Doha: The competitions of the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Cup Qatar 2025 officially got underway today at Qatar University's Sports and Events Complex, where the tournament will continue until December 30. The championship brings together the world's elite chess players to compete for four titles i»»»

Cairo, Dec. 26 (SANA)Al-Azhar strongly condemned the treacherous terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in Homs, stressing that this terrorist crime constitutes a blatant assault on the sanctity of human life and a flagrant violation of the sacredness of places of worship. Al-Azhar affirmed, in i»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday made Israel the first U.N. member state to formally recognize the independent Republic of Somaliland. File Photo by Ronen Zvulun/UPI | License Photo Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Israel on Friday became the first U.N. member state to formally recognize the Rep»»»

Damascus, Dec. 26 (SANA) Canada’s Ambassador to Syria and Lebanon, Gregory Galligan, strongly condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in Homs.Ambassador Galligan stated on platform (X) on Friday: “Targeting civilians and places of worship is a reprehensible and unacceptable act,” exp»»»

Berlin: Germany has expressed its support for considering age limits on social media use, similar to other countries that have banned those under 16 from having accounts on certain social media platforms. German Minister for Digitalization and Social Renewal, Carsten Feldberger, stated that the ide»»»

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist bombing at a mosque in the city of Homs in central Syria, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of a number of innocent civilians. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reaffirmed the UAE's s»»»

Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein flew to Russia on at least three occasions in the early 2000s, including traveling to the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk together with former US President Bill Clinton, files published by the US Department of Justice have revealed. Last week, the DOJ uploaded »»»

People take photos of Christmas lights decoration at the street on the eve of Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan, Dec. 24. The Ministry of the Interior has deployed up to 17,000 police personnel, civil defense members, and volunteers to enhance security at 137 major events during the holiday season. On Fr»»»

National Transportation Safety Board staff and FBI agents walk the runway looking for evidence from the UPS Flight 2976 MD-11 that crashed November 4 in Louisville, Ky.. A 15th victim has died, Mayor Craig Greenberg announced Friday. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo Dec. 26 (UPI) -»»»

Argentine President Javier Milei's administration is promoting a reform that seeks to redefine the role of the state in public education, curb direct government intervention and give families greater control over their children’s schooling. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo BUENOS AIRES»»»

Head of Hezbollah Executive Council Sheikh Ali Daamoush affirmed that the resistance will not be drawn into confrontation with the Lebanese Army and will not permit internal discord, stressing that attempts to provoke division are doomed to fail. Speaking during Friday prayers at the Sayyeda Zainab»»»

Al Ain: Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening of Winterland Al Ain, a winter games event being held at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium until January 15, 2026. The event is part of efforts to expand entertainment and sports options in the region. Winterland Al Ain adds a new at»»»

With Donald Trump back in the Oval Office in early 2025, it took less than a year for his revamped “maximum pressure” campaign to set the pace for Iran. What began as an argument over reviving the nuclear deal quickly gave way to a far starker reality: war on Iranian soil, for only the second time »»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police have honoured four individuals for their quick and selfless actions in assisting victims at the scene of a traffic accident. The individuals were recognised for their humanitarian response and sense of responsibility after rushing to provide first aid and support to thos»»»

Israel has become the first country to formally recognise Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel intended to immediately expand cooperation in agriculture, health, and technology. Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed A»»»

Shakira performs on stage during the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on June 7. File Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Shakira confirmed she will add two additional concerts in El Salvador, bringing the total number o»»»

A medical evacuation helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro on Christmas Eve and killed all five on board. File Photo by Daniel Irungu/EPA Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A medical evacuation helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro on Christmas Eve killing all five people aboard. Tanzanian officials said the Air»»»

People take photos of Christmas lights decoration at the street on the eve of Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan, Dec. 24. The Ministry of the Interior has deployed up to 17,000 police personnel, civil defense members, and volunteers to enhance security at 137 major events during the holiday season. On Fr»»»

Gaza: A Palestinian was killed and another wounded Friday by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip. Medical sources in Gaza reported that a Palestinian man was killed after being shot by the Israeli army while sitting in front of the gate of Hafsa School in the northern Gaza Strip. A child wa»»»

Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemned today in the strongest terms the terrorist attack that targeted Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in Syria's Homs during Friday prayer and led to several casualties and injuries. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted in a statement today the Kin»»»

Ankara , Dec. 26 (SANA) The Turkish Presidency condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in the city of Homs, affirming that it was a clear provocation intended to destabilize Syria and the region. “We received with deep sorrow the news of the treacherous terrorist attack that targeted»»»

Dubai: The iconic Dubai Frame will light up the sky this New Year’s Eve with drone shows for the first time, complementing its traditional fireworks display. The new addition promises a unique experience for residents and visitors alike. Speaking to Gulf News, Adel Al Marzouqi, Executive Director o»»»

Four hikers have died in an avalanche in the Vardousia mountains in Fokida, central Greece. Three of the hikers, all men, had been reported missing late Thursday while following a trail from the village of Athanasios Diakos toward Korakas peak, which rises to 2,495 meters. Relatives told state broa»»»

Beirut, Dec. 26 (SANA) Lebanese President, Joseph Aoun, strongly condemned on Friday the terrorist attack that targeted one of the mosques in Homs city during Friday prayers, affirming Lebanon support for Syria. President Aoun stressed an unwavering support for Syria in its fight against terrorism »»»

The municipality of Agios Dimitrios in southern Athens has been declared in a state of emergency following severe damage caused by a storm on Christmas Eve. The most serious incident was recorded near the Pikrodafni stream, where extensive ground subsidence occurred. Raging waters created a sinkhol»»»

December 25 was a "turning point" in peace talks, he said. Russia is ready to reach a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said.However, he stressed that without addressing the root causes of the crisis, a final agreement is impossible. “The focus must be o»»»

The Greek coastguard on Friday rescued nearly 400 would-be migrants from a fishing boat and another vessel off southern Crete, ANA news agency reported. In one operation about 35 nautical miles from the small island of Gavdos, off Crete, a coastguard vessel, a Danish freighter and a helicopter took»»»

The expanding Energoatom corruption scandal has hurt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's popularity and if elections were held this weekend he would lose in the second round, according to a Socis poll. A majority of »»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to meet US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on December 28 in what he is billing as a possible breakthrough meeting to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes as speculation swirls that Russian President Vladimir Putin may step down in favour of a»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to meet US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on December 28 in what he is billing as a possible breakthrough meeting to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes as speculation swirls that Russian President Vladimir Putin may step down in favour of a»»»

There is a classic Soviet expression that sums up how hard life was in the USSR: “Today is worse than yesterday, but at least it is better than tomorrow.” In the latest poll from the independent pollster, the Levada C»»»

The expanding Energoatom corruption scandal has hurt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's popularity and if elections were held this weekend he would lose in the second round, according to a Socis poll. A majority of »»»

Damascus, Dec. 26 (SANA) Minister of Justice Mazhar al-Wais affirmed that the terrorist bombing targeting the Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs constitutes a double crime, violating the sanctity of places of worship and infringing upon both blood and sacred space. “The heinous and horrific crime tha»»»

Tunis, Dec 26 (TAP) – Weather conditions on Friday night will be marked by the appearance of dense cloud cover, with rainfall over the northern and central regions. The rain will be temporarily thundery and occasionally heavy in the northeast and...»»»

BELGRADE - The Serbian average net monthly wage in October 2025 was 110,670 dinars, according to figures released by the national statistical office RZS. The average gross wage was 153,153 dinars. The median net wage in October was 86,695 dinars, meaning that 50 pct of the employed population recei»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic thanked Japan's outgoing ambassador to Belgrade Akira Imamura for his efficient cooperation during his tenure in Serbia and wished him much success in his professional and private endeavours in the future. Japan will rema»»»

Israel on Friday formally recognized Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state" and signed an agreement to establish diplomatic ties, as the region's leader hailed its first-ever official recognition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "announced today the official recognition of the»»»

Cairo, Dec. 26 (SANA)Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit strongly condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the al-Dhahab neighborhood of Homs Friday afternoon.He extended his heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and »»»

Lebanon's government on Friday approved a draft law to distribute financial losses from the 2019 economic crisis that deprived many Lebanese of their deposits despite strong opposition to the legislation from political parties, depositors and banking officials. The draft law will be submitted to th»»»

Congressman Tomás Guanipa (C) speaks during a press conference in Maracaibo, Venezuela, on Tuesday. Guanipa said Venezuelan prisons are holding people who have not committed crimes and were being detained for expressing dissent. Photo by Henry Chirinos/EPA Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Venezuela's government an»»»

Tunis, Dec 26 (TAP) - The public e-procurement platform "Tuneps" will be temporarily unavailable this Friday, December 26, 2025, from 03:00 to 08:00 p.m., to undergo a major system upgrade.The updated version will go live at 08:00 p.m., the High...»»»

After the crystal ball drops on New Year’s Eve in New York City, it will rise again, sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off months of celebrations for the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. The patriotic touches at this year's Times Square gathering, including a second confet»»»

Hundreds of flights are delayed as storms and floods hit California, where three people have died. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Three people are dead after storms and flash flooding in California over the Christmas holiday, and more are expected to disrupt flights »»»

Damage pictured Friday after an explosion at the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the Wadi al-Dahab neighborhood of Homs, western Syria. Ambulances rushed victims during Friday prayers as security forces sealed off the area and began an investigation. Photo Provided by Ahmad Fallaha/EPA Dec. 26 (UP»»»

Ankara: Turkish authorities said they thwarted an attack that ISIS had intended to carry out during New Year celebrations, following a joint security operation conducted by Turkish intelligence in cooperation with the General Directorate of Security in the eastern province of Malatya. Anadolu Agenc»»»

Tunis, Dec 26 (TAP) – The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries on Friday issued a warning to farmers in view of severe weather conditions forecast by the National Institute of Meteorology (INM), urging them not to leave livestock...»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The live spot price of platinum surged by more than 10% on Friday, breaching the $2,500 per ounce mark for the first time in history, according to trading data. As of 15:43 GMT, platinum futures for January delivery were up 10.63% from the previous close, reaching $2,486.3 per tr»»»

Tunis, Dec 26 (TAP) – The stock market eased up 0.1% on Friday to 13,270.5 points, with a solid trading volume of TND 32.9 million, according to stock broker Tunisie Valeurs.The session was marked by the execution of four block trades involving...»»»

Tunis, Dec 26 (TAP) – The stock market posted an oscillating trend over the past week before ending on an overall upward note of 0.2%, at 13,270 points.The benchmark index recorded a strong market performance in 2025, with a gain of 33.3%, according...»»»