The Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan has approved the amount of sadaqah al-fitr for 2026. Its press service reported. This year, the sadaqah al-fitr per person is 1.6 kilograms of wheat (60 soms), raisins (880 soms), flour (90 soms), or 3.2 kilograms of barley (100 soms), and dates (1»»»

Dubai: Ras Al Khaimah’s residential market recorded exceptional growth in 2025, with prime apartment prices climbing to Dh2,428 per square foot, marking the highest level in the current property cycle. Strong capital appreciation across coastal destinations, including Al Marjan Island, Al Hamra and»»»

The Syrian government is interested in Russia maintaining its military presence in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "As for our military facilities, discussions are ongoing. Let me reiterate: the Syrians are keen for our presence to endure," Lavrov told Al Arabia broadcaster»»»

Gen. Francis Donovan, head of US Southern Command, visited Venezuela alongside diplomatic envoy Laura Dogu and Pentagon official Joseph Humire for direct talks with interim authorities. According to the command's statement, the discussions were focused on "security environment"."Building trust and »»»

Kyrgyz wrestler Akzhol Makhmudov will take part in a ranking tournament in Albania. The United World Wrestling (UWW) reported. The second ranking tournament of 2026, Muhamet Malo Tournament, will be held from February 25 to March 1 in Tirana. Makhmudov has been included in the Kyrgyzstan’s national»»»

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticized the UK over a lease deal concerning Diego Garcia island, the site of a major US military base, saying it may be needed to counter a "potential attack" by Iran if nuclear talks collapse. "I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of th»»»

Israeli planes sprayed chemicals on farmland in Quneitra, Syria in late January and early February, 2026. Farmers say that their crops yellowed and died in just a few days and that they lost dozens of hectares of farmland. There have been similar reports of the Israeli Army spraying fields in south»»»

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubaev met with a delegation of the European Parliament, the Foreign Ministry’s press service reported. According to the ministry, the sides discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, interparliamentary dialogue, and the regional agenda. »»»

The first container train running along China—Kyrgyzstan—Uzbekistan—Tajikistan route has departed from Lanzhou Station in China heading toward Dushanbe-2 Station in Tajikistan, Podrobno.uz reports. The train will travel more than 3,500 kilometers in 18–20 days, becoming a new link in the regional t»»»

Dubai: Motorists across the Dubai and Sharjah faced a difficult Thursday morning commute as a series of accidents cause significant tailbacks on major arterial roads. The most severe disruptions were reported on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), and Emirates Road (E611) where a string of accid»»»

The Middle East is used to conflict, but the current moment is fundamentally different. Wars overlap, alliances are in flux, and long-standing assumptions about external protection and the regional order are eroding. For the Arab world, this is not simply another phase of instability; it is a strat»»»

Zhanar Akayev, a member of the Zhogorku Kenesh (Parliament), will become the Mayor of Osh city. Own sources informed 24.kg news agency. As a reminder, Zhenishbek Toktorbaev has been dismissed from his post as mayor of the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan. Zhanar Akayev was born on December 13, 1986, »»»

The holy month of Ramadan has begun today for Muslims around the world. The head of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan, Abdulaziz Zakirov, addressed compatriots on the occasion of the start of Ramadan. He congratulated Muslims, the people of Kyrgyzstan, and all humanity on the arriv»»»

Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, has decided to leave her position as the EU's top central banker before the end of her mandate in October 2027, according to a report in the Financial Times. The move could allow for her successor to be named ahead of presidential elect»»»

Two interchanges with intersections are included in the Bishkek Eastern bypass road construction project. Sanzhar Zhantaev, First Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the region, said at a meeting of the Chui Regional State Administration on the 2025 results. According to him, the interchan»»»

A Rio Carnival parade paying tribute to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been relegated after finishing last in the city’s top samba school competition, as critics denounced elements of the performance that mocked conservatives and traditional family values. A Carnival parade honouring Brazi»»»

South Korea's disgraced former president Yoon Suk Yeol could be banished to death row on February 19 when he fronts court over his disastrous bid to impose martial law. Seoul's Central District Court will rule on insurrection charges against the 65-year-old, delivering a verdict that will be broadc»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set for generally fair to partly cloudy weather from today through Monday, with humid nights bringing a chance of fog or mist in several areas, according to the latest forecast. According to the National Centre of Metrology (NMC), today’s weather will be fair in general with occas»»»

Russia, China and Iran have deployed naval vessels for joint exercises in the strategic Strait of Hormuz region under the “Maritime Security Belt 2026” framework, Russian and Iranian state media reported. Global Surveillance, a geopolitics think-tank, described the move as a “surprise”. The Moscow »»»

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Scott Craig, Senior Communications Officer at the IFRC, explains that the humanitarian situation in Ukraine 'it's the worst it's ever been' and organisations working on the ground in Ukraine face a funding challenge as 'international support for humanitarian fun»»»

The Asian Development Bank and Gulf Renewable Energy Company Limited have signed a $350mn financing agreement to support the construction of two solar power projects paired with battery energy storage systems in Thailand, alongside a separate 68-MW solar plant, POWERLINE reports. »»»

Mainland Chinese visitor numbers to Japan fell sharply in January, tumbling 60.7% year on year, as the countries’ ongoing diplomatic spat weighed on travel, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization. T»»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

Mainland Chinese visitor numbers to Japan fell sharply in January, tumbling 60.7% year on year, as the countries’ ongoing diplomatic spat weighed on travel, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization. T»»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

Renewable energy is expected to account for 26% of India’s total electricity generation by the end of FY2026, even as demand conditions remain relatively subdued, according to a report by Infomerics Ratings cited by PV Magazine on February 18. »»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

Mainland Chinese visitor numbers to Japan fell sharply in January, tumbling 60.7% year on year, as the countries’ ongoing diplomatic spat weighed on travel, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization. T»»»

Mainland Chinese visitor numbers to Japan fell sharply in January, tumbling 60.7% year on year, as the countries’ ongoing diplomatic spat weighed on travel, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization. T»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been conducting clandestine discussions with the grandson of Cuba's ageing former leader Raúl Castro as Washington explores options for political change on the island, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Axios. »»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been conducting clandestine discussions with the grandson of Cuba's ageing former leader Raúl Castro as Washington explores options for political change on the island, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Axios. »»»

A Brussels-based human rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Chile seeking the investigation and prosecution of an Israeli-Ukrainian former military sniper accused of participating in the deadly siege and destruction of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. »»»

A Brussels-based human rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Chile seeking the investigation and prosecution of an Israeli-Ukrainian former military sniper accused of participating in the deadly siege and destruction of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. »»»

A Brussels-based human rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Chile seeking the investigation and prosecution of an Israeli-Ukrainian former military sniper accused of participating in the deadly siege and destruction of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. »»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

Renewable energy is expected to account for 26% of India’s total electricity generation by the end of FY2026, even as demand conditions remain relatively subdued, according to a report by Infomerics Ratings cited by PV Magazine on February 18. »»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

Bulgaria's President Iliana Yotova approved a caretaker government proposed by prime minister-designate Andrey Gyurov on February 18 and said she would call a snap parliamentary election for April 19. Gyurov, former deputy»»»

As Central Asia is drawn more and more into China’s orbit, Beijing is emerging not as a source of strain but as a critical stabilising factor in the region. As was highlighted in the World Bank’s International Debt Report (IDR) published in December 2025, concentrated borrowing can heighten risk if»»»

Expectations that 2026 could prove decisive in ending the war in Ukraine are premature and risk misreading the logic driving Moscow, argues Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and founder of political analysis firm R.Politik, in a comment for Carnegie Politika. »»»

Expectations that 2026 could prove decisive in ending the war in Ukraine are premature and risk misreading the logic driving Moscow, argues Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and founder of political analysis firm R.Politik, in a comment for Carnegie Politika. »»»

AMMAN — Minister of Agriculture, Saeb Khraisat, on Wednesday signed support agreements for two food factories as part of the project to stimulate industries in industrial and development estates and municipalities.This step comes within the framework of the Ministry of Agriculture's efforts to stim»»»

AMMAN — The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) has launched a new update for its mobile application, "Boursa", reflecting its ongoing commitment to developing advanced digital tools that meet investor expectations and enhance accessibility to market data.The update aims to facilitate precise monitoring of»»»

AMMAN — Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hussein Fund for Excellence (HFE), Adel Sharkas, presided over the awards ceremony for the winners of the fourth cycle of the Hussein Fund Economic Research Awards.Speaking on behalf of the Governor, »»»

Peru’s Congress on Tuesday voted to remove the interim President Jose Jeri over corruption allegations, deepening political uncertainty just weeks before the nation’s April presidential and congressional elections. Jeri is under preliminary investigation for alleged influence peddling tied to a ser»»»

Eight skiers have died after an avalanche tore through the slopes of California's Sierra Nevada mountains, authorities said Wednesday, as rescuers continued searching for one other missing person from the group. Eight ⁠people ​are ​dead following ​an avalanche ‌in »»»

On the eve of the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s "Board of Peace" initiative in Washington, FRANCE 24 spoke to historian and UN expert Alanna O’Malley about how the body reflects the MAGA movement's agenda seeking to further institutionalise US power at a global scale. Dozens of w»»»