The United States plans to deploy more high-tech missile systems to the Philippines to help deter aggression in the South China Sea, where the treaty allies on Tuesday condemned what they called China’s "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities." Beijing has repeatedly expressed alar»»»

In areas controlled by the Houthi group in Yemen, there is an increasing number of violations targeting lawyers, raising widespread concerns about the future of justice and the rule of law. Recent reports from local human rights organizations have revealed a recurring pattern of systematic restrict»»»

The key Ring highway in Beirut and the vital Khalde road just outside the capital were blocked on Tuesday in protest at the government’s overnight decision to hike gasoline prices by 25% and the Valued Added Tax (VAT) from 11% to 12%. The government said it made the move in order to fund a wage inc»»»

The Official Spokesperson for the Libyan Customs Authority stated last Sunday (15 February) that there is no shortage of food supplies in the market. He said reports in the media to the contrary are devoid of any truth. The Spokesperson insisted that on the contrary, there has been an increase comp»»»

Ravshanbek Sabirov, Head of the National Investment Agency of Kyrgyzstan, met with the Deputy Ambassador of Italy to Kyrgyzstan (with residence in Astana), as well as representatives of the Italian Trade Agency for the promotion of internationalization of Italian companies abroad. During the meetin»»»

Dubai: A militant assault on a joint security checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district in Pakistan left 11 security personnel dead, while security forces killed at least 12 militants, according to the military’s media wing. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said mi»»»

Skopje, 13 February 2026 (MIA) – During the 62nd Munich Security Conference, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski met Friday with the management of Germany’s Schwarz Group, the parent company of Lidl and Kaufland. Prime Minister Mickoski shared on Facebook that they discussed the company’s investment »»»

President Iliana Iotova will receive caretaker prime minister designate Andrey Gurov at the President's Administration on Wednesday, the President’s press secretariat said on Tuesday. On February 12, Iotova designated Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov as caretaker prime min»»»

Dubai: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has issued a fresh warning to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), particularly returning domestic workers, against illegal recruiters offering quick job transfers to the UAE using counterfeit overseas employment certificates (OECs). OEC is a mandatory re»»»

In recent weeks, Ukranian athletes and visitors at this year's Winter Olympics have been targeted by a string of false accusations. These fake news reports and the way they have been spread has all the hallmarks of the Russian disinformation campaign, operation Matryoshka. FRANCE 24's Charlotte Hug»»»

FIFA President Gianni Infantino received a Lebanese passport at the Interior Ministry in Beirut on Monday, months after he was granted citizenship by President Joseph Aoun. Infantino, who is married to Lebanese citizen Lina al-Ashkar, thanked Aoun at a meeting at the Interior Ministry where Infanti»»»

New York: The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani met with the President of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, HE Annalena Baerbock at the UN headquarters in New York. During the meeting, HE the President of the Gen»»»

JustGold, the UAE based digital precious metals platform, has expanded its offering to include silver alongside gold, reinforcing its position as a single destination for individuals seeking regulated, Shariah compliant access to physically backed precious metals. The platform enables customers to »»»

The Gulf region is witnessing a rapid acceleration in cross-border entrepreneurship as regulatory reforms, digital-first business models, and increased foreign investment reshape how companies operate. From startups expanding into multiple jurisdictions to established firms restructuring for effici»»»

A 22-year-old man was beaten and robbed early Tuesday in Argyroupoli, southern Athens, authorities said. The attack occurred at 6.30 a.m., outside the Agia Triada Church, where three unidentified men approached the victim and asked him which team he supports before assaulting him with a wooden club»»»

Dubai: The Dubai Government Human Resources Department has announced official working hours for government entities during the holy month of Ramadan 1447 AH, in a move aimed at promoting work-life balance and enhancing quality of life in line with the “Year of the Family” initiative. Under the circ»»»

Artificial intelligence is moving deeper into boardrooms and back offices, and the pressure on senior leaders is no longer just about mastering new tools. It is about how they behave when algorithms expose every decision and misstep. The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 39 percent of work»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Diplomatic Academy at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooper»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Tuesday, as he begins a three-day visit to India focused on artificial intelligence cooperation and a potential multibillion dollar fighter jet deal. France is seeking to expand its military partnership with»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Prosecution office has announced the official working hours of its offices during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The working hours for Public Prosecution Services are set for 5 hours in the morning from 9am to 2pm and evening from 9pm to 1am daily, except on Fridays and Saturday»»»

BusinessIndiaFrance's Macron in India to boost Rafale deal talks, AI tiesMahima Kapoor with AFP, APEmmanuel Macron arrives in India at a time the country is looking to upgrade its air force, with the Indian government having given preliminary approval to buy more than 100 additional Rafale jets las»»»

Israeli occupation forces continued their incursion into the city of Salfit on Tuesday, deploying throughout its neighborhoods and streets amidst heightened military measures. Israeli occupation forces attack multiple Palestinian homes past midnight while storming the town of Tuqu, southeast of Bet»»»

Muscat: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the Sultanate of Oman, on Tuesday, issued a circular setting out new rules for the sale and registration of drones. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Under the new instructions, all drone sellers must be properly licensed. Th»»»

As Ramadan coincides with the cooler months, doctors are advising residents to pay extra attention to their immune health while observing the fast. Seasonal flu, colds and other respiratory infections tend to rise during winter – and changes in sleep, hydration and eating patterns can make the body»»»

New Delhi, India: India is discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies, following Australia's move to ban under-16s from popular platforms, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Tuesday. "This is something which has now been accepted by many countries that age-based regulation has to »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Negotiations on Ukraine in Geneva will begin within the next couple of hours, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. "They will definitely start within a couple of hours," he told reporters, answering a question, adding that parties are deciding on the exact time of the»»»

Romania’s annual inflation rate eased only marginally to 9.62% y/y in January (chart), from 9.67% in December, remaining above the Bloomberg survey median forecast of 9.4%, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). »»»

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said Israel is ahead of the US in developing cutting-edge weapons. Graham made the remarks in Tel Aviv after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid on Monday. The senator said Washington should invest in Israel’s defe»»»

The Ukraine conflict is “one of the few wars” that some in the international community have been cheering and condemning efforts to bring to an end, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said. The top US diplomat made the remarks on Monday during a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minist»»»

Germany has become dangerously dependent on US gas imports after abandoning inexpensive Russian energy, Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-chair Alice Weidel has warned. She also urged Chancellor Friedrich Merz to re-engage with Moscow diplomatically and stop fueling the Ukraine conflict. Following t»»»

Dubai: Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made an unexpected appearance at the Bahrain International Circuit this week during Formula 1 pre-season testing. Known for his roles in The Matrix and John Wick, Reeves is also a longtime motorsport fan, and his visit gave fans a rare glimpse of him off the big s»»»

Financier Levon Hampartzumyan has forecast a gradual rise in loan interest rates in Bulgaria, noting that current levels are historically very low and cannot be sustained indefinitely. Speaking on bTV, he stressed that such an increase is a natural development rather than a cause for alarm. Hampart»»»

President Iliana Iotova will receive caretaker prime minister Andrey Gurov at the President's Administration on Wednesday, the President’s press secretariat said on Tuesday. On February 12, Iotova appointed Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov as caretaker prime minister and t»»»

Israeli occupation forces carried out a new wave of bombing and demolition operations early Tuesday, targeting multiple areas across the Gaza Strip in what marked a renewed field escalation in both the north and south. Israeli artillery shelled eastern areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while w»»»

New Mexico lawmakers on Monday passed legislation to launch what they said was the first full investigation into what happened at Zorro Ranch, where the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting girls and women. A bipartisan committee will seek testimony»»»

China has long ago overtaken the US when it comes to the navy, but now Beijing has also overhauled the US in submarines. China has rapidly expanded its nuclear-powered submarine production, surpassing US launch numbers and»»»

“No conditions exist for a coup” in Kyrgyzstan, the country’s president Sadyr Japarov said on February 16, following his abrupt firing last week of national security chief Kamchybek Tashiyev, a man who was widely seen as his “co-ruler”. »»»

The withdrawal of lev banknotes and coins is continuing in line with the approved schedule, although the pace of the process is expected to ease in the coming period, according to data published by the Bulgarian National Bank. The central bank reports that 4.5 percent of the lev cash that was in ci»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani led well-wishers to welcome HRH Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, upon his arrival at Doha International Airport on Tuesday morning, along with his accompanying deleg»»»

The Chairman of the Libyan Foreign Bank (LFB), Mohamed Ali Addarrat, affirmed that “protecting its assets and recovering its receivables abroad has been among the bank’s top priorities in recent years.” He claimed that “significant efforts have been made, resulting in the recovery of funds in sever»»»

The Tripoli based Ministry of Health announced yesterday that after a 10-year hiatus, the CT scan service at Tripoli Children’s Teaching Hospital has resumed operations. This comes following the completion of maintenance, upgrades, and the installation of necessary technical equipment. The service »»»

Five young people have died in a fire that broke out in a storage space in a residential block of flats in north-east Spain. Catalonia's fire brigade said residents raised the alarm about the fire in a five-storey building in Manlleu, about 80km (50 miles) north of Barcelona, shortly after 21:00 lo»»»

At the end of last year, remittances to the Kyrgyz Republic totaled $3.5 billion, equivalent to 15.4 percent of the country’s GDP. The Eurasian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) reported. According to the bank, this figure increased by 16.8 percent compared to 2024. The main inflow cam»»»

Dubai: Takaful Emarat Insurance PSC, the UAE’s first dedicated Shariah-compliant life and health Takaful provider, has announced the appointment of Hisham Hammoud as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Hammoud, who has served as a Board Member for the past eleven months, assumes the new role i»»»

Dubai: The crescent marking the start of the Islamic month is not expected to be visible across most Arab and Islamic countries on Tuesday evening, February 17, according to calculations released by the International Astronomical Centre. Astronomers traditionally calculate sunset based on the upper»»»

Fifteen years ago, Beijing's Liangma riverbanks would have been smog-choked and deserted in winter, but these days they are dotted with families and exercising pensioners most mornings. The turnaround is the result of a years-long campaign that threw China's state power behind policies like moving »»»

President Donald Trump on Monday said Cuba was a "failed nation" and called on Havana to make a deal with the United States, though he dismissed mounting a regime change operation. "Cuba is right now, a failed nation," the US leader told reporters aboard Air Force One. However, when asked if the Un»»»

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would be involved "indirectly" in high-stakes talks between Iran and the US over Tehran's nuclear program set for Tuesday in Geneva, adding he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal. "I'll be involved in those talks, indirectly. And they'll be very im»»»

Amman, Feb. 17 (SANA) Syrian and Jordanian industry representatives met in Amman to discuss expanding cooperation aimed at strengthening women’s participation in the industrial sector and promoting bilateral economic ties. The talks brought together Wafaa Abu Labdeh, a board member of the Damascus »»»

New Deputy Heads of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Kyrgyz Republic have been introduced to the ministry’s staff. According to the order of Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev: The previous two deputy ministers, Aibek Chotonov and Nurlan Omurov, were relieved»»»