Houston: Cristiano Ronaldo's record-equalling sixth World Cup got off to a disappointing start as the Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first ever point at the finals, drawing 1-1 with Portugal in their Group K match on Wednesday. Yoane Wissa's header cancelled out Joao Neves's early goal »»»

TEXAS: Yoane Wissa scored a goal in first-half stoppage ‌time and the Democratic Republic of Congo pulled off a surprising 1-1 draw against Portugal in the opening World Cup game for each side to begin Group K play at Houston on Wednesday. Portugal dominated possession but had just one shot on goal»»»

KANSAS CITY: Lionel Messi savored a “beautiful moment” after becoming the World Cup’s joint all-time leading goalscorer on Tuesday but said, “ultimately, it is just a statistic, nothing more.” The 38-year-old Argentina captain etched another memorable chapter in his glittering career with a brillia»»»

The 2025 Türkiye Report adopted today (17 June) at the Plenary Session of the European Parliament (EP) contains flawed assessments based on misinformation and unfounded claims by anti-Türkiye circles. It is clear that the report, which appears to be drafted as part of a deliberate political agenda,»»»

LONDON: Acute food insecurity is expected to worsen for millions of people across an array of Arab and Muslim countries, a new report by two UN bodies has warned. The Hunger Hotspots report by the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization highlighted Palestine, Yemen and Sudan as a»»»

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court convicted former federal lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, and sentenced him to four years and two months in prison for coercion during judicial proceedings. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo June 17 (UPI) -- Brazil's Sup»»»

President Donald Trump speaks to new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh at his swearing in ceremony in May. The Fed decided to keep interest rates where they are at Warsh's first meeting. File Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo June 17 (UPI) -- The Federal Reserve left interest rates as they a»»»

With fuel prices at filling stations expected to fall 10–15 forints below the capped level this week, the government decided at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting to propose amendments to the relevant legislation to Parliament and phase out the price cap, the prime minister said on Facebook. Peter Magyar »»»

DOHA: beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”), the global sports, entertainment and media group, today announced the renewal of its long-standing partnership with The All England Lawn Tennis Club, securing its exclusive broadcast rights to The Championships, Wimbledon across 24 territories in the Middle East and»»»

The following is the text of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, as read out by a senior US official to reporters on Wednesday: "The United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran have jointly agreed in good faith on (a date yet to be determined, the official said), on the following: "P»»»

AMMAN — Jordan and the EU said on Wednesday that the Jordan-EU Investment Conference will be held on November 19 at the Dead Sea, under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah and with the participation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.In a joint statement issued by the Mini»»»

Washington, United States: The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday held interest rates steady as expected at Kevin Warsh's first meeting in charge of the central bank, raising its year-end inflation expectations and projecting a rate hike by the end of 2026. The Fed decided to hold rates steady at 3.50»»»

WASHINGTON: The following is the text of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, as read out by a senior US official to reporters on Wednesday: "The United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran have jointly agreed in good faith on (a date yet to be determined, the official said), on the f»»»

LONDON: The oil market will move into a significant supply surplus in 2027 after recovering from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the International Energy Agency said in its monthly oil market report on Wednesday. The US has announced an interim agreement to end the Iran war, which includes Ira»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Relations between Russia and Turkiye are developing on an upward trend, and Moscow is very pleased about this, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. "Relations between our countries are developing on the rise, and we are very pleased about this. Our contacts have lo»»»

Online shopping cart: What do Romanians prefer? In 2025 alone, 10 million items were ordered through auchan.ro. Among the most sought-after products are water, bananas, soft drinks, and coffee beans. Additionally, in the private label category, Auchan croissants rank among consumers’ top preference»»»

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Central, East and Southeast Europe grew in 2025, but gains were concentrated in just a handful of economies, a report from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) showed. Across the region, FDI rose from around €75bn in 2024 to just over €»»»

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Central, East and Southeast Europe grew in 2025, but gains were concentrated in just a handful of economies, a report from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) showed. Across the region, FDI rose from around €75bn in 2024 to just over €»»»

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Central, East and Southeast Europe grew in 2025, but gains were concentrated in just a handful of economies, a report from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) showed. Across the region, FDI rose from around €75bn in 2024 to just over €»»»

An Iranian official on Wednesday said the funeral procession for late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by U.S.-Israeli strikes in February, will pass through Iraq before his burial in Iran. In a video carried by state media, Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani said the farewell ceremon»»»

Munich, Germany: Bundesliga club RB Leipzig have sacked coach Ole Werner after just one season in charge, despite leading them to a third-placed finish and Champions League football next season. "We have spent the past few days carrying out a thorough final review of the recent season," the club's »»»

Evian, France: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Washington "did send a copy" of its accord with Iran to end the Middle East war, following reports of tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Insisting he maintains a good relationship with Netanyahu, Trump reaffirmed his criticism»»»

Parliamentary groups and Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova on Wednesday condemned the June 15 arson attack on two diplomatic vehicles of the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje, calling on the authorities in North Macedonia to investigate the incident and prevent similar acts. Progressive Bulgaria describ»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Sheikh Qassem: Lebanese Authorities Should Stop Direct Talks with Israeli Enemy, Occupation Forces Will Certainly Get Out 17-06-2026 19:53 »»»

The World Bank's board approved a $2 billion financial guarantee package for Argentina. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo June 17 (UPI) -- The World Bank's board approved a $2 billion financial guarantee package for Argentina, a move aimed at helping the country meet upcoming foreign cu»»»

Amman: The Arab League and Arab states hosting Palestinian refugees have stressed the need to provide sustained political and financial support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This came during a meeting that brought the Arab League and »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Sheikh Qassem: Direct negotiations with the enemy have only brought disgrace for the Lebanese state 17-06-2026 19:01 PM Latest News Urgent »»»

Lebanon has been targeted by fresh Israeli strikes despite the peace deal agreement announced by the US and Israel. Despite the attacks and warnings from their government, many south Lebanese are desperate to go back home, with thousands of people driving back. But civilians still remain sceptic. F»»»

BELGRADE - At the end of May, National Bank of Serbia (NBS) gross FX reserves reached a historical end-of-month high of 29,882.1 mln euros, rising by 1,725.8 mln euros compared to a month earlier. The reserves "covered 167.5 pct of money supply M1 and 6.9 months’ worth of the country’s import of go»»»

MEXICO CITY: Born in 1986, the last time Mexico hosted a World Cup, Eduardo Marin likes to joke that he’s measured his life not in years, but in soccer tournaments. In 1994, as a young kid, he watched with his family as Mexico crashed out on penalties to Bulgaria. In 2006, by then at college, Marin»»»

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged US President Donald Trump on Wednesday to ensure the safety of Indian seafarers as part of the implementation of the Iran deal. His comments come days after three Indians were killed in a US strike on a commercial vessel off Oman. Get updated faster and for»»»

Tropical Storm Arthur is the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Photo courtesy NOAA June 17 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Arthur -- the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season -- formed along the Texas coast Wednesday. The eye of the storm was about 40 miles east-northeast of »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Sheikh Qassem: Had it not been for the mythical Resistance, Lebanon would have collapsed 17-06-2026 18:51 PM Latest News Urgent News Sheikh»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Sheikh Qassem: Despite the aerial, marine, and ground siege imposed on Lebanon, the Resistance has managed to obtain the necessary military»»»

TYRE, Lebanon: In the dimly lit hospital room where he has lived for months, Youssef Fares broke down in tears as he spoke of his home in the historic southern Lebanese city of Tyre — now a pile of rubble and rebar after Israeli strikes during a three-month war. An interim agreement between Iran an»»»

Passengers wait to drop their luggage while traveling during the holiday season at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on December 22. The airport is scheduled to close for most of July 4 to accommodate events celebrating Independence Day in the capital. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UP»»»

A main topic of discussion among European leaders at the G7 summit has to do with decreasing the global reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s success in shuttering the critical waterway has sparked fears that Tehran could use it as an ongoing bargaining chip if a ceasefire and peace deal falls a»»»

Albanian President Bajram Begaj arrived in the Kyrgyz Republic on an official visit. According to the presidential press service, the distinguished guest’s plane landed at Issyk-Kul International Airport. Flags of both countries were raised at the airport, a ceremonial carpet was laid out, and an h»»»

Metropolitan Nahum of Ruse has strongly condemned the Russian strike that caused fire damage to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Ukraine, describing the attack as “senseless aggression” and saying the wider military actions in Kyiv amount to “barbarism.” The remarks followed a large-scale Russian attack »»»

Bulgaria has confirmed that it opposes parts of the European Commission’s proposed new package of sanctions against Russia, particularly measures it considers symbolic rather than economically effective. Further reading: Bulgaria Opposes Parts of New EU Sanctions Package Against Russia, According t»»»

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova has warned that plans to blockade border crossings between Bulgaria and North Macedonia would be counterproductive and risk undermining Sofia’s diplomatic position, particularly amid ongoing tensions between the two countries. Further reading: Protests Ann»»»

ABU DHABI: UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Rountree Jr. will take place on July 25 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, bringing two marquee matchups featuring athletes whose stories extend far beyond rankings and records. For Magomed Ankalaev, life outside the Octagon moves at a calmer pace. Known for his c»»»

Bulgaria does not support the imposition of sanctions to Russian Patriarch Kirill, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova told journalists before the meeting of the Foreign Policy Committee on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Arianna Podesta said that the Eur»»»

With the harvest season beginning, Bulgarian farmers, tenants, and landowners are preparing for what is expected to be a strong agricultural year, though one burdened by sharply rising costs. The barley harvest has already started in parts of southern Bulgaria, particularly around Karnobat, while t»»»

In the first quarter of 2026, labor costs across the European Union continued to rise, with Eurostat reporting a 3.6% annual increase in hourly labor costs across the bloc. In the euro area, the rise was slightly lower at 3.2% compared with the same period in the previous year. These figures includ»»»

After a 20-month qualifying campaign that included four draws with the continental heavyweight Iran, Uzbekistan will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the first Central Asian country to participate in the world’s most watched sports tournament.  Uzbekistan’s World Cup debut crowns three-an»»»

After a 20-month qualifying campaign that included four draws with the continental heavyweight Iran, Uzbekistan will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the first Central Asian country to participate in the world’s most watched sports tournament.  Uzbekistan’s World Cup debut crowns three-an»»»

Demand for skills linked to so-called AI agents has surged across Europe, according to new data from freelance marketplace Malt. At VivaTech 2026, CEO Vincent Huguet tells FRANCE 24 how companies are racing to hire AI talent, why demand is spreading beyond the tech sector and what this means for th»»»

BEIRUT/DUBAI: Iran’s interim deal with the US looks set to bolster Hezbollah’s political and financial hand in Lebanon, with Tehran promising more funding for its ally once cash starts to flow, according to four sources familiar with ties between Tehran and the group. A cash infusion to Hezbollah c»»»

The Council of Ministers decided on Wednesday to propose that the National Assembly denounce the Energy Charter Treaty and the Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects, signed in Lisbon on December 17, 1994, the Government Press Service said on Wednesday. This places Bulgaria»»»