Skopje, 29 December 2025 (MIA) — Skopje Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski met Monday with the city's firefighter of the year, police officer of the year and blood donor of the year and awarded them the City of Skopje's annual awards recognizing their achievements. According to the City of Skopje in a press r»»»

BusinessTaiwanRussian energy: Taiwan's hidden risk in a China conflict?Arthur SullivanDespite vows to cut back, Russian hydrocarbons continue flowing to Taiwan, making it Moscow's biggest buyer of the naphta derivative, and raising concerns over energy dependence. https://p.dw.com/p/55cjOTaiwan con»»»

As sports popularity grows, so do the opportunities to earn money online. The introduction of mobile platforms and content creation are two significant triggers that play important roles in the expansion into new markets. This has unique benefits in multiple sectors, including fantasy sports and ap»»»

Abu Dhabi: Seventeen-year-old Emirati drifting talent Khalifa Alfalasi delivered an outstanding performance by securing third place in the Pro Class at Round 1 of the Emirates Drift Championship, held as part of the Liwa International Festival 2026. Competing against 42 professional drift drivers f»»»

Sharjah Police have reviewed final security and organisational preparations for the New Year’s Eve 2026 celebrations during a high-level coordination meeting chaired by Major General Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police. The meeting, part of the 13th session of the Suprem»»»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Ukraine had tried to attack President Vladimir Putin's residence ‌in the Novgorod ‌region and so ‌Moscow's ⁠negotiating ​position ‌would be reviewed. Lavrov said that on Dec. 28-29, Ukraine had attacked the Russian president's state residen»»»

The National Health Insurance Fund is checking reports of incomplete or non-existent hospitalizations after a National Revenue Agency tip-off, the Fund’s press service said here on Monday. A preliminary NRA review of the first half of 2025 found more than 22,000 visits to gambling venues during rec»»»

Damascus, Dec. 29 (SANA) The Central Bank of Syria will illuminate its facade this evening in the colors of the Syrian national flag, before transitioning to a visual display of the new currency denominations, Central Bank Governor Abdulkader Husrieh said on Monday in a post on Facebook. Husrieh sa»»»

Hamas' armed wing confirmed on Monday the death of its spokesperson, Abu Obeida, months after Israel announced that he had been killed in an air strike in Gaza. Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades released a video statement on its Telegram channel, saying: "We pause in reverence before... the masked man lo»»»

The National Health Insurance Fund is checking reports of incomplete or non-existent hospitalizations after a National Revenue Agency tip-off, the Fund’s press service said here on Monday. A preliminary NRA review of the first half of 2025 found more than 22,000 visits to gambling venues during rec»»»

Tunis, Dec. 29 (TAP) - Tunisia will host the 18th Carthage Insurance and Reinsurance Forum from February 1 to 3, 2026, under the theme: “Securing the Future in a Changing World: Innovating, Preventing and Building Resilience.”The forum, organised by...»»»

British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has been injured in a car crash in Nigeria, which killed two other people. The former world champion was travelling in a vehicle that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos. Photos from the scene showed the 36-year-old being helped»»»

BusinessGermanyFax and furious: Why Germany struggles to go digitalNicolas Martin | Andreas BeckerGermany, the land of tech pioneers, still relies on fax and paper for basic public services. Why is digital government stuck in the slow lane while Denmark and India race ahead? https://p.dw.com/p/55Yd»»»

Tunis, Dec. 29 (TAP) - The Criminal Chamber specialised in terrorism-related cases at the Court of Appeal of Tunis has rejected, on procedural grounds, the objection filed by defendant Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, a judicial source told TAP news agency on...»»»

Lebanon said Monday it plans to purchase natural gas from Egypt, seeking to reduce its reliance on fuel oil for its ageing power plants in a country hamstrung by regular electricity cuts. The electricity sector has cost Lebanon more than $40 billion since the end of its 1975-1990 civil war, and suc»»»

The deaths of four hikers in the Vardousia mountains were caused by asphyxiation after they were buried by an avalanche. An autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Nikos Kalogrias found no external injuries or trauma indicating another cause of death. The victims, three men and one woman, set out»»»

Tunis, Dec. 29 (TAP) - President of the Tunisian Confederation Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), Samir Majoul, said that the cooperation achieved so far between Tunisia and Saudi Arabia remains below ambitions and potential.He stressed the...»»»

The Kiev regime attempted to attack the residence of the Russian President in the Novgorod region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. "On the night of December 28 to 29, the Kiev regime launched a terrorist attack using 91 long-range UAVs on the state residence of the Russian Pr»»»

President Donald Trump displays a chart comparing the size of a data center to the Island of Manhattan during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 26. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The proliferation of data centers»»»

The suspect in the stabbing of three women in the Paris metro last week is French, the interior ministry said Monday, after previously saying he was an undocumented Malian ordered to leave the country. A source with knowledge of the case, requesting anonymity because not allowed to speak to the pre»»»

Tunis, Dec. 29 (TAP) – The Criminal Chamber specialised in terrorism-related cases at the Court of Appeal of Tunis has decided to postpone the examination of the so-called case of networks sending young people to conflict zones until January 29,...»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Central Bank (QCB) announced the Thursday, January 1, 2026 will be an official holiday, with all financial institutions resuming work on Sunday, January 4, 2026. QCB said the decision was pursuant to Article (4) of Amiri Decree No. (57) of 2025, outlining official working days, o»»»

Dubai: As New Year's Eve approaches, UAE residents are preparing to ring in 2026 in their own distinctive ways, from beach walks under fireworks to traditional home-cooked feasts and family reunions. For German artist Petra Kaltenbach and her family in Dubai, the tradition has remained unchanged fo»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Government has taken a major step to strengthen its education system by issuing a Federal Decree Law on the Governance of the National Educational Curriculum. For the first time, the law provides a comprehensive framework regulating how the curriculum is designed, approved, imple»»»

Farmers and livestock breeders from Aetolia-Acarnania have launched a new blockade of the Ionia Odos at the Angelokastro toll station near Agrinio. Ionia Odos is the highway linking western Greece from the northern city of Ioannina to Patras. The blockade had been temporarily lifted on Christmas Ev»»»

Damascus, Dec. 29 (SANA) The Syrian Ministry of Interior expressed its deep condolences and sympathy to the Republic of Turkey following the martyrdom of three Turkish police officers during clashes with the ISIS terrorist organization in Yalova, which also resulted in the killing of six ISIS membe»»»

People gather to watch a jets take off and land, like this Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter at an airbase in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Monday. China has begun live-fire drills around Taiwan as a warning. Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA Dec. 29 (UPI) -- China began holding live-fire military drills around »»»

Mindspace, the global boutique flexible workspace provider, reports one of its strongest years in Romania since entering the market in 2018–2019, reinforcing its position as a trusted, hospitality-driven partner for companies navigating market entry, growth, and hybrid work models. Operating premiu»»»

Gaza: The death toll from the Israeli offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 has risen to at least 71,266, with 171,222 others injured, according to the Gaza health ministry. In its daily statistical report, the ministry said that one person was killed and three others wounded over the past 48 hours,»»»

Moscow: The Russian presidency (the Kremlin) has affirmed that it concurs with US President Donald Trump's assessment that the parties are close to reaching a settlement in Ukraine. Moscow agrees with Trump's remarks on the parties being close to reaching a solution for the conflict and the negotia»»»

Doha: The Palestinian group Hamas has confirmed that its armed wing spokesperson, ⁠Abu Obeida, ​and then ‍Gaza chief Mohammed Sinwar were killed Israel’s genocidal war earlier this year. The Qassam Brigades made the announcement Monday. It also confirmed the deaths of Mohammed Shabanah, the head of»»»

US President Donald Trump says he has no desire to travel to Ukraine but may agree to do so if it helps end Kiev’s conflict with Russia. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has been urging the US president to visit for months, suggesting that Trump’s sympathies could be swayed if he personally witne»»»

A new phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump will take place in the very near future, the Kremlin has just announced. The US and Russian leaders have spoken on the phone nine times before, each call tackling critical global issues. Putin and Trump la»»»

Doha: Qatar's stock market ended Monday's trading session higher, with the benchmark index gaining 34.87 points, or 0.32%, to close at 10,798.14, according to official figures. Trading volume during the session reached nearly 94.8 million shares, with a total value of about QAR 273.9 million, execu»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) general index declined by 15.07 points, or 0.14%, at the start of trading on Monday, falling to 10,748 points from the previous session's close, under pressure from five sectors. Leading the decline was Real Estate by -0.05%, Industrials (-0.11%), Consumer Goods»»»

Dubai Police organised a community awareness event in the Al Ttay area to promote security and traffic awareness among workers. The initiative was part of the Al Khawaneej Community Forum and carried out in cooperation with strategic partners. Also Read: Stay alert: Abu Dhabi Police educates worker»»»

Dubai: The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast unsettled weather across parts of the UAE in the coming days, warning of rainfall, falling temperatures and strong winds that may raise dust and significantly reduce visibility, particularly in northern and eastern regions. On Tuesday, De»»»

The National Health Insurance Fund is checking reports of incomplete or non-existent hospitalizations after a National Revenue Agency tip-off, the Fund’s press service said here on Monday. A preliminary NRA review of the first half of 2025 found more than 22,000 visits to gambling venues during rec»»»

Skopje, 26 December 2025 (MIA) - By November 30, €3.97 billion has been collected in the state budget from taxes and contributions, an increase of €268 million compared to the same period last year, Public Revenue Office (PRO) Director Elena Petrova said Friday. According to Petrova, tax revenues h»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Sunday, ahead of key talks aimed at finalizing a plan to end the Ukraine war. Photo courtesy Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/UPI | License Photo Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President »»»

Parking at the chairlift serving the Seven Rila Lakes will cost 5 euros from the New Year, replacing the current flat fee of 5 leva, regardless of how long vehicles remain there, the Municipality of Sapareva Banya confirmed to Bulgarian National Radio. The hourly rate in the town’s blue parking zon»»»

The second term of the 2025-2026 school year begins on February 3 for all students from first to 12th grade in the country, according to the schedule for the current academic year published on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science. The break between the two terms will last three days»»»

Bulgaria is facing widespread job cuts across 19 regions, with a total of 59 mass layoff notifications affecting 3,568 employees this year, according to the Employment Agency (EA). These notifications cover more than half of the country, creating significant pressure on local labor markets and prom»»»

Bulgaria’s public debt has reached 62,771,629,088 leva, and if it were to be settled immediately, each of the country’s 2.8 million households would need to contribute approximately 21,904 leva (around €11,200). This calculation comes from the ValueKeeper.bg platform, an online “Debt Calculator” th»»»

British boxer Anthony Joshua arrives for his non-title heavyweight bout against US boxer and influencer Jake Paul at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on December 19, 2025. Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was injured in a fatal highway accident that killed two people on December »»»

Dubai: Highlighting the growing role of overseas Pakistanis in strengthening economic relations between Pakistan and the UAE, Ali Zeb Khan, Trade and Investment Counsellor at the Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai, said that structured platforms like the Chinar Business Conference (CBC) are vital »»»

Tehran: Some shopkeepers in Tehran closed their stores on Monday in protest against economic hardships and sharp swings in Iran’s embattled currency, Iranian media reported, following similar demonstrations a day earlier. State news agency IRNA said some shopkeepers and traders at Tehran’s bazaar “»»»

China's military on Monday dispatched air, navy and missile units to conduct joint live-fire drills around the island of Taiwan, which Beijing called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces. Taiwan said it was placing its forces on alert and called the Chinese govern»»»

GERB leader Boyko Borissov Monday hailed billions in a new National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) payment, claimed credit for all payments under this Plan and slammed the opposition for any delays. "The Bulgarian State’s portfolio for Bulgarian businesses is up by several billion levs," Boris»»»

The Ministry of Health told 24.kg news agency how hospitals will operate during the New Year holidays. According to the ministry, in order to ensure accessibility and continuity of medical care, all medical organizations across the country will switch to an enhanced work regime on December 30–31. O»»»