The Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF) is revising regulations under Section 27 of the Fisheries Act 1985 to broaden protection for marine wildlife, by adding nine marine mammal species to the existing list under the Fisheries (Control of Endangered Species of Fish) Regulations 1999, The Edge M»»»

The United States has paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the UN, a United Nations spokesperson said on Thursday as President Donald Trump hosted the first meeting of his "Board of Peace" initiative that experts say could undermine the United Nations. "Last week, we recei»»»

Ras Al Khaimah: Authorities in Ras Al Khaimah have stepped up inspections of food establishments during Ramadan, launching round-the-clock monitoring campaigns and awareness programmes aimed at ensuring public health during the fasting month, officials said. The Department of Municipality has inten»»»

President Iliana Iotova will host the traditional iftar dinner on Friday to mark the beginning of Ramadan, the holy month for Muslims, the President's Press Secretariat reported. Representatives of both the Muslim and other traditional religious communities in Bulgaria have been invited to the fest»»»

The country’s authorities are proposing to introduce life imprisonment for crimes against children and women. The Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan has submitted a draft law for public discussion introducing life imprisonment for serious crimes against women and children. The document also »»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved amendments to several resolutions regulating the implementation of the state-significant project Ala-Too Resort, which is being developed in Ak-Suu district of Issyk-Kul region. The adjustments are related to the transformation of the state enterp»»»

Some people report feeling mentally sharper and calmer while fasting during Ramadan. Others struggle with headaches, fatigue and brain fog by midday. Doctors told Gulf News that the difference often comes down to how flexible and resilient a person’s metabolism is. Also Read: Ramadan 2026 in UAE: W»»»

The fall of the Assad regime has marked a turning point for civic space in Syria, but the shape of that opening remains uncertain. Accounts from inside the country diverge sharply, offering contrasting pictures of how far public space has truly expanded. Some describe an unprecedented shift. The pe»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s next phase of district-led development moved forward with the opening of a large open-air events space at Uptown Dubai. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Plaza, developed by DMCC, spans 21,000 square metres at the centre of the district and is designed»»»

In a groundbreaking achievement for Qatar's private healthcare sector, Dr. Sirajeddin Belkhair, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon and Director of Neurosciences at DOC Medical Center, successfully performed the nation's first navigated spine surgery in a private hospital at View Hospital. Combining cut»»»

Warsaw University of Technology’s CEZAMAT research center is positioning itself as a future producer of secure semiconductors for Poland’s military and public administration, but says government funding is essential to launch production. The facility, whose infrastructure is valued at PLN 1.5 billi»»»

President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed the Active Farmers Act, arguing that its provisions could harm small farms. The legislation aimed to regulate subsidy collection by landowners and introduce a national register of active farmers, but sparked strong debate across the agricultural sector. Hours bef»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed a decree approving the National Football Development Program in Kyrgyzstan for 2026–2034. The document provides for creating conditions for mass football participation, improving the professional development of players, and promoting a healthy lifestyle »»»

At Thursday’s Government Info briefing, Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, Gergely Gulyás, announced that the government has released Hungary’s strategic crude oil reserves following Ukraine’s decision to halt oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline. The minister described Kyiv’s move as»»»

The administration of Donald Trump and the Indonesian government have confirmed the conclusion of a trade agreement that will reduce US tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19%, down from 32%, BBC reports. According to the White»»»

The administration of Donald Trump and the Indonesian government have confirmed the conclusion of a trade agreement that will reduce US tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19%, down from 32%, BBC reports. According to the White»»»

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran has 15 days maximum to make a deal with the United States. Ten days "would be enough time. 10-15 days. Pretty much maximum,” Trump told reporters abroad Air Force One.. The US president also did not specify what he meant by saying "bad things" ma»»»

The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant's (ZNPP) Ferrosplavnaya-1 (Ferosplavna-1) backup line was shut down on February 10, presumably due to nearby military activity, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday. "ZNPP’s Ferosplavna-1 330 kV back-up off-site power line was disconnecte»»»

The Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek has taken Aibek Tashmatov (known by the nickname Kuchuk), Director of the Sh. Sydykov Republican Sports College, into custody until April 15. The decision was made at the request of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Military Prosecutor’s Office, the Pervomaisky Court r»»»

Dubai: Sharjah-Dubai commuters faced significant delays on Friday morning as peak-hour traffic built up across several major highways and inner-city roads, according to Google Maps data. A serious accident on the E311 near Expo City, heading towards Dubai South, has caused major disruptions. Witnes»»»

Venezuela's acting president signed the Amnesty Law after unanimous parliamentary approval, granting pardon for political crimes committed between 1999 and 2026. Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez presented the initiative for the new law, which is set to take effect, under the premise tha»»»

PoliticsNorth KoreaNorth Korea's Kim Jon Un opens key party congressKate Hairsine with AFP, Reuters, APKim Jong Un lauded North Korea's improving economy as he opened the Workers’ Party congress. Held every five years, the country's most important political event is a forum for the leader to outlin»»»

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov has signed a decree introducing amendments to a number of his previous decisions aimed at ensuring gender balance and expanding women’s participation in the civil and municipal service. The document revises the state program on supporting women’s leadership thr»»»

A new head has been appointed at the Directorate for Non-Olympic Sports. Samat Erkinbekov has been named to lead the body, the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of Kyrgyzstan reported. «Samat Erkinbekov has been appointed with a three-month probation period and officially assumed his dut»»»

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on February 19, with discussions focusing on cooperation in critical minerals, energy, counter-terrorism and the potential for increased American investment, according to a statement from the State Departme»»»

First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Daniyar Amangeldiev spoke about measures to stabilize prices and improve coordination between government agencies and markets at a board meeting of the Chui Regional State Administration summarizing the results of 2025. «It is precisel»»»

Manila: Filipinos applying for South Korea visa would soon find it easier to visit the world's K-pop and K-drama capital, it was announced on Friday. South Korea has rolled out major visa simplifications for Filipinos effective February 20, 2026, slashing paperwork to spur tourism and visits. Also »»»

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov outlined the priorities of state policy in the sphere of culture and youth. He made the statement while addressing participants at a board meeting of the Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth Policy. According to him, cult»»»

Detained nephrologist Nasira Beishebaeva has been released under house arrest. Her lawyer, Evgeniya Krapivina, told 24.kg news agency. According to her, the decision was made in the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek. On February 18, it was reported that nephrologist Nasira Beishebaeva had been »»»

When US state secretary Marco Rubio toured Hungary and Slovakia last weekend, American liberals were aghast. They were specifically flared up by Rubio openly endorsing the incumbent Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, in the upcoming elections scheduled in April. »»»

Further personnel appointments took place at the Osh City Hall: Shumkarbek Paiziev has been appointed First Deputy Mayor. The corresponding order was signed by the new Mayor, Zhanarbek Akayev. Shumkarbek Paiziev previously headed the Osh City Capital Construction Department, where he was appointed »»»

New Delhi: A private Indian university was booted from a top artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi on Wednesday after one of its staffers displayed a commercially available robotic dog made in China, claiming it was the university's own innovation. According to two government officials, Galgo»»»

Abu Dhabi: Keolis Group, a global leader in shared mobility and public transport, and the passenger services operator for Etihad Rail, on Thursday announced the appointment of Yoen Dupuy as Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East and East Asia region. In this strategic leadership role, Dupuis w»»»

Mary Ann Pajo watched quietly as cemetery workers opened her son's tomb in Manila this week and removed his body for examination by a forensic pathologist. Accused of dealing drugs, 30-year-old Joewarski Pajo was shot dead while playing a game on his phone, one of thousands of extrajudicial killing»»»

North Korea has opened a major ruling party congress in Pyongyang, state media said on Friday, a rare gathering held roughly every five years that analysts say will set national priorities, including nuclear policy. The Workers’ Party congress is the regime’s top political event and often signals p»»»

Eric Dane, the actor best know for his roles on Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, has died less than a year after revealing he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 53. Dane starred as family patriarch Cal Jacobs on hit HBO teen drama show Euphoria. Before that, he was perhaps best known as Dr»»»

Dubai: The UAE is expected to see generally fair weather over the coming days, with periods of cloud, rising humidity overnight and a likelihood of fog in some areas, according to the National Center of Meteorology. The country will remain under the influence of a surface high-pressure system exten»»»

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Thursday — now stripped of his royal titles and patronages — has sent shockwaves through the United Kingdom, with commentators calling it the most dramatic downfall of a senior royal in modern times. Thames Valley Police confirmed the morning detention of»»»

Washington DC: As US President Donald Trump held an inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, he expressed his desire to have China and Russia on the board. Interacting with the reporters, Trump said, "A lot of countries are going through the process of getting on the board... I would love to have C»»»

US President Donald Trump delivered his latest ultimatum to Iran on Thursday during a meeting of the Board of Peace, the Middle East coalition Trump formed to stabilise a region he could soon plunge into a new, weeks-long war. The irony of simultaneously calling for peace and threatening military a»»»

Shops and supermarkets shut, flights were canceled and garbage piled up across Argentina on Thursday as unions staged a 24-hour general strike against President Javier Milei’s labor reforms. Transport was largely halted, trains stood empty and protesters blocked key roads into Buenos Aires, with so»»»

The US state of New Mexico will reopen a criminal probe into a ranch once owned by Jeffrey Epstein, following allegations that surfaced in justice department files on the convicted sex offender. State prosecutors said they would seek full access to unredacted Epstein files relating to the Zorro Ran»»»

Nasa has labelled the botched 2024 Starliner mission, which left two astronauts stranded in space for months, a "Type A" mishap, on par with fatal shuttle disasters of the past, in a newly published report. The category is the space agency's most severe, reserved for incidents causing more than $2m»»»

Washington: The United States bought less steel from the world in 2025 — but significantly more from India. New figures released on Thursday show that overall US steel imports fell 12.6 per cent last year, even as shipments from India surged by more than 118 per cent, reflecting a notable shift in »»»

An Austrian climber has been found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend froze to death on Austria's highest mountain last year. The man, named only as Thomas P in line with Austrian privacy laws, has been given a five-month suspended sentence and fined €9,600 (£8,400). His gi»»»

Washington: World Bank President Ajay Banga announced the creation of a dedicated Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund to manage international contributions for rebuilding the war-ravaged territory, saying the institution would act as a “limited trustee” under the direction of the newly formed »»»

The US Department of Justice’s massive release of Epstein case files has turned some internet users into self-appointed digital sleuths. They’ve been combing through thousands of emails in search of hidden clues and have eventually fixated on one word: pizza. The term appears more than 900 times in»»»

Hamas is holding an election for a new interim leader, a senior Palestinian official familiar with the armed group's affairs has told the BBC. Voting is taking place across Gaza, the occupied West Bank and among Hamas's members elsewhere. The outcome may signal which direction the movement intends »»»

Several wildfires in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles spurred evacuations while firefighters continued battling several on Thursday. Image courtesy of UPI Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Firefighters are battling several conflagrations in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, the largest of which burned more than 2»»»

In the fishing village of Sedanka, in Russia's Far East, life is hard. Most homes lack basic amenities such as running water, indoor toilets and central heating, despite temperatures routinely falling to -10C (14F) during the winter months. Ringed by forest-tundra and bogs, its district centre can »»»