ROME: Saudi Transport Minister Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser said the contingency measures activated during the Iran crisis were the result of years of planning, and not reactive. “What we have been doing is not a reaction to what has happened,” Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser said during a panel discussio»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received on Thursday a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping in which the Chinese leader noted that he attached great significance to development of Sino-Serbian relations and that, during Vucic's recent visit to China, he had been impressed by the S»»»

British counter-terrorism police announced Thursday that a Border Force officer and another have been sentenced for allegedly spying for the Chinese government. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo June 18 (UPI) -- British counter-terrorism said Thursday a Border Force officer and forme»»»

Peruvian President José María Balcázar confirmed Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV will visit Peru during the first half of November. File Photo by Jose Sena Goulao/EPA June 18 (UPI) -- Peruvian President José María Balcázar confirmed Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV will visit Peru during the first half of N»»»

The ruling Socialist Party is set to convene an expanded meeting of its parliamentary group and government officials on Saturday at the Palace of Brigades in Tirana, according to information obtained by local media. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., with party members informed throug»»»

Head of Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, Hajj Mohammad Raad called on the Lebanese authorities to carefully read the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and draw out the facts and prospects that will weigh heavily on the reality of the region and the world, including Lebanon. MP Raad also »»»

The EU’s latest Russia sanctions package proposal includes counter-productive measures that could backfire on its own member states, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova has said. The government of Ukraine-skeptic Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who assumed office in May, are reportedly “diggin»»»

LOS ANGELES: Mexico and South Korea will aim to punch their ticket to the World Cup knockout rounds on Thursday when they meet in Guadalajara knowing a win would guarantee a last 32 berth. The Group A rivals head into the fixture at the Estadio Akron fresh from respective victories over South Afric»»»

WASHINGTON: Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the US Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war. Vance made the announcement at a White House press briefing, where he said more oil is now flowing through the »»»

LONDON: Britain on Thursday said it was no longer advising against non-essential travel to some Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, after the United States and Iran reached an interim agreement this week to end their ‌war. In late ‌February and early March ​Britain ‌ha»»»

TYRE, Lebanon: Adnan Kaour returned on Thursday to check on his home in southern Lebanon ‘s coastal city of Tyre — once known as an idyllic summer getaway spot — just a week after Israel issued warnings for all of its residents to evacuate. The warnings were followed by sweeping airstrikes on the c»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) formalised a landmark five-year Cooperation Agreement, marking a significant step forward in the shared ambition of both organisations to elevate motorsport on the international stage»»»

Morristown, United States: Neymar will not travel with the Brazil squad for Friday's second World Cup group game against Haiti as he continues his recovery from a calf injury. The 34-year-old has only returned to training with the national team this week and missed the five-time World Cup winners' »»»

Dubai/ Abu Dhabi: The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai have announced plans for two landmark events across the UAE to mark the 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) on Sunday, 21 June 2026. The missions have announced mega events at iconic venues Louvre Abu Dhabi and the»»»

The US has announced it is going to cut down on NATO crisis forces and will be reviewing its presence in Europe as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth lashed out against European NATO allies. The United States is piling on the pressure ahead of a NATO summit in July as it seeks to make sure that alli»»»

1 of 4 | Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama appear on stage as they surprised administration and campaign alumni in Chicago ahead of the dedication ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center, Wednesday. The center opens Thursday and will be open to the public beginnin»»»

A wide range of premium mango varieties grown in Sharjah's Eastern Region will take centre stage later this month at the fifth edition of Khorfakkan Mango Festival, an event aimed at promoting local agriculture, tourism and food security. The three-day festival, which will begin on June 26 at Expo »»»

French President Emmanuel Macron courted his US counterpart Donald Trump at the G7 on Wednesday by opening the gilded gates of Versailles, a move that underscored his trademark blend of symbolism and diplomacy. While allies hailed the summit's success, analysts said Macron still faces the challenge»»»

Air Arabia will launch daily non-stop flights between Sharjah and the Syrian city of Aleppo from July 4, the low-cost carrier said on Thursday, expanding its operations in Syria and strengthening air links between the two countries. The new daily service will provide passengers with greater travel »»»

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has confirmed that the country will block new sanctions against Russia, linking the decision to objections over proposals that would include Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in the restrictive measures. He argued that the war in Ukraine has expanded far beyond »»»

Rail services across several important routes in Hungary were severely disrupted on Thursday afternoon after a passenger train derailed near the town of Újszász. Although no one was injured in the incident, the accident has caused significant transport restrictions and prompted an immediate investi»»»

Russia’s income inequality reached its highest level since 2007 in 2025, with the official Gini coefficient rising to 0.422 from 0.410 in 2024, according to Kommersant daily citing Rosstat. As followed by IntelliNews, demographics and equality were main national goals in the economic platform prese»»»

Protesters on June 17 blocked copper concentrate exports from Rio Tinto’s (ASX: RIO) giant Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. The Anglo-Australian miner confirmed shipments were disrupted in a statement posted on Facebook. The demonstration was organised by the Radical Reform Movement. Mini»»»

Fiscal decentralization, regional development, investment, infrastructure, social services and the absorption of European Union funds were among the key topics discussed at a National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Authorities in Sofia on Thursday. The forum highlighted both the challenges »»»

The Philippines is a unique nation. It has more than 116.8 million people inhabiting a huge land area (300,000 km2), 10 times bigger than Belgium, spread across 7,641 islands. The country has nearly four times the population of Canada, living across vastly different geographic and developmental cha»»»

New Delhi In a significant boost to India's higher education credentials, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has secured the 118th position in the QS World University Rankings 2027, emerging as the country's highest-ranked institution for the second consecutive year. The prestigious glo»»»

BELGRADE - The board of directors of the ABA basketball league announced on Thursday the regional competition would feature 20 clubs next season, including Cibona Zagreb, which will return to the fold after a one-season absence, and Slovan Bratislava, which will make a debut. In view of the expansi»»»

The Islamic Resistance Operations Room issued on Thursday a statement to detail the confrontation with and frustration of the enemy’s attempts to reach Ali Al-Taher Heights. The statement indicated that the Resistance has been targeting the enemy forces with rockets, drones, and loitering gliders [»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon has received assurances from Syria that it will not interfere in Lebanese affairs, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri told Arab News on Thursday, rejecting suggestions that Damascus could play a role in confronting Hezbollah as fighting between Israel and the group continues. Mitri’s»»»

Health infrastructure, staffing shortages, hospital management and the development of outpatient care are among the main challenges facing Bulgaria's healthcare system, Health Minister Katya Ivkova said on Thursday. Speaking at the National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Authorities in Sofi»»»

NASA has tapped Relativity Space, a 3D-printing rocket startup led by former Google executive Eric Schmidt, to deliver the Aeolus Mars orbiter mission, targeting a launch in 2028. China's Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission is well on track for the same launch window.The contrast is striking: NASA»»»

Doha Qatar Airways will resume its operations to Kuwait City (KWI), Kuwait, with daily flights starting 21 June 2026. The service will be operated from Terminal T4 at Kuwait International Airport.»»»

WARSAW: Polish authorities have arrested a man suspected of fatally shooting in broad daylight a Russian activist critical of President Vladimir Putin and believe there is a likely link to a foreign intelligence service, top officials said Thursday. The killing is the latest act which Polish author»»»

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at an education roundtable on June 11. The department announced Tuesday that it's moving four segments to other agencies. Photo by Daniel Heuer/UPI | License Photo June 16 (UPI) -- The Department of Education will shift two of its major departments, civil»»»

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Apple CEO Tim Cook after announcing an additional $100 billion Apple investment in the U.S., which now will total over $600 billion over the next four years, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 6. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI »»»

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Vice President for Banking Matteo Patrone and Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy, Investments and Industry Minister Alexander Poulev opened EBRD's Tech Sofia technology hub on Thursday. EBRD Tech Sofia will support the institution's »»»

Bulgaria is among the European countries where Austrian tourists get the highest value for their money, with EUR 1 buying around 70% more goods and services than at home, according to Bank Austria’s annual analysis of the so-called holiday euro, quoted by APA on Thursday. In some tourist destinatio»»»

BELGRADE - The Independent State of Samoa has confirmed its participation in Specialised EXPO 2027 Belgrade, the EXPO 2027 enterprise announced on Thursday. Samoa is the 139th country to have confirmed its participation in the event. As one of the most authentic Pacific states, under the theme of R»»»

Doha, Qatar: Within Education City, the arts are embedded across galleries, public spaces, academic institutions, architecture, and everyday experiences to inspire learning, spark connection, and deepen understanding of the world. And as this landscape continues to grow, Qatar Foundation has launch»»»

LONDON: Two men, including ‌one who worked as a British immigration officer, were jailed on Thursday after being convicted of spying on prominent pro-democracy dissidents now based in Britain on behalf of Hong Kong, and ultimately China. Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen, 66, and Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, 41, who»»»

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the fourth game of the MLB World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in October. The couple are planning to take their children back to England for a visit in July. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |»»»

Bulgaria's government is making investment a national priority and a key tool for supporting municipalities and businesses, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Poulev said on Thursday. Speaking at the National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Auth»»»

Bulgaria's social system is coming under increasing strain as the country's demographic challenges deepen, Labour and Social Policy Minister Natalia Efremova said on Thursday. Speaking at a National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Authorities in Sofia, organized by the National Association o»»»

Bulgaria supports in principle an EU proposal to create a unified corporate legal framework, known as the "28th regime", but insists on additional safeguards against abuse and opposes the possibility of establishing companies with zero capital. This transpired from remarks by Deputy Justice Ministe»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways has announced the resumption of its daily flights to Kuwait City, Kuwait, starting June 21, 2026. In a social media post, the national carrier said the service will operate daily between Doha and Kuwait City. All flights will be handled through Terminal T4 at Kuwait Inter»»»

Doha, Qatar: President of the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Doha Diamond League Mohammed Issa Al Fadala confirmed that preparations have been completed for the event, which will kick off Friday at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium at Qatar Sports Club. »»»

Dubai: Iran has announced plans to impose charges on ships transiting the strategically important Strait of Hormuz after the expiry of a 60-day fee-free period outlined in a memorandum of understanding with the United States. Speaking in an interview aired on Iranian state television, Iran's chief »»»

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a meeting of fellow NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday that the Pentagon would be launching a review of U.S. forces deployed in Europe as part of a reboot of the alliance -- but that they would be consulted. Photo by Olivier Hoslet/EPA June 18 (U»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE has introduced a new digital spokesperson named Zayed — an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to communicate the work and initiatives of the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Th»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, will conclude its artistic season on Friday with a concert titled "Pictures at an Exhibition" at the Opera House in the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara). The concert fea»»»