Mena Today

The end-of-year festivities have officially begun in Tel Aviv, and this year they come with a twist few would have predicted.

Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday, as the country races to fulfil a key demand of its ceasefire with Israel before a year-end deadline.

Qatar has once again confirmed its position among the world’s most prosperous nations, ranking sixth globally in the 2025 list of the richest countries by GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), according to Forbes India.

Hosting African ministers and heads of delegation in Cairo on Saturday for the second ministerial conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi reaffirmed Egypt’s ambition to play a central role in Africa’s political, economic, and security balance.

The United States carried out large-scale military strikes against more than 70 Islamic State targets across central Syria on Friday, U.S. officials said, in response to a recent attack that killed American personnel.

The decision by the United States to lift sanctions on Syria marks a major political shift and offers a rare opportunity for a country shattered by more than a decade of war to begin rebuilding. 

Iran executed a man on Saturday who it said was convicted of spying for Israel and having ties to Iranian opposition groups, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that a new governance structure for Gaza -- made up of an international board and a group of Palestinian technocrats -- would be in place soon, followed by the deployment of foreign troops, as the U.S. hopes to cement a fragile ceasefire in Israel's war in the Palestinian enclave.

 Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama held talks with a global delegation seeking reparations for transatlantic slavery and colonialism, who urged him to rally other African leaders to choose "courage over comfort" and support the growing movement.

Senior officials from Cyprus and the United Kingdom met in Nicosia on December 18 for the third annual Strategic Dialogue, reaffirming the strength of their bilateral partnership and outlining priorities for the year ahead.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said Washington's immediate goal on Sudan is a cessation of hostilities going into the new year that allows humanitarian organizations to deliver assistance.

Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025 drew more than 35,000 participants, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s growing status as a major global financial hub after a week of high-level discussions, landmark announcements, and strategic deals.