WHO: Over 1,092 people have died in Gaza while awaiting medical evacuation
GENEVA, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Friday for the urgent restoration of evacuation from Gaza to the West bank, including East Jerusalem, and to other countries.In a post on (X), Ghebreyesus warned that more than 1,092 p»»»
South Africa defiant after US threatens 'consequences' over refugee centre raid
The South African government has dismissed accusations by the US that it harassed and intimidated American officials during a raid on a centre processing applications by white South Africans for refugee status in the US. Tuesday's raid saw seven Kenyans expelled from South Africa for working in the»»»
Mechanism meeting: Security and economic tracks 'advance in parallel'
Civilian and military representatives from Lebanon and Israel met on Friday as part of the 'Mechanism' committee monitoring implementation of the year-long Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said, noting that the "security and economic tracks" advanced "in parallel" in the talks»»»
Ukraine loan decision brings EU ‘closer to war’ – Orban
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized the EU’s decision to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion interest-free loan, warning that the move brings the bloc “closer to war.” He argued, however, that an alternative plan to seize Russian frozen assets would have been even worse. Speaking ea»»»
Israel claims Amhaz's capture sabotaged 'secret Hezbollah naval unit'
Israel's military said Friday a man seized last year in Lebanon's Batroun was a Hezbollah operative who played a key role in planning a covert maritime force for the militant group. The Israeli army said special unit troops apprehended Imad Amhaz in November 2024 from the north Lebanese city of Bat»»»
US lifting of Syria sanctions may encourage refugee returns from Lebanon
The move by the United States to lift sweeping sanctions on Syria could encourage more refugees to return to their country and also help encourage investments, the head of the U.N. refugee agency in Lebanon said. The U.S. Senate voted on Wednesday to permanently remove the so-called Caesar Act sanc»»»
Ashghal says traffic flow back to normal following heavy rain
Doha, Qatar: The Public Works Authority, Ashghal, announced that its field teams successfully dealt with the heavy rainfall that the country experienced on Dec. 18, confirming that traffic flow was restored back to normal on most roads and tunnels within a few hours. Eng. Mohammed Al Kubaissi from »»»
Parliament Ratifies Bulgaria-EIB Contribution Agreement on EU for Ukraine Fund
The National Assembly ratified, 108-57 with no abstentions, a Contribution Agreement between the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Investment Bank (EIB) concerning the EU for Ukraine Fund. The ratification was preceded by a debate on Friday. Bulgaria's participation in the EU for Ukraine Fund w»»»
Such a blessing: Indian expat scoops $1 million Dubai Duty Free jackpot
An Indian expat living in Qatar has hit the jackpot in Dubai.Jomy John, 32-year-old resident of Doha, won $1 million in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire series 527 draw held at Dubai International Airport. Also Read: Sharjah father of eight wins $1 million Dubai Duty Free raffleJohn’s luc»»»
Israel Says Man's Capture Sabotaged Secret Hezbollah Naval Unit
Israel's military said Friday a man seized last year in Lebanon was a Hezbollah operative who played a key role in planning a covert maritime force for the militant group. The military said special unit troops apprehended Imad Amhaz in November 2024 from the north Lebanese city of Batroun, and tran»»»
Resura Real Estate launches advisory-first model
In a market where deals close fast but investor protection often lags behind, Resura Real Estate has launched a comprehensive advisory-led investment model that fundamentally reimagines how international buyers navigate Dubai's booming property sector. The boutique firm's new framework addresses wh»»»
ING Bank Romania: Sustainability as a source of resilience and competitive advantage
Raluca Tintoiu, Head of Wholesale Banking and a member of the Executive Committee at ING Bank Romania, talked to Business Review about the bank’s ambition to steer its clients and partners to more sustainable business practices and the way it manages to maintain focus on such goals amid market unce»»»
Mircea Muraru (Grapefruit): AI changes the UI/UX rules: what is really happening in 2026
The discussion about AI in UI/UX has quickly become very present, but also very noisy. There is a lot of talk about automation and speed, less about decision and real impact on users. Looking towards 2026, one thing is clear: AI will be part of any relevant digital product. The difference will not »»»
Altex Romania: An omnichannel approach for seamless retail experiences
In 2025, Altex Romania integrated the Brico Depot network and carried out a comprehensive upgrade of its digital infrastructure, setting the foundation for a broader, more efficient retail ecosystem. Founder and CEO Dan Ostahie reflects on the impact of these developments and on the growing role of»»»
Over 55% of Bulgarians Have Positive Attitude towards EU, Survey Shows
More than 55% of Bulgarians have a positive attitude towards the European Union (EU), a survey by the Myara polling agency, presented on Friday at the Bulgarian News Agency’s National Press Club in Sofia, shows. The survey on Bulgarians’ attitudes towards the EU was conducted at the request of Bulg»»»
SCNS of Kyrgyzstan busts major smuggling network - | 24.KG
The State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of Kyrgyzstan has disrupted the activities of a transnational criminal group involved in large-scale economic smuggling in Osh region. As part of a special operation, 25 members of the scheme were detained, including two officers of the Customs Servi»»»
Lebanon, Egypt eye closer cooperation
BEIRUT, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly on Friday at the Grand Serail in Beirut, focusing on bolstering bilateral cooperation across several sectors.In a press statement, Salam said the talks reviewed cooperation priorit»»»
Geely recalls over 5,500 cars in UAE over fuel cap fault
Dubai: AGMC, Geely's UAE distributor, launched a recall for 5,584 Emgrand sedans built from August 3, 2023 to July 4, 2024 after headquarters in Hangzhou flagged faulty fuel filler caps. Non-vented caps can build vacuum pressure over time, potentially deforming fuel tanks and risking leaks if they »»»
Huawei unfolds a new era of innovation in Dubai with Mate X7 and flagship lineup of devices
Huawei set the stage in Dubai last night with the highly anticipated Unfold the Moment launch event, unveiling a new lineup of flagship devices. From innovative foldable engineering to ultra-luxury wearables and cutting-edge tablets, the event introduced the HUAWEI Mate X7, the brand’s latest folda»»»
Dubai Health’s Genomic Medicine Center earns CAP accreditation
Dubai Health announced that its Genomic Medicine Center (GMC) has earned accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the globally-recognized authority in laboratory quality assurance, marking a significant milestone that reflects its commitment to the highest global standards of »»»
Paris says Haykal has agreed to document Hezbollah disarmament
Lebanese Army chief General Rodolphe Haykal agreed to document the army's progress in disarming Hezbollah during talks Thursday with international envoys in Paris, the French foreign ministry said, as Beirut seeks to forestall expanded Israeli attacks. Israel and Hezbollah clashed for more than a y»»»
Paris meeting parties agree to hold February army aid conference, foreign experts may inspect sites with army
Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal met Thursday in Paris with French army chief Fabien Mandon ahead of a key meeting with U.S., French and Saudi officials to discuss ways of assisting the army in its mission to boost its presence in the border area. The Paris meeting will discuss reinforcing th»»»
Hamas Official Says Miami Talks Must End Israel's Gaza Truce 'Violations'
A top Hamas official said that talks in Miami on Friday to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must aim to end Israeli truce "violations" in the Palestinian territory. "Our people expect these talks to result in an agreement to put an end to ongoing Israeli lawlessness, halt all violations»»»
Vòya launches as the first unified AI-driven ecosystem
Vòya, a groundbreaking education technology platform, today announced its launch as the first unified digital ecosystem designed to integrate academics, career development, finances, productivity, and community into a single intelligent interface. Built for the modern learner, Vòya marks a signific»»»
Iraq negotiates new coalition under US pressure
More than a month after Iraq's parliamentary elections, the country's top leaders remain locked in talks to form a government while facing pressure from Washington to exclude Tehran-backed armed groups. Amid seismic changes in the Middle East, where new alliances are forming and old powers waning, »»»
Hamas says Miami talks must end Israel's Gaza truce violations
A top Hamas official said that talks in Miami on Friday to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must aim to end Israeli truce "violations" in the Palestinian territory. U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is to meet senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in Fl»»»
Dubai rains viral video: Heroic man directs traffic amid downpour
Dubai: A video capturing a lone man standing in the pouring rain at Business Bay, directing traffic, has gone viral on social media. On Instagram, footage shows a man braving heavy rain in Business Bay, directing traffic and helping motorists navigate waterlogged streets — a striking act of heroism»»»
Look: Cars, vans sink into the ground in Dubai after heavy rains – shocked residents react
Heavy rains have triggered flooding and ground collapses in parts of Dubai and Sharjah, leaving several vehicles stranded and causing disruption to residents. In Muhaisnah, a viral video shows multiple vans, reportedly belonging to courier companies, partially buried after rain-softened soil sudden»»»
Russian envoy outlines key results in Moscow-Beijing cooperation
Russia and China have continued to rapidly expand their bilateral relationship across economic, diplomatic, and people-to-people channels in 2025, with trade turnover exceeding $200 billion for a third consecutive year, Moscow’s ambassador to Beijing, Igor Morgulov, has told RT. In an interview air»»»
Ashghal says traffic flow back to normal following heavy rain
DOHA: The Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' announced that its field teams successfully dealt with the heavy rainfall that the country experienced on Thursday, confirming that traffic flow was restored back to normal on most roads and tunnels within a few hours. Eng Mohammed Al Kubaissi from the aut»»»
Media Review: December 19
PROTESTS AND POLITICS The news media cover the latest wave of protests when thousands gathered in Sofia and other major Bulgarian cities on Thursday. The demonstrations were peaceful and demanded amendments to the Election Code and judicial reform. The rallies were triggered by the ruling coalition»»»
Djuric: Serbia has friends in Europe who respect our country's policy
BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Thursday Serbia had friends in Europe who respected Belgrade's policy, and added that Serbia was not ingratiating itself with anyone. Djuric noted that support for Serbia from the PMs of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orban and Robert Fico, as well as from o»»»
EU agrees to €90 billion loan for Ukraine, without frozen Russian assets
European leaders on Friday decided to finance Ukraine's war effort for at least two years through a joint loan of €90 billion, without resorting to Russian assets due to a lack of agreement. Kyiv was at risk of running out of money as early as the first quarter of 2026. EU leaders struck »»»
About 30 Kyrgyzstanis bought cars without down payment in a month - | 24.KG
Over the past month, the Guarantee Fund of Kyrgyzstan issued 29 guarantees under Unaa product, allowing citizens to obtain vehicle loans and purchase domestically assembled cars without a down payment. The Fund’s press service reported. According to it, these are Chevrolet vehicles manufactured by »»»
Bangladesh newspaper staff recall 'gasping for air' as offices set ablaze
Staff at two leading Bangladeshi newspapers say they were "gasping for air" as protesters, roused by the death of a prominent activist, set their offices alight on Thursday. Sharif Osman Hadi, who had emerged as a key figure after last year's anti-government protests that ousted former prime minist»»»
USFK commander says DMZ should not become 'politicized,' amid bill to ease access - UPI.com
USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said Friday that the DMZ should not be "politicized," as debate swirls around a South Korean bill calling for government control of non-military access. In this July photo, Brunson speaks at a ceremony in Goyang marking U.N. Forces Day. Photo by Yonhap The command»»»
Environment Agency Reports High Volumes of Fine Particulate Matter in Several Cities
An increase in fine particulate matter in several cities in the country was reported on Thursday by the Executive Environment Agency (ExEA). According to data published by ExEA, the most significant exceedance was recorded in Sofia, where it ranged from 2.05 to 3.48 times above the norm of 50 micro»»»
Unstable weather: Rain preparedness rises as flooding risk grows in UAE
Sharjah: Residents across several neighbourhoods in the UAE’s Eastern Region are stepping up efforts to protect their homes from flooding, installing sandbags and aluminium or concrete barriers to prevent rainwater from seeping indoors amid increasingly volatile weather. According to Emarat Al Youm»»»
Renovated Bishkekselmash boiler house opened in Bishkek - | 24.KG
Opening of Bishkekselmash boiler house took place in the capital with the participation of Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev. The press service of the Bishkek City Hall reported. The mayor congratulated on the opening of the boiler house and noted its importance for city residents. «As a result of all this»»»
Decision on nuclear plant construction to be made after public discussion - | 24.KG
The decision on whether to build Kyrgyzstan’s first nuclear power plant will be made only after broad nationwide public discussions. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev said in an interview with state television channels. He added that Russian technologies today ar»»»
Trump Urges 2028 Astronaut Moon Landing in Sweeping Space Policy Order
President Donald Trump enshrined the US goal to put humans back on the moon by 2028 and defend space from weapon threats in a sweeping executive order issued on Thursday, the first major space policy move of his administration's second term. The order, issued hours after billionaire private astrona»»»
EU state’s Interior Ministry takes down Ukrainian flag
The Czech authorities have removed the Ukrainian flag from the Interior Ministry building, spokesman Ondrej Kratoska said on Thursday. He said the decision was ordered by newly appointed Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar. The ministry first placed the Ukrainian flag at its headquarters in Prague in »»»
US agency urges white men to report discrimination
The head of the US federal body responsible for enforcing workplace civil rights has urged white men to come forward if they believe they have been discriminated against, including under diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a video message published on Wednesday, Andrea Lucas, cha»»»
Credit market in 2026: From turbulence to calculated decisions
The paradox of 2025: between volatility and balance In 2025, IRCC recorded its steepest increase in recent years, surpassing 2024 and 2023 levels and reaching an all-time high of 6.06% in October. Unlike previous years, this evolution occurred in a context where income growth no longer offset highe»»»
President Radev Concludes Cabinet-forming Consultations with Velichie, Will Hand Exploratory Mandate after New Year
President Rumen Radev concluded the government-forming consultations with representatives of the Velichie parliamentary group here on Friday, which is the final day of talks with all political formations in the 51st National Assembly. Radev said he will be handing over the exploratory mandate to fo»»»
Vazrazhdane to File Appeal with Constitutional Court against Parliament's Rejection of Euro Referendum
Vazrazhdane will file an appeal with the Constitutional Court against Parliament’s decision to reject the President’s proposal to hold a referendum on the European currency, as well as submit a proposal to the National Assembly to repeal the Government’s decision to provide financial assistance to »»»
Vucic: I believe in even better relations and stronger cooperation between Serbia, Georgia
BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his wife Tamara hosted a dinner on Thursday evening for Georgian President Mikheil Kavalashvili, who is on an official visit to Serbia. Vucic noted that he believed in even better relations and stronger cooperation between Serbia and Georgia in the »»»
Egypt Signals Possible Activation of Joint Defense Pact to Safeguard Sudan’s Unity
Egypt has drawn explicit “red lines” regarding the conflict in Sudan, warning that any attempt to cross them would directly threaten Egyptian national security. Cairo signaled it is prepared to take all measures permitted under the Joint Defense Agreement between the two countries, a position analy»»»
Record Revenue of over BGN 1 Bln from Road Tolls in 2025 - Outgoing Public Works Minister
A record revenue of over BGN 1 billion has been collected from road tolls in 2025, outgoing Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov told journalists on Friday. Measures taken this year and all other improvements made within the National Toll Administration have led to this res»»»