The White House says it is moving into the second phase of President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan – breathing new life into a proposal that aims to rebuild the war-ravaged area and reshape the wider Middle East. Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, broke the news Wednesday in a post on X, sa»»»

President Rumen Radev handed over the third exploratory mandate to the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) as part of the ongoing effort to form a government. The delegation that received and then returned the mandate at the presidency included Khairi Sadakov, Taner Ali, Ahmed Vranchev, Sevim Al»»»

President Rumen Radev said Bulgaria is headed for snap parliamentary elections after the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) received and returned the third mandate to form a government on Friday. ARF Floor Leader Hayri Sadakov was designated to received the mandate, which he returned immediatel»»»

Washington, Jan.16 (SANA) U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Friday reaffirmed Washington’s efforts to de-escalate the situation in Syria and to resume talks between the Syrian government and the SDF organization to implement the March 10 agreement. In a post published on his X account on »»»

Australia's emergency services warned people Friday to stay prepared for sudden downpours and dangerous bushfires in the country's east after a flash flood swept cars into the sea. Heavy rains on Thursday sent a deluge of water flowing through some parts of the eastern state of Victoria, which is s»»»

Abu Dhabi: January 17 is observed as the 'Day of Resolve', a national milestone symbolising the UAE’s strength, unity, and readiness in the face of threats. Also Read: UAE observes ‘Day of Resolve’ to mark Houthi attack in Abu DhabiThe occasion recalls the 2022 terrorist attack on Abu Dhabi, when H»»»

The International Festival of Masquerade Games “Surva” has officially opened in the Bulgarian city of Pernik, bringing ten days of color, sound, and ancient ritual to the town. This year marks the festival’s 60th anniversary, a milestone for one of Bulgaria’s most cherished winter events. Visitors »»»

Iran's ongoing internet blackout has exceeded 182 hours of continuous disruption, surpassing the core duration of the 2019 shutdown, according to NetBlocks' monitoring data.  Most Iranian government websites»»»

Iran's ongoing internet blackout has exceeded 182 hours of continuous disruption, surpassing the core duration of the 2019 shutdown, according to NetBlocks' monitoring data.  Most Iranian government websites»»»

A mother who is one of a group of British parents suing TikTok after the deaths of their children said she wants "accountability" from the social media firm. Ellen Roome is in the US for the first day of the hearing, filed by the Social Media Victims Law Centre. She said: "It's about time we held t»»»

Today, 72 percent of enterprises in Kyrgyzstan’s garment industry use illegal labor and foreign workers. These figures were voiced by entrepreneur Asel Atabekova at a meeting of the Ala-Too deputy group, where problems in the garment sector were discussed. She noted that these are unofficial statis»»»

Doha: The volume of real estate trading in sales contracts at the Department of Real Estate Registration at the Ministry of Justice during the period from January 4-8, 2026 reached QR314,535,182. Meanwhile the total sales contracts for residential units in the Real Estate Bulletin for the same peri»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange’s general index continued its positive performance for the second consecutive week, recording a weekly increase of approximately 0.9 percent, closing at 11,067 points, despite a decline in the final trading session of the week amid selling pressure and profit-taking. »»»

In Kyrgyzstan, drivers who hold non-expiring (permanent) driver’s licenses may continue to use them without any restrictions. There is no mandatory requirement to replace such licenses unless a person plans to travel abroad. First Deputy Head of the Presidential Affairs Department Boobek Salimzhano»»»

DOHA: Qatar’s maritime transport sector witnessed a robust and impressive growth in last year as the Ministry of Transport (MoT) completed 14,685 transactions from January to December through the Maritime Transport Affairs in 2025. When compared on year-on-year basis this shows a whopping surge of »»»

DOHA: The National Planning Council (NPC) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December 2025, which stood at 112.39 points. This marks a monthly rise of 1.44% compared to November 2025 and a year-on-year increase of 1.95% compared to December 2024. The index, which measures inflation, co»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the formation of a Gaza "board of peace," a key phase two element of a U.S.-backed plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory. "It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, addin»»»

The Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) returned the third exploratory government-forming mandate to President Rumen Radev unfulfilled, immediately after it was handed to them by the head of State on Friday. The President handed over the mandate to ARF, tasking the parliamentary group with nomin»»»

Damascus, Jan. 16 (SANA) Turkey’s ambassador to Damascus, Noah Yılmaz, said Turkey is closely monitoring with concern reports that SDF organization are using civilians as human shields in the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskanah in eastern Aleppo and and blocking their evacuation. In a post on the soci»»»

The health system in Sudan is suffering, with massive shortage of medical staff and supplies, said Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdelmoneim said a large number of hospitals have been damaged, or completely out of servi»»»

A UAE-based circular economy firm has launched a reusable foodware system aimed at eliminating single-use plastic waste at large-scale events, with its first deployment at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi this week. Polygreen has introduced Again, Please, a closed»»»

Abu Dhabi: In the national memory, some dates do not simply pass. They become moments of reflection, awareness, and renewal. For the fourth year, the UAE is marking January 17 as the ‘Day of Resolve’, a national occasion that has evolved into a symbol of unity, resilience, and shared purpose, follo»»»

DOHA: Tiding with Marco Casamento in the saddle made a swift return to winning form in the 2800m QA Group 3 contest for Thoroughbreds, claiming the Khor Al Adaid Cup in style at Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday. Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi presented the»»»

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs citizens of Kyrgyzstan currently staying in Iran, as well as those planning to visit or leave the country, of the following: «Currently, most international airlines have reduced or temporarily suspended flights to and from Iran, with frequent schedule changes»»»

Paris: Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom won the car section of the 11th stage of the Dakar Rally yesterday, while American Skyler Howes clinched a maiden victory in the motorbikes. Ekstrom, in a Ford Raptor, clocked 2hr 47min 22sec to win the eighth special stage of his career on the Dakar and his third th»»»

Doha: Qatari shooters collected three medals, including one gold and two silver, in the skeet events on the fourth day of the Asian Shotgun Championship at the Lusail Shooting Complex. Qatar struck gold in the men’s team skeet, with Rashid Saleh Al Athba, Mohammed Ahmed Al Kuwari and Ali Ahmed Al I»»»

DOHA: Joselu starred at both ends of the drama as Al Gharafa yesterday edged Al Arabi 2-1 at Al Thumama Stadium to extend their lead in the Qatar Stars League (QSL). The Spanish striker struck early and later turned provider before seeing red in a pulsating contest that lifted Pedro Martins’ side e»»»

The Israeli army on Thursday issued evacuation warnings for two buildings in West Bekaa's Mashghara after bombing two threatened buildings in Sohmor, also in West Bekaa, after similar warnings. "Urgent warning to the residents of South Lebanon, specifically in the village of Sohmor," the military's»»»

An Israeli airstrike targeted Friday a car in the southern town of al-Mansouri in the Tyre district, wounding one person. On Thursday, the Israeli military said it conducted air strikes against Hezbollah targets shortly after issuing evacuation orders for the village of Sohmor and Machghara in West»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron joked about a “completely harmless” eye condition on Thursday during a New Year address to France’s armed forces. “Please pardon the unsightly appearance of my eye,” Macron said at the beginning of his speech. “It is, of course, something completely harmless.” Macro»»»

RIYADH: Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater has held meetings in Riyadh with her Saudi and Yemeni counterparts to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation in the education sector. Al Khater met Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HE Yousef bi»»»

The Bulgarian Air Force has kicked off the year with an impressive display of aerial activity, taking to the skies for the first flights of 2026. For the first time, newly acquired F-16 Block 70 fighters from the United States flew alongside Bulgaria’s MiG-29 jets, marking a milestone in the countr»»»

Abu Dhabi: January 17 is observed in the UAE as the Day of Resolve, a national milestone that symbolises the country’s strength, unity, and unwavering preparedness in the face of threats. The occasion recalls the terrorist attack on Abu Dhabi in 2022, when the Houthi militia targeted civilian sites»»»

A trend in Central Asia seems to be gaining momentum in which the appetite for building large energy infrastructure is waning in Favor of developing smaller-scale projects that are faster and more cost-efficient to complete. »»»

The women’s freestyle wrestling team of Kyrgyzstan will participate in the Ivan Yarygin Cup in Russia. The press service of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports reported. The 37th tournament will be held in Krasnoyarsk from January 29 to February 1. Twenty sets of medals will be awarded to»»»

DOHA: As part of its commitment to social responsibility and charitable support, General Takaful Company made a donation to the Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of Special Needs during a special event held at the Company’s headquarters. The event reflected both organisations’ shared commitment to s»»»

Doha: Under the patronage of Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces H E Lt. Gen. (Pilot) Jassim bin Mohammed Al-Manaai and in the presence of Deputy Chief of Staff for Education Maj Gen (Pilot) Salem Abdullah Al-Dosari, the Candidate Training Centre celebrated the graduation of the Foundational Cours»»»

Bucharest: President of Romania H E Nicusor Dan received the credentials of H E Dr. Rashid bin Abdullah Al Kuwari as Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to Romania. The Ambassador conveyed the greetings of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the President of R»»»

DOHA: Celebrated worldwide on January 16, International Spicy Food Day turns up the heat on the plates, celebrating bold flavours and fiery spices that shape cuisines and cultures across the globe. In Qatar, where culinary traditions meet an extraordinary mix of global influences, spicy food has be»»»

Doha: The Katara International Amber Exhibition 2026 will conclude today (January 16) at the Katara Cultural Village. The exhibition witnessed a remarkable turnout from the public, amber enthusiasts, and those interested in its culture and history. Exhibitors also widely praised the high level of o»»»

On Jan. 16, 1919, the United States went legally "dry" when the 36th state ratified the 18th Amendment. 1 of 2 | New York City Deputy Police Commissioner John A. Leach (R) watches agents pour liquor into sewer following a raid during the height of prohibition. On January 16, 1919, the United States»»»

In a controversial move just months ahead of the parliamentary elections, Bulgaria’s parliamentary majority is pushing through sweeping changes to the voting system that would eliminate machine voting and replace electronic vote counting with manual scanning of paper ballots. The proposals, discuss»»»

Egyptian experts and tourism workers expressed satisfaction on Friday after the administration of President Donald Trump said its decision to place new restrictions on visa applicants does not impact US visitor visas but only immigrant visas. On Wednesday, Fox News reported that the State Departmen»»»

Doha: The 17th Qatar International Falconry and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026) witnessed yesterday, the qualifying rounds for the falconry championship in the “Gyrfalcon Gyrfalcon” and “Gyrfalcon Shaheen” categories, with 20 falconers qualifying for the championship finals in both categories. The fe»»»

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro was transferred to prison on Thursday to begin serving a 27-year sentence for orchestrating a failed coup, under conditions described by a court as “more favourable.” The 70-year-old was convicted over efforts to overturn his 2022 election loss to&»»»

DOHA: The State of Qatar participated in the Golden Jubilee celebration marking the founding of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Qatar was represented by a delegation headed by Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Lolwah bint Rashid bin »»»

Doha: Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art announces the opening of Dirwaza, a unique event and community art project celebrating creativity, inclusion, and cultural identity. Developed in close collaboration with community partners, Dirwaza opens the door to a shared journey of artistic expression, d»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Russian Defense Ministry: 106 Ukrainian drones shot down over Russian territory overnight 16-01-2026 09:02 AM Latest News Urgent News Russi»»»

Election technology should not replace political debate and the clash of ideas, said Tomislav Donchev, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth, during Friday's Question Time in Parliament. He was replying to a question from the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria »»»

The Muslim Brotherhood is facing growing international isolation after US President Donald Trump moved to designate its branches in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as terrorist organizations. Argentina has joined the list of countries banning the Brotherhood, announcing on Thursday that it had added the»»»