Sydney: Australians fell silent in flickering candlelight Sunday to honour the Bondi Beach shooting victims, marking one week since gunmen fired into crowds at a Jewish festival. A father and son are accused of targeting the beachside Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people including children and H»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued today Amiri Order No. 3 of 2025 appointing HE Hazza bin Khalil bin Mansour Al Shahwani as Minister of State at the Amiri Diwan. The decision is effective starting from its date of issue, and is to be published in the official»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued today Amiri Decree No. 66 of 2025, appointing HE Major General Mohammed bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Salmeen Al Suwaidi as Commander of the Amiri Guard. The decision is effective starting from its date of issue, and is to be published in»»»

Germany’s mass-circulation tabloid Bild published a sharply critical piece targeting outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, focusing on his behavior during a high-level EU summit dedicated to major geopolitical and economic decisions. In the article, Bild describes how Zhelyazkov drew »»»

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said he is confident that provisions that Europeans and Ukrainians are trying to introduce into the draft peace plan will not bring about long-term stability. "I am more than confident that the provisions that Europeans and Ukrainians have introduced and are trying to impl»»»

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced Professor Badi Baltagi as the winner of the Great Arab Minds Award 2025 in the Economics category, recognising a career that has reshaped modern economic analysis and s»»»

North Korea said on Sunday that Japan's nuclear ambitions "must be prevented at any cost", after a Tokyo official reportedly suggested the country should possess atomic weapons. Pyongyang's reaction came after the unnamed official in the prime minister's office was quoted by Kyodo News on Thursday »»»

Vladimir Putin is ready to talk with France's Emmanuel Macron over the war in Ukraine, the Russian president's spokesman said in an interview published Sunday. Putin has "expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron", Dmitry Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti. "Therefore, if there i»»»

Bulgaria has received close to 70 billion leva, or roughly 35.8 billion euro, in grant funding from the start of the transition period (1990s) up to 2024, according to an analysis by the Institute for Market Economy. The volume of grants has grown steadily over time, with more than half of all fund»»»

A senior Japanese government official recently stated that his country should possess nuclear weapons. A Japanese attempt to go nuclear must be prevented at any cost, as it would bring mankind a great disaster,” the director of the Institute for Japan Studies at the North Korean Foreign Ministry wa»»»

The Saudi capital underwent an unprecedented structural shift in its real estate market in 2025, driven by a forward-looking agenda led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Far from incremental regulation, the year’s measures amounted to a deep corrective overhaul aimed a»»»

Interview by Mohammad Al-Mutairi KUWAIT, Dec 21 (KUNA) -- Director General of the Arab Planning Institute (API) Dr. Adel Al-Wugayan said that the Institute's vision for the next five years is mainly intended to bolster its position as a leading and credible know-how entity.In an interview with KUNA»»»

US forces on Saturday stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade on sanctioned vessels. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the operation, carried out with the Defense Department»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia will begin enforcing a mandatory system for paying the salaries of all domestic workers through official electronic channels starting January 1, 2026, a move aimed at strengthening wage protection and increasing transparency in employment relationships. The decision, announced b»»»

NEW YORK: The UN Security Council has welcomed the efforts of the State of Qatar in mediating between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Alliance (M23 Movement), which led to the signing of the Doha Framework for Peace on November 15, in Doha. This came in th»»»

On Dec. 21, 1975, the notorious terrorist Carlos the Jackal led a raid on a meeting of OPEC oil ministers in Vienna. German and Arab terrorists stormed in with machine guns, killed three people and took 63 others hostage, including 11 oil ministers. 1 of 8 | On December 21, 1975, the notorious terr»»»

The civic movement Third March (Treti Mart) has formally launched procedures to register as a political party, announcing its intentions at a meeting in Nessebar, Bulgaria. The decision was presented by the chairman of the movement, Tihomir Atanasov, who said an initiative committee has already bee»»»

Australia on Sunday was honoring victims of a gun attack a week earlier on a seaside Hanukkah celebration, as the prime minister announced a review of the country's law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The nation was marking a day of reflection to honor the 15 people killed and the dozens wou»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said Washington's immediate goal on Sudan is a cessation of hostilities going into the new year that allows humanitarian organizations to deliver assistance. Rubio, speaking to reporters at a news conference, said that Washington was engaging with the par»»»

Traffic police have implemented temporary road restrictions in central Athens for Sunday morning’s Athens Santa Run 2025, a charitable fundraising event. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the City of Athens Reception and Solidarity Center (KYADA), supporting vulnerable social groups affected »»»

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a review into the police and national intelligence agencies after the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney. "The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation," Albanese said, using an acronym »»»

Abu Dhabi: A parliamentary report approved by the Federal National Council has revealed that the number of vacant positions across the UAE’s federal government will rise to 7,842 in 2026, stressing the need for new federal initiatives to fill critical roles as government restructuring accelerates. »»»

Images circulated on social media of armed groups opposed to Hamas in Gaza brandishing new weapons. The factions have been presenting themselves as replacements to Hamas in ruling the enclave and have been developing new means to oust the movement. The factions are active in areas in Gaza that are »»»

EU taxpayers will have to pay €3 billion a year in borrowing costs to finance Kiev’s collapsing economy and military under a newly approved loan scheme, Politico reported on Friday, citing senior bloc officials. Kiev’s European backers this week failed to approve a ‘reparations loan’ that would hav»»»

Dubai: Saudi security authorities have arrested 17,880 people residing illegally in the Kingdom over the past week, following a series of coordinated inspection campaigns, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday. Also Read: Saudi authorities detain thousands in nationwide inspectionsOperatio»»»

In an unusual development, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Iraqi government and influential political actors received two extraordinary warning messages over the past two weeks — one from an Arab country and another from a Western intelligence service — containing what were described»»»

Johannesburg: Nine people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at a cafe outside Johannesburg early Sunday, police said, in the second such shooting in South Africa this month. Ten more were wounded when around a dozen men attacked in Bekkersdal, in a gold mining area around 40 kilometres (2»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened two new bridges under the Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project, marking a significant milestone in efforts to ease congestion at one of the city’s most critical transport nodes. The bridges, which opened ahead of the planned mid-J»»»

The United States was joined Saturday by Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in urging parties in the Gaza ceasefire to uphold their obligations and exercise restraint, the chief US envoy said after talks in Miami. Top officials from each nation met with Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, »»»

Unit 6 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will be shut down on Sunday, one day earlier than previously announced, the plant said late on Saturday. The shutdown had originally been scheduled for Monday. The decision to shut down the unit earlier was made after an additional defect was discove»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Chess Association (QCA) yesterday underlined its readiness to stage the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2025, bringing the world’s top chess players to the ‘global sport capital’ from December 26 to 30. QCA President and Chairman of the Organising Committee Mohammed Ahme»»»

Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri denied on Saturday that the appointment of civilian negotiators between Lebanon and Israel means that political negotiations have been launched between the two neighbors. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the negotiating team is primarily tasked with ensuring »»»

Doha, Qatar: Aeon’s Aegis confirmed his class with a second consecutive victory in QA Gr1 Qatar Derby for 3YO Thoroughbreds, following up his Derby Trial success with a dominant performance in the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC staged Qatar International Derby Day at the Al Rayyan Racecourse »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Organizing Committee of the 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026 unveiled the official logo of the Games during a ceremony held at Old Doha Port, in the presence of a number of officials, representatives of sports federations, and members of the media, yesterday. The official logo of the 4th »»»

Damascus, Dec. 21 (SANA) Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport said it is close to completing the installation of an advanced air navigation system at Damascus International Airport, aimed at reducing disruptions caused by poor weather, particularly dense fog. In a statement»»»

Doha, Qatar: The competitions of the second round of Qatar Freestyle Championship (QFC) in its new 2025/2026 season concluded on Friday evening at Qatar Racing Club (QRC). The round was held under the generous patronage of QRC Chairman H E Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, and witnessed a large cro»»»

Doha: Qatar National Bank (QNB) confirmed that copper is currently entering a clearly defined phase of structural transformation in global commodity markets. In its weekly commentary, QNB noted that despite cyclical volatility and macroeconomic pressures, the metal remains attractively valued in re»»»

Doha, Qatar: Oil prices edged up on Friday on possible disruptions from a US blockade of Venezuelan tankers as the market waits for news about a possible Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Brent crude futures settled at $60.47, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $56.66. For the week, »»»

Dubai: Motor insurance policies in the UAE classified as comprehensive will cover damage caused by heavy rain and flooding, provided the weather event is not officially declared a natural disaster, a senior insurance official has confirmed. Mohammed Mazhar Hamadeh, Vice Chairman of the Higher Techn»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is committed to advance innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies by promoting collaboration between government and private sector and positioning the country as a regional hub, for AI development. Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the recently held Wor»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for Foreign Trade H E Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment H E Jacob Helberg chaired the Economic Session held as part of the Seventh Qatar–United States Strategic Dialogue, which was convened»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi is moving at an accelerated pace toward developing one of the region’s most intelligent and integrated transport systems, with the implementation of a real-time smart traffic safety management system that represents a qualitative leap in monitoring, analysis, and decision-makin»»»

US intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not abandoned his aims of capturing all of Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with US intelligence said, even as negotiators seek an end to the war »»»

Johannesburg: Nine people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at a tavern outside Johannesburg early Sunday, police said, marking the second such shooting in South Africa this month. Ten more people were injured when around a dozen men attacked the tavern in Bekkersdal, a gold mining area a»»»

Doha, Qatar: Reyada Medical Centre is proud to announce the expansion of its Ophthalmology Department, reinforcing its commitment to delivering comprehensive, patient-centred eye care to a multi- faceted audience. This expansion marks a significant step in strengthening Reyada’s multidisciplinary h»»»

Doha, Qatar: The third edition of the “Beyond Reality” International Circus kicked off yesterday at Souq Al Wakra, organised by the Celebrations Organising Committee of the Private Engineering Office, amid strong public turnout from the very first day. Khaled Al Suwaidi, General Supervisor of the I»»»

The United States "apprehended" an oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday, a move Caracas deemed a "theft and kidnapping," in the latest salvo of a pressure campaign by Washington, the US government said. It was the second time in two weeks that US forces have interdicted a tanker in the region, and »»»

Doha, Qatar: Registration for the 17th Qatar International Falconry and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026) begins today, Sunday, December 21, at the Qatar Falconry Association headquarters in Katara Cultural Village. Registration will continue until December 23, from 4pm to 8pm. The Marmi Festival is he»»»

Cairo: The State of Qatar participated in the proceedings of the first Arab Regional Forum on Early Warning Systems and Disaster Preparedness, which was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in the Arab Republic of Egypt. The forum discussed Arab cooperati»»»

South African police say a manhunt is under way after a shooting at a tavern left nine people dead and another 10 injured in a township near Johannesburg. They say about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two cars in Bekkersdal, "opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they »»»