The chief organizer of South Korea's notoriously grueling university entrance exams has resigned -- after complaints that an English test he designed was just too difficult. South Korea's college entry exam, known locally as the "Suneung", is essential for admission to top universities and widely r»»»

Ali Chauffeur Services Dubai has announced a major expansion of its monthly driver and school transport services, bringing safer, more reliable, and convenient travel solutions to residents across Dubai. The company, known for its RTA-approved and highly trained drivers, aims to provide families an»»»

Authorities have arrested a 42-year-old man suspected of posting threatening and abusive messages online against Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis. Police said the case, involving a man from Imathia in central Macedonia, was opened after Angeloudis filed a complaint that prompted an inquiry by »»»

A ceremony was held in Sulyukta, Batken region, to present service apartment keys to military personnel. The event was attended by Kamchybek Tashiev, Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS). Speaking at the ceremony, Kamchybek Tashiev highlighted the conditions th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Tiding produced a dazzling late surge to claim the Al Shaqab Cup, a Thoroughbred Handicap (70–90) over 2200m, at Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday. The 4-year-old chestnut colt, representing Sheikh Abdul Rahman Rashid Al-Thani, trained by Gassim Al Ghazali and ridden by Alberto Sanna, cam»»»

Donald Trump has exerted more pressure on Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, who accused the US president of ushering in a new “era of criminal naval piracy” in the Caribbean after Washington seized a Venezuelan oil tanker. Late on Thursday, the US imposed curbs on three nephews of Maduro’s wife»»»

Dubai: The Central Bank of the UAE has announced that the first phase of the digital dirham will soon be launched, in a significant shift in the country’s financial landscape. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.According to the bank, the digital currency will enable real-»»»

ServiceMarket, the UAE’s most trusted platform for home services, has expanded its offerings to include a full range of car services at home, making life easier for Dubai residents. These new car services include Car Wash at Home, Car Service at Home and Car Window Tinting at Home. Whether your veh»»»

Boyan Yurukov, a blogger, has been named Human of the Year 2025 in the 18th edition of the awards with which the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) honours human rights defenders and their contributions to Bulgarian society. Yurukov won the distinction for making publicly accessible the data on ove»»»

“Antep İşi” Embroidery has been inscribed on the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity today (11 December) during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cu»»»

Osh Mayor Zhenishbek Toktorbaev was awarded the Dostuk Order by decree of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The state award was presented for significant contributions to strengthening friendly and good-neighborly relations between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and developing interregional cooperatio»»»

LONDON, Dec 12 (KUNA) -- Official data on Friday showed Britainآ’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.1 percent between August and October.A report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said economic output was flat in August, before shrinking unexpectedly by 0.1 percent in both Sep»»»

Dubai: Setting fire to public roads for social media stunts will not be tolerated, a senior Dubai Police official has warned, after a young man was arrested for igniting a street with a highly flammable substance to celebrate his birthday. Brigadier Juma Salim bin Suwaidan, Director of the General »»»

The United Nations has warned of an unprecedented rise in humanitarian needs in Yemen during the coming year, saying the country is heading towards one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world unless urgent funding for a response plan is provided. Latest data showed that in 2026, 23.1 million »»»

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi on Thursday urged political, tribal and social forces in the eastern provinces of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra to close ranks behind state efforts and local authorities to contain the fallout from the recent security and military escalation»»»

Rains drenched Gaza’s tent camps and dropping temperatures chilled Palestinians huddling inside them Thursday as winter storm Byron descended on the war-battered territory, showing how two months of a ceasefire have failed to sufficiently address the spiraling humanitarian crisis there. Families fo»»»

In a move set to reshape the future of global gold investment, the International Gold Holding, has announced its entry into a strategic partnership with ADI Foundation, an institution established by Sirius International Holding, one of the companies under the IHC Group. This partnership aims to lau»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed the current week up 1.780 percent, adding 190.35 points to its tally, to stand at 10,903 points compared to last week’s closing. QSE’s figures showed that the banking and financial services sector achieved the largest profits with a growth rate of 2»»»

Tunis, December 12 (TAP) - The weather on Friday will be very foggy, then it will become partially cloudy in the eastern coastal regions by the end of the day and during the night, with some scattered rain, according to the forecasts of the National...»»»

A strategic Memorandum of Understanding has been announced to enable AE Coin digital payments across ADNOC Distribution’s extensive retail network in the UAE. By adopting the country’s first-of-its-kind stablecoin, ADNOC Distribution becomes the first fuel and convenience retailer in the UAE to off»»»

During a working visit to Batken region, Kamchybek Tashiev, Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS), stated that one of the key objectives set by President Sadyr Japarov is reliable border protection and social support for military personnel serving in border area»»»

TOKYO, Dec 12 (KUNA) -- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday shared serious concerns over any actions to increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.During their telephone talks, they stressed that a recent radar incident caused by Chinese m»»»

The State Department on Thursday announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of 29-year-old Francisco Manuel Bermudez Cagua, also known as Churron. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of State/Website Dec. 12 (UPI) -- The State Department is offering a $5 mil»»»

Muscat: The Qatari-Omani Joint Committee held its 24th session meetings in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, over two days. The Qatari side was headed by Minister of Finance H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, while the Omani side was headed by Minister of Finance H E Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi. During the me»»»

Doha, Qatar: Buenos Aires will open an InvestBA office in Doha in 2026, marking the city’s first official representation in the Gulf region and establishing a permanent platform for trade and investment promotion, H E Hernán Lombardi, Minister of Economic Development for the City of Buenos Aires ha»»»

* 80% say that in-office interactions help them feel more visible. In a labour market under increasing pressure and tension, more and more employees feel that their work goes unnoticed, a situation that can fuel demotivation and distance from colleagues and managers. More than 58% of employees feel»»»

The Government approved, on Thursday, the technical and economic indicators of the work to improve navigation conditions on the joint Romanian-Bulgarian sector of the Danube (FAST DANUBE), the investment amounting to over 710 million RON.According to a press release from the Executive, the completi»»»

The government approved, on Friday, by memorandum, the signing of the Convention establishing an International Commission on compensation claims for Ukraine.According to a press release from the Executive, this commission, an independent structure within the Council of Europe, with international le»»»

President Nicusor Dan participated on Thursday in the "Coalition of the Willing" video-conference meeting.The meeting of the European leaders was scheduled to take place at 17:45hrs, the Presidential Administration announced.A new meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" countries supporting Ukrai»»»

Russia has destroyed the security architecture in the Black Sea and is militarising the occupied peninsula, turning it into a continuing point of aggression, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday at the "Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments" conferenc»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to root out "evil" and scolded lazy officials while praising his troops fighting with Russia against Ukraine, state media said Friday, capping a major meeting of Pyongyang's top brass. The three-day meeting of the regime's central committee discussed key po»»»

Beijing's actions are "not conducive to regional peace", Japan's defense minister and US counterpart Pete Hegseth agreed during a call after Chinese aircraft locked radar on Japanese jets near Taiwan, Tokyo said Friday. The December 6 radar incident came after comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takai»»»

Dubai: Emirates is adding a special incentive for travellers heading to Dubai this winter, offering complimentary access to two of the city’s most popular experiences, a sunset dinner cruise on Dubai Marina and entry to the Arte Museum Dubai. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bal»»»

On Dec. 12, 1988, three trains collided in London, killing 35 people, Britain's worst railway accident in 21 years. 1 of 7 | The rail tracks at Clapham Junction can be seen in 2018 in London. On December 12, 1988, three trains collided at the junction, killing 40 people, Britain's worst railway acc»»»

Several Democratic lawmakers have called for the Israeli and U.S. governments to fully investigate a deadly 2023 attack by the Israeli military on journalists in southern Lebanon. The October 13, 2023 airstrike killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and wounded six other reporters, including tw»»»

Cairo: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Chairman of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law (NCIHL) H E Saeed bin Abdullah Al Suwaidi affirmed the State of Qatar’s commitment to the Global Initiative on Reinforcing Respect for International Humanitarian Law, which it »»»

Doha: Director-General of Qatar News Agency (QNA), Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi met yesterday with a delegation from the German Press Agency (DPA), headed by the agency’s Regional Delegate for Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Wael Najib. During the meeting, the two sides discussed avenues for stren»»»

Social media platform Reddit on Friday filed a suit challenging Australia’s new law banning under-16s from major platforms, arguing that it violates the nation’s implied freedom of political communication. The move follows a similar case filed by a rights group last month, even as the government vo»»»

Seoul: The chief organiser of South Korea’s notoriously gruelling university entrance exams has resigned - after complaints that an English test he designed was just too difficult. South Korea’s college entry exam, known locally as the “Suneung”, is essential for admission to top universities and w»»»

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and Hollywood icon Johnny Depp set social media abuzz with their surprise encounter at the Red Sea International Film Festival, with fans calling it a “legendary crossover moment.” Viral photos from the festival captured the duo’s warm exchange, friendly smiles, and »»»

Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright will spend five months in prison for tampering with evidence after a helicopter crash that killed his co-star and left the pilot a paraplegic. In August, the former Netflix star was found guilty of lying to police and pressuring a hospitalised witness after »»»

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs H E Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani met with Chief Minister of Terengganu, Malaysia, H E Dr. Ahmad Samsuri bin Mokhtar, and his accompanying delegation, during his visit to the State of Qatar. During the meeting, the t»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) and Google Cloud have announced a strategic partnership aimed at significantly advancing Kahramaa’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, driving digital transformation, and reinforcing Qatar’s position as a regional t»»»

Nairobi: Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie participated yesterday in the high-level segment of the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7). The session is being held at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Pro»»»

A Southern California woman preparing for surgery to remove a large ovarian tumor received a startling diagnosis: she was pregnant — and the baby was growing outside her uterus, tucked behind the mass. Medical teams at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles identified the condition as a rare ab»»»

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul received royal approval on Friday to dissolve parliament, paving the way for a general election early next year. Voting for the House of Representatives will be held 45 to 60 days after a royal decree, with Anutin leading a caretaker government barred f»»»

Friday prayer timings are set to change in UAE from 2026, and these are the last few weeks when worshippers in the country will be following the current prayer timings. The Friday prayer timings today are as follows: In Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, adhan and »»»

Dubai: The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court is set to announce the quantum of punishment on Friday for the six men convicted in the 2017 Kerala actress assault case — a development that has drawn intense public attention and a heavy media presence outside the courthouse. Local TV crews and report»»»