International News from Friday, June 19th, 2026

A train driver was killed and dozens more injured in a collision between two commuter services about 60 miles (100 km) north of London on Friday afternoon.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused her one-time close ally Donald Trump of fabricating a story about her on Friday, after the US President told an Italian TV channel that she had "begged" him to take a photo with her at the G7 summit.

Norway is imposing a near ban on the use of generative AI tools by elementary school pupils while also restricting their use in the education of older children to prevent a negative impact on learning, the country's prime minister said on Friday.

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire beginning at 4:00 PM (1300 GMT) on Friday, a US official said, after an escalation in hostilities in Lebanon sorely tested the US-Iranian interim deal to end the wider Middle East conflict.

Afghanistan said on Friday it had launched airstrikes on hideouts of militants in two Pakistani provinces, an assertion swiftly rejected by Islamabad, months after the neighbours engaged in their worst conflict in years.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday he would not walk away from his job, vowing to fight any challenge from his leading party rival Andy Burnham and potentially ushering in a new bout of political instability.

Telegram on Friday lost its bid to overturn an Indian government order temporarily banning the messaging app, with a New Delhi court ruling that the government's actions, aimed at preserving the integrity of a key med school exam, were legal and reasonable.

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 15 people on Friday, state news agency NNA said, while Israel said the attacks launched overnight were aimed at what it described as Hezbollah targets in several areas.

A primary school in northern Tokyo has been evacuated on Friday after a fire broke out in the music room on the fourth floor, Japanese media reported.

Switzerland said US talks with Iranian negotiators on a pact to end the Middle East conflict would not take place on Friday, as Vice President JD Vance dropped plans to travel to Geneva, adding to uncertainty whether a lasting truce can be found.

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 896, including 232 deaths, government data showed late on Thursday.