Benin's opposition figure and former defence minister Candide Azannai was arrested on Friday in Cotonou, according to a police source. It has yet to be confirmed whether his detention is linked to Sunday's foiled coup attempt.  Benin's former defence minister and prominent opposition figure, C»»»

Pope Leo XIV pictured in May addressing Catholic faithful from the Vatican balcony in Vatican City, Vatican. On Friday, the American-born Catholic Church head urged Italy's intelligence officials to ground national security in ethical principles and cautioned that efforts to preserve peace must not»»»

Taylor Swift broke down in tears after meeting survivors and families of the victims of the Southport stabbing attack, backstage footage from her Eras tour reveals. The star met privately with some of those affected by the attack in July 2024, which took place at a Taylor Swift-themed dance worksho»»»

The Foreign Ministry advises Bulgarian nationals to closely monitor the latest updates on possible transport disruptions in Brussels due to an upcoming strike, the ministry announced on its website on Friday. On December 15, Monday, a general strike and demonstration are planned in Brussels, Belgiu»»»

In a post published on x.com on Friday night, Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it stands in full support and solidarity of Germany's position, specifically that Russia's hybrid actions, including recent cyberattacks and coordinated disinformation efforts, are unacceptable. The Minis»»»

Australia this week implemented a world-first ban on social media for under-16s, and France could soon introduce a similar measure. French lawmakers will in January debate a bill whose aim is to protect children’s mental health. Australia on Wednesday became the first country to introduce a social »»»

Iranian security forces have "violently arrested" Nobel Peace Prize winner and women's rights activist Narges Mohammadi, her foundation has said. The Narges Foundation said her brother confirmed Ms Mohammadi was detained in the eastern city of Mashhad, along with other activists. It has called for »»»

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks to the media during a news conference in Jerusalem on Sunday. The German Foreign Ministry accused Russia's military intelligence of a disinformation campaign targeting Merz during February's general elections Pool Photo by Ariel Schalit/UPI | License Photo De»»»

A nonprofit organisation tasked by the US Congress with helping preserve historic sites has sued the White House to stop construction on President Donald Trump's new ballroom. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the suit on Friday, arguing that the White House failed to seek necessar»»»

A cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia's Portovaya plant was delivered to the Beihai terminal in China on December 8. This marks the first delivery since the facility was placed under US sanctions in January 2025. The development highlights deepening China-Russia energy ties as Moscow s»»»

The European Parliament is set to adopt its negotiating mandate on Mercosur, after which talks on the final shape of a trade deal can begin. The accord with Latin American countries would create a free trade area of more than 700 million people, at a time when the EU is locked in trade conflicts wi»»»

Iranian security forces on Friday "violently" arrested the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi along with at least eight other activists at a memorial ceremony for a lawyer who died earlier this month, her supporters said. Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison in Decembe»»»

Iran will raise the price of its heavily subsidized gasoline for heavy users on Saturday, state media reported, as the OPEC member seeks to control rising fuel demand without triggering public anger. Proposals to increase Iran's fuel prices, some of the lowest in the world, have long been postponed»»»

BELGRADE - National Bank of Serbia (NBS) FX reserves hit 29,366.6 mln euros at end-November, their highest end-of-month level on record, after increasing by 2.5 mln euros from a month ago, the central bank announced on Friday. In a statement, it said the reserves had covered "164.2 pct of money sup»»»

Gaza: A wave of severe weather and extreme cold that has been hitting the Gaza Strip since yesterday has caused the deaths of 13 Palestinians in less than 24 hours, in addition to a series of widespread collapses in several areas. Civil defense teams are continuing search and rescue operations unde»»»

The Ministry of Housing and Reconstruction signed two Memoranda of Understanding yesterday with two leading international companies in the water and infrastructure sector, as part of the Ministry’s efforts to strengthen vital infrastructure in Libya. The signing ceremony was presided over by the Mi»»»

Austria’s OMV prepares to lift force majeure and resume its exploration commitments in Libya The National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) Exploration Department discussed last Wednesday (10 December) OMV’s 2025 exploration activities, including post-drill evaluation of discovery B1-106/4 and drilling resul»»»

The Dec. 2023 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway. On Friday, her Paris-based human rights organization said that security and police forces "violently detained" Mohammadi and other human rights activists during a memorial for Khos»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have issued a strong warning to motorists after releasing surveillance footage showing a dangerous red-light violation that nearly resulted in a major crash. The video, captured by the force’s operations centre, highlights the serious risks posed by ignoring traffic signals »»»

President Rumen Radev will start the constitutionally required consultations for forming a new government in Bulgaria on Monday, December 15. The announcement came from the presidency’s press office on Friday afternoon, only hours after lawmakers unanimously accepted the resignation of Rosen Zhelya»»»

In tonight's edition: Regional officials say over 400 civilians have been killed since December 1 in the area of Uvira in DR Congo; we speak to the Congolese Minister of Communication Patrick Muyaya. Also, Kenya has pulled the brakes on a landmark health pact with the United States over data p»»»

In the United Arab Emirates, the government has imposed quotas for hiring Emirati citizens across the private sector, with the aim of having them make up 10 percent of the workforce by 2026. So how are companies complying with these new rules and how can they change the habits of a population »»»

In a special edition, we focus on childbirth and how much control women really do have over the process. In France, doulas have become increasingly popular in recent years. They provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy and birth, but not medical assistance. So where do doulas fit in»»»

Tunis, Dec 12 (TAP) - After a volatile trading week, the market ended the week on December 12 on a subdued note. The benchmark index declined 0.3% to 13,227 points, bringing its year-to-date gain to 33.3% as of January 1, 2025, according to the...»»»

Ukraine could join the European Union as early as January 2027 under the latest US plan to end the war with Russia, a senior source familiar with the matter told AFP on Friday. The complicated EU accession process usually takes years and requires a unanimous vote from all 27 members of the bloc, an»»»

On the front line of the migration surge, Ceuta – the Spanish exclave in North Africa – continues to see thousands of people arrive each year. With the land border so heavily guarded to be virtually sealed, many of the youngest attempt the crossing by sea, venturing into the dangerous cur»»»

Germany said Friday it had summoned Moscow’s ambassador after it accused Russian-linked groups of hacking its air traffic control system and attempting to influence the 2024 general election. Dubbing such operations, including drone flights near European airports, as “hybrid attacks”»»»

After months of political tension and procedural deadlock, Albania finally has a new Ombudsman. In a session that stretched late into Thursday night, Parliament elected Endri Shabani as the People’s Advocate with a decisive 85 votes in favor and 3 against, closing one of the most debated institutio»»»

Albania is taking a major step in preparing to host the 2027 NATO Summit with the establishment of a dedicated Host Nation Task Force (HNTF) and a National Organizing Team, approved today by the Council of Ministers. The new structure will coordinate and oversee all preparations for the historic ev»»»

Gaza's civil defense agency on Friday said at least 13 people had died in the last 24 hours, including three children who died from exposure to the cold, as a winter storm batters the territory. Heavy rain from Storm Byron has flooded tents and temporary shelters across the Gaza Strip since late We»»»

Israel's cabinet has decided to give legal status to 19 settlements in the occupied West Bank, including two that were vacated 20 years ago under a pullout aimed at boosting the country's security and the economy, Israeli media reported. The Palestinian Authority on Friday condemned the move, annou»»»

Certain Covid-19 vaccines can trigger immune responses that may inflame heart tissue and lead to potentially fatal complications in rare cases, with young men being especially susceptible, according to a new study. The paper, authored by Stanford University researchers and published in the Science »»»

Two youths accused of stabbing a 14-year-old boy in the Athens suburb of Holargos have been remanded in custody following their testimony before an investigating magistrate. According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly lured the teenager through social media, using an online conversation w»»»

MEROSINA - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Friday he was preparing for his first official visit to China and noted that the two countries maintained a steely friendship based, among other aspects, on mutual respect of territorial integrity. Speaking to reporters in Merosina, souther»»»

The Constitutional Court has reinstated Belinda Balluku to her duties as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, overturning the suspension previously imposed by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO). The decision follows the Court’s acceptance fo»»»

The Council of Ministers has officially dismissed Julian Hodaj from his position as Deputy Minister of Interior. The decision was taken during today’s government meeting, bringing an end to his tenure that began on October 9, 2017. Hodaj becomes the second deputy minister to be removed from office »»»

Skydiver Adrian Ferguson dangles from the horizontal stabilizer of a plane after his reserve parachute accidentally deployed on a jump on Sept. 20 in Queensland, Australia. Screenshot from a video released by the ATSB. Dec. 12 (UPI) -- An Australian skydiver was left dangling from behind a plane at»»»

A Lululemon store pictured Dec. 2019 in Lynnfield, Mass. On Friday, the Canada-based company's sock value spiked more than 9% in premarket trading following its announcement CEO Calvin McDonald will step down next month. Photo Provided by CJ Gunther/EPA Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Shares of Lululemon stock su»»»

Abu Dhabi Mobility has announced partial road closure between Sat, Dec 13, and Mon, Dec 15, on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street (E10). Karishma H. NandkeolyarAssistant Online EditorKarishma Nandkeolyar is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist with a lifelong love for storytelling — she wrote her f»»»

Tunis, Dec 12 (TAP) – A new project aimed at addressing the growing pressure on water resources in the governorates of Gafsa and Kairouan, and at improving access to water resources and water-related services for local communities, particularly...»»»

Tunis, Dec 12 (TAP) - The stock market closed Friday’s session in positive territory. The benchmark index gained 0.13% to 13,226.9 points, on a trading volume of of TND 14 million, supported by five block trades in Carthage Cement shares amounting...»»»

The Palestinian Information Center “Ma‘ta” has documented 73 acts of resistance—both armed and popular—in the West Bank and Jerusalem over the past week, underscoring the continued grassroots pushback against intensified Israeli military aggression. According to Ma‘ta, the period between 5 and 11 D»»»

Volodymyr Zelensky is deliberately setting conditions Russia can't accept to portray it as blocking peace talks, Bogdan Bezpalko, a member of the Council for Interethnic Relations under the President of the Russian Federation, tells Sputnik. The head of the Kiev regime is also seeking a much-needed»»»

During November, Dubai’s approach to public fitness witnessed substantial momentum, as the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) counted more than 3 million residents and tourists among its participants. Conceived by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Depu»»»

EIPICO announced a significant dual achievement regarding Obtains (EDA License for EIPICO 3 Factory) and the launch of its new biosimilar product (ADALIMAB), The event was chaired by both of Prof. Dr. Samir El-Badawi, Professor of Rheumatology at Cairo University and President of the Egyptian Socie»»»

Slovakia will vote against any measures allowing the EU to use frozen Russian assets to cover Ukraine’s “military expenses,” Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. Kiev’s Western backers froze about $300 billion in Russian central bank assets after the conflict escalated in 2022, most of it held at B»»»

EU officials are “systematically raping the law” by planning to strip member states of veto powers over frozen Russian assets, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. The European Commission is due to vote later on Friday on a plan to invoke Article 122 of the EU treaties, an emergency clau»»»

Israel and Costa Rica have signed a free trade agreement, but it must be ratified by Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly in the face of opposition by pro-Palestinian groups. File Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Costa Rica and Israel finalized a free trade agreement this week that eliminates»»»

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul addresses journalists outside Government House in Bangkok on Friday after dissolving the House of Representatives, the country's parliament. Photo courtesy Royal Thai Government/EPA Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved parliament»»»