The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025, ranking first among cities in Saudi Arabia in hotel occupancy rates, the Saudi Press Agency said on Friday. The figures reflect growing demand for the destination and the continued growth in tourism activity associated with vi»»»

A wolf that escaped from a zoo in the South Korean city of Daejeon was recaptured on Friday after nine days on the run, bringing to a close a saga that gripped the public as the elusive animal evaded earlier capture attempts. After a number of sightings following the escape of the 2-year-old male w»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Gold and Jewelry Committee of the Qatar Chamber (QC) recently held a joint meeting with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) to discuss key challenges facing the sector under current circumstances, along with proposed solutions. The meeting was chaired by Nasser bin Sulaima»»»

Doha, Qatar: The total earnings for Qatari-listed companies witnessed a gain of 3.7% during fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 to reach $3.1bn as compared to $3bn in Q4-2024. The surge in earnings was primarily driven by earnings growth in the Telecom, Capital Goods and F&B sectors. In terms of FY-2025, n»»»

Singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was arrested Thursday for the murder of a girl whose body was found in the trunk of his Tesla in September. File Photo by Cyril Zingaro/EPA April 17 (UPI) -- Authorities in Los Angeles said Thursday that police have arrested singer D4vd for the m»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has reported a significant expansion in its da’wah (religious outreach) ecosystem in 2025, underscoring its growing role in strengthening societal values, promoting intellectual security, and supporting family cohesion across Qatar. According t»»»

Doha, Qatar: MES Indian School, Abu Hamour Branch, (MESIS) has once again upheld its tradition of academic excellence by achieving a remarkable 100 percent pass rate in the CBSE Class X Board Examination 2025–26. Out of 142 students who appeared, all successfully passed the examination. A total of »»»

With the geopolitical architecture of Southeast Asia going through a shift of late, Indonesia and the US have taken a further, and important step in their security relationship by way of a Major Defence Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) signed at the Pentagon on April 13, Antara News reports. For Pres»»»

With the geopolitical architecture of Southeast Asia going through a shift of late, Indonesia and the US have taken a further, and important step in their security relationship by way of a Major Defence Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) signed at the Pentagon on April 13, Antara News reports. For Pres»»»

With the geopolitical architecture of Southeast Asia going through a shift of late, Indonesia and the US have taken a further, and important step in their security relationship by way of a Major Defence Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) signed at the Pentagon on April 13, Antara News reports. For Pres»»»

With the geopolitical architecture of Southeast Asia going through a shift of late, Indonesia and the US have taken a further, and important step in their security relationship by way of a Major Defence Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) signed at the Pentagon on April 13, Antara News reports. For Pres»»»

Doha, Qatar: Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) has reached a new level of selectivity for the Class of 2030, with applications rising 92 percent. The surge marks the most competitive admissions cycle in the university’s history and brings the admit rate to a record low. The admitted class refle»»»

Dubai: Emirati women working in the private sector will be eligible for child allowance benefits under the Nafis programme only under specific conditions, as authorities expand support for families while tightening eligibility criteria. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app no»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library has won the Gold Award at the National Cyber Security Drill 2025, ranking first in the Education Sector. Organised by the National Cyber Security Agency under the theme “Cross-Border Attacks,” the event aimed to strengthen national defences against sophisticated,»»»

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, also the leader of Fidesz, spoke about the need for a complete renewal of the right-wing community in an interview broadcast on the Patrióta YouTube channel on Thursday. He described the election outcome as a clear defeat for the governing parties and took full responsi»»»

Hungarian fuel prices will remain capped, Péter Magyar announced on Thursday evening after consultations with Zsolt Hernádi, CEO of MOL, and his colleagues. In a statement on social media, Magyar said he had held talks with Hernádi and MOL’s top management together with István Kapitány and András K»»»

Doha, Qatar: President of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), H E Eng. Abdulrahman bin Ali Al Farahid Al Malki, honoured yesterday the entities that passed the cyber drill with the highest evaluative scores across the participating sectors during the 12th edition, which was held in November »»»

Doha, Qatar: Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces H E Lieutenant General (Pilot) Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai met with Commander of the Unified Military Command of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) H E Major General Abdulaziz Ahmed Salem Al Balawi. The meeting discussed aspects of cooperation and j»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Lawyers Admission Committee convened yesterday under the chairmanship of Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, and Chairman of the Committee H E Ibrahim bin Ali Al-Mohannadi at its permanent headquarters in the Ministry of Justice building. During the meeti»»»

Five parties and coalitions are certain to enter the next National Assembly, while three are hovering around the 4% electoral threshold, according to a survey by Research Center Trend released to the media. The Trend poll, commissioned by 24 Chasa, examines voter attitudes ahead of the April 19 sna»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s armed forces are on constant readiness to defend the country under all circumstances, a senior defence official said, pointing to the military’s performance during recent attacks as evidence of a system built for sustained resilience rather than short-term response. Get updated»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is emerging as a critical stabilising force in global supply chains amid geopolitical tensions, with helium and sulphur helping to underpin the semiconductor and electric vehicle (EV) sectors, according to a recent report by Fitch Solutions. As concerns grow over potential disrup»»»

Singapore: Oil prices edged lower in early trading on Friday amid cautious optimism that the United States and Iran may be nearing an agreement, a development that could help ease regional tensions. Brent crude futures fell $1.34, or 1.35%, to $98.05 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude»»»

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor for oil and gas exports, has shown signs of increased vessel movement in recent days despite ongoing military tensions and a US naval blockade targeting Iranian ports. Maritime tracking data and reporting indicate that a growi»»»

Damascus, April 17 (SANA) Syria welcomed on Friday the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, describing it as an important step toward preventing further escalation in the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement that Syria continues to support all efforts aimed at pres»»»

Abu Dhabi: Infrastructure development projects launched across the UAE in 2026 reflect a comprehensive national vision aimed at advancing development across sectors and enhancing quality of life for all residents. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.S»»»

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has sparked discussion after delivering remarks at a Pentagon prayer service that closely echoed dialogue from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, blending military ceremony with language widely recognised from the film. Pentagon prayer service remarksDuring the serv»»»

SEOUL, South Korea: When a major stroke paralysed South Korean pianist Lee Hun's right side in 2012, he first worried about whether he would ever walk again. Playing the piano wasn't even a consideration. He returned to the piano only after a mentor told him about a large number of piano pieces for»»»

Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan Marlen Mamataliev met with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, in Istanbul. The parties discussed bilateral cooperation and the development of interparliamentary ties. The Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh praised the deve»»»

The general hospital on the island of Kefalonia has denied allegations of delayed emergency response in the April 14 death of a 19-year-old woman, dismissing the claims as “false and defamatory.” In a statement, the hospital administration insisted doctors and nurses “performed their duties impecca»»»

Manila: Filipino billionaire Enrique 'Ricky' Razon Jr.’s energy firm is pressing beyond the aging Malampaya gas field in a bid to expand the country’s long-term domestic gas supply and reduce reliance on imported fuel. Prime Energy Resources Development B.V., the Razon-led operator of Malampaya, sa»»»

A 10-day truce began in Lebanon on Friday that could pause fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group and boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war. US President Donald Trump announced the agreement as a ceasefire »»»

During a visit to Washington, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev met with Albert Ramdin, Secretary General of the Organization of American States. The two sides discussed expanding cooperation and Kyrgyzstan’s possible permanent observer status with the organizati»»»

Creotech Instruments will unveil a new development strategy in the coming weeks, aiming to rank among the European Union’s four largest space systems integrators, CEO Grzegorz Brona said. Alongside securing major contracts, the company is exploring acquisitions across Europe to accelerate growth Br»»»

The US says its maritime enforcement operation targeting Iranian ports remains in place, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) reporting that multiple vessels have been diverted in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM said on Friday that a US Navy destroyer redirected a merchant vessel as part of ongoing measures»»»

The Department of State under Secretary Marco Rubio (L) announced an expansion to an existing policy to restrict visas to anyone in the Western Hemisphere it accuses of working to forward the interests of U.S. adversaries. File Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo April 16 (UPI) -- The Trump ad»»»

Polska Grupa Energetyczna expects capital expenditure to rise by several dozen percent this year, driven mainly by renewables, offshore wind, and grid expansion, said CFO Przemysław Jastrzębski. Distribution spending alone should exceed PLN 5 billion. Group capex reached PLN 11.54 billion in 2025, »»»

In tonight's edition, South Africa’s firebrand, leftist leader Julius Malema is sentenced to five years in prison convicted of firearm offences. Also, on a visit to Cameroon, Pope Leo condemns so-called "tyrants" driving global wars and the exploitation of Africa’s resources. And we’ll have a »»»

A looming jet fuel shortage across Europe and Asia, triggered by the Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, could disrupt global travel within weeks if oil flows are not restored soon. The pressure on supplies risks higher airfares and potential flight cancellations as the peak»»»

Share: THE US State Department revealed the following on Friday “The text of the following statement was agreed to by the Government of Israel and Government of Lebanon: ” Following productive direct talks on April 14 between the governments of the Republic of Lebanon (hereinafter “Lebanon”) and th»»»

Share: Israeli soldiers next to artillery vehicles ( SIGMA 155) deployed in the Upper Galilee near the Israel-Lebanon border on April 16, 2026. © Jalaa Marey, AFP A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the US, went into effect at 5pm EST on Thursday. Lebanon’s army soon after re»»»

GENEVA: New data released today by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, shows that lower income countries have collectively contributed over US$ 300 million towards Gavi-supported immunisation programmes for 2025, setting a new record for annual country investment in vaccines. This performance reflects the »»»

Manila: Former Zaldy Co, a fugitive at the center of a sprawling corruption scandal, has been detained by Czech authorities in Prague, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Thursday night, ending months on the run. Marcos posted on social media that Co had been arrested, added that th»»»

ABU DHABI: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday received the credentials of a number of newly appointed ambassadors to the UAE. During the credential presentation ceremony, His Highness welcomed the ambassadors and wished them success in strengthening cooperatio»»»

A ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday as US President Donald Trump pushes for broader regional diplomacy, including a possible first-ever leaders’ meeting. The truce comes amid efforts to end wider conflict involving Iran and follows weeks of intense fighting and heav»»»

The words we hear in our childhood rarely pass through our lives unnoticed. They linger like a cloud in the mind, reminding us — every time the rain of their conversations falls — of the thorns of negativity. For years, that narrative persisted in the minds of many across the region we share in lan»»»

France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade, Dr Bamo Nouri, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, says that t»»»

France announced Tuesday that it will expand access to sustainable menstrual products by reimbursing reusable cups and underwear for eligible young women and low-income groups. The move, aimed at tackling period poverty, is expected to benefit millions once implemented through the country’s social »»»

Dubai: The UAE has introduced sweeping changes to tax penalties, cutting fines and revising how violations are handled, with the Federal Tax Authority positioning the move as a step towards easing compliance and encouraging businesses to correct past errors. Sign up for our daily business newslette»»»

The House on Thursday passed a bill to extend temporary protected status for Haitians that currently live in the United States on a bipartisan vote, but the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate and may be vetoed by the White House if it is sent the President Donald Trump's desk. File Photo by »»»