These 11 luxury hotels opening in 2026 are worth watching
Dubai: The definition of “luxury travel” is changing. As hotels by big-name interior designers with outposts of renowned restaurants get copy-pasted all around the world, they’re coming off as overly predictable and even cookie-cutter. With demand at the top end of the luxury travel market higher t»»»
Oreshnik Deployed in Belarus Can Carry Nuclear, Conventional Warheads
MINSK (Sputnik) - The Oreshnik missile system deployed in Belarus can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Friday. "The Oreshnik system is deployed on our territory... Everyone online has witnessed the system's capabilities. It can be used»»»
Hooked on the claw: how crane games conquered Japan's arcades
Tokyo: As school and work wrap up, crowds fill Tokyo's many bustling arcade halls -- not to battle it out in fighting games, but to snag plush toys from claw machines. In one of these gaming hubs in the Japanese capital's Ikebukuro district, aisles of crane games stretch as far as the eye can see. »»»
Bulgaria's 2025 in Review: Mass Protests Take Down Government as Country Prepares for Eurozone Entry
Bulgaria’s political year 2025 will be remembered for the election of a regular government that resigned after 11 months in office amid mass protests, as well as for preparations for the country’s entry into the eurozone. Following a series of snap parliamentary elections, on January 16 the governm»»»
Israel Army Says Striking Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon
The Israeli military announced a series of strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Friday, including weapons depots and a training complex. "A number of weapons storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure sites were struck, which were used by Hezbollah to advance terror attacks against the s»»»
Aoun: Specter of war has moved away
President Joseph Aoun announced Thursday that the Lebanese state will continue with its arms monopolization plan. "The decision has been taken while implementation depends on the circumstances," Aoun told reporters in Bkirki after taking part in Christmas Day Mass. He was answering a question about»»»
Inside Chernobyl, Ukraine scrambles to repair radiation shield
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine: Inside an abandoned control room at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a worker in an orange hardhat gazed at a grey wall of seemingly endless dials, screens and gauges that were supposed to prevent disaster. The 1986 meltdown at the site was the world'»»»
US launches Christmas Day strikes on IS targets in Nigeria
Palm Beach, United States: President Donald Trump said US forces conducted "powerful and deadly" strikes Thursday against Islamic State group militants in northwestern Nigeria, weeks after he warned against any systemic assault on Christians in the country. The Nigerian foreign ministry early Frida»»»
Dubai NYE 2026: Massive celebrations with roads, Metro and fireworks plan
Dubai authorities have confirmed the full readiness of the security and operational plan for New Year’s Eve 2026 celebrations, ensuring public safety, smooth mobility, and seamless services across all major celebration sites. Also Read: NYE in Dubai: RTA announces road closures, Metro goes 43 hours»»»
Hooked on the Claw: How Crane Games Conquered Japan’s Arcades
As school and work wrap up, crowds fill Tokyo's many bustling arcade halls -- not to battle it out in fighting games, but to snag plush toys from claw machines. In one of these gaming hubs in the Japanese capital's Ikebukuro district, aisles of crane games stretch as far as the eye can see. The cro»»»
Yes, Bulgaria Party Co-Chairs Pay Tribute to Dignity, Pain of Bulgarians of Turkish Origin
Yes, Bulgaria party Co-Chairs Bozhidar Bozhanov and Ivaylo Mirchev paid tribute Friday at the Turkan fountain (South Bulgaria) to the victims of the so-called "Revival Process", which aimed to assimilate the country's Muslim minority by forcing 720,000 - 820,000 ethnic Turks and 180,000-250, 000 Mu»»»
Gaza: Israeli occupation forces detonate explosive-laden robots between residential homes east of Al-Tuffah neighborhood - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Gaza: Israeli occupation forces detonate explosive-laden robots between residential homes east of Al-Tuffah neighborhood 26-12-2025 08:45 A»»»
‘Israel’ Continues Attacks on Gaza with Shelling, Airstrikes, Demolitions
Israeli occupation forces committed ten new violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip since early Friday, local sources reported, further destabilizing the tenuous pause in the genocidal war. The violations included targeted demolitions and aerial attacks across the territory. In Gaza»»»
Bulgaria's 2025 in Review: Mass Protest Take Down Government as Country Prepares for Eurozone Entry
Bulgaria’s political year 2025 will be remembered for the election of a regular government that resigned after 11 months in office amid mass protests, as well as for preparations for the country’s entry into the eurozone. Following a series of snap parliamentary elections, on January 16 the governm»»»
Inside Chernobyl, Ukraine Scrambles to Repair Radiation Shield
Inside an abandoned control room at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a worker in an orange hardhat gazed at a grey wall of seemingly endless dials, screens and gauges that were supposed to prevent disaster. The 1986 meltdown at the site was the world's worst ever nuclear incident. Since Rus»»»
QU showcases Undergraduate Capstone Research in nutrition and dietetics
Doha, Qatar: The Department of Nutrition Sciences at the College of Health Sciences at Qatar University (QU) hosted the BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics Undergraduate Capstone Research Projects and Presentations, highlighting nine research projects completed by senior undergraduate students under the»»»
MCIT participates in event marking Italian Republic Children’s Day
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), through its Studio5 initiative, participated, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy to the State of Qatar and Qatar Reads, in marking Italian Republic Children’s Day through a special event titled Winter and Tech Da»»»
Al Sadd down Al Gharafa; Al Rayyan beat Al Arabi
Doha, Qatar: The Al Gharafa Hall witnessed an exciting and competitive evening yesterday as part of the matches in the second division of the Qatar General Basketball League for the 2025-2026 season. Both Al Sadd and Al Rayyan continued their strong performances, securing important victories agains»»»
Lebanon Says 3 Dead in Israeli Strikes
Lebanon said Israeli strikes near the Syrian border and in the country's south killed three people on Thursday, as Israel said it targeted a member of Iran's elite Quds Force and a Hezbollah operative. Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities betwee»»»
Turkey detains dozens of IS suspects planning attacks on Christmas and New Year celebrations
Istanbul police launched scores of simultaneous raids on Thursday, detaining over a hundred suspected members of the militant Islamic State group who were allegedly planning attacks against Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, authorities said. A statement from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecuto»»»
Trump says US launched 'numerous' deadly strikes on Daesh in Nigeria
The United States has carried out a military strike against Daesh (ISIS) militants in north-west Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, according to statements from US President Donald Trump and the US military. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump confirmed that th»»»
Leaders Al Gharafa aim to maintain momentum as QSL resumes
Doha, Qatar: Table-toppers Al Gharafa will look to continue their fine run in the Qatar Stars League (QSL) when they face Al Shahania tomorrow, as the top flight resumes following a break of over a month. Pedro Martins’ side secured a four-point lead at the top of the table before the league pause,»»»
US Carried Out 'Deadly Strike' on ISIS Targets in Northwest Nigeria — Trump
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said the United States launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against what he described as ISIS* targets in northwest Nigeria. "Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terroris»»»
Carlsen eyes titles as World Rapid and Blitz Championships get underway
Doha, Qatar: Chess maestro Magnus Carlsen made his intentions clear ahead of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships Qatar 2025, noting that he is in Doha to sweep the titles. During a pre-event press conference held in Lusail yesterday, the Norwegian five-time World Chess Champion, five-time »»»
US launches deadly strikes against Islamic State in Nigeria, says Trump
President Donald Trump has said the US launched a "powerful and deadly strike" against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria. The US leader described IS as " terrorist scum", accusing the group of "targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians". Trump said the US m»»»
Russian Soyuz-2.1a launches from Plesetsk — Defense Ministry
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia’s Aerospace Forces launched a Soyuz-2.1a medium-class carrier rocket with a Defense Ministry spacecraft from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia’s Arkhangelsk region on December 25, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the launch»»»
Volleyball players from Kyrgyzstan win tournament in the Maldives - | 24.KG
The women’s volleyball team of Kyrgyzstan participated in an international tournament in the Maldives. The Volleyball Federation reported on social media. Yesterday, the team defeated the Maldives team 3-1 in the final. Previously, the Kyrgyz athletes defeated their opponents from Bangladesh and Af»»»
California declares state of emergency as Christmas storms threaten flash floods
California declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and several other locations in the southern part of the state on Wednesday as one of the worst Christmas storms in recent memory brought heavy rain and fears of flashing flooding. Rain from a powerful winter storm that swept across Southern Ca»»»
North American air defense tracks Santa's sleigh around the world for a 70th year
The joint US-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command headquartered in Colorado tracked Santa's Yuletide sleigh ride overnight for a 70th year. Santa Claus drove his reindeer-powered sleigh over rooftops around the world beginning on Wednesday, delivering gifts to mi»»»
UK, Canada, Germany and others condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement expansion
The UK, Canada, Germany and several other countries on Wednesday condemned Israel’s decision to approve 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the move violated international law and risked fuelling further instability, and calling on the Israeli government to reverse the decision. Fo»»»
'Symbol of hope': Exiled Bangladesh opposition leader and PM hopeful Rahman returns ahead of polls
Bangladesh opposition leader Tarique Rahman returned home on Thursday after 17 years in exile, welcomed by huge crowds. The aspiring prime minister positioned himself for February’s elections, promising safety, justice and unity after months of political unrest. Aspiring prime minister and politica»»»
French Christmas traditions: festivities that continue well into the New Year
Christmas in France would not be complete without free-flowing champagne, oysters or a bûche de Noël. And the French holiday season is longer than most – stretching into the New Year with Epiphany (January 6) and its traditional galettes des rois (king cake) into February with Chande»»»
Pope speaks of Gaza's suffering, urges direct talks on Ukraine war in first Christmas blessing
Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from Vatican City on Thursday, at the end of a year overshadowed by conflict around the world, urging Ukraine and Russia to find the 'courage' to hold direct peace talks and speaking of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Pope »»»
Kyrgyzstan to host Ice Hockey World Junior Championship - | 24.KG
The Ice Hockey World Junior Championship will be held in Kyrgyzstan. The Hockey Federation of Kyrgyzstan reported. The competition is scheduled for Bishkek for Division 3B junior teams, made up of players under the age of 20. The tournament will be held on the ice rink of the new Bishkek Arena on J»»»
Nature in focus: 2025’s most striking moments from the wild
Dubai: From the tiniest hatchling to the planet’s largest predators, 2025 delivered some of the most powerful images ever captured of animals and the natural world. These photographs go beyond visual beauty, offering quiet but urgent reminders of how fragile life on Earth has become — and how resil»»»
‘Merry Christmas to all’: Trump says US launched ‘deadly’ strikes on ISIS targets in Nigeria
Palm Beach: President Donald Trump said US forces conducted "powerful and deadly" strikes Thursday against ISIS militants in northwestern Nigeria, after he warned the group to stop killing Christians in the country. The Department of Defense said "multiple terrorists" were killed in an attack condu»»»
Winter storm could affect post-Christmas travel in the Northeast U.S. - UPI.com
A winter storm bearing down on New York City and the Tri-State area could make road travel dangerous for those returning from holiday destinations on Friday and Saturday. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo Dec. 25 (UPI) -- A winter storm could make road travel dangerous and disrupt a»»»
Indonesians raise white flags as anger grows over slow flood aid
For weeks now, angry and distressed residents in Indonesia's westernmost province have been raising white flags over, the state's slow response to a series of deadly floods. Triggered by a rare cyclone in November, the deluge killed more than 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands across »»»
MoM launches National Smart Hygiene Award
QNA Doha The Ministry of Municipality (MoM), represented by the Public Hygiene Department, on Thursday announced the launch of the “National Smart Hygiene Award,” the first of its kind this year, as part of its efforts to promote innovation and develop the public hygiene sector using modern technol»»»
Qatar launches spring holiday activity centers to promote students’ skills
QNA Doha The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has launched a series of seasonal student activity centers as part of its spring holiday programme for 2025. The initiative, which runs until December 31, aims to help students make productive use of their school break by developing sk»»»
Turkish police arrest 115 ISIS members to thwart Christmas, New Year attacks - UPI.com
Istanbul officials on Thursday announced they detained 115 suspected members of ISIS who were planning terror attacks in Turkey aimed at mostly non-Muslim people at Christmas and New Year events, such as the Christmas mass at Saint Antuan Church pictured in 2022. File Photo by Erdem Sahin/EPA Dec. »»»
Gaza, Nord Stream and Kiev’s golden toilets: Top stories of 2025 the West wants you to forget
2025 has yielded some extraordinary own goals that have exposed the posturing of Western politicians and left the EU isolated, irrelevant, and alone, pursuing policies contrary to self-interest. Unwelcome stories often cling to reality, like an alien to John Hurt’s face. And just as the notorious s»»»
Israeli drones fly at low altitude over Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh) - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli drones fly at low altitude over Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh) 25-12-2025 20:03 PM Latest News Urgent News Al-Manar corresponde»»»
Abu Dhabi launches indoor air monitoring system to track pollution in buildings
Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) has launched a new Indoor Air Quality Observatory, known as HawAQM, to closely monitor air quality inside buildings across the emirate. The initiative is a key project under ADPHC’s public health strategy and aims to improve living, learning and»»»
Al-Manar correspondent: An Israeli Merkava tank, positioned at a newly established site on Mount Blat, launches shells directly between Marwahin and Um Al-Tut, southern Lebanon - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar correspondent: An Israeli Merkava tank, positioned at a newly established site on Mount Blat, launches shells directly between Mar»»»
Lebanon Says 3 Dead in Israeli Strikes
Lebanon said Israeli strikes near the Syrian border and in the country's south killed three people on Thursday, as Israel said it targeted a member of Iran's elite Quds Force and a Hezbollah operative. Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities betwee»»»
Syrian security forces arrest the head of an ISIS-affiliated terrorist cell in Damascus countryside: reports - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Syrian security forces arrest the head of an ISIS-affiliated terrorist cell in Damascus countryside: reports 25-12-2025 19:05 PM Latest New»»»