South Korea’s exports climbed to a record $709.7bn in 2025, crossing the $700bn threshold for the first time as a powerful rebound in semiconductors offset weaker trade with the US and China, the nation’s Yonhap News Agency reports. »»»

The Taiwan dollar recorded its strongest annual advance in five years in 2025, rising 4.27% against the US dollar amid sharp swings driven by global policy concerns and volatile capital flows. The currency ended the final »»»

China’s largest electric carmaker, BYD, posted a fresh global record for electric vehicle sales in 2025, underlining the shifting balance of power in the world’s fast-evolving auto industry. The Shenzhen-based auto giant s»»»

China’s largest electric carmaker, BYD, posted a fresh global record for electric vehicle sales in 2025, underlining the shifting balance of power in the world’s fast-evolving auto industry. The Shenzhen-based auto giant s»»»

South Korea’s exports climbed to a record $709.7bn in 2025, crossing the $700bn threshold for the first time as a powerful rebound in semiconductors offset weaker trade with the US and China, the nation’s Yonhap News Agency reports. »»»

Bulgaria joined the Eurozone on January 1, becoming the 21st member of the single-currency bloc, even as the country enters the new year mired in political instability after the collapse of its government and mass street protests. »»»

A Dubai-based Indian expat’s patience and perseverance finally paid off as he won Dh100,000 in Big Ticket’s weekly e-draw.Minnaleswaran Sakthi Vinayagam, a 40-year-old accommodation in-charge from Chennai, scooped the prize with ticket number 125483 in Series 282, making his years of hope-filled pa»»»

Ex-Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu has urged President Nicusor Dan to share a report on the controversial annulment of the December 2024 election with the US and Israel for independent review. The conservative frontrunner was eliminated from the race by the Constitutional Court over»»»

Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight on Thursday, marking a historic moment with a low-key swearing-in ceremony held deep beneath Manhattan. The Democrat, who at 34 is the city’s youngest mayor in generations, takes office as one of the most closely watched political fig»»»

More than 20 million people in the United States will face sharply higher health insurance costs as of January 1 after enhanced tax credits that helped enrollees in the Affordable Care Act afford coverage expired overnight. The expiration of the subsidies will mostly affect families, small business»»»

Zohran Mamdani pledged to prove that left-wing politics can deliver for ordinary people as he was sworn in as New York mayor on Thursday, beginning a term likely to bring confrontation with US President Donald Trump and scrutiny of his ambitious plans for the country’s largest city. Zohran Mamdani »»»

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been discharged from hospital in Brasília and taken back into custody, a week after undergoing double hernia surgery, as he continues to serve a prison sentence for leading an attempted coup. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro left a hospita»»»

Commenting on doubts expressed in some media outlets about casualties from a Ukrainian drone strike on a cafe in Russia's Kherson Region, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the West keeps silencing Kiev's crimes. "I am reading in some media outlets and blogs about 'doubts' th»»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai moved higher at the end of the first trading week of 2026, recovering from a muted start to the year as global markets reopened with a cautious but constructive tone. By 7.50 am on Friday, the price of 24-karat gold stood at Dh524 a gram, up from Dh520.25 the previous da»»»

Dozens of international humanitarian organisations will be banned from operating in the devastated Gaza Strip after Israel said the groups had not complied with a deadline to meet "security and transparency standards". A number of aid groups have refused to submit a list of their Palestinian staff »»»

A French national detained in Togo last year over his alleged involvement in anti-government protests returned to France on Thursday after his release, the French foreign ministry said. The prosecutor's office in Lome said Steeve Rouyar was one of around 50 protesters arrested on June 6 during»»»

In tonight's edition,  from the heartbreak and uncertainties of the war in Sudan to Africa's wrestling with White House unpredictability to the never-ending stories of creation, community, and innovation. We take a peek back at some of what 2025 delivered.»»»

A junior minister on Wednesday said the French citizenship granted to Hollywood star George Clooney despite his poor level of French suggested a "double standard". The Clooney family became citizens just days before language requirements were toughened under new rules from January 1. France's junio»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un heaped praise on Pyongyang's forces supporting Russia's war in Ukraine in a new year's message, hinting at the "remarkable feats" the country's troops will perform on overseas battlefields in years to come. Thousands of North Korean troops were deployed in Russia's K»»»

Protesters and security forces clashed in western Iran for the fifth day in a row on Thursday, with six civilians killed, according to the Fars news agency. A member of Iran’s security forces was also killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht, state television reported. Prot»»»

In a live New Year’s address, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te highlighted the need for increased defence spending and warned of a critical year ahead following a major Chinese military exercise that saw rockets fired towards Taiwanese territory. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday »»»

The Kherson Regional Forensic Bureau has released the list of those killed in the deadly terrorist attack by the Ukrainian armed forces on civilians in the settlement of Khorly, with seven of them identified, the regional authorities said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Kherson Region Governor Vla»»»

The policy of escalating the situation around Iran's nuclear program is erroneous, Oleg Postnikov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, told Sputnik in an interview. "Last year, considerable efforts were made to reach sustainable agreements th»»»

Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's teenage daughter Ju-ae has paid tribute at the family mausoleum for the first time, accompanied by her father, the North's state media images showed on Friday. Kim, his wife and Ju-ae, as well as key party and government officials, visited the family mausole»»»

During a live Indiana Jones show at Disney World in Florida, a giant prop boulder suddenly broke free from its track and began rolling straight toward the audience. What happened next turned a routine theme park performance into a real-life act of heroism. As the 400-pound (180-kg) rubber boulder b»»»

China's BYD has zoomed past Elon Musk's Tesla to become the world's top electric vehicle (EV) seller in 2025, achieving annual sales dominance over its US rival for the first time. BYD announced on Thursday that its battery-powered vehicle deliveries climbed nearly 28% last year to over 2.25 millio»»»

More than two dozen long-range drones were intercepted as they headed toward Moscow overnight, Russian capital’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has announced. The Russian air defense forces destroyed 26 UAVs between 7pm Thursday and 1am Friday, according to a series of Sobyanin’s posts on Telegram. The mayo»»»

Washington: US President Donald Trump blamed aspirin for large bruises on his hand and denied falling asleep while attending public meetings in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Thursday. In the interview defending his health, Trump also changed his previous statement about receiv»»»

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is among some 60 female lawmakers petitioning for more women's toilets in the parliament building to match their growing representation in the legislature. A record 73 women were elected into the 465-seat Lower House in October 2024, exceeding the previous high»»»

President Nicolas Maduro Thursday dodged a question about an alleged US attack on a dock in Venezuela but said he was open to cooperation with Washington after weeks of American military pressure. "Wherever they want and whenever they want," Maduro said of the idea of dialogue with the United State»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set to see generally stable but cool winter weather on Friday, with fair to partly cloudy skies and a slight rise in temperatures, according to the National Centre of Meteorology. Daytime temperatures are expected to range between 20°C and 25°C in coastal and island areas, while i»»»

US President Donald Trump has branded his special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, an “idiot” over his public support for Vladimir Zelensky, the New York Times has reported, citing unnamed officials. Reuters claimed in November that Kellogg plans to step down from his post sometime this month. The»»»

US President Donald Trump said in a lengthy interview about his health that he takes more aspirin than doctors recommend, uses makeup to cover bruising on his hands, and does not get regular exercise because he finds it "boring". Trump also told The Wall Street Journal that he underwent a CT scan i»»»

Many people may take their birth certificate, or similar official papers, for granted - hidden in a drawer and rarely seeing the light of day - but for those without one, it can lead to a shadow life or an uncertain existence. This is thought to affect millions of people around the world, described»»»

China's BYD is set to overtake Elon Musk's Tesla as the world's biggest seller of electric vehicles (EVs), marking the first time it has outpaced its American rival for annual sales. On Thursday, BYD said that sales of its battery-powered cars rose last year by almost 28% to more than 2.25 million.»»»

The Muslim Brotherhood remains a formidable force in Sudan, fighting and contributing to the country’s destruction while operating from within the security apparatus and exerting influence over decision-making in pursuit of its own interests rather than those of the nation. After 33 months of fight»»»

With Congress failing to extend subsidies for health insurance bought through federal and state Affordable Care Act online exchanges, the roughly 24 million people who obtain coverage through the ACA are set to see their monthly premiums double. Screenshot via Healthcare.gov Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Insuran»»»

The cost of lots of the devices we all use could be forced up in 2026 because the price of Ram - once one of the cheapest computer components - has more than doubled since October 2025. The tech powers everything from smartphones to smart TVs, as well as things like medical devices. Its price has s»»»

Manila: The Philippines has just dropped a bombshell move to snag mega foreign cash. How? Amid the noise (and the haste) surrounding the multibillion flood-control scam, a new legislation has been crafted to drive foreign investments in energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing — and, m»»»

When Caleb was nearing the end of his computer science degree and looking for his first job, one of few sectors actively recruiting graduates was defence. Salary, career path, and job security all looked good, but ultimately a defence sector career "didn't sit well" with him. "It's one of those job»»»

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro left a hospital Thursday to return to prison and resume serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup. In a ruling published earlier in the day judges denied a request from Bolsonaro's lawyers to grant him house arrest on health grounds. Also Read: Brazil’s»»»

People buying cryptocurrency in the UK now need to share their account details or face penalties, in changes that came into effect on 1 January. The move by the UK's tax body is designed to ensure they pay all relevant tax on buying and selling crypto, including capital gains tax. HMRC will begin a»»»

GENEVA, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- Swiss police announced on Thursday that dozens of people have died and around one hundred others were injured, most suffering severe burns, after a major fire broke out at a tourist resort in (Crans-Montana).The Commander of the Valais Cantonal Police Frederic Gisler said du»»»

JEDDAH, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait expressed on Thursday its full support for the sovereignty, stability and security of Somalia, saying that the fellow Arab country's land must be united and undivided.Speaking to the open representatives-level meeting for the Organization of Islamic Coope»»»

Hundreds gathered in silence in the freezing night in Crans-Montana on Thursday evening, laying flowers and lighting candles to remember those killed and injured in a horrific blaze as they celebrated the New Year. Around 40 people died and more than 100 were injured in the blaze that ripped throug»»»

WASHINGTON, Dec 31 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner and special envoy for peace missions Steve Witkoff held talks with senior European officials on the efforts to restore peace in Ukraine.Witkoff wrote, on his X account on Wednesday, "Secret»»»

KUWAIT, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- 1912 -- Modern medical services were provided to women for the first time by the American Missionary Hospital in Kuwait. 1955 -- The State of Kuwait established a pension fund for civil servants and retirees. 1956 -- The Kuwaiti printing and publishing department issued its »»»

KUWAIT, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- The price of Kuwaiti oil went down by 25 cents to USD 60.16 per barrel on Wednesday, compared to USD 61.41 pb last Monday, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Thursday.In global markets, the price of Brent crude went down by 48 cents to USD 60.85 per barrel, while»»»

KUWAIT, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- Interior Ministry Undersecretary Major General Abdulwahab Al-Wuhaib, accompanied by security leaders, conducted an inspection tour covering security checkpoints, markets, shopping malls, and vital sites during the New Year holiday.In a press release, the Ministry of Interior»»»

BRUSSELS, Jan 1 (KUNA) -- Bulgaria on Thursday officially began adopting the euro, becoming the 21st country to join the eurozone in a historic step that comes nearly 20 years after its accession to the European Union.At midnight on Wednesday, Bulgaria abandoned its national currency, the lev, whic»»»