Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his government will crack down on hate speech following Sunday's deadly shooting at Bondi Beach that targeted a Jewish festival. Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at an event to mark the first day of Hanukkah. New laws will target»»»

Bulgaria has indicated that it will back the use of frozen Russian assets to fund a loan for Ukraine, provided that such a measure is agreed upon by other European Union (EU) countries. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov made the stance clear during remarks to journalists in Brussels on Wednesday. The»»»

Sydney: Australia’s prime minister vowed to stamp out extremism Thursday as the nation mourned the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach shooting, a 10-year-old girl remembered as “our little ray of sunshine”. Father-and-son gunmen are accused of firing into crowds at a beachside Jewish festival on Su»»»

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol appears at a military court in central Seoul on Thursday. (Photo by Yonhap) Ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday apologized to key military commanders who are standing trial for their involvement in his failed martial law bid, defending their action as th»»»

Dubai: India’s biggest carrier, IndiGo, on Thursday issued a travel advisory for passengers flying from UAE airports, cautioning that heavy rainfall and thunderstorms forecast across the region may cause intermittent disruptions to flight operations throughout the day. Sign up for our daily busines»»»

In a live interview from Brussels, Prime Minister Orbán declared the European Union’s proposal to hand over frozen Russian assets to Ukraine a "dead issue" and "nothing short of a declaration of war." The prime minister underscored Hungary’s rejection of any plan that could implicate the country in»»»

Thousands of African objects "given, stolen and forcefully taken" at the height of the British Empire have gone on display at a museum and curators admit they have almost no record of where they came from. The items have been taken out of storage by Manchester Museum and placed in its Africa Hub to»»»

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference a day after a mass shooting at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, on Monday, December 15, 2025. On Thursday, he announced plans to crack down on hate speech. Photo by Steven Markham/EPA Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Austral»»»

EU leaders gather in Brussels Thursday for a make-or-break summit on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine -- with key player Belgium under pressure to drop its opposition. The 27-nation bloc is scrambling to strengthen Kyiv's hand as Russia's war drags towards the four-year mark and US President»»»

Dubai: Worried the inclement weather may ruin your travel plans? Fortunately, flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah are running largely on schedule today (as of Wednesday, December 18 afternoon), except of a few non-rain-related sporadic delays. Still, residents are well placed »»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan expressed his support on Wednesday for a union of center-right forces, in a "strong" political pole.He mentioned that the formation of large political blocs is useful in the context of single-round local elections, so that votes do not crumble."If we take into account th»»»

The Trump administration is seeking to discourage European countries from using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's war effort, a senior Ukrainian official said Wednesday, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky would lobby Kyiv's European allies to tap the Russian assets at an EU summit in»»»

Dubai: Rod Stewart's performance at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi last night was a masterclass in timeless showmanship, blending nostalgia, musical excellence and pure joy into one unforgettable evening. The legendary singer proved that age has done nothing to dull his charisma as he led fans on a jour»»»

President Donald Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Gimhae International Airport terminal, on Thursday, October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea. File Photo by Daniel Torok/The White House/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (Asia Today) -- China's vast number»»»

Abu Dhabi: In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters and several strategic partners, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority has launched the “Winter Safety” campaign. The initiative aims to raise community awareness of seasonal accident risks and encourage safe practices during»»»

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev will continue government-forming consultations with representatives of parliamentary groups in the 51st National Assembly on Thursday, the head of State’s Press Secretariat said on Wednesday. The President will first meet the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms and the»»»

Dubai: India's Reserve Bank launched aggressive dollar sales to arrest the rupee's plunge, delivering its biggest one-day gain in seven months. The currency climbed as much as 1% to 90.0963 per dollar on Wednesday after closing at a record low of 91.0837 the previous day. By 8 am Dubai time Thursda»»»

Doha, Qatar: The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 Local Organising Committee (LOC) is offering a comprehensive suite of media services to support journalists and media professionals covering the tournament, ensuring seamless access to high-quality production facilities across all venues. Through a strategi»»»

In a stark setback to diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signalled that Moscow will not soften its stance on the war, openly rejecting meaningful concessions despite renewed peace proposals backed by Donald Trump and Wes»»»

President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation from the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington D.C., on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Pool Photo by Doug Mills/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- In a relatively brief, campaign-style speech on Wednesday night, President Donald T»»»

The family of the Bondi shooting's youngest victim Matilda urged the community to not let her death fuel anger, as they said a final goodbye to the 10-year-old on Thursday. Matilda was among 15 people who were shot dead when two gunmen opened fire on an event marking the start of Hannukah at Sydney»»»

Al Ain: He is not a wealthy businessman. Neither is he a celebrity with deep pockets. Yet, he has been honoured by the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for making modest contributions to support patients with chronic illnesses. Meet Sheikh Shakil, an Indian expat in the»»»

Dubai: Walk into a high-end watch auction in Dubai today and one thing becomes clear almost immediately. Buyers are calm. Phones stay down. Bidding starts late. No one looks surprised when prices climb into seven figures. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.These rooms no »»»

When Oracle Corp. announced a multi-hundred-billion-dollar computing deal with OpenAI last September, its stock jumped 30-40 percent in a single day. The $330 billion leap in market value was larger than Oracle’s total revenue for the previous decade. The company later admitted it would lose money »»»

BP has appointed a new chief executive, making Meg O'Neill the first woman to run a major global oil firm. The London-based energy giant said its current boss Murray Auchincloss would step down less than two years after he replaced Bernard Looney, who was found to have committed "serious misconduct»»»

Concerns over toys that use artificial intelligence spurred two U.S. senators to seek answers from toymakers on Tuesday. Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Fears of risks to children's mental health and development have two U.S. senators sounding an alarm and seeking informati»»»

President Donald Trump has said the United States is seeking to reclaim oil, land, and other assets from Venezuela, arguing that previous administrations allowed Caracas to strip Washington of its economic interests in the country. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Trump said Venezuela had take»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Opportunity to contribute to society – from civic responsibility to advancing inclusion and accessibility and fostering a sense of national identity – is at the heart of a nation’s development. Every day across its 30-year lifespan, Qatar Foundation (QF) has been providing»»»

Police have arrested two people "for racially aggravated public order offences" after they allegedly "shouted slogans involving calls for intifada" at a pro-Palestinian protest in central London. Five people in total were arrested, including one for obstructing the arrests of people shouting slogan»»»

1 of 4 | FCC Chairman Brendan Carr testified during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation oversight hearing on the Federal Communications Commission at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Chairman Brendan Carr said t»»»

1 of 4 | Former special counsel Jack Smith is seen during a break while testifying during in a closed-door deposition before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Former special counse»»»

Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, and will be arraigned on Jan. 7. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Nick Reiner's arraignment for the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner, »»»

Bulgaria's Parliament on Wednesday adopted a 2025-to-2026 Budget Extension Bill on second reading. It was approved on first reading earlier in the day. The adopted bill regulates expenditure and revenue collection in the coming year until the adoption of a State Budget Act and the budgets of the Na»»»

Nick Reiner, the son of celebrated Hollywood director Rob Reiner, has appeared in court for the first time charged with murdering his parents. The 32-year-old waived his right to enter a plea to two charges of first-degree murder at the hearing, as all sides agreed to delay his arraignment until 7 »»»

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov, talking to journalists in the parliamentary lobby on Wednesday, said that the best solution for the country is to adopt a completely new state budget. According to him, the current situation in parliament is absurd and unprecedented, as an attempt is being ma»»»

Speaking from Brussels, Prime Minister Orbán announced the results of one of the most successful national consultations in Hungary’s history, stressing that the clearly expressed will of Hungarian voters must serve as the guiding point for both domestic policy and Hungary’s stance in European decis»»»

Bulgaria's Parliament on Wednesday adopted a 2025-to-2026 Budget Extension Bill on second reading. It was approved on first reading earlier in the day. The adopted bill regulates expenditure and revenue collection in the coming year until the adoption of a State Budget Act and the budgets of the Na»»»

Bulgaria's Parliament on Wednesday adopted a 2026 Budget Extension Bill on second reading. It was approved on first reading earlier in the day. The adopted bill regulates expenditure and revenue collection in the coming year until the adoption of a State Budget Act and the budgets of the National H»»»

The Russia-Pakistan Eurasian Forum concluded in Moscow on Wednesday with organizers announcing a concrete plan to deepen ties, establishing a new strategic dialogue and working groups focused on media, education, economic projects and counterterrorism. Dr. Roxolana Zigon, a co-organizer of the foru»»»

The second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is expected to begin in January, likely in the first or second week, according to Bishara Bahbah, head of the Arab Americans for Peace Committee and a mediator closely aligned with the US administration on the Gaza file. Bahbah told Asharq Al-Awsat o»»»

Outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on Wednesday that he has no concerns about Bulgaria joining the eurozone because of the disputes surrounding the country’s budget for next year. He commented on this and other issues to Bulgarian journalists in Brussels, where he arrived to take part in»»»

More than 115 Argentine unions grouped under the 'Front of Struggle for Sovereignty, Decent Work and Fair Wages' march in June toward the Ministry of Deregulation and State Transformation. File Photo by Adan Gonzalez/EPA BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Argentina's government is pushing a labor refor»»»

Private medical establishments are not bodies governed by public law and therefore should not be included within the scope of the Public Procurement Act, says the Bulgarian Hospital Association (BHA) in an open letter sent to the European Commission, the European Parliament, the National Assembly, »»»

A handful of moderate Republicans in the US House of Representatives forced a vote to extend healthcare subsidies used by millions of Americans that are set to expire at the end of the year. The House vote is slated for Wednesday evening but if it passes - which is expected - it will face an uphill»»»

Leftist Greek MEP Nikos Pappas, a member of the SYRIZA party, is under investigation by French police after allegedly assaulting journalist Nikos Giannopoulos in Strasbourg. The incident reportedly occurred around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at a bar where Pappas was drinking with colleagues and the press d»»»

Currently, with intense diplomacy taking place to – perhaps – end the Ukraine conflict, questions surrounding Kiev’s domestic politics may seem secondary. However, in reality, they are as important as the search for peace. There are two reasons: First, Ukrainians have a right to finally be released»»»

Dubai: The UAE has sharply accelerated the processing of work permit quotas, cutting approval times from up to 10 days to just one second, as part of the country’s efforts to eliminate bureaucracy and embed artificial intelligence across government services. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emir»»»

Americans still struggle with the high cost of living as inflation has remained above Federal Reserve goals and economic data was delayed by the government shutdown. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Economic markers say inflation has slowed and steadied since 2023 »»»

Nato countries' pledge to spend 5% of their economic output on defence is Donald Trump's "biggest foreign policy success," the alliance's chief has said. In an interview with the BBC, Mark Rutte said it was thanks to Donald Trump that Nato was "stronger than it ever was", adding that Trump "is good»»»

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would achieve its goals in Ukraine by diplomatic or military means, and would seek to expand a "security buffer zone" there. "First, the goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to do this and addres»»»