Iran's latest bout of economic protests has ceased to be reactive spasms of discontent triggered by the newest price shock and currency collapse. They have become something rather more persistent and worrying for Tehran's authorities: the steady drumbeat of a population whose resilience has been gr»»»

Oman has expanded visa-free travel arrangements for diplomats and tourists as part of a broader effort to ease mobility, boost tourism and strengthen regional ties, government statements and regional media reported. The mo»»»

Poland's state railway operator PKP Intercity announced the country's first tender for trains capable of reaching speeds of 320 kilometres per hour, marking a significant step in developing the nation's high-speed rail network. »»»

An employee works in a manufacturing plant) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in March. Mexico closed 2025 with weak economic growth and is heading into 2026 with limited expansion prospects. File Photo by Luis Torres/.EPA Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Mexico closed 2025 with weak economic growth and is heading into 202»»»

The UAE this week announced a withdrawal of its troops from southern Yemen, marking a de-escalation in year-end tensions with its ally Saudi Arabia. But 2026 offers little hope for a strategic patch-up between the two Gulf powerhouses. That could mean more trouble for Yemen, the region, and the int»»»

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned about the Ukrainian armed forces' attack on the settlement of Khorly in the Kherson Region, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Sputnik. "The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the rising toll on civilians »»»

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday appointed the head of Ukraine's military intelligence as his new chief of staff, a move that comes as the US leads a diplomatic push to end Russia's nearly 4-year-old invasion. In announcing the appointment of Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs»»»

Russia has accused Ukraine of killing at least 27 people in a drone strike on a New Year's party in a hotel and cafe in the Russian-occupied southern Kherson region. According to the Russia-installed regional governor, Vladimir Saldo, more than 30 people were injured in the alleged attack, which he»»»

Yemen's transport ministry, which is aligned with Emirati-backed southern separatist authorities, on Thursday said Saudi Arabia has imposed requirements mandating that flights to and from Aden International Airport undergo inspection in Jeddah. The ministry, which is affiliated with the Southern Tr»»»

The U.N. said Thursday that a Palestinian boy in the Gaza Strip drowned in floods that engulfed his tent camp, with videos showing rescuers trying to pry his body out of muddy waters by pulling him by the ankle. It was the latest sign of the miseries that winter is inflicting on the territory's pop»»»

Skopje, 26 December 2025 (MIA) - An international consortium led by Dalekovod d.d. from Croatia has been selected as the best bidder at the tender for construction of 400kV interconnection Bitola-Elbasan (transmission line from Bitola via Ohrid to the Macedonian-Albanian border), marking the restar»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has strengthened buyer protections under its new Civil Transactions Law, introducing clearer rules for sale contracts, expanding remedies for defective goods, and extending the time limit for filing claims related to hidden defects. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheq»»»

Jeddah: The Executive Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has convened an extraordinary meeting at its headquarters in Jeddah to discuss the situation in Somalia, following Israel's announcement recognizing the self-declared region of Somaliland as an independent state. In re»»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping will host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit beginning on Sunday, a diplomatic signal of Beijing’s push to deepen ties with Seoul as relations with Japan remain strained over Taiwan and regional security. Chinese President Xi Jinping will host South K»»»

Dubai: UAE airports are seeing a surge in incoming passengers amid peak tourism season and as residents return home after the winter holidays, ahead of school reopening next week. Airlines are flagging January 2 to 5 as peak days for UAE-bound travel, with heavy arrivals expected across major hubs,»»»

Between January and November, a total of 7,450 drug-related crimes were registered, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. Two of the main work areas of the Ministry of the Interior throughout the country in 2025 were counteracting the distribution, production, and trafficking of drug»»»

Swiss authorities are investigating the cause of a devastating fire that ripped through a New Year’s celebration at an Alpine ski resort bar, killing about 40 people and injuring more than 115 in what may rank among the deadliest tragedies in the country's recent history. Switzerland will hold five»»»

DOHA: The Qatar technology market is valued at $1.2bn, based on a five-year historical analysis from 2025 to 2030, according to a recent report by Ken Research. Analysts emphasise that this growth is primarily driven by the rapid digital transformation across various sectors, increased internet pen»»»

DOHA: Qatar continues to strengthen its position as a leading global destination, welcoming more than 5.1 million visitors from around the world and reflecting the country’s growing appeal on the international tourism map. Qatar Tourism yesterday announced that visitors from around the globe were d»»»

DOHA: Qatar ports (Hamad, Ruwais and Doha) witnessed a robust surge in December last year as the cargoes and container volumes handled during the period registered an increase on an annual basis compared to the same period in 2024. The general and bulk cargo handled by the ports in December 2025 gr»»»

Dubai: The UAE has introduced a clear new rule on what happens to a foreign residents' assets if they die in the country without a will or any claim from legal heirs, under the newly issued Civil Transactions Law. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Under the law, financia»»»

Arif Patel's strategic partnership has been announced in Dubai with an international trading firm, Preston Trading, based in the UK, which is a clear sign of the company's ambition to grow its presence in the Middle East and to operate larger global businesses through the UAE. The partnership entai»»»

Around 40 people were killed and at least 115 were injured after a fire ripped through a bar during New Year's Eve celebrations in a luxury resort town in southern Switzerland, police said Thursday.  A fire ripped through a bar’s New Year celebration in a Swiss Alpine resort shortly after midn»»»

The Taiwan dollar recorded its strongest annual advance in five years in 2025, rising 4.27% against the US dollar amid sharp swings driven by global policy concerns and volatile capital flows. The currency ended the final »»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai moved higher at the end of the first trading week of 2026, recovering from a muted start to the year as global markets reopened with a cautious but constructive tone. By 7.50 am on Friday, the price of 24-karat gold stood at Dh524 a gram, up from Dh520.25 the previous da»»»

In a live New Year’s address, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te highlighted the need for increased defence spending and warned of a critical year ahead following a major Chinese military exercise that saw rockets fired towards Taiwanese territory. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday »»»

The Kherson Regional Forensic Bureau has released the list of those killed in the deadly terrorist attack by the Ukrainian armed forces on civilians in the settlement of Khorly, with seven of them identified, the regional authorities said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Kherson Region Governor Vla»»»

The Muslim Brotherhood remains a formidable force in Sudan, fighting and contributing to the country’s destruction while operating from within the security apparatus and exerting influence over decision-making in pursuit of its own interests rather than those of the nation. After 33 months of fight»»»

Manila: The Philippines has just dropped a bombshell move to snag mega foreign cash. How? Amid the noise (and the haste) surrounding the multibillion flood-control scam, a new legislation has been crafted to drive foreign investments in energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing — and, m»»»

QNA Doha The Criminal Studies Institute of the Public Prosecution announced that it trained 1,863 officers in 2025 through a range of courses covering judicial, legal and administrative disciplines. The figure also includes participants in training visits from Arab and international judicial and ac»»»

The city has increasingly become a focal point for high-profile occasions representing the country at both local and international levels. On this occasion, CEO of Qatari Diar Sheikh Hamad bin Talal Al Thani stated, “The success of this New Year 2026 celebration at Lusail Boulevard highlights the c»»»

Greece’s judicial calendar for 2026 features a series of high-profile trials with major social and political implications, led by the long-awaited proceedings over the 2023 rail disaster at Tempe that claimed 57 lives. The main trial over the crash in central Greece is set to begin on March 23, mor»»»

Military veterinarians will be deployed to regional authorities to help contain an outbreak of sheep and goat pox that has devastated the country’s livestock farms, the government said on Thursday. Under a joint initiative by the ministries of Finance, Defense, Interior and Rural Development, regio»»»

Military veterinarians will be deployed to regional authorities to help contain an outbreak of sheep and goat pox that has devastated the country’s livestock farms, the government said on Thursday. Under a joint initiative by the ministries of Finance, Defense, Interior and Rural Development, regio»»»

President Putin has received a phone briefing from Governor Vladimir Saldo on the situation following the Ukrainian army’s terrorist attack and on the progress of the investigation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. With the course of the investigation and identification of the bodies of the vi»»»

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call today with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, during which they discussed fraternal relations and ways to strengthen cooperation for the benefit of both countries and their peoples. The two lea»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed the latest regional and international developments with President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This came during a telephone call HH the Amir made on Thursday with»»»

About 40 people were killed and another 115 injured, most of them seriously, after a fire ripped through a bar’s New Year celebration in a Swiss Alpine resort less than two hours after midnight Thursday, police said. Authorities did not immediately have an exact count of the deceased. The Crans-Mon»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a phone conversation today with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. During the call, they reviewed the fraternal relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen and develop t»»»

Doha,Qatar: Lusail City stole the spotlight during Qatar's New Year celebrations on Wednesday evening, as Lusail Boulevard hosted a grand event marking the close of the year. The city's skyline was illuminated by the largest fireworks display in the State of Qatar, officially welcoming the New Year»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held a telephone conversation on Thursday with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. During the call, they reviewed the fraternal relations between the two countri»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court has ordered a man to repay $16,000, or its equivalent in dirhams, to a longtime friend after ruling that he failed to return money entrusted to him for investment more than a decade ago. The court found that the defendant had received the sum from the cla»»»

Dubai: Some 116 Saudi government employees across various ministries and public bodies have been arrested in a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown, following a series of investigations conducted by the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), the Okaz Arabic daily reported. Nazaha questione»»»

Dubai’s real estate market closed 2025 with record-breaking sales, the highest in the emirate’s history, extending its exceptional performance for a fifth consecutive year and reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading property markets amid strong demand from local and international inv»»»

In 2026, banking in the Gulf and beyond will feel less like a place you visit and more like a digital utility running quietly in the background of daily life. Artificial intelligence, embedded finance and real-time payments are fusing into a new operating system for money that will challenge long‑s»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Ukrainian drone in the Kherson Region attacked a passenger car in which a family was traveling, killing a 5-year-old boy, regional Governor Vladimir Saldo said on Thursday, adding that three adults were hospitalized. "Kiev degenerates committed another bloody crime. Near Taraso»»»

UAE announces the passing of a new law on the age of maturity. The UAE has lowered the age of legal majority from 21 to 18 under a new federal decree law issuing an updated Civil Transactions Law. The reform also amends the minimum age for guardianship over financial affairs, allowing individuals a»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Prosecution's Criminal Studies Institute announced that it trained 1,863 trainees in 2025 through courses in various judicial, legal, and administrative disciplines. The number also included training visits from Arab and international judicial and academic bodies, in additio»»»

Several dozen people are presumed dead and around 100 injured after a fire ripped through a bar in a ski resort in southern Switzerland, officials have said. The fire broke out at around 01:30 (00:30 GMT) during new year celebrations in a bar called Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, police said. P»»»

New water prices in Bulgaria take effect from today, January 1, 2026, with adjustments ranging from a 12 percent decrease to a 14 percent increase, as determined by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission. However, not all consumers will see an immediate change, as the Ministry of Regional Devel»»»