Dubai: Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD have launched a new financing model that will allow buyers of off-plan homes in Dubai to secure mortgage approval earlier in the purchase process. Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD have launched a new financing model that will allow buyers »»»

Kuwait: Primark, the international fashion retailer known for its affordable fashion and everyday essentials, has officially opened its second store in Dubai in partnership with Alshaya Group, at City Centre Mirdif. Arriving just two weeks after Primark’s highly anticipated UAE debut at Dubai Mall,»»»

Amid growing fears that Ukraine’s long-range drones could strike deep into northern Russia, military authorities have decided to cancel one of the country’s most symbolic displays of military power: the May 9 Victory Day parade. There will be no traditional May 9 parade in Mirny, a closed military »»»

The Dubai Civil Court of First Instance has ruled that property gifts made by a convicted embezzler to his daughter cannot be enforced against creditors, ordering the assets to be restored to his name to allow recovery of funds. The court found that the defendant, previously convicted of embezzling»»»

Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Defence, Public Order and National Security in the Chamber of Deputies Andrei Baciu met last week at the United Nations headquarters with UN Under-Secretary-General Amandeep Singh Gill, the two discussing the new reality generated by artificial intelligence (AI)»»»

The Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition is organizing a march under the slogan “Strong Bulgaria in a Strong Europe,” set to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Sofia on Thursday, the coalition’s press office said. The procession will start from St. Nedelya Square and proceed to the Nation»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), has released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting a year of expanded programmes, stronger partnerships, and measurable progress in equipping young people in Qatar with the awareness, skills, and support needed to»»»

Dubai: Borrowers and businesses are set to get temporary relief as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) rolls out regulatory support measures following a surge in energy prices tied to geopolitical developments in the Middle East. The measures, approved under Monetary Board Resolution No. 296, has»»»

Regions and districts will be abolished in Kyrgyzstan, and 20 okrugs will be created in their place. President Sadyr Japarov announced the second stage of administrative reform at a meeting with residents of Nookat district. According to him, there are currently 44 districts and 33 cities in the re»»»

Drugs once hailed as a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer's disease do not meaningfully help patients, a major review found Thursday, however some experts criticized the research. The review by the Cochrane organization -- which is considered the gold standard for analyzing existing eviden»»»

GERB–UDF top-of-the-list candidate for Montana's multimember-constituency, Rumen Hristov, has urged voters in the Montana region to vote for their “well-being and secure future” in an address to voters, the coalition’s press office said Thursday. “In the upcoming Sunday elections, vote not for part»»»

Indonesian authorities said Wednesday they have arrested six people allegedly involved in smuggling endangered Komodo dragons native to the archipelago and destined for Thailand. Two suspects were arrested in February in the port city of Surabaya on the east coast of Java island as they got off a s»»»

In a packed hall in Qamishli's sports stadium in northeast Syria, Firas Ahmad is one of dozens of Kurds waiting to apply for citizenship after many in the minority were barred from doing so for decades. Since last week, "unregistered" Kurds, who have been stateless since a controversial 1962 census»»»

Dubai: The Philippine Embassy in Oman has issued a clarification in response to circulating online reports suggesting that Filipino nationals travelling to Oman may be required to undergo HIV testing prior to departure. The embassy has noted that it has been receiving a number of inquiries from mem»»»

The fundamental vulnerability of the US Multi-Domain Operations doctrine is “centralization and the idea that the entire battle space can be effectively managed from the top,” retired USAF Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former DoD analyst, tells Sputnik. Kwiatkowski calls it “a kind of arrogance and»»»

Chingiz Aidarbekov has submitted a statement canceling his registration as a candidate for deputy of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan, sources informed. Chingiz Aidarbekov himself confirmed on his Facebook page that he submitted a statement to the Central Election Commission on April 16. A meeting»»»

China's economy expanded more than expected in the first three months of the year, with official data Thursday indicating resilience in the face of a Middle East crisis that threatens to hit global growth. The figures came despite a surge in world energy prices caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, »»»

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), through the university’s Center of Excellence for Smart Health (KCSH), have developed a new method to improve the formation and control of stem cell-derived embryo models, enabling unprecedented insights into the early stage»»»

The U.S. military struck a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific on Wednesday, killing three people. Image courtesy of U.S. Southern Command/X April 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. military killed three people Wednesday in its fifth strike in five days targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie has reassured the public that the country’s environmental condition remains stable, emphasizing that there are no indicators or phenomena that warrant concern. In an interview with Qatar Telev»»»

Doha, Qatar: Venture capital investment across the Gulf, especially Qatar, is undergoing a significant transformation, moving away from opportunistic funding toward more strategic, long-term deployment aligned with national economic agendas, according to market experts. Speaking to The Peninsula on»»»

Doha, Qatar: European Council President António Costa (pictured) yesterday underscored the European Union’s unwavering support for Qatar and other Gulf nations amid regional tensions, stressing the need for a stable ceasefire and the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Spe»»»

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - Lebanese movement Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire on the condition that Israel also observe it, Mahmoud Komati, deputy head of Hezbollah's political council, said on Wednesday. Hezbollah has agreed to a ceasefire with Israel on the condition that both sides adhere to it.“We agree»»»

AMMAN — Airport International Group (AIG), the Jordanian company operating Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), announced a major milestone in its journey, with QAIA ranking among the Skytrax World’s Top 100 Airports 2026 for the first time in its history.This reflects the airport’s commitment »»»

Dubai has launched a new initiative to train 50,000 government employees in artificial intelligence as part of efforts to modernise public services and improve efficiency. The programme, called the AI Workforce Transformation Programme (AI+), is being led by Digital Dubai in partnership with the Du»»»

Dubai: Sue Prado, an acclaimed indie Filipino film actress, died at 44 with her family confirming her death. Her sister, May Shareen Prado, took to Facebook saying her beloved family member died on April 14. No cause of death has been revealed. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf New»»»

The US Senate on Wednesday rejected a bill that would have blocked any further US strikes on Iran without approval from Congress. The initiative was opposed by 52 senators and supported by 47 senators. The vote marks the fourth time this year lawmakers have effectively allowed the US-Israeli war of»»»

Left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez moved into second place in Peru’s presidential election, setting up a June runoff with conservative Keiko Fujimori, as a rival threatened protests over alleged fraud. With over 90% counted, Fujimori led with about 17%, followed by Sanchez on 12% and Rafael Lopez »»»

François Picard welcomes Farès Boueiz, former Lebanese minister of foreign affairs. The ongoing Israeli-Lebanese talks cannot be described as a "breakthrough", Boueiz argues, but rather as a technical prelude to meaningful negotiations. What we are witnessing, he suggests, is the exploratory stage »»»

François Picard welcomes Farès Boueiz, former Lebanese minister of foreign affairs. The ongoing Israeli-Lebanese talks cannot be described as a "breakthrough", Boueiz argues, but rather as a technical prelude to meaningful negotiations. What we are witnessing, he suggests, is the exploratory stage »»»

Social media users are claiming that Apple has intentionally removed towns in southern Lebanon from its Maps app, sparking allegations of a link to the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict. Apple has denied the claims, stating the locations were never indexed to begin with and citing longstanding covera»»»

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel's domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, warned that Israel is "heading to apartheid" unless it divides the land with the Palestinians. He argued that "there is a limit to what we can achieve by the use of military power" in Iran and»»»

Between Tehran and Washington's blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, the number of ships passing through the critical waterway has slowed to a trickle. Here's what marine tracking data tells us about the situation. A trickle of ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday and Wednesday as a US blockade»»»

Syria began loading its first tanker carrying Iraqi oil on Wednesday at the Baniyas port refinery, according to state media. With maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted, Iraq's exports came to a halt and oil storage tanks began filling up rapidly, forcing Iraqi authorities to large»»»

Pakistan’s army chief is set to meet with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war. The White House said any further talks would likely take plac»»»

Sudan’s government on Wednesday slammed a donor conference hosted by Germany as “surprising and unacceptable”, saying the event meddles in the country’s internal affairs and was organised without consulting Khartoum. The conference is being held as the brutal war between the army and the paramilita»»»

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon Wednesday for the next stop on his 11-day apostolic journey across Africa. Separatist groups in the English-speaking west declared a three-day ceasefire to allow the pontiff to travel to the conflicted region.  Crowds lined the roads to welcome Pope Leo XIV to »»»

Three years into a war that has displaced 11 million people and killed tens of thousands, Sudan’s conflict remains deadlocked, with civilians trapped in a cycle of violence and deprivation and no viable path to peace. On the third anniversary of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and »»»

Controversial US rapper Kanye West is facing the possible cancellation of his planned June concert in Marseille as France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez moves to block the performance over the artist’s anti-Semitic remarks.  France's interior minister is seeking to block US rapper Kanye Wes»»»

When you think of a steaming hot drink in France, you probably think of coffee. French cafés are indeed everywhere. But in this edition we're focusing on a hot drink that's less associated with France: tea! We speak to Erika Le Noan, the CEO of French tea maker Dammann Frères. She tells us how to m»»»

France's controversial Montparnasse Tower is entering a new era. A stark symbol of post-war modernism in the heart of Paris, the skyscraper inaugurated in 1973 is set to get a facelift. Work is expected to begin this summer and continue until at least 2030. We tak»»»

How do you tell your three-year-old that it’s time to go back to school, just after she’s grown comfortable being at home? Swaleha Madani, assistant professor, cardiac rehabilitation specialist based in Al Ain, knows the challenge that lies ahead, as schools gear up to open after weeks of distance »»»

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has suspended Italy's defence cooperation agreement with Israel amid rising tensions between the two countries after Rome accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. Italy has suspended its defence agre»»»

As countries on both sides of the Atlantic ramp up deportations of undocumented migrants, Spain’s left-wing government on Tuesday prepared to give legal status to hundreds of thousands of irregular workers. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has championed the amnesty as a way to not only give informal w»»»

François Picard is pleased to welcome Zsuzsanna Szelényi, foreign policy specialist, former politician, author and founding director of the CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy. For more than three decades, she observed, first-hand, Hungary’s political transformation from within. There was no»»»

A flotilla of dozens of boats set sail for Gaza from Barcelona on Wednesday in a fresh bid to break an Israeli blockade and deliver aid supplies. Last year, another flotilla of about 50 boats was boarded by the Israeli navy, resulting in crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg,»»»

Saudi Arabia will provide $3 billion in additional support for Pakistan to help the South Asian nation bridge a multi-billion-dollar gap in its finances linked to an upcoming debt repayment to the United Arab Emirates. The extra funding for Pakistan comes on top of Riyadh extending the rollover arr»»»

US President Donald Trump said China had agreed not to send weapons to Iran in return for Washington's efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, posting on his Truth Social account on April 15. "China is very happy that I am»»»

The Trump administration’s being ostracized by the international community for America’s war mongering. That is making China a fulcrum in the East-West clash that now has its centre of gravity in the Middle East. World leaders are flocking to Beijing to find a counterbalance. »»»

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on April 15 in Washington that the US is working with Persian Gulf allies to obtain data on bank accounts linked to members of the Iranian government and is contacting international lenders, including in China, to choke off Iran-related transactions. »»»