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LIVE: Trump says Iran requested Doha meeting Tuesday, Tehran denies

LOS ANGELES: The San Francisco archdiocese announced a $395 million settlement on Monday with more than 500 people who say clergy in the California jurisdiction sexually abused them, in many cases as minors. Many of the cases go back decades and the statute of limitations had expired, but California passed a law giving complainants an extra three-year window from early 2020 to the end of 2022 to seek charges. The settlement must still be approved by an association of abuse victims and a judge. The archdiocese also agreed to devise a 14-point reform plan designed in part to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy. The settlement marked the latest case of the Catholic Church making amends around the world in recent decades for sexual abuse of minors by its clergy. Under the deal announced Monday, the archdiocese in the northern California city will be required to turn over internal church records to an independent consultant for a report on abuses that were committed. It will be published on the archdiocese website, said Jeff Anderson, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs. &quot;We believe this proposal provides a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have borne the weight of this abuse for a lifetime,&quot; Salvatore Cordileone, the archbishop of San Francisco, said in a statement. &quot;We accept full responsibility for what happened, and I sincerely apologize to all those who have been harmed,&quot; he added. Margie O&#39;Driscoll, one of the complainants, said she was sexually abused in a Catholic high school more than 50 years ago. &quot;I, like every survivor, have carried this pain and shame along like a ball and chain for a very, very long time,&quot; she said at a press conference. &quot;I think today shame is going to change sides,&quot; she added. Under other points of the agreement, a partial list of clergy who committed abuses will be published and a sexual abuse hotline will be created to flag future abuses.

The San Francisco archdiocese announced a $395M settlement on Monday with more than 500 people who say clergy in the California jurisdiction sexually abused them, in many cases as minors.

San Francisco archdiocese announces $395M sexual abuse settlement

Asfandyar Yahya

In this episode of Tell Me Why, we answer a curious question: how can a friend tickle you breathless, but your own hands do nothing? Blame the cerebellum, it&rsquo;s your brain&#39;s prediction engine that mutes the sensation before you even touch your skin. But scientists found the loophole: a 0.2-second delay fools the system, and suddenly you can tickle yourself.

Tell Me Why

In this episode of Tell Me Why, we answer a curious question: how can a friend tickle you breathless, but your own hands do nothing?

Tell Me Why: Self-tickling fails

WASHINGTON: The World Bank on Monday extended its climate change policy framework indefinitely but dropped its targets for the percentage of financing that must have climate-related impacts, according to a statement. &quot;We will complete our shift from inputs to outcomes to maximize development impact,&quot; said a World Bank Group statement. &quot;We will&nbsp;retire&nbsp;the 45-percent climate co-benefits target and the 35-percent target in the (Climate Change Action Plan),&quot; it said. The United States, the World Bank&#39;s largest shareholder, has abruptly changed policy on climate change under President Donald Trump, who has called it a &quot;hoax&quot; and ramped up spending on fossil fuels. In April, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for the bank to drop its climate finance targets, saying it &quot;breeds inefficiency, distorts economic decision-making, and moves the bank away from its core mission.&quot; The World Bank statement said that further work on climate change outcomes would be driven by demand from client countries. The bank&#39;s yearly climate financing targets under its Climate Change Action Plans (CCAPs) have largely been reached since work on the area began in 2016. In 2025, 48 percent of the World Bank Group&#39;s financing had &quot;climate co-benefits,&quot; amounting to roughly $50.8 billion, according to official data. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that climate change is indisputably attributable to human activity, and in particular to the burning of fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal), especially since the end of the 19th century. Under Trump, however, there has been a widespread official rejection of climate change as a manmade phenomenon, with the administration embracing high-polluting fossil fuels and shelving renewable energy projects. Since taking office for his second term, Trump has also exerted pressure on global institutions and other countries to lessen their focus on climate change. One of the main causes of global warming is the enhanced greenhouse effect, caused by greenhouse gases (GHGs) that persist in the atmosphere. The World Bank will continue to report on net greenhouse gas emissions and on the percentage of its projects that have a climate-change impact, the statement said. The World Bank&#39;s work is primarily focused on developing countries, which are least responsible for global warming. Climate financing for these countries includes loans for renewable energy projects, technical advice on dealing with impacts of climate change, and projects that build resilience in areas prone to natural disasters.

Climate

The World Bank on Monday extended its climate change policy framework indefinitely but dropped its targets for the percentage of financing that must have climate-related impacts, according to a statement.

World Bank drops climate finance targets in renewed action plan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday welcomed the first financial closing of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL), describing it as a historic milestone in the country&rsquo;s privatization journey and a major step forward in the government&rsquo;s economic reform agenda. Congratulating the nation, PM Sharif, in a statement, said the successful completion of the first closing demonstrates that complex and strategic transactions can be executed transparently, competitively, and on time through a whole-of-government approach.&nbsp; He said the achievement sends a strong message to domestic and international investors that Pakistan is open for business, committed to reforms, and ready for sustainable economic growth.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2071614053844488481&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=20fb3149a22aa3a5338edcf3162e5597d8ec17f2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Shehbaz Sharif said the first financial closing marks the beginning of a new chapter for PIA and brings the national flag carrier closer to regaining its past glory.&nbsp; He assured that the government remains committed to protecting the interests of employees, passengers, and consumers while ensuring a smooth transition and uninterrupted airline operations under all applicable aviation laws and regulatory oversight. The Prime Minister commended Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and his team, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Adviser on Privatization Muhammad Ali, members of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization, and the Privatisation Commission for their collective efforts in making the transaction successful. Earlier, in a statement, the Privatisation Commission announced that management control of PIACL has formally been transferred to the investor consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited after fulfilling all conditions under the Share Purchase and Subscription Agreement (SPSA).&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2071576474705121310&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=20fb3149a22aa3a5338edcf3162e5597d8ec17f2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The restructured board has appointed Lt Gen (Retd) Anwar Ali Haider as Chairman of the privatized airline. According to a statement from the the commission, over 40 regulatory, commercial, contractual, taxation, governance, and financing conditions were completed before the first closing, including approvals from domestic and international aviation authorities and aircraft lessors. PIA also made a similar statement separately towards the Monday evening. Under the agreement, the investor consortium has paid Rs 10 billion to the government as sale proceeds and injected Rs 80 billion as fresh equity into PIACL. The investment will strengthen the airline&rsquo;s financial position, support fleet expansion and modernization, enhance operational performance, expand the route network, and improve customer services. The Arif Habib-led consortium acquired a 75 percent stake in PIACL for Rs135 billion during the competitive bidding process completed in December 2025.

Economy

Privatization Commission announces the formal transfer of management control of PIACL to the investor consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited after fulfilling all conditions under the Share Purchase and Subscription Agreement

PM Sharif hails historic first financial closing of PIA privatization

PARIS: The hundreds of millions who use Meta-owned messenger WhatsApp to chat with family, friends or businesses will no longer need to share phone numbers under a coming update, the company said Monday. Instead, people will be able to pick unique usernames to share with others, in a move &quot;designed to protect the privacy of your phone number,&quot; WhatsApp said in a statement. Restricting access to phone numbers would mean they are not shared automatically in cases such as being added to a large group chat or messaging person or business for the first time, the company added. What&#39;s more &quot;there&#39;s no directory to browse and no suggestions, so people need to know your exact username to contact you,&quot; Meta said. As with other social media services, the sheer number of people Meta claims over three billion using WhatsApp means many may not get their first choice of handle. The company said it would gradually roll out username reservations worldwide &quot;over the coming months&quot;, notifying users in each country when they open there. Meanwhile &quot;creators, small businesses and organizations&quot; will be allowed to claim WhatsApp usernames that they already use on fellow Meta products Facebook or Instagram.

Artificial Intelligence

WhatsApp introduces unique usernames, allowing users to connect without sharing phone numbers. The update enhances privacy, has no searchable directory, and rolls out globally over the coming months, while creators and businesses can reserve existing Meta usernames.

WhatsApp messenger to begin offering usernames

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani man from the north-eastern city of Gujrat&nbsp;has been honored by Italian authorities for displaying exceptional courage after rescuing two children from a violent attacker in the northern city of Brescia, despite having undergone heart surgery just three months earlier. The Saudi-born 39-year-old Naveed Aslam, who works as a delivery courier in Italy, was recognized by the Mayor of Brescia with a civic plaque for his brave actions during an incident on June 19. According to reports, Aslam was spending time with his family at a local park when a man, reportedly under house arrest and suffering from a drug-induced psychiatric episode, attacked children nearby. The assailant first grabbed a four-year-old Egyptian boy by the neck before targeting a seven-year-old child moments later. Without hesitation, Aslam intervened to protect the children. Despite recently receiving a cardiac pacemaker following a serious heart condition, he restrained the attacker for nearly 20 minutes until police arrived. Recalling the incident, Aslam said he drew strength from the values instilled in him by his mother. &ldquo;If anyone is in trouble or facing hardship, you must help them. This is what my mother taught me,&rdquo; he said. He also revealed that his wife had tried to stop him from intervening due to concerns about his health, but he believed it was his responsibility to protect innocent children. Following the incident, medical examinations confirmed that although Aslam suffered bruising to his chest during the struggle, his pacemaker remained undamaged. On Friday, Brescia Mayor Laura Castelletti presented Aslam with a civic award, praising his &ldquo;heartfelt and courageous gesture.&rdquo;&nbsp; She also announced that his pending Italian citizenship application would be expedited in recognition of his exemplary civic spirit. Originally from Pakistan, Aslam spent the first 26 years of his life in Riyadh before moving to Pakistan and later settling in Italy seven years ago. After receiving the honor, Aslam said making his parents proud meant more to him than public recognition or the prospect of Italian citizenship. &ldquo;I have made my mother&rsquo;s and father&rsquo;s names shine with pride,&rdquo; he said, while his mother watched the ceremony virtually from Gujrat in Punjab province of Pakistan.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">&nbsp;<hr style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; border-style: solid; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; height: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, &quot;system-ui&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, &quot;system-ui&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This article was initially published on Arab News&#39; website on June 29, 2026.

Europe

A Pakistani delivery worker receives a civic award from Italy after rescuing two children from a violent attacker in Brescia, restraining the assailant despite recent heart surgery.

Pakistani man honored in Italy for heroic rescue of children

Ayesha Mir

ISLAMABAD: A grinding energy crisis gripped global markets following the military blockade and closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But as world economies scrambled for a lifeline, a hidden maritime bypass emerged: one completely outside Iran&#39;s grip and entirely under Oman&#39;s control.&nbsp;The strait is 33 kilometers (20 miles) wide at its narrowest point, with Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south. Before the war, there was one designated passage, agreed between Iran and Oman in 1968 and officially approved by the International Maritime Organization. After the US and Israel attacked Iran, however, Tehran announced it had mined the strait and suspended all traffic.&nbsp;The northern route skims the Iranian coastline, which Iran controls and has reportedly been using to demand tolls per ship in transit.&nbsp;The alternative, known as the Omani Corridor, is a southern bypass hugging the UAE coastline, bending around Oman&#39;s Musandam Peninsula, a narrow strip of land jutting into the strait from the south, before exiting into open water. Ships passing through remain in Omani territorial waters the entire time.&nbsp;The passage has an official name: the Inshore Traffic Zone. Prior to 1979, it was the main shipping channel through the strait, used before the Iranian Revolution reorganized traffic northward. Oman has since formally reopened it to all commercial traffic, including supertankers.&nbsp;Ships were already using the route before any official announcement. A review of vessel movements on June 19 and 20 showed ships had begun keeping further south, wholly within Omani waters. When Oman formally announced the reopening, the terms were clear: no tolls, tracking systems on and coordinated with the IMO. By June 25, 70 ships had used the corridor in a single day.&nbsp;Two days later, the US Navy&#39;s Joint Maritime Information Center widened the route to accommodate traffic in both directions.&nbsp;Iran&#39;s response was swiftThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the corridor had been announced without consulting Tehran and called it &quot;unacceptable and a serious safety risk.&quot; Hours later, the cargo ship Ever Lovely, stranded in the Gulf for over a hundred days, took the Omani route and was struck by a projectile. The IMO immediately suspended its evacuation of 11,000 stranded seafarers while the US launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian military targets.&nbsp;Ships are encouraged, though not required, to coordinate with the US Navy, which says it continues to provide stabilizing oversight in the corridor.&nbsp;On Monday, Iran and Oman held their first formal meeting of the new Joint Hormuz Committee in Muscat, directly negotiating the strait&#39;s future.&nbsp;Whether the Omani route can serve as a permanent alternative remains doubtful. It is too narrow to accommodate the full flow of traffic, and increased crowding increases the risk of collisions. The real fix is clearing the main lane of mines, a process that could take anywhere from 40 days to six months.

Asia

A military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global energy markets, prompting Oman to reopen its southern "Inshore Traffic Zone" as an alternative shipping route. While the corridor restored limited maritime traffic, its narrow capacity means it cannot replace the main strait permanently.

The hidden Omani corridor in the Strait of Hormuz

KINSHASA:&nbsp;A deadly Ebola outbreak has spread to a fourth province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, meaning the country&#39;s entire northeast home to around 15 million people is affected. So far, the epidemic has claimed 360 lives out of 1,274 confirmed cases, according to figures from the World Health Organization. The DRC declared its 17th outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic fever on May 15. This time, it is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment. Clinical trials are set to begin in the coming days, according to the WHO, which has issued an international alert over the disease. The conflict-hit Ituri province is the epicentre of the outbreak, reporting 1,165 cases and 301 deaths, according to health authorities. Scientists and aid workers say the real numbers are likely higher. Until now, two other provinces had been affected: North Kivu and South Kivu. Twenty cases, including two deaths, have also been reported across the border in Uganda. Haut-Uele, bordering South Sudan and the Central African Republic, is now the fourth affected province. One case was detected after an infected person travelled from Bunia, Ituri&#39;s capital, into Haut-Uele, according to a source at the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB). That person has since died, another health source told AFP. Authorities are now trying to trace the chain of transmission and identify contacts. In many cases, the virus has spread at funerals, where the highly infectious bodies of Ebola victims are handled. For weeks, aid workers, facing mistrust among local communities, have struggled to plan safe burials in affected areas to prevent contact with the dead. In the DRC, as in much of Africa, funerals often last several days, during which family and friends traditionally touch the body of the deceased. Health centres have reported incidents of angry confrontations after relatives demanded they hand over the bodies of their family member.

the Ebola Treatment Center of the Center Médical Évangélique (CME), in Bunia, Ituri, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Benediction MURHABAZI / AFP)

Africa

A deadly Ebola outbreak spreads to a fourth province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing 360 people among 1,274 confirmed cases. The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine, while authorities race to trace infections and contain transmission.

Ebola outbreak in DR Congo spreads to fourth province

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hosting the first-ever international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad on Tuesday, bringing together renowned water and legal experts from around the world to highlight Islamabad&rsquo;s rights under the landmark water-sharing agreement. Announcing the seminar at a news conference in Islamabad on Monday, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said the event would address various legal and technical aspects of the treaty and raise international awareness of Pakistan&#39;s water rights.&nbsp; Titled &ldquo;Indus Water Treaty: An Instrument of Peace &amp; Regional Stability,&rdquo; the seminar&rsquo;s first two sessions will be addressed by Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Besides, several foreign delegates, water experts, engineers, foreign dignitaries, former ministers and government functionaries would speak and present papers during the three sessions of the one-day seminar, which is being described as the first of its kind. &ldquo;The global community has consistently acknowledged Pakistan&#39;s position on the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a significant success for the country in the narrative domain,&rdquo; said the minister, who will deliver the opening address at the seminar. Emphasizing that the treaty cannot be unilaterally revoked, suspended or amended by any one party, Tarar said, &ldquo;Pakistan&#39;s rights under the agreement remain legally protected.&rdquo; Reaffirming the government&#39;s commitment to safeguarding the country&#39;s water interests, the information minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir have declared water Pakistan&#39;s lifeline and red line. Speaking at the news conference, Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik said that Pakistan has consistently raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty at international fora, including the United Nations and that the Court of Arbitration has also upheld Pakistan&#39;s legal position.&nbsp; He reiterated that Pakistan would not allow any attempt to obstruct or divert its share of water under the treaty. Dr Malik stressed the importance of developing a national consensus on constructing dams to enhance water storage capacity and ensure reliable water supplies for agriculture. He said regulating water resources through additional reservoirs was essential for the country&#39;s long-term water security.

Foreign Affairs

The one-day seminar on June 30 will examine various legal and technical aspects of the IWT and raise international awareness of Pakistan's water rights; foreign delegates, water experts, engineers, foreign dignitaries, former ministers and government functionaries will address participants.

LIVE: Trump says Iran requested Doha meeting Tuesday, Tehran denies

Latest News

LIVE: Trump says Iran requested Doha meeting Tuesday, Tehran denies

San Francisco archdiocese announces $395M sexual abuse settlement

Tell Me Why: Self-tickling fails

World Bank drops climate finance targets in renewed action plan

PM Sharif hails historic first financial closing of PIA privatization