LONDON: Around 1.3 million people returned to Syria in 2025, marking one of the largest refugee return movements in the world in that year, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The number of Syrian refugees has now dropped to 4.9 million as more people have returned to their homes fo»»»

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 »»»

Western Balkan countries are unlikely to complete their sections of the European Union's core transport network by the bloc's 2030 target date because of persistent project delays, weak oversight and concerns over long-term sustainability, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) said on June 9. The re»»»

Washington, United States: 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. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said a "shelter-in-place order" had been issue»»»

Interdepartmental consular consultations between the Kyrgyz Republic and China were held in Bishkek to discuss the issue of extradition. The Kyrgyz side asked their Chinese counterparts for further assistance and to expedite the consideration of applications for the extradition of citizens of Kyrgy»»»

Doha, Qatar: Hamad Port, Qatar’s Main Gateway to World Trade, has climbed three spots to rank 8th globally and 2nd in the Gulf region in the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. This milestone reflects Hamad Port’s high operat»»»

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»»»

HONG KONG: Just hours before the World Cup kicked off, Hong Kong authorities announced they seized 230,000 suspected counterfeit items worth an estimated $20 million, including jerseys tied to the tournament. The seizure included about 30,000 jerseys, some so finely made that they’re hard to distin»»»

1 of 2 | Racing pigeons, like this one in Portugal, participate in contests that range from 62 miles to more than 800 miles, testing speed and stamina across vast distances. Photo by Nelson Ferreira June 11 (UPI) -- As tourists in Portugal's historic city of Tomar dodge pigeons swooping for pastry »»»

Washington, United States: World Cup matches in the 11 US host cities will be "very secure," the country's top official overseeing tournament security said Thursday, though he voiced concern over lone wolf attacks, especially in public areas. "We feel like we're as safe as we can possibly be. But w»»»

JEDDAH: Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have developed a coating that allows solar panels to clean themselves while simultaneously capturing moisture from the air. Dust accumulation is one of the most significant challenges facing solar energy systems, particularly»»»

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»»»

The global economy is entering an extremely sensitive phase in 2026 amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have cast a heavy shadow over the fragile global recovery and reshaped the global credit and financial landscape. At the heart of these turbulent developments, Gulf Co»»»

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 »»»

Russian desalination technology could prove extremely valuable for Balochistan and western Sindh — areas beyond the Indus reach, an expert believes. Russia can help Pakistan solve one of the country's most pressing problems: the lack of water supply.Pakistan, where agriculture accounts for about 23»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

Paris, France: Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, was on Thursday named to officiate UEFA's Super Cup, European football's governing body announced. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin poured praise on the Somali referee in a statement released a f»»»

Montmeló, Spain: Home favourite and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso said Thursday this weekend's Catalunya Grand Prix might be his final Formula One race in Barcelona. The Aston Martin driver, who turns 45 next month, has not announced any plans to retire, but with Barcelona set to alternat»»»

Mumbai: India’s aviation accident probe agency is facing renewed criticism from pilot groups ahead of the anniversary of the 2025 Air India Boeing-787 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. Families of the victims had expected a final report by Friday to explain the cause of the disaster - ex»»»

1 of 2 | Vance Luther Boelter, the man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers, is planning to plead guilty Thursday. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety/Facebook June 11 (UPI) -- Vance Boelter, the man accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, will plea»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police has achieved a major international milestone in child protection by becoming the first law enforcement agency in the Middle East and North Africa — and the second globally after Norway — to join the European Barnahus Network. The membership was secured by the Child and Woman Pro»»»

Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), affirmed that the Arab and Gulf regions are passing through a critical and pivotal stage in their contemporary history that requires strengthening joint Arab action and consolidating the foundations of security, stability and development.»»»

TOULOUSE: Authorities in the French city of Toulouse on Thursday announced a curfew for under-16s during “high risk” World Cup matches, after unrest marred celebrations of the recent Paris Saint-Germain Champions League victory. The matches in question are those involving France, games played by Mo»»»

WARSAW: Polish ‌lawmakers voted on Thursday to crack down on so-called ‘trash streaming’, imposing jail terms of up to five years for online broadcasts of crimes like rape and murder as well as cruelty to animals and violence aimed at humiliating people. The move is part of a broader ‌push by ‌Pola»»»

BAGHDAD: For centuries, Baghdad’s Mutanabbi Street was a zenith for book lovers, boasting titles from all corners of the world, such that it gave birth to the Arab adage: “Cairo writes, Beirut publishes, Baghdad reads.” But on a quiet summer morning in June, traces of that rich history appeared to »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Islamic Resistance fighters shot down an Israeli enemy army drone of the “Heron 1” type in the skies over the Nahla area in Bekaa with a so»»»

Observers must distinguish between military capability and political will when assessing the US president's promises, Khashayar Bourboury, a Middle East expert, tells Sputnik. The US has the ability to deliver massive strikes, but full‑scale action depends on regional costs, the reaction of allies »»»

Dubai: The US military has acknowledged firing two Hellfire missiles at a tanker carrying Indian crew members off the coast of Oman, marking the third incident involving Indian-crewed vessels in the region in less than a week and deepening concerns over maritime security in the Gulf. In a statement»»»

A Sudanese man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Northern Ireland on Tuesday after a knife attack in Belfast on Monday night. Photo by Adam Vaughan/EPA June 9 (UPI) -- Protests spread around Belfast and in other Northern Ireland cities on Tuesday after a Sudanese man was arreste»»»

Doha Speaker of the Shura Council HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim has underscored the importance of strengthening joint Arab action and enhancing coordination among Arab nations to safeguard regional security, protect national resources and preserve development achievements. Addressing the 39th se»»»

CAIRO — Egypt’s economic outlook received a vote of confidence from Standard Chartered, which expects the Egyptian pound to strengthen to around EGP49 per US dollar by the end of 2026, supported by ongoing economic reforms, resilient capital inflows and easing external pressures. The forecast, high»»»

Ras Al Khaimah: Ras Al Khaimah Police have called on residents to reject violence, control anger and resolve disputes through dialogue and mutual respect as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen community safety and social stability. The message was issued by the Juvenile Crimes Branch of the Crimi»»»

Washington, United States: The weather phenomenon El Nino has arrived, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday, and it's expected to strenghten into the end of the year. El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern e»»»

Super unleaded gasoline is sold at a price of $5.49 dollars per gallon at Global Gas Station on May 27, in New York City. More than half of May's increase in final demand product prices stems from a more than 23% increase in the gasoline index. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo June 11 (U»»»

Dubai: Every young person deserves a second chance. It is a belief that has guided Aisha Al Banna throughout her work with juvenile offenders and one that has helped transform dozens of lives. The 30-year-old Emirati rehabilitation specialist from the Community Development Authority's (CDA) Soun Ce»»»

NEW JERSEY: Morocco replaced two injured players in their World Cup squad ahead of an opening game against Brazil, including star winger Abde Ezzalzouli. FIFA confirmed late Wednesday that former Barcelona player Ezzalzouli and Marseille defender Nayef Aguerd were withdrawn from the Morocco squad f»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah Air Defenses Intercept Sophisticated Israeli Drones over Bekaa, South Lebanon 11-06-2026 16:57 PM Among the long list of statemen»»»

Riot police face off with protesters throwing bricks and petrol bombs in Newtownabbey, north Belfast, on Wednesday evening. Photo by Adam Vaughan/EPA June 11 (UPI) -- A dozen police officers were injured and 16 people were arrested in a second night of anti-immigrant unrest in Northern Ireland spar»»»

Dubai: The strategic development of relations between the UAE and India over the past decade represents an unprecedented diplomatic success story, Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said. In a post on his X account, Gargash attributed the transformation to the ambi»»»

London: British Defense Secretary John Healey announced his resignation today following a dispute over military spending, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to allocate the necessary government resources for the country's defense. In his resignation letter to Starmer, Healey stated, "Y»»»

LONDON: Serena Williams’ much-hyped comeback to professional tennis at the Queen’s Club lasted just one match. The 44-year-old Williams’ doubles partner, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, was forced to withdraw from the draw on Thursday because of a knee injury she sustained in a singles match a»»»

MOSCOW: British, French and German ambassadors to Russia held talks Thursday in Russia’s foreign ministry, several days after a London summit with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. The UK hosted Zelensky and the leaders of France and Germany earlier this week, supporting Kyiv’s call for direct talks wi»»»