Negotiations between the US and Iran mediated by Qatar and Pakistan commenced on Sunday in the Swiss lake resort of Burgenstock. The meeting is the first round of talks aimed at reaching a final settlement to the war in line with a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this week. The US was re»»»

RIYADH: Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the proposed railway linking Turkiye and Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing technical evaluation and is expected to strengthen the Kingdom's position as a regional distribution and logistics hub connecting major global trade routes. The »»»

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Monday that a first round of U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland had laid a good foundation for reaching a final deal on ending the Middle East war. "We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal," Vance told reporters at the Burgenstock resort in central S»»»

LONDON: The one unchanged feature noticed by Tawfik Sabouni as he stepped back inside Syria’s notorious Sednaya prison was not the silence, but the smell. “The first thing that struck me when I went back was its size. I had never imagined it to be so immense,” the Syrian Belgian director told Arab »»»

Talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland produced a series of coordinated measures addressing Lebanon, maritime security, sanctions relief and the nuclear program, sources told Al-Manar on Monday. The understandings reflect a dual-track approach combining de-escalation mechanisms in »»»

PoliticsDemocratic Republic of CongoBelgian museum and US firm in fight over Congo minerals dataNikolas FischerThe Democratic Republic of Congo wants access to colonial-era geological data held in Belgium. A US mining startup says it can digitize it. So why won't the museum that stores the archive »»»

Dubai: GCC retail real estate developers need to rethink how malls and shopping destinations make money as e-commerce, AI-driven discovery and changing consumer habits reshape the sector, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bala»»»

The Ukrainian military will bomb Belarusian communication towers along the 1,000-kilometer border unless President Alexander Lukashenko takes them offline and “proves” that he is not aiding Russia, Vladimir Zelensky said on Sunday. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has largely stayed out of the Ukra»»»

JEDDAH: Hayy Jameel hosted its first-ever drumming circle on Saturday, starting a new monthly program designed to bring people together through rhythm, movement and shared creative expression. Held under the Hayy Sounds and Hayy Wellness initiatives, the session introduced participants to collectiv»»»

Sharjah: His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has directed the Sharjah Institute for Heritage to expand, renovate and revive the old market (Souk Sharq) in the eastern city of Khorfakkan as part of efforts to preserve traditional crafts »»»

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has secured a landmark $30mn equity investment from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), making the pan-African lender the first international development finance institution to join EBID's shareholder base as the regional bank pursues an »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Negotiations between the United States and Iran held over weekend to end the conflict with Tehran have made great progress, US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday. "Yesterday was a very, very good day. We made a lot of good progress," Vance told reporters in Switzerland. The U»»»

Dubai: Andy Burnham has spent much of his political life being seen as a contender rather than a winner. Now, following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation, the Greater Manchester mayor believes his moment may finally have arrived. The 56-year-old Labour politician has confirmed he will seek »»»

Hezbollah Military Media published this video which shows footage from the Islamic Resistance’s operation targeting a newly established command center belonging to the “Israeli” enemy army in the vicinity of Al-Shaqif historic Castle in southern Lebanon with an Ababil loitering glider [FPV]. Source»»»

Israeli occupation forces shot and killed two Palestinian teenagers near the illegal settlement of Karmei Tzur in the southern West Bank on Monday, while a wave of overnight military raids and extremist settler attacks swept across multiple cities and villages, leaving several wounded and at least »»»

Cairo — Egyptian equities began the new trading week in positive territory as foreign investors continued to increase exposure to Egyptian assets, while the launch of the country’s first single-stock futures contracts added momentum to a broader transformation underway across capital markets. The b»»»

MANILA: The Philippines was rocked on Monday by a deadly school shooting incident in Leyte province, where gunmen killed three students and wounded seven others. The incident took place at 9 a.m. at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City in the central Philippines, where children were g»»»

BRUSSELS: The EU said Monday it was “reassessing” with Britain plans for a summit on post-Brexit ties on July 22 after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation.European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho said Brussels and London were looking into “the opportunity of still holding the summit... »»»

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri pledged on behalf of ally Hezbollah to make the region south of the Litani river weapon-free, if Israel commits this time to a ceasefire in Lebanon. Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published Monday, that he supports a gradual withdrawal from south Leb»»»

A meeting on Monday at the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry discussed the proposed legislative amendments related to the future development of Vitosha Nature Park. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Environment and Water Minister Rositsa Karamfilova expressed the political amb»»»

PoliticsDemocratic Republic of CongoCongo minerals data: Belgian museum vs. US startup Nikolas FischerThe Democratic Republic of Congo wants access to a vast colonial-era geological data held in Belgium. A US mining startup says it can digitize it. So why won't the museum that stores the archive le»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside No. 10 Downing Street on Monday as he announces his resignation, pending the selection of a replacement. That will take between three and 10 weeks depending on whether there is more than one candidate. Photo by Neil Hall/EPA June 22 (UPI) -- Keir Starmer »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday in Belgrade Serbia had registered the fourth-highest economic growth rate in Europe in Q1 2026 and could climb to the third position by the end of the year and added that, according to an IMF forecast, it could take the number one positio»»»

The first round of talks between the US and Iran has concluded in Switzerland. Iran has tied success in the talks to the end of the fighting in Lebanon, while US President Donald Trump has repeated his threats to resume attacks. FRANCE 24's Douglas Herbert tells us more about the ongoing negotiatio»»»

Iran and the US agreed on Monday to set up communication lines to keep the vital Strait of Hormuz open and end fighting in Lebanon, mediators said, after "encouraging" talks in Switzerland over the weekend. Follow our live coverage for all the latest updates.  (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reute»»»

Lucerne The first session of high-level talks under the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) have concluded in Burgenstock, Switzerland, with the participation of representatives from the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States of America, and the two mediating parties, »»»

Dubai: A shopping mall in Ningbo, eastern China, was transformed into a muddy rice paddy as contestants competed in a rice transplanting challenge. The event brought a key agricultural tradition into an unexpected urban setting, drawing shoppers and visitors eager to watch the action. Participants »»»

Dubai: An Egyptian man has died after allegedly being set on fire by a suspect following an attempt to break up a dispute outside his furniture showroom in Qalyubia governorate, security sources and local media reported. The incident began when a quarrel broke out among several young men in front o»»»

Shares in Christian Tour debuted on Monday on the Regulated Market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), under the TRIP ticker symbol. Christian Tour is the first travel operator to be listed on the stock exchange’s main market. The initial public offering (IPO), which preceded the listing and thr»»»

Andy Burnham is a political insider turned outsider who is the current frontrunner to replace Keir Starmer as Britain’s next prime minister. After losing two bids for the Labour Party leadership, Burnham focused on Greater Manchester, where he served as mayor and earned a “King of the North” monike»»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party and will leave office within weeks after growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. Here's a look at the next steps in Britai»»»

A Chinese citizen has been detained and formally charged in Bulgaria over allegations of attempting to gather classified information for a foreign state, according to the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors say the alleged activity took place in Sofia over an extended period, from an unspec»»»

A massive explosion and fire hit Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday evening, with the authorities attributing the incident to a “technical malfunction” during operations at a local gas facility rather than an attack. Qatar’s Interior Ministry initially said an “internal explosion” occurre»»»

Bulgaria was added to the FATF grey list back in 2023. Since then, the government has gradually stepped up its compliance rules across key sectors. The most recent move sees Bulgaria establishing a dedicated AML task force embedded within the National Police.  Outgoing Interior Minister Daniel»»»

Dubai: Kuwait's Court of Cassation, the country's highest judicial authority, has sentenced former lawmaker Saleh Ashour and another defendant to three years in prison with immediate effect after convicting them of misappropriating funds belonging to others, Al Rai Arabic daily reported. The ruling»»»

Uzbekistan is preparing to launch an ambitious new legal jurisdiction aimed at attracting international technology companies. The idea is to utilise legal certainty and regulatory flexibility rather than tax incentives in building a digital economy. In an exclusive interview with bne Inte»»»

GAZA CITY: Carrying their boards past tents and bombed-out buildings, a group of Gazan surfers headed for the sea, seeking solace in the waves despite the risk of Israeli attacks. On the beach in Gaza City, the trio laid out their boards on the sand while they warmed up their limbs and readied thei»»»

FM Logistic, a major international supply chain player, has announced the signing of an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the capital of German logistics group Schäflein. The current management, Achim and Bernd Schäflein, will retain an equity stake, thereby securing the continuity and famil»»»

Mardin, Turkiye: In a dimly lit room illuminated by a pair of red lamps, eight-year-old Zeynep waits to see photographs she has taken, now trapped as shadows and silhouettes on a roll of film. "How big is your curiosity?" asks her mentor, 40-year-old photographer Amar Kilic, as he develops the nega»»»

RIYADH: Makkah and Madinah’s hospitality sectors demonstrated resilience in early 2026, weathering regional travel disruptions as the Kingdom continues to expand accommodation capacity for religious visitors, according to Knight Frank. The consultancy’s Saudi Hospitality and Religious Tourism Repor»»»

Abu Dhabi: New business licences issued in Abu Dhabi rose by 21 per cent in the first three months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, officials announced Monday. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the business reg»»»

Not a single topic dominates Monday’s news media. The coverage focuses on the presidential race, with parties weighing possible candidates before the autumn 2026 election, Bulgaria’s position on the EU’s planned new sanctions package against Russia, and the pressure on public finances. Other major »»»

Seoul: A Korean Republic court sentenced a former justice minister to 25 years in prison on Monday for his role in ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's brief and disastrous declaration of martial law in 2024. Park Sung-jae was found guilty of involvement in "insurrection" by the Seoul Central District Cour»»»

Dubai: HSBC has launched its Tokenised Deposit Service in the UAE, giving eligible corporate and institutional clients a new way to move money instantly across domestic and cross-border accounts. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The service allows companies to transfer »»»

Dubai: The United States and Iran have agreed to establish a direct communication line for the Strait of Hormuz as negotiators wrapped up a second day of talks in Switzerland aimed at securing a broader agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme and regional security issues. The mechanism, announced b»»»

Dubai: For thousands of aspiring doctors, Sunday was meant to be a second chance. Instead, for at least three students in Bengaluru, it ended in heartbreak at the gates of their examination centres. As candidates across India appeared for the NEET-UG re-test, traffic congestion allegedly linked to »»»

Seoul: A South Korean court sentenced a former justice minister to 25 years in prison on Monday for his role in ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's brief and disastrous declaration of martial law in 2024. Park Sung-jae was found guilty of involvement in "insurrection" by the Seoul Central District Court, »»»

Dubai: Emirates passengers travelling to or through Dubai this summer can get a complimentary stay at the five-star JW Marriott Marquis, along with access to hundreds of city discounts through My Emirates Pass. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The airline has launched a»»»

A boarding school incident has escalated into a national scandal after it emerged that a 15-year-old pupil was repeatedly struck in the stomach by a monk serving as prefect at the St Anthony Franciscan Grammar School and Boarding House in Esztergom. The boy was reportedly dragged towards the shower»»»

Watt Unit, in collaboration with its partner Schneider Electric, has modernised the Băneasa Drinking Water Treatment Station by implementing an integrated industrial automation and advanced SCADA monitoring solution. The project contributes to increasing operational reliability, process safety, and»»»