Sanctioned oil tanker stranded off Bulgaria after suspected Ukrainian strike
Bulgarian maritime authorities on December 6 launched an operation to evacuate the crew of the oil tanker Kairos, which was stranded off the Black Sea port of Ahtopol after a suspected Ukrainian drone strike and an abandoned towing attempt from Turkey, BTA reported. The 274-metre Kairos, sailing un»»»
ASH: A Trump recipe for years of instability and war in Europe
Just reading the new US national security strategy. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf It is an absolutely incredible read. Just focusing here on the bit about Europe but it’s clear that Trump puts most of the ills of the continent on the EU - »»»
Gold Rises on Fed Rate Cut Expectations, Weaker Dollar
Gold prices rose on Monday, driven by growing expectations of a US interest rate cut that pressured the dollar, ahead of a Federal Reserve policy meeting this week. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $4,209.43 per ounce by 0851 GMT. US gold futures for December delivery fell 0.1% to $4,239.40 per ounce. The do»»»
ASH: A Trump recipe for years of instability and war in Europe
Just reading the new US national security strategy. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf It is an absolutely incredible read. Just focusing here on the bit about Europe but it’s clear that Trump puts most of the ills of the continent on the EU - »»»
Goa nightclub inferno: Owner breaks silence as probe finds flammable decor, single exit and no fire clearance
Dubai: More than 24 hours after a devastating blaze tore through the popular Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora — claiming 25 lives and injuring six — owner Saurabh Luthra has finally spoken publicly, even as police issue lookout notices and investigators uncover shocking safety violatio»»»
Trump Says Zelenskyy 'Isn't Ready' Yet to Accept US-authored Proposal to End Russia-Ukraine War
President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “isn't ready” to sign off on a US-authored peace proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump was critical of Zelenskyy after US and Ukrainian negotiators completed three days of talks on Saturday aimed at tr»»»
Syrian American Council: Caesar Act repeal secured in U.S. Defense budget for vote
Washington, Dec.8 ( SANA) Mohammed Alaa Ghanem, a member of the Syrian American Council, announced Monday that the clause abolishing the Caesar Act imposed on Syria has been finalized in the U.S. Department of Defense budget and will be put to a vote in the coming days. Speaking to SANA today, Ghan»»»
Billionaire Howard says his hedge fund now manages more money in Abu Dhabi than anywhere else
Abu Dhabi: Alan Howard, the founder of the multi-billion dollar hedge fund Brevan Howard, today confirmed that the firm now manages more capital and employs more traders in Abu Dhabi than in any other global location. Speaking at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025, Howard detailed the rapid expansion of t»»»
How Dubai’s Emirates is bringing Christmas to 40,000 ft in the sky
Dubai: Dubai's flagship airline Emirates is getting into the Christmas spirit in a big way — taking festive celebrations to 40,000 feet with special menus, movies and mood across its cabins, lounges, and even in the sky. Throughout December, passengers flying with Emirates can expect a sprinkle of »»»
S&P expects Azerbaijani net government assets to exceed 50% of GDP by 2028
Azerbaijan’s level of fiscal transparency is assessed more favourably than that of many regional economies, including several Gulf Cooperation Council states, S&P Global Ratings said in its latest report. S&P noted that the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) publishes audited annual reports with »»»
Israeli Occupation Forces Raid UNRWA Headquarters in Occupied East Jerusalem
Israeli occupation forces stormed and searched the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem on Monday morning. UNRWA confirmed that the forces raided the compound and confiscated mobile pho»»»
Rising Gold Prices Added Over $100Bln to Russia's Reserves in Past Year
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's gold reserves have grown by $112 billion in just one year, thanks to rising prices for the precious metal, according to Sputnik's calculations based on the Bank of Russia data. At the beginning of December last year, the Bank of Russia held $198.1 billion worth of gold b»»»
Romania ranks low in global workplace AI adoption, with many employees still cautious despite growing curiosity – PwC survey
Among employees in Romania surveyed for the PwC Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025, 44% say they used AI in the past year, while the average usage rate across the 48 countries included in the report was 57%. India and Vietnam lead with 84%, followed by China with 78%. At the opposite end are Jap»»»
Netanyahu says Israel and Hamas will enter ceasefire's second phase soon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel and Hamas are "very shortly expected to move into the second phase of the ceasefire," after Hamas returns the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza. Netanyahu spoke during a news conference with visiting German Chancellor Friedric»»»
PHCC conducts major emergency preparedness exercise at Al Waab Health Centre
Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to community safety and emergency readiness by conducting a comprehensive full-scale exercise on December 3 at Al Waab Health Centre. This large-scale simulation, which saw the participation of over 100 actors, wa»»»
Eye on Africa - 2026 FIFA World Cup: Balanced routes for African teams
The 2026 Men's World Cup draw has taken place, and we now know which countries will be competing in the group stages. Nine African teams are participating in this edition, maybe 10 depending on the runoff results, and everyone is excited about who ended up where. Highly anticipated matches inc»»»
Pentagon sets 2027 “hard deadline” to end support for Europe’s Nato conventional defences
The United States has told the European Nato allies that it will hand over responsibility for conventional defence capabilities by 2027 and no longer act as the automatic security guarantor, Reuters reports on December 6. Experts say that the 2027 will be impossible to meet. Europe would need 300,0»»»
Albania, Qatar Eye Stronger Financial Co-op
Minister of Finance Petrit Malaj participated over the weekend in the Doha Forum in Qatar, one of the most important global platforms for dialogue and international cooperation. Under the motto “Diplomacy, Dialogue, Diversity”, this forum, according to Minister Malaj, brought together leaders, poli»»»
Ciprian Ciucu, PNL, wins Bucharest City Hall with 36.16% of total votes
The PNL candidate won five of the six sectors of the capital, being surpassed only in Sector 4 by his PSD opponent, Daniel Băluță, the incumbent mayor of Sector 4. Daniel Băluță was voted for by 21.06% of those who participated in the vote, a percentage that places him in third place, after Anca Al»»»
How Iran abandoned Assad to his fate days before fall
As city after city fell to a lightning rebel offensive in Syria last December, Iranian forces and diplomats supporting Bashar al-Assad saw the writing on the wall, abandoning the longtime ruler days before his ousting, sources told AFP. During Syria's civil war, which erupted in 2011 following the »»»
Israel, Qatar and US hold trilateral meeting in New York
The United States, Israel and Qatar held a trilateral meeting in New York Sunday, a senior White House official told AFP, months after Israeli jets conducted an airstrike in Doha, unsuccessfully targeting Hamas leadership. The White House official confirmed that the meeting had taken place but did »»»
ABA Holidays expands customer experience with new kiosk at Katara
Doha, Qatar: Ali Bin Ali Holidays recently announced the launch of it’s first-ever Holidays Kiosk at 21 High st, Katara, marking a new milestone in the company’s journey to bring personalised travel experiences closer to its customers. Under the theme, “We Build The Trip, You Live The Story”, the n»»»
Four Iranian Narratives on the Collapse of the ‘Resistance’ in Syria
One hundred and ninety-two days separated the last meeting between Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Syria’s ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Tehran from the moment the Syrian regime fell to the opposition in December 2024. That interval was no footnote in the Syrian war. It became a sharp »»»
IPO not the final destination, says Etihad CEO; strong cash flow funds $10 billion expansion
Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways, fresh from a record-breaking financial performance, is no longer viewing a public listing as a strategic necessity, according to Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Aviation Group. Speaking at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025, Neves confirmed the airline's readiness for an IPO but»»»
IndiGo’s crew crisis could hit India-UAE ticket prices — here’s why experts are concerned
Dubai: Prolonged instability at India’s largest airline, IndiGo, could translate into higher fares, service volatility, and fewer travel alternatives — including for routes connecting India and the UAE. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Top aviation analysts in the UAE a»»»
Chinese investors show interest in building Ala-Too Resort - | 24.KG
Chinese investors who have implemented major hotel projects in their own country have expressed interest in constructing Ala-Too Resort in Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan. The state enterprise responsible for developing the resort zone reported. The company reported that representatives of Chinese c»»»
Eazy Asigurări selects One Cotroceni Park for its new headquarters
One United Properties (BVB: ONE), the leading green investor and developer of residential, mixed-use, and office real estate in Romania, announces the signing of a lease agreement for the new headquarters of Eazy Asigurări within One Cotroceni Park. The company office will spread over 1,000 square »»»
Scaling back U.S.-South Korea joint drills may be discussed, Seoul says - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Adjusting U.S.-South Korea joint military drills could be considered under certain conditions, South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Yoon Min-ho said Monday. Photo by Yonhap SEOUL, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Adjusting U.S.-South Korea joint military drills could be considered under certain cond»»»
MCIT renews framework agreement with Google Cloud
Doha, Qatar: As part of its ongoing efforts to equip the government sector with the latest digital capabilities, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announced the renewal of its framework agreement with Google Cloud, on the sidelines of MWC25 Doha. The renewed agreement»»»
International Arts Festival and Football Memorabilia Exhibition opens at Katara
Doha: General Manager of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Prof. Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti inaugurated the 7th Qatar International Arts Festival yesterday in the presence of several Their Excellencies the Ambassadors, media representatives, and invited guests. The event, which is being»»»
Water leak in Louvre damages hundreds of documents
Up to 400 documents have been damaged by a water leak last month in the Louvre's Egyptian department, the museum said Sunday. The incident comes after an October heist in broad daylight that robbed the world's most-visited museum of jewels worth €88 million, sparking debate over its ageing infrastr»»»
Pentagon sets 2027 “hard deadline” to end support for Europe’s Nato conventional defences
The United States has told the European Nato allies that it will hand over responsibility for conventional defence capabilities by 2027 and no longer act as the automatic security guarantor, Reuters reports on December 6. Experts say that the 2027 will be impossible to meet. Europe would need 300,0»»»
Thailand Launches Airstrikes Along Border with Cambodia as Tensions Reignite
Thailand launched airstrikes along the disputed border with Cambodia on Monday as both sides accused the other of breaking a ceasefire that halted fighting earlier this year. Longstanding border disputes erupted into five days of combat in July that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. US Presi»»»
Fitch confims Banca Transilvania's long-term rating at
The financial rating agency Fitch Ratings confirmed on Thursday the long-term issuer rating of Banca Transilvania (BT) at "BBB-", as well as the bank's viability rating at "bbb-", according to a BT press release.At the same time, Fitch Ratings decided to maintain the "negative" outlook for the rati»»»
Qatar Central Bank activates Qatari Riyal and foreign-currency transfers via QA-RTGS System
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Central Bank (QCB) on Monday announced the activation of Qatari Riyal and foreign-currency transfer services through the Real-Time Gross Settlement System (QA-RTGS) between local banks, in line with the Third Financial Sector Strategy, and as part of its efforts to enhance nation»»»
4 arrested, 3 officials suspended in fall out from deadly Goa nightclub fire - UPI.com
Police officials investigate the burned-out interior at the site of the Goa nightclub fire in Goa, India, on Sunday, December 7, 2025. At least 25 people were killed and six others were injured in a massive fire that erupted at a nightclub in Goa, police said. Photo by EPA Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Four peop»»»
One hundred abducted schoolchildren released in Nigeria
About 100 children who were abducted from a Catholic school in central Nigeria last month have been released, authorities say. Niger state's police chief, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, and Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who is in charge of the school as the local leader of the Catholic church, both told th»»»
Another group of “droppers” detained in Chui region - | 24.KG
A resident of Kara-Balta, S.Yu., 76, filed a complaint with the Internal Affairs Department of Jaiyl district on December 4. She reported receiving calls from unknown individuals from December 2 to December 3 — one posing as a Megacom employee and another as a representative of the National Bank — »»»
MRF - New Beginning to Hold Rallies under "No to Hatred!" Motto on Tuesday
MRF – New Beginning is organizing rallies around the country under the motto “NO to hatred!” on December 9, the political formation’s press centre announced on Monday. According to the statement, the events are directed against “the political tension instigated by the opposition, the provocations a»»»
A year after Bashar Assad fled, Syria struggles to heal
A year ago, Mohammad Marwan found himself stumbling, barefoot and dazed, out of Syria's notorious Saydnaya prison on the outskirts of Damascus as rebel forces pushing toward the capital threw open its doors to release the prisoners. Arrested in 2018 for fleeing compulsory military service, the fath»»»
'Middle powers play crucial role in ensuring stability'
Doha, Qatar: Experts discussed deepening geopolitical polarisation and declining trust in traditional global institutions, and highlighted middle powers emerging as vital mediators and connectors at a session as part of Doha Forum 2025 on December 7. The panelists were of the view that these countr»»»
Syria Marks One Year Since Assad Toppled
Syrians marked the first anniversary of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and his iron-fisted rule on Monday, as the fractured nation struggles to find stability and recover after years of war. Official celebrations are planned for the central Umayyad Square in Damascus, which has been packed with j»»»
My Business: How one renovation crisis sparked a tech platform now reshaping a $40 billion market
Dubai: Every entrepreneur has a driving force, but for Marc Michel, Co-Founder and CEO of Reno Home, that inspiration was rooted in a personal, profoundly chaotic home renovation. That nightmare experience, shared with his co-founder, became the foundational blueprint for a tech platform now revolu»»»
Chemical weapons in Sudan: A conflict crossing the world’s red lines
The Sudanese conflict is witnessing a dangerous escalation, with mounting allegations against the Sudanese army regarding the use of chemical weapons during its military operations. At the same time, US and international pressure is intensifying to compel the government in Port Sudan to acknowledge»»»
As tensions flare on Lebanon border, Israelis struggle to rebuild
Ilan Rosenfeld walks through the burnt-out shell of his former business, stepping over crackling pieces of clay plates that used to line his cafe and past metal scraps of Hezbollah rockets littering the rubble. It's all that's left for him in this small, war-ravaged town — the northernmost in Israe»»»
Woman who blackmailed Son Heung-min gets four years in jail
A South Korean court has sentenced a woman who blackmailed football star Son Heung-min to four years in prison. The woman in her 20s and her accomplice, a man in his 40s, were found guilty of blackmailing the former Tottenham Spurs captain by saying she was pregnant with his child. The woman had ap»»»
MARTINS: The military ties that bind Russians and India
Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on this very day, December 4, with a suitcase packed with proposals for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Almost all of them are military — and of enormous interest to both sides. India and Russia have enjoyed a strategic partnership for decades that covers everythin»»»
What Dileep's shocking acquittal in Kerala actress sexual assault case means for Malayalam film industry?
Dubai: Eight years after a leading Malayalam actress was abducted and assaulted on a highway, the verdict has arrived today. Six men were convicted. Dileep, the Malayali actor and producer widely seen as the alleged mastermind of the shocking crime, walks free. His arrest in 2017 had rocked the Ker»»»
Raiffeisen Bank, part of banking syndicate that financed Iulius group with 305 million euros
Raiffeisen Bank Romania and Raiffeisen Bank International are part of the banking syndicate that granted financing worth over 305 million euros to the real estate developer Iulius, together with Erste Group Bank Austria and BCR, according to a press release.The funds will be used to redevelop the P»»»
Hillary Clinton says suffering in Gaza ‘horrific’, urges stronger US global role
Doha, Qatar: Former US Secretary of State and lawyer Hillary Clinton, speaking about the shifting role of the United States in the world today, called the suffering in Gaza “horrific”, emphasising the urgent need for the US to get involved in protecting civilians and alleviating suffering around th»»»