'I'm not the Godfather' Albania's PM Says
Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has dismissed accusations leveled against him during recent weeks of protests, sparked by the $4 billion luxury project linked to Jared Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump. In an interview for Financial Times, Rama denied claims that he is the "Godfather" behind a»»»
H5 bird flu detected in second Australia state
Sydney: Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu strain in a second Australian state, the nation's agriculture minister said on Wednesday. Australia was for years the only continental landmass to be free of the H5 strain, which has caused severe disease and high death rates in pou»»»
Oil extends slide on expectations of smoother crude flows via Hormuz
SINGAPORE: Oil prices fell more than 1 percent on Wednesday, extending this week’s losses and trading near four-month lows, on signs that more oil tankers stranded in the Gulf are set to move out of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell 78 cents, or 1 percent, at $76.30 a barrel as of 06»»»
Trump calls for probe into gasoline price ‘gouging’
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has instructed the Department of Justice to look into oil companies for not lowering gasoline pump prices in line with falling crude costs, and accused the companies of “gouging” customers. Trump did not name any companies in his social media po»»»
Messi-Mbappe duel pushes World Cup boundaries again
Doha, Qatar: Something changed on Planet Football on December 18, 2022. Whilst that date will forever be remembered as the day Argentina won their third FIFA World Cup, it also marked a turning point for two of the greatest footballers in the history of the competition, for on that night in Lusail,»»»
Women’s Religious Outreach Unit organises ‘Sakan’ programme to promote stable marriages
Doha, Qatar: As part of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ efforts to strengthen family stability and promote social cohesion, the Women’s Religious Outreach Unit of the Department of Da’wah and Religious Guidance organised the “Sakan” programme, a specialised awareness and training initiat»»»
QGIRCO named ‘Most Innovative Motor Insurance Company in Qatar 2026’
Doha: Qatar General Insurance & Reinsurance Company (QGIRCO) has been awarded the title of ‘Most Innovative Motor Insurance Company in Qatar 2026’ by the internationally recognised publication, Global Business Outlook. The award honours QGIRCO’s continued investment in digital transformation, makin»»»
Rawajeh Group and Flow partner to develop and operate branded residential communities in Saudi Arabia
Rawajeh Group, the leading Saudi investment and real estate development entity, and Flow, a global real estate brand and operator with an established presence in the Kingdom, have announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement that establishes an integrated model combining professional »»»
Trump calls for probe into gasoline price ‘gouging’
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has instructed the Department of Justice to look into oil companies for not lowering gasoline pump prices in line with falling crude costs, and accused the companies of “gouging” customers.Trump did not name any companies in his social media pos»»»
UAE weather alert: Heavy rain, strong winds and dust reduce visibility in Al Ain through Thursday
The UAE has issued a weather alert for the Al Ain region, warning of periods of rainfall and strong winds through Thursday that could lead to reduced visibility and hazardous driving conditions. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said Al Ain is expected to experience convective cloud formatio»»»
Rawajeh Group and Flow partner to develop and operate branded residential communities in Saudi Arabia
Rawajeh Group, the leading Saudi investment and real estate development entity, and Flow, a global real estate brand and operator with an established presence in the Kingdom, have announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement that establishes an integrated model combining professional »»»
Lebanese on the edge of Israel’s occupation live with fear and rising tensions
JDEIDAT MARJAYOUN, Lebanon: Looking out from a friend’s balcony, Milia el-Cheikh struggled to find her own home in the ruins of her now-deserted village, its entrances strung with barbed wire. Her village of Dibbine is one of several Shiite-majority communities across southern Lebanon destroyed by »»»
Israel, Lebanon discuss pilot project for transfer of some southern territory to Lebanese army
JERUSALEM: Israel and Lebanon are discussing a US-backed pilot project under which Israeli troops would hand over control of some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to three Israeli officials. The officials said the Lebanese troops involved would undergo»»»
Necessity drives gold miners in DR Congo’s Ebola epicenter
MONGBWALU: In the mines of Mongbwalu, the epicenter of an Ebola outbreak in the northeastern Democratic Republic Congo, gold prospectors have no choice but to overcome their fear of the virus and carry on their backbreaking work.“Ebola is real and it scares us. But if I stay at home, what are my ch»»»
AD Ports deepens shipping bet with Dh1.1b GFS stake deal
Dubai: AD Ports Group has acquired an additional 30% stake in Global Feeder Shipping for Dh1.1 billion, raising its ownership in the Dubai-based container feeder shipping company to 81% as it moves to strengthen control over one of its key maritime assets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter,»»»
Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi joins as Chairman of Agentic AI firm AIREV as UAE advances ambition to export homegrown artificial intelligence
AIREV has announced that Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, has assumed the chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the UAE-based AI company behind OnDemand, a sovereign-grade agentic AI operating system engineered in the UAE and deployed in markets worldwide. The move alig»»»
Senate approves war powers resolution to halt war with Iran - UPI.com
President Donald Trump enters the White House North Portico on Tuesday, the same day the Republican-controlled Senate passed a resolution ordering the end of U.S. hostilities with Iran unless he receives Congress' approval for the war. File Photo by Allison Robbert/UPI | License Photo June 24 (UPI)»»»
Dubai Police: elderly in fraud web, believed cash real
Dubai: An elderly man spent months trapped in an sophisticated fraud scheme, repeatedly handing over money to criminals who convinced him that a safe filled with black coloured banknotes could be transformed into genuine currency using a special chemical. The victim became so deeply invested in the»»»
Savannah Guthrie's mother may be dead, according to note from kidnappers
“Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie made an emotional on-air appeal on Tuesday for information about her mother, who disappeared from her Arizona home nearly five months ago, a day after reports revealed a previously undisclosed note suggesting the missing 84-year-old may have died shortly after her a»»»
Oman opens temporary maritime corridor in Strait of Hormuz to safeguard global shipping
Oman has announced the opening of a temporary maritime corridor for vessels seeking to transit the Strait of Hormuz, in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as part of efforts to ensure the continued flow of global shipping through one of the world's most critical waterw»»»
Saudi Arabia issues week-long dust storm warning along Red Sea coast From Jeddah to Jazan
Saudi Arabia's National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) has issued a weather alert warning of dust-generating winds along the Kingdom's western coastline through July 1, with visibility expected to deteriorate significantly in some areas. The NCM said strong surface winds would affect the Red Sea coas»»»
Saudi Arabia approves bylaws allowing wider foreign ownership of real estate to boost investment
Saudi Arabia's Cabinet has approved executive regulations governing real estate ownership by non-Saudis, a move that further opens the Kingdom's property market to foreign investors and businesses as part of its economic diversification drive. The Council of Ministers on Tuesday endorsed the execut»»»
Lebanese on the edge of Israel’s occupation live with fear and rising tensions
JDEIDAT MARJAYOUN, Lebanon: Looking out from a friend’s balcony, Milia el-Cheikh struggled to find her own home in the ruins of her now-deserted village, its entrances strung with barbed wire.Her village of Dibbine is one of several Shiite-majority communities across southern Lebanon destroyed by I»»»
Dubai gold is cheaper now, but buyers may still need to move carefully
Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai fell further on Wednesday morning, giving jewellery buyers a good price break after rates pulled back from the highs seen earlier this month. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and India.) Sign up for our d»»»
Qatar unveils Digital Transformation Program to build national talent
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has launched the Digital Transformation Program as part of the Government Scholarship Plan for the 2026-2027 academic year, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Civil Service and Gove»»»
UN nuclear agency boss signals that inspectors will visit Iran’s nuclear sites
TOKYO: The head of the UN’s nuclear agency on Wednesday signaled that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his inspectors, a key component in the interim deal between the United States and Iran to reach an end to the war. International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi»»»
Trump Lashes out over Senate Vote to Curb Iran War Powers
“So, I have Iran on the ‘ropes,’ ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything... and the U.S. Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act Vote,” US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump was commenting on the Senate vote aimed at limit»»»
US War on Venezuela Has Paid off '28 Times' With Venezuelan Oil — Trump
US President Donald Trump said the US had already recovered the cost of its war on Venezuela “28 times” through Venezuelan oil, adding that the US is “making a lot of money, too.” “48 minutes to win that war,” Trump said. “We brought millions of barrels of oil out.”The figure marks a shift from Tru»»»
Top Army general who was last US soldier to leave Afghanistan is suddenly leaving his post
WASHINGTON: The Army’s commander of its forces in Europe and Africa — who was famously the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021 — is unexpectedly stepping down from his post after just 18 months in the job, the Army confirmed late Tuesday. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general »»»
South African prisons open art galleries to showcase inmates’ work
JOHANNESBURG: When most people think of prison, they picture steel bars, locked gates and lost freedom. But at a correctional facility in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, visitors are greeted by something unexpected: an art gallery. The exhibition of inmates’ artwork is part of the countr»»»
Hanoi residents mount silent protest over home demolitions
HANOI: Silent prayer vigils, cautiously worded protest banners and T-shirts pleading for neighborhoods to be spared — Hanoi residents are showing rare public opposition to a massive redevelopment scheme that could displace hundreds of thousands. Authorities in Vietnam’s capital have been on a demol»»»
Japan PM heckled at WWII memorial
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was heckled at a World War II memorial event by protesters angry about Tokyo’s further shift away from its decades-long pacifist stance, television footage showed. Close US ally Japan in April loosened rules on lethal arms exports and Takaichi, long see»»»
Emirates to inspect A380 jets after Airbus wing crack concerns
Dubai: Dubai’s flagship Emirates will begin inspections of its Airbus A380 aircraft within the next 48 hours after European aviation regulators ordered urgent checks of the superjumbo’s wing structure following the discovery of cracks during routine maintenance inspections. The airline said it woul»»»
The fall of Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer was always a curious choice for Labour Party leader; he never got the hang of politics and often gave the impression he didn’t want to. Britain’s former chief prosecutor imperceptibly rose up the party ranks at a time when Labour was desperate for someone with the basic commodity of co»»»
US Senate Votes to Halt Trump’s Iran War Powers — Reports
The US Senate voted 50–48 to approve a measure aimed at blocking further military action against Iran unless Congress authorizes it, American media reported. Four Republicans joined Democrats in backing the resolution, marking another political blow to President Donald Trump after the House passed »»»
Imamoglu trial hears of strip search ordeal at Istanbul police station
Fatos Pinar Turker, general manager of Istanbul Municipality’s Medya media and communications unit, raised allegations of police station strip searches during a court hearing held at Silivri Prison, according to local media reports. Turkey is not unfamiliar with claims of torture by law enforcement»»»
New initiative launched to redirect Gulf energy flows away from Strait toward Mediterranean
The extended disruption caused by the US-Iran conflict highlights a need for diversifying energy export routes to reduce dependency on shipping via the Strait of Hormuz. A new initiative launched by the Washington, DC-based New Lines Institute seeks to develop Syria and Turkey into major energy dis»»»
Turkey’s foreign minister meets Trump’s co-in-law 'fixer' in Cairo
Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan met with Donald Trump’s co-in-law Massad Boulos in Cairo, the Turkish ministry (@TC_Disisleri) said in a tweet on June 21. Fidan was in Cairo during June 20-21 to attend the fourth meeting of the top diplomats of Turkey, Egypt, Pak»»»
UK, Indian, Australian and Egyptian buyers led betterhomes’ latest data
Dubai: British nationals were the top buyers of Dubai property ahead of Indian, Australian and Egyptian buyers, as international demand continues to support the emirate’s residential market despite tighter bank checks and a more selective lending environment. Sign up for our daily business newslett»»»
Who is Keir Starmer’s replacement, Andy Burnham?
British Labour MP Andy Burnham looks set to be airdropped into Downing Street to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He’s promising “renewal for our party and our country,” after the sitting prime minister effectively burned the greatest parliamentary majority in over a hundred years with scandals»»»
UAE traffic update: Heavy congestion on Emirates Road, SMBZ Road and key Sharjah routes
Dubai: Heavy congestion was reported across several key routes during the morning peak on Wednesday, June 24, as commuters experienced delays on major highways linking Sharjah and Dubai. Traffic was particularly heavy on Emirates Road, Dubai-bound near the Sharjah Grand Mosque area, with vehicles m»»»
Mamdani-backed progressives win in N.Y. as states hold primaries - UPI.com
1 of 4 | New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has endorsed three candidates in New York Democratic primary races on Tuesday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo June 23 (UPI) -- Mamdani-backed progressives scored big wins Tuesday night in New York state's Democratic primary, as voters cast ba»»»
Pro-EU sentiment remains strong across Eastern Partnership countries, but divides widen
Public support for European Union membership remains robust across much of the EU’s eastern neighbourhood, with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova showing particularly high levels of trust and optimism, according to a series of 2026 surveys released under the EUNEIGHBOURS East programme. The annual polls»»»
Bosnia gas pipeline risks deepening political rifts, think-tank says
A planned EU-backed gas pipeline linking Bosnia & Herzegovina to Croatia could intensify political divisions within the country rather than easing its energy vulnerabilities, according to a new analysis by the Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute (BISI), which also questions the trans»»»
Oil prices extend slide: Brent crude falls below $77 as Iran ceasefire holds, Strait of Hormuz fears ease
Crude oil prices extended losses in Asian trading on Wednesday (June 24) as easing fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East outweighed lingering geopolitical tensions, with traders betting that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran would hold and keep oil flowing through the Strait of»»»
US Congress passes symbolic Iran war rebuke to Trump
The US Senate passed a largely symbolic resolution Tuesday calling for an end to President Donald Trump's war with Iran, delivering a fresh rebuke to the White House as it tries to negotiate a lasting settlement with Tehran. The House-passed measure, adopted by the Senate in a 50-48 vote, directs T»»»
Geagea receives a letter from Vance, assuring him of US support for Lebanon’s legitimate authority – Ya Libnan
Share: Photo Illustration : Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance Dr. Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, received a response from U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance regarding the letter he had sent concerning the situation in Lebanon, chall»»»
RAGOZIN: "Russia Is Losing" — We've heard this before
Ukrainian drone strikes on transport links and fuel depots have succeeded in creating acute fuel shortages and blackouts across the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. Additionally, an attack on the Kapotnya oil refinery in Moscow last week has produced spectacular footage of fumes rising above the»»»
UAE braces for rain clouds, dust and fog as temperatures climb to 48°C
The UAE is expected to see a mix of rain-bearing clouds, blowing dust, humid conditions and fog through the weekend, while temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 48°C in inland areas, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). The NCM said Wednesday's weather would be fair to par»»»
South Africa's MTN eyes Iran exit as potential US sanctions relief hopes revive
MTN Group (JSE: MTN), Africa's largest mobile operator by subscribers, said it would welcome any easing of tensions between the United States and Iran amid reports that diplomatic discussions could eventually pave the way for sanctions relief and potentially unlock the South African company's long-»»»