Japan's central bank has raised its main interest rate to the highest level in 30 years as the country faces a cost-of-living squeeze. In a widely expected decision, the Bank of Japan's policy board, led by governor Kazuo Ueda, increased its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point to "aro»»»

The Abu Dhabi City Municipality has announced that all parks and beaches under its management will remain temporarily closed due to expected unstable weather conditions, ensuring public safety. Residents and visitors are advised to avoid these areas until conditions improve and to follow official u»»»

Sharjah: Air Arabia has issued a travel advisory warning passengers of possible flight delays due to unstable weather conditions across the UAE. In a statement posted on its official social media channels, the low-cost carrier said flights to and from the UAE may be affected over the next 24 hours »»»

Patna: The police apprehended two accused involved in an alleged attempted abduction of a doctor in Bihar's Chhapra following an encounter in the Revelganj area of the district. The arrested men have been identified as Ranjan Yadav and Sonu Rai. Both accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs»»»

Heavy thunderstorms continue to batter the UAE, prompting authorities to urge residents to stay indoors, avoid flood-prone areas, and limit travel. Emergency teams remain on standby as unstable weather is expected to persist into the weekend. Also Read: Heavy rain and thunderstorms sweep across UAE»»»

The UAE has been hit by heavy rain showers since Thursday afternoon. Now forecasters are warning people to be ready for more over the weekend. While the worst of the downpours seem to be forecast for Friday morning, the National Centre of Meteorology has stated that Saturday and Sunday will possibl»»»

Dubai International Airport (DXB), one of the world's busiest hubs, is experiencing significant flight delays and cancellations due to unstable weather conditions on Friday morning. Forecasts of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, and potential fog from December 18 through midday December »»»

Frank Walls died by lethal injection on Thursday for a 1987 double murder and became the 19th inmate executed in Florida in 2025. Photo Courtesy of the Okaloosa Department of Corrections Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Florida upped its execution record to 19 after enforcing the death penalty via lethal injection»»»

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol enters a courtroom at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, 26 September 2025. Photo by EPA/YONHAP Dec. 17 (Asia Today) -- A South Korean military internal investigation found the government decided in late 2023 to resume leaflet drops targeting Nort»»»

Migrants are placed into vans by the U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the border wall from Mexico near Campo, Calif., about 50 miles from San Diego, in 2024. The agency is increasing trainee recruits at its academy in Artesia, N.M. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. »»»

Sharjah: The Sharjah Civil Defence Authority (SCDA) has urged residents and visitors to take extra care as unstable weather and heavy rainfall continue to affect the emirate this week. The warning follows an alert from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which said a deep low-pressure system »»»

Have you ever noticed that every interaction in life is really a negotiation? From toddlers refusing broccoli to teenagers lobbying for the latest gadgets, life is one continuous exercise in give-and-take — and we rarely pause to examine it. I see this truth the moment I wake up. Chanel, my cat and»»»

Dubai: Emirates has cancelled several flights scheduled for Friday, 19 December, as adverse weather continues to affect Dubai and surrounding areas. In an update issued late on December 18 (9:39 pm GMT+4), the airline said poor weather conditions across the UAE and the wider region have disrupted o»»»

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick participates in a Hanukkah reception in the East Room at the White House in Washington on December 16, 2025. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (Asia Today) -- Korea Zinc's decision to build a large-scale smelter in the United States is drawing bro»»»

MEXICO CITY: A blunt critique of Mexican bread by a British baker sparked a cascade of social media outrage, ultimately leading to a public apology. In an interview for a food-themed podcast that resurfaced online, Richard Hart, the co-founder of Green Rhino bakery in Mexico City and a well-known f»»»

North Korean hackers accounted for a record $2.02 billion in global cryptocurrency thefts in 2025, which accounted for most of the $3.4 billion stolen this year, according to an industry report released on Thursday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (UPI) -- North Korea topped its»»»

The Australian government has announced a gun buyback scheme in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack - its deadliest mass shooting in decades. The scheme is the largest since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, which left 35 people dead and prompted Australia to introduce world-leading gun control meas»»»

United Nations: Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who was himself once a refugee, has been elected the UN High Commissioner for Refugees at a time when the agency faces the twin crises of shrinking resources and a huge increase in people needing its help. The General Assembly on Thursday elect»»»

China's TikTok owner on Thursday agreed to sell a majority stake in the popular social media app to U.S. investors to maintain access in the United States. Photo by Alex Plavevski/EPA-EFE Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The owner of TikTok has signed an agreement to create a joint venture that will make the popul»»»

Dubai: For many metro users, Zoom stores were a fixed part of the commute. A predictable stop between ticket gates and platforms. Over the past few months, that familiarity has started to fade. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Several Zoom outlets inside Dubai Metro sta»»»

TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance has signed binding agreements with US and global investors to sell the majority of its business in America, TikTok's boss told employees on Thursday. Half of the joint venture will be owned by a group of investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and the Emirati inves»»»

STARKE, Florida: A man convicted of fatally shooting a man and his girlfriend during a home invasion robbery was put to death Thursday evening in a record 19th execution in Florida this year. Frank Athen Walls, 58, was pronounced dead at 6:11 pm following a three-drug injection at Florida State Pri»»»

A stream of hot caramel runs through the Thomas Tunnock factory just outside Glasgow. From the second floor where it is made, it runs along conveyor belts down to the first floor, bringing a a sweet, warm aroma to the building. But working with caramel is not easy. Experienced workers have to check»»»

Washington, Dec. 19 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump signed the 2026 Defense Department Budget Act, including a provision that completely repeals the ‘Caesar Act’ imposed on Syria since 2019 and now comes to effect. ME»»»

Manila: Christmas in the Philippines is more than a holiday. It’s a way of life. And you can find it in every corner of the country, especially in the most rural villages. It's also the longest, liveliest holiday season in the world, where every day feels like a fiesta. Forget snow and mistletoe, t»»»

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the state has set an ambitious target of establishing 25 fully functional medical colleges by 2030 as part of its long-term strategy to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and create a robust pool of medical specialists. Addres»»»

This article contains distressing details and references to suicide. Some of the names have been changed to protect identities. Kateryna cannot talk about her son, Orest, without tears. Her voice trembles with anger as she explains how she found out the news that he had died on the front line in th»»»

The costs of the border war between Thailand and Cambodia are cruelly obvious in the hospital in Mongkol Borei, a breezy, low-rise complex surrounded by trees. Wounded soldiers lie quietly on their beds. One man, his arm amputated from the elbow, has his wife sitting with him, smiling and trying to»»»

MIAMI: Democrat Eileen Higgins was sworn in Thursday as Miami's first female mayor, two weeks after defeating a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump. Higgins also becomes the first Democrat in almost 30 years to lead the city of 487,000 people. She replaces Republican Francis Suarez, who h»»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office (URE) has concluded its first offshore wind auction under Phase II of offshore development, awarding support to projects totaling 3.435 GW of capacity. Four bidders took part, with three projects selected: Orlen Neptun VIII’s 900 MW Baltic East wind farm; PGE’s 975»»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Etiam quis quam. Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu lobortis ut, dictum at dui. Nullam at arcu a est sollicitudin euismod. Mauris elementum mauris vitae tortor. Etiam quis quam. Mauris tincidunt »»»

Pesa, the Polish manufacturer of railway vehicles and trams owned by the Polish Development Fund (PFR), has secured up to PLN 6.8 billion in strategic financing. The agreement was signed with a consortium of more than 20 Polish and international financial institutions and is designed to support the»»»

One of Poland’s largest residential developers, Dom Development SA, has confirmed a serious cyberattack that led to the unauthorised download of customer data. The company says hackers breached its IT systems and may have accessed a wide range of personal information belonging to current, former an»»»

WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (KUNA) -- US President Donald Trump delivered a national address outlining his administration's key accomplishments during the first 11 months of his current term, mainly economic performance, price reductions, and easing inflation pressures that escalated during the COVID-19 pan»»»

BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- European farming unions on Thursday are organising a mass demonstration in Brussels protesting European farming policies, mainly the free trade agreement between the EU and the South American economic bloc Mercosur, which they consider a direct threat to European farmers,»»»

News report by Reem Al-Deraawy KUWAIT, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait joined the world Thursday to celebrate the Arabic Language Day, spoken by nearly 450 million people and considered one of the five most widely spoken languages worldwide.This yearآ’s celebration is held under the theme "Inn»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- The price of Kuwaiti oil went down by 21 cents to USD 58.92 per barrel (pb) on Wednesday, compared to USD 59.13 pb the previous day, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation on Thursday.In global markets, Brent Crude rose by 76 cents to USD 59.68 pb and West Texas Intermediate»»»

News report by Saud Al-Ajmi DOHA, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- Qatar is celebrating its National Day Thursday, remembering Sheikh Jassem bin Mohammad bin Thani who founded the Gulf state on December 18, 1878, while Kuwait joins in this celebration as a reflection of the bonds of Gulf brotherhood and a shared d»»»

By Saud Al-Ajmi DOHA, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- Acting Charge d'Affairs at Kuwait's Embassy and Minister Plenipotentiary, Mohammad Al-Zuabi, affirmed on Thursday the exquisite nature of the Qatari-Kuwaiti ties, which have spanned decades.Speaking to KUNA on the National Day of Qatar, the Kuwaiti diplomat co»»»

GENEVA, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- At least 1,013 civilians were killed during an offensive by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Zamzam internally displaced persons camp from 11 to 13 April, said a UN Human Rights Office report said on Thursday.The report described this as "a consistent patt»»»

ADEN, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- An explosive device detonated near a political bloc headquarters in Taiz City, Yemen, killing three people and injuring 10 others.A security source, preferring anonymity, told KUNA that the explosion occurred in central Taiz, revealing that women and children were among the c»»»

DOHA, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- Morocco's national football squad defeated Jordan 3-2 in an epic final of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 on Thursday night.The thrilling game, hosted at Lusail Stadium, went into extra-time after the original time ended in a 2-2 draw.Oussama Tannane put the Atlas Lions in the l»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 18 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Airways announced cancelling its flights KU675 and KU677 from Kuwait International Airport to Dubai, originally scheduled for Thursday evening, due to unstable weather conditions.Both flights will be rescheduled and their passengers will be updated on the new schedul»»»

"I was scared that my child's nationality would change if he was born in Bangladesh," says a heavily pregnant Sunali Khatun, 25, who returned to India earlier this month after being deported to the neighbouring country in June. Ms Khatun, a domestic worker from India's eastern state of West Bengal,»»»