CGB launches redesigned Mawared website to advance HR digital transformation
Doha, Qatar: The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB) has launched the redesigned website of the “Mawared” system, introducing a modernised interface and enhanced digital services aimed at supporting human resources operations across government entities. The announcement was made i»»»
Yemeni Presidential Adviser to Asharq Al-Awsat: Serious Efforts Underway to Enforce Rule of Law
Engineer Badr Basalmah, an adviser to the Yemeni president, said Yemen is entering a decisive phase in which the state is attempting to reclaim control of the political landscape through what he described as a process of “reverse engineering,” backed by close regional support and aimed at restoring»»»
US’ Caribbean Show of Force Comes With Hefty Price Tag
The US could face serious problems sustaining a strike group deployed in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, notes the New York Times. One potential challenge for the Trump administration is reportedly the cost of maintaining a massive military presence in the area.The aircraft c»»»
Customs brings over 156 billion soms to Kyrgyzstan’s budget - | 24.KG
Cabinet Chairman Adylbek Kasymaliev congratulated the employees and veterans of the Customs Service of Kyrgyzstan on their professional holiday. The congratulatory message noted that customs authorities play a key role in ensuring the country’s economic security, protecting national interests, and »»»
More than 500 workers at Mailuu-Suu Lamp Plant sent on unpaid leave - | 24.KG
More than 500 employees of Mailuu-Suu Lamp Plant are being sent on unpaid leave, the office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in Jalal-Abad region reported. Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative Nurlan Ermatov met with the plant’s workforce and management to discuss the current sit»»»
Armenia Deputy Foreign Minister receives copy of credentials of Qatari Ambassador
Yerevan: The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, HE Vahan Kostanyan, has received a copy of the credentials of HE Mansour bin Abdulla Al Sulaitin as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to Armenia.»»»
Qatar’s startup initiatives fuel GDP growth
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s startup ecosystem has gained significant momentum in 2025, with government-led initiatives and private sector programmes driving entrepreneurship, job creation, and broader economic growth. Recent reports indicate that these efforts are helping to diversify the economy and boos»»»
Japan turns sustainable finance ambition into delivery
Japan’s sustainable finance agenda moved from vision to execution in 2025, marking a year in which policy intent, market standards and capital mobilisation began to align at scale, Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) writes. What had previously been framed as aspiration increasingly took on the cha»»»
Thailand releases 18 Cambodian soldiers held since July
Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers that were captured in July during deadly border clashes. The release was part of a deal signed on Saturday by both countries, where Thailand had agreed to the release if a truce held for 72 hours. But this was delayed by nearly a day after Thailand accuse»»»
Coordinated strategies to drive sustainable growth
Doha, Qatar: The launch of numerous national and sectoral strategies in 2025 marked a pivotal moment in Qatar’s development journey, reflecting a strong commitment to long-term, coordinated planning. These strategies, introduced by various ministries and entities, were designed to translate the obj»»»
Doha to host international expo on robotics, AI tech
Doha, Qatar: The first edition of the international exhibition on robotics and artificial intelligence technologies – ROBOTECH 26 is set to take place in Doha from October 27-29, 2026. ROBOTECH is a specialised exhibition that aligns with Qatar’s Digital Agenda 2030. The expo highlights the importa»»»
Qatar’s digital entrepreneurship ecosystem shows appreciable growth, says report
Doha, Qatar: In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, nations around the world are racing to build robust Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (DEEs) that can drive economic growth, foster innovation, and ensure global competitiveness. Qatar has emerged as a notable player in this arena, a»»»
Qatar records over 9.6 million hotel room nights in 2025
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s tourism sector recorded a landmark year in 2025, with hotel room nights sold reaching 9.7 million and visitor numbers expected to reach their highest level in the country’s history. Ayman Al Qudwa, Member of the Tourism and Exhibitions Committee at the Qatar Chamber, said in an»»»
Planning year-end gold shopping? Dubai prices stabilise after a volatile December
Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai were unchanged on Wednesday, holding firm after a volatile December that saw prices surge to record highs before easing toward month-end. As of 8.40 am, 24-karat gold was priced at Dh525 per gram, while the 22-karat variety stood at Dh486.25. (Check latest UAE gold price»»»
Nine land plots offered in Kyrgyzstan for solar and small hydropower projects - | 24.KG
Kyrgyzstan has announced a tender for the allocation of land plots to implement renewable energy projects, including the construction of solar power plants and small hydropower plants in several regions of the country. According to the Green Energy Fund, nine land plots have been put up for tender »»»
New Year’s Eve 2026: Dubai's RTA urges tourists and residents to use public transport
Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced its full readiness to manage the city’s traffic flow and transport networks for the 2026 New Year’s Eve celebrations, issuing an urgent recommendation for revellers to abandon private cars in favour of public transport. In a post on X»»»
Chinese leasing firm CALC orders 30 Airbus A320neo planes
PARIS — China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) and Airbus said Tuesday that the Hong Kong-listed firm had placed an order for 30 A320neo family aircraft.The firm order, the fifth that CALC has placed with Airbus, brings the total number of aircraft it has ordered from the European aircraft ma»»»
FDI inflows to Kingdom rise 27.7% to $1.5b in first three quarters of 2025
AMMAN — Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Jordan reached approximately $1.525 billion during the first three quarters of 2025, up from $1.194 billion in the same period of 2024, marking a 27.7 per cent increase, according to a preliminary balance of payments data.Arab countries accounted f»»»
China's BYD poised to overtake Tesla in 2025 EV sales
NEW YORK — Growing Chinese auto giant BYD stands poised to officially surpass Tesla as the world's biggest electric vehicle company in annual sales.The two groups are expected soon to publish their final figures for 2025, and based on sales data so far this year, there is almost no chance the Ameri»»»
57% of investors expect better economic conditions in 2026 - survey
AMMAN — Nearly 57 per cent of investors in Jordan expect economic conditions to improve over the coming year, while 23.2 per cent believe the current economic situation in 2025 is better than a year earlier, according to the thirteenth round of the Investor Confidence Survey conducted in early Dece»»»
Eurostar delays enter second day as passengers stuck onboard overnight
Eurostar passengers are braced for more possible disruption, after a power outage in the Channel Tunnel caused travel chaos for thousands of people on Tuesday. As people scrambled to get to New Year's Eve celebrations, some travellers said they spent more than six hours stuck onboard trains overnig»»»
Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Ocalan calls on govt to broker deal for Syrian Kurds
Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan on Tuesday implored the Turkish government to broker a "crucial" peace deal between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the Damascus government Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan said in a message published Tuesday that it was "crucia»»»
Iranian president urges government to listen to protesting shopkeepers' demands
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday he had asked the interior ministry to "listen to the legitimate demands" of protesters after several days of demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran. Student protests also broke out on Tuesday as Iran's embattled currency hit new lows on »»»
Situation in Gaza is 'catastrophic’, foreign ministers from 10 countries warn
A group of 10 countries, including France, warned on Tuesday that the situation in Gaza was "catastrophic" due to the "renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in the Palestinian enclave. They called on Israel to allow greater access for NGOs and to lift restrictions on import»»»
UAE to withdraw forces from Yemen amid crisis with Saudi Arabia
The UAE said Tuesday it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen after Saudi Arabia led an airstrike on a southern Yemeni port targeting what it said was a UAE-linked weapons shipment. Following the strike, Saudi Arabia backed calls for UAE forces to leave the country within 24 hours. Th»»»
Eye on Africa - Israel's recognition of Somaliland prompts condemnation
In tonight's edition: Somaliland's recognition by Israel prompts celebrations in the autonomous territory and condemnation from countries around the world. Plus we discover a musical adventure that's taking viewers around the world along for the ride: the South African animated film "David".»»»
Congo president Sassou Nguesso to seek re-election in March 2026
Congo is heading towards another tightly watched presidential race after the ruling Congolese Labour Party confirmed it will again back veteran leader Denis Sassou Nguesso, extending the 82-year-old’s decades-long grip on power into a 2026 election already drawing opposition scrutiny. Congo’s Presi»»»
Eye on Africa - Thousands of Somalis protest against Israel's recognition of Somaliland
In tonight's edition, the largest ever protests against Israel's recognition of Somaliland are organised across Somalia. Also, a blown tyre and high speed are behind the accident that left boxer Anthony Joshua just injured in a Nigerian hospital. And Abuja ends the year still unpicki»»»
George and Amal Clooney and family become French citizens
Hollywood superstar George Clooney has become French, along with his wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney and their two children, an official decree seen by AFP on Monday showed. Hollywood star George Clooney has become a French citizen along with his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two childr»»»
French ban on ‘forever chemicals' in cosmetics and clothes to enter into force
A French ban on the production and sale of PFAS chemicals – known as 'forever chemicals' as it takes them so long to break down – comes into effect on Thursday. The ban targets a wide range of cosmetics and clothes and will also require French authorities to regularly test drinking water »»»
Why China is bringing out the big guns for military drills around Taiwan
China stepped up its military drills around Taiwan with live-fire exercises on Tuesday, the second day of an operation dubbed “Justice Mission 2025". The massive show of force comes at a crucial time as Beijing seeks to capitalise on domestic political tensions&nb»»»
Bangladesh's first female prime minister Khaleda Zia dies aged 80
Bangladesh’s former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80, her party said Tuesday, just months before elections many expected would return her to power. Her death ends a turbulent political career marked by imprisonment, ill health and a dramatic comeback attemp»»»
Turkey arrests 357 people in operation against Islamic State group
Turkey said it arrested 357 people on Tuesday linked to the Islamic State group, following intelligence reports that the terrorist organisation was "planning attacks" during Christmas and New Year. Turkish security forces on Tuesday arrested 357 people during operations across the country against t»»»
Al Ain court orders clinic to pay doctor Dh236,000 in unpaid commissions
The Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial and Administrative Claims has ordered a medical clinic to pay a doctor Dh236,282, representing his share of net income for a four-month period, ruling that commissions were due in line with the established practice between the two parties. The court heard that»»»
Russian Chief of Staff Inspects Sever Battlegroup
Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, has inspected the Sever battlegroup, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Valery Gerasimov pointed out the Sever battlegroup's successes in establishing a security zone in the Sumy and Kharkov regions. According to Gerasimov, Russia’s Presiden»»»
Kremlin claim that Ukraine attacked Putin's home unfounded, Elysée source says
Moscow's claims that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences are "not backed by any solid proof", a French Presidential source said on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky added that Ukraine's allies could use technology to verify that Mosc»»»
Eurostar resumes service through Channel Tunnel after suspending all trains
The Channel Tunnel operator said traffic should return to normal overnight on Tuesday after Eurostar was forced to suspend trains between London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels due to a power supply issue. Some journeys were able to resume in the late afternoon, but many passengers were left strande»»»
Russia offers no proof that Ukraine targeted Putin residence in drone attack
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it could not prove its claim that Ukrainian drones targeted one of President Vladimir Putin's residences because the drones were all "shot down". Moscow accused Ukraine of launching 91 long-range drones at Putin's home in the Novgorod region in what it called a»»»
Business - China issues new proposals to regulate AI chatbots around mental health and suicide
China's cyberspace administration has issued new draft rules aiming to regulate how AI chatbots can affect users' emotional wellbeing. The proposed measures come amid a surge in new AI chatbots in the country and concerns over how they can affect minors' mental health. Also in this edition: Austral»»»
Business - Iran's central bank chief resigns amid protests, currency turmoil
Iran's state TV says the country's central bank chief Mohammad Reza Farzin has stepped down, as the country faces growing protests over the high cost of living. The move comes after the Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the dollar on Sunday. The central bank has been accused of printin»»»
Philippines: Kill ₱1,000 and ₱500 bills to stamp out corruption? Lessons from India's demonetisation
Manila: Picture this: crooked officials stuffing suitcases with crisp ₱1,000 bills from the flood scam — poof, gone like rain in a drought. Should the Philippines demonetise ₱1,000 and ₱500 bills to flush out corruption amid the widespread tongpats (kickbacks) and ghost flood control projects? The »»»
EAEU extends registration of medical devices under national rules - | 24.KG
The countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) have signed a protocol amending the agreement on unified principles and rules for the circulation of medical devices (medical products and medical equipment) within the Union, the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) reported. The document extends t»»»
Swimmer Denis Petrashov named Athlete of the Year in Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
Swimmer Denis Petrashov has been named Athlete of the Year for 2025. The State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of Kyrgyzstan reported. According to the agency, the results of the year were summarized and the country’s best athletes were named. Denis Petrashov won the Best Athlete of the Year»»»
Heading out this morning? Expect slow traffic on key Dubai roads
Dubai: Commuters across the emirates experienced slow-moving traffic on Wednesday morning as a series of crash reports and congestion affected several major arterial routes. The morning rush hour was hampered by incidents on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road near Muhaisnah Fourth and along Al Khaleej »»»
Hanoi cracks down on gold and FX trading
Vietnam is tightening oversight of gold and foreign currency trading, unveiling a new decree that sets out tougher penalties across the monetary and banking sector as regulators seek to curb speculative activity and improve compliance, Viet Nam News (VNN) reports. »»»
South Korea’s inflation cools to five-year low
South Korea’s inflation rate eased to its lowest level in five years in 2025, signalling a return to greater price stability after the sharp post-pandemic surge that weighed heavily on households and policymakers, the nation’s Yonhap News Agency reports. »»»