U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Monday that a first round of U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland had laid a good foundation for reaching a final deal on ending the Middle East war. "We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal," Vance told reporters at the Burgenstock resort in central S»»»

JUBA: South Sudan will hold elections on December 22, its electoral commission promised Monday, after years of repeated delays and despite an increasingly dire security situation. International observers have warned of a return to full-blown conflict as government forces under President Salva Kiir »»»

LONDON: The one unchanged feature noticed by Tawfik Sabouni as he stepped back inside Syria’s notorious Sednaya prison was not the silence, but the smell. “The first thing that struck me when I went back was its size. I had never imagined it to be so immense,” the Syrian Belgian director told Arab »»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and IMF Mission Chief for Bulgaria Fabian Bornhorst here on Monday, the Government Information Service reported on Monday. Radev told the guests that the Cabinet is working for a qualitative»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs urged all Muslims to fast on the day of Ashura in the month of Al Muharram In a statement issued today, June 22, 2026, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs reminded all Muslims of the recommendation to fast Ashura, which is highl»»»

The Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, arrived in Kyrgyzstan on a working visit, the Cabinet of Ministers’ press service reported. The Prime Minister of Uzbekistan was welcomed at Issyk-Kul International Airport by Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan. O»»»

Talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland produced a series of coordinated measures addressing Lebanon, maritime security, sanctions relief and the nuclear program, sources told Al-Manar on Monday. The understandings reflect a dual-track approach combining de-escalation mechanisms in »»»

The Ombudsperson of the Kyrgyz Republic, Jamilya Jamanbaeva, and the Human Rights Commissioner of Tajikistan, Umed Bobozoda, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. This is the first agreement between the human rights institutions of the two countries on cooperation in the field of human rights protect»»»

PoliticsDemocratic Republic of CongoBelgian museum and US firm in fight over Congo minerals dataNikolas FischerThe Democratic Republic of Congo wants access to colonial-era geological data held in Belgium. A US mining startup says it can digitize it. So why won't the museum that stores the archive »»»

Dubai: GCC retail real estate developers need to rethink how malls and shopping destinations make money as e-commerce, AI-driven discovery and changing consumer habits reshape the sector, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bala»»»

The Ukrainian military will bomb Belarusian communication towers along the 1,000-kilometer border unless President Alexander Lukashenko takes them offline and “proves” that he is not aiding Russia, Vladimir Zelensky said on Sunday. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has largely stayed out of the Ukra»»»

JEDDAH: Hayy Jameel hosted its first-ever drumming circle on Saturday, starting a new monthly program designed to bring people together through rhythm, movement and shared creative expression. Held under the Hayy Sounds and Hayy Wellness initiatives, the session introduced participants to collectiv»»»

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language has launched a two-month communicative Arabic language program for non-Arabic-speaking cabin crew at Saudia, in line with an agreement between the two parties to develop language skills in professional work environments. The program aims to»»»

Sharjah: His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has directed the Sharjah Institute for Heritage to expand, renovate and revive the old market (Souk Sharq) in the eastern city of Khorfakkan as part of efforts to preserve traditional crafts »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar's Ministry of Transport has launched the first stakeholder workshop for its ambitious Public Transport Master Plan (QPTMP), a strategic initiative aimed at creating a more sustainable, integrated and future-ready public transport system across the country. The workshop brought to»»»

Islamabad, June 22 (SANA) Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Monday that talks between Iran and the United States held in Switzerland had yielded positive results, describing the discussions as a constructive step toward easing regional tensions. Sharif said in a post on X that the talks »»»

The conflict in the Middle East has been a stark reminder that Europe pays a major cost for continuing to depend on imported fossil fuels. Soaring prices are threatening growth and fuelling inflation. Against this backdrop, investments in renewable energy are no longer about meeting climate targets»»»

More than 800 schools in several parts of France were closed Monday as a record heatwave, which killed three people over the weekend, was set to intensify. Both France and Belgium have announced cuts to their rail services as authorities across Europe issued health alerts in a bid to cope»»»

The head of the French state-owned railway operator warned incidents could not be ruled out due to the high temperatures. The heatwave is having a strong impact on the rail network and ​can deform tracks and damage overhead electrical lines. This comes as many schools have also been forced to close»»»

Dubai: A massive fire broke out at a building housing a coaching centre in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday, triggering a major rescue operation as several people were feared trapped inside. Firefighters rushed to the scene and launched efforts to control the blaze and evacuate those stranded in th»»»

Construction activity across the European Union continued to expand in April 2026, extending a modest upward trend, while Bulgaria recorded a slight monthly decline, according to Eurostat data. Across the EU, construction production increased by 0.8% compared with March, following a stronger rise o»»»

The founder of the Ukrainian Corporation “KYB,” Oleg Nevzorov, held a meeting with company representatives and property owners in the “Baba Alino” residential complex, the company confirmed. The discussions focused on recent administrative measures, including orders issued by Varna Mayor Blagomir K»»»

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has secured a landmark $30mn equity investment from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), making the pan-African lender the first international development finance institution to join EBID's shareholder base as the regional bank pursues an »»»

Former President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov commented on politician Azimbek Beknazarov’s claim that his resignation letter was allegedly written under pressure from Kamchybek Tashiev. In a conversation with Meder Shermetaliev, head of Kabar news agency, the former president stated that such »»»

LONDON - With 3,760 points, Serbia's top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic has retained the eighth position in the latest ATP rankings, released on Monday. Italian Jannik Sinner has kept the top spot with 13,450 points, ahead of Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (9,460) and German Alexander Zverev (7,190).»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Negotiations between the United States and Iran held over weekend to end the conflict with Tehran have made great progress, US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday. "Yesterday was a very, very good day. We made a lot of good progress," Vance told reporters in Switzerland. The U»»»

Bordeaux: France was set on Monday to experience the hottest day yet in its latest heatwave after a sweltering night, with a peak of 43C expected in the southwest. In a first, France's highest heat warning was issued across half the country for Monday, with forecasters warning the extreme weather e»»»

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake shook parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Islamabad on Monday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), prompting concern across several cities. The PMD said the tremors were recorded at 3.22pm at a depth of 215 kilometres, with the Hindu Kush region in»»»

Dubai: Andy Burnham has spent much of his political life being seen as a contender rather than a winner. Now, following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation, the Greater Manchester mayor believes his moment may finally have arrived. The 56-year-old Labour politician has confirmed he will seek »»»

Hezbollah Military Media published this video which shows footage from the Islamic Resistance’s operation targeting a newly established command center belonging to the “Israeli” enemy army in the vicinity of Al-Shaqif historic Castle in southern Lebanon with an Ababil loitering glider [FPV]. Source»»»

Israeli occupation forces shot and killed two Palestinian teenagers near the illegal settlement of Karmei Tzur in the southern West Bank on Monday, while a wave of overnight military raids and extremist settler attacks swept across multiple cities and villages, leaving several wounded and at least »»»

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to Pakistan on Tuesday, state media reported, following talks between Tehran and Washington in Switzerland which were mediated by Islamabad. Expressing appreciation to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “his mediation between Iran and»»»

Cairo — Egyptian equities began the new trading week in positive territory as foreign investors continued to increase exposure to Egyptian assets, while the launch of the country’s first single-stock futures contracts added momentum to a broader transformation underway across capital markets. The b»»»

MANILA: The Philippines was rocked on Monday by a deadly school shooting incident in Leyte province, where gunmen killed three students and wounded seven others. The incident took place at 9 a.m. at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City in the central Philippines, where children were g»»»

BRUSSELS: The EU said Monday it was “reassessing” with Britain plans for a summit on post-Brexit ties on July 22 after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation.European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho said Brussels and London were looking into “the opportunity of still holding the summit... »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) announced the suspension of Lusail Tram services from Friday, June 26, 2026, until Sunday, July 5, to facilitate significant improvement works across the network. The temporary suspension of tram services is being implemented in coordination with the»»»

RIYADH: Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds are entering a pivotal period in which their ability to adapt their strategies will be key to sustaining growth over the next decade, according to a new analysis. In its latest report, Bain & Co. revealed that the Middle East currently accounts for appr»»»

BEIJING: The Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission concluded Saudi Arabia’s participation in the 32nd Beijing International Book Fair, held at the China National Convention Center from June 17 to 21. The Kingdom’s pavilion attracted strong cultural and intellectual interest, reflecting »»»

Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has allocated 23 temporary rest areas at bus and metro stations across the emirate to support delivery motorcycle riders during the summer midday break, marking a 53 per cent increase compared to last year. The initiative aligns with the UAE’s midday h»»»

Arab Finance: Madinet Masr has launched a new subsidiary, chüm COMMUNITIES, a platform specializing in providing integrated management solutions for residential and commercial communities, according to a press release. The launch aligns with the property developer’s strategy to enhance the communit»»»

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri pledged on behalf of ally Hezbollah to make the region south of the Litani river weapon-free, if Israel commits this time to a ceasefire in Lebanon. Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published Monday, that he supports a gradual withdrawal from south Leb»»»

A meeting on Monday at the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry discussed the proposed legislative amendments related to the future development of Vitosha Nature Park. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Environment and Water Minister Rositsa Karamfilova expressed the political amb»»»

PoliticsDemocratic Republic of CongoCongo minerals data: Belgian museum vs. US startup Nikolas FischerThe Democratic Republic of Congo wants access to a vast colonial-era geological data held in Belgium. A US mining startup says it can digitize it. So why won't the museum that stores the archive le»»»

RIYADH: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in partnership with Google Cloud, on Sunday launched the AI and Cloud Kingdom Tour initiative. It aims to equip national talent with future-ready skills in artificial intelligence and cloud computing through training programs across»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside No. 10 Downing Street on Monday as he announces his resignation, pending the selection of a replacement. That will take between three and 10 weeks depending on whether there is more than one candidate. Photo by Neil Hall/EPA June 22 (UPI) -- Keir Starmer »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday in Belgrade Serbia had registered the fourth-highest economic growth rate in Europe in Q1 2026 and could climb to the third position by the end of the year and added that, according to an IMF forecast, it could take the number one positio»»»

Abu Dhabi: Emirati inventor and Abu Dhabi Award recipient Fatima Ali Al Kaabi has paid tribute to her father on International Father's Day, describing him as the driving force behind the values that have shaped her life and achievements. Speaking to Gulf News, Al Kaabi said her father played a key »»»

Burgenstock Resort, Switzerland: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, met on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the Burgenstock Resort in Switzerland with HE Jean-Noël Barrot, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. During the me»»»

High-level negotiations in Switzerland seeking a permanent end to the Iran war have ended, while technical talks will go on there for the rest of the week. US and Iranian delegation met for high-level talks following the recent signing of a "memorandum of understanding". However, the Iranian tempor»»»

Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right lawyer and businessman who earned US President Donald Trump's support, on Sunday won Colombia's presidential runoff with 49.7 percent of the vote, beating his left-wing rival Ivan Cepeda with a one percent lead. Cepeda told supporters he would challenge results»»»