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 Qatar Society of Engineers has praised the Cabinet’s approval of the draft decision of the Minister of Municipality to amend some provisions of Decision No. 7 of 1989 regarding architectural conditions and technical specifications for buildings, which came in the context of a compr»»»

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»»»

White House budget director Russell Vought declined to provide lawmakers with an estimate of the cost of US aggression against Iran, saying the figures “fluctuate” and are difficult to assess, American media reported. “I wouldn’t [want] to make a characterization of that at this point,” he said whe»»»

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»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw an artillery firing exercise of Korean People’s Army sub-units in the western area on April 15, marking the Day of the Sun, according to KCNA. KCNA reported that units “powerfully demonstrated their militant marksmanship” and “full war posture” under simulate»»»

From April 8 to 13, the 3rd International Mathematical Olympiad was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Twenty-three students represented Kyrgyzstan. According to the Ministry of Education, they won six medals. The following students won the medals: Coach: Shumkarbek Abduraimov. Coaches: Makhamadkhan I»»»

On April 16, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan again intervened in the foreign exchange market, selling $168 million. This is one of the regulator’s largest operations since the beginning of 2026. According to the National Bank, of the total volume, $111.4 million were sold with settlements on the da»»»

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 Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan (MES), together with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have launched a series of training courses on psychological first aid and stress management for civil defense personnel. According to the MES, the training program is adapted to Kyrgyzstan’s cont»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Russia hit civilian areas of Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than 100 others, officials said Thursday. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Paul Vazeux, founder of Dignitas Ukraine, which brings mobile clinics to Eastern Ukraine, »»»

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 »»»

A federal jury in New York finds for the plaintiffs in an antitrust lawsuit against concert giant Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster. We take a closer look. But first: the IMF warns on mounting public debt amid a global energy crisis, and China's economy beats expectations as growth accelerates d»»»

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 »»»

First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is for Allah, and again all praise is for Allah. O Allah, to You belongs all praise as befits the majesty of Your Face and the majesty of Your dominion. Glory be to You—we cannot enumerate praise of You; You are as You have praised Yourself. We bear witness that»»»

In the days after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam became engulfed in a scandal over a racist photo on his medical school yearbook in 2019, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax looked poised to ascend to the post and become the state’s second Black governor. That never happened. Soon after, Fairfax dealt with his ow»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has affirmed the continued stability of the labour market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the uninterrupted continuity of business operations despite ongoing regional developments. This reflects the strength and diversity of»»»