Saudi Arabia’s leisure tourism set for 93% growth by 2030
Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism industry is forecast to grow by 93 per cent between 2025 and 2030, as the kingdom expands b...
Pope Francis marks the 12th anniversary of his election while recovering from double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli hospital. The Vatican says his condition is improving, but no discharge date has been set. His illness has reshaped how Catholics observe the milestone.
Pope Francis will mark the 12th anniversary of his election on Thursday from Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he has been treated for double pneumonia since mid-February. The Vatican has reported improvements in his condition but has not confirmed a discharge date.
Elected on 13 March 2013, Francis, the first pope from the Americas, has focused on modernising the Church, reforming the Vatican’s bureaucracy, and addressing social issues. His tenure has included 47 foreign trips, over 900 canonisations, and groundbreaking decisions, such as allowing priests to bless same-sex couples and appointing women to key Vatican roles. However, his approach has drawn criticism from some senior clergy, particularly regarding Church teachings and handling of clerical abuse.
Despite health concerns and limited mobility, Francis continues working from hospital. While speculation about a possible resignation persists, his associates insist he has no plans to step down. His schedule for 2025 includes the Catholic Holy Year and a planned visit to Türkiye for the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
Many Catholics hope he will continue advocating for key global issues, including immigration and conflict resolution.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Indonesia has reopened Jakarta's main airport and four others after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forced widespread flight cancellations, though fresh eruptions have kept authorities on alert.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism industry is forecast to grow by 93 per cent between 2025 and 2030, as the kingdom expands beyond religious travel. The figures were presented during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, where industry leaders discussed the growing tourism market.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Foreign direct investment in Georgia fell sharply in the second quarter of 2026, while China surged to become the country’s largest investor, highlighting Tbilisi’s deepening economic ties with Beijing as relations with the West remain strained.
North Korea has built a new uranium enrichment facility at its Yongbyon nuclear complex in the northwest of the country and begun operating an expanded site at Kangson, near the capital Pyongyang, the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog has said.
Israel has ordered the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem and banned 12 British nationals from entering the country, escalating a diplomatic row with London over Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
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