Doha: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank (QDB), the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), and the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), organized the event on Gulf workshops on digital transformation in facto»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait welcomes the agreement reached earlier Tuesday in Muscat, the capital of sisterly Oman, on the exchange of prisoners in Yemen.The agreement represents an important positive step towards building confidence and enhancing the march towards peace and stabil»»»

Dubai: The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will launch its annual citywide sale season on 26 December, marking the start of a five-week retail campaign featuring discounts of up to 75 per cent across more than 3,500 outlets. Organisers confirmed on Tuesday that the initial wave of promotions will inc»»»

Riyadh: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia chaired the Cabinet session held today in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported. Also Read: Gulf Railway Project: Key routes, travel plans and cross-border links revealedThe Saudi Cabinet lauded the high-speed»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday received Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Ammar, along with other Sheikhs and guests, exchanged greetings and engaged in cordial conve»»»

A board on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange NYSE Options Market pictured Monday in New York City, N.Y. On Tuesday, a delayed report showed U.S. economic growth up in the third quarter driven by more robust consumer spending, but offered mixed signals. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License P»»»

Finland will raise the upper age limit for rank-and-file military reservists by 15 years, from 50 to 65, starting next year, the Defense Ministry has announced. The Nordic nation, which shares a 1,340-km (830-mile) land border with Russia, abandoned its long-standing policy of military neutrality a»»»

TOKYO, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Tuesday warned against excessive movements in the foreign exchange market, saying the government would take action against speculative-driven yen depreciation. Katayama made the remarks at a press conference after a Cabinet meeti»»»

More than two dozen career diplomats and other overseas officials have been ordered home by Trump as he pursues his "America First" policy. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The White House sent home as many as 30 career diplomats and other overseas officials as part of»»»

About 2 million soms were spent on decorating the New Year tree on Ala-Too Square in Bishkek. The funds were used to purchase additional ornaments and broken garlands. Vice Mayor Viktoria Mozgacheva announced this at a regular session of the Bishkek City Council. According to her, the company Sever»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed higher on Tuesday by 22.47 points, or 0.21 percent, to reach 10,823.86 points. During the session, a total of 100,739,087 shares were traded, with a value of QR 290,015,331.041, through 14,390 transactions across all sectors. The session saw the sha»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- The Kuwaiti cabinet reviewed the contract signed two days ago on the engineering, procurement and construction works of Mubarak Al Kabeer Port in Boubiyan Island.The weekly meeting of the cabinet, held at Bayan Palace on Tuesday, was chaired by His Highness the Prime Minist»»»

KUWAIT -- The cabinet members praised Minister of Public Works Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan for her exceptional efforts, close supervision, and firm commitment to fulfilling all regulatory requirements of state oversight bodies with professionalism and strong institutional diligence.The cabinet noted that »»»

The committees of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan approved amendments to the 2025 budget and the draft budget for the 2026-2027 planning period in three readings. It was announced at a joint meeting. All members of the Cabinet of Ministers, led by Chairman Adylbek Kasymaliev, were present for the»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a coordination meeting Tuesday, in preparation for the 12th session of the Kuwaiti-Bahraini Joint Higher Committee, chaired by Assistant Foreign Minister Ambassador Najib Al-Bader.Al-Bader told KUNA the meeting reflects Kuwait's integrat»»»

Israel has voted to shut down the popular Army Radio station after 75 years of operation, following a unanimous cabinet decision to end broadcasts by March next year. The move has sparked a backlash, with critics accusing the government of cracking down on press freedom. Army Radio, known as Galei »»»

Indian expat Jijo Jacob from Kerala, who has called Dubai home for the past 13 years, is celebrating a Dh100,000 win in the UAE Lottery’s Lucky Chance category.Still soaking in the moment, Jijo said he hopes to use the prize to support his children’s future. “I haven’t decided what to do yet in the»»»

At its meeting on Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved the administrative monitoring report on the implementation of the National Strategy for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation in 2024. The report was prepared on the basis of data submitted on the measures, activities and policies im»»»

Israel's parliament has extended an order allowing the government to shut down foreign broadcasters operating in the country. The legislation, passed by 22 votes to 10, expands temporary powers introduced during the Gaza war to shutter outlets seen as a threat to national security. It allows the go»»»

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday vowed Israel will remain in Gaza and pledged to establish outposts in the north of the Palestinian territory, according to a video of a speech published by Israeli media. His remarks, reported across Israeli media, come as a fragile US-brokered ceasefire betw»»»

Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan received three bids on Tuesday for the privatization of its embattled national carrier PIA, in what is seen as a litmus test of Islamabad's efforts to sell loss-making state companies. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), long accused by critics of being bloated and »»»

The Council of Ministers has adopted a decision to establish a specialized operational task force for analysing and countering money laundering, outgoing Interior Minister Daniel Mitov announced after Tuesday’s meeting of the Cabinet. Mitov said the decision is the result of many months of efforts »»»

A long-term approach built on trust, flexibility, and a genuine interest in helping companies navigate change. This is the foundation on which Alina Necula, Managing Director of Regional Developments AG Capital Group and Country Manager for Romania Lion’s Head, has built the success of the company »»»

KUWAIT, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- The Touristic Enterprises Company (TEC) announced on Tuesday the launch pf the Al-Aqila Beach redevelopment project as part of efforts to enhance waterfronts and boost the tourism and entertainment sector in Kuwait.Speaking at a press conference, Chief Executive Officer of »»»

Donald Trump has said the US will keep or sell the crude oil contained on tankers it has seized off the coast of Venezuela, as well as the vessels themselves. The US president's comments came as Washington continues to pressure the South American country's leader Nicolas Maduro to stand down. Speak»»»

By 2030, all villages in Kyrgyzstan should be provided with drinking water, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Torobaev stated at a joint meeting of the parliamentary committees. He responded to MP Alisher Kozuev’s question about clean water remaining the main problem f»»»

Skopje, 22 December 2025 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Monday the Government is not against an increase of the minimum wage and noted that the executive is committed to continued rise in salaries and proper valuation of labor, while adding that an increase of the minimum wage shoul»»»

BELGRADE - Strategic dialogue on a Serbia-Georgia FTA to be signed by end-2026 was launched at a session of an intergovernental commission on trade and economic cooperation on Monday. The commission met at the Palace of Serbia, three days after an official visit to Belgrade by Georgian President Mi»»»

Kuwait City: Kuwait has signed a deal worth $4.1 billion with China to complete the construction of a major port, as the country seeks to diversify its economy with a bigger role in global trade. The State Audit Bureau, a government oversight body responsible for monitoring public funds, on Monday »»»

Kyrgyzstan imports approximately 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from neighboring countries. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev said at a joint committee meeting. He stated that the country’s demand for electricity has increased due to economic and popul»»»

To support Talas farmers, the government allocated 100 million soms for the purchase of beans this fall. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Torobaev announced this in an interview with Birinchi Radio. According to him, in the fall, when the market price of beans traditi»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 23 (KUNA) -- The price of Kuwaiti oil went up by USD 1.25 to USD 60.49 per barrel (pb) on Monday, compared to USD 59.24 pb the previous day, said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Tuesday.In global markets, Brent Crude rose by USD 1.60 to USD 62.07 pb and West Texas Intermediate als»»»

A widening wave of objections in Lebanon to the draft “financial gap” bill has exposed the hurdles facing its passage in parliament. Prepared by a ministerial and legal committee chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the bill has drawn resistance from influential political and sectoral actors, bol»»»

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Torobaev announced the construction of a leather processing plant in Issyk-Ata district in an interview with Birinchi Radio. The press service of the Ministry of Wat»»»

Dubai: As the UAE enters its year-end slowdown, many employees, residents and travellers are searching for clarity on one key question: Is New Year a public holiday in the UAE? The answer is yes — but work arrangements vary between the public and private sectors. Also Read: New Year 2026 holiday an»»»

The Social Fund of Kyrgyzstan predicts a significant increase in pensions in 2026. The head of the Fund, Bakhtiyar Aliev, announced at a joint meeting of the committees of the Zhogorku Kenesh, responding to questions from deputies about the fact that pensions in the country remain low. According to»»»

The Committee on Constitutional Legislation, State Structure, Local Government, and Regulations of the Zhogorku Kenesh, as well as the Committee on Labor, Healthcare, Women’s Affairs, and Social Issues, today considered Kanybek Dosmambetov’s candidacy for the post of Minister of Health of Kyrgyzsta»»»

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, city residents are restricted from entering the Bishkek City Hall premises in private vehicles. Deputy Kazybek Ergeshov announced at a regular session of the City Council. According to him, this decision complicates access to the municipality for Bishkek residents, and ma»»»

The consolidated budget of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2026 is planned to exceed 843 billion soms. The Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev said at a joint meeting of the Zhogorku Kenesh committees where the draft budget for next year was discussed. According to him, the Cabinet inte»»»

Shukur azhy Ismailov has been appointed Deputy Mufti of Kyrgyzstan. The order was signed by the head of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan, Abdulaziz kary Zakirov. Shukur azhy Ismailov is from Chon-Alai and has a higher secular and religious education. He is proficient in jurisprude»»»

A gas station in Seoul is seen Dec. 14 as weekly average gasoline and diesel prices in South Korea fell for the first time in seven weeks. Photo by Yonhap News Agency Dec. 22 (Asia Today) -- South Korea has surpassed 100 million barrels in government-held oil reserves as it seeks to bolster energy »»»

The simple motion against the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, was rejected on Monday in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies. There were 95 votes "for", 153 votes "against" and three abstentions. The motion was submitted by the AUR deputies.Minister Radu Marinescu stated, in the plen»»»

Ahead of the implementation of E-invoicing in the UAE, companies are hurrying up to mandate Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) as stipulated by the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) to comply with E-invoicing requirements. AVS Lewis & Pecker, leading Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors in the UA»»»

Dubai: Tylor Chase, who rose to fame as Martin Qwerly on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide (2004–2007), is back in the spotlight—this time for reasons far from his early stardom. In recent weeks, videos of the former child actor living on the streets went viral, shocking fans and prompting p»»»

Dubai: Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub at Dubai South expanded its partnership with UUDS AERO, handing over two new Code F plots that can handle three widebody aircraft each for cabin completion and retrofits. The move supports UUDS's scaling to meet regional aerospace demand and bolsters Dubai's»»»

Dubai: The Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) has approved a set of recommendations calling for accelerated digital transformation and enhanced institutional integration at the Department of Planning and Survey, as part of efforts to advance sustainable urban development across the emirate. During »»»

Cambodia has asked Thailand to hold bilateral talks in the neutral venue of Kuala Lumpur, according to a letter seen by AFP on Tuesday, with the nations set to negotiate truce terms after two weeks of deadly border clashes. Bangkok's defense chief on Tuesday sought to assuage any fears on the Cambo»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Precision Health Institute (QPHI) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic agreement with Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health to become a host site support center for the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (PPCR) distance-learning programme, one »»»

New York: Gold and silver soared to all-time highs, as escalating geopolitical tensions and bets on further US rate cuts added momentum to the best annual performance in more than four decades. Bullion climbed as much as 2.1% to surpass the previous record of $4,381 an ounce set in October, while s»»»

Doha, Qatar: In line with its commitment to supporting work–life balance and strengthening family-friendly workplace practices, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), in cooperation with the Qatar Career Development Center, organised the “Junior Employee” initiative for the»»»