Thermal SPA Hotel Roman Bath in the village of Banya reports a steady average annual occupancy rate of between 75% and 80%, the management of the complex said. The hotel operates year-round, with the only planned interruption scheduled for May, when routine maintenance, servicing, and facility upgr»»»

RIYADH: Light art festival Noor Riyadh has released a selection of music created by Majdi bin Marwan, who has been blind since the age of 6. Marwan’s “Melodies of Light” were inspired by the musician’s interpretation of Noor Riyadh’s installations. Riyadh Art said the works were gathered through hi»»»

Amsterdam: A picture of an Ecuadoran family separated when US immigration agents arrested the father following a court hearing won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year Award on Thursday. The photo, taken by Carol Guzy of the ZUMA Press agency and iWitness for the Miami Herald, shows the moment Im»»»

The U.S. military on Thursday seized another tanker associated with the smuggling of Iranian oil, ratcheting up a standoff with Iran a day after its paramilitary Revolutionary Guards took control of two vessels in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. The Defense Department released video footage of U.S. f»»»

Saudi Arabia’s debt market is set for a strategic shift in early 2027, following J.P. Morgan’s announcement that local-currency bonds will be included in its global emerging markets bond index. The move represents a vote of confidence in the Kingdom’s structural reforms and is expected to open the »»»

Dhaka: Bangladesh has recorded 194 child deaths due to measles in an outbreak that began last month, while the number of suspected child cases has exceeded 28,000, government data showed on Thursday. Between three and five children have died from the disease every day for the past week. Five childr»»»

Global — Gold prices retreated toward $4,700 per ounce, declining by nearly 1%, as a stronger US dollar and rising oil prices weighed on the metal, according to data reported by Bloomberg. The pullback follows the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has shifted market»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s president and prime minister accused Israel on Thursday of a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country’s south, where Israeli forces occupy several areas. Rescuers and the reporter’s employer on Wednesday confirmed the death of Amal Khalil, a 42-yea»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, has opened registration for the second Researchers in the Service of Pilgrims award, supporting innovation and applied research in the Hajj and Umrah sector. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the aw»»»

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) - Sri Lanka is planning to pay for future imports of Russian crude oil in Chinese yuan, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported on Thursday, citing the country's new energy minister, Aruna Karunatilake. The discussions on the matter are still ongoing, the minister said. "We expect t»»»

Lebanon's president and prime minister accused Israel on Thursday of a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country's south, where Israeli forces occupy several areas. Rescuers and the reporter's employer on Wednesday confirmed the death of Amal Khalil, a 42-year-old jo»»»

Cairo — Egypt has accelerated its industrial expansion drive with the inauguration of nine new industrial projects in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, as Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly led an official tour of the Sokhna integrated industrial area. The projects span strategic sectors including enginee»»»

Global — Gold prices retreated toward $4,700 per ounce, declining by nearly 1%, as a stronger US dollar and rising oil prices weighed on the metal, according to data reported by Bloomberg. The pullback follows the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has shifted market»»»

US Navy Secretary John C. Phelan has stepped down in an abrupt move announced by the Pentagon without any public explanation or indication that his exit was linked to the naval blockade of Iran. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Phelan was “departing the administration” at on»»»

Organizers of the Cumbria Nature Festival in England issued an "important clarification" about the upcoming event: it is not for nudists. File Photo by Friedemann Vogel/EPA April 22 (UPI) -- Organizers of the Cumbria Nature Festival in England issued an "important clarification" about the upcoming »»»

Warsaw: A 58-year-old woman was killed by a bear in Southeastern Poland on Thursday, Pawel Giba, press officer for the District State Fire Service Headquarters in Sanok, told AFP. A report received by the fire department "indicated that in the village of Plonna a woman was allegedly attacked by a b»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has urged the Trump administration to pressure Israel to scale back its demands and end its military invasion of the country. In an interview with the Washington Post, Salam said Lebanon could not sign any agreement that does not include a “full withdrawal” of Israeli for»»»

The United Nations said Thursday it was "working on" maintaining a presence in Lebanon once the mandate for its UNIFIL peacekeeping force expires at the end of the year. "In terms of the post-UNIFIL, we're currently in the process of working on these options," said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the U.N. Und»»»

LONDON: Independent Arabia has won a Fetisov Journalism Award prize for its investigation into an adoption-brokers network in Egypt, adding to the outlet’s growing list of honors since its launch in 2019. Journalist Salah Labban won the 2025 prize in the civil rights category for his investigation,»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia will not charge tolls in the Strait of Malacca, its foreign minister said on Thursday, dispelling reports it could follow Iran’s example in the Strait of Hormuz. Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono spoke to reporters in response to media reports over the possible blockage of the»»»

NAIROBI: A Tanzanian government report into election violence that killed hundreds is “an attempt to whitewash the regime’s crimes,” the main opposition party told AFP on Thursday. A commission of enquiry reported on Thursday that 518 people were killed in protests and violence around the election »»»

BRUSSELS: The European Union on Thursday approved a massive loan package to help Ukraine meet its economic and military needs for the next two years, the bloc’s Cypriot presidency said, after Hungary lifted its veto. The EU also approved a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukrain»»»

Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, today announced the appointment of Hussain Salman as Enterprise Services Director for the Gulf Region, where he will lead across the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. With the region consistently ranking among »»»

A national network of prosecutors and investigators probing crimes related to intellectual property and cybercrime was established at the National Investigation Service, the prosecution service said on Thursday. The establishment ceremony was attended by acting Prosecutor General Vanya Stefanova, f»»»

Barcelona: Spain's Lamine Yamal has picked up a hamstring injury, but is expected to be fit for the upcoming World Cup, his club Barcelona announced Thursday. "Tests have confirmed that first-team player Lamine Yamal has a hamstring injury in his left leg," Barca said. "The player will undergo cons»»»

Dubai: Iran’s move to impose and reportedly collect tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz marks a direct challenge to international law and a dangerous escalation in its confrontation with the United States and its allies. A senior Iranian parliament official has claimed that Tehran»»»

Damascus, April 23 (SANA) After one year in power, Syria’s government is focusing on reintegrating the country into the global political and economic system, seeking to end decades of sanctions and isolation. While officials say the most difficult phase has passed, the country still faces deep stru»»»

Dubai: Air travel across the UAE continues to operate under strain nearly two months after the US-Israel-Iran conflict that erupted on February 28, with airlines relying on restricted air corridors, longer flight paths, and reduced schedules to maintain connectivity. The aviation sector has been am»»»

Dubai: Dubai toll operator and DFM-listed Salik Company has signed a strategic agreement with Valtrans Transportation Systems and Services to roll out digital payment solutions for valet parking across more than 100 locations in the UAE. The partnership will allow customers to pay for valet service»»»

There is a unique sense of pride that comes from witnessing a nation transform challenges into a masterclass in stability. Over the past 50 days, as regional uncertainty dominated global headlines, I have watched the UAE once again demonstrate why it stands as a global standard for crisis managemen»»»

Five new cases of the deadly livestock disease sheep pox have been recorded in the second fortnight of April, authorities said Thursday, while a total 486,666 animals have been culled since the epidemic started. The Rural Development ministry said 2,152 cases of sheep or goat pox have been recorded»»»

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Purbaya Yudha Sadewa has floated copying Iran's tax on the Strait of Hormuz for ships sailing the Strait of Malacca—bordered by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Indonesia "is not a peripheral country. We sit on a strategic global trade and energy route. Ships pass wi»»»

GENEVA: The United Nations said Thursday it was “working on” maintaining a presence in Lebanon once the mandate for its UNIFIL peacekeeping force expires at the end of the year. “In terms of the post-UNIFIL, we’re currently in the process of working on these options,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the »»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank reported a record first-quarter profit, supported by strong lending growth, higher fee income and improved efficiency, as it navigated an evolving operating environment. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.Profit befor»»»

Dubai: The UAE will transform half of its government sectors, services and operations to autonomous artificial intelligence systems within two years, under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The major government shift was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mo»»»

Dubai: Emirates Minting Factory has launched a limited-edition gold and silver coin collection in collaboration with Dubai Gold District, with proceeds set to benefit Ferjan Dubai, a social enterprise focused on community development across Dubai. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf »»»

Our weekly digest of Hungarian politics continues as we report on developments after the historic April election and on the formation of the Tisza government. This week we cover the following topics: After 10 days, outgoing foreign minister Péter Szijjártó has resurfaced. The newly-victorious Tisza»»»

Three sailors were injured after a fire broke out aboard USS Zumwalt while the stealth destroyer was sitting pierside at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, undergoing a costly modernization meant to give the ship a whole new identity. One sailor was taken to a local hospital in st»»»

While the colonialism of old involved “the looting of gold and silver and the ransacking of nations,” digital age neocolonialism is all about “forcing citizens and countries to use certain technology while extracting their personal data,” Facebook whistleblower and censorship expert Ryan Hartwig te»»»

Dubai: Workplace stress is no longer just a matter of fatigue or burnout. A new report by the United Nations' International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revealed that it is linked to nearly 900,000 deaths every year worldwide. The study entitled “The psychosocial working environment: Global develo»»»

A massive granite statue discovered in Sharqia during residential excavation, believed to date to the era of Ramses II; transferred to San al-Hagar for examination and restoration near Tell el-Faraoun under strict legal supervision A massive ancient granite statue believed to date back to the era o»»»

Dubai: Indian filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s latest Hindi-language rape trial drama Assi is not an easy watch and it’s not meant to be. Starring Kani Kusruti, Tapsee Pannu, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, and Mohammed Zeeshan, the compelling and visceral courtroom procedural out on Zee5 now delves into sexua»»»

On April 25, the Indian Premier League will be halfway through its 19th edition. Coverage of it dominates the Indian-owned and based cricket media. Last week, Harsha Bhogle, one of its long-serving commentators and journalists, declared that the IPL “has to be one of the greatest sporting phenomena»»»

JEDDAH: Syria has announced plans to launch the Damascus Market for Foreign Exchange and Gold, aiming to strengthen monetary policy and enhance financial stability. Governor of the Central Bank of Syria Abdulkader Husrieh said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to create a balanced and tr»»»

At a forum celebrating powerful women, it was a man who chose to talk about the kind of leadership that rarely makes headlines. Speaking at the session Beyond the Headlines: A Trusted Voice in Times of Crisis, Mark Thompson, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf News, traced his understanding of leadership back »»»

Authorities on Crete responded to three separate incidents involving nearly 180 migrants reaching the southern Aegean island by boat on Thursday morning, the state-run Athens Macedonian News Agency reported. The first incident involved a boat that was spotted by a Frontex EU border patrol vessel so»»»

Journalist Gabriela Naplatanova has been elected to chair the Council for Electronic Media (CEM). She was nominated for the position by the previous leader, Simona Veleva, and by member Kadrinka Kadrinova. During a CEM meeting on Thursday, Naplatanova was also supported by Prolet Velkova, while Gal»»»

Tunis, April 23, 2026 (TAP) — The Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) has called on Tunisian SMEs to participate in the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) 2026.The event is expected to bring together more than 430,000...»»»

The White House has reportedly drawn up a NATO “naughty and nice” list, sorting member states into tiers as it considers how to reward countries that backed the US war against Iran and punish those that did not. According to Politico, the internal paper was prepared ahead of NATO Secretary General »»»

BARCELONA: A feature of Jordan’s rise to footballing prominence over the past two years has been their fearsome attacking triumvirate. Stade Rennais’ Musa Al-Taamari might win all the plaudits but his partners in crime, Ali Olwan and Yazan Al-Naimat, scored the goals that delivered World Cup qualif»»»