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»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent New Year’s greetings to Kyrgyzstan’s leader Sadyr Japarov and the people of the republic. The president’s press service reported. The congratulatory telegram notes that the strategic partnership and alliance between Russia and Kyrgyzstan are at a high level. Ac»»»

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»»»

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: 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: Mark & Save Hyperstore, one of the fastest-growing retail brands in the GCC, inaugurated of its 20th store across the GCC at Ain Khaled Bin Al Sheikh Plaza, Qatar on 29th December 2025, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s regional expansion. The grand opening was inaugurated»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Kyrgyzstan has announced a tender for the allocation of land plots to implement renewable energy projects, including the construction of solar power plants and small hydropower plants in several regions of the country. According to the Green Energy Fund, nine land plots have been put up for tender »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced its full readiness to manage the city’s traffic flow and transport networks for the 2026 New Year’s Eve celebrations, issuing an urgent recommendation for revellers to abandon private cars in favour of public transport. In a post on X»»»

PARIS — China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) and Airbus said Tuesday that the Hong Kong-listed firm had placed an order for 30 A320neo family aircraft.The firm order, the fifth that CALC has placed with Airbus, brings the total number of aircraft it has ordered from the European aircraft ma»»»

NEW YORK — Growing Chinese auto giant BYD stands poised to officially surpass Tesla as the world's biggest electric vehicle company in annual sales.The two groups are expected soon to publish their final figures for 2025, and based on sales data so far this year, there is almost no chance the Ameri»»»

AMMAN — Nearly 57 per cent of investors in Jordan expect economic conditions to improve over the coming year, while 23.2 per cent believe the current economic situation in 2025 is better than a year earlier, according to the thirteenth round of the Investor Confidence Survey conducted in early Dece»»»

Eurostar passengers are braced for more possible disruption, after a power outage in the Channel Tunnel caused travel chaos for thousands of people on Tuesday. As people scrambled to get to New Year's Eve celebrations, some travellers said they spent more than six hours stuck onboard trains overnig»»»

Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan on Tuesday implored the Turkish government to broker a "crucial" peace deal between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the Damascus government Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan said in a message published Tuesday that it was "crucia»»»

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday he had asked the interior ministry to "listen to the legitimate demands" of protesters after several days of demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran. Student protests also broke out on Tuesday as Iran's embattled currency hit new lows on »»»

A group of 10 countries, including France, warned on Tuesday that the situation in Gaza was "catastrophic" due to the "renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in the Palestinian enclave. They called on Israel to allow greater access for NGOs and to lift restrictions on import»»»

The UAE said Tuesday it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen after Saudi Arabia led an airstrike on a southern Yemeni port targeting what it said was a UAE-linked weapons shipment. Following the strike, Saudi Arabia backed calls for UAE forces to leave the country within 24 hours. Th»»»

In tonight's edition: Somaliland's recognition by Israel prompts celebrations in the autonomous territory and condemnation from countries around the world. Plus we discover a musical adventure that's taking viewers around the world along for the ride: the South African animated film "David".»»»

Congo is heading towards another tightly watched presidential race after the ruling Congolese Labour Party confirmed it will again back veteran leader Denis Sassou Nguesso, extending the 82-year-old’s decades-long grip on power into a 2026 election already drawing opposition scrutiny. Congo’s Presi»»»

In tonight's edition, the largest ever protests against Israel's recognition of Somaliland are organised across Somalia. Also, a blown tyre and high speed are behind the accident that left boxer Anthony Joshua just injured in a Nigerian hospital. And Abuja ends the year still unpicki»»»

Hollywood superstar George Clooney has become French, along with his wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney and their two children, an official decree seen by AFP on Monday showed.  Hollywood star George Clooney has become a French citizen along with his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two childr»»»

A French ban on the production and sale of PFAS chemicals – known as 'forever chemicals' as it takes them so long to break down – comes into effect on Thursday. The ban targets a wide range of cosmetics and clothes and will also require French authorities to regularly test drinking water »»»

China stepped up its military drills around Taiwan with live-fire exercises on Tuesday, the second day of an operation dubbed “Justice Mission 2025". The massive show of force comes at a crucial time as Beijing seeks to capitalise on domestic political tensions&nb»»»

Bangladesh’s former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80, her party said Tuesday, just months before elections many expected would return her to power. Her death ends a turbulent political career marked by imprisonment, ill health and a dramatic comeback attemp»»»

Turkey said it arrested 357 people on Tuesday linked to the Islamic State group, following intelligence reports that the terrorist organisation was "planning attacks" during Christmas and New Year. Turkish security forces on Tuesday arrested 357 people during operations across the country against t»»»