The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer has insisted he will fight to stay in his role if a leadership challenge is launched by Andy Burnham. But before any such contest unfolds, Burnham must win a seat in parliament, which he is hoping to do on June 18 in a by-election in the Makerfield constituency»»»

Two favourites made their entry into the World Cup on June 18, with two very different results. While Portugal did less well than expected, drawing with DR Congo, England had a great start, beating Croatia 4 to 2 and cementing its status as favourite of the competition.»»»

LONDON: British mosques have been advised to beef up security measures, including holding lockdown drills, to prepare in case of attacks. The recommendations in a framework by the Muslim Council of Britain suggest that mosques forge closer ties with local police and improve CCTV around premises ami»»»

SOUTHAMPTON, USA: For all the concern at the US Open about wind and Shinnecock Hills drying out, another weather issue popped up Thursday morning. Thirty minutes after it began, play was stopped by fog. Fourteen players managed to post scores — no birdies among them — before the horn sounded to sto»»»

ABIDJAN: Forward Elye Wahi will miss Ivory Coast’s second World Cup match against Germany after he was denied a visa to enter Canada, the Ivorian federation said on Thursday. “The administrative authorizations necessary for his entry into Canadian territory have not been obtained at this stage,” th»»»

RIYADH: Social entrepreneurship — the creation of businesses willing to tackle social, cultural, or environmental challenges — can play a major role in Saudi Arabia’s development, experts in the nonprofit sector told an event in Riyadh this week. The Social Entrepreneurship Week organized by the En»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria will not back European sanctions that could harm the national economy or energy sector, as debate continues in the EU over the 21st package of measures against Russia. Speaking to journalists in Sofia ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels, he que»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have recovered cash lost by an Arab tourist in a shopping centre and transferred it to her bank account in her home country, locating it within two hours and reaching her shortly after she had already left the UAE. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now »»»

Amazon.com Inc has agreed in principle to buy Dubai-based internet retailer Souq.com, one of the best-known names in the Middle East’s online shopping market, sources familiar with the deal said on Wednesday. Souq.com, which sells consumer electronics, fashion, household items and other goods, lays»»»

Over the past two and a half years, Israel has taken control of swaths of Gaza, Lebanon and Syria that amount to its biggest expansion of militarily occupied lands in decades. It is an area larger than many major cities — roughly 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) — and Israel has said it p»»»

Qatar, a key negotiator in the deal to end the war between the U.S. and Iran, said on Thursday the agreement served as a firm basis for further talks. The Gulf state's foreign ministry said in a statement that the deal "represents a solid foundation for advancing to the next stage of negotiations b»»»

Bulgaria recycles less than 17% of its household waste, far below the European Union average of around 48%, Environment and Water Minister Rositsa Karamfilova said on Thursday. Speaking at the National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Authorities in Sofia, organized by the National Associatio»»»

Prime Minister Rumen Radev will take part in the regular meeting of the European Council in Brussels on June 18 and 19, the Government Information Service said on Thursday. EU heads of state and government will discuss key international and European issues, including the Multiannual Financial Frame»»»

Former economy minister Nikolay Vassilev argued that Bulgaria currently shows the fastest inflation growth in the eurozone, attributing the trend to a combination of fiscal policy, external shocks, and rising incomes. He dismissed concerns over short-term price movements, saying, “I would not like »»»

PARIS - A delegation of the Serbian Ministry of Defence, headed by Acting Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradovic, visited the Eurosatory 2026 international arms fair in Paris on Wednesday. At the Jugoimport SDPR booth, contracts were signed with French defence sector companies »»»

At the command post, the minister heard reports from the group commander and staff officers on the current situation, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said. The commander of the battlegroup, Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov, reported to the Defence Minister on the advance of troops along the line of c»»»

The New Development Bank (NDB), the multilateral lender established by the original BRICS bloc members, is providing South Africa with a $1bn loan to help finance infrastructure upgrades in the country's eight largest so-called metropolitan municipalities. The funding will be used to improve water »»»

Uganda's €2.7bn ($3.1bn) Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project could be under threat, with Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba proclaiming on June 16 that the contract awarded to Turkey’s Yapi Merkezi had been “cancelled”. There has been no confirmation or denial from the government mini»»»

SICO Capital licensed by the Capital Market Authority and a wholly owned subsidiary of SICO BSC (c), a leading regional asset manager, broker, and investment bank with direct presence in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, today announced the launch of the SICO GCC Dividends Fund, The Fund marks SI»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Three Saudi oil tankers sail through Hormuz, hours after US-Iran MoU signed 18-06-2026 15:08 PM Latest News Urgent News Three Saudi oil tan»»»

In a show of the pragmatic good relations that continue between Russia and Uzbekistan, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin praised the economic and trade ties between the two countries at the plenary session of the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) on June 17. “Russia is amo»»»

Tunis, June 18, 2026 (TAP) – Tunisia’s energy trade deficit, including royalties from Algerian gas exports, rose by 19% at the end of April 2026, reaching 4,222 million dinars (MD), compared with 3,548 MD in the same period of 2025, according to the...»»»

Tunis, June 18, 2026 (TAP) – Tunisia’s primary energy balance recorded a deficit of 2 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) at the end of April 2026, up 13% compared with the same period in 2025, including transit fees, according to the latest...»»»

Is it better to persuade or to confront? French leader Emmanuel Macron is opting for the royal treatment with Donald Trump at Versailles, what with a dinner to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the King of France's support for the birth of a new nation. It's all about keeping the US president on b»»»

The summer tourist season has officially opened on Jahorina today, offering a variety of activities and benefits over the next three months. Director of the Olympic Center “Jahorina” Igor Žiljak said that a 50 percent discount has been prepared for citizens of all former Yugoslav countries for this»»»

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday restrained the Punjab government from taking any further action regarding the 11.5-kanal Ewing Hall property belonging to Forman Christian College University (FCCU), following a dispute over the cancellation of its lease, Dawn reported. Justice Ahmad Nadeem»»»

“I still wake up in the middle of the night whenever I hear a loud sound.” For Rene, not his real name, the fear did not end when he finally returned home to the Philippines. After weeks stranded near the Strait of Hormuz during the height of tensions between the United States and Iran, sleep remai»»»

KYIV: Russia has handed Ukraine the remains of 522 people it identified as killed soldiers, officials said on Thursday, one of the few acts of cooperation between the warring countries. “As a result of the repatriation efforts, the bodies of 522 deceased individuals have been returned to Ukraine,” »»»

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said on Thursday it will continue operating in southern Lebanon and “remove threats” beyond its so-called security zone, after the US and Iran signed an agreement to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon. The military published a map of its declared “security»»»

June 17 (UPI) -- An animal control officer responded to the front porch of a South Carolina home where a resident found an alligator "posted up right at the front door." The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office said on social media that its Animal Control officer was dispatched to a home off Charlesfor»»»

Improving transport connectivity across Bulgaria will help place all regions on an equal footing and reduce long-standing regional disparities, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov said on Thursday. Speaking at a National Meeting of Local and Central Executive Authorities in»»»

Berlin, June 18 (SANA) The 29th Arab-German Business Forum opened on Thursday in Berlin, bringing together senior government officials, diplomats, and business leaders from across the Arab world and Germany to discuss expanding economic cooperation and investment opportunities. The opening session »»»

A 14-year-old girl was trapped under rubble during the demolition of a building in Zhidelik neighborhood of Osh. The incident occurred today at around 12.30 p.m. on Oshskaya Street, where work is underway to widen the road to the airport. According to lawyer Tologon Keldibaev, special equipment arr»»»

Far-right MEPs in the plenary in Strasbourg on Wednesday (17 June) chanted “send them back”, with some pumping their fists, after the EU’s deportation bill was voted through with a clear majority. “It’s up to them how they want to yell and scream. It’s not my type of politics, it’s not how I am as »»»

Abu Dhabi: Changer.ae Limited, a regulated virtual asset custodian based in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DeScript Labs INC, a provider of digital asset settlement and merchant technology solutions. The MOU establishes a framework for collaborat»»»

Johannesburg: A South African court has convicted and fined a rhino horn trafficking "mastermind", ending a trial spanning 15 years, police said Thursday, describing it as the world's largest such case. The country is home to most of the world's rhinos and is a hotspot for poaching driven by demand»»»

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding by the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran on addressing the outstanding issues between them, including the cessation of military operations and ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait»»»

Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from HE Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During the call, they reviewed bilateral relati»»»

The consequences of the attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) could affect Ukraine, Russia, and a significant part of Europe, Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, has warned. Here are his key statements:A drone attack on Energodar killed one of the ZN»»»

Dubai: Abu Dhabi’s residential property market recorded its strongest first quarter on record, with Dh38.1 billion worth of sales across 8,100 transactions between January and March, according to Cavendish Maxwell. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The total value of hom»»»

New York: Millions of New Yorkers are expected to turn out for a heavily guarded victory parade Thursday for the city's Knicks basketball team after it won the NBA Finals at the weekend. New York erupted in jubilant scenes Saturday when the Knicks broke a 53-year drought to defeat the San Antonio S»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Pezeshkian Hails Iran-US Deal as ‘Historic,’ Says Peace Hinges on Mutual Respect 18-06-2026 15:06 PM Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in»»»

JERUSALEM: Over the past two and a half years, Israel has taken control of swaths of Gaza, Lebanon and Syria that amount to its biggest expansion of militarily occupied lands in decades. It is an area larger than many major cities — roughly 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) — and Israel ha»»»

According to Israel's Channel 14, the next steps in south Lebanon will be discussed during next week's negotiations with Lebanese representatives in Washington. Israeli security sources said the current agreement does not include an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and that Israel will retain "full »»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed an order dismissing Abdupaty Matkalikov from his post as Mayor of Manas city in Jalal-Abad region. Photo Internet Abdupaty Matkalikov had held the post since February 20, less than four months. He was appointed mayor following a reshuffle in the city’s l»»»

BELGRADE - An exhibition of Xinhua News Agency photos documenting the history of the friendship between Serbia and China was ceremonially opened at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Belgrade on Thursday. The ceremony was also attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Chinese Ambassador to Bel»»»

Paris, France: A new heatwave swept across much of France on Thursday, with temperatures forecast to approach 40C later in the week, dozens of trains cancelled and classes suspended. Although astronomical summer does not begin until Sunday, this is already France's second heatwave of 2026, followin»»»

Los Angeles, United States: Mexico and South Korea will aim to punch their ticket to the World Cup knockout rounds on Thursday when they meet in Guadalajara knowing a win would guarantee a last 32 berth. The Group A rivals head into the fixture at the Estadio Akron fresh from respective victories o»»»

NEW DELHI: Once a community gathering space, the Bansilalpet stepwell in Secunderabad had for decades been reduced to a neighborhood dumping ground. Only a few years ago, an urban restoration initiative revived its 18th-century glory, drawing attention to India’s traditional water systems and their»»»

LONDON: A massive ancient oak tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood may have been loved to death. The 1,200-year-old Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is believed to have died after it didn’t sprout leaves this spring, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said Thursday. Visitors over the past»»»