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 -- Kaza»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya said Saturday the second anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's assumption of power marks a bright national beacon through which Kuwait has promoted its orientation steadily and c»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Support for Kiev under the EU loan of 90 billion euros will cost participating European countries around 3 billion euros (over $3.5 billion) per year, media reported, citing a high-ranking official in Brussels. The EU loan to Kiev will cost participating EU countries around 3 bil»»»

NEW YORK (Sputnik), Lenka White - A tunnel between Russia and the United States is not only technologically feasible, but it can also help improve economic, security, and people-to-people ties between the two countries, George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy advisor to the first Trump presidential c»»»

NEW YORK (Sputnik) Lenka White - The meeting between Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev and US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna marks "tremendous" progress toward resuming negotiations and business between Russia and the US, George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy advisor to the first Trump presidential cam»»»

A unique commemorative medal dedicated to the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov has been created in Russia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported. The medal was produced at the Dubrovin Foundry on the initiative of its head, Ivan Dubrovin. It is made of pure 999-grade silver. The obverse features a profil»»»

Riyadh, Dec.20 (SANA) The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) welcomed repeal of US sanctions imposed on Syria under “the Caesar Act,” affirming that the step represents a positive development that contributes to supporting efforts to restore stability and improve humanitarian and economic conditions in»»»

Bulgaria has opted not to join the newly established International Claims Commission for Ukraine, an initiative created under the Council of Europe to evaluate and determine compensation for destruction, loss, and injuries caused by Russian aggression, Dnevnik reported. Alongside Bulgaria, Hungary,»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov took part in the ceremony announcing bilateral documents as part of Central Asia + Japan Business Forum. The press service of the President reported. According to the press service, approximately 300 business representatives from Central Asian countries and Jap»»»

Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh has accused Libya’s stakeholders of stalling political progress on the UN-backed roadmap intended to lead the country toward national election. “Four months have elapsed si»»»

In unusually blunt language, and following a visit by Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Chairman and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to Cairo, the Egyptian presidency issued a statement on the war in Sudan outlining three points it described as red lines. It said Egypt would not allow any of them to be»»»

A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 17 years in prison for corruption during his time in office, Dawn reported, marking another major legal setback for Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023. Special Judge Shahrukh Arjumand of an anti-graft court handed Khan the ma»»»

To tackle air pollution, Sofia Municipality is introducing a green ticket for travel on public transport on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, the municipal administration reported on Saturday. Unlike the regular ticket, which costs BGN 1.60 and is only good for one ride or for any number of rides withi»»»

Dubai: What initially appeared to be an ordinary moment on the road quickly turned fatal when a vehicle lost control and struck a man standing outside the roadway. The incident later resulted in the victim’s death. Dubai’s Traffic Court examined the case and reviewed the circumstances established b»»»

On Dec. 20, 2015, a landslide at an industrial park in Shenzhen, China, toppled dozens of buildings and killed 73 people. 1 of 8 | On December 20, 2015, a landslide at an industrial park in Shenzhen, China, toppled dozens of buildings and killed 73 people. File Photo by Xu Hu/EPA Dec. 20 (UPI) -- O»»»

Doha, Qatar: Two Asian Elephants have arrived at Al Khor Park, announced the Ministry of Municipality. It added that the elephants are a gift from the government and people of the friendly Republic of Nepal. The gift symbolises the depth of bilateral relations and the bonds of friendship and cooper»»»

TEHRAN, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has never rejected negotiations grounded in respect for the country's legal rights."Iran has never rejected negotiations and dialogue based on respect for the Iranian nation's legal rights and legitimate interests," Araghc»»»

Damascus, Dec.20 (SANA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed Syria’s commitment to combating ISIS and ensuring that the organization has no safe havens on its territory, calling on the US and member states of the International Coalition to join in supporting Syria’s efforts against »»»

Saudi Arabia and India have signed a bilateral agreement granting mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, a move aimed at easing official travel and strengthening ties between the two countries, according to Saudi Press Agency. A»»»

In a post published in his Facebook profile on Friday, shortly before midnight, There Is Such a People (TISP) leader Slavi Trifonov commented on the reports of two journalists and morning talk show hosts fired from bTV and the call for protests that followed earlier Friday. Trifonov stated that bTV»»»

From the Philippines being named Asia’s Best Retirement Destination to hailstorms and thunderstorms sweeping Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, this week brought a mix of global recognition and extreme weather. Lightning struck the Burj Khalifa as Dubai prepared for more rain, while UAE residents plan lon»»»

The committee overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, known as the “mechanism,” convened its 15th meeting in Naqoura, the second to include civilian representatives, with renewed focus on the return of residents to their homes on both sides of the border. The statement issued after the»»»

Coldest: 3.5°C at Jebel Jais Winter chills: Sharp drop across UAE Rain cleared: Heavy system over Showers possible / cold nights Weekend ready: Ideal for outdoor plans UAE wakes up to its coldest morningWinter has made a dramatic entrance across the UAE, with temperatures dipping to 3.5°C early Sat»»»

Speaking after a tense EU summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Orbán described the meeting not as a political consultation but as a war council. “Yesterday, the European Council held a meeting under unusually tense circumstances, dealing with the most difficult question imaginable. It wasn’t really a»»»

Doha, Qatar: The eleventh edition of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption concluded its work in Doha with the adoption of the Doha Declaration 2025. A statement issued by the Conference affirmed that the Doha Declaration delivered a clear message »»»

Irishman Diarmuid Early emerged onto the HyperX arena in Las Vegas under the bright lights, dramatic music, and fanfare worthy of any major sporting final. Only this time, instead of a ball there was a keyboard and mouse, and the playing field a humble desktop setup. Dubbed the "LeBron James of Exc»»»

The French government held talks with farmers' unions on Friday and warned against staging further blockades during the Christmas holiday season after days of angry protests over a mass cull of cows ordered in response to an outbreak of lumpy skin disease. The French government on Friday warne»»»

Israel has effectively turned the “yellow line” marked on the Gaza withdrawal map, part of a phased pullback agreed under the October ceasefire, into a de facto firing line, where approaching civilians are routinely shot, according to Palestinian officials, underscoring a widening pattern of Israel»»»

Tokyo: Japan unveiled a five-year goal on Saturday for business projects totaling $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 -»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received a congratulatory letter on Saturday, from His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on the second anniversary of assuming office.In his letter, His Highness the Crown Prince ex»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov spoke at the first Central Asia—Japan Summit in Tokyo. The presidential press service reported. He emphasized that the summit reflects a shared aspiration to elevate the partnership between the Central Asian countries and Japan to a qualitatively new level. «Si»»»

Iran executed on Saturday a man convicted of spying for the Israeli intelligence and army, state media reported. According to The Associated Press, State TV identified the executed man as Aghil Keshavarz, saying he had “close intelligence cooperation” with the Mossad and took photos of Iranian mili»»»

News report by Sarah Al-Mukaizeem KUWAIT, Dec 20 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait marks on Saturday His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's second anniversary of being named as Amir, celebrating years of rapid achievements and accelerated developments.Last year alone, and due »»»

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DOHA: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his confidence that several countries will send troops to participate in the planned international stabilization force in the Gaza Strip. During a press conference, Rubio said, "I am very confident that we have a number of countries acceptable to al»»»

A man with at least one knife and smoke grenades attacked crowds indiscriminately in Taiwan's capital on Friday evening, killing at least three people and injuring 11 others, according to the national news agency and the city government. The suspect later fell to his death from a department store b»»»

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has sharply criticized statements made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying that Rubio’s remarks demonstrate hatred toward Latin America and the Caribbean and mask a desire to plunder the region's resources. "The press conference »»»

The US justice department has released an initial tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The documents, which include photos, videos and investigative documents, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by Friday. The Department»»»

The WHO and its partners have evacuated more than 10,600 patients from Gaza with severe health conditions, including more than 5,600 children, since the start of the war, the head of the UN health agency said Friday, adding that 1,092 patients are known to have died while awaiting medical evac»»»

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever mocked Politico on Thursday after the outlet branded him “Russia’s most valuable asset,” joking that he was heading back to his “dacha in St. Petersburg” to join “neighbours” Gérard Depardieu and Bashar al-Assad. Axel Springer-owned Politico, which has a staff o»»»

Artists and music fans from around the world have been rediscovering the 1970s sound of Zambia known as Zamrock in recent years, and now one of the country's biggest stars is embracing it, hoping to give it a fresh twist. When devising her third studio album, Sampa the Great looked to the niche, br»»»

Slovakia will not provide further funding for Ukraine’s military because the conflict cannot be settled on the battlefield, Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. Fico, who survived an assassination attempt by a pro-Ukraine activist in 2024, was speaking after EU leaders failed to reach agreement on »»»

The line for a selfie with South Korea's disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol stretched around Seoul's iconic Gwanghwamun gate. Except Yoon wasn't there; it was just a picture of him. The real Yoon is in prison facing insurrection charges. But that didn't matter to the thousands of excited youn»»»

Dubai: Financial inclusion in the UAE is entering a new phase, with the focus shifting from access to actual usage. While the Wage Protection System has ensured near-universal digital salary payments, a large share of low-income workers still operate largely in cash. Sign up for our daily business »»»

DOHA, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- The Eleventh Session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP11) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) concluded in Doha on Friday with call to maximize the potential of AI systems to address corruption and economic crime.The world's largest anti-co»»»

Germany is on track to post its largest budget deficit since reunification, the country’s central bank has warned, as Berlin ramps up military spending and financial aid to Ukraine. In its December forecast, published on Friday, the Bundesbank said the government shortfall will rise steadily and re»»»

The US says its military has carried out a "massive strike" against the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria, in response to a deadly attack on American forces in the country. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Operation Hawkeye Strike was aimed at eliminating IS "fighters, infrastructure, and weapon»»»

Timothée Chalamet has finally quashed rumours that he is cult anonymous rapper EsDeeKid - by performing alongside him in a new video. Speculation has run riot that the Oscar-nominated US actor had been leading a double life as the masked rapper, who only ever reveals his eyes. Some followers spotte»»»

This article contains descriptions of sexual abuse and violence which some readers may find distressing. Two Palestinian men have told the BBC they personally experienced the kind of beatings and sexual abuse highlighted in recent reports into the treatment of prisoners in Israeli detention. The Un»»»

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. On Friday he gave a year-end news conference and spoke about deals to end the war in Ukraine and Russia. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that U.S. negotia»»»