A federal judge on Thursday ordered all above-ground construction of the White House ballroom to stop. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 17 (UPI) -- All above-ground construction of the White House ballroom must be stopped amid litigation, a federal judge ordered Thursday, reprima»»»

Dubai: At a time when headlines feel heavier than usual, South African comedian Robby Collins arrives in Dubai with none of the noise and with a very clear goal: make people laugh. The towering comic, currently performing with The Laughter Factory this weekend in Dubai, is in town during what many »»»

A ten-day ceasefire deal agreed between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday, as US President Donald Trump said he was trying to set up the first-ever face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries. The truce, which Trump said would begin at midnight local time in Lebanon and Isr»»»

US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went into effect between Lebanon and Israel. Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran coul»»»

President Nicusor Dan declared on Thursday that, at this moment, there is a conflict within the governing coalition between PSD and PNL, and he is trying to maintain his role as a mediator.Nicusor Dan was asked if he is taking the side of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in his dispute with PSD, which i»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday chair a meeting of allies to consider sending a multinational force to ensure security and free-flowing trade in the Strait of Hormuz once the current conflict between Iran and the US and Israel ends. Iran imposed the blo»»»

Five parties are certain to enter the next parliament, while three remain close to the 4% electoral threshold, according to a survey by the Myara polling agency. The data were collected for Bulgarian National Radio. The nationally representative survey was conducted between April 4 and 13 among 1,0»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump expressed hope that the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah would act nicely and support the efforts to achieve peace. "I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be a GREAT moment for them if they do. No more ki»»»

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»»»

Poland is outpacing much of the EU, with GDP rising 3.6% in 2025 versus 1.6% across the bloc, and nominal output surpassing $1 trillion. Strong exports—worth PLN 1.426 trillion in the first eleven months of 2025—underscore its deep integration into European supply chains. Foreign media, particularl»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

South Korean government secures alternative oil supplies of 27 million barrels in June, expands support to diversify imports amid Middle East disruptions. Trade, Industry and Resources Minister Kim Jung-kwan attends a press conference at the government complex in Sejong, central South Korea. Photo »»»

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told reporters Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz needs to reopen "but not at any price," adding that G7 leaders stand ready to mitigate the war's economic fallout. Finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven advanced economies added i»»»

Share: Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 10, 2026. REUTERS/Raghed Waked/File Photo Summary A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect»»»

Wall Street stocks ended higher Thursday (April 17), adding to records as investors greeted optimistic comments from US President Donald Trump about negotiations with Iran while shrugging off a jump in crude prices. After veering between gains and losses much of the day, all three major US indices »»»

QNA Doha The Qatar Social and Cultural Center for the Blind (QSCCB) organised a special awareness seminar on psychological resilience and smart coping in times of crisis. The session was presented by disability expert, psychological consultant, and advisor to the Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of»»»

Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Airways is expanding its international flight network, with services to over 150 destinations from June 16, 2026, connecting passengers to more of the world this summer. The updated schedule, valid until September 15, 2026, introduces new routes and increased frequen»»»

The Foreign Press Association has accused the Israeli military of discrediting a Lebanese journalist it killed in March, by using an AI-generated photo to present him as a “Hezbollah terrorist.” The Israel Defence Forces claimed responsibility for killing Ali Shoeib in a targeted Israeli airst»»»

1 of 2 | Noemi Guzman, 31, attempts to stab Cyler Hillman, 3, just before being shot to death by Omaha police. Cyler suffered a slash on the cheek. Photo courtesy of Omaha Police Deptartment body-worn camera April 16 (UPI) -- Omaha police have released more details about the kidnapping and assault »»»

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium and that the two sides were "close" to a peace deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East. The United States had earlier threatened to resume airstrikes on the Islamic republic and m»»»

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium and that the two sides were "close" to a peace deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East. The United States had earlier threatened to resume airstrikes on t»»»

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States and Iran were "very close" to a peace deal and that he would consider going to Pakistan to sign an agreement. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump added that Tehran had agreed to hand over its store of»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov Thursday expressed concern over what he described as systemic abuses within Bulgaria’s healthcare financing system, where hospitals exploit legal loopholes in order to maximize their profit and not to improve patient care, and demanded changes in the applicable»»»

Lebanon and Israel have agreed to observe a 10-day ceasefire that begins at midnight Beirut time, the United States said. Below is the full text of the statement that was agreed to by the Government of Israel and Government of Lebanon, as published by the U.S. State Department: "Following productiv»»»

The government has adopted a package of legislative amendments aimed at establishing an effective and functional mechanism for investigating the prosecutor general, the Council of Ministers reported on Thursday. The package introduces mandatory judicial review of decisions to terminate or suspend c»»»

The International Monetary Fund said the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan were facing a pivotal and exceptionally difficult moment in their modern economic history after the war that broke out on Feb. 28, 2026, describing it as a severe and multifaceted shock to one of the world’s most strat»»»

Plastic sheeting serving as tents and mattresses laid on the ground: in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, the widows of fallen soldiers are struggling to survive in a makeshift camp. They say they fled the capital of North Kivu province, Goma, after it fell to the M23 rebels in January 2025. Left»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ceasefire Thursday, and said he was trying to set up the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two countries. Following what he called "excellent" phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Leb»»»

In a speech in Riyadh in May 2025, US President Donald Trump appeared to criticise his White House predecessors, including fellow Republican President George W. Bush, for invading Iraq in 2003, bringing down Saddam Hussein’s regime, and trying to rebuild the Iraqi state. Trump’s barb was at “so-cal»»»

Cairo is seeing renewed diplomatic momentum on Gaza, with mediators working to narrow gaps between Hamas and Israel, alongside the United States and Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza at the Board of Peace. A meeting in Cairo on Tuesday brought together Hamas chief negotiator Khali»»»

Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi told AFP on Thursday that the Lebanese group would respect a ceasefire with Israel announced earlier by U.S. President Donald Trump if Israeli attacks on the militants stopped. "We in Hezbollah will cautiously adhere to the ceasefire on the condition that it i»»»

The French government on Thursday said it was pushing for the release of an 86-year-old French citizen who has been detained by ICE since early April. Marie-Thérèse Ross, who is now widowed, moved to the US last year to marry her sweetheart from the 1950s.  French officials have said they»»»

More than three dozen Democrats backed a bid by Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to block US arms sales to Israel, reflecting growing unease over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and conflicts in Gaza and Iran. The measures failed, opposed by Republicans, but underscored rising dissent within t»»»

WASHINGTON - Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, who is on a visit to Washington, said on Thursday he expected the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to extend an operating licence for the Serbian oil company NIS by the end of the day and announced that representatives»»»

A voting machine was demonstrated to journalists here on Thursday at the warehouse where the devices are kept. On Friday evening, the voting machines will be transported to municipalities countrywide and are expected to reach the voting sections on Saturday, Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy»»»

Matt Rossi spent about $1,700 on StubHub for access to the first weekend of Coachella, which wrapped up Sunday, traveling from Manhattan to the California desert for the popular annual music festival. He received a wristband (the festival’s form of ticket) in the mail with a handwritten note from h»»»

PRAGUE - Czech FM Petr Macinka said on Thursday the issue of Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo-Metohija should be resolved through compromise and added that it was, above all, a Serbian and regional issue, rather than an international one, noting that Czechia should have acted more cautiously »»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov Thursday expressed concern over what he described as systemic abuses within Bulgaria’s healthcare financing system, where hospitals exploit legal loopholes in order to maximize their profit and not to improve patient care, and demanded changes in the applicable»»»

1 of 2 | Gen. Dan Caine told the press Thursday that 13 ships have turned away from the U.S. blockade on the Strait of Hormuz since in began on Monday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 16 (UPI) -- Gen. Dan Caine told the press Thursday that 13 ships have turned away from the U.S. bloc»»»