VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday, calling for a ceasefire in a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine, as he recovers in hospital from a lung cancer operation. The Vatican said that Pope Leo “expressed his deep concern about the grave huma»»»

HANOI: Vietnam will keep its annual public debt ceiling at 60 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) during the 2026-2030 period under the government's adjusted public debt strategy, local daily Tien Phong reported Friday. Under the strategy, signed on Thursday, government debt will remain capped »»»

Kyiv, Ukraine: Ukraine's Health Ministry is launching a government-approved experimental pilot project to transport donor organs using drones. Ukraine will start delivering organs for transplant by drone, the health ministry said Friday. Kyiv touts itself as a world leader in drone technology, chur»»»

Australia warns citizens of Saudi airport disruptions amid security concerns Australia has advised its citizens not to travel to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh following recent security incidents that disrupted operations, warning that flight cancellations, delays and airspace closures»»»

Several major sporting events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed as a result of repeated deadly attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels against the Kingdom's airports and infrastructure. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Guy Barton, Visiting Fellow at Lancaster University and co-creato»»»

New York: Wall Street stocks were mixed early Friday at the end of a volatile week marked by unease over rising US inflation and hefty artificial intelligence spending. Appearing at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Federal Reserve Chief Kevin Warsh said the global economy had showed u»»»

BELGRADE- Aleksandar Vucic, who heads the Aleksandar Vucic-United Serbia electoral list for the October 25 early parliamentary polls in Serbia, said on Friday he expected more than four million voters to cast their ballots, taking the turnout to 63-64 pct. The higher the turnout, the higher the sup»»»

TUNIS, Oct. 16, 2026 (TAP) - FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for North Africa and Representative in Tunisia Nabil Assaf indicated on Friday that "Tunisia is brimming with abundant human skills in the agricultural field, enabling it to increase its...»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shaibani, met on Friday in Riyadh to discuss strengthening ties and addressing shared regional challenges. During the talks, Al-Shaibani reaffirmed Syria’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia following recent Hout»»»

Indian authorities on Friday detained Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the satirical youth movement "Cockroach Janta Party", ahead of a new protest in New Delhi, live images from the group showed. Police earlier closed a central New Delhi park in an attempt to stifle near-daily demonstrations ca»»»

TUNIS, Oct. 16, 2026 (TAP) - An expanded practical guide on compliance with anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing requirements, intended for stockbrokers and third-party portfolio management...»»»

Pope Leo XIV celebrated a mass at Rome's Gemelli hospital Friday after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung, photos released by the Vatican showed. Doctors said his recovery was progressing normally but that further tests would show whether the cancer had spread. Pope»»»

Presidential candidate Iliana Iotova called on Friday for the next budget to support Bulgaria's poorest and most vulnerable people as part of efforts to overcome poverty. Speaking in Vratsa, Iotova said every effort must be made to lift Bulgaria out of poverty. Around 30% of the population lived in»»»

Storm clouds bring hail to eastern UAE as the NCM monitors rainfall and changing weather. Abu Dhabi: Heavy rain and hail have swept across parts of the UAE, including Al Ain, Hatta, Kalba and Ras Al Khaimah, as towering thunderstorm clouds developed over eastern areas of the country. Hail was repor»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli artillery shelling targets Haddatha town, South Lebanon: Al-Manar reporter 16-10-2026 18:13 PM Latest News Urgent News Israeli arti»»»

BEIRUT: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has held talks in Beirut with Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic HE Dr Nawaf Salam, on bilateral cooperation, economic ties and regional de-escalation. The meeting on Friday focused on»»»

MOSCOW: Russia has seized local assets of four companies from France, Germany, Sweden and Belgium, according to a decree by President Vladimir Putin, in retaliation for Europe’s wartime support for Ukraine. Thursday’s decree listed assets belonging to French flooring maker Tarkett, German packaging»»»

PARIS: After weeks of student protests, France is set to be swept by broader, nationwide demonstrations Saturday over the cost of living, setting up a potentially fraught period ahead of presidential elections next year. The prospect of the two movements merging, perhaps with outbreaks of violence,»»»

BAGHDAD: Iraq has lost around $60 billion during the Middle East war, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Thursday, with Iran blockading a waterway that is crucial to global energy flows. OPEC member Iraq was producing about four million barrels of oil per day before the conflict, exporting about»»»

Beirut: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has held talks in Beirut with Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic HE Dr Nawaf Salam on bilateral cooperation, economic ties and regional de-escalation. The meeting on Friday focused on »»»

Interactive exhibition highlights progress in integrative medicine practices Al Shifaa Summit for Integrative Medicine, an initiative of the UAE Integrative Medicine Council, will return for its second edition from 20 to 22 October 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, as part of Abu Dhabi Future Health »»»

Tunis, Oct.16 (TAP) - The 2027 Finance Bill includes new tax and customs measures aimed at encouraging the digital transition and facilitating the use of e-payment methods, through a reduction in customs duties on imports of smartphones and POS...»»»

Bangkok, Oct. 16 (SANA) Syria and Lebanon have agreed to establish a joint technical team to address financial and banking challenges and propose solutions to strengthen economic, investment and trade ties. The agreement was reached during a meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the In»»»

BANGKOK: Rising energy and fertilizer costs are hitting smallholder farmers and driving up prices of agricultural commodities, fueling fears of a global food crisis, the head of the UN agriculture development fund told AFP. Global agricultural prices jumped 13 percent in the third quarter of the ye»»»

KALEMIE, DR Congo: US businessman Erik Prince and his mercenaries have emerged as key players in the war-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fighting for its government as Washington vies for strategic minerals in the country, researchers and local sources told AFP. Numerous foreign parami»»»

Beirut: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has met HE Bahia Hariri, Vice-President of Lebanon's Future Movement. The meeting took place in Beirut on Friday as part of HE Sheikh Mohammed's visit to the Lebanese capital. The two sides»»»

Global law enforcement unites to tackle digital crime and financial networks Dubai: Artificial intelligence (AI), intelligence-led policing and the fight against money laundering took centre stage at a preparatory dialogue for the World Police Summit (WPS) in Dubai on Friday, bringing together amba»»»

Abu Dhabi Police urge drivers to slow down as rain, fog and dusty winds are forecast here Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police have urged motorists to exercise caution as rain, fog and dusty winds are forecast across parts of the UAE over the coming days, warning of reduced visibility and slippery roads dur»»»

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker and Acting President of the Republic Ana Brnabic said on Friday the Security Information Agency (BIA) was one of the pillars supporting the state, the Republic of Serbia. At a ceremony that marked the BIA Day, Brnabic thanked the BIA personnel for the years of »»»

TUNIS, Oct. 16, 2026 (TAP) - The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) expressed concern regarding statements made by MP Abderrazak Aouidet regarding draft law No. 2025-76 on the integration of media and communication education into school...»»»

Nearly 14,000 unemployed people started work in September with the assistance of labour offices, while vacancies reported by employers rose by 12% from the previous month, the National Employment Agency said on Friday. A total of 10,800 vacancies were announced on the primary labour market, 1,141 m»»»

The Ministry of Education and Science has received a letter from Miroslav Dachev, Rector of Sofia's National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), which includes a roadmap drawn up in accordance with September 18 recommendations of an interdepartmental working group to address students' and le»»»

JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted the suspension of the country’s national police chief, Fannie Masemola, his office announced on Friday. Masemola is expected to resume his duties on Monday after he was suspended in April when he was charged with breaking finance laws»»»

Beirut: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has met Parliament Speaker of the Lebanese Republic HE Nabih Berri in Beirut to discuss bilateral cooperation and efforts to strengthen security and stability in Lebanon. The meeting took p»»»

The fading art of traditional photography in a modern world A portrait studio is a small room where time learns to linger. People step before the camera for only a heartbeat, yet what they carry away can outlive fashions, addresses and even the cityscape beyond the door. For the generation now, the»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian army struck a logistics center storing supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city of Rovno (Rivne), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "The strike in the city of Rovno damaged the Equator logistics center, which was used to store and distribute supp»»»

BEIRUT: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has met Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal in Beirut to discuss bilateral cooperation and efforts to strengthen security and stability in Lebanon. The meeting took place on Fri»»»

Ministry alerts public to dangers of drifting containers in Musandam waters Oman has issued a maritime safety warning to fishermen and seafarers after containers began drifting in waters off Musandam Governorate following the sinking of a cargo ship, with authorities cautioning that some of the con»»»

TUNIS, Oct. 16, 2026 (TAP) - Implementing the theme of World Food Day 2026, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow,” requires aligning innovation with agricultural scientific research, higher education and agricultural extension services, Minister of...»»»

A historic monastery complex in southern Slovakia, purchased with Hungarian public money under the former Orbán government, remains unusable despite HUF hundreds of millions of being spent on its renovation. The Orbán administration paid approximately EUR 219,000 for the properties in Šahy (Ipolysá»»»

Information Services, Bulgaria's national system integrator, publicly demonstrated the computer system that will process voting data for Bulgaria's October 25 presidential election. At the Parliament building on Friday, the company explained how the election process works, from voting and vote coun»»»

Minister of Education and Science Georgi Valchev and the French Ambassador to Bulgaria, Marie Dumoulin, discussed cooperation in higher education and in research and development, partnering in STEM education, promoting Bulgarian studies and Bulgarian literature in France, and maintaining French lan»»»

NAIROBI: Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has named a caretaker government to stabilize the northern Tigray region and prepare for an election within six months, after fighting erupted between a rebel alliance and federal troops. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) led an offensive last»»»

Following US President Donald Trump's October 9 announcement of an agreement signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel into the United States, a number of pro-Russian social media accounts began claiming that a Russian oil tanker was already carrying thousands of barrels»»»

In tonight's edition: As former Congolese president Joseph Kabila returns to centre stage with a new alliance with the M23 rebels, political leaders in DR Congo are having to choose sides. Also, the US is calling for restraint in Ethiopia as a rights group warns that the conflict in Tigray is alrea»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli occupation forces confiscate one of the civilians’ cars in Zawtar town, South Lebanon: Al-Manar reporter 16-10-2026 17:19 PM Latest»»»

As the international context becomes more challenging for the European Union, the bloc is looking to boost its ties with like-minded allies. Canada is part of that architecture that the EU says it wants to build. The big news of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union spee»»»

Critically acclaimed Irish novelist Sally Rooney's announcement that her books could no longer be sold in the UK due to her support for proscribed group Palestine Action has left British booksellers rushing to stock up on her works before distributors run out. The British government's ban on the gr»»»

Our guest is veteran French journalist and commentator Bernard Guetta, who is a Member of the European Parliament for the centrist Renew group. He tells the programme that Donald Trump is "a liar, because he tried to tell the American people that Zelensky and the Ukrainian resistance were responsib»»»