From roaring cricket stadiums to the sweet allure of Dubai Chocolate, 2025 revealed what captured the UAE’s attention online. Google’s Year in Search shows a fascinating mix of passions — sports, AI, movies, gadgets, and indulgent treats — that dominated search queries across the nation. Also Read:»»»

KUWAIT, Dec 6 (KUNA) -- 1964 -- Kuwait Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah signed a decree approving the formation of the third cabinet. It grouped 14 ministers and was headed by Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. 1990 -- UN General Assembly condemned the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and blatant viol»»»

Cabinet sources said Lebanon’s three top leaders remain aligned as negotiations with Israel move into a new phase, marked by the appointment of a civilian envoy, former ambassador to Washington and lawyer Simon Karam, to lead Lebanon’s delegation to the Mechanism Committee. The move is intended to »»»

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is organizing a forum entitled "BG TOURISM – WINTER 2025/2026," which will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday at the Perelik Hotel in the resort town of Pamporovo. The discussion will be opened by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. The forum is organized in partnership»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality announced Friday that 'Al Khor and Al Thakhira Municipality' has joined the UNESCO Learning Cities Network, thus completing the membership of all Qatari municipalities in this global network. The step is considered a national achievement that enhances the c»»»

Cabinet sources said Lebanon’s three top leaders remain aligned as negotiations with Israel move into a new phase, marked by the appointment of a civilian envoy, former ambassador to Washington and lawyer Simon Karam, to lead Lebanon’s delegation to the Mechanism Committee. The move is intended to »»»

In the wake of Israeli and Iranian attacks on Qatar, the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have pledged to deepen their nations’ integration and boost security. The pledge was made at the conclusion of the 46th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Manama, where security and the economy we»»»

Swiss companies plan to relocate some of their operations and production abroad to deal with the impact of US tariffs, according to a study by business association economiesuisse. It surveyed more than 400 companies before and after Switzerland last month agreed a deal to reduce US tariffs from 39%»»»

Tension rippled through Iraq’s ruling Shiite alliance after authorities briefly listed Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi group as terrorist organizations, then swiftly reversed the move, at a time when debate over the next government is intensifying. The decision and the rapid retreat from it »»»

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India may have sealed dozens of strategic partnerships, but its core purpose transcends trade: Moscow is using its Soviet-era ally to send a defiant message to the West that it will not be isolated over the conflict in Ukraine, US academic Ramesh Mohan sa»»»

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice of a Toyota Fortuner SUV to ride with Russian President Vladimir Putin on their way to a ceremonial dinner after the Russian leader had just landed drew attention across Indian society. During the Russian leader's December 4-5 state visit there were many»»»

Back in October, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the shock resignation of the commander of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, who will be stepping down on December 12. As that date approaches, there is much speculation over the reason for the admiral's departure.»»»

The US military on Thursday carried out another strike on a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean – its first in nearly three weeks – as congressional concern deepens over the legality and conduct of President Donald Trump’s aggressive anti-drug campaign at sea. US Southern Command announced»»»

This week, journalist Olivia Nuzzi's hotly anticipated memoir "American Canto" was published. Last year, she admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his failed 2024 presidential campaign. The scandal derailed her career, ended her relationship with fellow »»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Blue Holes — a chain of deep-sea sinkholes stretching along the southwestern coastline between Makkah and Jazan — are quickly gaining recognition as one of the Kingdom’s most remarkable natural features. These striking circular depressions, visible as dark blue pools against t»»»

A video compilation claiming to show new footage of Iranian command centres destroyed during the June 2025 war with Israel has been circulating online. Disseminated by accounts supportive of Israel and opposed to the Iranian regime, most of these clips were actually generated by artificial intellig»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron has come under fire from the political right for suggesting that news outlets be labelled to distinguish those that comply with journalistic ethics from those that do not. Right-wing parties and media outlets owned by billionaire tycoon Vincent Bolloré are lead»»»

Lawmakers in the lower house of the French parliament approved the taxation part of the country's overall 2026 social security budget on Friday. Debates on the rest of the highly-contested budget are ongoing in parliament, with a final vote taking place next Tuesday. Lawmakers in the lower house of»»»

An anti-drone and search operation was launched after five drones were detected over a base that houses France's nuclear deterrent submarines off its northwestern coast on Thursday evening. The French military used anti-drone measures after five unmanned vehicles flew over a closely guarded base ho»»»

France on Friday called for Shein to put controls in place on its website, including age verification and filtering, but backed off from its earlier push for a three-month full suspension. This comes after childlike sex dolls and banned weapons were found on its online platform.  Fra»»»

Four people have been arrested over the hacking of 120,000 home security cameras in South Korea, whose footage was used to make sexually exploitative material. It's the latest episode in an ongoing battle by authorities to end illicit electronic spying on women and girls. In Pakistan, a spate of Ti»»»

TikTok on Friday said it will comply with Australia's ban on social media for under-16s which comes into effect December 10. The ByteDance-owned social media company said the measures "may be upsetting" for some of its young users but it was necessary to comply with Australian law. The company's st»»»

The Indian government has scrapped an order which gave manufacturers 90 days to pre-install a state-backed security app on all new smartphones. The move came following a huge public outcry and resistance from tech firms. Yuka Royer speaks with Nikhil Pahwa, a digital policy analyst in New Delhi, ab»»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday accompanied French President Emmanuel Macron to the southwestern city of Chengdu in a gesture highlighting Beijing's focus on Paris as it seeks more economic engagement with the EU. The French president ended his state visit on a lighter note by meeting univer»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, December 5: The European Broadcasting Union votes to keep Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest, sparking a boycott from Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ireland. We look at reactions from the front pages. Also: the FIFA 2026 World Cup draw will be unveiled in Washin»»»

With France going through major government instability and facing an alarmingly high public debt, and with Europe struggling to find its diplomatic feet as the US pursues talks to end the war in Ukraine, we speak to a seasoned political figure at the French and European level. Pierre Moscovici is t»»»

A brief and cryptic remark by US President Donald Trump about modifying phase two of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, offered without any details, has stirred questions over how the accord will be executed. Analysts say the comment points to a possible change in implementing the deal’s provisions rath»»»

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice is launching a 90-day voluntary departure program, effective from December 1, 2025 to February 28, 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan (MFA) reported. According to the MFA, within the program: These measures do not apply to foreign nationals who hav»»»

Washington: President Donald Trump was presented with the newly created FIFA Peace Prize on Friday during the 2026 World Cup draw, marking a rare departure from the organization’s traditional focus on sport. FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded Trump a gold medal and trophy depicting hands holdi»»»

When the Court of Cassation, France’s highest court, upheld Nicolas Sarkozy’s conviction, the former president’s legal troubles deepened, leaving him no further avenue to appeal the verdict. Even though this outcome was widely predicted, France’s political, media, and business elite rallied around »»»

Modernization and expansion of the terminal building at Manas International Airport are ongoing. As of today, 70 percent of the concrete work has been completed. A new entrance on the western side of the building has been opened, while the eastern entrance is temporarily closed. Altynbek Mambetov, »»»

At 6ft tall and plus-size, shop-bought clothes had never fitted Maree O'Connor well. Sewing offered her a solution - allowing her to use beautiful fabrics to make garments that fit just right. One day, while on the lookout for colourful prints to make new dresses, she spotted some "amazing" fabrics»»»

The US Coast Guard announced on Friday a successful interdiction of a suspected drug-smuggling vessel loaded with more than 9,071 kg (20,000 pounds) illegal drugs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The Coast Guard stated that law enforcement teams stopped the "go-fast" boat in the Eastern Pacific loaded»»»

The Presidential Administration’s Information Policy Service reminded the public that authorities had repeatedly called for fair elections. Candidates were prohibited from buying votes, and citizens from selling them. It was also emphasized that if violations were detected, the results at the respe»»»

Manila: The Taal Volcano, located near Manila, has exhibited heightened restiveness, recording prolonged volcanic tremors over the past 13 hours that could signal a potential eruption, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). In its latest 24-hour monitoring r»»»

Abu Dhabi: Dense fog covered parts of Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Saturday morning, prompting red and yellow alerts from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). Visibility dropped below 1,000 metres in some areas, particularly across Abu Dhabi. Authorities have urged drivers to exercise caution, follo»»»

The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) expects partly cloudy to cloudy weather across the UAE on Saturday. Rainfall is possible over eastern and northern areas, as well as some offshore islands. Also Read: UAE weather: Partly cloudy skies, rising humidity and chances of early-morning fog this wee»»»

Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The bodies of a 50-year-old man and a 3-month-old infant were found with bite wounds at a home in Tullahoma, Tenn., on Wednesday, but investigators are unsure if pitbulls killed them. The Coffee County Communications Center received a call at 3 p.m. CST on Wednesday reporting what a»»»

Dubai: The way money moves is changing fast. In its latest report, Mastercard puts it plainly: “The next wave of payments innovation uses tech to put people first, making money movement more secure, smarter and more personal.” Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.UAE consum»»»

David Kuloba's mother warned him about going to Russia after he accepted a job as a security guard advertised by a recruitment agency in Kenya. At first the family, who live in the Kenyan capital's crowded informal settlement of Kibera had been excited when he said he had found work abroad - it sou»»»

1 of 3 | President Barack Obama on November 22, 2016, awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to architect Frank Gehry, who died on Friday at age 96. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Frank Gehry, one of the most influential architects of the latter 20th century, died»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US and Ukrainian officials are holding a second straight day of talks in Miami on President Trump's peace plan, Axios reported Friday, citing US and Ukrainian officials. The discussions, which started on Thursday night and lasted approximately two hours, resumed Friday mornin»»»

Esther was sleeping on the streets of Lagos when a woman approached her with the promise of a route out of Nigeria to a job and a home in Europe. She had dreamt of a new life, especially in the UK. Thrown out of a violent and abusive foster home, she had little to stay for. But when she left Lagos »»»

It sounds like a simple merger deal, but it's got all the ingredients of a Hollywood drama: a rich and powerful suitor, political intrigue, and plenty of cliff-hangers. Netflix's deal to buy Warner Brothers Discovery's storied movie studio and popular HBO streaming networks, is a real-life tale of »»»

At a viewing party in Philadelphia, dozens of football fans from around the world took refuge from frigid conditions as they watched the draw for next summer's men's World Cup on dozens of TVs. The glitzy event some 140 miles away at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC was attended by the le»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Thousands of school students took to the streets in major German cities on Friday in a show of protest against a new bill on the modernization of military service, German media reported. The bill was adopted by the federal parliament earlier in the day in a 323-272 vote with one »»»

President Rumen Radev awarded the Presidential Badge of Honour to five firefighters and volunteers for their active participation in combating this year’s large-scale fires and for their significant contribution to national security. The ceremony took place at the Presidency on Friday to mark Volun»»»

1 of 3 | President Donald Trump takes questions during a press briefing after the Supreme Court released their final decisions of their term in June. The court ruled that individual judges cannot grant nationwide injunctions to block executive orders, including on Trump’s effort to eliminate birthr»»»

The Duchess of Sussex has attempted to contact her estranged father, Thomas Markle, who is reported to be seriously ill in hospital in the Philippines. A spokesman for Meghan said: "I can confirm she has reached out to her father." Mr Markle is reported to have had his leg amputated during surgery.»»»

The US is lobbying several EU members to block a plan to use frozen Russian assets as collateral for a €140 billion loan to Ukraine, in hopes of using the funds as leverage for a potential peace deal, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing sources. Under the EU Commission’s latest proposal, the bloc »»»