Author: khaleejpress.com
LOS ANGELES, December 23, 2025: Vince Zampella, the co-creator of the globally acclaimed Call of Duty video game franchise and a prominent figure in the interactive entertainment industry, died on Sunday following a car crash in Southern California. He was 55. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Zampella was driving a Ferrari on the Angeles Crest Highway north of Los Angeles on the afternoon of December 21 when the vehicle left the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and caught fire. Emergency responders pronounced Zampella dead at the scene. A passenger in the car also died from injuries sustained in the crash. Authorities…
ABU DHABI, December 23, 2025: Canadian tennis player Victoria Mboko has been named the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer of the Year for 2025 following a breakout season that propelled her from outside the world’s top 300 to inside the top 20. The 19-year-old from Toronto achieved several milestones across the season, capturing her first WTA 1000 title and establishing herself among the leading young players on the women’s circuit. Mboko’s rise began early in 2025 with a series of victories on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour, where she won four consecutive singles titles. Her consistent performance on the lower-tier circuit…
TOKYO, December 20, 2025: The Bank of Japan on Friday raised its benchmark interest rate to the highest level in three decades, marking another milestone in its gradual departure from ultra-loose monetary policy. The central bank lifted its short-term policy rate by 25 basis points to 0.75 percent, the highest since 1995. The move, widely anticipated by financial markets, underscores Japan’s growing confidence in its economic resilience after years of deflation and stagnant growth. The decision was approved unanimously by the central bank’s Policy Board following its two-day meeting in Tokyo. Governor Kazuo Ueda emphasized that the bank would continue to assess incoming…
DUBAI, UAE, December 20, 2025: MENA Newswire today announced the deployment of an always-on, self-serve reporting access system for its clients, powered by SpyderAPI. The enhancement introduces a dedicated reporting folder and CDN-backed delivery framework designed to provide immediate and reliable access to campaign performance reports for clients operating across global markets. The new system enables continuous access to coverage and distribution data, allowing clients to retrieve reports instantly without manual coordination or delays. Through a dedicated reporting portal, users can enter their assigned distribution ID to generate real-time reports. The reports are delivered via SpyderAPI’s content delivery network, ensuring low latency, consistent performance, and…
ABU DHABI, December 19, 2025: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced on Thursday the completion of a landmark structured financing agreement valued at up to AED 40.4 billion ($11 billion) to advance the Hail and Ghasha offshore gas development. The financing, arranged in partnership with Italy’s Eni S.p.A. and Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), represents one of the largest structured funding transactions in the global energy sector. The agreement enables ADNOC to monetize future midstream gas production from the Hail and Ghasha fields, part of the broader Ghasha concession, while maintaining strategic and operational control over…
SEOUL, December 19, 2025: The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in energy, industry, and advanced technology during an official visit by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO. The visit included high-level meetings with senior Korean officials and leading private-sector executives focused on expanding bilateral economic and technological collaboration. Dr. Al Jaber was accompanied by Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, and Hasan Jasem Nasser Al Nowais, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.…
LONDON, December 19, 2025: Gold prices rose on Thursday as investors shifted toward safe-haven assets amid weaker risk sentiment following mixed U.S. labor market data, geopolitical tensions, and firm signals from the Federal Reserve that interest rates will remain restrictive until inflation is fully contained. Spot gold was last up 0.3 percent at $2,378.40 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures added 0.4 percent to $2,381.70. The uptick in prices came as the U.S. dollar eased slightly against major peers and Treasury yields declined after earlier gains. The softer dollar made gold more affordable for international buyers, helping to stabilize bullion prices after recent volatility. Data from the U.S. Labor Department…
ABU DHABI, December 18, 2025: The United Arab Emirates strengthened its position in 2025 as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, driven by broad-based expansion in non-oil sectors, rising trade volumes, and sustained investment inflows. Official data and global economic assessments indicated continued growth momentum supported by sound fiscal management and a resilient financial system. The Ministry of Economy reported that non-oil foreign trade increased 24.5 percent in the first half of 2025 to AED 1.7 trillion, nearly 14 times the global trade growth rate. The expansion reflected higher re-exports, diversified industrial output, and expanding logistics capabilities. The UN Conference on Trade and…
DOHA, Qatar, December 18, 2025: French forward Ousmane Dembélé was named The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2025 at the annual awards ceremony in Doha on Monday, marking the Paris Saint-Germain winger’s first win at the prestigious global football event. Dembélé secured the honor following a season of consistent excellence for club and country, capping a year that also saw him claim the Ballon d’Or. The 28-year-old attacker outperformed a competitive shortlist that included Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. His performances throughout the 2024-2025 season were instrumental in Paris Saint-Germain’s most successful campaign in the club’s history, including their first UEFA Champions League title, a…
BRUSSELS, December 17, 2025: The European Union is set to ease its planned 2035 ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles after sustained pressure from automakers and several member states, marking a significant policy adjustment in the bloc’s long-term climate agenda. The European Commission is preparing to revise the existing regulation that requires all new cars sold from 2035 to produce zero emissions. Under the proposed amendment, manufacturers would instead be required to achieve a 90 percent reduction in average fleet carbon dioxide emissions by 2035, rather than the previously mandated 100 percent cut. The move would allow continued production and sale of…