Reuters World News Summary

A fire broke out at QatarEnergy's Barzan gas plant in Ras Laffan due to an operational incident, but the blaze has been brought under control.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

QatarEnergy says 'operational incident' causes explosion at Ras Laffan

QatarEnergy said an "operational incident" on Sunday at Ras Laffan, site of the country's core LNG processing operations, resulted in an explosion and fire ​at the area's Barzan gas plant. The Qatari energy producer said the fire was brought under control but it did not indicate whether the explosion ​had caused any damage to the plant, which supplies gas to the domestic market.

Israeli soldiers in Lebanon are ‌free to ​take action if under threat, Israel's Katz says

Israeli soldiers are free to act without restriction to eliminate threats in Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, adding troops remained in position in what Israel refers to as a security zone. A ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah took effect on Friday after months of escalating violence, but on Saturday Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people in Lebanon, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported.

Trump threatens new attacks as US-Iran peace talks open in Switzerland

U.S. President Donald ‌Trump threatened to restart war with Iran on Sunday even as Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials for the first talks under an interim peace deal that was overshadowed by Tehran's announcement it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz. The talks in the Qatari-owned Swiss mountaintop resort of Buergenstock were the first to be held under the terms of a memorandum of understanding reached between the two enemies last week to end their war, extending a tenuous ceasefire from April for at least another 60 days.

Israeli fire kills nine people in Gaza, including a child and journalist, medics say

Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least nine people, including a child and a journalist from Al Jazeera, in ‌the Gaza Strip on Saturday, health officials said. An Israeli airstrike killed four Palestinians, including two women and a child, in an apartment building in Gaza City, health officials said. The attack on the building in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City destroyed the apartment and wounded several other people, medics added.

UK's Starmer considers political ‌future, could decide as soon as Monday

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was considering his political future on Sunday, after rival Andy Burnham's decisive election victory to parliament prompted more ministers in the governing Labour Party to call for him to go. Struggling with some of the lowest popularity ratings for any British leader in modern political history, Starmer could decide as soon as Monday whether to step aside or fight a leadership contest against Burnham, one source said.

Bolivia crisis begins easing, air force jet on assistance flight crashes

A day of fragile gains in Bolivia saw major protest roadblocks cleared for the first time in weeks on Sunday, but progress was overshadowed by the crash of a military support flight that killed six people, authorities said. The country's highways authority revises its tally of ongoing roadblocks to 28 after a series of breakthroughs with protesters, a ⁠day after President Rodrigo ​Paz declared a state of emergency to resolve a 50-day social crisis stemming from anti-government blockades ⁠that cut off key roads for weeks, stranded trucks and choked supplies of food, fuel and medicines to many areas.

Spain swelters in first official heatwave of 2026

Tourists and locals in Madrid struggled to cope with temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday as the first official heatwave of 2026 set in, and authorities warned of over-exposure to the sun and an increased risk of ⁠wildfires. Haily San Cesario, a 22-year-old engineer visiting Madrid's El Rastro flea market from Miami said: "I'm dressed all in white because it's so hot, and I'm carrying my little electric fan everywhere I go."

Colombia right-wing candidate De La Espriella has lead in tight presidential race

Colombian right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella is leading the country's Sunday presidential race, narrowly scraping by ahead of his leftist rival ​with nearly all ballots counted, as voters bet on his promises to lead a tough crackdown on crime and improve the struggling economy. De La Espriella had 49.7% of the vote, while his rival, the leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, was some 248,000 votes behind with 48.7%, according to an initial tally ⁠from the country's national registrar.

Europe swelters under heatwave, France restricts alcohol consumption

A punishing heatwave sweeping across much of Europe prompted a partial alcohol ban in France, nationwide warnings in Germany and the closure of a soccer fan zone in Spain, as temperatures climbed towards record levels. France was expecting 35 of its 96 departments or regions to declare red heatwave alerts on Sunday with temperatures of 39 to 40 degrees Celsius (102-104 Fahrenheit) expected from the ⁠southwest ​through the Paris region into Burgundy, with some areas possibly reaching 41C.

Bolivia on edge after Paz declares emergency to clear protest gridlock

Tensions soared in Bolivia on Saturday after President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency, allowing security forces to begin clearing protesters' roadblocks that have paralyzed the economy over the past 50 days and left at least 14 people dead. In an early morning address, Paz said the anti-government blockades were no longer a social protest but an organized attempt to destabilize Bolivia's democracy.

Erdogan orders talks to reopen Orthodox Christian seminary in Turkey, a focus for Trump

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ordered officials on Sunday to resume talks on reopening an Orthodox Christian ⁠seminary near Istanbul, an issue raised by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit Ankara next month for a NATO summit. The Halki seminary, founded in 1844 and shut by the Turkish state in 1971, played a central role in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Ecumenical Patriarchate's main theological school. It trained generations ⁠of Orthodox clergy, including the current patriarch Bartholomew, who is based in Istanbul.

Iran's Tasnim news ⁠agency says Hormuz will not reopen until Lebanon ceasefire holds, oil waivers issued

Iran's Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, reported on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would not be reopened as long as a ceasefire in Lebanon was not respected. The source said the waterway would also remain closed until waivers allowing the sale of Iranian oil were issued.

Europe braces for prolonged heatwave as temperatures approach 40C

A severe heatwave gripped much of Europe on Sunday, with temperatures nearing 40 ‌degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), prompting nationwide warnings, transport disruption and signs of ‌strain on wildlife and at tourist hotspots. The heat surge on June 21, the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and typically the start of the three hottest months of ​the year, raised concerns of an early and persistent onset of extreme conditions.