The team of Kyrgyzstan became the champions of Asia in gymkhana for the 2025 season, taking the first place in the overall team standings at the Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship. The Federation of Motorsport and Road Safety reported. According to it, the Kyrgyz team scored 114 points at the end of t»»»

The 5th Asian Youth Para Games were held in Dubai, UAE. According to the Armwrestling Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic, para-arm wrestling athletes won seven gold medals and took second place in the team standings. In addition to their seven gold medals, the Kyrgyz team also won three bronze medal»»»

President Donald Trump participates in a Hanukkah reception in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on December 16, 2025. Later that day, he ordered a naval blockade of Venezuela. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo Dec. 16 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered "a»»»

UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko will finish 2025 as the pound-for-pound ranking leader, the promotion’s official website says. As a reminder, in November the Kyrgyz fighter defeated China’s Weili Zhang at UFC 322 in New York. The men’s pound-for-pound rankings are topped by Russ»»»

Dubai: Commuters traveling between Dubai and Sharjah are facing severe delays this morning, Wednesday, December 17, with heavy traffic reported on several major roads. Google Maps indicates significant congestion, urging drivers to plan their routes carefully and consider alternatives. Also Read: A»»»

The European Union has proposed changes to a 2023 law that effectively banned the sale of new internal combustion engine cars from 2035.  Instead of cutting CO2 emissions by 100% from 2021 levels, carmakers would be required to reduce them by 90%, meaning a small-scale production of petrol or »»»

A number of videos and images created by artificial intelligence that claim to accurately depict ancient Rome have been circulating online. However, these images are far from historically accurate, says one historian. "A Journey Through Time with Artificial Intelligence,” reads the caption on a vid»»»

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev took part in ceremonies to lay time capsules marking the start of construction of a number of residential complexes in Bishkek, the Cabinet’s press service reported. According to it, the residential complexes are being built by t»»»

AMMAN — The Jordan x 2080 Accelerator, powered by US-based venture capital firm 2080 Ventures in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and the Youth, Technology and Jobs (YTJ) Project, hosted its inaugural Demo Day on Monday in Amman.The event opened with a keynote»»»

AMMAN — In celebration of an exceptional year marked by milestones across the economic, investment, and sports sectors, CFI Jordan hosted a “flagship” event titled “Pioneers of Success” in Amman.The event brought together key partners, top media figures, and economic experts to highlight the compan»»»

AMMAN — The Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.The agreement, signed during the Jordan-India Busin»»»

AMMAN — Chairman of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Shadi Majali inaugurated the JIFEX 2025 Conference on Tuesday.The opening was attended by Chairman of the Greater Amman Municipality Committee Yousef Shawarbeh, Aqaba Governor Ayman Awaisheh, CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation »»»

The award-winning director of a new film that delves into the seedy world of sexual predators and paedophilia has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the ethics of making it. David Osit is a three-time Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary film director. His latest project is the film "Predators", which»»»

Los Angeles prosecutors say Nick Reiner, the son of famed actor-director Rob Reiner, will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of his parents. The case has shocked Hollywood and Democratic political circles, where the couple were widely admired. Los Angeles prosecu»»»

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday added Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders to a full travel ban. The decision to include Syria, a country Trump has moved to rehabilitate internationally, came days after thr»»»

Hybrid work is not about where employees work from anymore; it is about how they thrive in this ecosystem. Since 2020, the way we work and live has been fundamentally reshaped, driven by a confluence of factors. Organisations around the world have had to rethink every aspect of their operations, in»»»

Benin on Tuesday jailed around 30 people, most of whom were soldiers, linked to an attempt to oust President Patrice Talon, legal sources said. The attempted coup was defeated by loyalist army forces with the help of the Nigerian air force and French special forces. Benin jailed on Tuesday aro»»»

One month after the stunning assassination of the brother of an anti-gangland activist, French president Emmanuel Macron returning to the Mediterranean port for an update on the government’s xx-euro plan to win back the streets and offer hope to fed-up citizens of France’s second largest city. The »»»

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's legal woes looked set to continue as prosecutors on Tuesday said they would seek indictments against him, his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and nine others for alleged witness tampering in the Libya campaign funding case. French prosecutors on Tuesday said »»»

French lawmakers on Tuesday adopted the 2026 social security budget, which includes the suspension of President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform, as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu races to finalise a 2026 spending plan by year's end.  France's lower house of parliament, the Nationa»»»

A meeting between cadets and officers of the Academy of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of the Kyrgyz Republic and Eduard Kubatov, President of the Mountaineering and Climbing Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic, Honorary Consul of Indonesia in the Kyrgyz Republic, and veteran of the»»»

After 15 years of persistence, an Indian expat in Dubai has finally struck gold with Big Ticket proving that patience really does pay off.Ritesh Dhanak, a 52-year-old computer teacher from Gujarat, has been living in Dubai with his family for three decades. And for the past 15 years, he has regular»»»

Law enforcement released new images on Tuesday of a person of interest in the Brown University shooting. Screen capture courtesy of Providence Police Department/Facebook Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Authorities on Tuesday released images of the person of interest in the Brown University shooting as law enforce»»»

Tajikistan has begun receiving electricity from Uzbekistan, which has somewhat improved the country’s energy supply situation. Asia-Plus reports, citing the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan. According to the ministry, up to 2 million kilowatt-hours are currently being supplied p»»»

A seminar on the implementation of international nuclear safeguards for representatives of the Kyrgyz Republic was held in Vienna, Austria. The press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources reported. According to the ministry, the event was organized at the initiative of the Department of Stat»»»

Canada has officially expanded who can claim citizenship, rolling out a major update to its nationality laws under Bill C-3, which kicked in on December 15, 2025. The new law modernises Canada’s approach to "citizenship by descent", opening a clear pathway for many people previously shut out by old»»»

The first session of the new Zhogorku Kenesh will take place today in Kyrgyzstan. President Sadyr Japarov will attend it. The first session will begin with performing the National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic. According to the regulations, the newly elected deputies of the eighth convocation will »»»

1/20A woman reacts during a sack race as she celebrates Eid Al Fitr at a park in Quezon City, Philippines, on March 31.AP2/20Schoolgirls and cadets dance as they attend a rehearsal of a ceremony on the first day at school at a cadet lyceum in Kyiv on September 1.AP3/20Visitors, wearing stuffed cost»»»

Heavy rains on Hormuz Island in southern Iran transformed parts of the island’s shoreline — known locally as Red Beach — into a vivid crimson tide, captivating visitors and viewers across social media. Videos and images shared online show rainwater washing rich red mineral soils from the slopes int»»»

Fasten your seatbelts — and maybe your snacks. A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight got an unexpected dose of wildlife when a rat turned up mid-journey, earning its place in aviation folklore as the latest “rat on a plane.” The uninvited guest was spotted aboard a KLM flight travelling from Amsterdam »»»

Dubai: A Dubai court has ordered a group of defendants to jointly pay Dh5 million in compensation, along with legal interest and court costs, after finding that they plotted to divert assets and obstruct the recovery of investors’ funds in a real estate investment dispute dating back to 2008. In it»»»

Dubai: Sharjah has launched a major initiative to enhance cyclist safety in the Al Bataeh area with the construction of vehicle overpasses designed to completely separate cars from the 24-kilometre bicycle track. The move comes under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al »»»

The FBI arrested Louisiana resident Micah James Legnon on Friday as he was driving to New Orleans to allegedly carry out an attack on federal agents there. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 16 (UPI) -- A suspect identified as Micah James Legnon has been arrested by agents from the »»»

Dubai: Malayalam actress and survivor Bhavana was the chief guest at the Christmas feast hosted by the Kerala government in Thiruvananthapuram, an event highlighted by Minister V. Sivankutty, who shared photographs of the occasion on social media. The actor’s presence at the official event comes ne»»»

Warner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports. Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses. At the »»»

Dubai: The UAE is expected to see continued rainfall and strong winds through Friday, 19 December, as an active weather system continues to affect large parts of the country, according to the National Centre of Meteorology. Rain of varying intensity has fallen since Saturday night, 13 December, thr»»»

Dubai: A 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern province of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) reported. The quake occurred at 2:11am UAE time, with a depth of 50 kilometers, according to the NCM. The tremor was not felt in the UAE and had no impact on the countr»»»

Gaurav Gogoi, 43, is the deputy leader of the Congress in Parliament and the Assam state chief of the Congress, who will be taking on Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP Chief Minister of Assam, in a closely contested election early next year. Gogoi is poised, calm and steely, yet makes his points with a »»»

Washington: Senior US national security officials have told lawmakers that terrorist groups with roots in South Asia — particularly Pakistan- and Afghanistan-linked networks — continue to pose a direct and evolving threat to the United States. National Counterterrorism Centre Director Joseph Kent t»»»

Ras Al Khaimah: At the foot of Ras Al Khaimah's mountains, a white pony with black spots grazes quietly, oblivious to the fact that she may be the oldest pony in the UAE, if not among the oldest. Pebbles, who will turn 41 in January, has found a safe haven at Ride to Rescue, a sanctuary that saved »»»

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia and India have taken a significant step forward in strengthening their bilateral ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ethiopia was marked by a warm welcome at the National Palace, followed by productive talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The two leade»»»

The last pennies ever put into circulation were auctioned off for more than $16 million. File UPI/Kevin Dietsch | License Photo Dec. 16 (UPI) -- The final pennies minted in the United States were sold for more than $16.76 million in a special auction and set a record as the most valuable modern U.S»»»

Washington: The White House announced Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has significantly expanded America’s travel ban, barring citizens from seven additional countries from entering the United States starting January 1. In a statement, the White House said Trump signed a proclamation aimed a»»»

Dubai: Dubai's parks and public spaces are set for a major transformation with exciting new experiences on the horizon. From fresh entertainment programmes at neighbourhood parks and public spaces to a vibrant traditional Ramadan Souq planned for 2026, residents and visitors can look forward to a h»»»

Investigators searching for the killer who opened fire in a Brown University lecture hall have released new footage of a person they believe may be linked to the attack. Four days after the gunman killed two people and injured nine others officials have still not identified a suspect, leaving the c»»»

President Donald Trump has announced a total blockade of “sanctioned oil tankers” entering and leaving Venezuela, dramatically escalating pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro and intensifying already sharp tensions between Washington and Caracas. Trump announced the move in a Truth Social p»»»

Washington: Indian American-owned businesses are taking advantage of a federal initiative initially designed to help socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses, lawmakers have been told. Testifying before a Senate panel, investigative journalist Luke Rosiak said that while the 8(a) pr»»»

Dubai: He sent Dh4,600 through a remittance app. The money left his UAE bank account — and never arrived. At the time, Abhishek had no reason to think anything would go wrong. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.It was late November 2025, and like thousands of UAE resident»»»

Share: Lebanon’s FM Youssef Raji, recently declined an invitation by his Iranian counterpart to visit Tehran . Iran’s absolute support for Hezbollah is the main problem for Lebanon . “as far as iran is concerned Hezbollah in Lebanon means iran in Lebanon“, a top Iranian cleric was quoted as saying »»»