Mena Today

The United States expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran would go ahead in Pakistan and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining, but significant hurdles and uncertainty remained as the end of a ceasefire loomed.  

With global energy markets in turmoil and the world scrambling for alternatives to Gulf supplies, Algeria has moved decisively, launching an international bidding round for new hydrocarbon concessions at precisely the right moment.

The Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza told Reuters on Monday that he was “fairly optimistic” a plan for disarmament of Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza can be agreed but cautioned that it will still take time.

Romania's ruling Social Democrats voted to withdraw their support for Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Monday and called on him to resign, likely triggering months of instability that will jeopardise EU funds and the country's credit rating.

Pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev has won Bulgaria's parliamentary election by a landslide, official results showed on Monday, crushing long-dominant political forces and possibly pushing the EU and NATO member state closer to Moscow.

Ships were largely avoiding the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after an escalation at the weekend in which Iran fired what appeared to be warning shots at vessels and the U.S. military seized an Iranian cargo ship.

In a characteristically combative post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump has pushed back against media narratives surrounding the conflict with Iran, while doubling down on his conviction that Tehran must never acquire a nuclear weapon and openly calling for regime change.

Vice President JD Vance is still in the United States and has not yet departed for Pakistan, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, as prospects for a second round of negotiations with Iran remain unclear.

Israeli and Lebanese representatives will hold talks in Washington on Thursday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson and an Israeli source speaking on the condition of anonymity told Reuters on Monday.

Iran rejected new peace talks with the United States, its state news agency reported on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump had said he was sending envoys to Pakistan for talks and would strike Iran unless it accepted his terms.

The party of Bulgaria's pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev is set to win Sunday's parliamentary vote, exit polls show, after campaigning to stamp out corruption and end a spiral of weak, short-lived governments, although at it stands he will need coalition partners to run a majority government. 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Sunday that Madrid will formally ask the European Union on Tuesday to suspend its association agreement with Israel, accusing Jerusalem of violating international law.