Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte speaks to the press outside the White House in January. The House just refused to pass a temporary extension of FISA powers after President Donald Trump nominated him to be director of national intelligence. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | L»»»

The Israeli army pushed forward again on Thursday around the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, seeking to reach the strategic Ali al-Taher heights, an area it has pounded with dozens of strikes over the past two years. Lebanese security assessments suggest the aim is to reach tunnels and faciliti»»»

US President Donald Trump on Thursday named prosecutor Jay Clayton as his new intelligence chief, after a backlash from Republicans over his bid to install an inexperienced ally in the post. Trump's naming of loyalist housing official Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence earlier t»»»

From stadiums to conferences, concerts to exhibitions, artificial intelligence (AI) has become part of the experience of big events, and the 2026 World Cup is no exception. AI now helps organise crowds, analyse performance, assist referees, improve audience experience, strengthen security, and shap»»»

The summer of 1938 in France was no ordinary one for Hungarian goalkeeper Antal Szabó. He was contesting the World Cup with his national team for the second time, and with Hungary’s forwards scoring freely and propelling the nation towards the final, it meant that he was idle for long stretches bet»»»

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said Bulgarian citizen Iva Mihaylova cannot receive adequate medical treatment in the Republic of North Macedonia. Speaking at a meeting of the Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad on Thursday, Petrova said Mihaylova already has a scheduled admission to the»»»

Saudi Arabia’s decision to resume receiving Lebanese exports has revived hopes among Lebanese business and farming circles for the return of one of the country’s most important foreign markets after five years of disruption that left deep scars on Lebanon’s production and export sectors. The move i»»»

DOHA: Argentina (1st, up 2), the reigning world champions, will begin their title defence as the world’s top-ranked side after the June Men’s World Ranking was released hours before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday. Argentina reclaimed top spot following friendly wins over Iceland and »»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he canceled strikes against Iran that were scheduled for this evening. "I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening," Trump wrote on Truth Social. »»»

The head of Hungary’s Central Investigative Chief Prosecutor’s Office (KNYF), Pál Fürcht, has resigned, reportedly due to escalating internal tensions within the prosecutorial system and disputes linked to several politically sensitive cases, including the so-called “Ukrainian gold convoy” affair. »»»

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he hascanceled planned strikes ​against Iran on Thursday, hours after threatening more bombings and a desire to “take” oil export hub Kharg Island. “Based on the fact that ‌discussions with ‌the Islamic Republic ​of ‌Iran ⁠have ​been brought ⁠to the highes»»»

PARIS: Leading European nations and their G7 allies will seek to narrow differences with Donald Trump at a summit from Monday chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron but expected to be dominated by the US leader’s presence. Leaders will be looking to put the fizz back into relations with the Un»»»

NEW YORK: UN human rights experts on Thursday condemned the detention by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan of dozens of women for alleged dress code violations and expressed alarm over the use of force against protesters demonstrating against the arrests. The experts said they were “deeply concerne»»»

LONDON: Police in the UK are hunting a masked man who carried out an arson attack on the family home of an imam in northern England. Hassan Patel, principal for Islamic education at the Taiyabah Masjid in Bolton, released a security camera video showing the terrifying moment the front of his house »»»

A man shields himself from smoke rising out of a trash fire in Havana in late May. Photo by Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA June 11 (UPI) -- Cuba reached a record 1,281 political prisoners at the end of May, according to a report released Thursday by human rights organization Prisoners Defenders. The group»»»

Dubai: A Dubai court has sentenced a motorist to three months in prison and suspended his driving licence for one year after he chased another vehicle, deliberately swerved towards it, forced the driver to stop and later assaulted him in a road rage incident, Dubai Public Prosecution announced. The»»»

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has sent a message to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa calling for stronger ties and closer security and economic coordination. The move reflects Baghdad’s push to rebuild regional relations while, at home, working to bring weapons under state control and prepare f»»»

CAIRO — Gold prices extended their decline this week as investors reassessed the implications of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, shifting their focus from geopolitical risk to the prospect of higher interest rates and persistent inflation. The move highlights an increasingly»»»

Share: A satellite image shows an oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026. 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS HERE IS THE LATEST President Trump said Thursday that the U.S. would launch “very hard” new strikes on Iran within hours and seize vital Iranian oil infrastructure, incl»»»

Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev took part for the first time in the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) in Luxembourg, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday. The forum is one of the most important events in the ESM's a»»»

EU member states could seek to curtail the powers of the bloc’s diplomatic service, headed by Kaja Kallas, amid concerns among officials that the body is “dysfunctional,” the Financial Times has reported. The European External Action Service (EEAS) was launched in 2010 as a kind of collective forei»»»

The son of a Hamas co-founder said that Israeli authorities released his father in the occupied West Bank on Thursday after holding him without trial for more than two years. Hassan Yousef, 71, was "freed near the southern West Bank city of Hebron" and taken to a hospital in Ramallah where he resid»»»

DOHA: Director of the Student Assessment Department and Head of the Examination Committee for Secondary School Certificate Examinations, Ibrahim Abdullah Al Muhannadi, conducted inspection visits to a number of examination centres to review procedures and ensure readiness for the remaining examinat»»»

Some countries in the Middle East are advancing proposals to forge a regional alliance involving Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, aimed at preventing further regional turmoil, Jordan's former Minister of Social Development and political science professor Amin Al-Mashaqba tells Sputnik. The g»»»

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on April 8. An air quality issue related to a hazardous materials incident has caused multiple floors to be locked down at the Pentagon on Thursday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June»»»

Some companies already have begun to anticipate the Argentine government's tariff cut, with discounts being offered on the Ford Mustang, among other vehicles. File Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/EPA BUENOS AIRES, June 11 (UPI) -- Argentina is preparing to partially open its automotive market to vehicle»»»

RAMALLAH: The son of a Hamas co-founder said that Israeli authorities released his father in the occupied West Bank on Thursday after holding him without trial for more than two years. Hassan Yousef, 71, was “freed near the southern West Bank city of Hebron” and taken to a hospital in Ramallah wher»»»

1 of 4 | The Ultimate Fighting Championship arena is seen as preparations continue for the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. Court documents show the event will cost at least $60 million. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 11 (UPI) -- Ultimate Fighti»»»

Prime Minister Péter Magyar has defended his government’s plans to tighten restrictions on guest workers, insisting that Hungary’s labour shortages should be addressed through higher wages and better working conditions rather than increased reliance on foreign labour. PM Magyar says companies shoul»»»

The US’ inability to deliver the Patriot missiles it promised to allies does not bode well for its reputation, former US Department of Defense analyst Karen Kwiatkowski tells Sputnik. The US showed that paying for US arms and even being a US ally does not make one a priority. “The priority is whate»»»

Bulgaria considers Turkiye not only a neighbor and friend but also a key partner in a range of areas, including security, migration, energy, and transport connectivity, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday. "There are emerg»»»

The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for the euro zone on Thursday and raised its expectation for inflation because of the US-Israeli war on Iran, adding that the economic situation could worsen if high energy prices persisted. In its regular report on the economy of the 21 count»»»

WASHINGTON, United States — US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed Thursday to use Iranian funds to pay for damages that the country causes on Gulf allies, warning of sharp economic consequences from Tehran's attacks."Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds e»»»

Part of the Pentagon went into lockdown on Thursday, a spokesman said, in response to what a local fire department described as a "hazardous materials incident" at the US military headquarters. The Arlington County Fire Department said in a post on X that it had units "including our Hazardous Mater»»»

The first meeting of the organizing committee to run and coordinate the preparation and holding of the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest took place at the Council of Ministers, the Government press service said on Thursday. Bulgaria will host the contest after Dara won 2026 Eurovision Song Contest with »»»

DAMASCUS: Syria has said it is investigating a cyberattack that leaked sensitive information from the foreign ministry, with internal documents appearing on messaging app Telegram. In a statement carried by Syria’s official SANA news agency, the ministry said it had begun “taking the necessary meas»»»

Arab Finance: The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has received the mandatory tender offer (MTO) submitted by UAE-based Black Caspian Logistics Holding Limited to acquire a 90% stake in Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company, according to a bourse filing. The transaction, announced in »»»

The discussion "The Future of Regional News", organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the Council for Electronic Media (CEM), took place in Sofia on Thursday. All regional journalists, regardless of their media outlet, were invited to the event. At the opening of the discussion, BTA Direct»»»

Paris, France: A leather bag made from Tyrannosaurus rex cells will be auctioned off on Thursday by Paris auction house Giquello, estimating the "one-of-a-kind" piece could sell for more than $500,000. Unveiled in the spring in Amsterdam, the bag was created from traces of collagen from the femur o»»»

DHAKA: Bangladesh speedster Nahid Rana has been recalled to the T20 squad for a three-match home series against Australia after a nearly year-long absence, selectors announced Thursday. The 23-year-old Rana, who played his only T20 international against the UAE in May 2025, has been impressive in o»»»

GENEVA: Somali referee Omar Artan who was barred by the United States from the World Cup was picked on Thursday for the showcase UEFA Super Cup game in August. European soccer body UEFA said Artan will referee the Aug. 12 game between Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, the»»»

BELFAST: Police blasted water cannons Wednesday at protesters in Northern Ireland who set small fires and hurled bricks, rocks and bottles at them during a second night of violence over a brutal stabbing on a Belfast street. Demonstrators wearing masks tore bricks from the walls outside homes and s»»»

LONDON: The Palestinian Authority denounced an Israeli plan to build an educational complex north of East Jerusalem on a site that has housed a vocational training college operated by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. The site is situated in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood, directly opposite»»»

Israeli authorities on Thursday denied entry to French reporter Alice Froussard, who covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for FRANCE 24's sister station Radio France Internationale (RFI) and Radio France. Froussard was deported hours after landing at Tel Aviv airport, said Israeli officials»»»

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States may take control of Iran’s oil and gas industries like it did in Venezuela earlier this year. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo June 11 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States may take control of Iran's»»»

LE MANS, France, Thursday: Team Qatar’s debut entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans began in earnest on Wednesday with a busy day of on-track action. With five hours of practice over two sessions and a 30-minute qualifying session, the team completed a total of 47 laps and secured progression into Hyper»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met with Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood Gert Jan Koopman in Belgrade on Thursday. Speaking to Tanjug after the discussions, Macut said the meeting had been very constructive and important »»»

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday visited Spain's Canary Islands, the once-notorious centre of the European migration debate, where he threw a bouquet of flowers in the sea in tribute to the migrants who perished trying to reach the Atlantic archipelago. The pontiff made a plea for "human dignity" and conde»»»

Rumen Radev said that Turkey is not only a neighboring and friendly country, but also a key partner for Bulgaria in several strategic areas, including security, migration, energy, and transport connectivity. He also highlighted emerging fields with strong potential for cooperation, such as hig»»»

Mongolia: Mongolia has recovered a rare dinosaur skeleton and a trove of fossils illegally exported two decades ago, authorities said Wednesday, concluding years of efforts to return the palaeontological treasures. The collection includes a Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton, estimated to be more than 50 »»»