President Joseph Aoun affirmed Thursday to a delegation that included MPs Michel Mouawad and Ashraf Rifi, along with other figures, that "our responsibility is to proceed from a Lebanese perspective." "Those who claim sovereignty must acknowledge the sovereignty of decision-making. We are not a new»»»

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Lebanon's president on Thursday that Damascus had no intention of intervening militarily in his country, despite U.S. pressure to do so, according to the Lebanese presidency. Shaibani, who also invited President Joseph Aoun to Syria, is visiting Beirut»»»

MANILA: The Philippines has been reclassified by the World Bank as an upper-middle income country — a target it has been trying to achieve since the 1980s — after posting a record gross national income per capita of $4,850. The upper-middle income, or UMIC, rank is the World Bank’s category for eco»»»

BERLIN: German prosecutors said Thursday that the Ukrainian state ordered a 2022 bomb attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, complicating relations between Kyiv and its key military backer Berlin. The sabotage, never claimed by any actor, destroyed three of the four Baltic seafloor pipelines of t»»»

LONDON: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation denounced on Thursday the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary approval of a bill that seeks to restrict the Muslim call to prayer through mosques across the country. The OIC described the proposed law as a “discriminatory and racist legislative measure that»»»

Beirut, July 2 (SANA) Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Thursday that Syrian Foreign Minister and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani’s visit to Beirut reflected a shared commitment to building healthy bilateral relations based on mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affa»»»

Tunis, July 2 (TAP)- Rain and localised hailstorms are expected on Thursday afternoon in the midland and some areas in the south, the National Institute of Meterology (INM) said in an update. Showers are forecast to range between 20mm and...»»»

Weeks of anti-government protests in Albania, initially sparked by opposition to a luxury tourism development near protected wetlands, have evolved into the most significant grassroots challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama in years, exposing broader anger over corruption, environmental degradation a»»»

Geneva: The World Health Organization said Thursday that a case of Marburg virus disease had been detected in Uganda during enhanced surveillance for Ebola. "Health authorities have informed WHO that they are monitoring all identified contacts, but so far none have shown symptoms," the UN health ag»»»

At a time when Washington is brandishing the sword of trade protectionism, China is moving in the opposite direction, expanding customs exemptions for exports from developing and least developed countries worldwide. Its new tariff waiver, set to run until 30 April 2028, grants full duty-free access»»»

In the first 29 minutes of the World Cup semi-final between Germany and Brazil on 8 July 2014, Germany scored five unanswered goals. The Brazilian crowd, hosting the tournament on home soil, was plunged into a state of collective disbelief. Some were in tears, others frozen in shock. Many just star»»»

Donald Trump lauds himself on his dealmaking. “Deals are my art form,” he writes in his appropriately named 1987 book, The Art of the Deal. “Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That’s how I get my kicks.” Since taking up off»»»

Dubai: The fourth meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee in Abu Dhabi (ACAD), held on July 1, has brought together senior diplomats and officials from the UAE and ASEAN member states to review ongoing cooperation and set priorities for the next phase of engagement. »»»

The EU’s border force agency Frontex is set to have its power expanded so that it can deport people between non-EU countries, based on international agreements – raising the possibility of a future role for it in EU-backed return hubs. The idea was confirmed on Thursday (2 July) by the deputy-direc»»»

Catia La Mar, Venezuela: An international rescue team pulled a survivor of Venezuela's twin earthquakes from the rubble on Thursday, after surviving eight days underground, AFP journalists witnessed. Hernan Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, had been buried in the booth of the seven-story building »»»

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally apologized Thursday to women and their children caught up in an historic forced adoptions scandal in England and Wales over almost three-decade long period between the 1950s and 1970s. File Photo Betty Laura Zapata/EPA July 2 (UPI) -- Outgoing British Pr»»»

Pope Leo XIV meets faithful during his visit to Madrid on June 6. On Thursday, Leo and the Vatican excommunicated members of the St. Pius X Society. Photo by Ciro Fusco/EPA July 2 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV excommunicated members of the Society of St. Pius X after they consecrated four bishops against t»»»

BELGRADE - Compared to Pope Leo XIV, Pope Francis had more understanding for Serbia regarding Kosovo-Metohija and was more open to hearing Serbia's positions on the matter, says Jovan Palalic, head of a Serbia-Holy See friendship group in the Serbian parliament. Even though it might still be too ea»»»

LONDON: Syria and Lebanon agreed on Thursday to establish a joint ministerial committee aimed at strengthening security coordination, expanding economic cooperation and advancing bilateral ties. The agreement was signed in the Lebanese capital Beirut by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and»»»

DURBAN: Ethiopian refugee Helana Wolde locked his home and watched on television as thousands of angry demonstrators marched through South Africa this week calling for foreigners like him to leave. His wife and their three South African-born children were terrified, he said in the shop in downtown »»»

WARSAW: A Warsaw court has upheld criminal charges against Poland’s former justice minister, opening up the potential for his extradition from the United States, prosecutors confirmed to AFP Thursday. Zbigniew Ziobro — who served as justice minister and public prosecutor general between 2015 and 20»»»

MOSCOW: A ‌Ukrainian drone attack injured two people traveling aboard a tourist bus from the Belarusian capital Minsk to the Russian Black Sea resort town of Anapa on Thursday, Russian state media reported. The government in Russia’s Bryansk region, on the borders of Ukraine and Belarus, told Sputn»»»

Budapest has moved a major step closer to creating a greener Danube-side promenade on the Pest lower embankment after the Managing Authority approved funding for two long-planned riverfront projects, the Budapest Transport Centre, BKK, announced. The decision means the capital may receive more than»»»

JEDDAH: A task team of Saudi Arabia’s Masam project destroyed 6,009 pieces of unexploded ordnance and war remnants in the Bab Al-Mandab area of Taiz governorate on Wednesday. According to Masam, the destroyed items included 109 artillery shells, 3,012 fuses, 2,769 rounds of ammunition, 29 anti-pers»»»

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh said Wednesday the jobs market was "steady" and emphasized the importance of lowered inflation, CNBC reported. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo July 2 (UPI) -- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday that the U.S. economy added 57,000 jobs in June, much few»»»

US President Donald Trump defended earning $1.2 billion from his family's cryptocurrency activities last year, saying "everybody's profiting" from his time in power. He also insisted that his wealth was due to his prior career, despite the fact that the earnings were related to crypto ventures laun»»»

Iran on Thursday warned ​the US and Israel against ​any attack against the country as it prepares for the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was ​killed ‌in an Israeli strikes on the first day ⁠of the war. Funeral commemorations begin ‌on July 4 in Tehran and conclude on July 9 in Khamene»»»

The Danish Refugee Council has warned that the latest Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is complicating an already strained humanitarian situation. In a recent report, the NGO stressed the response to the health emergency "must not hollow out the aid programming that is holding communities together". Spea»»»

Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova discussed care for older adults residing in long-term care facilities in Bulgaria with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty, who is visiting Bulgaria, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy announced on Thursday. Bu»»»

In Libya, there is little enthusiasm for a roadmap unveiled in August 2025 by Hanna Tetteh, the United Nations envoy tasked with steering the country out of a prolonged crisis, in which the country is divided between two rival camps, in the east and west. She is the latest in a long line of envoys—»»»

RIYADH: A new documentary outlines the behind-the-scenes efforts to clear the way for the Sports Boulevard megaproject in Riyadh. Available to stream free of charge on MBC’s Shahid platform, Sports Boulevard documents developers’ efforts to clear power lines and build the sporting infrastructure. T»»»

The UAE Embassy in Hanoi has urged Emirati citizens in Vietnam to exercise caution as a tropical storm, triggered by a tropical depression over the South China Sea, is expected to affect several parts of the country. The embassy advised UAE nationals to follow all safety instructions issued by the »»»

LOS ANGELES: European champions Spain and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal aim to book their places in the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday as Algeria look to salvage some pride for African football. Spain take on Austria in Los Angeles, where a win will keep them on course for a potential meeting »»»

This story was produced by the European Newsroom (enr), which Tanjug is a part of, in cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). The editorial responsibility lies with the enr. BRUSSELS – Local and regional leaders raised concerns that the next multiannual EU budget risks undermi»»»

NEW DELHI: ​India and Japan signed on Thursday ‌cooperation agreements ⁠covering economic security, artificial intelligence and energy resilience, ​during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s first official visit to New Delhi. Takaichi arrived in the Indian capital on Wednesday for the 16th Ind»»»

The unit supporting the Interior Minister will be disbanded, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said during a hearing before Parliament's Committee on Internal Security and Public Order on Thursday. He attended the hearing together with his team and Acting Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Lyubomir»»»

BELGRADE - Compared to Pope Leo XIV, Pope Francis had more understanding for Serbia regarding Kosovo-Metohija and was more open to hearing Serbia's positions on the matter, says Jovan Palalic, head of a Serbia-Holy See friendship group in the Serbian parliament. Even though it might still be too ea»»»

DOHA: The fourth edition of the Qatar Toy Festival has officially opened at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), offering a month of family entertainment, interactive experiences and creative activities. Held under the theme "More to Imagine, A Whole World of Fun," the festival is orga»»»

Kinshasa: The official death toll in an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo now exceeds more than 400, according to official figures released on Thursday. The highly infectious disease has claimed 438 lives among the 1,406 people confirmed infected -- a fatality rate of just over 31 »»»

DamascusSyria: An explosion was heard on Thursday at a cafe in central Damascus, near the Palace of Justice, a Syrian security source told AFP, after state TV reported a blast in the capital. An AFP correspondent saw ambulances weaving their way through traffic with their sirens sounding as they he»»»

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot speaks to Al Majalla at a delicate diplomatic moment for his country. In November, he will take part in one of the largest Belgian economic missions to Saudi Arabia in over a decade, led personally by Queen Mathilde, at a t»»»

Two residents of Belarus were injured and received medical assistance. "The drone attack on the passenger bus is part of a calculated strategy by Ukraine that could not have taken place without the approval of its Western sponsors," Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said»»»

Dubai: Commuters across Dubai and the Sharjah border faced a mixed evening on the roads on Thursday, with heavy congestion reported around Deira, the Dubai Creek crossings, and the Sharjah Dubai boundary along Al Ittihad Road (E11). Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - »»»

JEDDAH: Oman has launched the Oman Real Estate Development Fund, a new investment vehicle that aims to channel at least 96 million Omani rials ($249.4 million) into property development projects across the Sultanate. The initiative is a partnership between Oman National Investments Development Co.,»»»

The Israeli military-industrial complex will surely have significant problems in sustaining the never-ending wars that the country has launched, Ambassador Marco Carnelos, former Italian Diplomat and Middle East Adviser to Prime Ministers Prodi and Berlusconi, tells Sputnik. Carnelos warned that Is»»»

The third and final stage of the 2026 women’s T20 World Cup generated some compelling cricket, not all of it flawless. One of the most noteworthy outcomes was Ireland’s first ever T20 World Cup victory. The team had almost achieved that historic landmark against New Zealand on June 19, failing to s»»»

Damascus: An explosion was heard on Thursday at a cafe in central Damascus, near the Palace of Justice, a Syrian security source said, after state TV reported a blast in the capital. An AFP correspondent saw ambulances weaving their way through traffic with their sirens sounding as they headed to t»»»

KANO: Intercommunal violence in western central Nigeria killed at least 48 people on Wednesday, a security report seen by AFP said on Thursday. The report, prepared for the United Nations, said “herder militia” armed with machetes raided farmers from the Kamuku ethnic group in the town of Tegina in»»»

KINSHASA: The official death toll in an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo now exceeds more than 400, according to official figures released on Thursday. The highly contagious disease has claimed 438 lives, with 1,406 people infected since the outbreak was declared in northeastern I»»»