Judge requests explanation for Kennedy Center tarps - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Tarps remain at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, a week after a court ordered the removal of Donald Trump's name from the building in Washington, D.C. A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the center's board to provide an explanation for the tarps and scaffoldi»»»
Trump pressures congressional Republicans by delaying landmark housing bill over voter ID push
US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he would not sign a new landmark housing bill until congressional Repulicans pass his proposed SAVE America Act to restrict voting procedures which he has been calling for for months. US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will refuse to sign »»»
2 powerful earthquakes strike Venezuela
Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck the same area of Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing buildings to collapse, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and AFP journalists. The quakes drove residents of the capital, Caracas, into the streets. It remains unknown wheth»»»
Europe leaders reaffirm unity on defence ahead of Ankara NATO summit
European leaders met Wednesday in Berlin ahead of next month's NATO summit in Ankarai to discuss European defence and security guarantees for Ukraine, following tensions with the United States and among the main European members. European leaders reaffirmed on Wednesday their commitment to a stro»»»
Trump says Ukraine's Zelensky doing 'pretty well' against Russia
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky — whom he previously said lacked the "cards" to win — is doing well in the war against invading Russian forces. "He's doing pretty well. He's holding his own, at least. A lot of people dying on both sides, bu»»»
UAE shoppers may get Hormuz price relief, but savings will take time
Dubai: The impact of lower oil and shipping costs could begin to appear within a few weeks, but it may take several months for these savings to fully pass through to retail prices and consumer goods, depending on supply chains and existing contracts, industry experts said. Sign up for our daily bus»»»
Magnitude 6.9 quake hits northern Japan, no tsunami warning
TOKYO: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Japan on Thursday, the country’s weather agency said, adding that there was no tsunami warning.There were no immediate reports of major damage.The quake occurred off the northern region of Iwate, with the depth of the epicenter at 50 kilometers, the»»»
Australia teen social media ban has little impact: research
Australia's social media ban for under 16s has had little impact on teenagers' scrolling habits, researchers said Thursday in one of the first evaluations of the world-leading measures. Australia in December banned under 16s from the likes of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, in a crackdown designed »»»
A propos - US in 'panic' at prospect of Gulf States going it alone, analyst says
Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised the United States' Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests as it seeks to hammer out a final settlement of the Middle East war in talks with Iran. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, independent journalist and author of the newsletter »»»
Philippine school shooting reignites calls for social media ban, tougher campus security, debate on youth criminal liability
Manila: The deadly school shooting in Tacloban City has triggered renewed calls from Philippine lawmakers for stricter regulation of children's social media use, stronger security in schools and a fresh review of the country's juvenile justice law, as officials debate how to prevent similar attacks»»»
Grant sweltering workers cooling breaks, unions tell EU
Just like World Cup footballers, European workers should be allowed "cooling breaks" in sweltering summer days, trade unions said Thursday, urging the European Union to take action. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), an umbrella group, said workplace deaths have increased across the EU »»»
Magnitude 6.9 quake hits northern Japan, no tsunami warning
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Japan on Thursday, the country's weather agency said, adding that there was no tsunami warning. There were no immediate reports of major damage. The quake occurred off the northern region of Iwate, with the depth of the epicentre at 50 kilometres, the Japa»»»
DOJ says operation used drones to deliver drugs to prisons - UPI.com
The U.S. Justice Department building in Washington, D.C., is shown in February. On Wednesday, department officials announced charges for 12 people it said used drones to deliver drugs and other contraband to federal prisons. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Ju»»»
Tunisia-Algeria: Abid advocates sustainable economic integration and co-production beyond border trade
Tunis, June 24 (TAP) - "The current volume of trade between Tunisia and Algeria remains below our potential. It is imperative to move away from a logic of simple border trade and enter an era of economic integration and co-production," Minister of...»»»
Shura Speaker meets Niger’s Advisory Council president, Mozambique’s Assembly speaker
Speaker of the Shura Council HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim met separately on Wednesday with President of the Advisory Council for the Refoundation of Niger Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey and Speaker of the Assembly of Mozambique Margarida Adamugy Talapa. The meetings came on the margin of the 20th S»»»
UN child rights chief slams ‘increased impunity toward international law’ in interview with Arab News
NEW YORK: “When I’m talking about them, I’m counting those numbers, reciting the numbers in the council. I have images of children in my mind,” Vanessa Frazier, the UN special representative for children and armed conflict, told Arab News, describing how she carries the toll of her own report — 38,»»»
Saudi UN envoy slams ‘flagrant violation of international humanitarian law’ in Gaza
NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, told the Security Council on Wednesday that the protection of children in armed conflict “is not simply a legal obligation imposed by international humanitarian law” but “primarily a collective humanitarian responsibili»»»
Israeli strike on south Lebanon kills two, Hezbollah accuses it of truce ‘violation’
BEIRUT, Lebanon: An Israeli strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed two people on Wednesday, Lebanese state media reported, with militant group Hezbollah calling it another “violation” of a truce between the two sides. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fi»»»
CDC concludes response to hantavirus outbreak on cruise - UPI.com
Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius is anchored off the coast of the city of Praia on the island of Santiago, Cape Verde, on May 4 after three people died onboard from an acute respiratory syndrome, possibly hantavirus. File Photo by Elton Monteiro/EPA June 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control»»»
Haydos scores as ‘luckless’ Qatar bow out; Swiss beat Canada for top spot
Agencies/TNN Vancouver A successful strike from veteran Hassan Al Haydos just before half time raised hopes of a spirited Qatar comeback but later fortune failed to favour Al Annabi as a second-goal attempt from Pedro Miguel ended up in the ball getting deflected of the bottom left post before Bosn»»»
Syed Azfar Gardezi bridges science and spirituality through literature
For over two decades, Syed Azfar Gardezi has walked a unique dual path. By day, he operates in the high-stakes, empirical world of oil and gas exploration — an electrical engineer specialising in electronics and telecommunications, having managed complex drilling and completions across South Africa»»»
Sidra Medicine expands medical education pathways through ‘Observership’ and ‘Future Doctor’
Tribune News Network Doha Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, is expanding investment in healthcare workforce development through the introduction of its Medical Observership Programme and the continued success of its Future Doctor Programme. Both programmes have been developed to create »»»
Ashghal completes Al Asiri, Faleh markets’ redevelopment
QNA Doha The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has completed the development and refurbishment works of Al Asiri Souq and Faleh Souq in Central Doha. This comes as part of its ongoing efforts to revitalise the heart of Doha and enhance its commercial and tourism facilities while preserving their aut»»»
Podcast pitch: Here is how Pakistan brought Iran, US to the table
Tribune News Network Doha In a rare interview, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar, HE Muhammad Aamer, talks about the backchannel diplomacy amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on this episode of the CIRS Long View, produced by Georgetown University in Qatar’s Center for International and Regional Studies»»»
MoEHE launches digital citizenship curricula for students
QNA Doha The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), represented by the Department of Public Education E-Learning and Digital Solutions, has launched “Digital Citizenship” curricula through the Qatar education system, targeting fifth-grade primary and eighth-grade preparatory students, »»»
New WCM-Q study maps gonorrhea burden and trends across sub-Saharan Africa
Tribune News Network Doha Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have published a comprehensive assessment of the epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) infection in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest burden of this infection globally. Published in the high-impa»»»
QU minimum admission criteria for Fall 2027 undergraduate courses notified
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar University (QU) has announced its new minimum admission requirements for undergraduate programmes, setting the minimum high school average at 75 per cent, with the changes set to take effect starting in the Fall 2027 semester. Under the updated requirements, the mini»»»
Philippines now ranks No. 1 in ASEAN for budget transparency: There's a big catch
Manila: The Philippines remains Southeast Asia's most transparent country in terms of budget disclosure, according to the 2025 Open Budget Survey (OBS) released by the International Budget Partnership (IBP). Despite its strong performance in making budget information publicly available, however, ex»»»
Nigeria tightens telecom ownership rules for major share transactions amid rising MTN, Airtel dominance
Nigeria's telecommunications sector is facing tighter regulatory scrutiny after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) introduced new approval requirements for significant changes in the ownership structures of licensed operators. Under the new rules»»»
Nigeria's SEC warns against unauthorised marketing of Dangote refinery IPO set for Q3
Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered capital market operators to immediately halt all promotional activities relating to a purported initial public offering (IPO) by Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE, warning that no application for such an offer has been»»»
Qatar bow out of World Cup after defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina
DOHA: Qatar were eliminated from the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a 3-1 defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in a must-win Group B clash in Seattle on Wednesday. Needing three points to stay alive in the tournament, Qatar fell short in their final Group B match at Seattle Stadium. Though Qatar looked an impro»»»
Pase Dastras – A profound exploration of Ahmad Ashfaq's poetic journey
LIAQAT MALIK Doha Doha-based distinguished poet Ahmad Ashfaq has unveiled his second Urdu poetry collection, Pase Dastras, a work that deepens his literary footprint and offers readers a profound exploration of his evolving poetic voice. Compiled by Jawad Danish, Pase Dastras functions as a critica»»»
Minister of Culture honours winners of 38th Doha Theatre Festival
Doha: Minister of Culture HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani honored the winners of the 38th Doha Theater Festival at Dukhan theater, Ministry of Culture headquarters, in the presence of artists and cultural figures. The play by Qatar theater group won five awards: Best Overall Production, Be»»»
Visit Qatar celebrates winners of 'Qatar Through Your Lens' competition
DOHA: Visit Qatar hosted an awards ceremony to honour the winners of the inaugural 'Qatar Through Your Lens' competition, celebrating the creativity and talent of citizens and residents who captured Qatar's culture, lifestyle, and unique experiences through photography and videography. The submissi»»»
Truth or Fake - Did Qatar's prime minister 'snub' JD Vance? Doha, Washington deny claim
A viral clip from the first round of US-Iran peace talks in Switzerland fuelled online speculation that US Vice President JD Vance was snubbed by Qatar’s Prime Minister, after users claimed the video shows him "ignore" Vance in favour of greeting Pakistan’s Prime Minister. The Qatari PM though»»»
Committee advances bill banning lawmakers from political betting markets - UPI.com
The U.S. Capitol is seen in 2025. A House committee voted Wednesday to advance a bill that would ban Congress members and their families from taking part in political prediction markets. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 24 (UPI) -- House Republicans on Wednesday advanced a bill th»»»
Tunisia coach Hervé Renard open to staying on with national team after a chaotic World Cup stint
KANSAS, USA: Tunisia coach Hervé Renard is open to the possibility of leading the African nation’s program beyond the end of the World Cup. The 57-year-old Frenchman had been watching the tournament from Senegal when Tunisia abruptly fired their coach, Sabri Lamouchi, following a 5-1 loss to Sweden»»»
World court judges sue Trump administration over sanctions
WASHINGTON: Three International Criminal Court judges on Wednesday sued US President Donald Trump and his administration over sanctions imposed on them last year, arguing the measures were unlawful. In the lawsuit filed in the federal court in Manhattan, judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Bal»»»
Western Balkans coal plants continue to breach pollution limits despite legal deadlines, report says
Coal-fired power plants across the Western Balkans emitted sulphur dioxide at more than six times legal limits in 2025, with dust pollution reaching its worst level since current emissions rules came into force eight years ago, according to a report published on June 23 by environmental watchdog Ba»»»
Bulgaria reaches limit on military aid to Ukraine, PM says
Bulgaria will continue to support Ukraine but has halted further military donations from its armed forces after reaching the limits of its capacity, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on June 23. In a response to a parliamentary question, Radev said the decision reflects the need to preserve Bulgaria’»»»
Egyptian Banks Thrive, Brand Value Rises and Digital Banking is shaping Africa’s Future
Egypt’s banking sector has recorded an impressive 8% growth in brand value, positioning itself among Africa’s leading financial markets. According to Brand Finance’s Top 500 Banking Brands 2025 report, this growth contributes to Africa’s overall 22% rise in brand value, outperforming North America »»»
Minister of Investment meets CCPIT head, Chinese companies to expand cooperation
AMMAN — Minister of Investment Tareq Abu Ghazaleh met Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Ren Hongbin, on the sidelines of Jordan’s participation in the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing.The meeting was held as part of Abu Ghazaleh’s visit »»»
Oasis500, SM Capital sign MoU to boost venture investment links between MENA, Europe, Mediterranean
AMMAN — Oasis500 and SM Capital, a venture capital and investment advisory firm specialising in fintech, artificial intelligence, and strategic infrastructure, have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening investment linkages between the Mediterranean, the Middle »»»
Colombia's left-wing candidate Cepeda concedes to De la Espriella in presidential election
Colombia's left-wing candidate Ivan Cepeda on Wednesday conceded electoral defeat to right-wing rival Abelardo de la Espriella after Sunday's second-round presidential vote. Progressive candidate Ivan Cepeda on Wednesday conceded Colombia’s presidential election to Abelardo de la Espriella, a»»»
US military says senior Islamic State group leader killed in Syria air strike
US Central Command on Wednesday said that US forces had conducted an air strike in northwestern Syria that killed Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi, a senior Islamic State group leader, last Friday. The US military conducted an airstrike in northwestern Syria last week that killed a senior Islamic State&n»»»
Was JD Vance snubbed by Qatar's prime minister?
A video clip filmed during the US-Iran talks in Switzerland has been circulating on social media, sparking claims that the US vice president was snubbed by Qatar's prime minister. However, the footage does not tell the whole story. “This is BRUTAL. Vance flew to Geneva for the Iran talks and the Qa»»»
Perspective - Amnesty International: Libyan authorities 'are more and more violent towards migrants'
NGOs are accusing the European Union of being "complicit in horrific violations and abuses in Libya". Amnesty International in particular says the EU is effectively cooperating with what it calls a xenophobic and racist country. The accusation comes as Europe has moved to bolster efforts to stem mi»»»
Sweltering France sees jump in coastal waters' temperatures
It's not just thermostats on land that are in the red in France: the temperature of water off its coasts is also jumping, be it on the Atlantic or in the Mediterranean. Near Marseille, the water is currently at 25 degrees Celsius, or 3 degrees higher than usual. FRANCE 24's Solange Mougin reports.»»»
Israeli defense minister says 'no US demand' to withdraw from Lebanon
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the United States has not demanded that Israel withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, a condition set by Lebanon in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. "We have announced that in any case we are not withdrawing and, as of this moment -- and t»»»
Israeli army says struck suspected Hezbollah militants in Lebanon 'security zone'
The Israeli military said it carried out an airstrike targeting suspected Hezbollah militants who crossed into the so-called "security zone" it has created in southern Lebanon, the second such incident it reported within hours on Wednesday. "A short while ago, a vehicle carrying suspects was identi»»»