Doha, Qatar: Plan your weekend getaway activities with an exciting lineup of live shows, family-friendly activities, and thrilling sporting events. Treat yourself to a weekend of refreshing fun and make the most of your time in Qatar. Find out more about the various activities! Tamer Ashour Live in»»»

Dubai: The UAE and wider Gulf economies are expected to bounce back strongly in 2027 after absorbing the impact of regional conflict, with GCC GDP forecast to expand by 8.1 per cent. This would happen as energy trade routes normalise, tourism demand returns and business confidence improves, accordi»»»

Dubai: Oil prices could take 4 to 8 weeks to stabilise even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens on Friday, as tanker backlogs, elevated insurance costs, low inventories and doubts over the ceasefire continue to keep a risk premium in energy markets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & »»»

Israel and Lebanon are nearing a permanent ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, following significant progress in recent talks held in Washington, Israel's Channel 12 reported overnight. According to the report, the details of the agreement are currently being finalized, and the Leban»»»

Hezbollah Military Media released on Wednesday video showing a drone strike targeting an Israeli armored personnel carrier in the southern Lebanese border town. The one-minute video depicts the strike, dated June 14, showing an FPV drone dubbed “Ababil” carrying out a direct strike on an Israeli Na»»»

Elon Musk’s Grok AI has become an integral part of America’s war machine, and its data centers must be treated like munitions production plants in future conflicts, according to a sworn declaration by the Pentagon’s artificial intelligence chief. The statement about Grok was submitted as part of an»»»

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Haiti on Tuesday as gang violence deepens a humanitarian crisis, with more than one in 10 Haitians displaced. The United Nations said 2,300 people have been killed and 100 kidnapped this year, while 1.5 million have been forced from their homes, includi»»»

Georgia Republicans delivered a split decision for Donald Trump in runoffs, opting for the president’s preferred U.S. Senate candidate but rejecting his choice for governor - although Trump's endorsement still weighs heavy in ruby-red states. Among Democrats, the primaries hinge on longstanding div»»»

A $300 billion reconstruction fund financed by the Gulf states, waiving sanctions on Iranian oil and a 60-day ceasefire extension to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme are all reportedly part of the memorandum of understanding agreed upon by Washington and Tehran this week. Follow our liveblog for al»»»

In tonight's edition: Senegal lose to two-time champions France at the World Cup as Les Bleus win 3-1 in their group stage clash. Also, Africa CDC warns the Ebola crisis in DR Congo has the potential to become the worst ever of its kind. Plus it's been 50 years since thousands of young South Africa»»»

The third and final day of the G7 summit focuses on AI and social media, with CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic and European rival Mistral meeting leaders for lunch on Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron has invited his US counterpart Donald Trump to a private dinner at the lavish Palace of Versa»»»

The world's largest museum is having a hard time securing investments to upgrade its decaying infrastructure, the Louvre's new director Christophe Leribault told a Senate committee Wednesday. The museum has been hit by a series of public scandals including a water leak, a large-scale ticket fr»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron plays host to President Donald Trump at a lavish dinner Wednesday night at the Palace of Versailles to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. This is the fourth time the French leader has chosen Louis XIV’s sumptuous palace as a venue to»»»

It was a partnership beset by controversy, and now it's over. Department store BHV is breaking up with Chinese-founded retailer Shein, after new management came in to take over the beleaguered Parisian icon, announcing the end of the contract between the two and admitting that a strategic error had»»»

A Bulgarian researcher at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences' National Museum of Natural History, Svilen Cheshmedzhiev, is among the authors of an international research making the first comprehensive genetic assessment of the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) across its range. Scientists and en»»»

Fourteen people will stand trial in France over the deaths of 31 migrants in the deadliest recorded small-boat disaster in the English Channel, prosecutors said on Tuesday. The defendants are accused of links to people-smuggling networks involved in the November 2021 sinking, which left four others»»»

The decision by a Russian warship to fire warning shots near a British yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday was "reckless", UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday. The British defence ministry described it as an "isolated incident" with no suspected link to the boarding by British command»»»

The G7 summit is wrapping up in the French city of Evian, with the agenda dominated by questions of tech sovereignty and protection of minors on social media. All G7 members are in favour of a social media ban for teenagers, with the UK already introducing one and France thinking of introducing one»»»

G7 leaders agreed on June 16 to intensify pressure on Russia to end more than four years of war against Ukraine, with US President Donald Trump saying Moscow should "make a deal" and indicating Washington could re-impose waived sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined the summit at »»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev has outlined a government push to increase economic productivity and improve transparency in public spending, emphasizing both stronger fiscal discipline and higher value creation across the economy. Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, Radev highlighted the rollou»»»

Bulgaria has indicated that it is opposing elements of the European Union’s 21st sanctions package against Russia, according to reporting by Politico citing two diplomatic sources. The package, presented by the European Commission on June 9, is currently under discussion among member states and is »»»

Bulgarian parliamentary groups strongly condemned the arson attack on the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje, describing it as a serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and an act driven by hatred. The statements were delivered in parliament, with lawmakers framing the incident »»»

Border crossings between Bulgaria and North Macedonia are set to be temporarily blocked in a coordinated protest against what organizers describe as pressure and repression targeting people with Bulgarian identity in the neighboring country. The action is scheduled for Sunday, June 21, and will las»»»

Bulgarian lawmakers voted to freeze their own pay, ending the system of quarterly automatic adjustments tied to public sector wages. The decision was adopted in parliament with a large majority and no plenary debate, effectively locking MPs’ salaries at current levels. A total of 193 MPs supported »»»

Iran will immediately take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once a tentative deal with the U.S. to end the war is signed and will be allowed to sell its oil without restrictions, according to leaked copies of an interim agreement that officials say broadly matches the document. The accord, due »»»

BOSTON: Generations of Boston families played and picnicked on the grassy, sloping lawns of the Bunker Hill Monument. Musket balls and other artifacts from one of the American Revolution’s most consequential battles were buried just below their feet the whole time. Inspired by a centuries-old map, »»»

ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was set for a tug-of-war after backers of its ousted leader petitioned on Wednesday to hold fresh elections to replace his court-appointed replacement. An Ankara court in May annulled the CHP’s 2023 leadership election, citing alle»»»

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said that the expectd agreement between the United States and Iran could lead to a broader regional peace deal involving Gulf states, Israel and Lebanon, provided Tehran complies with the terms of any future agreement. Asked whether Lebanon and Hezbollah would be in»»»

After a spring marked by repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on military facilities and warships in St Petersburg, the Russian Ministry of Defence appears to be abandoning plans for any major public events to mark this year's Navy Day. “You understand, there’s no time for that,” a naval commander told»»»

Doha, Qatar: ​With reference to reports circulating about suspected cases of food poisoning in one of the restaurants, the Ministry of Public Health clarified that it has dealt directly with a number of reports in this regard and as a precautionary measures has ordered the closure of the restaurant»»»

Dubai: Alaan, the UAE's leading spend management platform, today launched a business bank account with built-in intelligence, powered by ruya. With this launch, Alaan becomes the first fintech in the region to combine corporate cards, domestic and cross-border supplier payments, invoice automation,»»»

The term ‘Axis of Defiance’ was once associated with a number of Arab states opposed to any peace agreement with Israel, particularly after the defeat of 1967. However, as political alignments evolved, the concept gradually transformed. Over time, its meaning progressively narrowed to the ‘Axis of »»»

Tunis, June 17 (TAP)- "Tunisia radiates across the globe. Let it be known that our country is a leading light in all fields and will remain proud and unbowed," President Kais Saïed said as he paid a visit to the governorate of Kairouan on...»»»

The Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan approved an agreement on the transfer of convicts with Pakistan. The decision was made at a session today, June 17. The document aims to develop legal cooperation between the two countries and regulate the transfer of convicts to serve their sentences in their home»»»

Only a small number of bloggers in Kyrgyzstan earn income from advertising and pay taxes, the head of the State Tax Service, Alambet Shykmamatov, said at a meeting in Bishkek where tax reform, specifically tax exemptions for the creative sector, were discussed. He noted that after criticism of the »»»

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) announced that the UAE’s private sector workforce expanded by 2.5% during the first quarter of 2026, while the number of skilled workers increased by 1.5% over the same period. According to data released by the Labour Market Obser»»»

Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova attended the opening of the Golden Harvest Lovech 2026 Campaign in the village of Drenov near Lovech on Wednesday. According to the head of State, the harvest tradition is passed down from generation to generation and reflects the Bulgarian people's rapport with th»»»

GERB-UDF MP Georg Georgiev, in a declaration read out from the parliamentary rostrum on Wednesday, on behalf of the GERB–UDF parliamentary group, said that the attack on Bulgaria’s diplomatic mission in the Republic of North Macedonia is not merely an attack against a single state, but an attack ag»»»

The Chinese engineering company China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. has been selected as the EPC contractor for the construction of key production facilities at Togolok gold deposit. According to the Chairman of the Board of Kumtor Operating Company Kanimet Toktosunov, the company was chosen through »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Deputy Amir His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani received the credentials of two new ambassadors to the State of Qatar at his office in the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. His Highness received the credentials of HE Dr. Tauisi Minute Taupo, Ambassador of Tuvalu,»»»

RIYADH: Investment-grade bond and sukuk spreads in the Gulf Cooperation Council have returned to levels seen before the US-Iran conflict as easing geopolitical tensions reduced risk premiums, although borrowing costs remain elevated, Fitch Ratings said. The yield spread between the S&P GCC Sukuk In»»»

Paris, France: The Louvre museum is struggling to find funding to upgrade its ageing facilities, its new director said Wednesday, following a litany of problems that included a brazen $100-million jewellery heist. "Despite its imposing majesty, despite the daily commitment of its staff, the Louvre »»»

ALAVERDI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his wife Tamara visited the Alaverdi St George monastery in Georgia's Kakheti region on Wednesday. Established in the 6th century, the monastery is one of the most significant spiritual and cultural monuments in Georgia. Aleksandar and Tamara Vucic »»»

BRYANSK, Russia (Sputnik) - Ukraine attacked a bus carrying a youth football team from the city of Gomel in Belarus near Russia's Bryansk, killing one woman and injuring six people, including four children, acting governor Egor Kovalchuk said on Wednesday. "The Ukrainian armed forces used an airpla»»»

TEL AVIV: There is no ​Israeli military presence in Somaliland and no talks for Israel to open a base there, ‌Somaliland’s ‌Defense ​Minister ‌Mohamed ⁠Yusef ​Ali told Reuters ⁠on Wednesday. Speaking on the sidelines of a business conference in ⁠Tel Aviv, he said ‌Israel ‌was ​training ‌Somaliland’»»»

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the digital world, deepfake technology has emerged as one of the most significant cybersecurity and misinformation challenges of our time. The ability to generate highly realistic images, videos, and audio recordings has created new risks for governme»»»

The government ordered an immediate internal investigation at the tax and customs authority NAV, the Anti-Terrorism Centre and other agencies involved in the so-called “gold convoy” case, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Facebook on Wednesday. The seized Ukrainian assets. Photo: MTI/Magyarország»»»

Bishkek Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev reviewed the Elebesov Street reconstruction project, which will be part of a large-scale road infrastructure upgrade in Dordoi market area. According to the municipality, a 1.5-kilometer section is planned for reconstruction. Upon completion, the street will be wid»»»

The Jalal-Abad Garrison Military Prosecutor’s Office detained former State Committee for National Security (SCNS) employee Azamat Dyikanbaev. A criminal case has been opened against him under the article «Fraud using official position.» According to the supervisory authority, Dyikanbaev has been pl»»»

President Sadyr Japarov has urged citizens of Kyrgyzstan to invest in government securities offering an annual yield of 17 percent. The head of state announced the initiative on Facebook. According to President Sadyr Japarov, government securities can now be purchased online through the mobile appl»»»