President Donald Trump looks out the window with Eric Trump, executive vice president of Trump Organization Inc., left, and Natalie Harp, executive assistant to President Donald Trump, center, aboard Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House Friday. Trump's $10 billion suit against the Wall S»»»

Washington: The US blockade of Iranian ports took effect Monday evening, April 13, 2026. The US military announced that the blockade includes Iranian ports on the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that it will apply to all ships regardless of their flags. It cla»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has announced the administrative closure of a restaurant in the Dukhan area due to food deemed unfit for human consumption. The Jaal Algharya Restaurant will be closed for three days starting April 13, 2026, as per the Ministry’s Administrative Closure Deci»»»

The United Kingdom has halted a plan to hand over the Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago, to Mauritius. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed an agreement last year transferring sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius. However, the deal allowed Washington and London to retain control »»»

Israel summoned Italy's ambassador Monday to protest after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Israel's "unacceptable attacks" on civilians in Lebanon during a visit to Beirut, an Italian diplomatic source said. Tajani, a senior member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, visited Be»»»

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday condemned US President Donald Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV as "unacceptable", after the US pontiff spoke out against the Middle East war. "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to co»»»

BusinessGermanyLufthansa pilots strike for 2 days, cabin crew will followMark Hallam with AFP, dpaPilots who are members of the Vereinigung Cockpit trade union are striking on Monday and Tuesday. As hundreds of flights were canceled, the UFO cabin crew union said it would also strike on Wednesday a»»»

Bulgaria's caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov on Monday congratulated Hungary's Tisza party leader Peter Magyar on their victory in the country's parliamentary elections. "I also congratulated the citizens of Hungary, who expressed their will with record turnout and showed Europe that democracy »»»

Many political allies who had endorsed Viktor Orbán have stayed silent or voiced dismay, but some pledged to work with Hungary’s new, pro-EU leader. The list of noisy, far-right Orbán-endorsers who stayed mute on Monday (13 April) after the outgoing Hungarian prime minister’s election drubbing incl»»»

Beirut, Lebanon: Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health announced on Monday, April 13, 2026, that the death toll from the Israeli offensive on Lebanon since March 2 has risen to 2,089. The ministry said in a statement that the number of injuries has also increased to 6,762. In a related development, L»»»

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Increased military preparations of the European Union make it obvious that it is getting ready for a major war against Russia, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Monday. "These large-scale military preparations leave no doubt a»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump warned Monday that any Iranian attack boats that approach the naval blockade he has ordered around the country's ports will be destroyed, despite international calls for a ceasefire to be respected and negotiations to resume. The US military said»»»

Dozens of people were killed in an air strike on a Nigerian town market by the Nigerian military. Some say around 200 are dead from the attack. File Photo by Justin Lane/EPA April 13 (UPI) -- More than 50 people were killed in an air strike at a Nigerian market by the Nigerian military, and some sa»»»

Israeli troops launched an attack on Monday to seize a key town in south Lebanon from Hezbollah fighters holed up there, pressing the war on the Iran-backed group on the eve of rare talks between Israeli and Lebanese government envoys. With the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States »»»

Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinian schoolchildren staging a sit-in on Monday in the occupied West Bank, AFP footage showed, after settlers blocked access to their school. The Israeli military confirmed to AFP it had dispersed an "unusual gathering", but did not specify whether its troops »»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Pavilion of Qatar at the Giardini della Biennale in Venice, Italy, announced today, April 13, 2026, details of its participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, to be held next month. The pavilion will present the art exhibition 'untitled»»»

Péter Magyar promised during the election campaign that he would dismantle Viktor Orbán’s entire political system “brick by brick” — a system with which he had close ties until very recently. Over the past two years, Magyar has travelled almost constantly around the country, saying he would curb co»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Sunday he was working to stop the Israel-Hezbollah war, even as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in south Lebanon that the fight there was far from over. The Lebanese Red Cross said in a statement that one of its paramedics had been killed in the south.»»»

President Joseph Aoun on Monday told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that "Lebanon hopes that the upcoming meeting tomorrow in Washington between the ambassadors of Lebanon, the United States, and Israel will result in an agreement on a ceasefire in Lebanon, paving the way for dire»»»

During 44 days of war in the Middle East, the EU’s fossil fuel import bill rose by over €22 bln, according to Ursula von der Leyen. She stressed that the crisis, including disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, is driving up fuel, food, and household costs across Europe. Von der Leyen warned that»»»

Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar has pulled off a stunning victory in the country’s parliamentary election, with his Tisza party beating Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz by more than 16 points. The result is set to dramatically change Hungary’s relations with the EU, Russia, and Ukraine»»»

What will be the consequences for the United States of refraining from taking extreme measures against Iran? It is too early to say what kind of lasting order, if any, will emerge in the Middle East after the failure of the US and Israel’s campaign against Tehran. Yet the decision to avoid escalati»»»

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump said US forces would destroy any Iranian "fast attack ships" that approach the American naval blockade of Iranian ports that came into effect on Monday. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here."Warning: If»»»

Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori speaks at a press conference in Lima on Monday. Fujimori, the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, is the frontrunner to compete for the Peruvian presidency in a runoff election scheduled June 7. Photo by Renato Pajuelo/EPA April 13 (UPI) -- »»»

Israel has condemned Spain after a fireworks-filled effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was blown up during an Easter festival in the southern town of El Burgo. The long-strained ties between Madrid and West Jerusalem have deteriorated even further in light of the US-Israeli attack on Iran,»»»

A dispute over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is fast becoming a global economic concern. Iran’s threat to charge vessels for passing through the narrow waterway — combined with ongoing disruptions to traffic — has unsettled energy markets and raised fresh questions about the rules governing inte»»»

The head of the UN maritime agency said Monday no country had a legal right to block shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a trade passage paralysed by the US-Iran war. The International Maritime Organization's Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez addressed a news conference as access to the strait rema»»»

Dubai: Publsh Group and the news platform Lana have launched El Nas Lel Nas, meaning “People for People”, a new community-driven initiative designed to shine a spotlight on small and medium-sized businesses across the UAE by mobilising the country’s most influential public figures. The initiative b»»»

Dubai: “We don’t stand still.” As Basmah El Bittar, director of Alserkal Avenue, says these words, we’re walking through Alserkal Avenue on a windy April afternoon in Dubai's industrial-chic Al Quoz neighbourhood. She’s giving Gulf News a tour of the vibrant cultural district she oversees. It's a s»»»

Every step Washington has taken in the conflict with Iran to date has worsened its own strategic position, and the blockade of Iranian oil exports is no exception, says Center for Contemporary Iranian Studies director Rajab Safarov. "This is a very foolish move on the part of the United States. Wit»»»

Protesters gather outside Liverpool Crown Court in Liverpool in January 2025 where then-18 year-old Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to 52 years in prison for the Southport child killings. File photo by Adam Vaughan/EPA-EFE April 13 (UPI) -- The official inquiry into the killings of three young girls »»»

Dubai: Pope Leo XIV has declined to engage directly with criticism from Donald Trump, emphasizing that the Church’s stance on global conflicts is guided by moral responsibility rather than politics. Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria for his first visit to Africa as po»»»

DOHA: The Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) organised a roundtable on strengthening social cohesion and building community resilience in times of crisis, in partnership with the Cultural Village Foundation - Katara and in cooperation with the 'Qatar Minna wa Nahnu Minha' ini»»»

Abu Dhabi: Sobha Realty has entered the UAE capital with the launch of Sobha City, a 38 million square foot residential development in Al Bahiya. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The project marks the developer’s first large-scale community in Abu Dhabi, expanding its f»»»

Jakarta: Indonesia's economy minister said Monday the Southeast Asian nation can outlast the impacts of Middle East conflict-fuelled oil price hikes for as many as 10 months without cutting fuel subsidies. Minister Airlangga Hartarto told foreign media in Jakarta his government "is ready for five, »»»

Dubai: A Florida man’s death after an intense and increasingly delusional relationship with Google’s AI chatbot Gemini is raising urgent questions about the psychological risks of human-like artificial intelligence. At the centre of the case is 36-year-old Jonathan Gavalas, described by his family »»»

1 of 2 | Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced the Kids Online Safety Act in 2022. It is endorsed by 62 senators. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 13 (UPI) -- Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are considering more than a dozen bill proposals to »»»

Following the of a Unified Development Programme (Unified Budget) by the two politically split Libyan administrations of western and eastern Libya last Saturday (11 April), the US Embassy in Libya congratulated Libya ‘‘on signing a unified national budget for the first time in more than 13 years, f»»»

Berlin: Germany on Monday unveiled 1.6 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in fuel price relief for households and businesses struggling with the energy shock unleashed by the Middle East war. The announcement came after oil prices surged again following the collapse of US-Iran peace talks and US Presiden»»»

Sion, Switzerland: Crans-Montana mayor Nicolas Feraud was questioned for the first time on Monday by public prosecutors investigating the New Year fire disaster in the Swiss ski resort. The mayor is one of nine people under criminal investigation over the January 1 tragedy, which killed 41 people a»»»

Frankfurt, Germany: Hundreds of Lufthansa flights were cancelled Monday as pilots kicked off a strike over pay and pensions, the latest walkout at the German aviation giant this year. Half of all long-distance flights and two-thirds of short-haul services were cancelled at Lufthansa, the group's ma»»»

Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Dubai Police, has launched a new road safety campaign aimed at addressing everyday driving behaviours that contribute to congestion and road safety risks across Dubai. Rather than focusing solely on major traffic violations, the »»»

Dubai: Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal is expanding its UAE operations with the launch of new flights between Jeddah and Dubai, alongside the return of higher-frequency services from Riyadh, strengthening air links between two of the region’s busiest travel corridors. Sign up for our daily business»»»

Dubai: The UAE and China have signed 24 agreements to expand trade, investment and sector collaboration, marking a further step in strengthening economic ties between the two countries. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The agreements were announced during the UAE-China »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian special services are targeting the Russian merchant fleet with coordination and intelligence support of NATO, Russian presidential aide and chairman of the Russian Marine Board Nikolai Patrushev said on Monday. "The risks of illegal actions and terrorist attacks aga»»»

Following the announcement by Libya’s privately-owned MedSky airlines of the resumption of direct flights to and from Madrid from 21 April and the listing by Dusseldorf Airport of direct flights with Libya from 17 May, MedSky CEO, Siraj Furjani, has anticipated the resumption of flights to London. »»»

The Strait of Hormuz has once again returned to the centre of regional and international attention, not only because of the renewed media debate surrounding its legal status, but also due to the broader geopolitical tensions shaping discussions around it. A key point of dispute remains the strait i»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority has recently announced the new law on excise tax, introducing new measures targeting sugary drinks and revising how taxes on sweetened beverages are calculated. The authority stated that the changes aim to curb the consumption of high-sugar products and promot»»»

Dubai: Women’s roles within the home are being re-examined across the region, with schools updating Arabic language teaching to better reflect their influence in shaping both families and wider society. The change comes amid growing conversations in the UAE about recognising women not simply as “ho»»»

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel supports US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a naval blockade on Iran, adding that his government is in full coordination with Washington on the matter. "Iran violated the rules (of the peace talks in Pakistan), President Trump de»»»