عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Miniature Poodle Sage Fetches Top Prize at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 

Sage, a Miniature Poodle from Houston, Texas, competes in the Non-Sporting Group during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, New York, US, May 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Sage, a Miniature Poodle from Houston, Texas, competes in the Non-Sporting Group during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, New York, US, May 13, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Miniature Poodle Sage Fetches Top Prize at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 

Sage, a Miniature Poodle from Houston, Texas, competes in the Non-Sporting Group during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, New York, US, May 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Sage, a Miniature Poodle from Houston, Texas, competes in the Non-Sporting Group during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, New York, US, May 13, 2024. (Reuters)

A miniature poodle named Sage was crowned "Best in Show" on Tuesday at the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, fetching the grand prize in the most prestigious competition among pure-bred canines in the United States.

The finalist representing all breeds classified as non-sporting dogs, Sage emerged victorious from more than 2,500 top-ranked canines competing in a two-day contest, held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Queens borough of New York City.

Sage, a 4-year-old black-colored female groomed in the fine, fluffy topiary style traditional for poodles, competed head to head against the winners in six other groups - terriers, hounds, herding dogs, working dogs, sporting dogs and toy dogs.

She was the first female to win the top prize at Westminster since 2020, according to commentators on the Fox Sports channel, which broadcast the event live.

The Westminster dog show bills itself as the second-oldest US sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby thoroughbred horse race. This year's competition drew a field of contenders representing 200 breeds from all 50 US states and 12 other countries.

Mercedes, a female 4-year-old German shepherd, was named runner-up for the overall contest, after first winning the top prize in the herding dog group.

Along with Sage and Mercedes, the two other finalists chosen on Monday were Comet the Shih Tzu, representing the toy group, and Louis, the Afghan hound leading the hound group.

Rounding out the finalists were three group winners chosen on Tuesday - Micah the black cocker spaniel, representing sporting dogs; Monty, the giant schnauzer, leading the working dogs; and Frankie, a colored bull terrier from the terrier group.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Massive Asteroid Set to Pass ‘Close’ to Earth

The rare asteroid is expected to “safely pass” within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029 (Shutterstock)
The rare asteroid is expected to “safely pass” within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029 (Shutterstock)
TT
TT

Massive Asteroid Set to Pass ‘Close’ to Earth

The rare asteroid is expected to “safely pass” within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029 (Shutterstock)
The rare asteroid is expected to “safely pass” within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029 (Shutterstock)

An asteroid named after a god of chaos is heading toward Earth — but there is no need to panic just yet, according to The Independent.

The massive rock is arriving for a historic flyby rather than a disaster, according to NASA. The encounter is still a few years away, but when it finally arrives, it will be so close that spotting it won’t even require a telescope.

Known as 99942 Apophis, the rare asteroid is expected to “safely pass” within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029, representing one of the closest approaches ever recorded for a celestial object of this size.

“Even though Apophis does not pose any immediate risk to Earth, an asteroid of its size passing so close to our planet is a very rare event,” NASA astronomers stated. “Scientists across the globe are excited to use this opportunity to study Apophis in detail.”

At roughly 1,115 feet wide, the asteroid will pass closer to Earth than the satellites orbiting in geosynchronous altitude, according to NASA.

It will be the closest approach of an asteroid of this size that humans have ever been aware of in advance, according to the European Space Agency.

The rare timing of the flyby — falling on Friday, April 13, in many parts of the world, has already sparked a mix of excitement and superstition across social media.

The asteroid was named after the ancient Egyptian god of evil and destruction. The name was proposed by its discoverers — astronomers Roy Tucker, David Tholen and Fabrizio Bernardi of the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona — because Apophis is the Greek name for the Egyptian god known as Apep.

NASA reports that an asteroid of this scale passes this close to Earth only once every few thousand years on average, making it a potentially unprecedented event in recorded human history.

Varieties

Elusive Wolf in South Korea Captured, Returned to Zoo after 9 Days on the Run

In this photo provided by Daejeon Municipality, a veterinarian examines the condition of the male wolf, named Neukgu, at Daejeon O-World theme park in Daejeon, South Korea, Friday, April 17, 2026. (Daejeon Municipality via AP)
In this photo provided by Daejeon Municipality, a veterinarian examines the condition of the male wolf, named Neukgu, at Daejeon O-World theme park in Daejeon, South Korea, Friday, April 17, 2026. (Daejeon Municipality via AP)
TT
TT

Elusive Wolf in South Korea Captured, Returned to Zoo after 9 Days on the Run

In this photo provided by Daejeon Municipality, a veterinarian examines the condition of the male wolf, named Neukgu, at Daejeon O-World theme park in Daejeon, South Korea, Friday, April 17, 2026. (Daejeon Municipality via AP)
In this photo provided by Daejeon Municipality, a veterinarian examines the condition of the male wolf, named Neukgu, at Daejeon O-World theme park in Daejeon, South Korea, Friday, April 17, 2026. (Daejeon Municipality via AP)

A wolf that escaped from a zoo in the South Korean city of Daejeon was recaptured on Friday after nine days on the run, bringing to a close a saga that gripped the public as the elusive animal evaded earlier capture attempts.

After a number of sightings following the escape of the 2-year-old male wolf, the animal, named Neukgu, was spotted near a highway interchange about 4 km (2.5 miles) from the zoo on Thursday, according to a zoo official.

A search team then successfully recaptured Neukgu at 12:44 a.m. on Friday (1544 GMT on Thursday) using a tranquilizer gun operated by a veterinarian, Reuters reported.

Neukgu was ⁠transported back to ⁠the O-World zoo and was undergoing a health check, the official said, adding his vital signs were normal though vets found and removed a fishing hook from his stomach.

The zoo and an associated theme park were closed after his escape and will take some time to reopen, the official said.

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo ⁠welcomed the wolf's safe return and thanked the search party, pledging in a Facebook post to "prepare measures for animal welfare and civil safety in the process of reorganizing (the zoo)."

Neukgu's escape in Daejeon, about 170 km (105 miles) south of the capital Seoul, had captured the nation's attention.

South Korean online message boards were abuzz with news of the recapture, with some posts calling Neukgu an "honorary ambassador for the zoo" and vowing to visit him once it reopened.

Neukgu appeared to have slipped out of the zoo last week ⁠by burrowing under ⁠a fence, a zoo official said at the time.

A nearby elementary school was closed as a precaution, while more than 100 personnel searched for the animal, in an effort that included the use of drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras.

The episode even spawned a cryptocurrency meme coin named "Neukgu", which appeared on decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges a week ago.

President Lee Jae Myung also weighed in on the social media platform X last week, urging authorities to ensure a safe outcome.

Born in 2024, Neukgu is part of a program to restore the Korean wolf, a species considered extinct in the wild.

 

Varieties

Madinah Tops Saudi Cities in Hotel Occupancy in 2025

The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025. (SPA)
The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025. (SPA)
TT
TT

Madinah Tops Saudi Cities in Hotel Occupancy in 2025

The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025. (SPA)
The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025. (SPA)

The hospitality sector in Madinah recorded a strong performance in 2025, ranking first among cities in Saudi Arabia in hotel occupancy rates, the Saudi Press Agency said on Friday.

The figures reflect growing demand for the destination and the continued growth in tourism activity associated with visits to the Prophet’s Mosque and the region’s historical landmarks.

The growth is supported by continued development in tourism infrastructure and increased investment in accommodation.

It also reflects ongoing efforts to enhance the experience of visitors and Umrah performers, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals to develop the tourism sector and improve service quality for pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque.