparing to present a revised peace plan to the White House, as it seeks to avoid making territorial concessions to Russia. Kyiv is set propose alternatives to the US after President Volodymyr Zelensky again ruled out surrendering land, saying he had "no right" to do so under Ukrainian »»»

A new prosecutor, Erkingul Urdaletova, has been appointed in Manas city. The press service of the City Hall reported. It is noted that the newly appointed head of the supervisory authority has already been introduced to the municipal staff and Manas prosecutor’s office. Erkingul Urdaletova previous»»»

At the Kecskemét stop of the Digital Civic Circles tour, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reaffirmed that the 2026 parliamentary election will be a turning point for Hungary’s future amid a mounting international crisis. “Next year’s election will be the last before the war,” he said. “If we have a Brus»»»

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it had struck Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon. "A short while ago, the IDF struck infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in several areas in southern Lebanon," the IDF said on Telegram. It noted that the strikes targ»»»

Kyrgyzstan’s electricity imports from Russia decreased. These data are presented in an analysis prepared by the Kazakhstani holding company Samruk-Energy. The figures were processed based on data for the period from January to September 2025. Electricity imports from Russia decreased by 3.1 percent»»»

TOKYO, Dec 8 (KUNA) -- The US reaffirmed Monday that "complete denuclearization" of North Korea remains the policy shared with South Korea, after a new US security strategy document showed the phrase was absent, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Acting US Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim.He ma»»»

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks as President Donald Trump listens during an "Investing in America" event at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 30. On Monday, Trump announced he would allow Nvidia to sell some Artificial Intelligence chips to China with a 25% cut for the United States. Fil»»»

A fire broke out this morning in a building at the intersection of Erkindik Boulevard and Sagymbai Manaschi Street in Bishkek, a 24.kg news agency correspondent reported from the scene. According to preliminary information, the fire began in the basement of the café 3 Komnaty. A firefighting crew a»»»

The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan has carried out its seventh foreign exchange intervention since the beginning of the year, selling $83 million. Entering the interbank market, the bank sold $31 million with same-day settlements and $52 million with settlements on another date. Since the start of 202»»»

The Institute of Seismology of the National Academy of Sciences recorded two earthquakes in Kyrgyzstan on December 8. The first quake, with a magnitude of 4, occurred at 8:15 p.m. on December 8 in Batken region. Its epicenter was located 12 kilometers northeast of Ravat village, 17 kilometers north»»»

Deputy Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Meder Abakirov had a telephone conversation with Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Audra Plepytė. The parties discussed bilateral cooperation and the conditions for Kyrgyz freight carriers to cross the Lithuanian border. The press service of the Foreign Affair»»»

An Indiana Senate panel has approved a bill to redraw the state's congressional districts. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo Dec. 8 (UPI) -- An Indiana Senate panel on Monday approved legislation to redraw congressional district maps that are expected to give Republicans two additional»»»

Dubai lit up once again as the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) kicked off on Friday, December 5, launching more than a month of nightly fireworks across the city. Running until January 11, 2026, the festival offered a packed calendar of free entertainment for residents and visitors. The displays, pre»»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai remained unchanged on Tuesday morning, with 24-karat gold trading at Dh506.25 per gram and 22-karat at Dh468.75. The steady start reflects a cautious tone in global markets as traders await confirmation of an expected US rate cut later this week. (Check latest UAE gold p»»»

India’s aviation ministry is poised to slash IndiGo’s domestic flight schedule by 5% — about 110 daily flights — redistributing slots to competitors amid a crippling crisis that grounded over 2,000 flights since early December 2025, local media reported. This move targets IndiGo’s 61% market domina»»»

The Central Commission for Elections and Referendums of Kyrgyzstan yesterday approved the results of the early parliamentary elections in 12 more multi-mandate constituencies and declared the vote valid. For each constituency, the protocols of the district election commissions and the lists of elec»»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi Mobility (AD Mobility) has announced a partial closure on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, which commenced on Tuesday, 9 December, and is scheduled to remain in place until Monday, 22 December, as crews carry out essential road maintenance works. The authority advised the public on »»»

The 6th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Humanitarian Cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan was held in Baku. The Cabinet of Ministers’ press service reported. Particular attention was paid to increasing mutual trade turnover and diversifying the bilateral trade s»»»

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring at least 23 people and triggering small tsunami waves along the Pacific coast. Authorities warned of aftershocks and a heightened risk of a major quake as damage assessments continued into Tuesday. A powerful 7.5-magnitude e»»»

On December 8, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov visited the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation (NTRK) building after a major renovation. The presidential press service reported. The head of state was shown the NTRK administrative building on Molodaya Gvardiya Boulevard, the»»»

A thematic exhibition Charm of Winter is opening at Gallery M ahead of the New Year, showcasing works by prominent Kyrgyz artists, the gallery reported. The exhibition offers a diverse perspective on the winter landscape — from the quiet poetry of snow-covered mountains to emotional, almost intimat»»»

New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani will live in the Manhattan mansion that his predecessors have called home, leaving behind a rent-stabilised apartment that became the subject of heated debate during his campaign. Gracie Mansion, which dates to 1799, has served at the residence for most New »»»

The volume of Kyrgyzstan’s consolidated budget in 2025 will exceed 1.1 trillion soms, marking the first time the country surpasses the «historic trillion-soms threshold,» Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev said at a Cabinet meeting. He noted that the previously approved »»»

The Chairman of the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations, Azamat Yusupov, and his deputy, Ruslan Musaev, have been dismissed from their positions. The presidential press service reported. Azamat Yusupov was appointed to the position in April 2025. Ruslan Musaev served as »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Representatives of foreign media will participate in the annual "Direct Line" question-and-answer session with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 19, according to a program announcement by journalists from federal television channels. "Russian journalists and their coll»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set for a week of continued warm temperatures and rising overnight humidity, with forecasters indicating a slight chance of light rainfall over western and coastal areas by the end of the week. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) on Tuesday reported conditions are expected to»»»

Nigeria's air force has struck targets in neighbouring Benin, a source in the Nigerian presidency told AFP Sunday, in apparent coordination with Beninese authorities working to contain a coup attempt. Reached for comment, air force spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said "the Nigerian Air Force»»»

Dubai: UAE businesses are displaying some of the highest levels of confidence worldwide in managing trade and tariff challenges, according to HSBC’s latest Global Trade Pulse Survey, which tracks how companies across 17 markets are responding to shifting global trade conditions. Sign up for our dai»»»

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping to let Nvidia export its H200 artificial intelligence chips to approved customers in China. This signals a major reversal of the restrictions put in place during former US President Joe Biden's time»»»

Dubai: A Dubai man suffered serious spinal injuries after his electric scooter crashed, sending his helmeted head into a palm tree before he was thrown to the ground, police and the victim said. Emirati youth Talal Mohammad was riding in his neighbourhood when a sudden swerve caused him to lose con»»»

The US has deported a second group of Iranian nationals, officials in Tehran said, as the Trump administration continues its immigration enforcement efforts. A chartered plane carrying more than 50 Iranians flew out of Mesa, Arizona, on Sunday, travelling through Cairo and Kuwait before arriving in»»»

Manila: State auditors have uncovered a tissue paper tsunami at the state-controlled Social Security System (SSS), local media reported on Monday (December 8). The Commission on Audit (COA) exposed shocking mismanagement at the SSS in 2024, where a staggering ₱13.195 million (about $225,000) was sq»»»

The United Nations on Monday decried global “apathy” as it launched a 2026 humanitarian appeal. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher condemned a world where “politicians boast of cutting aid” even as brutality, mass killings and sexual violence escalate while international support falters. The United»»»

In what can only be described as an online posting frenzy, Elon Musk made a series of attacks against the European Union, calling for it to be abolished. This comes after the bloc slapped X (formerly Twitter) with a €120m fine for breaching European transparency regulations, including its "dec»»»

Share: An IDF strike in the Jabal Safi area of southern Lebanon, December 8, 2025. (Screenshot: X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law) Military structures and a launch site belonging to Hezbollah were also hit in the attacks, the Israeli military added in a statement. The Israe»»»

A viral picture and video of politicians Mahua Moitra of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Supriya Sule — daughter of Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party — and actor-MP Kangana Ranaut of the BJP performing a choreographed dance to a Shah Rukh Khan number at the wedding of the daughter of Nav»»»

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday designated one of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups in the US a “foreign terrorist organisation,” following a similar step by Texas last month. The directive against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) comes in an executive order De»»»

In a major development, Malayalam actor Dileep has been acquitted in the 2017 case involving the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent actress in Kochi. Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese cleared Dileep of all charges while convicting six others, including prime »»»

Share: BY Ya Libnan Editorial Board, Op-ED The ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel is collapsing. Daily violations, rising tension, and Israel’s continued occupation of strategic Lebanese hills are pushing both countries back toward the edge of war. If this trajectory holds, the region w»»»

Miss Universe Jamaica posted an updated profile photo of Dr. Gabrielle Henry on Nov. 9, 10 days before she suffered an intracranial hemorrhage and "other significant injuries" when she fell from the stage during preliminary competition of the Miss Universe pageant. Photo by Miss Universe Jamaica/Fa»»»

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on August 19, 2024. On Monday, Crockett announced she was launching a U.S. Senate bid in Texas and would vacate the 30th Congressional District seat she has held since 2023. F»»»

Dubai: A UAE-based NRI I’ll call Arjun — a stand-in for several similar cases I’ve come across — recently reviewed his India income statements and noticed something many overseas Indians discover only after losing money: his income was consistently lower than expected. What he thought would be a ro»»»

At least 10 people were reported injured on Tuesday but there appeared to be no major damage after a big quake rocked northern Japan and triggered tsunami waves up to 70 centimetres (28 inches) high. But the Japan Meteorological Agency also said the magnitude 7.6 quake which struck at 11:15 pm on M»»»