Keir Starmer has resigned as UK prime minister and leader of the Labour Party, the BBC reported.

In a statement outside 10 Downing Street, the PM said his party had been asking whether he’s “best placed to lead us into the next general election”, adding: “I have heard the answer”.

Starmer described becoming prime minister as the “proudest moment” of his life.

He said he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt”, which he was told “time and time again” was “finished”.

Starmer announced he had already spoken with the King and said that if there is a contest to succeed him, a new Labour leader will be in place before parliament returns in September. The PM added that he would do everything he can to ensure an orderly handover of power, and will give his successor his full support. Getting emotional toward the end of his speech, Starmer said he would now be the best husband and dad to his “fantastic wife” and “beautiful children”.

Under Britain’s parliamentary system of government, whoever leads the party that has a majority in parliament is the country’s prime minister.  

Starmer’s Labour Party currently has a large majority.

According to Reuters, Starmer is likely to usher in an orderly transfer of power to rival Andy Burnham, paving the way for Britain to acquire its seventh leader in a decade.

Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, decisively won a parliamentary election last week to regain a seat in the House of Commons, a necessary step for him to challenge Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party, and with it the job of prime minister. If he is uncontested, he could be in Downing Street within weeks, according to The Guardian.

Starmer’s departure was ultimately triggered by heavy local election losses.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and Moldpres. The prospect of joining the European Union gives Moldova the strength to carry out important reforms and achieve tangible results, Moldpres reported, citing Moldovan President Maia Sandu at the opening of the EU-Moldova Summit in Brussels on June 22. “We are doing even more than what is required of us, undertaking truly difficult reforms in order to be ready for EU integration,” Sandu said. According to the president, the opening of the first negotiation cluster marked a historic moment for Moldova and created an opportunity that should be fully utilized. “It is wonderful to be back in Brussels among friends. Last Monday, we launched the first phase of accession negotiations on the Fundamentals cluster, a moment of real opportunity. Such moments are rare, and we must make the most of them,” Maia Sandu said. She stressed that the prospect of joining the EU is a driving force behind the reform process, adding that the Moldovan authorities are implementing major changes to accelerate the country’s European path. The Moldova-European Union Summit is a high-level dialogue format established by the two sides that reflects the increasingly close partnership between Moldova and the EU, as well as the country’s unwavering commitment to joining the European community. This year’s meeting comes one week after the official launch of accession negotiations on the first cluster, Fundamentals, marking a new phase in Moldova’s European integration process. During the summit, leaders are expected to discuss the next steps in the negotiations and Moldova’s reform agenda. The European Commission and the European Council have confirmed that Moldova is ready to begin negotiations on all chapters, as envisaged under the merit-based accession process. The summit agenda also includes discussions on the regional situation, strengthening cooperation in the fields of security and defence, energy issues, and EU support for Moldova’s economic development. At the conclusion of the meeting, joint press statements are expected from Moldovan President Maia Sandu, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and President of the European Council António Costa. The Brussels summit is the second of its kind between Moldova and the European Union. The first high-level meeting was held in Chișinău on July 4, 2025.

The European Union is currently discussing ways to increase pressure on Moscow and continue supporting Ukraine, rather than pursuing negotiations with Russia, President of the European Council António Costa said in response to journalists’ questions following the EU-Moldova summit. “Unfortunately, we are not talking about negotiations at this moment,” TASS quoted Costa as saying, adding that Moscow is not ready for dialogue. The President of the European Council stressed that the EU does not seek to act as a mediator. “The European Union stands with Ukraine and supports Ukraine,” Costa said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain on June 23-25, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a post on X. “Secretary Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from June 23 to 25. During the visit, he will engage with regional officials on a range of U.S. policy priorities, including the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to ensure free and secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and broader regional priorities. Secretary Rubio will also meet with representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states,” Pigott wrote. According to the spokesperson, Rubio will discuss a number of U.S. policy priorities with regional officials, including the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts aimed at ensuring free and secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as broader regional priorities. Pigott added that discussions will also be held with member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

A magnitude 2.1 earthquake hit near the town of Ijevan, the Seismic Protection Service reported on Monday.

According to the Seismic Protection Regional Service, the quake was recorded 20 km northeast of Ijevan at a depth of 10 km at 09:03 (05:03 GMT) local time.

It was felt at a weak intensity of 2–3 MSK across Tavush Province, particularly in Ijevan and Noyemberyan, as well as the villages of Koghb, Achajur, and Voskepar.

One person was killed and eleven others were injured in a traffic accident near Arteni village in Armenia’s Aragatsotn Province on Monday morning, authorities said.

The crash involved a Ford passenger minivan and a ZIL truck, the Rescue Service said in a statement. Further details were not immediately available.

All 11 injured victims were hospitalized.

According to health authorities, three people are in critical condition and receiving treatment in intensive care units. Five others sustained serious injuries, while the remaining three suffered minor injuries.

Organizers of the 23rd Yerevan Golden Apricot International Film Festival have unveiled the full composition of its international competition jury.

Jessica Hausner, a filmmaker who brought new life and global prestige to Austrian cinema in the early 2000s, will head the jury of Golden Apricot’s International Competition this year. Her films have premiered at the Cannes and Venice film festivals, earning wide recognition for their innovative approach to genre filmmaking.

The jury also includes Irish-Scottish filmmaker Mark Cousins, known for his landmark documentary series The Story of Film: An Odyssey.

Argentine actor Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, best known for his leading role in Robin Campillo’s 120 BPM (2017), for which he received César and Lumière awards, is also among the jury members.

Canadian writer, producer, and long-time film curator Mark Peranson is on the panel as well. He has served as program director for the Berlin International Film Festival and the Locarno Film Festival, and has contributed to publications such as Sight and Sound, Film Comment, and Cahiers du Cinéma.

The jury is completed by German-Turkish theatre producer Şermin Langhoff, artistic director of Berlin’s Gorki Theatre since 2013. Under her leadership, the theatre has been named “Theatre of the Year” twice in Germany and has received numerous awards.

The 23rd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival will take place from July 12 to 19.

Armenia’s Yervand Mkrtchyan has won the gold medal in the 3000-meter run at the Balkan Athletics Championships held on June 20–21 in Volos, Greece. Mkrtchyan finished the race in a time of 7:52.75, which is also a new Armenian national record.

Armenia’s Razmik Ghazaryan won silver in the triple jump with a result of 16.20 m.

Earlier, Yervand Mkrtchyan won the 1500-meter race at an international tournament held in France, clocking 3:38.99.

Rescue teams in the Armenian city of Vanadzor have recovered the body of the 13-year-old girl who had been missing since June 15, bringing the search for the two sisters to a conclusion.

The discovery follows days of intensive search operations along the Pambak River, where authorities previously located the body of the younger sibling, 7-year-old Nare Martirosyan, on June 17 at approximately 9:30 a.m. The child was found around 500 meters downstream from the location where she is believed to have entered the water.

The body of the second sister, Marine Martirosyan, was also found in the Pambak River by a diver, approximately 550 meters from the location where she is believed to have fallen into the river, the Rescue Service said.

The girls were last seen leaving an address on Narekatsi Street in Vanadzor on June 15, prompting a large-scale search effort involving emergency services, police units, divers, and volunteers.

Hundreds of rescuers, police officers, divers, and volunteers were involved in the search.

City authorities in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, announced on Monday that this year’s Vardavar celebrations in July—the traditional festival during which people drench each other with water—will be held in a “new format” and will feature a concert and entertainment program with well-known artists and international DJs.

This year, Vardavar will be celebrated on July 12.

Yerevan Deputy Mayor Levon Hovhannisyan said at a press conference that a concert would take place at Republic Square.

“A concert program featuring well-known artists and international DJs is expected at Republic Square. This holiday is a beloved one and, one way or another, is celebrated quite actively in our country; however, this year we will celebrate it in Yerevan in a new format. I believe there will be a significant influx of tourists, and it will become one of our calling cards, with a new level of quality,” Hovhannisyan said.

The event will begin at 12:00 p.m. In addition to the concert program, there will be water activity zones and various competitions. Separate water zones will be available for children so that they can spend their time in a safer environment. There will also be mobile food vendors.

“On that day, we will not prohibit or restrict anything anywhere. It’s just that the celebration at Republic Square will be larger in scale. We can assure you that there will be more water, more soaked participants, and an exciting program designed for people to have a great time,” the deputy mayor concluded.