Toronto, Canada: "The moment is now," Canada coach Jesse Marsch declared on the evening before the country's first ever World Cup match on home soil. He was referring to his players, but for Canadian football fans coloring downtown Toronto in red jerseys on Friday morning, the same message applied.»»»

Shares in Elon Musk's SpaceX jumped as much as 30 percent on their trading debut Friday after the biggest IPO in history, making the polarizing entrepreneur the world's first trillionaire as he vowed to take humanity to Mars. The blockbuster initial public offering, which raised more than $75 billi»»»

MAKKAH: When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off at Mexico City’s legendary Azteca Stadium, fans looked up and saw a piece of Saudi Arabia. FPC Industries, a subsidiary of FIPCO, supplied more than 4,000 sq. meters of PVC fabric for the venue’s new “Red Crown” — the sweeping canopy that rings the to»»»

London: Pele's 1958 World Cup winners' medal is expected to fetch £500,000 ($670,000) when it is auctioned in England later this month. The medal, won by the Brazilian legend when he was a teenager, is part of a catalogue of 450 World Cup-related items being sold by sporting memorabilia specialists»»»

Sharjah: A coded “pizza delivery” request made to Sharjah Police’s emergency line has led to the swift rescue of an expatriate woman who was unable to openly seek help while under threat at home, officials said. The incident unfolded by Captain Majid Al Bas, Head of the Communications Operations Br»»»

Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday that the final text of a US-Iran peace deal had been agreed. "We can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps," S»»»

WASHINGTON: Despite not scoring in either of Portugal’s World ‌Cup tune-ups this month, 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo insists his fitness level is not a concern. “Physically? I’m fine,” the forward told reporters on Friday, per ESPN. “Have you not seen my matches?“ Ronaldo scored 28 times f»»»

A shooter who opened fire in the West Texas city of Midland died Friday after a standoff with police following an attack that left one person dead and at least nine others injured, city officials said. Midland police said the active shooter situation ended hours after the gunfire erupted in one par»»»

Zurich: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi has highlighted the growing complexity of modern conflicts and the need for stronger international cooperation to support mediation and peacebuilding efforts. Speaking during a keynote dialogue se»»»

The final, agreed-upon text of the Iran-US peace deal has been reached, and Pakistan is now working with both sides to finalize the next steps, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted. The process is "very much contingent upon the developments that will occur in the near future," Joseph P. »»»

The European Commission (EC) will now propose to open an excessive deficit procedure (EDP) for Bulgaria, EU Commissioner for Economy and Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis said at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) press conference on Friday, following a meeting of European finance mi»»»

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander speaks to a member of the press during an election night rally for Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani on November 4 at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater in New York City. Lander, who is no longer comptroller, was acquitted of a charge related to his attempt to inspect an »»»

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (C) attends an event in support of former Cuban President Raul Castro in Havana on May 22 after the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed two days earlier a federal criminal indictment charging the 94-year-old Castro, along with five other co-defendants, for his alle»»»

VENICE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said on Friday the Venice Commission had given an absolutely positive opinion on a set of Serbian judicial laws, and announced that amendments to those laws would be tabled to the parliament next week. Speaking to reporters in Venice following a plena»»»

New York: Shares in Elon Musk's SpaceX jumped 11 percent to $150 on their first day of trading Friday after the biggest initial public offering in history, making the polarizing entrepreneur the world's first trillionaire as he vowed to take humanity to Mars. The blockbuster operation, which raised»»»

Tunis, June 12 (TAP) - The Council of Europe Neighborhood Partnership with Tunisia 2026–2029 was launched on June 11 in Tunis. The launch ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the Tunisian government, the Council of Europe, and its...»»»

President Iliana Iotova interviewed 15 candidates for membership on the Central Election Commission (CEC), who were nominated by the parties and coalitions represented in the 52nd National Assembly. The head of State is expected to sign a decree appointing the candidates, and they will take office »»»

US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has released new evidence that US-funded biological laboratories in Ukraine were researching dangerous pathogens. Washington previously denied any role in running these labs. Published on Friday, the declassified documents reveal that the US »»»

Los Angeles, United States: The United States begin their World Cup challenge on Friday, taking on a savvy Paraguay side in a high-stakes match in Los Angeles. The World Cup co-hosts know that they must avoid a banana skin at the futuristic SoFi Stadium in the first World Cup finals game on US soil»»»

LOS ANGELES: When Iran kick off their World Cup campaign next week in Los Angeles, Iranian-American businessman Ehsan Shafi will be in the stands cheering on Team Melli, a rare chance to welcome the national side he adores to his adopted home. Instead of a moment of pure sporting celebration, howev»»»

LONDON: An Israeli decision to bar French journalist Alice Froussard from entering the country has triggered sharp criticism from press freedom advocacy groups and media organizations, even as France responded cautiously and avoided any overt diplomatic escalation. Froussard, a reporter for Radio F»»»

Etihad Airways has expanded its European network with the launch of two new direct routes from Abu Dhabi to Kraków in Poland and Palma de Mallorca in Spain, strengthening the UAE capital’s position as a global travel hub. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said the new rou»»»

Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev attended a meeting of the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) in Luxembourg on Friday. During the meeting, the Council discussed the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Europe’s econom»»»

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman Fried appealed his 2023 fraud conviction and was denied. Photo by Louis Lanzano/UPI | License Photo June 12 (UPI) -- The conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried will stay after an appeals court shot down his bid to overturn his 2023 conviction of fraud. Bankman-Fried,»»»

The American and British right want you to believe that the Belfast riots are a violent Irish uprising against mass immigration. In reality, the riots are steeped in the complex sectarianism of Northern Ireland, and the riot leaders don’t even consider themselves Irish. Read more Sudanese refugee a»»»

Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta has urged Ukraine to program its maritime drones to self-destruct if they veer into the country’s territorial waters. The official made the remarks after a drifting Magura-type kamikaze naval drone exploded in Romania’s Black Sea port of Constanta on Friday, wh»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has decreed that the size of the Russian armed forces' staff be set at 2,399,130, including 1,510,000 military personnel, according to a decree published on the legal acts portal on Friday. "To establish the authorized size of the Russian armed fo»»»

Head Of State Iliana Iotova said that it is completely reasonable for the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) to stand up for their project for a commemorative European coin dedicated to Bulgarian alphabet. The statement was made Friday at a ceremony in Sofia on occasion of Prof. Nikolay Nenovsky's entry»»»

CALIFORNIA: Born in refugee camps to parents displaced by conflict in Africa, three players will show the changing face of Australian soccer at the World Cup and look to answer the nation’s call for goals. Coach Tony Popovic is putting his faith in attackers Mohamed Toure and Nestory Irankunda, two»»»

Draft provisions released by the Iranian press shows "substantial development" in negotiations, but a "complete packaged" deal is out of sight, Adam Saud, professor of international relations at Bahria University, tells Sputnik. While both sides believe they have leverage "the US seems desperate at»»»

France and Germany are discussing proposals for a radical overhaul of the EU’s 15-year-old diplomatic service and cutting the powers of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, in an attempt to improve the bloc’s response to geopolitical crises, the Financial Times reported on June 11. Paris, Berlin an»»»

Uzbekistan has plans to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies across its mining and geology sector as it seeks to attract $30bn in investment by 2030 and improve operational efficiency. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was briefed on a package of measures aimed at accelerating »»»

AMMAN: Jordan’s economy is expected to maintain steady growth over the next three years, reaching 3 percent by 2028 despite ongoing global economic uncertainty and regional geopolitical tensions, according to the latest World Bank projections. In its Global Economic Prospects report released on Thu»»»

BARCELONA: Alpine driver Pierre Gasly was reinstated to the Monaco Grand Prix podium on Friday after Formula One stewards, meeting days later, recognized a timekeeping error and rescinded penalties for pitlane speeding that had dropped him to seventh. Champions McLaren, one of several teams set to »»»

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Benjamin Netanyahu of “following the path of Hitler” on Thursday after the Israeli leader alleged he was an “antisemitic dictator” who had committed a “genocide” against the Kurds. The relationship between Israel and Turkiye has nosedived sin»»»

MADRID: A Spanish ‌High Court judge investigating former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero for suspected corruption has opened a separate probe over jewelry found during a search of his office, the court said on Friday. Zapatero, prime minister from 2004 to 2011, remains a leading figure »»»

The specialized National Preventive Mechanism Directorate within the Ombudsman's Office inspected all registration and reception centres of the State Agency for Refugees, as well as the detention facilities of the Border Police General Directorate, the Ombudsman's press office announced on Friday. »»»

Global crude oil benchmarks fell sharply Friday, with Brent, WTI, and Murban crude all dropping below key psychological levels as traders unwound war-risk premiums that had pushed prices higher earlier in the week. According to market data, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell to $84.99 per barrel, d»»»

A new medical joint venture between an Egyptian and a British company to launch a state-of the-art- facility to produce catheters is set to start at an investment of $4 million, the British embassy in Cairo announced on Thursday. The new facility, which involves the British company Kimal and the Eg»»»

Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk announced sweeping reforms aimed at enhancing the country’s tax services by the end of the fiscal year. Speaking to the Republican People’s Party at the New Administrative Capital, Kouchouk emphasized a new era of collaboration and transparency with the Tax Authority»»»

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed Friday that a Chinese authorities have arrested a U.S. citizen for alleged espionage activities. File Photo by Jessica Lee/EPA June 12 (UPI) -- China's foreign ministry confirmed Friday that it made the rare arrest of a U.S. citizen, the lead»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Intelligence Community has warned that Ukrainian bio-laboratory funded by the US government with high probability contained hazardous viruses, former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard said on Friday. "For example, the Intelligence Community previous»»»

RIYADH: The inaugural Effie Awards Saudi Arabia took place on Thursday night at Riyadh’s Narcissus Royal Hotel. The Effie Awards were created in 1967 by the New York American Marketing Association to recognize and celebrate advertising and marketing effectiveness by looking at all facets of a marke»»»

The board of trustees at the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., said it wants to pause efforts to remove Trump's name from the facility while the case concerning its naming plays out in higher courts. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo J»»»

More than 100,000 users of Meta’s social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Messenger are experiencing an outage on Friday. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo June 12 (UPI) -- More than 100,000 users of Meta's social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Messenger are experienci»»»

Hungary’s Foreign Ministry has launched a fresh internal investigation after uncovering what officials describe as serious irregularities in the granting of Hungarian citizenship and diplomatic passports during previous administrations. György László Velkey, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Min»»»

This week, FRANCE 24's media show Scoop looks at Britain's decision to block controversial left-wing commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur from entering the country. The interior minister judged that their presence was "not conducive to the public good". This vague standard is increasingly being »»»

BELGRADE - Spanish basketball coach Ibon Navarro has been named new head coach at BC Red Star Belgrade, the Serbian club announced on Friday. Navarro, 50, has joined Red Star from Spanish club Unicaja Malaga, with which he won two FIBA Champions League trophies, two FIBA Intercontinental Cups, two »»»

Bulgaria’s economy expanded by 3.1% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, placing the country fifth in the European Union in terms of economic growth, according to data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Around 3.5 million people were employed during the period, NSI deputy chairman»»»

After months of war, multiple ceasefires, threats of renewed bombing and repeated claims that an agreement was imminent, the United States and Iran appear closer than ever to a formal deal. Or at least that is the message coming from Washington. US President Donald Trump has declared that a settlem»»»