Dubai: Saudi Arabia has moved to restart the long-stalled Jeddah Metro, issuing a preliminary design consultancy tender for the project’s Blue Line and signalling a renewed push to revive one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious public transport schemes after nearly a decade of delay. The tender, report»»»

The Tripoli based Libyan government reported last Thursday (15 January) that it had held discussions in Saudi Arabia on ways to enhance cooperation in the energy sector and expand partnerships in the oil, gas, and renewable energy fields during a series of official meetings held with the Saudi Mini»»»

A relevant department under the Ministry of Architecture, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Kyrgyzstan has developed a project to improve a roadside area in the northern part of Kara-Balta. According to the ministry’s press service, the project covers a section of Kozhomberdiev Street »»»

A traffic accident involving two buses occurred at the intersection of Baitik Baatyr and Mederov Streets in Bishkek. Eyewitnesses reported the road accident. According to preliminary reports, the buses collided near a public transport stop. Information on the injured and the cause of the accident i»»»

Israel is grappling with a dramatic increase in post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide among its troops after its two-year assault on Gaza, precipitated by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. Recent reports by the Defense Ministry and by health providers have detailed the mili»»»

PARIS: Chair of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Dr Nasser bin Hamad Al Henzab commended the active role played by the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation in fostering and supporting the right to education globally, emphasizing t»»»

WASHINGTON: The White House has announced some of the members of what it refers to as the Board of Peace, which, under President Donald Trump's plan, will oversee the temporary administration of the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the White House said the names include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, T»»»

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Saudi Arabia’s sovereign credit rating at A+ with a stable outlook, according to a report issued by the agency on Friday. The agency said the Kingdom’s credit profile reflects the strength of its fiscal position, noting that its government debt-to-GDP ratio and net sovere»»»

Dubai: With the birth of the crescent moon of Shaaban expected tomorrow, Muslims around the world are entering the final month before Ramadan. Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, said the Shaaban crescent will be born on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 11:52pm UAE time. B»»»

Abu Dhabi: A man who sold two luxury watches online as genuine, only for them to later be discovered as counterfeit, has been ordered by an Al Ain court to repay Dh129,000 and pay an additional Dh10,000 in compensation to the buyer. The ruling was issued by the Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administ»»»

Copenhagen: Large demonstrations are planned across Denmark and Greenland on Saturday to protest against US President Donald Trump's designs to take over the Arctic island. Thousands of people have indicated on social media that they intend to take part in marches and rallies organised by Greenland»»»

A senior Lebanese security source said Lebanese military intelligence is questioning Syrian national Ahmad Dunya and examining the origins of funds seized in his possession and their presumed destinations, stopping short of saying they were intended to finance fighters as part of a plot to destabil»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The West's policy of using Russia and China's supposedly threatening presence in the Arctic as a pretext for intimidation has proven flawed, turning against its European supporters in the context of Greenland, Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov told Sputnik. "The poli»»»

BusinessEurope'Not just trade': The EU-Mercosur megadeal Rosie BirchardAs the EU's share of the global market slips, the Mercosur deal could unlock access to critical raw materials. It's also indicative of a wider EU economic pivot. https://p.dw.com/p/56ozZTariffs on most goods will be cut or scrap»»»

The Bulgarian passport offers its holders visa-free access to 178 countries and territories, placing it 11th globally for travel freedom and expedited border crossing, according to Henley & Partners. The Henley Passport Index, widely recognized as the leading ranking for global passport strength, d»»»

Dubai: As Ranveer Singh’s Bollywood hit Dhurandhar rakes in Rs 13 billion at the box office, we asked powerhouse performer Rani Mukerji, whose husband produced the film, the question on everyone’s mind: does one film’s success embolden others and finally shift the conversation about what kinds of m»»»

A phone call on Friday between Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and President Joseph Aoun helped quell speculation of serious rifts between the two, after weeks of reports suggesting relations had deteriorated into what some described as a “shaky relationship.” Geagea statement The LF said on Fr»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is expected to award around 3,000 marriage grants this year, according to official figures presented to the Federal National Council, with lawmakers renewing calls to rethink eligibility rules that some say no longer reflect social realities. During a session reviewing the federa»»»

KUWAIT, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- 1962 -- Kuwait Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah signed a decree approving formation of the Gulf State's first government. The 14-member cabinet had a mandate of writing a constitution. 1981 -- Abdullah Al-Nouri, a scholar, teacher and was the director of Kuwait Radio »»»

Washington: The White House announced some of the members of what it refers to as the Board of Peace, which, under President Donald Trump’s plan, will oversee the temporary administration of the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the White House said the names include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump»»»

Israel pressed ahead with targeted killings of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad figures in Gaza, citing recent attacks on its forces, even as a ceasefire agreement entered its second phase, and plans were announced for a technocratic body to administer the enclave. On Thursday, Israel killed two seni»»»

Dubai: The UAE is marking the ‘Day of Resolve’ today, January 17, with nationwide displays, as fighter jets and helicopters are set to sweep across the skies of all seven emirates this afternoon. Late on Friday, the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, was illuminated with the ‘Day of Resolve’ »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has launched a pilot initiative aimed at reshaping the daily school run, seeking to raise the share of students using school transport to 60 per cent from the current 49 per cent, while cutting costs for families and easing congestion around schools. Als»»»

Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed what he called a “turnaround” in relations with Canada, following a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Beijing. While campaigning for office in April 2025, Carney claimed that China represented the number one security threat to Canada on th»»»

Dubai: A late-night journey through a busy part of Dubai ended in a traffic accident in Al Muhaisnah Second, leaving one man seriously injured and another facing legal consequences. The incident began when Dubai Police received a call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck near a labour accomm»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United Nations calls on the United States to comply with the Charter amid Washington's plans to "acquire" Greenland and threats of tariffs on countries opposing a takeover, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said on Friday. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump did no»»»

Manila: Nearly 400 vessels carrying the image of Señor Sto. Niño from Mactan Island back to Cebu City joined the procession on the Mactan Channel on Saturday (January 17) for Sinulog 2026. The event, which marks a key religious highlight of the annual Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival, kicked off a»»»

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: If you thought red carpets were dramatic, wait until Hollywood, Bollywood, and Arab superstars collide on Riyadh’s lavender carpet tonight. The 6th Joy Awards is here, and Gulf News Manjusha Radhakrishnan will be there, front-row, keeping tabs on celebrity arrivals, jaw-droppi»»»

A large police operation unfolded Friday morning in Soufli, in the Evros region, with authorities reporting about 20 detentions and arrests, including two military personnel. Special police units carried out raids on suspects’ homes, assisted by drug‑detection dogs, as part of a centrally coordinat»»»

Luxembourg has issued its first-ever war bond, becoming the first EU country to issue such a debt security since World War Two. The issuance of the bond was announced on Thursday by Finance Minister Gilles Roth, who said the initiative was designed to “make citizens’ savings more available for econ»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, among others, while US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers has been appointed Commander of International Stabilization F»»»

Russia is concerned about NATO’s increased activity in the Arctic, Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov told Sputnik. As experience shows, "boosting the North Atlantic alliance’s presence in a particular region does not contribute to strengthening security but, on the contrary, leads to i»»»

Due to a drop in air temperatures, Bishkek Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev and his deputy Nurgazy Kurmanbekov inspected the Bishkek Heating and Power Plant (HPP). According to the Bishkek City Hall press service, during the visit city officials reviewed current temperature conditions and electricity load»»»

Due to heavy snowfall, Bishkek Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev personally inspected the city to assess street conditions and monitor the work of municipal services. During the inspection, the head of the capital issued prompt instructions to relevant departments and emphasized the need for timely and uni»»»

Dubai: The UAE is experiencing a spell of unsettled winter weather on Saturday, with partly cloudy skies, strong northwesterly winds and very rough seas. A surface low-pressure system from the east is interacting with a high-pressure system moving in from the west, the National Centre of Meteorolog»»»

Dubai: Dubai Holding Real Estate (DHRE) has unveiled the next phase of development at Dubai Design District (d3), outlining a major expansion that will bring new luxury homes, creative workspaces, wellness zones and waterfront living to one of Dubai’s most strategic locations along the Creek. Sign »»»

Sadyr Japarov closely monitors the information environment, high-profile cases, and social media discussions. Daiyrbek Orunbekov, head of the Presidential Administration’s Information Policy Service, stated. «The president believes that information policy is directly linked to security and stabilit»»»

Olympic medalist and multiple world champion wrestler Aisuluu Tynybekova is expecting a baby. She shared the news on her social media accounts. Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Tynybekova Aisuluu (@tynybekova.aisuluu) «Our little secret,» the athlete captioned her post. Aisuluu T»»»

BusinessUnited States of AmericaLatin America: US issues 'military activity' flight advisoryShakeel Sobhan with AFP, Reuters, dpaThe warnings come as Trump has suggested possible military strikes against drug cartel targets in Mexico. However, Mexican authorities said the US advisory has no operati»»»

Ukraine has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran, citing deteriorating security conditions as protests continue across Iran, the mission announced via social media on January 16. The announcement follows mass prot»»»

Russia's state communications regulator Roskomnadzor denied implementing new restrictions on popular messaging application Telegram despite user complaints about slow video loading speeds, the agency told state TASS on January 16. »»»

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree on January 16 granting Kurdish citizens language rights and citizenship while declaring the Persian and Kurdish new year Nowruz a national holiday, state news agency SANA reported. »»»

Ukraine has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran, citing deteriorating security conditions as protests continue across Iran, the mission announced via social media on January 16. The announcement follows mass prot»»»

Adverts will soon appear at the top of the AI tool ChatGPT for some users, the company OpenAI has announced. The trial will initially take place in the US, and will affect some ChatGPT users on the free service and a new subscription tier, called ChatGPT Go. This cheaper option will be available fo»»»

Google has appealed a US district judge's landmark antitrust ruling that found the company illegally held a monopoly in online search. "As we have long said, the Court's August 2024 ruling ignored the reality that people use Google because they want to, not because they're forced to," Google's vice»»»

Russia's state communications regulator Roskomnadzor denied implementing new restrictions on popular messaging application Telegram despite user complaints about slow video loading speeds, the agency told state TASS on January 16. »»»

A soon as Meri-Tuuli Auer saw the subject line in her junk folder, she knew it was no ordinary spam email. It contained her full name and her social security number - the unique code Finnish people use to access public services and banking. The email was full of details about Auer no one else shoul»»»

Attorneys for alleged Charlie Kirk killer Tyler Robinson, 22, on Friday argued to have a prosecutor removed from the case because his daughter was at the Utah Valley University event when Kirk was shot and killed. File Photo by UPI | License Photo Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Attorneys for alleged Charlie Kirk»»»

The concept of Emirati Resolve — a deeply rooted national value embodying determination, strategic foresight, moral responsibility, and steadfast readiness to defend legitimate states and protect regional stability — has long shaped the United Arab Emirates’ approach to security and peace. Resolve »»»

The US has deployed at least one aircraft carrier to the Middle East, Fox News has reported, citing anonymous military sources. It comes on the heels of thinly-veiled threats against Iran in recent days by President Donald Trump. The Islamic Republic has been gripped by mass protests since late Dec»»»