Singapore: Facebook owner Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, an artificial intelligence agent created by a company founded in China but now based in Singapore, the two firms said. Exceeding the capabilities of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, AI agents can autonomously perform complex tasks for users, and »»»

More than 350 suspected Islamic State group (IS) members have been detained as part of nationwide police operations in Turkey. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 357 suspects were apprehended across 21 provinces in coordinated raids on Tuesday morning. It comes just a day after three police offic»»»

Dubai: From midnight fireworks in Dubai to beach parties in Miami and once-in-a-lifetime safaris in Kenya, New Year’s Eve is celebrated very differently around the world. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.For UAE travellers planning a very last-minute year-end escape, he»»»

The upcoming adoption of the euro as the national currency in Bulgaria from the beginning of 2026 dominates the news media on Tuesday. Many outlets carry articles with practical tips to help people through the transition, or recall the key steps Bulgaria took to join the eurozone. TRANSITION TO EUR»»»

Dubai: From sky-high records to global recognition, the UAE has wrapped up 2025 with a string of impressive milestones. The nation has cemented its position as a world leader in hospitality, innovation, infrastructure, and humanitarian efforts. Whether breaking Guinness World Records, leading in ar»»»

Dubai: As the new year dawns, UAE residents are setting meaningful intentions for 2026, with a clear focus on health, family connections and self-care. Residents are prioritising what truly matters after reflecting on the year gone by. Muhammed Ridwan, an Al Ain resident, said he is looking forward»»»

Russian officials have denounced a Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s state residence as an act of “state terrorism,” saying it sought to sabotage ongoing peace efforts between Moscow and Washington. Moscow revealed late on Monday that the Ukrainian military had fired a barrage of»»»

The United Arab Emirates and Nicaragua have strongly condemned the attempted Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack targeting the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kiev launched 91 long-range strike drones at Putin’s state residence in Novgorod Region on the night of December 28-29, Russian F»»»

A man died Tuesday morning after being struck by a suburban train (Proastiakos) in Ano Liosia, western Athens, authorities said. The Hellenic Train operator said the man, reportedly around 50, attempted to cross the tracks in a closed and fenced section near Liosion railway station. Emergency crews»»»

The government in 2025 worked like a programme-based cabinet despite appearing political, outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on Tuesday at the start of the cabinet’s last meeting of the year. Zhelyazkov described the year as dynamic, complex and important on the geopolitical, European an»»»

Damascus, Dec.30 (SANA) Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra met in Damascus with Major General Patrick Gauchat, Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)and the accompanying delegation.During the meeting, the two sides discussed mission-related »»»

Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has entered active service, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Tuesday, as negotiators continue to search for a breakthrough in peace talks to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Troops held a brief ceremony to mark the occasion in neighboring Belarus where »»»

Seoul: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will visit China from Sunday to meet counterpart Xi Jinping and deepen cooperation, Seoul and Beijing said. Lee and Xi last met in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. Lee's visit will be the first by a South »»»

Dubai: Rumours about Samsung's next foldable are starting to surface, and they suggest some changes are coming with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Leaked information from Mirror Pro's YouTube channel and reports from ET News and Demon's Tech point to both design shifts and technical upgrades that could addre»»»

Hamas on Monday confirmed that its longtime spokesman was killed following an Israeli strike in August in war-torn Gaza, the first time the Palestinian militant group publicly acknowledged the death of one of its more prominent figures. The confirmation comes months after Israel said on Aug. 31 tha»»»

Dubai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it had seized five luxury cars, bank lockers, cash worth ₹17 lakh, digital devices, documents and other data linked to Rao Inderjeet Yadav, a wanted criminal now reportedly abroad, and his associates, according to Indian media reports. The seiz»»»

Turkish police detained 357 suspects in a nationwide operation against the ISIS group on Tuesday, the interior minister said, a day after three police officers and six militants were killed in a gunfight in northwest Türkiye. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said authorities carried out raids in 21 »»»

A suspect in domestic violence has been detained in Chui region of Kyrgyzstan. The press service of the Main Internal Affairs Department of the region reported. It was reported that I.A., 49, filed a complaint with the Tokmok police. She asked to take actions against her son, I.S., 33, stating that»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) visited a factory producing a multiple rocket launcher system, which he described as capable of "annihilating the enemy" through precise and devastating strikes, state media reported Tuesday. Photo by KCNA/EPA SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong »»»

The Romanian and CEE startup ecosystems are set to grow in 2026 following two years of structural changes in the way capital was formed and deployed in the region. Going forward, funds will be looking to startups working on AI-driven B2B software, cybersecurity, and dual-use technology, as well as »»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has toured a factory making new multiple rocket launchers that could target the South, touting their ability to "annihilate the enemy" in a concentrated attack, state media reported Tuesday. The country is still technically at war with the South and "saturation" stri»»»

In an interview for BTA, psychotherapist Neli Lesser said that young and aware people will adapt more easily to the transition from the lev to the euro, as leaving one's comfort zone leads to fears. Asked why Bulgarians are concerned about the introduction of the euro, Lesser said that the Bulgaria»»»

Dubai: Four people were killed and nine others injured after a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus reversed into pedestrians in Mumbai’s Bhandup area late Monday night, Indian media said. The accident occurred around 10pm near Bhandup West railway station, when the bus allegedly l»»»

The French government on Tuesday postponed a ban on plastic throwaway cups by four years to 2030 because of difficulties finding alternatives. The ban was meant to start on January 1. But the ministry for ecological transition said the "technical feasibility of eliminating plastic from cups" follow»»»

Ras Al Khaimah Police have issued a public safety advisory urging residents and visitors to exercise caution as strong winds and unstable weather conditions affect the emirate. Authorities advised the public to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, warning that high winds can pose serious risks. Th»»»

Dubai: Dubai will introduce paid parking in International City from February 1, 2026, according to notices displayed across the community. Signboards installed by Parkin state: “Attention: Paid parking tariffs will apply in International City starting from 01 February 2026.” Parking charges will ap»»»

Content warning: this article includes details about the impact of conflict on children in war zones and descriptions of injuries that some readers may find distressing. The first thing was that Abdelrahman's dad was killed. The family home was struck by an Israeli air strike. The boy's mum, Asma a»»»

DOHA: Qatari Diar Egypt, announced the award of one of the main construction packages for the CityGate New Cairo project to Concrete Plus, one of Egypt’s leading construction and engineering companies. This award comes as part of Qatari Diar’s strategy to accelerate construction progress on one of »»»

Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen's port city of Mukalla on Tuesday over what it described as a shipment of weapons for a separatist force there that arrived from the United Arab Emirates. The kingdom later directly linked the UAE to the separatists' recent advances in Yemen and warned Abu Dhabi its action»»»

Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen's port city of Mukalla on Tuesday over what it described as a shipment of weapons for a separatist force there that arrived from the United Arab Emirates. The kingdom later directly linked the UAE to the separatists' recent advances in Yemen and warned Abu Dhabi its action»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Speaking at a news conference with Netanyahu in Florida, Trump threatened to "erad»»»

Facebook owner Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, an artificial intelligence agent created by a company founded in China but now based in Singapore, the two firms said. However, analysts warned the deal could fall foul of regulators at a time of fierce technological rivalry between Washington and Be»»»

The United States hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuela drug boats, President Donald Trump said Monday, in what could amount to the first land strike of the military campaign against trafficking from Latin America. The US leader's confirmation of the incident comes as he ramps up a»»»

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has launched a review into what she calls "serious information failures" in the case of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El Fattah. In a letter to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Cooper said she, Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy "were al»»»

Dubai: From nostalgia-fuelled sequels to bold reboots and emotionally charged dramas, 2025 proved that cinema is far from predictable. Hollywood leaned heavily into legacy franchises and visual spectacle, whilst Bollywood balanced heart, history and reinvention. Whether you watched them for the thr»»»

A Dubai civil court has ordered a private hospital and four of its doctors to pay Dh2 million in compensation to the husband and two children of a Gulf woman who died during childbirth, after finding they committed a gross medical error that led directly to her death. The ruling follows a final cri»»»

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Ukraine had launched an attack on the Russian presidential residence in the Novgorod Region. Following the attack on Putin's residence carried out by Ukraine, global leaders have condemned the Ukrainian assault.PakistanPakistan believes th»»»

Doha: Indian Grand Master Arjun Erigaisi produced one of the standout moments of the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship 2025 in Doha yesterday, defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen to climb to the top of the standings. In yesterday’s ninth game, Erigaisi outplayed the Norwegian eight-time World Bl»»»

Public transport in Plovdiv will be free during the final hours of 2025 and throughout January 1, 2026, as part of a New Year initiative approved by the Municipal Council. Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov announced the measure during the council session, explaining that it is intended to ease access to the »»»

NEW YORK — Wall Street stocks edged higher early Friday, pushing major indices further into record territory as markets eyed a benign finale to the 2025 trading season.Trading volumes were expected to be light following Thursday's Christmas holiday. Stocks often rise in the peak festive period, som»»»

DOHA: Qatar National Library (QNL) kicks off 2026 with an engaging lineup of programmes designed to inspire learners of all ages, support personal and professional growth, and bring the community together through culture and creativity. Serving as a vibrant hub for lifelong learning and dialogue, Q»»»

Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said. It was also the first time that the three-year temperature average broke through the threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement of limiting warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 »»»

Precious metals extended losses Tuesday on profit-taking after hitting recent records, while equities fluctuated in quiet trade as investors wound down ahead of the New Year break. Traders were taking it easy in the last few days of 2025 following a stellar 12 months that have seen tech firms push »»»

DOHA: Doha took centre stage in global diplomacy, innovation, and development throughout 2025 as Qatar hosted an unprecedented series of high-profile international conferences and forums, reinforcing its position as a key global convener of dialogue on the most pressing issues of the 21st century. »»»

Iran's president urged his government to listen to the "legitimate demands" of protesters, state media reported Tuesday, after several days of demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran over economic hardships. Shopkeepers in the capital had shut their stores for the second day in a row on Monday, aft»»»

UN ambassadors criticised Israel during an emergency Security Council meeting on Monday, condemning its unilateral recognition of Somaliland as a violation of sovereignty and international law. Several delegates called the move morally reprehensible and rejected any proposal to relocate Palestinian»»»

Yemeni Defense Minister Mohsen Mohammed al-Daeri welcomed on Monday Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman's message to the Yemeni people in which he called on the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to withdraw its forced from the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra governorates. He said the message »»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited one of the country’s leading defense industrial enterprises, where he reviewed the production of cutting-edge multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) that are soon to enter service with the main combat units of the Korean People’s Army, KCNA reports. Kim was ac»»»

Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa unveiled on Monday new banknotes replacing those showing ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and his family, hoping the Syrian pound can regain some of the value lost to over a decade of war. Improving the standing of the Syrian pound is among the greatest challenges for Syri»»»

US President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Speaking at a news conference with Netanyahu in Florida, Trump threatened to "eradic»»»