WASHINGTON/DUBAI/PARIS The United States and Iran signalled on Friday that an agreement to end their war ​was close, with a senior US administration official saying both sides had agreed on a text and that Washington expects to sign an initial deal in the coming days.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas »»»

NEW YORK CITY: Denmark and Pakistan have tabled a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to the near-total impunity that perpetrators of attacks against UN peacekeepers have long enjoyed. It is expected to be put to a vote imminently. The draft resolution, seen by Arab News, is framed as»»»

Prime Minister Péter Magyar has dismissed the heads of Hungary’s four principal national security agencies in one of the most significant personnel changes since his government took office. The dismissals were published in Friday evening’s issue of the Hungarian Gazette and take effect on Saturday,»»»

DAMASCUS: Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa told visitors that Damascus has no intention of intervening in Lebanon, two of them told AFP, days after US President Donald Trump suggested it might be willing to do so. One of those present, requesting anonymity to speak freely, said that Sharaa told doz»»»

LONDON: Iraqi officials like to say that the “age of militias” is ending. On paper, the past few weeks seem to support that narrative. Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, a hardline Iran-aligned faction, announced it would disengage from the Popular Mobilization Forces and place its weapons under state control, foll»»»

Gold is increasingly being weaponised by states, criminal networks and sanctioned regimes as a strategic financial tool, while regulatory systems are failing to keep pace with rapidly evolving illicit supply chains, according to a new report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organize»»»

Hungary and Ukraine have officially finalised what Prime Minister Péter Magyar has described as a “historic agreement” on the rights of the ethnic Hungarian community living in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region, marking a major breakthrough in a dispute that has strained bilateral relations for years»»»

KUALA LUMPUR: Religious leaders must play a greater role in preventing conflict, promoting coexistence and engaging young people amid growing global tensions and rising extremism, speakers said at an international summit in Malaysia on Friday. The Third International Summit of Religious Leaders, he»»»

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu hosted political representatives from across party lines on Thursday to discuss the issue of electoral interference ahead of the country’s 2027 presidential election. French authorities are sounding the alarm over the rapid advances in artificial intelligence»»»

DUBAI: Extreme heat is becoming a defining challenge for global food production, with the Middle East among the most exposed regions. A joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Meteorological Organization warns that rising temperatures are no longer a seasonal issue but a»»»

With Europeans sizzling in a record-breaking heatwave in May, and lands and rivers facing severe drought conditions in April, the effects of extreme climate-related events are becoming increasingly obvious. We sit down with the EU's Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Dutch politic»»»

UAE desalination plants in Egypt’s Rafah continue to play a vital role in supporting the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, by producing desalinated water and delivering it through the UAE water pipeline project to Khan Younis, helping provide one of the most »»»

BRUSSELS: The European Union will resume membership talks with Ukraine on Monday, the bloc announced, after Hungary lifted the veto imposed by its previous pro-Russian leader. “All member states agreed to open the first accession negotiations cluster with Ukraine and Moldova,” European Council Pres»»»

DUBAI: Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter Elyanna and Moroccan-Canadian star Nora Fatehi were among the headlining acts as Canada staged an historic opening ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, marking the first time the tournament has launched with interconnected celebrations across »»»

MADRID: Pope Leo has issued a stern warning to human traffickers and criminal groups who exploit desperate migrants ​trying to reach Europe through Spain’s Canary Islands, telling them to “repent” before God or face being sent to hell. On the final day of a week-long tour of Spain, in which the pon»»»

LONDON: A group of leading Saudi and British women met in London on Friday to discuss the role of culture, storytelling and creative exchanges in strengthening ties between communities. The gathering, hosted by Dame Susan Langley, the lady mayor of London, at her official residence, Mansion House, »»»

Albania’s ruling Socialist Party is marking the 35th anniversary of its founding on Friday with a series of celebrations culminating in a major gathering in central Tirana. The party, established in 1991 following the collapse of the country’s communist regime, has organized commemorative events ac»»»

MAKKAH: When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off at Mexico City’s legendary Azteca Stadium, fans looked up and saw a piece of Saudi Arabia. FPC Industries, a subsidiary of FIPCO, supplied more than 4,000 sq. meters of PVC fabric for the venue’s new “Red Crown” — the sweeping canopy that rings the to»»»

Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday that the final text of a US-Iran peace deal had been agreed. "We can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps," S»»»

BEIRUT: Displaced residents of villages in southern Lebanon, who currently have no way of reaching their homes, are turning to commercial satellite imagery to learn whether the houses they fled are still standing. For many families, the images offer the first glimpse of homes left behind during suc»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call from HE Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt. During the call, they reviewed bilate»»»

The American and British right want you to believe that the Belfast riots are a violent Irish uprising against mass immigration. In reality, the riots are steeped in the complex sectarianism of Northern Ireland, and the riot leaders don’t even consider themselves Irish. Read more Sudanese refugee a»»»

RIYADH: The Coca-Cola Fan Zone at JAX District in Diriyah could simply be described as a place for fans to watch matches alongside a range of entertainment activities. But that would not do it justice. The Coca-Cola Fan Zone offered a glimpse of how Riyadh, a future FIFA World Cup host city, is bri»»»

France and Germany are discussing proposals for a radical overhaul of the EU’s 15-year-old diplomatic service and cutting the powers of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, in an attempt to improve the bloc’s response to geopolitical crises, the Financial Times reported on June 11. Paris, Berlin an»»»

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Benjamin Netanyahu of “following the path of Hitler” on Thursday after the Israeli leader alleged he was an “antisemitic dictator” who had committed a “genocide” against the Kurds. The relationship between Israel and Turkiye has nosedived sin»»»

A new medical joint venture between an Egyptian and a British company to launch a state-of the-art- facility to produce catheters is set to start at an investment of $4 million, the British embassy in Cairo announced on Thursday. The new facility, which involves the British company Kimal and the Eg»»»

RIYADH: The inaugural Effie Awards Saudi Arabia took place on Thursday night at Riyadh’s Narcissus Royal Hotel. The Effie Awards were created in 1967 by the New York American Marketing Association to recognize and celebrate advertising and marketing effectiveness by looking at all facets of a marke»»»

Olathe, Kansas: Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the ECG App is now available to customers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with a compatible Garmin smartwatch, including fēnix 8, Venu 4, Forerunner 970 and more. The ECG App allows users to record their heart rhythm and check for sig»»»

After months of war, multiple ceasefires, threats of renewed bombing and repeated claims that an agreement was imminent, the United States and Iran appear closer than ever to a formal deal. Or at least that is the message coming from Washington. US President Donald Trump has declared that a settlem»»»

Gold is increasingly being weaponised by states, criminal networks and sanctioned regimes as a strategic financial tool, while regulatory systems are failing to keep pace with rapidly evolving illicit supply chains, according to a new report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organize»»»

Gold is increasingly being weaponised by states, criminal networks and sanctioned regimes as a strategic financial tool, while regulatory systems are failing to keep pace with rapidly evolving illicit supply chains, according to a new report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organize»»»

US President Donald Trump will celebrate his 80th birthday on Sunday with a characteristically unique event: a $60 million UFC match will see bare-knuckle fighters battle it out in a mesh-framed cage on the White House's famed South Lawn. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the »»»

The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi has announced a change in the outsourced service provider for Indian passport, visa and consular services in the United Arab Emirates. It said the current service providers, BLS International Services Ltd. and SGIVS Global, will continue to handle applications unti»»»

BENGHAZI: A decade after fierce battles reduced much of the University of Benghazi to rubble, students at Libya’s oldest and largest university are once again looking to the future with optimism. After the 2011 uprisings that toppled and killed longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi, the university founded»»»

Dubai: Saudi authorities have referred a social media user to the Public Prosecution after comments made during an online audio discussion were found to have contained offensive remarks directed at a fellow Arab state, according to Okaz newspaper. The General Authority of Media Regulation said the »»»

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat expressed deep distrust of United States foreign policy, accusing Washington of absolute bias toward Israel. "When it comes to Israel, the U.S. is nothing but a proxy mediator relaying Israeli ideas," Jumblat told pan-Arab news channel al-Jaze»»»

GILGIL, Kenya: Kenyan families were overwhelmed with grief at a mass Friday for 16 girls killed in a suspected arson attack on their school — part of a string of pupil protests that have unnerved the country. Kenya has seen 47 fires at schools this year as pupils protest a range of issues including»»»

JAKARTA: Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are looking to further their tourism cooperation following a ministerial meeting, with Jakarta preparing to attract more tourists from the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is one of the main markets for Indonesia’s tourism sector, with more than 156,000 Saudi travelers visi»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that he and U.S. President Donald Trump were in "full agreement" to keep Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a day after Trump touted an imminent deal with Tehran. "As long as I am prime minister of Israel, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. T»»»

The Israeli occupation entity is facing an unprecedented wave of international isolation, with expanding sanctions, boycotts, and diplomatic pressure targeting government ministers, settlers, academic institutions, and businesses. Observers increasingly describe the occupation entity as becoming “t»»»

Kyrgyzstan continues to strengthen its position on the international tourism map. During a meeting between Manasbek Samidinov, Chairman of the Board of Airports of Kyrgyzstan OJSC, and a delegation from the United Arab Emirates, they discussed the prospects for expanding air service between Kyrgyzs»»»

Share: Summary Iran ties Lebanon ceasefire to broader deal with Washington Lebanese president says only option is to negotiate with Israel Hezbollah rejects talks, leaving Lebanon at impasse Israel demands Hezbollah be dismantled before any withdrawal Deadlock risks making displacement of Shi’ites »»»

JEDDAH: With the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, excitement is building among football fans around the globe, as jersey shops across the Kingdom are witnessing a surge in demand as fans flock to stores to buy jerseys of their favourite teams. A visit by Arab News to Jeddah’s sports market present»»»

RIYADH: The liquidity levels of most Fitch-rated sukuk are improving, signaling a gradual stabilization in the Islamic bond market following disruptions caused by the Iran war, according to the credit rating agency. In its latest report, Fitch Ratings warned that sukuk liquidity has not recovered t»»»

US forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones as Tehran appeared to attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, hours after US President Donald Trump announced a "great settlement" to end the war. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. • US President Donald»»»

Aziz Abu Sarah is Palestinian. Maoz Inon is Israeli. Both their families have been bereaved by the endless conflict between their two communities. With their book "The Future is Peace" published in April, the two authors aim to rally international public opinion behind their project to put an end t»»»

François Picard is pleased to welcome Avi Meyerstein, co-founder and president of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP). At a moment when international attention is increasingly consumed by conflict across the Middle East, Meyer argues that the crises currently unfolding are not isolated even»»»

Share: PHOTO- Vice President JD Vance, President Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio in the Oval Office on April 23. Photo: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding President Trump claims will soon be signed calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen immediately witho»»»

The ambassadors of France, Germany and the UK have requested a meeting with Russia’s foreign ministry following an E3 London summit at which the three European leaders issued a five-point list of demands aimed at persuading Moscow to begin ceasefire negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Russian For»»»

United States officials spoke in ambitious and avid terms as they reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to investing in the development of Central Asian critical mineral resources at a June 10 meeting with government representatives from across the region. High-level officials from the five Central As»»»