BEIRUT: A long-awaited ceasefire has brought relative calm to Lebanon, but it hasn’t brought peace of mind to Hussein Merhi. He is among tens of thousands who remain displaced because their homes were destroyed in Israeli strikes or their hometowns fall within a swathe of the south occupied by Isra»»»

Are Slavs just meme people?According to a popular theory, there is a direct link between the ethnonym ‘Slav’ and the Greek word σκλάβος (sklabos), meaning ‘slave’. This has nothing to do with the Slavic character or will for independence but is rather a grim historical reminder: in Late Antiquity a»»»

Just days after their grand opening, a set of newly installed water slides at one of Hungary’s most popular spa resorts has come under scrutiny after several visitors reportedly suffered injuries, with some incidents requiring ambulance assistance. Several bathers injured after opening weekend The »»»

Tunis, June 25, 2026 (TAP) - An official military ceremony was held on Wednesday morning at Kasbah Square to raise the national flag, a symbol of the country's sovereignty and independence, as part of celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the...»»»

MANAMA: The Gulf’s top diplomats said on Thursday that dealing with Iran’s proxies and missiles was key to lasting peace, and that any trade and investment with Tehran would be reversible and contingent on it respecting its deal with the US. “The Ministers further emphasized that lasting regional p»»»

Homs, June.26 (SANA) Syrian engineering expertise managed to recommission the XJ workover rig in the central oilfields of Homs after completing a full rehabilitation using domestic engineering and technical expertise, the Syrian Ministry of Energy said on Thursday. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad a»»»

The brutal beating to death of a 17-year-old boy in France by a group of teenagers, described online as a “migrant gang,” has sparked public outrage across the country. The attack, which authorities have called an ambush, took place last Friday at a construction site in the southern city of Narbonn»»»

A controversial move by the operator of a lakeside beach in Germany to refuse entry to swimmers who do not sufficiently speak German has sparked a fierce political row. The dispute erupted after the privately run Heidebad nature pool in Halle in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt announced earlier »»»

Northern Ireland veteran politician Jeffrey Donaldson has said he will give up his knighthood and seat on the UK Privy Council after being convicted of rape and child abuse. On Monday, a jury found the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) guilty of 18 counts of sexual abuse, includi»»»

DOHA (Sputnik) - The planned withdrawal of Israeli troops from two areas in southern Lebanon did not take place, a Lebanese military source told the Qatari television channel Al Araby on Thursday. Earlier on Thursday, Israeli news website I24 reported, citing a US source, that Israel started withdr»»»

SINGAPORE: Hussam Alangari, president of the Saudi General Court of Audit, chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors, and member of the board of directors of the Institute of Internal Auditors, took part in the seventh meeting of the Institute of Internal Audito»»»

The Latin American Association of Zoos and Aquariums warned the region's illegal wildlife trade is increasingly shifting to social media. File Photo by Attila Kovacs/EPA June 25 (UPI) -- The Latin American Association of Zoos and Aquariums on Thursday launched a regional campaign to combat illegal »»»

Tunis, June 25 (TAP) - Tunisia ranked 15th in Africa in the NUMBEO Cost of Living Index by City 2026, with 30.7 points. Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) ranked 1st with 45.2 points, followed by Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) with 42.6 points, and Pretoria (South...»»»

There is a report by the State Agency for National Security (SANS) on the Varna illegal construction case and Ukrainian businessman Oleg Nevzorov, whose company, KYB, is linked to the project. The report has been submitted to the National Assembly's registry, said Rumen Milanov, chair of the Commit»»»

PARIS: A 21-year-old French soccer player with a second-division club has died after drowning during the heat wave that has gripped France. Kenzo Kies, who played for the Guingamp reserve team, died after being pulled from the Rhone River this week. Both Guingamp and Saint-Etienne, where Kies spent»»»

DUBAI: Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf ​said on Thursday that the United States’ claims that Iran will spend its unfrozen ‌assets to ‌buy ​US agricultural ‌products ⁠were ​false. “The US ⁠only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks,” Ghalibaf said ⁠in a ‌post ‌on X. US »»»

DUBAI: A major performing arts center designed by the late architect Frank Gehry is to be built in the UAE, according to plans announced on Thursday. Dar Al-Funoon Abu Dhabi will provide a home for ballet, opera and theater, among other performances, and draw talent from across the region and aroun»»»

Dubai: Lebanon has cancelled this year's official secondary school examinations, known as the baccalaureate, because of the country's deteriorating security situation, Education Minister Rima Karami said on Thursday. Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Karami said all students registered for the nati»»»

Damascus, June 25 (SANA) The 24th edition of Agritex 2026, Syria’s international exhibition for agriculture and veterinary supplies, opened on Thursday at Damascus Fairgrounds, bringing together government officials and companies from Syria and across the region. Agriculture Minister Basel al-Suwai»»»

Police officers patrol a street after an attack on a public hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 2024. Armed individuals belonging to the Vivre Ensemble coalition attacked Port-au-Prince's General Hospital, killing at least two journalists and a policeman. File Photo by Johnson Sabin/EPA June 25 (»»»

Tunis, June 25, 2026 (TAP) – The stock market posted a strong gain of 2.09% to close at 19,553.54 points, on a turnover of TND 18.1 million, bringing its year-to-date performance to 45.4%, according to stockbroker Tunisie Valeurs. SOTETEL shares...»»»

Tunis, June 25 (TAP) - Tunisia ranked 15th in Africa in the NUNBEO Cost of Living Index by City 2026, with 30.7 points. Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) ranked 1st with 45.2 points, followed by Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) with 42.6 points, and Pretoria (South...»»»

Mexico City Two powerful earthquakes striking within less than a minute have killed at least 164 people in Venezuela and left just under 1,000 injured, acting President Delcy Rodríguez told the VTV broadcaster on Thursday. According to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS), two quakes with magn»»»

Doha, Qatar: The mortal remains of four of the 12 Indian nationals who passed away in the Ras Laffan incident are being repatriated to India today, according to the Embassy of India in Qatar. In a statement, the embassy said efforts are underway to repatriate the mortal remains of eight others at t»»»

1 of 2 | Far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has defeated leftist Ivan Cepeda for the Colombian presidency. Photo by Mauricio Duenas Castaneda/EPA June 25 (UPI) -- Colombia and Peru have elected two of Latin America's most conservative right-wing leaders after electoral authorities confirm»»»

Politicians reacted Thursday to the 2026 State Budget Bill presented a day earlier by Finance Minister Galab Donev. The draft faced criticism by all parliamentary groups except the ruling Progressive Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms which has not commented on the topic. Progressive»»»

LONDON: Israeli authorities seized 464,400 sq. meters of Palestinian land in the town of Sinjil, north of the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, according to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. The plot is now classified as “state land,” which Israel will use for the benefit of the ill»»»

BELGRADE - The Air Serbia fleet has been expanded with another aircraft - an Airbus A320 bearing the registration YU-APV, which landed at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport on Thursday. "The aircraft, manufactured in 2008, is configured to carry 180 passengers and will further enhance the company's op»»»

TBILISI: Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and AI Authority, or SDAIA, received the UN Public Service Award for the National Data Bank and Estishraf digital platform at the UN Public Service Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia. The win comes after an international competition that received more tha»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Energy Minister: We will not withdraw from the security belt in Lebanon even if Trump or any other American official asks us to do »»»

KHARTOUM: Newly issued Sudanese pounds have begun circulating in territory controlled by a paramilitary group fighting the national army, raising questions about the source of the notes and potentially deepening the country’s de facto division. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — which cooperated with»»»

Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem addressed on Thursday the central Ashura council, highlighting the sublimity of the Resistance whose greatness cannot be matched. “What we see from the Resistance has astounded the world. When you watch the world, they say: What’s wrong wi»»»

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian Office for Public and Cultural Diplomacy Arnaud Gouillon said on Thursday the objective of a so-called "Sarajevo safari" case - a narrative about alleged paid shootings of civilians in wartime Sarajevo - had been to accuse, through an attack on Serbian President A»»»

Dubai: India is raising passport fees by up to 75 per cent starting July 1, according to a gazette notification issued by the country's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on June 20 under the Passports (Amendment) Rules. When Gulf News contacted the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, officials confirmed »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Embassy of Romania in Qatar organised “Flavours from Romania”, a cultural evening at Katara Cultural Village celebrating Romanian traditions through its cuisine, heritage and craftsmanship. The event was attended by the Ambassador of Romania to Qatar, HE Daniel Cristian Tănase, Gen»»»

DOHA, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) announced the temporary closure of the Al Khuzama Street exit in Lusail for three days to facilitate scheduled works. According to the announcement, the closures will take place during the following periods: -Thursday, June 25, 2026: From 12:00am to 5:00a»»»

Minister of Interior, Besfort Lamallari, has ordered a 15-year entry ban against Ikball Huduti (Berisha), declaring her an “undesirable person” in the Republic of Albania on national security grounds. According to the ministry, the decision was based on information gathered by state authorities ind»»»

Abu Dhabi, June 25 (SANA) UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received on Thursday Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, in Abu Dhabi. Al-Shaibani conveyed the greetings of President Ahmad al-Sharaa to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The meeting addr»»»

JEDDAH: Researchers at Taibah University have registered two new innovative technologies: an advanced dental implant system and a low-cost organic solar cell that also functions as a self-powered infrared sensor, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The dental implant, for which the univers»»»

La Guaira, Venezuela: A pair of powerful earthquakes that rocked Venezuela have killed at least 164 people, the country's leader said Thursday as residents searched for loved ones trapped under rubble after many buildings were flattened within minutes. An international outpouring of aid quickly fol»»»

The Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) does not accept the idea of transferring the secret police files committee to the State Archives Agency without public discussion and agreement among the political forces, the party said in a statement sent to the media on Thursday. The UDF, which is part of the»»»

Gdańsk: The State of Qatar participated in the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, held in Gdańsk, with high-level participation from a number of governments, international financial institutions, development partners, and private sector representatives. The conference focused on exploring ways to su»»»

DUBAI: Oman confirmed on Thursday that no transit fees would be imposed on ships using the Strait of Hormuz as part of any planned changes to managing the waterway. Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi’s comments came after his country and Iran said this week that they were discussing “costs” for marit»»»

SHAHAT, Libya: In eastern Libya, a small group of passionate archaeologists are striving to safeguard the ancient ruins of Cyrene and Apollonia — sites first targeted by jihadist groups, then ravaged by Storm Daniel. The UNESCO-listed ruins were once at the heart of a unique network of Greek coloni»»»

RIYADH: Top Saudi medical institutions have come together to support diabetic patients and improve outcomes for those living with the chronic illness. Diabetes is one of the Kingdom’s most significant public health challenges in the Kingdom, with many patients receiving care across Ministry of Heal»»»

A woman uses a fan to cool down at a park in London Thursday. Great Britain is bracing for its hottest June day on record, with temperatures forecast to rise above 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Photo by Andy Rain/EPA June 25 (UPI) -- The heat wave gripping Europe is still raging in the west but is moving»»»

Abu Dhabi has announced the start of construction on Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi (House of the Arts), a landmark performing arts institution on Saadiyat Island that is set to become one of the region’s most advanced cultural venues when it opens in 2030. Announced by the Department of Culture and Touri»»»

Politicians reacted Thursday to the draft 2026 State Budget Act presented a day earlier by Finance Minister Galab Donev. The draft faced criticism by all parliamentary groups except the ruling Progressive Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms which has not commented on the topic. Progre»»»

DOHA: The Qatar School for Science and Technology for Boys’ fifth graduation ceremony was held on June 23, marking a notable celebration of the outstanding achievements of 56 graduates who have been admitted to prestigious universities in Qatar and abroad. The graduating class marked a significant »»»

ANKARA: More than 10,000 historic artefacts were seized at the Istanbul home of two people who have been placed under arrest, Turkish police said Thursday. “An operation was carried out by our anti-smuggling directorate and two individuals were arrested. Our cultural heritage constitutes our countr»»»