G7 allies seek to bridge divide with Trump at France summit
PARIS: Leading European nations and their G7 allies will seek to narrow differences with Donald Trump at a summit from Monday chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron but expected to be dominated by the US leader’s presence. Leaders will be looking to put the fizz back into relations with the Un»»»
UN experts demand inquiry after deadly Taliban crackdown on protests over women’s arrests
NEW YORK: UN human rights experts on Thursday condemned the detention by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan of dozens of women for alleged dress code violations and expressed alarm over the use of force against protesters demonstrating against the arrests. The experts said they were “deeply concerne»»»
Masked man carries out arson attack on UK imam’s home
LONDON: Police in the UK are hunting a masked man who carried out an arson attack on the family home of an imam in northern England. Hassan Patel, principal for Islamic education at the Taiyabah Masjid in Bolton, released a security camera video showing the terrifying moment the front of his house »»»
Cuba sets record for political prisoners, rights group says - UPI.com
A man shields himself from smoke rising out of a trash fire in Havana in late May. Photo by Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA June 11 (UPI) -- Cuba reached a record 1,281 political prisoners at the end of May, according to a report released Thursday by human rights organization Prisoners Defenders. The group»»»
Zaidi Urges Sharaa to Boost Baghdad-Damascus Coordination
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has sent a message to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa calling for stronger ties and closer security and economic coordination. The move reflects Baghdad’s push to rebuild regional relations while, at home, working to bring weapons under state control and prepare f»»»
Sweden health agency recommends no smartphones for children under 13
Stockholm: Sweden's public health agency said Thursday it was recommending parents do not give children their own smartphones before the age of 13, citing several risks associated with their use. The Public Health Agency of Sweden said in statement that the purpose of the new recommendation, was "p»»»
Gold Price Retreats Despite Iran Tensions as Rate Fears Rise
CAIRO — Gold prices extended their decline this week as investors reassessed the implications of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, shifting their focus from geopolitical risk to the prospect of higher interest rates and persistent inflation. The move highlights an increasingly»»»
Live Updates: U.S. to hit Iran “very hard,” Trump says, threatens to take Kharg Island – Ya Libnan
Share: A satellite image shows an oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026. 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS HERE IS THE LATEST President Trump said Thursday that the U.S. would launch “very hard” new strikes on Iran within hours and seize vital Iranian oil infrastructure, incl»»»
Finance Minister Attends ESM Board of Governors Annual Meeting
Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev took part for the first time in the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) in Luxembourg, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday. The forum is one of the most important events in the ESM's a»»»
EU could abolish or weaken External Action Service, FT says
EU member states could seek to curtail the powers of the bloc’s diplomatic service, headed by Kaja Kallas, amid concerns among officials that the body is “dysfunctional,” the Financial Times has reported. The European External Action Service (EEAS) was launched in 2010 as a kind of collective forei»»»
Ebola in Uganda is 'under control': Africa CDC
Addis Ababa: The Ebola outbreak in Uganda is "under control", the African Union's health agency said Thursday, praising its contact-tracing efforts. The World Health Organization has declared an international health emergency over the outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, which has»»»
Israel Releases Hamas Co-founder After 2 Years of Detention
The son of a Hamas co-founder said that Israeli authorities released his father in the occupied West Bank on Thursday after holding him without trial for more than two years. Hassan Yousef, 71, was "freed near the southern West Bank city of Hebron" and taken to a hospital in Ramallah where he resid»»»
MoEHE says Head of Examination Committee inspects secondary school examination centres
DOHA: Director of the Student Assessment Department and Head of the Examination Committee for Secondary School Certificate Examinations, Ibrahim Abdullah Al Muhannadi, conducted inspection visits to a number of examination centres to review procedures and ensure readiness for the remaining examinat»»»
Damascus Governor Lays Foundation Stone for Damascus Financial Center in Baramkeh
Damascus, June 11 (SANA) In the presence of Tourism Minister Mazen Al-Salhani and Investment Authority Director Talal Al-Hilali, Damascus Governor Maher Marwan Idlibi laid the foundation stone for Damascus Financial Center (DFC) project in Baramkeh neighborhood of central Damascus. SANA reporter sa»»»
President Iotova: No Reason to Doubt Defence Minister That No Weapons Stocks Are Available to Be Sent to Ukraine
At a news briefing on Thursday, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova said that she had no reason to doubt Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov's statement that there are currently no available weapons stocks to be sent to Ukraine. "The Defence Minister and, by extension, the government strictly adhere to»»»
'Hazardous materials incident' causes lockdown, evacuation at Pentagon - UPI.com
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on April 8. An air quality issue related to a hazardous materials incident has caused multiple floors to be locked down at the Pentagon on Thursday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June»»»
Israel releases Hamas co-founder after two years of detention: son
RAMALLAH: The son of a Hamas co-founder said that Israeli authorities released his father in the occupied West Bank on Thursday after holding him without trial for more than two years. Hassan Yousef, 71, was “freed near the southern West Bank city of Hebron” and taken to a hospital in Ramallah wher»»»
Deputy PM Poulev: Defence Industry Development Ranks Among Government Priorities
The current state of the defence industry, prospects for its development, and opportunities for expanding the partnership between the State and the business sector were discussed at a working meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Poulev an»»»
Court filing: White House UFC event costs more than $60M - UPI.com
1 of 4 | The Ultimate Fighting Championship arena is seen as preparations continue for the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. Court documents show the event will cost at least $60 million. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 11 (UPI) -- Ultimate Fighti»»»
PM Magyar on restricting guest workers: the goal is to give Hungarians jobs
Prime Minister Péter Magyar has defended his government’s plans to tighten restrictions on guest workers, insisting that Hungary’s labour shortages should be addressed through higher wages and better working conditions rather than increased reliance on foreign labour. PM Magyar says companies shoul»»»
Patriot Missile Shortage Exposes US Impotence as Security Guarantor – Expert
The US’ inability to deliver the Patriot missiles it promised to allies does not bode well for its reputation, former US Department of Defense analyst Karen Kwiatkowski tells Sputnik. The US showed that paying for US arms and even being a US ally does not make one a priority. “The priority is whate»»»
MPs to Request All Information Regarding KYB's Activities in Bulgaria from National Security Agency
The parliamentary Committee for Control of the Security Services, the Application and Use of the Special Intelligence Means and the Data Access under the Electronic Communications Act unanimously decided to request all information from the State Agency for National Security (SANS) regarding the KYB»»»
IMF Cuts 2026 Euro Zone Growth Forecast with Higher Inflation
The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for the euro zone on Thursday and raised its expectation for inflation because of the US-Israeli war on Iran, adding that the economic situation could worsen if high energy prices persisted. In its regular report on the economy of the 21 count»»»
Agreement signed to establish business council between Jordan, Kurdistan Region
AMMAN — The Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) board of directors met on Thursday with President of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kilan Haji Said, and head of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, to discuss boosting economic, trade and investmen»»»
US Treasury chief says to use Iranian funds to cover damage caused to Gulf allies
WASHINGTON, United States — US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed Thursday to use Iranian funds to pay for damages that the country causes on Gulf allies, warning of sharp economic consequences from Tehran's attacks."Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds e»»»
Pentagon locked down after hazardous materials incident
Part of the Pentagon went into lockdown on Thursday, a spokesman said, in response to what a local fire department described as a "hazardous materials incident" at the US military headquarters. The Arlington County Fire Department said in a post on X that it had units "including our Hazardous Mater»»»
1.3 million UN-registered refugees return to Syria in 2025
LONDON: Around 1.3 million people returned to Syria in 2025, marking one of the largest refugee return movements in the world in that year, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The number of Syrian refugees has now dropped to 4.9 million as more people have returned to their homes fo»»»
Djuric meets with Koopman
BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric met with Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood Gert Jan Koopman in Belgrade on Thursday, noting that it was important to keep the EU enlargement policy one of the priorities of EU institutions a»»»
Military Personnel Destroy Drone Parts Found by Fishing Vessels
Military personnel have destroyed parts of an unmanned aerial vehicle found by fishing vessels, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday. A specialized team from the Burgas Naval Base carried out reconnaissance of parts of a drone located 14 nautical miles east of Cape Kolokita. The drone debris had b»»»
Lockdown at Pentagon due to 'hazardous materials incident': officials
Washington, United States: Part of the Pentagon went into lockdown on Thursday, a spokesman said, in response to what a local fire department described as a "hazardous materials incident" at the US military headquarters. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said a "shelter-in-place order" had been issue»»»
KSrelief chief meets World Food Programme official
RIYADH: Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, met with Carl Skau, acting executive director of the UN World Food Programme, in Riyadh on Thursday. The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest related t»»»
Syria probes ministry cyberattack as sensitive documents appear online
DAMASCUS: Syria has said it is investigating a cyberattack that leaked sensitive information from the foreign ministry, with internal documents appearing on messaging app Telegram. In a statement carried by Syria’s official SANA news agency, the ministry said it had begun “taking the necessary meas»»»
Egypt Signs Deal to Transfer Shares in Wataniya 172 Fuel Stations to Taqa Arabia
Egypt signed an agreement on Thursday with Taqa Arabia to transfer ownership of a stake in 172 state-owned Wataniya fuel stations through a newly established company, Quick Fuel, according to a cabinet statement. Under the agreement, Taqa Arabia will acquire a 10% stake in Quick Fuel and will als»»»
FRA receives Black Caspian's MTO to acquire 90% of Alexandria Container Arab Finance For Information Technology
Arab Finance: The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has received the mandatory tender offer (MTO) submitted by UAE-based Black Caspian Logistics Holding Limited to acquire a 90% stake in Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company, according to a bourse filing. The transaction, announced in »»»
Rana back in Bangladesh T20 squad for Australia series
DHAKA: Bangladesh speedster Nahid Rana has been recalled to the T20 squad for a three-match home series against Australia after a nearly year-long absence, selectors announced Thursday. The 23-year-old Rana, who played his only T20 international against the UAE in May 2025, has been impressive in o»»»
Hong Kong customs seize $20m in fake goods ahead of the World Cup
HONG KONG: Just hours before the World Cup kicked off, Hong Kong authorities announced they seized 230,000 suspected counterfeit items worth an estimated $20 million, including jerseys tied to the tournament. The seizure included about 30,000 jerseys, some so finely made that they’re hard to distin»»»
Almost 500 people helped by Marib prosthetics center in May
MARIB: Almost 500 people in Yemen benefited from services provided by the prosthetics and rehabilitation center project in Marib governorate in May. The project, supported by Saudi aid agency KSrelief, delivered 1,559 services during the month. Of the total number of patients, 67 percent were male »»»
Portugal’s pigeon racers keep centuries-old sport aloft - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Racing pigeons, like this one in Portugal, participate in contests that range from 62 miles to more than 800 miles, testing speed and stamina across vast distances. Photo by Nelson Ferreira June 11 (UPI) -- As tourists in Portugal's historic city of Tomar dodge pigeons swooping for pastry »»»
US security officials on alert for World Cup 'lone wolf' attacks
Washington, United States: World Cup matches in the 11 US host cities will be "very secure," the country's top official overseeing tournament security said Thursday, though he voiced concern over lone wolf attacks, especially in public areas. "We feel like we're as safe as we can possibly be. But w»»»
Israel plans to build educational complex on site of UNRWA training college
LONDON: The Palestinian Authority denounced an Israeli plan to build an educational complex north of East Jerusalem on a site that has housed a vocational training college operated by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. The site is situated in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood, directly opposite»»»
Trump threatens to ‘take’ Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil hub - UPI.com
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States may take control of Iran’s oil and gas industries like it did in Venezuela earlier this year. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo June 11 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States may take control of Iran's»»»
Hormuz Shock Hits Gulf Economies, Saudi Arabia Takes Center Stage in 2026
The global economy is entering an extremely sensitive phase in 2026 amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have cast a heavy shadow over the fragile global recovery and reshaped the global credit and financial landscape. At the heart of these turbulent developments, Gulf Co»»»
PM Rumen Radev: Turkey Is a Key Partner for Bulgaria in Security, Energy, and Transport Connectivity
Rumen Radev said that Turkey is not only a neighboring and friendly country, but also a key partner for Bulgaria in several strategic areas, including security, migration, energy, and transport connectivity. He also highlighted emerging fields with strong potential for cooperation, such as hig»»»
Smuggled dinosaur fossils return to Mongolia after two decades
Mongolia: Mongolia has recovered a rare dinosaur skeleton and a trove of fossils illegally exported two decades ago, authorities said Wednesday, concluding years of efforts to return the palaeontological treasures. The collection includes a Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton, estimated to be more than 50 »»»
Somali referee banned by US to officiate European Super Cup: UEFA
Paris, France: Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, was on Thursday named to officiate UEFA's Super Cup, European football's governing body announced. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin poured praise on the Somali referee in a statement released a f»»»
'Probably' my last F1 race in Barcelona, says Alonso
Montmeló, Spain: Home favourite and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso said Thursday this weekend's Catalunya Grand Prix might be his final Formula One race in Barcelona. The Aston Martin driver, who turns 45 next month, has not announced any plans to retire, but with Barcelona set to alternat»»»
Pilots demand answers ahead of Air India crash anniversary
Mumbai: India’s aviation accident probe agency is facing renewed criticism from pilot groups ahead of the anniversary of the 2025 Air India Boeing-787 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. Families of the victims had expected a final report by Friday to explain the cause of the disaster - ex»»»
Investigation into MRF Chair Peevski's Assets Is Underway, Says Interior Minister
An investigation is underway into the assets of Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Chair Delyan Peevski, said Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev at a briefing on Thursday. Part of the investigation will look into expenses that Peevski made personally or that were made by other people but ultima»»»
Vance Boelter to plead guilty to Minnesota lawmaker murders - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Vance Luther Boelter, the man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers, is planning to plead guilty Thursday. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety/Facebook June 11 (UPI) -- Vance Boelter, the man accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, will plea»»»
Dubai Police sets global benchmark in child protection
Dubai: Dubai Police has achieved a major international milestone in child protection by becoming the first law enforcement agency in the Middle East and North Africa — and the second globally after Norway — to join the European Barnahus Network. The membership was secured by the Child and Woman Pro»»»