In a statement to Al-Ahram, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tariq Al-Mulla said that Egypt production of natural gas increased by 60 percent since the beginning of 2016, rising from 3.8 billion cubic feet per day to 5.1 billion cubic feet per day. Al Mulla added that the increase came f»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump discussed America's proposals on Ukraine at the Alaska summit and they were accepted by the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that»»»

Abu Dhabi Biobank has signed a strategic partnership with BioTwin to expand the use of artificial intelligence-powered Virtual Human Twin technology in the UAE, supporting early disease detection, prevention and precision healthcare. The agreement was announced on the sidelines of the BIO Internati»»»

Abu Dhabi: Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla, Director General of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), has reaffirmed the Authority's commitment to increasing reliance on Emirati talent within the tax system. He said the FTA is implementing an integrated strategy to expand the pool of qualified national tax »»»

The “New Syria" does not want to return to Lebanon through the gates of tutelage or war, nor does Lebanon wish to summon the memory of 1976, when the Syrian army entered the country and ended up staying for three decades. For their part, Arab and Western capitals appear reluctant to open a new fron»»»

"If we talk about absolute neutrality, then, of course, the term 'absolute neutrality' is not applicable, because the United States still supplies — it used to be pseudo-for-free, now it supplies most of the weapons to Ukraine for money — provides assistance to Ukraine and others, and technology, a»»»

Iran delivered a blistering rebuke on Friday, denouncing a joint United States-Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) statement as “interfering, irresponsible, and provocative,” while urging regional states to break free from what it described as Washington’s destabilizing, divide-and-rule machina»»»

International Development Bank, the first private Iraqi bank in the UAE, has expanded its banking solutions ecosystem with the addition of various innovative financial tools, solutions and products, including bonds and loans, catering to the needs of diverse enterprises. This further empowers the b»»»

The heatwave sweeping Europe this week is raising questions about whether existing workplace protections are fit for a warming climate – prompting trade unions and health experts to call for binding EU rules to protect workers from extreme temperatures. Large parts of Europe have recorded unusually»»»

More than 8.51 million Romanians were enrolled in mandatory private pension funds, known as Pillar II, at the end of March 2026, while total assets reached RON 212.55 billion, up by around 33% compared with the same period last year, according to a report published by the Financial Supervisory Auth»»»

LexisNexis, a global leader in legal intelligence and AI solutions, today announced a significant expansion of its commitment to the Middle East and wider GCC. The move reinforces the company’s position as the region's most trusted partner for legal professionals navigating an increasingly complex »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian forces also hammered a territorial recruitment center and a weapons storage facilities in Kiev, in addition to an oil refinery in Kremenchug, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday Ukraine had suffered over 3,155 combat casualties in clashes with Russia's Vostok batt»»»

Vienna: Drug use around the world is rising, including a worrying increase of new potent and dangerous synthetic drugs, a UN watchdog warned on Friday. An estimated 331 million people used a drug in 2024, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its 2026 World Drug Report. This »»»

Taipei: Taiwanese shipping operator Evergreen Marine said Friday one of its container ships was hit by an "unidentified object" in the Strait of Hormuz, but the crew, vessel and cargo were "unharmed". The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a marine monitoring agency, previously said a vessel had»»»

SEATTLE: Before coach Amir Ghalenoei or goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand answered any questions Thursday ahead of Iran’s World Cup match with Egypt, a FIFA official spoke up. Daniel Marin, FIFA’s executive director of public relations, read a statement in light of the teams meeting in a “Pride Match” »»»

Arab Finance: Copper for Commercial Investment and Real Estate Development turned profitable at EGP 21.310 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, compared to net losses of EGP 3.166 million in Q1 2025, according to the financial results. Earnings per share (EPS) hit EGP 0.041 at the end of Marc»»»

La Guaira, Venezuela: Rescuers used heavy machinery and their bare hands on Friday in a race to save survivors of deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela that killed at least 235 people, hurt thousands and flattened scores of buildings. International rescuers and aid have begun arriving to help a nati»»»

INDJIJA - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday evening elections would be held soon and that the results of the latest opinion polls were more favourable for the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) compared to previous ones. "The elections will be very difficult for us, they will »»»

Tokyo, Japan: A Japanese park famous for "snow monkeys" soaking in hot springs will cap daily numbers after a surge in visitors and cases of bad behaviour including bathing with the animals, an official said Friday. Nestled in a valley with an altitude of 850 metres (nearly 2,800 feet) in the centr»»»

Tokyo: A "very strong" verification system is needed in Iran following the Middle East conflict to ensure that the country does not develop nuclear weapons, the UN atomic watchdog chief said Friday. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi's remarks come as the United States and»»»

Paris, France: A deadly European heatwave that has saturated hospitals as temperatures soared to record highs was to shift east on Friday, with authorities warning of more misery on a continent not used to stretches of punishing heat. Scientists said in a study released Friday that climate change w»»»

Singapore: Oil prices fell by nearly 2 percent on Friday and were on track for sharp weekly losses as concerns over supply disruptions eased following the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures dropped by USD 1.50, or 1.99 percent, to USD 73.76 a barrel. US West Te»»»

Jana SinramOil and gas have made Norway wealthy. But another resource could play a key role in solving future global challenges: algae. https://p.dw.com/p/5FizzAdvertisementOff Norway’s west coast, a startup harvests brown algae as asustainable resource. The fast-growing plants require no fertilize»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe IAEA’s Grossi Confirms Iran Contact, Pushes for Rigorous Verification 26-06-2026 12:13 PM International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Directo»»»

ING Bank Romania is launching the Business Bonus Deposit, a new savings product designed for small and medium-sized businesses and mid-corporate clients, which combines a competitive interest rate of 5.1% per year with the flexibility to access funds at any time without losing accrued interest. Thi»»»

The budget presented by Progressive Bulgaria is one of the worst and most alarming in recent years, as there has not been a 5.7% deficit since the Zhan Videnov government in 1995-1997, MP Martin Dimitrov of Democratic Bulgaria said in a statement from the parliamentary rostrum on Friday. On Wednesd»»»

New Delhi, India: India has removed restrictions on supplies of commercial liquified petroleum gas imposed during the Middle East regional tension when energy supplies were hit by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. India, the world's most populous country, is the second-largest importer of LPG, m»»»

Storeys Real Estate has achieved a remarkable series of milestones, further strengthening its position as one of the UAE’s fastest-growing real estate brokerages. The company has been ranked #1 with Aldar Properties, secured the #4 position with Arada, and earned recognition as the 4th Best Real Es»»»

From June 27 to 30, the threat of mudflows and rising river water levels remains in Kyrgyzstan, the Ministry of Emergency Situations warned. According to the ministry, the threat is linked to expected heavy rainfall combined with rising air temperatures. Temperatures in Kyrgyzstan are expected to r»»»

The second edition of the EY Entrepreneurship Barometer 2026 shows that entrepreneurs across wider Europe are shifting from strategic ambition to disciplined execution as they navigate a complex environment shaped by rising costs, regulatory pressure and macroeconomic uncertainty. Based on insights»»»

The Israeli army confirmed Friday that an officer was moderately injured and an officer and two soldiers were lightly injured in a clash overnight with a Hezbollah militant in south Lebanon. Israeli media reports said the Hezbollah fighter hurled a hand grenade at the Israelis. Israeli airstrikes a»»»

The Romanian Gymnastics Federation should be fined after refusing to allow Russian gymnasts to participate in the Challenge Cup with their flag and anthem, two-time Olympic speed skating champion and State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova said. On Friday, the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team decided to»»»

A clear majority of Hungarians would support replacing the forint with the euro, according to a new Medián survey, with around three in four respondents backing the introduction of the common European currency. The findings also reveal political divisions, as supporters of the opposition Fidesz par»»»

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil declined to directly address whether opposing sanctions on Russian Patriarch Kirill contradicts Bulgaria’s national interest, as the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church held a scheduled session alongside a meeting with Prime Minister Rumen Radev. When asked about »»»

Nigerian fintech startup Daya has raised $2.4mn in a pre-seed funding round to expand its stablecoin-powered cross-border payments platform, underscoring growing investor interest in blockchain-based payment infrastructure serving African businesses. The funding round was led by New York-based digi»»»

Russia's brief fiscal reprieve from the Gulf war is already coming to an end. A surge in oil prices in the last months looked like it would bail the Kremlin out which is increasingly struggling to pay for the war in Ukraine. But those hopes look short lived as oil prices are already dropping just a»»»

A TV screen shows a live broadcast of former first lady Kim Keon Hee's bribery trial at Seoul Station on Friday. Kim was sentenced to seven years in prison. Photo by Yonhap A Seoul court on Friday sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to seven years in prison for taking expensive gifts in return»»»

Paris: A deadly European heatwave that has saturated hospitals as temperatures soared to record highs was to shift east on Friday, with authorities warning of more misery on a continent not used to stretches of punishing heat. At least 101 million Europeans have roasted for several days in temperat»»»

HEADLINES The dominant topic across Bulgarian media on Friday is the debate over the 2026 draft budget, public-sector pay, personal social insurance contributions for state employees, and the sustainability of public finances. Coverage focuses on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Galab »»»

President Sadyr Japarov said that Kyrgyzstan will gradually abandon the practice of mass transformation of agricultural land for individual housing construction. He announced this during a meeting with residents of Ak-Tala district of Naryn region, responding to a request for the allocation of land»»»

Dubai: Europe’s summer appeal for UAE travellers is facing a new challenge as record-breaking heat pushes holidaymakers to reconsider where and when they travel. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.A record-breaking heatwave is sweeping Europe, with the Netherlands issuing»»»

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday said Israel has "no option" but to unconditionally withdraw from Lebanese areas it occupies, and he rejected any normalization in ties between Lebanon and Israel. "Israel has no option but to withdraw completely from every inch of our Lebanese land... Is»»»

People loot a store in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, on Thursday, following a pair of strong earthquakes that struck the nation a day prior, killing more than 200 people. File Photo by Ronald Pena R/EPA June 26 (UPI) -- The death toll from a pair of strong earthquakes that struck Venezuela has continued»»»

Los Angeles, United States: Tunisia's miserable World Cup campaign ended with zero points and a minus-10 goal difference after three Group F games following a 3-1 defeat by the Netherlands on Thursday. Here, AFP Sport takes a look at the previous teams to rack up a minus goal difference of double d»»»

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed on Friday that the Israeli enemy has to fully withdraw from every inch of Lebanon, “defeated and humiliated.” Addressing mass Ashura rally in Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh), Sheikh Qassem stressed there will be no normalization or concessi»»»

President Donald Trump’s closure of US development agency USAID adds hurdles to humanitarian relief efforts in quake-hit Venezuela, says Christopher Sabatini, Latin America Programme Director at Chatham House. “Right now, the Trump administration has to coordinate a multi-agency effort when in fact»»»

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaks during a press briefing on drone and counter-drone policy at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Seoul on Friday. Photo by Yonhap SEOUL, June 26 (UPI) -- South Korea unveiled a sweeping plan Friday to rapidly expand the military's drone and counter-drone capabi»»»

Etihad Rail is offering UAE residents a chance to take part in a historic milestone by nominating individuals who have made a meaningful contribution to their communities for its inaugural passenger journey. One selected nominee will travel on the first-ever passenger service from Fujairah to Abu D»»»

Paris: When the mercury rises so do the costs for an economy as productivity melts and growth becomes lethargic, providing an additional challenge to Europe as it struggles with high energy prices. "Extreme heat is emerging as a structural economic risk, with Europe highly exposed," wrote the trade»»»

SEATTLE: Before coach Amir Ghalenoei or goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand answered any questions Thursday ahead of Iran’s World Cup match with Egypt, a FIFA official spoke up.Daniel Marin, FIFA’s executive director of public relations, read a statement in light of the teams meeting in a “Pride Match” i»»»