Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third outing in James Cameron's blockbuster sci-fi adventure series, has topped the US and Canada box office on its opening weekend. The latest in the franchise took an estimated $88m (£65.5m), but that was significantly down on the $134m (£100m) that Avatar: The Way of th»»»

Washington: In a parallel reality, Queen Elizabeth II gushes over cheese puffs, a gun-toting Saddam Hussein struts into a wrestling ring, and Pope John Paul II attempts skateboarding. Hyper-realistic AI videos of dead celebrities - created with apps such as OpenAI’s easy-to-use Sora - have rapidly »»»

At a rail yard near Milton Keynes, a group of men in orange outfits are making final checks on huge slabs of railway track, preparing them so that they are ready to be installed over Christmas and New Year. At a time when many commuters stop work to enjoy celebrations with friends and family, rail »»»

POLITICS Trud covers the creation in Nessebar of the Treti Mart [March 3, Bulgaria's Liberation Day] Movement, whose founders describe President Rumen Radev as an informal leader, while Radev distances himself in advance from similar formations. Political scientist Pervan Simeonov says on bTV the n»»»

For nearly three decades, American lawyer Bryan W. Jardine has witnessed, and contributed to, Romania’s transformation. As Wolf Theiss marks 20 years locally, he reflects on legal reform, major deals, and the country’s evolution. By Mihai Cristea You first arrived in Romania in 1996. How would you »»»

Mustafa Tiftikcioglu, the CEO of Garanti BBVA Romania, talked to Business Review about one of the most extensive investment programmes in the lender’s history on the local market, which involves a complete overhaul of its core banking infrastructure. By Anda Sebesi What were your company’s key achi»»»

Dubai: When he was nine years old, Aggelos Ahuja spent weeks confined to hospital beds after being diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis, a rare autoimmune condition that required chemotherapy. In those long hours of recovery, an unlikely escape became his lifeline, virtual reality. Sign up for»»»

He's played on some of the biggest stages in the world in the Premier League, but Alex Iwobi believes the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is a "special" experience. The tournament will see 24 teams battling for the continental crown across the next couple of weeks. Fulham midfielder Iwobi will repres»»»

As helicopters circled overhead, sirens descended on her suburb, and people ran screaming down her street on 14 December, Mary felt a grim sense of deja vu. "That was when I knew there was something seriously wrong – again," she says, her eyes brimming with tears. Mary - who did not want to give he»»»

South African authorities are investigating the whereabouts of around 20 African men who were allegedly misled into fighting for Russia in Ukraine. FRANCE 24 has reviewed a letter from former president Jacob Zuma, testimony from a father in Botswana and analysis from a defence expert to understand »»»

Madrid: Kylian Mbappe matched Cristiano Ronaldo's club record for goals in a calendar year and Jude Bellingham also scored as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday in La Liga. French superstar Mbappe levelled Ronaldo's tally of 59 goals in 2013 by stroking home a late penalty, after Bellingham s»»»

At least 16 Jeffrey Epstein–related files abruptly disappeared from the Justice Department’s public website within a day of their release. The unexplained missing files, including an image with a photo of President Donald Trump, fuelled speculation online about what was taken down and why the publi»»»

Rabat: Morocco carry a huge weight of expectation into their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday as the hosts, with star man Achraf Hakimi returning from injury, aim to see off stiff competition to claim continental glory. Senegal, reigning champions Ivory Coast, Mohamed Salah's Egy»»»

At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public. The missing file»»»

This recipe reminds me of those vintage Looney Toons cartoons where the aroma of something cooking lifts Bugs Bunny off his feet and into midair. He blissfully floats along, surrendering to the fragrant current, until he reaches its source and devours the dish. Similarly, the wafting scent of cinna»»»

In central Tel Aviv, the main stage has now been dismantled in Hostages Square, the focal point for the campaign over the past two years to bring back Israelis held in Gaza. Nearby, signs and posters have been taken down, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum has vacated the offices that serv»»»

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. »»»

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»»»

The Swedish Academy said Saturday its permanent secretary, Mats Malm, is stepping down after seven years of heading the prestigious institution that awards the annual Nobel literature prize. As of June 1, 2026, Academy member Ingrid Carlberg, an author and journalist, will take over as permanent se»»»

A paraplegic engineer from Germany blasted off on a dream-come-true rocket ride with five other passengers Saturday, leaving her wheelchair behind to float in space while beholding Earth from on high. Severely injured in a mountain bike accident seven years ago, Michaela Benthaus became the first w»»»

Sometimes kids drop the phone after hearing Santa won't show up if they're not asleep. Others who call the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline wonder if St. Nick will be able to find them. Adults who also remain devoted to the jolly figure said to deliver presents around the world are checking up on his jou»»»

Rabat: Morocco captain and star player Achraf Hakimi is fit and ready for the host nation's Africa Cup of Nations bid but may not start in the tournament's opening game, coach Walid Regragui said on Saturday. "Tomorrow will be my decision but he has more than done his job. His injury was not an eas»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

Dubai: Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan seems to be doing a good job about stepping away from his superstar dad's shadow. Last night on December 19, Aryan marked a major milestone in his career, winning Best Debut Director of the Year for his Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood at the NDTV India»»»

Reporters ask world leaders questions all the time. No big deal. Right? But what's it like putting a question to Vladimir Putin - the president who ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the leader whose country was accused this week by the head of MI6 of "the export of chaos"? And imagine ask»»»

1 of 3 | Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican serving a district in New York state appears at a bill signing in the White House's Oval Office to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team. The team won the gold medal in her district. Photo by Francis Chung/UPI | License P»»»

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»»»

The ousted chair of Ben & Jerry's has accused the company which owns the brand of threatening to launch a public smear campaign against her. Anuradha Mittal, who chaired Ben & Jerry's independent board for seven years, told the BBC that Magnum had threatened to publish "defamatory statements" about»»»

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile as he arrives for the weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on May 21. He appointed Bishop Richard Moss as the new leader of the Roman Catholic church in England on Friday. Photo by Angelo Carconi/EFE Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV on Fr»»»

Earlier this month a group of Palestinian boys turned out to train at their local football pitch in the shadow of the wall separating Israel from the West Bank's Aida refugee camp -- and found a note at the gate. The children took the ominous message from Israeli authorities to Muhannad Abu Srour, »»»

A recently resigned MP who lost his driving license for a month after being caught drink-driving has acknowledged his punishment in a social media post. Actor Diamantis Karanastasis, who represented Course of Freedom until last month, was also fined €350 under Greece’s stricter drink-driving rules.»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, December 19: A new batch of Epstein files includes photos of famous men, chat screenshots and "Lolita" quotes written on a woman's body. Next, Kristin Cabot, the HR boss caught on the Coldplay kiss cam, speaks out in an exclusive interview. Finally, we bring you some Christma»»»

A French court on Thursday sentenced a woman repatriated from Syrian camps holding Islamic State group members to 10 years in prison for terrorist conspiracy. Carole Sun, 30, left France for Syria in 2014 and was arrested by Kurdish forces in 2017 as the Islamic State group collapsed. The seco»»»

1 of 2 | Protesters set fire to the Prothom Alo offices in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to protest the death of youth protest leader Sharif Osman Hadi's death Thursday. Demonstrations broke out after Hadi died two weeks after being shot in the head. Photo by Monirul Alam/EPA Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Two newspaper of»»»

The Middle East Council of Shopping Centers & Retailers (MECSR) presented its Annual Top Retail Industry Awards at the *Retail Congress MENA 2025* in Dubai, recognising outstanding leadership and excellence across the region’s retail sector. One of the key honours of the evening’s awards, *Retail P»»»

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»»»

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»»»

US President Donald Trump and former US President Bill Clinton are among several high profile figures who are known to have associated with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump and Clinton were each photographed with Epstein several times over the 1990s and early 2000s and occasionally»»»

Doha: In the end, the final step was one too far. CR Flamengo though came as close as they possibly could, pushing the might of Paris Saint-Germain all the way to penalties in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final. At the end of a remarkable fortnight where the club claimed four major trophies, the g»»»

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»»»

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As heavy rains sweep across the UAE, local authorities have issued public safety alerts, urging residents to stay indoors unless “absolutely necessary”. With outdoor plans on hold, many families, friends and individuals are turning their homes into cosy hubs of activity, finding creative and fun wa»»»

Dear readers. I hope this letter finds you safe and well at the end of a turbulent week in the UAE. I write this after a frantic 24 hours that has seen rain disrupting roads, flights and businesses, so I do hope that the rain is passing you by without too much trouble. We’ve also reported on the tr»»»

Dubai: An HR executive who went viral globally after being caught on a stadium screen cuddling her boss at a Coldplay concert has spoken out about the fallout, saying the online abuse has been relentless and life-altering. In an interview that first appeared in The Times, Kristin Cabot broke her si»»»

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday his country needed a decision this year on a plan to use frozen Russian assets to plug Kyiv's yawning budget gap, telling European leaders gathered at a summit in Brussels that the use of Russian assets to defend against Russian aggression was "m»»»

Have you ever noticed that every interaction in life is really a negotiation? From toddlers refusing broccoli to teenagers lobbying for the latest gadgets, life is one continuous exercise in give-and-take — and we rarely pause to examine it. I see this truth the moment I wake up. Chanel, my cat and»»»

Washington, Dec. 19 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump signed the 2026 Defense Department Budget Act, including a provision that completely repeals the ‘Caesar Act’ imposed on Syria since 2019 and now comes to effect. ME»»»