Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about contacts with President Donald Trump's envoys on US proposals for a possible Ukrainian peace deal and Moscow will now formulate its position, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeate»»»

At public hearings on Bishkek’s new master plan, representatives of the Research Institute for Advanced Urban Development (St. Petersburg), who are developing the document, presented data on the condition of the city’s historical and cultural heritage sites. According to information from state auth»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke by phone with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday about current global affairs, especially cooperation in the energy sector and advancement of strategic partnership between the two countries. "A good and substantial phone conversation »»»

BUENOSAIRES: Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates, in collaboration with Qatar’s Years of Culture, a national initiative that brings people together through cultural exchange, has released its first Latin America town hall, “How Should We Reinvent the City?” Held at Buenos Aires’ Usina del Arte, the eve»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev, who is also the Russian president's special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, has reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the results of his trip to the US, Kremlin spo»»»

Doha, Qatar: As this week wraps up, new events and activations are about to unfold this weekend that will surely have friends and families galivanting across the country. Not to mention the cool breeze that will accompany your little escapades, may it be, from the sand dunes to the beach, or from f»»»

Venezuela has accused the United States of the "greatest extortion" at an emergency session of the UN Security Council in New York. Washington's seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers was "worse than piracy," the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN said. The emergency meeting of the Security Council was»»»

Dubai: Few in the Indian entertainment industry possess Ekta Kapoor’s keen business sense. The daughter of Jitendra and TV mogul behind glossy, dramatic telenovelas knows when to disrupt, when to pivot—and crucially, when not to rock the boat. Vrusshabha marks Balaji Telefilms’ first serious stab i»»»

If you are a civilian in the mood to check out Police Desert Park – which opened earlier this month – you may not be allowed in over the weekend. In its sixth edition, the annual event held in Al Kaheef area of Al Bataah in Sharjah has decided on a gentle rule tweak. Sharjah Police announced the ch»»»

The Tripoli based Libyan Chief of General Staff of the Libyan Army, Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Haddad, and his accompanying delegation died in a plane crash near Ankara airport last night. Accompanying Al-Haddad were Lieutenant General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, Br»»»

An informed government source said that the International Monetary Fund‘s (IMF) Executive Board will convene after the New Year holidays to approve a report on the fifth and sixth reviews of Egypt’s reform program at the staff level. The source indicated that this step paves the way for the report’»»»

Bank customers and Depositors Association members hold placards during a protest organized by the 'Depositors' Outcry', a group campaigning for the rights of depositors, in Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday Customers are angry over the continued restrictions that local banks have imposed on withdrawals »»»

If there's one dish that defines Bulgarian Christmas Eve, it's bob chorba—a rich, satisfying bean soup that has warmed Bulgarian homes for centuries. Despite the fasting restrictions that prohibit meat and dairy on this special night, bob chorba proves that a meal can be both simple and incredibly »»»

The UAE Agency for International Aid has signed a cooperation agreement with International Medical Corps – UK to support the delivery of healthcare services to Sudanese people affected by the recent escalation of violence in Sudan. Under the agreement, the UAE Agency for International Aid will cont»»»

A private jet that crashed overnight, killing Libya's army chief of staff and seven others on board, had reported an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing shortly before contact was lost, a Turkish official said on Wednesday. The Dassault Falcon 50 jet, which took off from Ankara Esen»»»

The United States and Ukraine have reached a consensus on several critical issues aimed at bringing an end to the nearly four-year conflict, but sensitive issues around territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, along with the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, »»»

Washington: The US Justice Department has released tens of thousands more documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, a tranche that included multiple mentions of President Donald Trump but added little new revelatory information to the long-anticipated public file on the late financier and convicted sex»»»

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has given details of an updated peace plan that offers Russia the potential withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the east that Moscow has demanded. Giving details of the 20-point plan agreed by US and Ukrainian negotiators in Florida at the weekend, Zelensky sa»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Baikal light-engine multipurpose aircraft has made its first flight with the domestically produced VK-800 engine and AV-901 propeller, the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry said on Wednesday. "The LMS-901 Baikal aircraft is making its first flight with a domestically p»»»

A private jet that crashed overnight, killing Libya's army chief of staff and seven others on board, had reported an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing shortly before contact was lost, a Turkish official said on Wednesday. The Dassault Falcon 50 jet, which took off from Ankara Esen»»»

Speaking in Parliament about the development of the aviation industry, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev noted that airports are actively acquiring aircraft with their own funds. According to him, three aircraft have already been purchased for 2,385 billion soms.»»»

Damascus, Dec. 24 (SANA) Syria expressed its sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to Libya following the death of Libyan Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Gen. Mohammed al-Haddad, and members of his accompanying delegation in a military plane crash in Turkey, according to a statement issued»»»

Delivering world-class medical services to the highest global standards, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has inaugurated the first international facility of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute outside the United States, as part of a strategic partnership announced by the Government of Abu Dhabi wi»»»

Twelve people suspected of belonging to a criminal group that sold drugs at a private school in the northern suburbs of Athens have been remanded in custody following their testimony before an investigating magistrate. Among the suspects are six minors. The investigating magistrate began hearing te»»»

The Jewish settler outpost of Or Meir is small. A handful of prefabricated white shelters, it sits at the end of a short dirt track on a hill leading up from Road 60, a major route that dissects the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Over time, similar modest dwellings have turned into sprawling Israeli h»»»

There's something magical about sodena pitka, the traditional Bulgarian bread that graces tables on Christmas Eve. This round, golden loaf carries centuries of tradition in every bite, and the best part? You don't need to be an experienced baker to make it. The recipe is surprisingly straightforwar»»»

Dubai: A Beechcraft Super King Air 200 autolanded itself Tuesday at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport after a rapid loss of cabin pressure, marking the first full real-world use of Garmin's Autoland system from takeoff to shutdown. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's economy has turned to the East, and about 87% of trade is carried out with non-Western countries, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said on Wednesday. "There is a shift in the [Russian] economy towards the East, towards the Global South, towards emerging mark»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor ADQ has closed a $5 billion syndicated financing deal with Asian financial institutions, marking its first borrowing in the Greater China region and drawing demand more than three times the initial target. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheq»»»

Doha, Qatar: “Working with sourdough teaches you to listen,” goes a popular quote by American baker and educator Peter Reinhart. This is probably why expat baker and the Managing Director of Bloom Bakehouse, formerly Bakemart Qatar, T K Khaleel, sitting in his Qatar office speaks sparingly. A perso»»»

Fifty-two residents of a Ukrainian village have been taken to Russia by invading forces in a cross-border raid on the village of Hrabovske, authorities in Kyiv say. Thirteen Ukrainian soldiers were also captured in the border village in the northeastern Sumy region. The attack occurred at night on »»»

A fire broke out in a central bank branch in Gorna Oryahovitsa after banknotes contaminated with mothballs ignited, destroying around 30,000 leva, while another 170,000 leva stored in the vault remained intact. The incident happened late on Tuesday afternoon. An elderly man went to the bank to depo»»»

They’ve done it! It took three years to develop but now, a new ‘quick-release’ system has been designed in the UK that will help hijab-wearing police officers in their line of duty. BBC has reported that the new headwear, which takes both modesty and practicality into account, was designed by resea»»»

Dubai: A digital creator behind the viral Emirates Dubai Air Hotel video that fooled millions has spoken out about how news outlets transformed his AI-generated concept into a real project proposal with fabricated price tags and specifications that never existed in his original post. On Sunday, Gul»»»

Every time you think the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor story must have finished, there is another twist. The latest batch of documents from the Epstein files includes emails that could further damage his reputation. Or perhaps his reputation is already at rock bottom and this will only reinforce exist»»»

An email sent from an individual named "A", saying they are at Balmoral and asking Ghislaine Maxwell for "inappropriate friends", is among the latest tranche of Epstein files released on Tuesday. The message, sent to Maxwell on 16 August 2001, begins: "I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the R»»»

New York, Dec. 24 (SANA) The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Wednesday that humanitarian needs across Syria “remain severe,” with 16.5 million people, nearly two-thirds of the population, still requiring assistance. The UN News website quoted OCHA as s»»»

Spokesperson of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Tuesday that his country’s naval, ground, and missile forces are ready to confront any threat or hostile scenario. Speaking at a meeting at Sharif University, Shekarchi said much of Iran’s military capabilities ha»»»

Skopje, 22 December 2025 (MIA) – Construction of energy facilities with a total capacity of 1,265 MW is planned for 2025, representing about €1.4 billion in investments, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Sanja Bozhinovska said Monday. As Bozhinovska informed during a briefing with jo»»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want to engage in a direct conflict with NATO, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said. NATO chief Mark Rutte claimed earlier this month that “we are Russia’s next target” once the Ukraine conflict ends. He suggested that Moscow “could be ready to »»»

Dubai: Father Christmas is making his annual dash around the world, and Flightradar24’s live tracker has him locked in. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.According to a festive version of global flight monitoring, Santa 1 — aircraft type: Sleigh — departed the North Pole»»»

Dubai: British buyers arriving in the UAE property market often bring expectations shaped by the UK’s predictable mortgage system, slower price cycles and uniform ownership structures. Those assumptions can lead to costly mistakes when they try to move quickly in a market that functions differently»»»

If you've never experienced Бъдни вечер (Badni vecher) in Bulgaria, you're missing out on one of the most beautiful and meaningful celebrations in Bulgarian culture. First things first: Christmas Eve in Bulgaria is a fasting day. But don't worry, this doesn't mean you'll go hungry. Quite the opposi»»»

The Bishkek Electric Networks Company has warned residents of the capital about a mass remote disconnection of consumers with outstanding electricity debts. According to the company, on December 25, the automated metering and control system will automatically disconnect more than 6,000 consumers. T»»»

Haymana, Turkiye: Turkish authorities found voice recorder and black box from a private jet early on Wednesday that crashed shortly after it took off from the capital Ankara, killing the head of Libya's armed forces and his four aides. The Falcon 50 aircraft requested an emergency landing because o»»»

Doha, Qatar: QIIB organised a Health Day for its employees at the Bank’s headquarters, in cooperation with Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), as part of the ongoing collaboration between the two sides. The event aimed to raise awareness about common illnesses, particularly daily health concerns, an»»»

The Ajman Federal Court of First Instance has sentenced a 36-year-old Arab TikToker woman to six months in prison, followed by deportation, after convicting her of publicly insulting another individual during a TikTok live stream. Court verdictOn December 18, 2025, the court found the Arab TikToker»»»

After the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad, Israel supported Druze fighters in the south, in an effort to weaken Syria’s new government under the rule of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and thus complicate his efforts to unify the country after its long civil war, according to a Washington Post»»»

China said on ​Wednesday that it opposed the United States' "indiscriminate use of tariffs" and "unreasonable suppression" of ‌Chinese ‌industries ‌when ⁠asked about ​Washington's ‌plan to impose tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports. China urges the US ⁠to correct its "wrong ‌practices", and wi»»»

New Delhi, India: India's space agency launched its heaviest ever payload on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the deployment "a significant stride" for the space sector. The LVM3-M6 rocket launched the US-built AST SpaceMobile communications satellite into low-Earth orbit. The I»»»