Abdolnasser Hemmati, newly appointed governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), has pledged to restore economic stability by taking firm action against loss-making banks, curbing excess liquidity growth and dismantling distortions caused by multiple exchange rates. »»»

PARIS — Traffic slowly resumed Wednesday in the Channel tunnel after an electricity failure halted train trips connecting London to the European mainland, as frazzled passengers arrived in France after hours trapped in a powerless train.The Eurostar online timetable however still announced some del»»»

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgaria was preparing to switch to the euro on Wednesday night to become the 21st eurozone member, amid concerns the move could usher in higher prices and add to political instability rattling the Balkan country.At midnight (2200 GMT Wednesday), Bulgaria will wave goodbye to both»»»

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the country's economy is expected to have grown "around five per cent" in 2025, despite "pressure" during a year he described as "very unusual", state media said.The announcement came in a New Year's Eve speech by Xi to a top political cons»»»

In the first year of his second term, US President Donald Trump was flattered and praised as prominent figures calculated that massaging the ego of the leader of the free world was the easiest way to manage global diplomacy – and possibly serve their own interests. The lesson was learned early in T»»»

PoliticsAsiaIran: Economic crisis, political discontent threaten regimeMohsen BarinProtests triggered by soaring inflation and a collapsing currency have highlighted widespread political discontent. Will Iran's deep economic woes lead to regime change? https://p.dw.com/p/569zaThe protests began wit»»»

More than three years after taking power in a military coup, Guinea’s junta leader Mamady Doumbouya secured a sweeping election victory on Tuesday that cements his grip on the presidency, in a vote critics say was held in a tightly controlled political environment as the country seeks to draw a lin»»»

For the first time since the outbreak of civil war in 2011, Libyans are reconnecting with their ancient heritage at the recently reopened national museum in Tripoli. In a historic building in central Tripoli, Libyans wander past ancient statues and artefacts at their national museum, which reopened»»»

Beijing said Wednesday it had "successfully completed" military drills around Taiwan that simulated a blockade of the self-governing island's key ports. The war games began days after the US announced an unprecedented $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan.  Chinese warships and coastguard vess»»»

Russia's defence ministry released a video Wednesday of a downed drone that it says Ukraine launched at President Vladimir Putin's residence in north-west Russia this week. Kyiv has denounced Moscow’s claims as a “lie”. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP an»»»

It's the end of an era for the Danish post office. Citing a 90 percent drop in letter-sending over the past quarter-century, PostNord has ended delivering paper letters in the country, a service first started in 1624. Plus, France is set to issue €310 billion in new sovereign bonds next year, a mov»»»

It's been a roller-coaster year for financial markets - but US stock investors are heading into 2026 on a high note. US President Donald Trump's global trade tariffs sent shockwaves through markets in the spring. But by summer, the US saw record highs fuelled by strong company profits and confidenc»»»

India has surged past Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy at $4.18 trillion, positioning itself to eclipse Germany for the third spot by 2030, according to a government release. Highlighting on-going reforms, New Delhi has cited India’s rapid, domestically-driven growth, strong consu»»»

Syrian authorities have arrested 21 people in the coastal province of Latakia over alleged links to the ousted government of former president Bashar al-Assad, state media reported, after sectarian violence prompted an overnight curfew in the provincial capital. Authorities in Syria’s Latakia provin»»»

Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers held prisoner since border clashes broke out between the two countries in July as part of a renewed ceasefire signed Saturday. Dozens of people have been killed and more than a million more driven from their homes after renewed fighting erupted in December. T»»»

On New Year’s Eve, top performers of Kyrgyzstan will take the stage for audience on Ala-Too Square. The press service of Bishkek City Hall reported. According to the announcement, the festive show program on December 31 will begin at 6 p.m. «Altynai Asanbekova, Nazik Abdymamytova, Akbar Suyunbaev, »»»

Dubai: As 2025 ends, Palestinians in Gaza are marking the close of a year many describe as a “nightmare,” shaped by prolonged conflict, loss, and displacement. A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since October 10, offering a pause after two years of intense fighting that »»»

Eurostar will resume full service Wednesday after a power glitch left crowds of travellers stranded on either end of the Channel Tunnel, the service said in a statement. Eurostar has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel that connects France and the UK since it first launched in »»»

Nearly 12 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished with 239 people on board, a renewed search has begun in the remote southern Indian Ocean, as investigators deploy advanced deep-sea technology in a fresh bid to solve one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries. Nearly 12 years after Malay»»»

TEHRAN — Some shopkeepers in Tehran shut their stores for the second day in a row Monday in protest against economic hardships and sharp swings in Iran's embattled currency, media reports said.The rial has hit new lows on the unofficial market, with the US dollar trading at around 1.42 million rial»»»

France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen will attend the screen legend Brigitte Bardot's funeral next week, but President Emmanuel Macron will not, their teams said on Tuesday. In her later years, Bardot was an outspoken supporter of the far right and was convicted in court for hate speech, stirring»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

AMMAN — Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Jordan reached approximately $1.525 billion during the first three quarters of 2025, up from $1.194 billion in the same period of 2024, marking a 27.7 per cent increase, according to a preliminary balance of payments data.Arab countries accounted f»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Moscow's claims that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences are "not backed by any solid proof", a French Presidential source said on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky added that Ukraine's allies could use technology to verify that Mosc»»»

The Channel Tunnel operator said traffic should return to normal overnight on Tuesday after Eurostar was forced to suspend trains between London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels due to a power supply issue. Some journeys were able to resume in the late afternoon, but many passengers were left strande»»»

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it could not prove its claim that Ukrainian drones targeted one of President Vladimir Putin's residences because the drones were all "shot down". Moscow accused Ukraine of launching 91 long-range drones at Putin's home in the Novgorod region in what it called a»»»

China's cyberspace administration has issued new draft rules aiming to regulate how AI chatbots can affect users' emotional wellbeing. The proposed measures come amid a surge in new AI chatbots in the country and concerns over how they can affect minors' mental health. Also in this edition: Austral»»»

Iran's state TV says the country's central bank chief Mohammad Reza Farzin has stepped down, as the country faces growing protests over the high cost of living. The move comes after the Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the dollar on Sunday. The central bank has been accused of printin»»»

Vietnam is tightening oversight of gold and foreign currency trading, unveiling a new decree that sets out tougher penalties across the monetary and banking sector as regulators seek to curb speculative activity and improve compliance, Viet Nam News (VNN) reports. »»»

South Korea’s inflation rate eased to its lowest level in five years in 2025, signalling a return to greater price stability after the sharp post-pandemic surge that weighed heavily on households and policymakers, the nation’s Yonhap News Agency reports. »»»

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung will travel to China early next week for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a visit that underscores Seoul’s effort to stabilise relations with its largest trading partner amid wider regional tensions. »»»

Kazakhstan is set to become the number two producer of critical mineral gallium globally, according to a deal announcement from Eurasian Resources Group (ERG). ERG said it inked a long-term deal to supply gallium to Mitsub»»»

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 has ended 2025 at its highest year-end level on record, closing above the 50,000 mark after a year marked by sharp volatility, strong corporate earnings and a powerful rally in technology shares. »»»

SoftBank Group has agreed to buy the US-based data centre investor DigitalBridge in a deal valued at about $4bn, underlining Masayoshi Son’s determination to deepen the Japanese group’s exposure to the infrastructure underpinning artificial intelligence. »»»