Donald Trump has privately urged Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a ‘softer touch’ in Lebanon, signaling growing US unease over civilian casualties and the risk of wider regional conflict. The quiet pressure comes as American envoys prepare to return to the region for fresh ceasefire talks.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has branded his squad the World Cup’s ‘most oppressed’ team after they were forced to fly back to Tijuana hours after Monday’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand. Captain Mehdi Taremi called the rushed departure ‘a disaster,’ as political tensions continued to overshadow Iran’s tournament.
The cost of Trump’s White House ballroom has soared to €516 million, with US taxpayers covering nearly half, reports say. The project began after Trump demolished the historic East Wing without consulting Congress.
FIFA has cleared Australian referee Shaun Evans following allegations that he made a white supremacist hand gesture during the Women’s World Cup. Evans denied any intent to convey a message of any kind.
Belgium were seconds from a shock World Cup 2026 defeat before Lois Openda’s 94th-minute header rescued a 2-2 draw against Egypt in a stunning Group G opener at SoFi Stadium. Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed had put the Pharaohs in control, but Romelu Lukaku and Openda dragged the Red Devils back from the brink.
France’s coalition government is on the brink after a second failed budget vote, while record heat smashes temperature records across the Mediterranean. Here are the biggest stories from June 13th, 2026.
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in a tightly contested World Cup group match, with a 63rd-minute goal proving the difference. Ecuador pushed hard for an equalizer but couldn’t find a breakthrough.
Global forced displacement has fallen for the first time in ten years, UN officials announced Thursday. But more than 120 million people remain uprooted, trapped in prolonged exile with little hope of rebuilding their lives.
EU member states rejected proposed pesticide regulations in a crucial vote this week, dealing a blow to Brussels’ environmental agenda. The deadlock reflects growing political resistance to Green Deal initiatives across the continent.
Safe blood saves lives every day, from mothers in childbirth to accident victims. But a new WHO report shows access remains dangerously unequal across the world.
