Damascus, Oct. 8 (SANA) France has launched a technical assistance program for the Central Bank of Syria (CBS), describing the initiative as a new step toward strengthening financial cooperation with Damascus. French Chargé d’Affaires in Syria Jean-Baptiste Faivre said in a post on X that the launc»»»

LONDON: Jordan affirmed its support on Thursday for the decision by the UK government to keep open its diplomatic mission in the contested city of East Jerusalem that serves Palestinians. Early last month, Israel gave British authorities 30 days to close the consulate in retaliation for sweeping UK»»»

Socialist Party lawmaker Elisa Spiropali has voiced strong criticism of the way institutions and political power operate in Albania, as Parliament prepares to vote on a new territorial reform. Speaking in Parliament, Spiropali questioned whether changing the number or boundaries of municipalities c»»»

HASAKAH: Some 518 displaced families from Ras al-Ain in northern Hasakah returned from Hasakah city to their home areas on Thursday, marking the fourth group to return under a voluntary return program. Mustafa Abdi, a member of the presidential team implementing the Jan. 29 agreement with the Syria»»»

Tunis, Oct. 8 (TAP) - The Major Projects Committee meeting chaired on Thursday at the Government Palace in Kasbah by Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri reviewed progress on several major public projects spanning the energy, health, infrastructure,...»»»

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the firing squad execution of convicted military base shooter Nidal Hasan will be “public,” according to a video publicized by the Pentagon on Thursday. “He’s going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be, and we’ll make sure that people»»»

CALIFRONIA: The USS Abraham Lincoln returned home to San Diego Bay Thursday with sailors jumping up and down and waving excitedly to loved ones as the ship ended a deployment that included a record uninterrupted 265 days at sea in support of the Iran war. Families described crying and losing sleep »»»

Washington, United States: Donald Trump presented Elon Musk with the top US science medal on Thursday, as the rocket tycoon fully returned to the president's orbit after an explosive bust-up. Six US tech titans received prestigious awards from the president at a Washington peace institute that was »»»

JEDDAH: Across Saudi Arabia, skylines are rising, masterplans are taking shape and technology is becoming increasingly embedded in the way cities are designed. But amid the pace of change, architects are grappling with a question that is as cultural as it is technical: What should the future of Sau»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality received a delegation from the Emirate of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates, as part of a visit aimed at exploring leading experiences and practices in municipal work, urban planning and digital transformation projects. During the visit, the delegation was »»»

Paris, France: France's education minister on Thursday promised 3,000 substitute teachers for the country's worst-off high schools, after tens of thousands took to the streets nationwide to demand better education and less police brutality. Students have blocked entrances to hundreds of high school»»»

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday and promised to “do everything” to help end the Middle East conflict, Russian news agencies reported. “We are ready to do everything that is in our power to contribute to the settlement of thi»»»

MARRAKECH: Moroccan Military Industry, a subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems, will begin delivering armored vehicle turrets to the Moroccan army in March 2027, its general manager said, as Rabat pushes to build up its military industry with foreign partners. Morocco and Israel, which resumed diplo»»»

JERUSALEM: Gaza’s civil defense rescue service said on Thursday that seven people were killed in separate Israeli strikes throughout the day, while the Israeli army said three of the victims were “military operatives.” Six of the seven were killed in various parts of Gaza City. Two people were kill»»»

Tunis, Oct. 8 (TAP) - Tunisia is showcasing its construction, infrastructure and urban development expertise at the 12th edition of ExpoBeton RDC in Kinshasa, where President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo visited the Tunisian pavilion and...»»»

Tunis, Oct. 8 (TAP) - Trainees from the 2026–2028 cohort of the International Diplomatic Academy of Tunis visited the headquarters of Tunis-Afrique-Presse (TAP) news agency on Thursday to learn about the national news agency’s work and the role of...»»»

Iva Mihaylova and her mother Hristina Mihaylova accused North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski on Thursday of lying about the young woman's access to adequate treatment. The young woman from Kocani and her mother posted almost identical appeals to the Bulgarian media on their Facebook pr»»»

ATHENS, Greece: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday flatly refused to comment on a new report alleging that US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before taking up her post. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said “I don’t love” the ide»»»

JOHANNESBURG: At least 24 vehicles were burned and shops looted as protests over a court ruling easing access to asylum turned violent in two South African cities on Thursday. Acting national police commissioner Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane said 10 vehicles were torched in Johannesburg’s Soweto township»»»

Some members of Hungary’s former economic elite are reportedly looking to make deals with the new Tisza government, with one wealthy oligarch allegedly offering to return assets and money in exchange for protection from prosecution. Oligarch reportedly offers assets in exchange for immunity Some me»»»

Four-day event brings together farmers, producers and traders until October 11 Dubai: The Al Dhaid Date Festival opened at Expo Al Dhaid on Thursday, bringing together palm farmers, date producers and traders from across the UAE for four days of auctions, exhibitions and agricultural activities. Or»»»

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft with NASA’s Crew-12 mission that includes Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev returned to Earth on Thursday, according to a NASA broadcast. The ship has successfully landed off the coast of California. Members of the Crew-12 mission, including Fedyaev, spent almost eigh»»»

Parents urged to guide children with wisdom, prevent hatred and extremism from taking root First Sermon (Khutbah One)All praise is due to Allah, who has bestowed upon us children as an adornment of our lives and entrusted their minds to our care. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worsh»»»

An Iraqi Airways jet has touched down at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport - the first international arrival since the US-Israeli 40-day war. Flight arrived from Najaf in central Iraq - a city sacred to Shia MuslimsIraqi Airways will operate one round-trip flight between Najaf and Tehran»»»

HAMA: Syrian security forces arrested at least 14 former operatives connected with the regime of the former president, Bashar Assad, on Thursday in Hama over their alleged involvement in massacres, torture, the kidnap of civilians and other abuses. They included seven suspects detained during opera»»»

LONDON: The Arab League’s secretary-general, Nabil Fahmy, on Thursday condemned the continuing Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said. During a telephone call with the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Fahmy said the security of the Kingdom was inte»»»

Putin arrived in Turkmenistan on a working visit earlier on Thursday. Sputnik brings you a live broadcast as Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking part in a series of meetings in the Avaza National Tourist Zone on Thursday, October 8.The Russian leader is holding talks with his Turkmen counter»»»

TUNIS: Qatar Media Corporation's Qatar Radio has participated in the 37th meeting of the Permanent Radio Committee of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), held at the union's headquarters in Tunis. Qatar Radio holds the position of second deputy chairman of the committee. The Qatari delegatio»»»

On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian resistance organizations launched an attack out of the Gaza Strip and into Israel under the code name “Al-Aqsa Flood.” Israeli and Western mainstream media and politicians rapidly labelled this a massive act of terrorism and flooded the world with tal»»»

The political opposition in Italy has accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ruling coalition of attempting to rewrite the election rules in a bid to remain in power, over a controversial reform that would award bonus parliamentary seats to winning alliances in next year’s general election. The ne»»»

Europe’s leaders have grand plans – spend more on weapons, prepare for war, and tighten citizens’ belts. The people have more immediate concerns however, like finding somewhere to live, keeping their jobs, and getting an education. Across France, Germany, Spain, and other EU states, the widening ri»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the UAE agreed on Thursday to strengthen cooperation on power grid interconnection and rail connectivity, as they seek to deepen regional integration and improve logistics and energy efficiency. The agreement was signed in a memorandum of understanding by the Saudi energy m»»»

MPs and experts agreed at a parliamentary roundtable on Thursday that obesity prevention requires consistent policies and should be a national public health priority. The roundtable, Effective Policies for Obesity Prevention and Management, was organized by the Health under Pressure Coalition again»»»

The president is the people's voice and must speak out, Presidential Candidate Andrey Gurov said at a public meeting with citizens on Thursday. "Bulgaria does not deserve silence, and I can assure you that I will not remain silent," Gurov added at the meeting. Gurov said the president's role was "t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Doha will host the Asian Open Beach Volleyball Tour- Doha 2026 from October 10 to 13, featuring 16 men's and 11 women's teams representing Australia, China, Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Indonesia and Qatar. Qatar's participation is highlighted by top-ranked men's pair Cherif»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) and the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation on Thursday signed a cooperation agreement establishing the general framework for the operation and support of Assalam School in Qatar. The agreement aims to enhance education opportunities for»»»

Tunis: Qatar Media Corporation's Qatar Radio has participated in the 37th meeting of the Permanent Radio Committee of the Arab States Broadcasting Union ASBU), held at the union's headquarters in Tunis. Qatar Radio holds the position of second deputy chairman of the committee. The Qatari delegation»»»

LISBON: Portugal will decide on a replacement of its aging fleet of F-16 jet fighters based on national interests and is seriously considering the US offer of F-35s along with other options, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Thursday after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in ⁠Lisbon. P»»»

WASHINGTON: The US Army found many systemic breakdowns that led to last year’s midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., and recommended numerous steps the military should take to prevent future tragedies. The military has not publicly rele»»»

TENNESSEE, USA: A man armed with a pistol and knife was fatally shot by a security officer Thursday just inside the busy entrance of a federal courthouse in Tennessee’s largest city, authorities said. The man in his 40s tried to fire his gun but failed and then pulled out a knife at around 9:30 a.m»»»

Washington, United States: An astronaut crew that carried out an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station splashed down as planned Thursday off the coast of California. After a more than 27-hour return journey, the Dragon capsule carrying Crew-12 landed safely in the Pacific Ocean»»»

LONDON: The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution extending the arms embargo on Sudan’s Darfur region by two months, without broadening it to the rest of the war-torn country as sought by the United States. Despite weeks of discussions, Washington failed to get the expansion approved»»»

Six-member teams tackle obstacle course for Dh70,000 in prizes at Al Heera Beach The Sir Bu Nair Challenge kicked off at Al Heera Beach in Sharjah on Thursday, bringing together employees from 46 government entities for three days of competition, teamwork and physical endurance. The event, running »»»

BEIRUT: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told AFP on Thursday that the bloc was expanding its naval mission in the Red Sea where more ships are requiring escorts as the war in Yemen escalates. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis last month seized control of the country’s entire Red Sea coastline, includ»»»

JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said on Thursday that one soldier was killed and three others were slightly wounded in south Lebanon, where the military has occupied a band of territory since invading in March in response to Hezbollah attacks. “Captain Eliav Haim Tzapalamus, aged 21, from Haifa, a comb»»»

School canteen inspections stepped up as child overweight and obesity rate hits 33% Dubai: Jordan's Ministry of Health has banned the sale of all types of chips in school canteens as part of measures regulating food permitted for sale in schools. The decision was issued by Health Minister Ibrahim A»»»

Leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi, affirmed that the crimes of the Saudi regime against the Yemeni people will not break their will or force them to surrender. Instead, they increase their conviction in the justice of their cause and their drive to confro»»»

Sunex, a Polish renewable energy equipment maker, reported a sharp increase in third-quarter sales, prompting its shares to jump more than 25% during Wednesday trading and briefly rise above PLN 4. The company estimates standalone revenue at PLN 56.7 mln, up more than 93% year over year. Group reve»»»

Poland holds about 648 metric tons of gold, ranking tenth worldwide, according to October data from the IMF and Bloomberg. It recently moved ahead of the Netherlands, which holds 612 tons. From mid-2018 through June 2026, Poland’s central bank bought 530 tons. The country’s gold reserves are valued»»»

Tunis, Oct. 8 (TAP) - The Major Projects Committee meeting chaired on Thursday at the Government Palace in Kasbah by Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri reviewed progress on several major public projects spanning the energy, health, infrastructure,...»»»