Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has announced the commencement of the second phase of Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022, which prohibits the import, manufacture and trade of an expanded range of single-use consumer plastic products and bags. The measure will take e»»»

A French court has sentenced a former rebel leader and politician from the Democratic Republic of Congo to 30 years in jail after finding him guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity more than two decades ago. Roger Lumbala headed a rebel movement backed by neighbouring Uganda accused of com»»»

Online scams cause economic losses of more than RON 800 million, around EUR 160 million, every year in Romania, confirming that misinformation and fake digital content increase user vulnerability, according to the latest Visa study. At the same time, Romanians who cannot distinguish between fake on»»»

At the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon 2025, amid the sea of runners on the streets, one figure stood out not just for crossing the 10km finish line, but for the story she carried with her. Dr Mariam Al Blooshi, an Emirati grandmother, senior energy professional and athlete, ran with a quiet confidence th»»»

The EU looks set to scrap a ban on petrol and diesel cars that was supposed to come into effect in 2035, as European car makers are struggling against fierce competition from China and slow consumer update of electric vehicles. The EU looks set to scrap a landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel »»»

Crosspoint Real Estate, the International Associate of Savills in Romania, has brokered the transaction through which Eeze, a software and technology company and next-generation casino supplier, with headquarters in Malta and offices in London and Bucharest, has leased 1,200 square metres of office»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 16 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) Director General Dr. Faisal Al-Hamidan on Tuesday said artificial intelligence (AI) has become a pivotal tool capable of transforming water challenges into promising opportunities and turning data into accurate decisions that »»»

Every day of inaction worsens the problems at Toplofikatsiya Sofia, the municipal heating utility, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said on Tuesday. He was speaking as he submitted, jointly with Sofia Municipal Council Chair Tsvetomir Petrov, a report seeking the approval of the Municipal Council for a c»»»

Speaking at the start of consultations with Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning on Tuesday, President Rumen Radev said that they had not been part of the governing coalition but had propped up the government. Attending the talks were Deputy Floor Leaders Jordan Tzonev, Halil Leti»»»

A new budget should be proposed without any planned debt, because debt serves only one purpose – to mask the huge deficit in the budget, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov told journalists after his meeting with President Rumen Radev here on Tuesday as part of the consultations held before the »»»

Dubai: Dubai Police showcased its commitment to excellence and continuous improvement during the third edition of the Six Sigma Success Stories Forum, held at the Dubai Police Officers Club. The event was attended by Dr Major General Ahmad Zaal bin Krishan Almuhairi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief for F»»»

The UK unemployment rate in the three months to October has increased to 5.1%, according to official figures. That marked a rise from 5% for the three months to September. The number of people in the UK who are unemployed is now at its highest level since January 2021, just below the peak rate seen»»»

Russia has repeatedly said that it is interested in a long-standing peace, not a ceasefire regarding the situation around the Ukrainian conflict, stressing the original sources of it should be eliminated. "We want peace; we do not want a truce to give Ukraine a break and prepare for the continuatio»»»

Early marriages in Roma communities are concentrated in south-central Bulgaria (Plovdiv and Pazardzhik), south-eastern Bulgaria (Sliven and Yambol) and north-eastern Bulgaria, according to a report by the Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance published on the organization's website.»»»

US President Donald Trump has repeated his attack on Rob Reiner - after his earlier remarks about the killed Hollywood director, a longtime Trump critic, sparked widespread condemnation. The US president told reporters the director was "very bad for our country", having earlier written on Truth Soc»»»

Dubai: Mubadala Bio has opened a new high-potency pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi and launched a portfolio of advanced oncology medicines, strengthening local drug production and supply in the UAE. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The facility, locate»»»

Dubai: The UAE's net wealth climbed to a record $3.12 trillion in 2024, fueled by strong gains in financial and real assets that outpaced rising liabilities. Financial wealth rose 9.5% from $1.05 trillion to $1.15 trillion, while real assets jumped 10.2% to $2.18 trillion from $1.98 trillion. Liabi»»»

Ukraine has never been “so serious” about striking a peace deal as right now, the Washington Post cites a European diplomat as saying. Overall, "the feeling is that this has to do with the whole scandal on corruption and the whole domestic mess as well,” the source told the publication. Zelensky’s »»»

Dubai: DMCC has signed a strategic partnership with cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com to explore the use of blockchain technology in global commodities trade, with a focus on tokenisation, settlement efficiency and digital trade infrastructure. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & »»»

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the world’s leading professional body for marketing, will host an exclusive event in Dubai to mark the opening of its new regional hub in Dubai Knowledge Park. This expansion demonstrates CIM’s commitment to supporting both the UAE and the wider GCC as th»»»

Almost 90 flights linked to Jeffrey Epstein arrived at and departed from UK airports, some with British women on board who say they were abused by the billionaire, a BBC investigation has found. We have established that three British women who were allegedly trafficked appear in Epstein's records o»»»

At a meeting of his cabinet at the White House two weeks ago, US President Donald Trump looked around the long room filled with his top advisers, administration officials and aides, and made a prediction. The next Republican presidential candidate, he said, is "probably sitting at this table". "It »»»

Thematic Digital, a digital sales house with an extensive portfolio, in partnership with Mediascope, a 360° brand management agency with expertise in trade marketing and in-house production, launches R1 Retail First, a new joint venture that brings together expertise in media, digital and trade mar»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police has hosted a specialised partner dialogue titled “VIP Protection in the Era of Artificial Intelligence”, bringing together security leaders and strategic partners to examine how emerging technologies are reshaping VIP protection operations. Organised by the General Department of»»»

At the start of consultations with Vazrazhdane on Tuesday morning, President Rumen Radev said that the socio-economic and political situation in the country is complex. On Monday, the head of State held talks with representatives of the two largest political forces in Parliament – GERB-UDF and Cont»»»

Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate slowed to 1.9 percent in November 2025, its lowest level in nine months, down from 2.2 percent in October, driven by easing housing costs and lower prices for food and beverages. On a monthly basis, inflation remained broadly stable, edging up 0.1 percent compar»»»

Iraqi wheat farmer Ma'an al-Fatlawi has long depended on the nearby Euphrates River to feed his fields near the city of Najaf. But this year, those waters, which made the Fertile Crescent a cradle of ancient civilization 10,000 years ago, are drying up, and he sees few options. "Drilling wells is n»»»

There is a quiet irony in corporate life. Organisations invest years and substantial budgets in building trust, credibility, and brand goodwill. Yet, when something goes wrong, many struggle with the most basic human response of all: saying sorry. The recent IndiGo episode brought this into sharp f»»»

The country is in a very complex situation that the party sees as a crisis, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said during consultations with President Rumen Radev ahead of the awarding of exploratory government-forming mandates. “We see no reason to waste more time – the sooner new elections a»»»

The Northern Borders Investment Forum 2025 has unveiled more than 240 investment opportunities in northern Saudi Arabia, with a total value estimated at SAR 40 billion ($10.6 billion), spanning key sectors including livestock and food production, mining and energy, tourism and environment, and logi»»»

A 24-metre-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty collapsed during a powerful storm in Guaíba, a city in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state, after strong winds swept through the region on December 15, 2025. The structure, located outside a Havan retail megastore, toppled in gusts estimated at 80–90 km»»»

Doha, Qatar: Giorgian de Arrascaeta stands over a dead ball. His pin-point delivery finds its mark, as Danilo sprints in to meet it with a powerful header that leaves the net bulging. This was the history-making moment that won Flamengo their fourth Copa Libertadores title in Lima last month, and t»»»

On Dec. 16, 2014, Taliban militants attacked a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing more than 140 people, mostly children. 1 of 4 | An injured student is evacuated from a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, after an attack by Taliban gunmen on on December 16, 2014. File Photo by Sajjad Ali Queshi/UPI | »»»

Dubai: From a wish list dream to a breathtaking reality suspended 1,000 feet above Dubai's skyline. The story of how Skydive Dubai orchestrated one of the most daring aerial stunts the world has ever seen is as fascinating as the spectacle itself. The video of the stunt first shared by Sheikh Hamda»»»

Doha, Qatar: Mosanada Facilities Management Services Q.P.S.C. (“Mosanada” or the “Company”), announces the completion of its Direct Listing on the Qatar Stock Exchange (“QSE”) Main Market on December 15, 2025. On its first day of trading, total trading volume reached approximately QAR 5.33 million »»»

With only days left before the euro replaces the lev, queues have begun forming across Bulgaria, particularly in front of coin-counting and exchange machines. Many people are trying to get rid of accumulated lev coins, especially stotinki, often stored in bags or even sacks, according to BGNES. One»»»

NEW YORK — A US court sentenced crypto currency tycoon Do Kwon to 15 years in prison last week over fraud linked to his company's failure, which wiped out $40 billion of investors' money and shook global crypto markets.Kwon, who nurtured two digital currencies central to the bankruptcy, was sentenc»»»

Doha, Qatar: In line with Vodafone Qatar’s commitment to health and safety, its Executive team recently visited two key telecommunications network sites. Under the oversight of Acting Chief Administrative Officer, Abdulla A AlMisnad, and Chief Technology Officer, Ramy Boctor, the visit included bri»»»

Al Ain: The Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial, and Administrative Claims has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a vehicle owner seeking Dh 300,000 in compensation from a car dealership after claiming that a manufacturing defect in the vehicle’s airbags resulted in their failure to deploy during a crash.»»»

The New South Wales (NSW) premier has strongly rejected criticism of the police response to the attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, saying officers acted with "bravery and integrity". Some witnesses have suggested police were too slow to disarm the two gunmen, who killed 15 people and injur»»»

Doha, Qatar: Birla Public School, Doha, hosted the International Higher Education Fair 2025 on December 11, 2025 at the Basant Kumar Birla Auditorium. Organised in collaboration with TIES Global, the event brought together leading universities from India, the UAE, and Germany, providing students wi»»»

Doha, Qatar: Over the years, Qatar has earned a well-deserved reputation as a credible and constructive diplomatic actor, said Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Qatar H E Arman Issagaliyev. “Qatar National Day stands as a powerful symbol of unity, continuity, and national pride, rooted in the legacy of t»»»

In November 2025, Bulgaria recorded an annual inflation rate of 5.2 percent, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Monthly inflation for the same period reached 0.5 percent. Since the start of the year, comparing November 2025 to December 2024, inflation accumulated to 4.8 percent, while the»»»

Taiwan's military can respond rapidly to any sudden Chinese attack with all units able to operate under a decentralized mode of command without awaiting orders from above, Taipei's defense ministry said in a report to lawmakers. Democratically-governed Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territo»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian and Pakistani energy ministries are discussing an oil agreement, and Pakistan would like to see it signed, Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in an interview with Sputnik. "These are all areas which, you know, play to Russia's strength. And we would be»»»

Dubai: The first internet gaming and sports wagering platform licensed by the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority is now live. The internet gaming platform, Play971, operated by Abu Dhabi–based Coin Technology Projects LLC at Twofour54, Yas Creative Hub, is taking bets on casino-st»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Day is celebration of belonging to a country that masterfully balances rich heritage with a welcoming, forward-looking spirit, the Ambassador of Rwanda H E Igor Marara Kayinamura has said. In his message to The Peninsula on the occasion of the celebration, the ambassador»»»

1 of 6 | President Donald Trump speaks before presenting Mexican Border Defense Medals to 13 service members during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday, December 15, 2025. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Dec. 16 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump ha»»»

A mass shooting in which 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was “a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS,” Australia’s federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said Tuesday. The suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24, authorities have said. The older m»»»

Merriam-Webster has chosen 'slop' as its 2025 Word of the Year, a linguistic reflection of the growing prevalence of low-quality digital content generated by artificial intelligence. The selection was announced as part of the dictionary’s annual review of terms that have seen significant increases »»»