Eurostar says Channel Tunnel service to resume after power issue sparks travel chaos
Eurostar will resume full service Wednesday after a power glitch left crowds of travellers stranded on either end of the Channel Tunnel, the service said in a statement. Eurostar has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel that connects France and the UK since it first launched in »»»
MH370 search resumes in Indian Ocean nearly 12 years after plane's disappearance
Nearly 12 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished with 239 people on board, a renewed search has begun in the remote southern Indian Ocean, as investigators deploy advanced deep-sea technology in a fresh bid to solve one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries. Nearly 12 years after Malay»»»
Shavkat Mirziyoyev wishes Sadyr Japarov, people of Kyrgyzstan Happy New Year - | 24.KG
Leader of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev wished the head of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, and the people of the republic a Happy New Year. The presidential press service reported. «In the outgoing year, through shared aspirations and joint efforts, we have achieved the dynamic development of good-neigh»»»
Dubai investor loses Dh1 million in crypto scam; court upholds jail term
The Dubai Court of Appeal has upheld a lower court ruling sentencing two Asian men to three months in prison and ordering them to jointly repay Dh1.098 million, after convicting them of defrauding a European investor in a sham cryptocurrency transaction. The court also ordered their deportation aft»»»
Shah Rukh Khan arrives in Dubai for grand 8-day NYE celebrations in Burj Khalifa
Dubai: Shah Rukh Khan has arrived in Dubai, with videos circulating across social media showing the Bollywood superstar around town just in time for the city's most anticipated New Year's Eve event. His presence adds an extra layer of excitement to what's already shaping up to be one of Dubai's gra»»»
India Overtakes Japan as World's 4th Largest Economy
India has overtaken Japan as the world’s fourth largest economy and officials hope to pass Germany within three years, the government’s end-of-year economic review revealed. Official confirmation, however, depends on data due in 2026 when final annual gross domestic product figures are released, wi»»»
Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices, cites ‘crazy’ demand
Dubai: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (pictured) yesterday defended controversial ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, revealing that organisers had received a record 150 million requests for tickets in the past two weeks. Speaking at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Infantino stressed that all »»»
Indonesia Raises Alert for Mount Bur Ni Telong Volcano after Spike of Activity
Indonesian authorities have raised the alert level for the Mount Bur Ni Telong volcano in the country’s westernmost province of Aceh to its second highest following a series of increased activity and volcanic earthquakes, official said Wednesday. The 2,624-meter (8,600-foot) stratovolcano in Aceh's»»»
Bulgarian Village Faces Euro Transition Challenges Without Basic Services
As Bulgaria adopts the euro, small settlements lacking post offices, ATMs, and other essential services face a particularly difficult transition. One such place is the village of Emen in Veliko Tarnovo region, home to roughly twenty elderly residents. Emen lacks public transport, a post office, and»»»
Tehran shopkeepers shut stores over economic conditions
TEHRAN — Some shopkeepers in Tehran shut their stores for the second day in a row Monday in protest against economic hardships and sharp swings in Iran's embattled currency, media reports said.The rial has hit new lows on the unofficial market, with the US dollar trading at around 1.42 million rial»»»
Ukraine in Scramble to Fix Diplomatic Storm After Drone Attack on Putin’s Residence
Once Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry, among other countries, denounced the “deplorable attack” on the Russian President's residence, Ukraine has been scrambling to contain the “diplomatic fallout,” writes t»»»
Kerala expat in Dubai wins Dh100,000 Big Ticket prize after 8 years of trying: ‘I thought it was a prank!’
Ajay Kumar waited nearly eight years for that life-changing call and when it finally came, it was from the unmistakable voice of Big Ticket host Richard. Kumar, a finance analyst from Kerala who has called Dubai home for 17 years, won Dh100,000 in the Big Ticket e-draw, sending his excitement soari»»»
Shah Rukh Khan arrives in Dubai for grand 8-day NYE celebrations in Burj Khalifa
Dubai: Shah Rukh Khan has arrived in Dubai, with videos circulating across social media showing the Bollywood superstar around town just in time for the city's most anticipated New Year's Eve event. His presence adds an extra layer of excitement to what's already shaping up to be one of Dubai's gra»»»
Qatar’s net wealth hit record high reaching $765bn in 2024
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s financial wealth grew by 4.1% between 2023 to 2024, rising from $408bn to $424bn. Real assets declined by 6% in 2024, reaching $394bn, with projected growth to $434bn by 2029. Liabilities rose by 1.8%, from $52bn to $53bn. The Global Wealth Report 2025: Rethinking the Rules for»»»
Regional Temperature Records Broken Across the World in 2025
Central Asia, the Sahel region and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European Copernicus program. Globally, the last 12 months are expected to be the third hottest ever recorded after 2024 and 2023, according to the pr»»»
National Bank lays legal foundation for transition to digital som in 2025 - | 24.KG
In 2025, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan strengthened financial protection for citizens and laid the legal foundation for the transition to digital som. Melis Turgunbaev, the National Bank Chairman, posted on Facebook, summing up the results. He also noted the introduction of a self-ban procedure f»»»
MoCI participates in ‘Little Employee’ initiative
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) participated in the “Little Employee” initiative in cooperation with the Qatar Career Development Center, hosting 50 children of its employees at the Ministry’s headquarters. The initiative aims to give children the opportunity to spend an i»»»
New Evidence Bolsters Theory of Mossad Role in Abduction of Retired Lebanese Officer
A growing body of evidence from Lebanese security and judicial investigations is strengthening suspicions that Israel’s Mossad intelligence service orchestrated the luring and abduction of retired General Security captain Ahmed Shukr, whose disappearance nearly two weeks ago has raised alarm within»»»
Qatar Society of Engineers launches programme to promote voluntary work
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Society of Engineers (QSE) yesterday launched the ‘Engineers Without Borders’ programme, the first of its kind in Qatar, and inaugurated its official website. Chairperson of the Board of Directors of QSE, Eng. Amna Mohammed Al Naama, said the programme is one of QSE’s flagshi»»»
Will the Gaza ceasefire make it to phase two?
US President Donald Trump warmly greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida this week as the two leaders put on a public display of unity on multiple fronts—from Gaza to Iran to Netanyahu’s legal and political challenges at home. This meeting came after week»»»
US’ Caribbean Show of Force Comes With Hefty Price Tag
The US could face serious problems sustaining a strike group deployed in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, notes the New York Times. One potential challenge for the Trump administration is reportedly the cost of maintaining a massive military presence in the area.The aircraft c»»»
More than 500 workers at Mailuu-Suu Lamp Plant sent on unpaid leave - | 24.KG
More than 500 employees of Mailuu-Suu Lamp Plant are being sent on unpaid leave, the office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in Jalal-Abad region reported. Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative Nurlan Ermatov met with the plant’s workforce and management to discuss the current sit»»»
Chinese leasing firm CALC orders 30 Airbus A320neo planes
PARIS — China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) and Airbus said Tuesday that the Hong Kong-listed firm had placed an order for 30 A320neo family aircraft.The firm order, the fifth that CALC has placed with Airbus, brings the total number of aircraft it has ordered from the European aircraft ma»»»
China's BYD poised to overtake Tesla in 2025 EV sales
NEW YORK — Growing Chinese auto giant BYD stands poised to officially surpass Tesla as the world's biggest electric vehicle company in annual sales.The two groups are expected soon to publish their final figures for 2025, and based on sales data so far this year, there is almost no chance the Ameri»»»
Eurostar delays enter second day as passengers stuck onboard overnight
Eurostar passengers are braced for more possible disruption, after a power outage in the Channel Tunnel caused travel chaos for thousands of people on Tuesday. As people scrambled to get to New Year's Eve celebrations, some travellers said they spent more than six hours stuck onboard trains overnig»»»
Iranian president urges government to listen to protesting shopkeepers' demands
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday he had asked the interior ministry to "listen to the legitimate demands" of protesters after several days of demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran. Student protests also broke out on Tuesday as Iran's embattled currency hit new lows on »»»
Situation in Gaza is 'catastrophic’, foreign ministers from 10 countries warn
A group of 10 countries, including France, warned on Tuesday that the situation in Gaza was "catastrophic" due to the "renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in the Palestinian enclave. They called on Israel to allow greater access for NGOs and to lift restrictions on import»»»
UAE to withdraw forces from Yemen amid crisis with Saudi Arabia
The UAE said Tuesday it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen after Saudi Arabia led an airstrike on a southern Yemeni port targeting what it said was a UAE-linked weapons shipment. Following the strike, Saudi Arabia backed calls for UAE forces to leave the country within 24 hours. Th»»»
Why China is bringing out the big guns for military drills around Taiwan
China stepped up its military drills around Taiwan with live-fire exercises on Tuesday, the second day of an operation dubbed “Justice Mission 2025". The massive show of force comes at a crucial time as Beijing seeks to capitalise on domestic political tensions&nb»»»
Bangladesh's first female prime minister Khaleda Zia dies aged 80
Bangladesh’s former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80, her party said Tuesday, just months before elections many expected would return her to power. Her death ends a turbulent political career marked by imprisonment, ill health and a dramatic comeback attemp»»»
Al Ain court orders clinic to pay doctor Dh236,000 in unpaid commissions
The Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial and Administrative Claims has ordered a medical clinic to pay a doctor Dh236,282, representing his share of net income for a four-month period, ruling that commissions were due in line with the established practice between the two parties. The court heard that»»»
Russian Chief of Staff Inspects Sever Battlegroup
Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, has inspected the Sever battlegroup, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Valery Gerasimov pointed out the Sever battlegroup's successes in establishing a security zone in the Sumy and Kharkov regions. According to Gerasimov, Russia’s Presiden»»»
Kremlin claim that Ukraine attacked Putin's home unfounded, Elysée source says
Moscow's claims that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences are "not backed by any solid proof", a French Presidential source said on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky added that Ukraine's allies could use technology to verify that Mosc»»»
Eurostar resumes service through Channel Tunnel after suspending all trains
The Channel Tunnel operator said traffic should return to normal overnight on Tuesday after Eurostar was forced to suspend trains between London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels due to a power supply issue. Some journeys were able to resume in the late afternoon, but many passengers were left strande»»»
Russia offers no proof that Ukraine targeted Putin residence in drone attack
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it could not prove its claim that Ukrainian drones targeted one of President Vladimir Putin's residences because the drones were all "shot down". Moscow accused Ukraine of launching 91 long-range drones at Putin's home in the Novgorod region in what it called a»»»
Business - Iran's central bank chief resigns amid protests, currency turmoil
Iran's state TV says the country's central bank chief Mohammad Reza Farzin has stepped down, as the country faces growing protests over the high cost of living. The move comes after the Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against the dollar on Sunday. The central bank has been accused of printin»»»
Philippines: Kill ₱1,000 and ₱500 bills to stamp out corruption? Lessons from India's demonetisation
Manila: Picture this: crooked officials stuffing suitcases with crisp ₱1,000 bills from the flood scam — poof, gone like rain in a drought. Should the Philippines demonetise ₱1,000 and ₱500 bills to flush out corruption amid the widespread tongpats (kickbacks) and ghost flood control projects? The »»»
Japan's SoftBank bets $4bn on data centre backbone for AI push
SoftBank Group has agreed to buy the US-based data centre investor DigitalBridge in a deal valued at about $4bn, underlining Masayoshi Son’s determination to deepen the Japanese group’s exposure to the infrastructure underpinning artificial intelligence. »»»
Iranian government acknowledges protests, vows to fix economy, currency crisis
Iran’s government spokeswoman said she recognised nationwide protests over living costs, in a bid to cool tensions which have been running high in recent hours due to the collapse in the country's currency and rampant inflation. »»»
Turkey detains 110 ISIS suspects in Istanbul following deadly police shootout
Turkish authorities detained 110 people suspected of Islamic State membership in Istanbul during operations across 114 addresses in three municipalities beginning at 1.00am on December 30, state-owned TRT Haber reported. »»»
KYIV BLOG: Did Ukraine attack Putin’s residence?
Following the failure to make a breakthrough in the Mar-a-Lago peace talks Russia accused Ukraine of firing 91 drones at president Vladimir Putin’s official residence and vowed a retaliation and to toughen its conditions for a ceasefire. »»»
VIDEO: Russia conducts first test flight of Mi-34M1 helicopter with domestic VK-650V engine
Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade published footage of the first test flight of the Mi-34M1 helicopter equipped with a domestic VK-650V engine, the ministry stated on its Telegram channel on December 30. The Mi-34M1 »»»
Former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Zaluzhnyi to quit his job as London ambassador and return to Kyiv in time for possible presidential elections
Former Ukrainian commander-in-chief and current London ambassador, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, will reportedly quit his job and return to Kyiv in January in time for possible presidential elections, , NV.ua reports. A peace deal to»»»
Kurti pledges swift government formation in Kosovo as Vetëvendosje scores decisive snap election win
Kosovo’s acting prime minister Albin Kurti said a new government would be formed swiftly after the certification of results, following what he described as a historic victory for his Vetëvendosje Movement in December 28’s snap parliamentary elections. »»»
Xi, Putin Exchange New Year: Russia, China Support Each Other
Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on New Year, saying that he is ready to maintain contact with the leader of Russia and to guide bilateral relations to achieve new results. Xi and Putin exchanged New Year's greetings on December 31. "I am ready to main»»»
Rubio Discusses Situation in Yemen With UAE Foreign Minister - Department of State
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has discussed the recent developments in Yemen with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State Tommy Pigott said. "Secretary Rubio spoke with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and F»»»
50 days to go: Countdown begins for Ramadan 2026
Dubai: The countdown has officially begun across the Arab and Islamic world to welcome the holy month of Ramadan 2026, with around 50 days remaining until its anticipated start. According to specialised astronomical calculations, Wednesday, 18 February 2026, is expected to mark the first day of Ram»»»
Gold and silver see rollercoaster end to blockbuster year
Gold and silver have seen a rollercoaster end to a year in which their prices are on track to record their biggest annual gains since 1979. The price of gold soared by more than 60% this year to hit a record high of more than $4,549 (£3,378) an ounce before slipping after Christmas to stand at abou»»»