The Kremlin said on Monday that Ukraine not joining the US-led NATO military alliance was a fundamental question in talks on a possible peace settlement and that it was the subject of special discussion. "Naturally this issue is one of the cornerstones and, of course, it is subject to special discu»»»

US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on Monday briefed EU foreign ministers on Trump's Gaza peace plan via video conference, an EU official said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said earlier on Monday that he had suggested to EU foreign policy chief »»»

POLITICS Dnevnik: Sociologist Dimitar Ganev from the Trend polling agency commented that President Rumen Radev is facing an extremely difficult task in appointing a caretaker government, as all figures who meet the requirements for the post are linked either to GERB or to the Movement for Rights an»»»

Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi unveiled on Sunday five Egyptian initiatives aimed at strengthening Arab energy security during the annual ministerial meeting of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) in Kuwait. The proposals include drafting»»»

President Rumen Radev met with GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader Denitsa Sacheva on Monday in the first government-forming consultation after the resignation of the Rosen Zhelyazkov Cabinet. The two exchanged barbs on various topics including the resignation, formation of caretaker governments and the p»»»

Damascus, Dec. 15 (SANA) Syria and Iraq held talks on Monday to explore ways to improve border crossing operations and further strengthen cooperation between the two countries. The meeting took place at the General Authority for Ports and Customs in Damascus, with Qutaiba Badawi, head of the Syrian»»»

Qassim Hamadeh woke to the sounds of gunfire and explosions in his village of Beit Jin in southwestern Syria last month. Within hours, he had lost two sons, a daughter-in-law and his 4-year-old and 10-year-old grandsons. The five were among 13 villagers killed that day by Israeli forces. Israeli tr»»»

Hamas on Sunday confirmed the death of a top commander in Gaza, a day after Israel said it had killed Raed Saad in a strike outside Gaza City. The Hamas statement described Saad as the commander of its military manufacturing unit. Israel had described him as an architect of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack»»»

The death of two U.S. service members and one American civilian in an attack in Syria by an alleged member of the Islamic State group has drawn new attention to the presence of American forces in the country. Saturday's attack was the first with fatalities since the fall of Syrian President Bashar »»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will resume talks with US President Donald Trump's envoys in Berlin on Monday, after the US side said a "lot of progress" had been made on ending Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two. Zelenskiy will again meet US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at Australia's leader on Sunday while nations expressed shock and sympathy over a mass shooting at a Jewish holiday event, saying he had warned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that "your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic »»»

The Israeli military said it killed three Hezbollah members in strikes Sunday on southern Lebanon, where it has carried out repeated attacks despite an ongoing ceasefire with the Iran-backed group. The Lebanese health ministry said three people were killed in strikes in the Yater, Safad Al-Battikh »»»

Professional dominatrix Madelaine Thomas isn't your average tech founder. After the repeated humiliation of clients leaking her private explicit images, she felt "angry enough to do something about it" and turned to technology for answers. "These were beautiful pictures, I'm not ashamed of the pict»»»

Australia's leaders agreed on Monday to tougher gun laws after the country's worst mass shooting in almost three decades saw a father and son open fire on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people including a child. The duo fired into crowds packing the Sydney beach for the start of Hanuk»»»

Construction is surging across the Aegean island of Milos, where illegal roads, fence walls and half-built hotels are reshaping landscapes near the famed Sarakiniko beach. A scar carved into volcanic rock leads to a flooded foundation pit, as new complexes rise along the northern coast and bulldoze»»»

Political consultations began on Monday in Bulgaria as President Rumen Radev is scheduled to meet with representatives of parliamentary groups in the 51st National Assembly to discuss forming a new government following the resignation of the Zhelyazkov cabinet. The resignation was unanimously accep»»»

Five men have been arrested in Germany suspected of being involved in a plot to drive a vehicle into people at a Christmas market. Three Moroccans, an Egyptian and a Syrian were detained on Friday over the plan to target a market in the southern Bavarian state. Authorities said they suspected an "I»»»

Vladimir Putin may have a reputation among some as a ruthless autocrat, a master manipulator of the international scene. But one thing Russia's president does not have is a poker face. The late US Senator John McCain used to joke that when he looked into Putin's eyes, he saw three things, "a K and »»»

On Dec. 15, 1973, the American Psychiatric Association reversed its longstanding position and declared that being gay isn't a mental illness. 1 of 6 | Spectators kiss from a window while watching parade-goers move down the parade route at the 2023 NYC Pride March on June 25, 2023, in New York City.»»»

Dubai: Dubai is stepping up the fight against economic fraud with the launch of a national awareness campaign by the Economic Security Center of Dubai (ESCD) under the slogan ‘Strong Economy … An Aware Society.’ The initiative is designed to arm individuals, businesses, and institutions with the kn»»»

Doha, Qatar: The twelfth annual Gulf Studies Forum concluded in Doha yesterday. The forum was organised by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and held over two days. This year’s forum was structured around two parallel tracks: the first examining “Arab Gulf States and Transformations i»»»

Iran on Sunday said its armed forces are in full readiness to deal with any emergency, while reiterating its continued contacts with the International Atomic Energy Agency to reach a solution to its nuclear file. On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied the presence of»»»

Doha, Qatar: CEO and Publisher of the Herald Media Group, Jin Young Choi, has emphasised that credibility remains the bedrock of journalistic influence, particularly highlighting print media’s enduring values, in-depth reporting, and gravitas as its core strengths to adapt and achieve a complementa»»»

Tensions between Lebanon and Iran have reached unprecedented levels, reflecting a shift in how Beirut views its ties with Tehran, especially when it comes to Hezbollah’s arsenal and Iranian meddling in Lebanese internal affairs. The tensions are not just playing out in the media, but in official po»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Day is an opportunity to honour the legacy of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani and to reflect on the values that continue to shape modern Qatar: unity, resilience, and a deep commitment to progress grounded in cultural identity, the Ambassador of Germany H E Oliver O»»»

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could be forgiven for wondering who his true friends are. Once rock solid, his reliance on his two main allies - China and Russia - now appears increasingly uncertain. For years, both countries supported Venezuela's socialist-led government politically, financial»»»

Doha, Qatar: With 68 players and referees taking part, and dozens more cheering, the cricket league for the Sri Lankan community has kicked off. The Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center organises this programme in response to the need of these communities for recreational acti»»»

Doha, Qatar: Congratulating Qatar on National Day, Ambassador of Pakistan to Qatar H E Muhammad Aamer has said that Qatar’s National Day is a proud celebration of unity, resilience and national progress. “On the auspicious occasion of the National Day of the State of Qatar, I extend, on behalf of t»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar National Day celebrations are an extraordinary occasion for the government and the people of Qatar to feel proud and enjoy all the achievements and the progress the country has made over the years, said Ambassador of Portugal to Qatar H E Paulo Neves Pocinho. In a message on »»»

South Korean special prosecutors concluded Monday that former President Yoon Suk Yeol began preparations for his short-lived martial law declaration more than a year in advance. This photo shows police guarding the National Assembly building on Dec. 4, 2024, shortly after Yoon's declaration. File P»»»

Thailand's military said on Monday that it has stopped fuel shipments passing through a border checkpoint with Laos because of fears they were being diverted to Cambodia, with which it is fighting a fierce border conflict. The Thai and Cambodian militaries are clashing at multiple locations along t»»»

Several alleged members of a criminal organization dismantled by Greek police over the weekend went on to submit agricultural subsidy applications containing false information to Greece’s state payment agency, OPEKEPE, for the year 2025, even after a major corruption scandal had erupted, according »»»

The era of ‘Pax Americana’ is over for Europe, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said, adding that the global economy and political order are undergoing a “tectonic shift” in centers of power worldwide. The term ‘Pax Americana’ (American Peace) describes the transatlantic order that emerged afte»»»

Doha, Qatar: Winners of the ninth Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award have praised the initiative for its effective role in promoting the global fight against corruption and reinforcing the principles and measures enshrined in the United Nations Conv»»»

Doha, Qatar: A champion has yielded its crown, but it’s safe to say it was held on tightly. In the quarter-finals of the FIFA Arab Cup the defending champions Algeria were eliminated after a penalty shootout which saw the United Arab Emirates emerge victorious. The paradox for the Fennecs is that n»»»

Qassim Hamadeh woke to the sounds of gunfire and explosions in his village of Beit Jin in southwestern Syria last month. Within hours, he had lost two sons, a daughter-in-law and his 4-year-old and 10-year-old grandsons. The five were among 13 villagers killed that day by Israeli forces. Israeli tr»»»

It has been a year since the fall of the former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and the Levantine doomsayers who predicted that it was “Assad or nothing” have been proved wrong. Contrary to their prophecies, Syria has not fractured along ethnic and religious lines. If that was the script, then Syr»»»

Doha, Qatar: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani yesterday honoured the winners of the ninth edition of the Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award during a grand ceremony in Doha, reaffirming Qatar’s steadfast commitment to promoting integrity, tra»»»

A high-profile corruption scandal unfolded in Ukraine in November when the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) targeted a corruption scheme in the nation's energy sector involving one of Volodymyr Zelensky's closest associates, Timur Mindich. Viktoriya Namchuk, the spouse of Ukrainian fugitive O»»»

The Unification Church's headquarters in Yongsan Ward, Seoul, South Korea, 15 December 2025. Police investigators raided the facility on 15 December to secure evidence in connection with an alleged bribery case involving politicians from both ruling and opposition parties. photo by YONHAP/EPA SEOUL»»»

Speaking at the Digital Civic Circles’ anti-war rally in Mohács, Prime Minister Orbán set out his long-term political mission, addressed the war in Ukraine, and sharply criticized the current direction of the European Union. In a panel discussion at the fourth DPK anti-war gathering, the prime mini»»»

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reported that a 5-hour meeting in Berlin between Volodymyr Zelensky, Jared Kushner, and US/Ukrainian delegations resulted in significant progress on Trump's 20-point peace plan and economic agendas. "A lot of progress was made, and they will meet again tomorrow morning,"»»»

Sanam, an Iranian immigrant who came to the US over a decade ago, was finally about to become a US citizen. Years of navigating paperwork, approvals, tests, and security vetting, had brought her to the last step: a naturalization ceremony. But then, just two days before she was to take her oath on »»»

Jeddah Tower is surging ahead in a rapid construction push, blasting through construction like a rocket, nearing 80 in a blistering push aligned with Vision 2030. This 1-km megatower, paused for years, restarted in January 2025 and now adds a floor every 3-4 days, eyeing a 2028 finish to claim the »»»

Dubai: SpaceX, the private rocket company founded by Elon Musk, is quietly moving toward a step that could reshape global financial markets: a stock market listing that may be the largest ever attempted. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.In a company message seen by Bloo»»»

Ten kilometres from Thailand's disputed border with Cambodia, farmer-turned-village security guard Narongchai Putthet stands at a roadside checkpoint, his rifle slung across his navy blue uniform. The 60-year-old is one of a small band of volunteers appointed by local authorities to protect rural T»»»

A 14-year-old girl arrived at a refugee clinic near death with an untreated infection from an alleged rape her family says was carried out by Russian fighters in Mali – a case that aid workers say exposes how sexual violence in the country’s war has remained largely hidden by fear and shame. T»»»

Whenever the wind blows northwest from Belarus, Lithuania braces for problems. That's when giant white balloons are launched across the border, crates of cheap cigarettes dangling beneath. Over the past 10 weeks, the illicit balloon traffic has already forced Lithuania's main airport into shutdown »»»

Chile has elected the far-right wing José Antonio Kast to be its next president, after an election campaign that was dominated by themes of security, immigration and crime. Kast won decisively with more than 58% of the vote in his third attempt at running for president. It marks the biggest shift t»»»