It is crunch time for Ursula von der Leyen and her Brussels-based cabal who have attempted to bend and break EU law in order to force through a dubious legal claim for the use of sovereign Russian wealth to further fund Ukraine’s military. Kiev is long past broke, owes the EU some €45 billion and f»»»

Tunis, Dec. 18 (TAP) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti, met on Thursday at the ministry’s headquarters with Jun Saito, who presented him with a copy of his credentials as the new Ambassador of Japan to...»»»

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Closing arguments began Thursday in the trial for Judge Hannah Dugan after the court heard testimony from fellow Milwaukee County judicial officials about a lack of court policy on immigration arrests in public areas. The testimony came on Day 4 of Dugan's trial. She pleaded not gu»»»

The Department of Health and Human Services announced new rules that will ban Medicare and Medicaid coverage for hospitals that provide gender-affirming care for minors. File Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new regu»»»

Questions about social support dominate the messages sent by Russians to Vladimir Putin’s year-end press conference, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media. More than two million questions have already been submitted. “Social welfare issues are at the top, along with concerns affec»»»

On December 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin will answer questions from Russian citizens and the media. As in 2023–2024, the event that combines two link-ups, the news conference and Direct Line, will be called "Year-End Q&A." In total, the Direct Line has been held 18 times, and three times in»»»

Ras Al Khaimah: A young Indian expat in UAE died amidst torrential rains in Ras Al Khaimah on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old Salman Fariz, a native of Malappuram district in the south Indian state of Kerala. Salman was a delivery boy at a shawarma shop in Ras Al Khaimah. »»»

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport has announced the suspension of all community events across the emirate from December 18-19 due to expected unstable weather conditions and the need to prioritise public safety. The decision comes as unsettled weather continues to af»»»

Tunis, Dec. 18 (TAP) - Temperatures on Thursday night will generally range between 9°C and 14°C, and between 15°C and 17°C in coastal areas, according to a follow-up bulletin from the National Institute of Meteorology.The sky will be occasionally...»»»

The future of the economy can sometimes be seen in minor gestures of a Bank of England governor, such as the arch of his eyebrows. So what to make of Andrew Bailey sporting a rather exuberant festive tie full of Christmas trees at the moment he delivered his so-called "Santa cut"? It probably means»»»

The European Union on Thursday said it would drastically reduce asylum claims from seven nations in Africa, the Middle East and Asia by considering them safe countries of origin, prompting widespread outrage from human rights groups on International Migrants' Day. An agreement between European Parl»»»

Damascus, Dec 18 (SANA) Syria congratulated the brotherly State of Qatar, its leadership, government, and people, on the occasion of its National Day, wishing it continued progress and prosperity. “The Syrian Arab Republic extends its warmest congratulations and best wishes to the brotherly State o»»»

Four people arrested for trafficking over four tons cocaine on a fishing vessel detected by the French Navy during its journey from Guyana to Europe earlier this week have been remanded in custody after testifying before an investigating magistrate. One of those arrested was released. The so-called»»»

Dubai: Dubai's private schools and early childhood centres will finish their school day no later than 11:30am on Fridays starting January 9, 2026, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has announced. The decision follows the nationwide adjustment of Friday prayer time to 12:45pm and »»»

SpaceX's Starlink said one of its satellites experienced an anomaly in space on Wednesday that created a "small number" of debris and cut off communications with the spacecraft at 418 km (259.73 miles) in altitude, a rare kinetic accident in orbit for the satellite internet giant. "The satellite is»»»

Citizens have gathered in downtown Sofia to protest against the government. The demonstration, which was registered with Sofia Municipality, was organized by Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) under the slogan "Don’t Feed the Pig with Your Money, Vol. 3." It is the latest in a series»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Media Office has urged residents to strictly follow safety guidelines as unsettled weather continues to affect parts of the emirate, stressing that public safety remains a top priority. In a public advisory, the office called on motorists to adhere to revised speed limits, »»»

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Doha: Qatar is expected to remain under the influence of a low-pressure system until late Thursday night and the early hours of Friday, according to the country's Meteorology Department. Director of the Meteorology Department, Abdulla Mohammed Al Mannai, said north-westerly winds would begin to dom»»»

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

Customs officers seized 82.3 kg of marijuana worth more than BGN 1.3 million in the area of the Danube Bridge at Ruse, the Customs Agency reported on Thursday. The offence was detected on December 17 at around 23:30 hrs after a van driven by a 50-year-old Bulgarian crossed the bridge from Romania i»»»

Dubai: flydubai has urged passengers to allow extra time to reach the airport ahead of their flights, citing unstable weather conditions and their impact on traffic movement across Dubai, as the airline moves to safeguard traveller safety and ensure smooth airport operations. In an advisory publish»»»

A small aircraft has crashed while landing at a regional airport in North Carolina, officials say. Multiple people died in the crash, a local sheriff told CBS, the BBC's US partner. It is unclear how many people were on the plane. The plane crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport arou»»»

Doha: Minister of Interior, Commander of the Internal Security Force "Lekhwiya," and Chairman of the Security Committee HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani met on Thursday with Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States of America HE Kristi Noem at the National Command Center »»»

Pope Leo XIV pictured in May in St Peter's square in the Vatican. On Thursday, the U.S. born pontiff accepted the resignation of New York's archbishop and appointed Ronald Hicks, formerly bishop of Joliet in the pope's native Illinois, as his successor to lead one of America's largest Catholic dioc»»»

The parliamentary Committee on the Internal Security and Public Order unanimously approved at first reading on Thursday, with 18 votes in favour, a bill amending and supplementing the National Service for Protection (NSP) Act concerning the provision of security for Members of Parliament. The bill »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Western diplomatic missions in Kiev are noticing the growing negative consequences for Ukraine in connection with the case of Volodymyr Zelenskys close associate, Timur Mindich, which has entangled the entire top leadership of the country, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Interior has reaffirmed its full readiness to respond to any emergencies arising from the continuing spell of unstable weather and heavy rainfall across the UAE, with all competent authorities coordinating closely to ensure public safety and rapid intervention. Senior off»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Government has issued a Federal Decree-Law regulating industrial and medical uses of industrial hemp, establishing a new economic sector and paving the way for a promising market aligned with international best practices to support sustainable economic development, enabling its u»»»

Saudi Arabia has achieved an unprecedented milestone, ranking second worldwide in the 2025 GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) released by the World Bank, covering 197 economies. The results were announced at a press conference in Washington on Thursday. According to the GTMI findings, Saudi Arabia excel»»»

Doha: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received cables of congratulations from Their Majesties, Highnesses, and Excellencies leaders and presidents of sisterly and friendly countries, on the occasion of Qatar National Day.»»»

Tunis, Dec. 18 (TAP) – The Financial Market Council (CMF) informed auditors on Thursday about their “obligation to report any facts likely to jeopardize the interests of companies or investors.”As part of its mission to protect savings invested in...»»»

Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Supreme Court on Dec. 8 for a hearing in the murder case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. Pool Photo by Sarah Yensel/UPI | License Photo Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The evidentiary hearing in the case against Luigi Mangione in Manhattan ended Thursda»»»

Brazilian opposition senators celebrate during a Senate session in Brasilia, Brazil, on Wednesday after a bill passed that could reduce the sentences of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison, and other participants in the coup plot that followed the 2022 elections»»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (2nd-R) looks on as U.S. special Envoys Jared Kushner (4th-L) and Steve Witkoff (3rd-L) greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (3rd-R) during talks at the Chancellery in Berlin on Sunday. Kushner and Witkoff were expected to hold negotiations with Russian coun»»»

Citizens calling for an independent judiciary gathered outside the Palace of Justice in Sofia on Thursday evening. The facade of the building featured a laser light show displaying slogans such as "Sarafov Out", "Pigsty", and images of a broom, a pig and a red card. The demonstration was organized »»»

LONDON —The Bank of England cut its key interest rate to 3.75 per cent on Thursday after UK inflation eased faster than expected and as the economy weakens."We've passed the recent peak in inflation and it has continued to fall, so we have cut interest rates," BoE governor Andrew Bailey said.The wi»»»

New plaques have appeared under the portraits of former US presidents at the White House. Unlike Donald Trump's previous statements about his predecessors, which have been delivered through speeches, interviews and social media posts, these plaques - installed outside the West Wing - represent a mo»»»

China has condemned the US decision to approve a record $11.1 billion weapons sale to Taiwan on Thursday, urging Washington to “immediately stop” arming the island. The warning follows the Department of War greenlighting a massive package of advanced weaponry for Taiwan. China, which views the self»»»

BELGRADE - According to a November Ninamedia survey, both short- and medium-term inflation expectations of the Serbian financial sector are moving around the NBS target midpoint (3±1.5 pct), the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) has said. "One-year ahead inflation expectations edged up slightly from 3.»»»

BELGRADE- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke with US economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs on Thursday, noting that they had discussed all important aspects of the global situation and the circumstances in Serbia and the region, the increasing polarisation in the world, th»»»

Sharjah: The Sharjah Civil Defence Authority has ramped up its preparedness for the upcoming rainy season, stepping up field operations and activating proactive response plans to ensure quick handling of emergency calls. The move includes reinforcing the readiness of teams and equipment, as well as»»»

The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday for the fourth meeting in a row as the economy in the 20 countries that use the euro increasingly looks strong enough to get by without the stimulus of lower borrowing costs for businesses and consumers. Bank President Christine Lagar»»»

Tunis, Dec. 18 (TAP) - The National Energy Conservation Agency (ANME) has signed a new partnership agreement with the Tunisian Guarantee Company (SOTUGAR), aimed at reactivating the loan guarantee fund for businesses investing in energy efficiency...»»»

A teenager who escaped from a French prison in November has been arrested, authorities have told the BBC. The 19-year-old - along with a 32-year-old man - had fled a prison in the eastern city of Dijon. They sawed through cell bars and climbed down a wall using bed sheets, according to local media.»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Civil Defence has placed all its units on heightened alert, mobilising round-the-clock operations across the emirate as unstable weather conditions linked to a low-pressure system continue to affect the country. The General Directorate of Dubai Civil Defence said all 26 of its centre»»»

Zaghouan, Dec. 15 (TAP) - The Digital Services Centre at the municipality of Bir Mcherga, governorate of Zaghouan, which will help simplify administrative procedures and facilitate access to public services, was inaugurated on Thursday by Interior...»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric met with Georgian FM Maka Botchorishvili in Belgrade on Thursday to discuss advancement of bilateral cooperation, and thanked Georgia for its firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, noting that, in the same way, Serbia supported Georg»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday that the new Oreshnik missile system was put on combat duty in Belarus on December 17. "The first positions are equipped with the Oreshnik missile system; we received it yesterday and it is now on combat duty," Lukas»»»

The Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 armed group said Wednesday it had begun withdrawing its troops from Uvira, a strategic town in eastern DR Congo that it captured in early December. The AFC/M23 began withdrawing on Wednesday from the eastern DR Congo city of Uvira, which fell to the Rwanda-backed mil»»»