Tribune News Network Doha The 17th Qatar International Falconry and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026) kicked off on Thursday, January 1, 2026. Being held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and supported by the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam), the fest»»»

The US has destroyed three alleged narco-trafficking boats travelling in a convoy in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a number of people aboard, as part of Washington’s growing pressure campaign against Venezuela. The latest lethal “kinetic strike” was conducted in international waters on Decembe»»»

The UAE has put in place two federal decree laws dedicated to the Capital Market Authority and regulation across capital markets. This legislative step is part of a wider initiative to update the financial sector’s legal environment. Stability, market efficiency, and competitive edge receive reinfo»»»

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»»»

The foundation stone was laid in Riyadh Thursday for the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) “Hexagon” Data Center, the world’s largest government data center by megawatt capacity. Classified as Tier IV and holding the highest data center rating by the global Uptime Institute, »»»

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»»»

Libya said on Thursday that Britain had agreed to analyze the black box from a plane crash in Türkiye on December 23 that killed a Libyan military delegation, including the head of its army. General Mohammed al-Haddad and four aides died after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an ele»»»

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov set out what he described as three possible scenarios for Bulgaria in a social media post, the party’s press service said on Thursday. Kostadinov linked the scenarios to the period after the March elections and framed the choice as one between his party and it»»»

London: Enzo Maresca left his role as Chelsea head coach on Thursday after just 18 months in charge, the Premier League club announced. The Italian's exit from Stamford Bridge comes with the club fifth in the Premier League table -- 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal -- with one win in their last »»»

Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen began on Thursday handing over military positions to the government’s National Shield forces in the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen. Local sources in Hadhramaut confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the handover kicked off after mee»»»

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»»»

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians over the New Year, with Moscow reporting a deadly strike on a hotel in territory it occupies in southern Ukraine while Kyiv said there had been another broad attack on its power supplies. The reports coincide with intensive talks aimed at»»»

1 of 2 | Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge in the early hours of New Year's Eve, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Thursday. According to the police, several dozen people died in the fire and around 100 people were injured. Photo by Jean-Chr»»»

Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) transported more than 2.8 million passengers during New Year’s Eve 2026 celebrations, it said on X. That means, it saw ridership growth of over 13 per cent compared to last year’s over 2.5 million riders. The smooth transits were only possible thanks to an»»»

Dubai: Dubai's public transport network experienced unprecedented demand on New Year's Eve 2026, with over 2.8 million passengers using various modes of transport to reach celebration venues across the emirate. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) reported transporting 2,836,859 passengers durin»»»

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»»»

A recently discovered large hilltop settlement could challenge the idea that the Vikings built the first towns in Ireland, a researcher has said. Dr Dirk Brandherm and his colleagues have identified more than 600 suspected houses in the Brusselstown Ring making it, to date, the largest nucleated se»»»

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»»»

Jumping into the frigid waters of Coney Island in January for a pun on "I'm freezing... your rent". Visiting food trucks to discuss how city permitting processes have led to "Halalflation". Walking the length of Manhattan to show New Yorkers they "deserve a mayor that they can see, they can hear, t»»»

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, met Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, on Thursday at Al Marmoom Rest House in Dubai. The meetin»»»

The UAE Defense Ministry announced the voluntary drawdown of its military presence in Yemen, amid deteriorating relations with Saudi Arabia following Riyadh’s declaration that it is deeply disappointed by the UAE’s support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and views such actions as a thre»»»

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»»»

London: Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in charge, the Premier League club announced Thursday. "Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company," said a club statement. The Italian's exit from Stamford Bridge comes with the club fifth in th»»»

A huge inferno gutted a 19th century Amsterdam church Thursday, as the Netherlands endured an unsettled New Year's Eve with two dead from fireworks and "unprecedented" violence against police. The blaze broke out in the early hours at the Vondelkerk, a tourist attraction that has overlooked one of »»»

Abu Dhabi: The Sheikh Zayed Festival marked the arrival of 2026 with spectacular New Year celebrations, drawing large crowds to Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi for an evening of culture, entertainment and visual displays. Visitors gathered across the festival grounds as the countdown to midnight culminated »»»

Separatists from Yemen's Southern Transitional Council said on Thursday that Saudi-aligned government forces would enter territories seized by the UAE-backed group, in a step that appeared unlikely to satisfy Riyadh after it repeatedly demanded their full withdrawal. A surprise offensive by the STC»»»

Dubai: As 48 fireworks lit up the sky at 40 locations across Dubai on New Year's Eve, another spectacle unfolded on the ground, one that most revellers would only witness the results of when they woke up the next morning. Around 3,000 Dubai Municipality employees, alongside workers from private fir»»»

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»»»

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the launch of the Community-Managed Virtual Authority, a new initiative inspired by the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, to enhance the role of skilled individuals in shaping the nation's fu»»»

Rumen Hristov, leader of the Union of Democratic Forces, which is part of the GERB-UDF coalition, Thursday said that on this day, "a long-standing dream of the UDF and the democratic community became a reality." With the adoption of the euro, Bulgaria has finally become a full-fledged member of the»»»

Dubai: Pakistan’s inflation rate rose slower-than-expected in December, justifying the central bank’s decision to cut its policy rate to a three-year low to support growth. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The consumer price index rose 5.6% in December from a year earli»»»

Ras Al Khaimah Police, in coordination with their strategic partners, successfully secured the emirate’s New Year 2026 celebrations under a comprehensive security and traffic plan implemented to the highest standards. The plan included the deployment of more than 70 patrols and the extensive presen»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police concluded their New Year 2026 festivities with a series of entertainment, community and awareness events held at Naif and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, drawing more than 5,000 residents and visitors. Organised in a festive, family-friendly atmosphere, the celebrations co»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have announced the successful implementation of their comprehensive security plan for the New Year 2026, ensuring public safety and smooth operations across the emirate during the celebrations. According to the Sharjah Police General Command, operations rooms handled 6,620 e»»»

Dubai: A Dubai civil court has ordered an Arab national to pay Dh1,572,500 in compensation after he was found to have misappropriated funds entrusted to him to purchase rare Patek Philippe watches. The Court of First Instance ruled that the defendant had committed a breach of trust by taking money »»»

Dubai: As the emirate ushered in 2026 with its globally acclaimed New Year celebrations, Dubai’s Transportation Security Department (TSD) played a key role in ensuring the safety and seamless movement of residents and visitors across the city. Working in close coordination with the Dubai Event Secu»»»

A Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions overnight, Ukraine's energy ministry said on Thursday. The ministry said a "significant number" of households in the ⁠Volyn and Odesa regions - in northwestern and southwestern Ukraine, respectively - were disconnected»»»

Dubai: India’s first bullet train is set to begin operations on August 15, 2027, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday, outlining a phased rollout plan for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor. Speaking during a Cabinet press briefing, Vaishnaw said the initial operatio»»»

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of condolences to President Mohammed Shahabuddin of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh over the passing of Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, V»»»

Manila: The Philippine government keeps the good times rolling for lolo and lola, pumping up financial perks through a vibrant mix of social welfare goodies, pension tweaks, and hot-off-the-press legislation proposals.​ Manila continues to expand financial assistance for the country's seniors a mix»»»

Abu Dhabi Police have recognised an Asian expatriate resident for his honesty and integrity after he handed over a sum of money he had found. The award was presented by Brigadier Dr Hamad Abdullah Al Neyadi, Director of the Criminal Security Sector at Abu Dhabi Police, who also gave him a gift to a»»»

The Audit Bureau’s Annual Report for 2024, issued yesterday, revealed a decline in total oil revenues recorded in the books during 2024 by approximately 31.8 billion Libyan dinars compared to the 2023 fiscal year. The report indicated that oil revenues, taxes, and royalties amounted to 89,810,095,2»»»

As Bulgaria prepares to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, replacing the leva (BGN) at a fixed exchange rate of 1.95583 BGN = 1 EUR, the country faces a complex landscape of price adjustments across various sectors. This comprehensive analysis examines which prices are rising, which are falling, an»»»

Dubai: Friday sermons and prayers across the UAE will be held at 12.45pm from tomorrow, under a nationwide schedule announced last month by religious authorities. The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat said the change, effective from tomorrow—the first Friday of the new year»»»

Doha, Qatar: ROBOTECH 26 will position Qatar as a regional hub for advanced technology investment as the country is focusing on digital transformation as a fundamental sector for developing the digital economy, enhancing long-term capabilities in artificial intelligence, robotics, and emerging tech»»»

Dubai: Sovereign wealth funds globally amassed a record $15 trillion in assets under management in a year when many deepened their technology investments and profited from buoyant markets, according to a new report by Global SWF. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Overall»»»

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has received messages of congratulations from presidents, kings and princes of world countries on the occasion of the New Year 2026. Also ReadAlso Read: UAE leaders share heartfelt New Year wishes for 2026 Also Read: UAE leaders e»»»