Poland strips Zelensky of country's highest honour, escalating World War II-era row
Poland's nationalist President Karol Nawrocki said Friday that he was revoking the country's highest award from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he infuriated Warsaw by naming a Ukrainian unit after a World War II insurgent militia that massacred Poles. Polish Prime Minister Donald»»»
USA defeats Australia 2-0 to reach World Cup last 32
Seattle: The United States advanced to the World Cup knockout rounds with a game to spare following an impressive 2-0 win over Australia Friday, stoking the hopes of an already hyped host nation. The US join fellow tournament co-hosts Mexico as the first teams to progress, and could be assured top »»»
TIIF 2026: From airports to biotech clusters Uzbekistan and Korea scale up new industrial partnership
Uzbekistan and South Korea have agreed to establish industrial clusters, expand infrastructure cooperation and elevate investment partnerships across multiple sectors based on a series of agreements and memoranda signed at the Uzbekistan-Korea Business Forum in Tashkent. The forum was held on »»»
Israel, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire in Lebanon as attacks strain US-Iran interim deal
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire on Friday, a US official said, following the resurgence of strikes in Lebanon that are already testing Wednesday's interim deal between Tehran and Washington to end the war in the Middle East. Israeli strikes have killed 47 people since Thursday night,&nbs»»»
DR Congo's deadly Ebola outbreak is 'evolving fast', WHO warns
The deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is rapidly spreading in spite of accelerating public health measures, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday. The outbreak, which began in mid-May, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus for which there is not yet a vaccine or specific tr»»»
What We Are Reading Today: Top Ten Ideas of Physics
Author: Anthony Zee Could any discovery be more unexpected and shocking than the realization that the reality we were born into is but an approximation of an underlying quantum world that is barely within our grasp? This is just one of the foundational pillars of theoretical physics that A. Zee dis»»»
Pitch not perfect: World Cup players find weirdness underfoot on innovative grass
CALIFORNIA, USA: As soon as Switzerland and Bosnia were off the pitch after their World Cup match on Thursday, another team were on it. But instead of tearing at the grass with studs this team were mowing, brushing, seeding, and repairing it. After being battered by some of the world’s best and mos»»»
Australian police arrest third suspect in 2024 synagogue arson - UPI.com
People leave flowers and an Australian flag at a tribute at the Adass Israel Synagogue after a arson attack in Melbourne, Australia, in December 2024. A third suspected arsonist was arrested Friday. File Photo by Joel Carrett/EPA June 19 (UPI) -- The Victoria, Australia, Joint Counter Terrorism Tea»»»
Cuba's sweeping economic reforms met with skepticism - UPI.com
President Miguel Díaz-Canel's package of 174 economic reforms were approved by Cuba's parliament in just one week. File Photo by Ariel Ley Royero/EPA June 19 (UPI) -- Cuba's parliament approved a package of 174 economic reforms in just one week, marking the most significant shift in government poli»»»
Hungary’s Constitutional Court in crisis as seven judges pull out of President case
A major institutional crisis appears to have erupted within Hungary’s Constitutional Court after seven judges reportedly withdrew from a case initiated by President Tamás Sulyok, forcing the court to remove the matter from its agenda. According to HVG, Constitutional Court President Péter Polt had »»»
Lamine Yamal says he’s not fully fit and is unlikely to start in Spain’s second World Cup game
ATLANTA, USA: Lamine Yamal is not feeling 100 percent fit and is not likely to start for Spain in the match against Saudi Arabia on Sunday at the World Cup. Yamal came into the tournament nursing a left hamstring injury and was only a substitute in the team’s opener on Monday — a disappointing 0-0 »»»
Kane hails World Cup 'Wonderwall' singalong as England highlight
KANSAS CITY, USA: Harry Kane says England's emotional "Wonderwall" singalong with fans after their opening World Cup win against Croatia was one of his top moments in the national shirt. Thomas Tuchel's side got off to a flying start in their first Group L game in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday, wi»»»
British PM renews vow to fight any leadership challenge
LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday he would not walk away, vowing to fight any challenge from his leading party rival, Andy Burnham, and potentially ushering in a new bout of political instability. Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, won a decisive victory for Labour to »»»
German court jails man over online 'death lists' of politicians
BERLIN: A German court on Friday handed a three-year jail term to a man who published online "death sentences" with calls to kill politicians, said to include former chancellors Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz. The 50-year-old German-Polish man, partially named as Martin S., admitted to operating an »»»
Canadian PM Carney praises character of team after first World Cup finals win
VANCOUVER: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney paid the nation’s soccer team a locker room visit after they secured the country’s first World Cup finals match win and commended the players for the character they showed after one of their teammates went down with a broken leg. Canada romped to a bit»»»
Iranian supreme leader Khamenei says Trump made a deal out of ‘desperation’
US President Donald Trump pushed for a memorandum of understanding with Iran because he found himself in a dire situation, the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has said. The 14-point document was signed remotely by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian late on »»»
Obama's presidential centre opens in Chicago with call to defend democracy
The Obama museum and civic center has been inaugurated in Chicago. It tells the story and cements the legacy of the former president, championning the principles of democracy. All former US presidents attended the event, as well as several celebrities. The nearly 20-acre (8-hectare) campus includes»»»
Morocco and PSG player Hakimi to stand trial in France on rape charge
Achraf Hakimi will stand trial for rape a Paris appeals court has ruled. The captain of the Moroccan team was first accused of rape in 2023, by a then 24 year old woman. In February this year, an investigative judge ruled that Hakimi would face trial followed recommendations from public prosecutors»»»
Colombia runoff pits conservative and leftist visions - UPI.com
Polling station officials count votes on Election Day in Medellin, Colombia,on May 31. Conservative businessman Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist Sen. Iván Cepeda will face off in a runoff to determine the country's next president on Sunday. File Photo by Stringer/EPA June 19 (UPI) -- Colombia w»»»
Think before you click: Dubai targets online visa scams
Dubai: The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) has taken decisive action against violations involving the promotion of unauthorised visa and residency services through social media platforms, in a move aimed at safeguarding the public and ensuring that all s»»»
PM Magyar says Hungary's revised recovery plan wins EU backing, vows not to leave "a single euro cent" in Brussels
Prime Minister Péter Magyar has announced that the European Commission has recommended Hungary’s revised Recovery and Resilience Plan for approval, potentially unlocking billions of euros in EU funding. Speaking after the European Council’s two-day summit in Brussels, Magyar said the Commission had»»»
Macut, Koopman discuss results of reform agenda, next steps
BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut held on Friday a video meeting with the Director of the European Commission’s Directorate for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood Geert Jan Koopman to review the results achieved in the implementation of a Reform Agenda and define the next steps in the process. M»»»
ICC's Karim Khan suspended from British bar for sexual allegations - UPI.com
International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan walked with Asaad al-Shaibani, right, in Damascus, Syria, in 2025. Khan has been suspended from the British bar over sexual misconduct allegations. File Photo by SANA/UPI. | License Photo June 19 (UPI) -- Karim Khan, chief prosecutor for the Intern»»»
2 men jailed for setting fire to property linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
LONDON: A British court sent two men to prison Friday for setting fire to property linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a plot orchestrated by a mysterious Russian-speaking figure. Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Stanislav Carpiuc, a 27-year-old Romanian citizen, were jail»»»
Ukrainian drone makers target Asia as Taiwan tensions spur demand
TOKYO/TAIPEI: The CEO of UFORCE, a Ukrainian producer of attack drones, flew to Tokyo in April with a pitch for Japanese officials and defense contractors: build thousands of our drones to defend yourself and allies. Days earlier, US troops had used waterborne UFORCE drones to sink a ship during a »»»
Varna Municipality Issues 12 Demolition Orders for Illegal Buildings in Baba Alino Area
Varna Municipality has launched formal proceedings to remove a series of illegal buildings in the Baba Alino area, with Mayor Blagomir Kotsev announcing that 12 demolition orders were issued on Friday and that the first has already been signed. Speaking at a briefing, Kotsev said the targeted struc»»»
Dubai Police launches 'Drive with Awareness' campaign to promote road safety
Dubai: Sudden lane swerving, tailgating and speeding continue to rank among the leading causes of traffic accidents on Dubai's roads, prompting Dubai Police to launch a new awareness campaign aimed at changing driver behaviour and reducing preventable crashes. The "Drive with Awareness" campaign, l»»»
Tunis Court of Appeal postpones hearing of journalist Zied El Heni to June 26
Tunis, June 19 (TAP) - The Criminal Division of the Tunis Court of Appeal has on Friday postponed until June 26 the hearing in the case of journalist Zied El Heni, who is charged with causing harm to others via communication networks, a judicial...»»»
Vucic receives BYD CEO Stella Li
BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with BYD CEO Stella Li in Belgrade on Friday to discuss Serbia's positioning in a dynamic time for the European and global automotive industry and invited the Chinese automaker, the world's leading manufacturer of electric cars, to take part in EXPO»»»
Fritz gets revenge on Shelton to reach Halle semis
HALLE WESTFALEN, Germany: American Taylor Fritz battled past Ben Shelton in three sets on Friday to reach the semifinals in Halle five days after losing the title match to his countryman in Stuttgart. World number nine Fritz won 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/3) in two hours and 45 minutes in the tr»»»
Malaysian parents welcome new anti-bullying law
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian parents and education groups welcomed on Friday a new anti-bullying law and the launch of a dedicated tribunal, but urged caution over a clause that could hold parents responsible for their children's actions. The new law came into effect on Tuesday in an effort to tackle th»»»
KSrelief extends Masam project for a year to clear landmines in Yemen
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has extended the contract for the Masam project to clear Yemen of landmines for another year, with a budget of $52,531,168. The project is implemented by Saudi personnel and international experts through Yemeni teams trained to remove all t»»»
Varna Municipality Issues First Demolition Orders for Illegal Houses in Baba Alino Area
The first of at least twelve demolition orders for multi-family houses in the Baba Alino area near Varna has already been issued, Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev told journalists here on Friday. He said the first orders concern buildings constructed using four “tolerance certificates” that are suspecte»»»
Luigi Mangione withdraws psychiatric defense - UPI.com
Lawyers for Luigi Mangione withdrew plans to use a psychiatric defense in his state murder trial. Pool Photo by Curtis Means/UPI | License Photo June 19 (UPI) -- Lawyers for Luigi Mangione withdrew their plan to use a psychiatric defense in his New York state trial. Mangione, 28, and his lawyers ha»»»
Italy’s top diplomat cancels US trip as Meloni slams Trump’s claim she ‘begged’ for a photo with him
ROME: The Italian government on Friday slammed US President Donald Trump’s claim that Premier Giorgia Meloni had “begged” for a photo with him during the recent G7 summit, a pushback that suggested the longtime US ally had had enough of Trump’s boasting. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abru»»»
US launches Germany pharma pricing probe, raising threat of new tariffs
Germany came under fresh US trade scrutiny on Thursday as the United States launched an investigation into the country's pharmaceutical pricing policies, a move that could pave the way for new tariffs. Washington said it would examine whether Germany's pricing practices unfairly underpay for innova»»»
US tells Iran that Israel won't further escalate in Lebanon
The U.S. has "relayed" to Iran that Israel will not further escalate its attacks in Lebanon as the Trump administration seeks to get high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran back on track, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Asked whether the U.S. would provide those guarantees, the source said:»»»
Taif apricots: A rare quality born of climate and craft
MAKKAH: When Taif claimed the top spot among Saudi Arabia’s apricot-producing regions it was no statistical fluke — it was the payoff of a long apprenticeship; generations of farming knowledge passed down, paired with an unusual fit between what the land offers and what its people are willing to pu»»»
Think you know traffic rules? Win Nissan cars with Dubai Police
Dubai: Dubai Police has launched an interactive traffic awareness quiz on its social media platforms as part of the newly launched ‘Drive with Awareness’ campaign, offering participants the chance to enter a draw to win two Nissan vehicles. The campaign began on June 19 and will run until July 9. T»»»
Starmer's main rival wins key Makerfield election, looks to premiership
Labour's Andy Burnham has won a by-election in northern England, fuelling speculation that he could mount a challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer’s popularity has cratered since he led the center-left Labour Party to a landslide election victory in July 2024. Labour is losing liberal vo»»»
Starmer rival Burnham wins Makerfield as Labour leadership speculation grows
Labour's Andy Burnham won the Makerfield parliamentary by-election on Friday, defeating Reform UK candidate Rob Kenyon and returning to Westminster after years as Manchester mayor. The victory strengthens Burnham's position as a potential successor to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as speculation gro»»»
Voters hand Andy Burnham bye to challenge Starmer for premiership - UPI.com
Andy Burnham, the new Labour Member of Parliament for Makerfield surrounded by supporters on Friday as he celebrates winning the seat in Greater Manchester. Burnham, who has served as the region's mayor since 2017, beat Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon by more than 9,000 votes. Photo by Adam Vaugh»»»
Al Gergawi: AI will not replace people it will amplify their abilities
Dubai: The UAE is the world's most prepared and mature country in adopting artificial intelligence, Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Agentic AI Project Executive Committee, said as the government accelerates plans to embed AI across public services and operations»»»
Bulgaria: Progressive Property Tax Plan Under Review as Cabinet Targets Multiple Home OwnershipOpinions
The Bulgarian government is examining the introduction of a progressive property tax system that would differentiate between a primary residence and additional homes, with second and third properties taxed at higher rates. The proposal was outlined following a cabinet meeting with the National Asso»»»
Bulgaria to Receive Fourth Recovery Plan Payment by End-July, Deputy PM Pekanov Says
Bulgaria will receive nearly EUR 1 billion under its Recovery and Resilience Plan after a positive European Commission assessment, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov said here Friday. Pekanov was speaking at a briefing at the Council of Ministers. He said the European Commission’s assessment show»»»
flydubai wins top connectivity award again as it expands routes from Dubai
Dubai: flydubai has been named the “Airline with the Best Connectivity in the Middle East” for the third time at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2026. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Dubai-based airline received the award at the 25th edition of the event,»»»
Continue the Change MP Velichkov Warns Judicial System Act Changes May Fall Short on Supreme Judicial Council Reform
Continue the Change MP Velislav Velichkov warned on Friday that the Judicial System Act changes may fail to produce a new independent Supreme Judicial Council without political will. In a statement on changes to the Judicial System Act, Velichkov appealed to Progressive Bulgaria (PB), saying the tw»»»
Fresh arrests target Turkiye’s opposition-run municipalities
ISTANBUL: The Turkish government is tightening its grip on the opposition, with fresh arrests on Friday targeting elected officials from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) as it faces a deepening leadership crisis. Authorities carried out operations targeting CHP-run municipalities»»»
Russia Would Prefer to Achieve Special Military Operation Goals Through Diplomacy - Lavrov
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia would prefer to achieve its special military operation's goals through diplomacy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "Russia would prefer to achieve the goals of the special military operation through diplomacy. That requires reliably guaranteeing security along »»»
New Law Drafted to Preclude Crises Like One in Chess, Sports Minister Says
A new Physical Education and Sports Act is being drafted because the effective one is obsolete, Bulgarian Youth and Sports Minister Encho Keryazov said here on Friday. He addressed Parliament during Question Time, asked by Anna Bodakova MP of Democratic Bulgaria whether his ministry has taken steps»»»