Sydney: Australia will double the financial penalty on platforms flouting its world-leading social media ban for under-16s to stem widespread evasion of the restrictions, the government said on Saturday. New legislation will lift the maximum fine to Aus$99 million ($68 million) for systemic breache»»»

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency Joseph Aoun, President of the Lebanese Republic, spoke by telephone today to discuss bilateral relations and ways to further strengthen cooperation in support of both countries’ interests and the prosperity and wellbei»»»

Share: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as State Department Counselor Daniel Holler, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter and Lebanon’s Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh sign a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S.,»»»

SYDNEY: Australia will double the financial penalty on platforms flouting its world-leading social media ban for under-16s to stem widespread evasion of the restrictions, the government said on Saturday. New legislation will lift the maximum fine to Aus$99 million ($68 million) for systemic breache»»»

ISTANBUL: The number of people jailed pending trial on terrorism-related charges in Turkiye rose to 178 ahead of a NATO summit in the capital Ankara, state media reported on Saturday, citing the prosecutor’s office. The detentions followed a series of anti-terror raids this week in the run-up to th»»»

The Embassy of Djibouti in Riyadh hosted an official reception at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Djibouti. Djibouti gained independence on June 27, 1977, ending over a century of French colonial rule. The cere»»»

As temperatures rise each summer, the arrival of mango season becomes one of the most anticipated times of the year in Egypt. Renowned for their rich flavor, vibrant colors, and refreshing taste, mangoes are a seasonal favorite enjoyed by households across the country. Beyond their cultural and cul»»»

Share: Nada Hamadeh Moawad, the Lebanese ambassador to the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Israel and Lebanon’s ambassadors to the U.S. Friday to announce a framework agreement that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Le»»»

Los Angeles, United States: England and Portugal will aim to finish on a high as the World Cup group stages draw to a close on Saturday with the final places in the knockout rounds up for grabs. Both nations have been inconsistent in the opening rounds of the tournament, alternating between laboure»»»

Arab Finance: The prices of several food commodities and vegetables in Egyptian markets fluctuated on Thursday, June 25th, according to the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). A kilogram of packaged rice reached EGP 34.3 per kilogram, with a daily increase of 0.7%. Likewise, the price o»»»

MANILA: The Philippines is preparing to showcase its gaming talent at the Esports Nations Cup in Riyadh later this year, after Filipino players qualified to compete for at least two titles in the inaugural competition. Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural ENC in November. The cup is set to become a»»»

PRAUGE: The Arab States Broadcasting Union, representing the Arab Group, has stressed the need for a unified international position in negotiations with global technology and artificial intelligence companies in order to protect the rights of media organizations and ensure a fair partnership in the»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would remain in south Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms, shortly after the announcement in Washington of a framework agreement with the United States and Lebanon. "The most important thing is, first of all, that Israel remains in the security»»»

Iran on Saturday accused the United States of violating the peace deal agreed to end the Middle East war, after Washington launched strikes on Iranian territory and Tehran responded with attacks on U.S. targets in the Gulf. The trading of fire, which came after Washington accused Tehran of attackin»»»

A growing number of African countries are viewing the SMR technology as a way to expand electricity access and support long-term economic development, says analyst. What: SMRs are increasingly being seen as the future of nuclear power in Africa. Why: The rise of SMRs could help African countries cl»»»

Arab Finance: The prices of building materials and fertilizers in Egyptian markets climbed on Thursday, June 25th, according to data from the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). The price of a ton of ammonium sulfate hit EGP 20,314, reflecting a daily increase of 4.2%. A ton of ammonium»»»

RIYADH: Saudi women are driving one of the most striking transformations in the Kingdom’s modern history, with female labor force participation surging from around 23 percent in 2016 to over 34 percent today, and women now owning nearly 45 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises, experts told»»»

Washington: Washington on Friday released text of a trilateral framework between Israel, Lebanon and the United States aimed at ending hostilities that have been a violent second front of the Middle East war. The following are highlights of the 14-point agreement signed in the US capital: 'Lasting »»»

DUBAI: Egypt has become the second Arab team to progress to the Round of 32 in the 2026 World Cup following their 1-1 draw with Iran at Seattle Stadium. The result, coupled with Belgium’s 5-1 win over New Zealand, left Egypt second in Group G with five points while Iran finished third with three po»»»

DALLAS: With their debut World Cup all but over, Jordan have nothing to lose when they face Argentina in their final group match in Texas today. Defeats by Austria and Algeria mean Jamal Sellami’s team cannot progress to the Round of 32, but midfielder Amer Jamous insists Al-Nashama have no intenti»»»

SEATTLE: Egypt coach Hossam ‌Hassan said Mohamed Salah would be assessed after the captain asked to be substituted during Friday’s 1-1 World ​Cup draw with Iran, leaving his fitness uncertain ahead of the knockout phaseSalah appeared visibly frustrated as he was replaced 12 minutes into the second »»»

LOS ANGELES: England and Portugal will aim to finish on a high as the World Cup group stages draw to a close on Saturday with the final places in the knockout rounds up for grabs. Both nations have been inconsistent in the opening rounds of the tournament, alternating between labored performances a»»»

Representatives of the political authority in Lebanon have reached a US-brokered deal with the Israeli enemy on late on Friday, sparking protests across Beirut and its southern suburb, Dahiyeh. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that a preliminary framework has been agreed upon b»»»

First published in Respekt. A portrait of the Danish prime minister who has found an unusual recipe for keeping her country on a liberal course. When, around the turn of the year, Politico drew up a ranking of politicians who would have the greatest impact on events in Europe this year, the podium »»»

Arab Finance: Misr El-Gedida for Housing and Development completed the designs for an integrated entertainment, commercial, and hospitality destination in New Heliopolis City, Sameh El-Sayed, the group’s Managing Director and CEO, announced. Spanning an area of 75 feddans, the development is design»»»

Arab Finance: The eighth edition of the Decision Makers conference, held at the Grand Egyptian Museum under the theme “Investment, Real Estate, and Tourism: Egypt’s Economic Growth Triangle 2026,” examined the impact of global economic and geopolitical developments on the investment landscape, with»»»

From the moment the referee blew the opening whistle of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the players were not the only ones competing. During the 39-day competition, billions of dollars will be wagered across smartphone apps, betting platforms, and data centres scattered across the globe. In London, a fan »»»

The G7 summit held in the French town of Évian-les-Bains was far more than another routine gathering of the leaders of the West’s major economies. It offered a glimpse of how artificial intelligence is reshaping power itself, bringing the executives of the companies building the world’s most advanc»»»

With the highest number of total winners, Egyptian startups and influential figures secured 11 wins at this year’s North African portion of the Global Startup Awards (GSA). These startups will compete at the regional level with African finalists to be crowned in October at the GSA Africa Summit in »»»

When Hezbollah began attacking Israel on 2 March shortly after Israeli and American bombers killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Israel hit back. Their sparring, which has continued ever since, is nothing new—the pair are sworn enemies who have fought several wars in recent decades. What was »»»

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia exited the World Cup at the group stage for the third tournament in a row, after a goalless draw with Cabo Verde at Houston Stadium on Friday. Cape Verde (0-0-3, 3 points) are now the smallest nation ever to reach the second phase, finishing second in the group above Saudi Arabi»»»

RIYADH: Startups across the Middle East and North Africa region secured multiple funding rounds and attracted several notable acquisitions across diverse sectors last week, highlighting the region’s continued appeal to global investors. This momentum builds on a record-breaking 2025, when MENA star»»»

DHAHRAN: Film stars from around the Kingdom dazzled on the red carpet at the opening ceremony for the 12th Saudi Film Festival on Friday night. ‎The longest-running celebration of film in the Kingdom, the festival has since its launch in 2008 become a key showcase and driver of Saudi and Gulf cinem»»»

The rise of AI chatbots has triggered a technological gold rush unlike anything the internet has seen in decades. Companies are racing to build smarter models, faster assistants, and more human-like conversational systems. Behind that race sits one uncomfortable truth: these systems were built on a»»»

Arab Finance: Egypt is aiming to increase outsourcing service exports from around $5.2 billion to $6 billion by 2026 as part of broader efforts to strengthen its position as a regional and global hub for digital and business services, according to a new analysis issued by the Cabinet's Information »»»

LONDON: European allies need to ‌overhaul their war-fighting capabilities for a new era of combat, senior military officials from the region said, while warning of the potential threat Russia poses. Speaking at a defense conference ​in London this week, NATO’s deputy supreme allied commander in Eur»»»

Below is the full text of the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement brokered by the Trump administration as published by Axios journalist Barak Ravid: TRILATERAL FRAMEWORK BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE STATE OF ISRAEL, AND THE REPUBLIC OF LEBANON The Government of Israel and the Government»»»

Lebanon, Israel and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a peace deal between the two long-time Middle East adversaries. The agreement -- which officials said includes a pilot effort in which Lebanese soldiers will take control of two areas»»»

NEW YORK CITY: Saudi Arabia’s envoy to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, told the Security Council on Friday that there can be no military solution to the civil war in Sudan. He warned that the continued fighting in the country and arms support provided to the warring factions by other countries were wors»»»

The District of Columbia and ACLU on Friday settled a lawsuit brought by a man who was arrested in September 2025 for protesting the presence of National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., by playing Darth Vader's theme near them. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 26 (UPI) »»»

While France confirmed its first case of Ebola, reports of people successfully treated for the condition are also emerging from Mongbwalu, the epicentre of the epidemic in the eastern part of the DRC. Although successful treatments are sparking hope among teams on the ground, health professionals r»»»

NEW YORK CITY: When Anandita Philipose, the UN Population Fund’s representative in Lebanon, visited a Beirut shelter in the first days of the crisis, she met a woman who was heavily pregnant, days from her due date, displaced, and entirely alone in a system she no longer recognized. “She didn’t kno»»»

NEW YORK CITY: The escalating conflict in Sudan’s North Kordofan state risks triggering a humanitarian catastrophe on the scale of last year’s siege of El-Fasher. The warning from UN officials to the Security Council on Friday came as drone strikes intensified around the city of El-Obeid, putting a»»»

Washington, June 26 (SANA) Syrian Consul Ahmad al-Malati met with officials from the U.S. State Department‘s Bureau of Consular Affairs and Office of the Legal Adviser to discuss the legal and procedural arrangements for resuming consular services, including the authentication and verification of o»»»

MAKKAH: As Saudi Arabia expands saffron cultivation across regions including AlUla, Tabuk and Al-Baha, scientists are exploring ways to improve the productivity and quality of one of the world’s most valuable crops. Prof. Salim Al-Babili, associate vice president for research for plant science at K»»»

People enjoy the beach at the Strait of Hormuz in the Arabian Sea off Muscat, Oman, in May. President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating the cease-fire Friday. File Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI | License Photo June 26 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran has attacked ships in th»»»

Damascus, June 26 (SANA) Syrian Agriculture Minister Basel al-Suwaidan met on Friday with Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris to discuss investment opportunities in Syria’s agricultural sector and the incentives available to investors under the new investment law, the ministry said. Al-Suwaidan str»»»

JEDDAH: The graduation ceremony of the fourth cohort of Red Sea Global’s Vocational Training Program was held on Thursday, with Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor of Jeddah, in attendance, along with Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Red Sea Glob»»»

In Brief Mongolia’s dependence on Russian fuel gives it short-term supply stability but leaves it structurally exposed. Russia’s temporary petrol export ban spared Mongolia through bilateral arrangements, underscoring the strength of the relationship while revealing the risks of relying on Moscow. »»»

Oman has told European officials there’s no way of going back to the pre-war status quo with the Strait of Hormuz and transiting ships may have to be charged some fees, according to people familiar with the matter. While Omani officials said they will always abide by international maritime law, the»»»