Lebanon would have completed the first phase of the army’s plan to impose state monopoly over arms, or the disarmament of Hezbollah, by the end of the year. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s office confirmed on Saturday that the first phase was close to completion. “The first phase of the weapons consol»»»

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has launched community participation in the Zero Bureaucracy initiative, part of the government’s pioneering “Community Participation in Zero Bureaucracy” program. The initiative allows members of society to evaluate government procedures an»»»

Dubai: Residents across the UAE woke up to early morning chilly winds this Sunday, December 21, 2025. These cool gusts, sweeping in from the Arabian Gulf and down from the Hajar Mountains, signal the official arrival of the Winter Solstice. It marks a significant astronomical turning point for the »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has unveiled a set of six draft national policies aimed at accelerating Qatar’s digital economy and strengthening its digital transformation framework, inviting public and stakeholder feedback through the ‘Sharek’ platfor»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar has emerged as a regional leader in social progress in the 2025 AlTi Global Social Progress Index, securing a place in Tier 2 among the world’s 170 assessed nations. With a score of 73.19 out of 100, Qatar is ranked third in the Middle East and North Africa and 50th globally, out»»»

San Francisco, United States: A huge electricity outage hit San Francisco on Saturday, leaving 130,000 residents without power, the city's main electric utility company said. "We are working with first responders and city officials on an outage in San Francisco affecting approximately 130,000 custo»»»

On UAE’s 54th Union Day, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain ordered that Al Areen Wildlife Reserve be renamed Mohammed bin Zayed Nature Reserve, in honour of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The move recognises his role in strengthening ties between the two nations a»»»

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has publicly accused Reuters of running a "lie and propaganda" campaign to sabotage recent push to end the Ukraine war. The narrative is being pushed by "warmongers" in NATO and the EU who want to "pull the US military directly into war with Russia." »»»

Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev, who is also the Russian president's special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, called his talks with US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and the US leader's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, constructive»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to engage in dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron, and if there is mutual political will, then the French leader's intentions can only be assessed positively, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik. Earlier, Macron stated that it would be us»»»

Venezuela has sharply condemned the US seizure of another oil tanker off its shores, accusing Washington of carrying out an “act of piracy” as part of a broader campaign to overthrow the government in Caracas and seize the country’s vast energy resources. In an official statement released on Saturd»»»

Alphabet’s Google and Apple have advised some employees on US work visas to avoid international travel, warning that visa stamping delays of up to 12 months could leave staff stranded outside the country, according to reports. Also Read: US widens social media vetting for H-1B and H-4 visa applican»»»

Dubai: The UAE is expected to see partly cloudy conditions today, with a continued chance of rainfall over coastal, island and western areas, as a low-pressure system remains in place across the country, according to the National Centre of Meteorology. Also Read: Rain in UAE: Can you catch cold fro»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has described talks in Miami with senior US interlocutors as “constructive,” signaling continued momentum in backchannel diplomacy aimed at exploring a potential settlement to the Ukraine conflict. Dmitriev is holding talks with sen»»»

Finally, after four long years, elections to Asia’s richest civic body, the BMC or the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have been announced for January 15, 2026, along with civic polls for 28 other cities in the state of Maharastra. These are not ordinary civic elections. The political fallout, e»»»

Dubai: A spectacular video showing Emirates airline's proposed “Dubai Air Hotel” featuring a full-scale Airbus A380 mounted atop a 580m, 125-storey tower has taken the internet by storm, amassing over 36 million views and sparking widespread excitement and news reports. The video shows a futuristic»»»

Seven wild Asian elephants, including calves, were killed when a high-speed train collided with a herd crossing the tracks in north-eastern India, local officials say. They say another calf was injured in the incident early on Saturday in Hojai district, Assam state. The Northeast Frontier Railway »»»

Three Rochester (N.Y.) Police Department officers and another man were shot by an assailant while responding to a domestic disturbance call that ended with the suspect's shooting death on Friday night. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Three officers with the Rochester »»»

Dubai: AI is no longer a future promise in the UAE. It is already shaping how people work, how companies invest, and how residents think about their careers. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Two recent reports — from enterprise technology firm Kyndryl and consulting gia»»»

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has accused European NATO states of trying to pull Washington into a direct confrontation with Russia and slammed Reuters for “fomenting hysteria” in order to sell war. Russia has consistently rejected claims that it plans to attack EU countries, d»»»

While some West African nations are choosing to cement old ties with France and others cultivate a new relationship with Russia, one country is trying to have the best of both worlds. As the 7 December attempted military coup in Benin collapsed, the rebels' leader, Lt Col Pascal Tigri, made his dis»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio joked on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to overshadow him after learning that his briefing was staged almost simultaneously with the latter’s end-of-year press conference. During the annual Direct Line Q&A session in Moscow, the Russian pre»»»

Comedian Bowen Yang is leaving the cast of Saturday Night Live, and will no longer be part of the long-running sketch programme after the latest episode airs. In a post on Instagram, Yang declined the share the reason for his departure, which comes in the middle of the season, but said he is "grate»»»

Several files released on Friday by the Justice Department and regarding the federal sex-trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019, were not available a day later. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Some Jeffrey Epstein case files released on Friday by t»»»

By Abdullah Bugis KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Ambassador to Malaysia Rashed Al-Saleh affirmed Saturday that investing in Kuwaiti diplomats represents a fundamental pillar of Kuwait's foreign policy.Ambassador Al-Saleh made the statement to KUNA after the conclusion of a training program »»»

GAZA, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- The Palestinian Health Ministry said Saturday that two Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin governorate of the West Bank.In a press statement, the Ministry said that 22-year-old Ahmad Zayoud died from a gunshot wound to the chest sustained during an »»»

GAZA, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- The Kuwaiti Specialized Field Hospital in Gaza announced Saturday the suspension of all scheduled and emergency surgeries due to a lack of resources.In a statement, the hospital administration said the suspension was a result of a severe shortage of essential medical supplies»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- Arab and foreign ambassadors to Kuwait congratulated on Saturday His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the second anniversary of assumption of power.In separate statements, the ambassadors extolled His Highness the Amir's wisdom, leading vision a»»»

An engineer from Germany has become the world's first wheelchair user to go into space. Michaela Benthaus, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a mountain bike accident seven years ago, had reached out to a retired space engineer online to see if her dream of being an astronaut was still possible. »»»

The US has seized an oil tanker that had recently departed from Venezuela, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. It is the second time this month that the US has seized an oil-carrying ship off the country's coast. The move comes after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was»»»

On a winter morning in 2022 Raphael Wong and Figo Chan walked into Hong Kong's Stanley prison to meet Jimmy Lai, the media billionaire who had been arrested two years before and was awaiting trial charged with national security offences. They had all been part of the turbulent protests that had roc»»»

TOKYO — Japan unveiled a five-year goal on Saturday for business projects totalling $19 billion in Central Asia as Tokyo vies for influence in the resource-rich region.The announcement came after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hosted an inaugural summit with the leaders of five Central Asia nations »»»

WASHINGTON, United States — For a reading of Wall Street's shifting mood on the artificial intelligence investment boom, take a look at the daily fluctuations of Oracle stock, analysts say.Shares of the software giant slumped more than five per cent Wednesday following a news report of financing tr»»»

AMMAN — Arab Potash Company (APC) on Monday announced the signing of a long-term strategic supply agreement with Norway’s Yara International, one of the world’s leading fertiliser producers and distributors, aimed at strengthening APC’s presence in international markets.The agreement was signed in »»»

A U.S. military helicopter hovers over an oil tanker seized early Saturday morning in international waters near Venezuela. Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard Dec. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard led another seizure of an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela on Saturday after Presi»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has cast himself and other opponents of the ‘reparations loan’ scheme for Ukraine as ‘EU Ghostbusters’ in a video posted on X on Friday. In the video, released a day after he and his allies blocked the loan scheme at a Brussels summit, the veteran politician mo»»»

The US Justice Department on Friday released a tranche of files related to convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein in accordance with a congressional mandate. The partial disclosure has already drawn criticism from lawmakers and victims’ advocates, who cite the wholesale redaction of some pages and »»»

AmericaFest, the first major Turning Point USA conference since the murder of its founder Charlie Kirk, took place in Phoenix on Thursday – but instead of showing unity, it exposed sharp rifts within the MAGA movement over anti-Semitism, leadership, and its post-Trump future. The first major g»»»

DOHA: Under the patronage of Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force 'Lekhwiya' HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and in the presence of Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al Thani, the activities of the first»»»

Tunis, Dec. 20 (TAP) - Speaker of the Assembly of People’s Representatives, Brahim Bouderbala, accompanied by a parliamentary delegation, on Saturday attended the closing events of the second edition of the Investment Days in Medenine Governorate,...»»»

The United States has seized another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, escalating pressure on Caracas just days after President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete” blockade of unilaterally sanctioned oil shipments. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the raid on Satu»»»

DOHA: The third edition of the International Circus Show 'Beyond Reality'kicked off in Al Wakrah Old Souq on Saturday. It is organized by the Private Engineering Office's celebrations committee. General Supervisor of the International Circus Khalid Al Suwaidi told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the t»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Exports, powered by Qatar Development Bank (QDB), has announced the strong outcomes of the Qatar–Kuwait Trade Mission, held from 9–10 December 2025 at The St Regis Kuwait. The mission saw the participation of more than 35 Qatari companies spanning a wide spectrum of »»»

MINISTER OF INTERIOR MEETS GERMAN COUNTERPART Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani met with Federal Minister of the Interior of Germany Alexander Dobrindt on Saturday. The meeting discussed ways to strengthen b»»»

PA Media/DPA London Erling Haaland scored two goals and made another as Manchester City underlined their growing Premier League title credentials with a comfortable 3-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday. The prolific Norwegian was on target after just five minutes of a one-sided encounter at the Et»»»

Continued from page 1 This builds upon the over $240 billion in economic deals secured during President Trump’s visit to Qatar in May. The PM affirmed that as Qatar charts a path to a diversified economy driven by technology, innovation, and knowledge, its deep investment partnership with the US ha»»»

Darlene Regis The 19th General Assembly and 2026 Board Election of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) Qatar marked a historic milestone for Filipino engineers, as the chapter was inducted into the PICE Hall of Fame — a rare distinction that recognizes exceptional excellence, innovat»»»

Darlene Regis IAM Filipina, a women’s empowerment organisation in Qatar, concluded another successful year with a Year-End Breakfast held on December 5, 2025, at Namaa’s Garden in West Bay, bringing together Filipina professionals for a morning of reflection, recognition, and celebration. The gathe»»»

Continued from page 1  Maritime heritage was highlighted through the Al Bidda zone, which depicted traditional sea life with councils for pearl divers, captains, and merchants, along with maritime games and special museums documenting Qatar’s seafaring past. Children’s activities were a key focus,»»»

Darlene Regis The British Council, in partnership with Years of Culture and Qatar Museums, hosted Tashkilat, the closing event of this landmark edition, on December 10, 2025, at the Central Courtyard of the Museum of Islamic Art. The event celebrated the creativity of Qatari designers, blending her»»»