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 »»»

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»»»

ISLAMABAD, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Pakistan summoned the Afghan Deputy Head of Mission on Friday and issued strong demarche to the Taliban regime on terrorist attacks against Pakistan, perpetrated from Afghan soil targeting a security forces camp in tribal district of Pakistan's northern Khyber Pakhtunkhw»»»

Tourists in Italy's capital Rome will soon have to pay a €2 (£1.75; $2.34) entrance fee if they want to see its famed Trevi Fountain up close. The new barrier for visitors to view the Baroque monument will come into force from 1 February 2026. While the coins tossed into the fountain are donated to»»»

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is pushing to secure approval for a draft law aimed at resolving the fate of bank deposits frozen since the country’s financial collapse in 2019, proposing full repayment of deposits below $100,000 over four years and the conversion of larger sums into long term»»»

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is pushing to secure approval for a draft law aimed at resolving the fate of bank deposits frozen since the country’s financial collapse in 2019, proposing full repayment of deposits below $100,000 over four years and the conversion of larger sums into long term»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology has reported significant rainfall across several parts of the country over the past 24 hours. In its daily climate report, the Centre said rainfall measurements were recorded between 8am on Wednesday, 18 December, and 8am on Thursday, 19 December. Saq»»»

1 of 3 | Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche participates in a roundtable at the White House in Washington, D.C., on October 23. He said the Justice Department doesn't have all files related to the Epstein case ready to be released by the Friday deadline. File Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Ph»»»

The Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Naji Issa, has sent several letters, widely leaked today to Arabic-language Libyan media, to the Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, the Internal Security Agency, the Ministry of Interior, and the Municipal Guards Authority, instructing them to close unli»»»

‎The Tripoli based Libyan government announced today that Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohamed Al-Hwej, and the Acting Minister of Planning, Mohammed Al-Zeidani, held a meeting to discuss the draft import indicative budget for 2026, in the presence of the undersecretaries of the ‎‎ministries and »»»

Egypt’s non-oil exports increased by 18 per cent to reach $44.392bn during the first 11 months of 2025, compared with $37.544bn during the same period in 2024. The trade deficit contracted by 12 per cent to $30.346bn, down from $34.421bn in the previous year, according to a report from the General »»»

A major step away from naivety – that's how EU officials describe moves to crack down on cheap Chinese parcels flooding the European market. The EU is edging closer to abolishing the customs exemption on packages valued at under €150. For now, the EU has agreed to impose a temporary €3 customs fee »»»

TikTok said on Thursday it had agreed to a joint venture with investors to keep operating in the United States, averting a potential ban tied to its Chinese ownership, US media reported. CEO Shou Chew said ByteDance approved the deal, with Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX as major invest»»»

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.»»»

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»»»

A French court on Friday rejected the state's request to suspend Shein's site in France as "disproportionate" after the Asian e-commerce giant removed illicit products sold on its platform. French authorities had requested the ultra-fast-fashion giant's site be blocked for three months after weapon»»»

An upgrade of the Il-76 military transport jet, the aircraft features modern Russian digital avionics with a ‘glass cockpit’, upgraded navigation and electronic systems and a strengthened airframe. Designed to transport troops and to conduct airdrops, the Il-76MD-90A can carry the full range of equ»»»

As Christmas celebrations approach across the UAE, shoppers are on the hunt for a traditional centerpiece item: turkey. Once considered a niche product, turkey is now increasingly visible across supermarkets, traditional markets and butcher shops, as families and expats prepare for festive dinners »»»

Dubai: The National Centre of Meteorology has forecast unsettled weather on Saturday, with skies expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy at times and the formation of convective clouds bringing rainfall to parts of the country, particularly across northern. In its daily weather bulletin, the centre »»»

There is no longer famine in Gaza, a global hunger monitor said on Friday, after access for humanitarian and commercial ​food deliveries improved following a fragile October 10 ceasefire in the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants. The latest assessment by the Integrated Food Security»»»

2025 marked a historic year for investment gold, both globally and in Bulgaria, with record prices and growing investor interest. Over the past 12 months, gold surged nearly 60% year-on-year, setting more than 50 new price peaks, confirming its position as one of the best-performing assets. Despite»»»

1 of 8 | Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20. File Pool photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson/UPI | License Photo Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Be»»»

GENEVA, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday that the Sudan is currently witnessing the world's largest internal displacement crisis (IDPs) with the number of IDPs reaching approximately 9.3 million people.Speaking online from (Port Sudan) during a pres»»»

Follow our Facebook page to get the latest news about Hungary! Follow our X (Twitter) page to get the latest news about Hungary! Subscribe to our Telegram channel to get the latest news about Hungary! whatsapp Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news about Hungary! EXPLORE /JOIN SER»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy Parliament Speaker Marina Ragus said on Friday Serbia was under no obligation to align with the EU foreign and security policy at this time and that 100 per cent alignment was an obligation only right before a country joined the EU. Commenting on a decision by EU member st»»»

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»»»

Kyrgyzstan ranked 41st in the global ranking of average gasoline prices, published by the analytical portal Global Petrol Prices. According to the ranking, the average price of a liter of gasoline in the country is $0,935, or approximately 81.8 soms. Over the past year, Kyrgyzstan has fallen 13 pla»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Following the Royal Commission for Riyadh City’ s announcement of the results of the electronic draw for purchasing residential land through the Real Estate Balance platform, Asharq Al-Awsat learned that some of the plots allocated to eligible beneficiaries will be sold at prices below SAR 1,500 (a»»»

US President Donald Trump has signed the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law, approving a record $901 billion in military spending while allocating $800 million in funding for Kiev over the next two years. The bill, which sets Pentagon priorities for fiscal year 2026, authoriz»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- The price of Kuwaiti oil went up by 63 cents to USD 59.55 per barrel (pb) on Thursday, compared to USD 58.92 pb the previous day, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Friday.In global markets, Brent Crude rose by 14 cents to USD 59.82 pb and West Texas Intermediat»»»

Dubai: British professionals and business owners moving to the UAE are arriving better prepared than before, with visa pathways, budgets, and timelines increasingly planned in advance. Immigration specialists say the shift reflects growing use of long-term residency options and a more strategic app»»»

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (center R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (center L) leave after their meeting in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. File Photo by Kremlin Press Office/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (Asia Today) -- North Korean media increasingly refer to Kim Jong»»»

DOHA: Qatar's retail sector in the country remained stable during the third quarter of 2025, underpinned by resilient consumer spending and continued growth in tourism, according to market insights from Cushman & Wakefield. While overall activity was steady, performance varied notably across retail»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union's sanctions against Russia have deprived France of more than half of its exports to the Russian market, Sputnik calculated on Friday, using Eurostat data. According to the figures, over the first 10 months of 2025 Paris supplied Moscow with goods and services w»»»

Nolte FZE, Germany’s leading premium kitchen brand, concludes 2025 marked by strategic growth across the Middle East and key global markets. The company strengthened its position in the UAE, advanced large-scale initiatives in Saudi Arabia, expanded its dealer and project networks, and entered new »»»

DOHA: Italian Ambassador to Qatar, H E Paolo Toschi, has praised the strong and evolving partnership between Italy and Qatar, highlighting growing cooperation in investment, innovation, and advanced technologies. The ambassador reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties and supportin»»»

Doha: President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA), H E Hamad bin Nasser Al Misnad (pictured) affirmed that the Arabic language constitutes a fundamental pillar in promoting the values of integrity and transparency and safeguarding cultural identity, adding that ethical»»»

Washington: The State of Qatar and the United States of America held a session on regional and international cooperation, as part of the seventh strategic dialogue between the two countries in Washington, DC. The Qatari side was chaired by Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr»»»

Doha: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani sent cables of congratulations to President of the Republic of Niger H E Lieutenant General Abdourahmane Tchiani on the occasion of his country’s Republic Day. Prime Minister and Minister of Forei»»»

The Ministry of Economy and Trade reported last Wednesday (17 December) that the Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohamed Al-Hwej, chaired an expanded technical meeting at the Ministry’s Tripoli headquarters, in implementation of the directives of the Prime Minister. The meeting was dedicated to prep»»»

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»»»

DOHA: Qatar has once again emerged as one of the world’s most prosperous countries, securing a prominent position in the Forbes India 2025 ranking of the richest countries in the world by GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP). The ranking, derived from data compiled by the Inter»»»

DOHA: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, has held talks with Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco, H E Abdelouafi Laftit, in Doha. During the meeting at the National Command Centre (NCC), the two»»»

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- The US army said it has killed five people in renewed airstrikes on two vessels engaged in narco-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific."On December 18, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic st»»»

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), along with its partners Eni and PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), has signed a structured financing agreement of up to 40.4 billion dirhams ($11 billion). The financing will be used to monetize future midstream gas production from the Hail and Ghasha pr»»»

Dubai: Dubai International Airport has issued a travel advisory urging passengers to plan ahead as unstable weather continues to disrupt flight operations, triggering delays, cancellations and congestion at one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques»»»