A number of families in the Republic of Ireland living in houses made with defective concrete blocks have said they are facing another Christmas in homes that are "unsafe and crumbling around them". Thousands of homes, mostly in counties Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo are affected by the »»»

Ukrainian refugees in France are receiving increasingly less state support, particularly in housing programs, according to a report by Franceinfo. The temporary protection status for Ukrainian migrants “no longer provides the same benefits as it did at the start of the conflict in 2022, when they c»»»

The Trump administration has touted grand plans for a new class of surface warships that would carry nuclear-armed cruise missiles — along with an entirely new generation of aircraft carriers. The plan calls for at least 25 battleships, each larger than existing destroyers, bristling with hypersoni»»»

Doha, Qatar: As part of its efforts to make football truly global and enable more clubs, leagues and players from all around the world to compete at the highest level, FIFA has renewed its partnership with the Qatar Stars League (QSL) and the Qatar Football Association (QFA). FIFA President Gianni »»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd SC will be fighting to keep their hopes alive when they host Shabab Al Ahli in the AFC Champions League Elite today. The Qatari side ended Matchday Five 11th in the standings with just two points while UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli will confirm their Round of 16 spot with victory. Rober»»»

Doha, Qatar: The combined 10th Qatar International Weightlifting Cup 2025, Arab Championships, and West Asian Championships continued in Doha, with competitions running until December 27. Egypt’s Mohamed Metwally led the Arab Senior 71kg category, winning gold in the clean and jerk at 159kg and the»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved updated standards for maximum permissible physical loads when manually lifting and moving heavy objects for women and workers under the age of 18. The document was adopted in implementation of Article 139 of the Labor Code and sets the maximum wei»»»

This year brought major progress for CPI Romania, from large-scale upgrades across its retail and office assets to a strengthened tenant mix and sustained leasing activity. Country Manager Fulga Dinu talks to Business Review about the initiatives that marked 2025 and the priorities guiding the comp»»»

Abu Dhabi: International Holding Company has confirmed the appointment of the board of directors of 2PointZero, formalising the leadership structure of the listed investment platform and reinforcing its role within Abu Dhabi’s long-term investment strategy. Sign up for our daily business newsletter»»»

Doha, Qatar: Seydou Sano struck deep into stoppage time as Al Gharafa SC kept their AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 hopes alive with a dramatic 1-0 win over Al Wahda FC yesterday. The late winner at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium lifted Al Gharafa to six points with two matches still to play. »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Football Association yesterday announced the fixtures for the preliminary round of the 2025-2026 Amir Cup. This knockout stage will qualify four teams for the tournament’s Round of 16. The preliminary round matches are scheduled for January 10, 2026, kicking off at 17:30 acro»»»

Doha, Qatar: Ash’al Al E’zz of Al Thamer Stud emerged as the Gold champion in the Senior Stallions Championship while Admiraal of Al Amer Stud won Silver and Arraab AlJassimya of AlJassimya Farm got Bronze in the 5th Doha International Arabian Horse Show hosted by Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QR»»»

Bishkek and Tokyo intend to establish a Kyrgyz-Japanese Digital University (K-JDU). A memorandum of trilateral cooperation was signed on the sidelines of Central Asia — Japan Business Forum. The High Technology Park reported. According to it, the initiative aims to develop partnership between the K»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- 1934 -- Kuwait Amir Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah signed an accord with Kuwait Oil Company (Limited). The company, registered in Britain, has been granted exclusive exploration concessions for natural gas, asphalt, ozokerite, crude oil and other types of underground fuels »»»

The high-stakes search for a new leader of the US central bank is drawing to a close. US President Donald Trump is expected to name someone in the coming weeks to replace Jerome Powell, whose term as Federal Reserve chairman will end in May. That person will step into the role at a tricky moment. T»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s healthcare system has recorded major strides in capacity, workforce growth and service quality, reinforcing the country’s commitment to accessible, high-quality, and inclusive healthcare for all. New data and initiatives unveiled by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) highligh»»»

The United States launched a new strike against a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of an operation to combat drug trafficking, killing one person, US Southern Command said. "On Dec. 22, at the direction of US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a leth»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is poised to reinforce its position as a global energy powerhouse in the coming year, as analysts note that a sharp increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity comes on stream through the North Field expansion, strengthening export volumes, boosting market flexibi»»»

The sixth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on Debureaucratization of the Civil Service System was held under the chairmanship of the head of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev. The Cabinet’s press service reported. According to it, the Interdepartmental Commission »»»

The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan, focusing on the repair and construction of strategic, national, and local highways, as well as international transport corridors, ensured the implementation of the tasks set for this year and significantly exceeded the planned indicators, »»»

Twenty-six shepherds and their flocks have been rescued from snow traps in Toktogul, the district administration reported. According to officials, heavy snowfall left livestock breeders grazing animals in high-altitude areas without communication and blocked at their winter camps. A decision was ma»»»

A K9 self-propelled howitzer is displayed during an Armed Forces Day media event in Gyeryong, South Korea, Sept. 29. File Photo by Yonhap News Agency Dec. 22 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's science ministry said Monday it has selected its 2025 "Top 100 National R&D Achievements," highlighting project»»»

AMMAN — Navigating the complexities of the European market requires a strategic shift towards sustainability, digital integration, and robust change management, according to Circular Economy and Sustainability Expert at Royal Scientific Society (RSS) Omar Saleh.Speaking on the evolving landscape of»»»

The US Justice Department said on Sunday it had restored an image of President Donald Trump that it had removed a day earlier from the public release of Epstein-related files. The photograph was reposted as lawmakers accused officials of withholding key information in files related to the late sex »»»

Lawmakers from both parties escalated pressure on the US Department of Justice on Monday over its handling of the release of Jeffrey Epstein documents, threatening contempt proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi as demands for full disclosure intensified. Bipartisan anger over the US Depart»»»

Gold hit a new record high on Monday, driven by expectations of US interest rate cuts and strong demand for safe-haven assets, while silver also reached an all-time peak. The gains mark a remarkable year for precious metals, supported by a weaker dollar, geopolitical tensions and strong investment »»»

Unification Ministry spokesperson Yoon Min-ho briefs reporters at the Government Complex Seoul on Dec 22 Photo by Yonhap News Agency Dec. 22 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's Ministry of Unification said Monday it has never reported to President Lee Jae-myung on reviewing constitutional amendments tied»»»

Israel has approved 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, bringing the three-year total to 69. The move comes despite UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's recent condemnation of what he called the "relentless" expansion of settlements in the occupied territory. Israel approved the establ»»»

Nigerian authorities said Sunday they have secured the release of 130 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state, bringing the total freed to more than 200 after a mass kidnapping in November. The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty over the fate of students taken »»»

Lagos comes alive each December as "Detty December" turns Nigeria's capital into a nonstop festival of music, partying and extravagance. Locals take advantage of the festivities to forget their worries as those in the country's diaspora make their way home for the holidays.  The first winds of»»»

Day two was packed with drama. Mali saw their three points slip away after a late equaliser from Zambia. Bafana Bafana meanwhile managed to beat a tough Angola side, scoring a second goal to make it 2-1. There was more excitement during the final game of the day as the Pharoes faced the Warriors,&n»»»

A Cyberattack has disrupted France’s postal service, La Poste, halting deliveries during the peak Christmas season. Customers of the company’s banking arm, La Banque Postale, were blocked from using the application to approve payments or conduct other banking services.  A suspected cybera»»»

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that his government intends to commissions the construction of up to 25 units of the newly announced "Trump class" battleship. He noted that the newly announced battleship class would carry nuclear arms."We have lasers where you aim the laser at a target, it»»»

More than 500,000 Cambodians have been displaced after two weeks of deadly border clashes with Thailand. The conflict involving drones and air strikes shattered a fragile truce and reignited a decades-old territorial dispute. More than half a million people in Cambodia have been displaced from thei»»»

Bollywood’s top stars are driving production costs sky-high with private trailers, personal chefs and massive entourages, insiders say. The hefty fees are hiking up production costs and straining the Indian film industry's already fragile finances.  From fleets of private trailers to personal »»»

The two suspects behind the Bondi Beach shooting reportedly conducted "firearms training" in rural New South Wales before launching their December 14 attack on a Hanukkah celebration which left 15 people dead. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologised to Australia's Jewish community for the nation»»»

Cambodia accused Thailand of airstrikes on its soil on Monday, hours after Thailand’s foreign minister announced plans for a bilateral meeting at an ASEAN gathering in Kuala Lumpur. Recent fighting has killed at least 23 and displaced more than 900,000 on both sides. Cambodia said Thailand launched»»»

Snowfall across parts of Tabuk and the Trojena Mountains has transformed the regions into an unexpected winter playground, prompting residents to step outside to ski, play, and capture the rare icy scenes. Also Read: Snow blankets Saudi Arabia’s Trojena Highlands and TabukThe Trojena Highlands were»»»

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the United States will provide security guarantees to Ukraine, although some of them will not be made public. "There are security guarantees between us, the Europeans, and the US – a framework agreement. There is a separate document between us and the US – bilateral»»»

The women’s volleyball team of Kyrgyzstan is participating in an international tournament in the Maldives. The Volleyball Federation announced on social media. The athletes defeated their opponents from Bangladesh and Afghanistan. They will face the tournament hosts, who also have six points. Посмо»»»

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s embattled Socialists suffered a heavy defeat in Sunday’s regional election in Extremadura, slumping to their worst-ever result as the far-right Vox made strong gains, dealing another blow to the party amid mounting corruption and misconduct allegations. Spanis»»»

Denmark said Monday it will summon the US ambassador after President Donald Trump announced he had appointed a special envoy to Greenland, the Danish autonomous territory he has threatened to annex. In response, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Anto»»»

A festive Santa Run, one of the brightest sports events of the pre-New Year period, took place at Dair Asanov Victory Park in Bishkek. The press service of Bishkek City Hall reported. About 1,000 people participated in the run. Participants covered distances of 4 and 8 kilometers. Both professional»»»

The guided-missile submarine USS Florida transits the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea on Friday amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. File U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Elliot Schaudt Dec. 22 (Asia Today) -- China has voiced strong opposition t»»»

Bishkek Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev has launched the implementation of one of the capital’s key infrastructure projects—the construction of Eastern bypass road. The press service of Bishkek City Hall reported. The project includes the construction of five major traffic interchanges, as well as an ove»»»

Dubai: With Christmas just days away, shoppers across the UAE are making their final preparations, driving a steady rise in footfall at supermarkets and neighbourhood markets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Demand is strongest for festive food, bakery items and home d»»»

Dubai: Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodríguez have purchased two luxury villas at Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve within the Red Sea International development, according to media reports. Also Read: A peek into Cristiano Ronaldo’s earnings, luxury lifestyle and spend»»»

Washington: US immigration authorities say they are tightening oversight of H-1B visas and other legal immigration programmes, citing fraud investigations, new regulatory limits, and a broader enforcement push outlined in a year-end review released. Also Read: US makes H1-B visa tougher, Indian fir»»»

A Mainbiz Association graphic lists key factors affecting overall business management in 2025. Graphic by Asia Today and translated by UPI Dec. 22 (Asia Today) -- About seven in 10 South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises said they faced shrinking domestic demand and intensifying cost pressu»»»