Dubai: Walk into a Dubai café on any weekday morning and you’ll see full tables, steady footfall, and queues that rarely let up. Rising global prices haven’t weakened demand. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Coffee consumption across the UAE and GCC keeps accelerating, »»»

Dubai: Average freehold villa values in Dubai are now 206% higher than post-pandemic levels, according to data from ValuStrat, and stand 86% above the 2014 market peak. The figures highlight a market that has not only rebounded but also undergone a structural reset. Sign up for our daily business n»»»

When Susanna Liew stepped in front of the TV cameras at Kuala Lumpur's High Court last month, she called the moment a "historic and emotional milestone". "Today... the High Court has delivered a judgment of what we have long believed: that Pastor Raymond Koh was a victim of a grave injustice," the »»»

DOHA: The competitions of the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships Qatar 2025 officially got underway at Qatar University's Sports and Events Complex, where the tournament will continue until December 30. The championship brings together the world's elite chess players to compete for four titl»»»

China has slapped sanctions on 20 additional US weapons manufacturers and ten executives in retaliation for the latest US arms sale to Taiwan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the measures on Friday, which expand an existing blacklist targeting the US defense sector. Beijing said it was respo»»»

Doha: The competitions of the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Cup Qatar 2025 officially got underway today at Qatar University's Sports and Events Complex, where the tournament will continue until December 30. The championship brings together the world's elite chess players to compete for four titles i»»»

Argentine President Javier Milei's administration is promoting a reform that seeks to redefine the role of the state in public education, curb direct government intervention and give families greater control over their children’s schooling. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo BUENOS AIRES»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police have honoured four individuals for their quick and selfless actions in assisting victims at the scene of a traffic accident. The individuals were recognised for their humanitarian response and sense of responsibility after rushing to provide first aid and support to thos»»»

Gaza: A Palestinian was killed and another wounded Friday by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip. Medical sources in Gaza reported that a Palestinian man was killed after being shot by the Israeli army while sitting in front of the gate of Hafsa School in the northern Gaza Strip. A child wa»»»

The expanding Energoatom corruption scandal has hurt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's popularity and if elections were held this weekend he would lose in the second round, according to a Socis poll. A majority of »»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to meet US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on December 28 in what he is billing as a possible breakthrough meeting to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes as speculation swirls that Russian President Vladimir Putin may step down in favour of a»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to meet US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on December 28 in what he is billing as a possible breakthrough meeting to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes as speculation swirls that Russian President Vladimir Putin may step down in favour of a»»»

There is a classic Soviet expression that sums up how hard life was in the USSR: “Today is worse than yesterday, but at least it is better than tomorrow.” In the latest poll from the independent pollster, the Levada C»»»

The expanding Energoatom corruption scandal has hurt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's popularity and if elections were held this weekend he would lose in the second round, according to a Socis poll. A majority of »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic thanked Japan's outgoing ambassador to Belgrade Akira Imamura for his efficient cooperation during his tenure in Serbia and wished him much success in his professional and private endeavours in the future. Japan will rema»»»

Lebanon's government on Friday approved a draft law to distribute financial losses from the 2019 economic crisis that deprived many Lebanese of their deposits despite strong opposition to the legislation from political parties, depositors and banking officials. The draft law will be submitted to th»»»

Across the United States, Democrats and Republicans are demanding that their leaders come clean with the Epstein files and the truth finally be told. What they are getting instead is a massive redaction campaign. Not since 1998 with the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky show trial has the American p»»»

Doha, Dec. 26 (SANA) The State of Qatar condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in the city of Homs, affirming its full solidarity with Syria in all measures taken to safeguard security. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced, in a statement published on its official website, »»»

Marrakesh, Morocco: Veteran Knowledge Musona scored as Zimbabwe came from behind to draw 1-1 with Angola in Marrakesh on Friday as the second round of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group matches kicked off. Gelson Dala put Angola ahead midway through the first half and recalled Musona levelled deep»»»

Ukraine is a “viper’s den” rife with corruption, Hunter Biden, the son of former US President Joe Biden, has said, as he reflected on his time as a board member of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Hunter Biden was hired by Burisma in 2014, when his father served as vice president in the Obama »»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in the city of Homs in the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic, which resulted in deaths and injuries. The State of Qatar also affirmed its full solidarity with the Syrian government in al»»»

After Cabinet passed a long-awaited banking draft bill that would distribute losses from the 2019 economic crisis amid objections from nine ministers and modest protests, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appeared a bit agitated as he answered journalists' questions. The law stipulates that each of the st»»»

Cabinet approved Friday a long-awaited banking draft bill that would distribute losses from the 2019 economic crisis. Thirteen ministers voted in favor of the financial gap law amid the objection of nine ministers: three Lebanese Forces ministers, two Hezbollah ministers, Kataeb minister Adel Nassa»»»

Skopje, 25 December 2025 (MIA) - The fight for a higher standard of life and lowering the unemployment rate is one of the Government's top priorities. We are in the stage of confirming three foreign investments worth up to EUR 120 million and opening of over 1,500 jobs, said Prime Minister Hristija»»»

Seoul government vows to triple fines for corporate data leaks. Shinhan Card headquarters in Seoul. The company has reported massive data leaks. Photo by Yonhap SEOUL, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Shinhan Card, one of the country's top credit card issuers, reported a massive data leak Tuesday. The Seoul-based »»»

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida at the weekend, as talks continue on ending Russia's full-scale war. Zelensky said he expected the meeting to take place on Sunday and to focus on a US-brokered 20-point peace plan, as well as separate proposals»»»

Istanbul, Turkiye: The betting scandal in Turkish football deepened on Friday as 29 people, including 14 footballers, were arrested, the Istanbul public prosecutor's office announced. Their arrests follow the incarceration of six referees and the president of top tier club Eyupspor at the beginning»»»

Moscow has made a "proposal" to France concerning the case of researcher Laurent Vinatier, who has been imprisoned in Russia since June 2024, the Kremlin said Thursday. Vinatier was sentenced by a Russian court to three years in prison for allegedly failing to register as a "foreign agent" but»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in the city of Homs in the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic, resulting in deaths and injuries. In this context, Qatar affirmed its full solidarity with the Syrian governme»»»

London: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is keen to ensure there is no repeat of Declan Rice's controversial red card against Brighton when his Premier League leaders face Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. The Gunners are just two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City and Pep Guardi»»»

South Korean prosecutors on Friday sought a ten-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, accusing him of obstruction of justice after his attempt to impose martial law last winter. The suspension of civil rule led to massive protests and weeks of political chaos in South Korea.»»»

Malaysia's High Court on Friday found former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak guilty of all 21 counts of money laundering related to the sprawling corruption scandal involving Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). This conviction is likely to add years to the pri»»»

Dubai: Dubai welcomed 17.55 million overnight visitors between January and November 2025, up 5% from the same period last year, according to the Dubai Economic and Tourism Department numbers. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The steady rise comes despite a more cautious»»»

A major Gaza hospital has suspended several services because of a critical fuel shortage in the devastated Palestinian territory, which continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, it said. Devastated by more than two years of war, the Al-Awda Hospital in the central Gaza district of Nuseirat ca»»»

The year 2025 entered Bulgaria’s political history as one marked by the collapse of a regular government under public pressure and by decisive steps toward eurozone membership, according to BTA. After a prolonged cycle of early parliamentary elections, a cabinet led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazk»»»

Twenty-two years have passed since the deadly attack in the Iraqi city of Karbala that claimed the lives of five Bulgarian servicemen. A truck bomb rammed into Camp India, where the Bulgarian contingent was stationed, killing Georgi Kachorin, Ivan Indjov, Svilen Kirov, Nikolay Saryev and officer ca»»»

It's been a rollercoaster of a year for U.S. trade policy. President Donald Trump launched a barrage of new tariffs in 2025, plunging the U.S. into trade wars with nearly every country in the world. Volley after volley of threats and steeper import taxes often arrived erratically — with Trump claim»»»

Islamabad: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Pakistani Prime Minister His Excellency Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held talks today on strengthening cooperation between the UAE and Pakistan, particularly in the fields of economy, investment, and development, in a way that »»»

Abu Dhabi: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has launched a pilot project using artificial intelligence and satellite imagery to identify illegal waste dumping across the Emirate. The initiative aims to improve waste management, strengthen environmental monitoring, and redefine oversight thr»»»

Khan Yunis, Palestinian Territories: A major Gaza hospital has suspended several services because of a critical fuel shortage in the devastated Palestinian territory, which continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, it said. Devastated by more than two years of war, the Al-Awda Hospital in the»»»

Cairo: Egypt began a public live restoration of King Khufu's ancient solar boat at the newly-opened Grand Egyptian Museum on Tuesday, more than 4,000 years after the vessel was first built. Egyptian conservators used a small crane to carefully lift a fragile, decayed plank into the Solar Boats Muse»»»

Saudi Arabia, the main backer of Yemen's internationally-recognized government, conducted air strikes on separatist positions in Hadramawt on Friday, according to local media and the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council. "The Saudi Air Force bombed positions of the Hadrami Elite Forc»»»

BELGRADE - Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said on Friday a solution that would, above all, be in the spirit of the friendly relations between Russia and Serbia was being sought for Serbia's oil company NIS. NIS is under US sanctions due to its Russian majority ownership.»»»

A major Gaza hospital has suspended several services because of a critical fuel shortage in the devastated Palestinian territory, which continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, it said. Devastated by more than two years of war, the Al-Awda Hospital in the central Gaza district of Nuseirat ca»»»

Ministers were reportedly suggesting amending a banking draft bill before approving it as Cabinet convened Friday in its third session to discuss the long-awaited bill that would distribute losses from the 2019 economic crisis. Al-Jadeed reported Friday that many ministers would vote against the la»»»

Mastercard, a leading technology company in the global payments industry, has established its Levant headquarters in Amman, Jordan, coming closer to partners in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine. This follows the recent inauguration of its offices in Bahrain and Pakistan, said a statement. By est»»»

Dubai: The definition of “luxury travel” is changing. As hotels by big-name interior designers with outposts of renowned restaurants get copy-pasted all around the world, they’re coming off as overly predictable and even cookie-cutter. With demand at the top end of the luxury travel market higher t»»»

Tokyo: As school and work wrap up, crowds fill Tokyo's many bustling arcade halls -- not to battle it out in fighting games, but to snag plush toys from claw machines. In one of these gaming hubs in the Japanese capital's Ikebukuro district, aisles of crane games stretch as far as the eye can see. »»»

Bulgaria’s political year 2025 will be remembered for the election of a regular government that resigned after 11 months in office amid mass protests, as well as for preparations for the country’s entry into the eurozone. Following a series of snap parliamentary elections, on January 16 the governm»»»

Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered officials to step up production of missiles and construct more factories to meet his military's growing need for the projectiles, state media said Friday. Pyongyang has significantly increased missile testing in recent years -- aimed, analysts say,»»»