From June 27 until July 12, foreign military personnel and equipment will transit through Bulgaria as part of NATO's Alliance Wall Exercise, the Defence Ministry's press service said. Convoys carrying troops and military equipment from the armed forces of France and Poland will use Bulgaria's natio»»»

Vancouver: Belgium defeated New Zealand 5-1 to book their place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup on Friday, securing their first win of the tournament to finish on top of Group G in Vancouver. A double strike from Arsenal's Leandro Trossard and goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and A»»»

A light aircraft has crashed into the 109-storey CITIC Tower in Beijing, forcing the evacuation of the city's tallest skyscraper, according to media reports. The 528-meter (1,732-foot) tower, also known as China Zun, dominates the skyline of the Chinese capital’s central business district. Videos c»»»

Support for Hungary joining the eurozone is exceptionally high, at around 70–75%, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said at a press conference in Budapest on Friday following talks with Kyriakos Pierrakakis, president of the Eurogroup, the finance ministers' body of the eurozone. He stressed that meeting»»»

The Budapest Police Headquarters is fully prepared for Saturday's Budapest Pride march and has taken every possible measure to ensure the event proceeds without disruption, Budapest's newly appointed police chief, Norbert Tamás Baricska, said at Friday's meeting of the Budapest General Assembly. Th»»»

Houston: World Cup debutants Cape Verde will face reigning champions Argentina in the knockout rounds after drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia on Friday to extend their fairytale journey. The stalemate in Houston and Spain's 1-0 win over Uruguay meant the team ranked 67 finished runners-up behind Spain »»»

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»»»

Dubai: After years of participating in Big Ticket draws with friends, Abu Dhabi resident Ilanzhsuriyan Vijayakumar has decided to buy a ticket on his own for the first time. The decision has paid off, with the 45-year-old architect winning Dh25,000 in Big Ticket's third weekly e-draw for June. Orig»»»

Guadalajara, Mexico: Uruguay bowed out of the World Cup as goalkeeper Fernando Muslera's howler gifted Spain a 1-0 win in Guadalajara to secure top spot in Group H. Alex Baena's weak shot slipped through Muslera's grasp for the only goal as Spain avoided a last-32 showdown against Argentina. The Eu»»»

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its naval forces targeted and hit US military positions in the region in response to the American aggression. The US had used “various pretexts,” including a vessel allegedly passing through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC said.T»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a "framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and the government of Israel," mediated by the US. Rubio framed the deal as the "first step" toward "lasting peace and security," praising the diplomatic efforts of his team.Crucially,»»»

US Central Command said American forces conducted strikes against Iran on June 26 in response to what the US called an Iranian attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely. "US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever »»»

Hungary’s temporary fuel price cap comes to an end on Saturday, with motorists once again paying market prices for petrol and diesel. The government says the measure is no longer necessary as global energy markets have stabilised, although new legislation leaves the door open for price controls to »»»

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 »»»

A punishing heatwave that has suffocated large parts of France for days is now shifting east. With highs of 38 degrees Celsius forecast for cities like Paris, Strasbourg and Lyon. With hospitals overwhelmed, authorities have banned evening alcohol sales and public consumption in the capital, while »»»

An international contest for akyns-improvisers is planned to be held in Italy. The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Kyrgyz Ambassador to Italy Ermek Omuraliev and Director of the Kyrgyz National Manas Theater, Nurbek Talantbekov. According to the Ministry of Culture, the meeting fo»»»

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»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov sent a telegram of condolences to Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez over the devastating earthquake that caused numerous casualties and widespread destruction. The presidential press service reported. «I received with deep sorrow the news that a str»»»

Kyrgyzstan ranked 82nd out of 194 countries in the international KidsRights Index 2026, improving by five positions compared to last year, when it placed 87th. The ranking covers countries that have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The assessment is based on five k»»»

Two months ago, during a meeting between President Sadyr Japarov and residents of Osh, a medical worker reported that the city’s ambulance station building had become outdated and no longer met modern standards, and requested the construction of a new facility. The Osh City Hall reported. Following»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is expected to see fair to partly cloudy weather on Saturday, with low clouds appearing over eastern areas and humidity rising overnight and into Sunday morning, the National Centre of Meteorology said. There is a chance of fog or mist forming over some coastal and internal areas»»»

Abu Dhabi has introduced a new regulatory framework to govern the testing of autonomous and remotely operated small marine vessels, marking another step in the emirate’s efforts to support innovation in smart mobility while maintaining high safety standards. The framework was issued by the Departme»»»

It is proposed to approve a new regulation on radioecological monitoring of former uranium production sites, radioactive tailing dumps, and radioactive waste disposal sites after reclamation in Kyrgyzstan. A draft Cabinet of Ministers resolution has been submitted for public comment. The document e»»»

Kyrgyz Pochtasy has issued a commemorative postage stamp to mark the 20th anniversary of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The first stamp was ceremonially canceled on June 26 during the bank’s annual meeting and business forum in Almaty. The ceremony was attended by Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Eco»»»

U.S. wireless carrier AT&T Inc (T.N) said on Monday it would buy Straight Path Communications Inc (STRP.A), a holder of licenses to wireless spectrum, for $1.25 billion in an all-stock deal. The No.2 U.S. carrier said it would offer $95.63 per share, a premium of 162.1 percent to Straight Path’s Fr»»»

Starting July 1, Gazprom Kyrgyzstan LLC will begin disconnecting gas supplies to customers who are in arrears for their gas consumption. The company explained that gas supply is not disconnected during the fall and winter to avoid leaving people without heating and access to gas. Therefore, gas sup»»»

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela: Venezuelans took the search for missing loved ones into their own hands Friday in the aftermath of back-to-back earthquakes, citing the scarcity of government rescuers, as the human toll of the disaster climbed to at least 920 dead and more than 51,000 missing. Citizens diggin»»»

LOS ANGELES: Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as France powered past Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in World Cup Group I on Friday as Senegal kept their hopes of a last-32 spot alive with a thumping victory over Iraq. Paris Saint-Germain’s reigning Ballon D’Or winner Dembele scored in t»»»

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. For their African opponents, it was a historic evening as they progressed to the knockout stages at the first finals they have ever qual»»»

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»»»

Warm milk. Warm food. The bottle of water that you placed at 7 am is still lukewarm by the end of the day, ruining your hopes of an ice-cold drink after battling traffic for an hour. Warm, warm, and warmer. Well, the universe isn’t against you, but your refrigerator is waving a white flag. In 45 de»»»

A wildfire that started in Beaver, Utah, has prompted the National Weather Service to issue warnings about its potential spread. Photo by Google Maps June 26 (UPI) -- The National Weather Service on Friday evening issued its first Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning in the history of Salt Lake Cit»»»

Dubai: Indian expatriates travelling home for the holidays are getting some relief after a short drop in airfares on UAE-India routes, as airlines restore capacity and more flights return to the market. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Travel agents said fares, which ha»»»

Dubai: For many expatriates, arriving in the UAE marks the beginning of an uncertain chapter. There are dreams to pursue, sacrifices to make, and countless challenges to overcome. When Filipino expat Francis Diesto Danganan landed in the UAE in 2003, he was carrying the same hopes shared by million»»»

DUBAI: Iraq bowed out of the 2026 World Cup on Friday with a 5-0 loss to Senegal at Toronto Stadium that left them bottom of Group I with no points from their campaign. The result rounded off three heavy defeats in which Iraq conceded 12 goals and scored only one. Senegal now sit on three points in»»»

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»»»

The US and Iran exchanged strikes for the first time since signing an interim peace framework on June 17. On Friday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had struck missile, drone and radar sites in Iran in response to a drone attack on the Singaporean-flagged cargo ship Ever»»»

BEIRUT: Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut late Friday to protest an agreement between Israel and Lebanon, as a lawmaker from the Iran-backed group warned enforcing the deal risked sparking civil war. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that “Hezbollah supporters rode »»»

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»»»

ABIDJAN: Burkina Faso’s ruling junta on Friday severed diplomatic ties with former colonial ruler France, accusing Paris of persistently acting against its interests. The military regime led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, in power since a coup in September 2022, is pursuing a policy repressive toward c»»»

BEIRUT: Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut late Friday to protest an agreement between Israel and Lebanon, as a lawmaker from the Iran-backed group warned enforcing the deal risked sparking civil war.The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that “Hezbollah supporters rode m»»»

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»»»

Morocco has officially converted the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) into a joint-stock company, completing a year-long reform designed to give the state-owned energy agency greater financial and operational flexibility as it prepares to support major strategic projects, including»»»

Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut late Friday to protest an agreement between Israel and Lebanon, as a lawmaker from the Iran-backed group warned enforcing the deal risked sparking civil war. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that "Hezbollah supporters rode motorbik»»»

The death toll from the twin earthquakes in Venezuela continued to rise on Friday, with at least 920 dead and more than 51,000 missing, as distress grew among Venezuelans. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck late Wednesday left a landscape of devastation, with countless collapsed buildings»»»

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome Germania Rodriguez Paleo, American-Venezuelan journalist and commentator, former US chief reporter for the Daily Mail. She offers a forceful political interpretation of Venezuela's earthquake disaster through the lens of institutional collapse and democratic illegiti»»»