Meteorology Department forecasts moderate to cold temperature
Doha, Qatar: Department of Meteorology says the weather inshore until 6pm today, Saturday, 21 February will be hazy to misty in some areas across the country. In its daily weather report, the Department noted that moderate temperatures will be observed during the day and cold by night. The lowest t»»»
Kuwait affirms commitment to updating UNCITRAL Model Law
NEW YORK, Feb 21 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait affirmed its keenness to actively participate and contribute to updating and amending the UNCITRAL Model Law in line with evolving international legal developments.This came in a statement delivered Friday evening by member of Kuwait's delegation from »»»
Parliamentary Elections Preparations Kick off in Lebanon Despite Doubts They Will Be Held
Political forces in Lebanon have kicked off their preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections in May despite doubts that they may not be held. No more than ten candidates have so far submitted their nominations as the political powers work on postponing the elections while still preparing»»»
US Makes Plans to Reopen Embassy in Syria after 14 Years
The Trump administration has informed Congress that it intends to proceed with planning for a potential re-opening of the US Embassy in Damascus, Syria, which was shuttered in 2012 during the country’s civil war. A notice to congressional committees earlier this month, which was obtained by The Ass»»»
Today in Kuwait history
KUWAIT, Feb 21 (KUNA) -- 1972 -- Zaid Al-Harb, a renowned poet who was among the first to demand gender equality, passed away at 85. 1977 -- A ground satellite station in Umm Al-Aish began transmission. The station could transmit 246 stations. 1987 -- Kuwait Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah patr»»»
Palestinian Authority in dire straits as Israel's hold on West Bank deepens
With Israeli settler violence surging in the occupied West Bank, al-Mughayyir, north-east of Ramallah, has found itself on the frontline. It faces regular incursions by the Israeli army and has seen farmland seized by settlers who have built new outposts. Marzoq Abu Naim from the village council sa»»»
LIDCO continues construction on 8,500 car multistorey carpark as part of Tripoli Gate 1 Project
The state Libyan Investment and Development Company (LIDCO) announced last Wednesday (18 February) that construction is continuing at the 8,500-plus vehicle multistorey carpark at (zone 6 of) its Tripoli Gate One (Bab Trablus) Project. It said that within the urban planning of the project, traffic »»»
President: After reform, SCNS will become a true special service like former KGB - | 24.KG
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov said in an interview with Kabar news agency that large-scale reforms of the country’s law enforcement and security agencies are being prepared. According to the head of state, he had planned to launch the reforms earlier, but they were postponed for various rea»»»
ONS: UK higher tax receipts lead to record January surplus
LONDON, Feb 20 (KUNA) -- The UK government's finances witnessed a GBP 30.4 billion surplus in January due to higher tax receipts than spending, said data by the National Office for Statistics on Friday.According to the ONS, this is the highest surplus in any month since records began in 1993, witho»»»
India joins US-led Pax Silica initiative
NEW DELHI, Feb 20 (KUNA) -- India on Friday joined the Pax Silica Initiative and signed a joint statement on India-US AI opportunity partnership.A statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that on the margins of the India AI Impact Summit underway in New Delhi, India joined the Pa»»»
Israeli Druze Leader Says Syrian Community 'Besieged' Months after Clashes
Seven months after deadly clashes between Syria's Druze minority and government-backed forces, the spiritual leader of Druze in neighboring Israel said members of the community across the border remained in peril. "They're still besieged -- completely encircled. They aren't allowed to bring in any »»»
SCNS of Kyrgyzstan details detention of Deputy Health Minister - | 24.KG
The State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic (SCNS) released details regarding the detention of a Deputy Minister of Health. As part of ongoing anti-corruption efforts within the healthcare system, authorities uncovered alleged illegal activities by Deputy Health Minister S.R.S.»»»
US stock indexes close higher
New York: Major indexes on Wall Street closed higher at the end of the trading session. The S&P 500 index rose by 48.41 points, or 0.71 percent, to 6,910.30 points. The Nasdaq Composite gained about 207.14 points, or 0.91 percent, to 22,889.87 points. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average cli»»»
Somalia Moves to Contain Public Criticism Over Türkiye Ties
Growing cooperation between Mogadishu and Ankara has drawn domestic criticism in Somalia over what some describe as a “one-sided benefit” for Türkiye, prompting Somali authorities to stress that the country’s sovereignty and the rights of its people remain unaffected. The official denial issued on »»»
US Calls on Sudan Parties to Immediately Accept Humanitarian Truce
US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos revealed on Friday that the US had called on all Sudanese parties to immediately and unconditionally accept a humanitarian truce backed by the United Nations mechanism. Boulos took part in several diplomatic meetings on the sidelines of a»»»
Family of Palestinian-American man killed in West Bank demand accountability
The family of a 19-year-old Palestinian-American man who they say was shot dead by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank have called for accountability over his killing. Nasrallah Abu Siyam was shot near the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, becoming at least the sixth»»»
Three dead in latest US strike on alleged drug boat: Pentagon
Washington, United States: US forces on Friday launched a strike against alleged drug traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people, the military said. "Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations" along an »»»
Aldabaiba calls on CBL Governor to halt all 2026 project spending across Libya - until the newly US-brokered unified spending agreement is adhered to
Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, sent an official letter (dated 19 February) to the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Naji Issa, calling for a halt to all spending under Chapter Three of the budget. Specifically, the letter called for the stop of all project financin»»»
379 political prisoners granted amnesty in Venezuela
Caracas, Venezuela: Venezuelan authorities granted amnesty to 379 political prisoners, a lawmaker overseeing the process said on Friday, after a new mass amnesty law was enacted following the ouster of former leader Nicolas Maduro. "Requests have been submitted by the Public Prosecutor's Office to »»»
Australia blows as goalkeeper Micah ruled out of Women's Asian Cup
Sydney, Australia: Australia suffered a setback Saturday in their quest to win the Women's Asian Cup with goalkeeper Teagan Micah ruled out of the tournament with concussion. The Lyon star was shaping as the frontrunner to be Joe Montemurro's first-choice keeper for the tournament hosted by Austral»»»
Yemen Presidential Leadership Council Vows to Confront Saboteurs
After elements loyal to what was known as the Southern Transitional Council attempted to storm the presidential palace in Aden, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council said it would not tolerate chaos in the city or across the southern provinces, accusing regional forces of involvement in suspiciou»»»
Board of Peace Pledges on Gaza Face Test of Implementation on the Ground
The first meeting of the Board of Peace, chaired by US President Donald Trump and attended by Arab and Israeli representatives in the absence of the Palestinian Authority, set out ambitious goals but left key issues unresolved. Washington distilled its priorities into two tracks: funding the recons»»»
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia Sign Comprehensive Power Purchase Agreement
Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry signed a comprehensive power purchase agreement with Saudi energy giant ACWA Power to develop solar power plants and projects in Türkiye with major investments. The agreement, signed in Istanbul on Friday, was attended by Türkiye’s Energy and Natural »»»
Dubai to host landmark 25th Airport Show in May 2026
Dubai will host the 25th edition of the Airport Show at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 12 to 14, 2026, bringing together leading aviation companies from around the world. The three-day event will spotlight the latest air traffic management (ATM) and air traffic control (ATC) systems d»»»
Talking Europe - Macron's readiness to talk to Putin "a very good idea": EU Council former president Charles Michel
As FRANCE 24 covers another grim milestone in Ukraine – four years of full-scale war – Talking Europe hosts the former president of the EU Council, Charles Michel, who was in the job when that geopolitical earthquake struck the European continent on February 24, 2022. We also bring you a speci»»»
Tomb more than 1,000 years old found in Panama
Panama City: Archaeologists have discovered a tomb more than a thousand years old in Panama containing human remains alongside gold and ceramic artifacts, the lead researcher told AFP on Friday. The discovery was made at the El Cano site in the Nata district about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwe»»»
Xbox boss Phil Spencer retires as Microsoft shakes up gaming unit
San Francisco, United States: Microsoft on Friday put out word that Xbox stalwart Phil Spencer is retiring, in a shakeup of leadership at the tech titan's video game unit. Former Instacart chief operating officer Asha Sharma will take over as head of Microsoft Gaming, with Matt Booty becoming execu»»»
Virus kills dozens of tigers in Thailand park
Bangkok, Thailand: A deadly virus and bacterial infection have killed at least 72 tigers at a private animal park in Thailand's north in recent weeks, authorities said. The provincial livestock office in Chiang Mai said in a statement on Friday that testing detected the highly infectious canine dis»»»
Donald Trump answers a Supreme Court rebuke with new tariff threats
Rarely does so totemic a presidential policy receive so resounding a smackdown. On 20 February, the Supreme Court ruled, in Learning Resources v Trump, that the bulk of President Donald Trump’s tariffs were illegal. Mr Trump had asserted that a 1970s-era law, the International Emergency Economic Po»»»
First Deputy Health Minister of Kyrgyzstan resigns - | 24.KG
First Deputy Health Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Aibek Matkerimov, resigned. Media reported citing sources. According to them, the First Deputy Health Minister bid farewell to the staff and announced his resignation yesterday morning. There is no order for his dismissal. Aibek Matkerimov was appointed t»»»
Deputy Health Minister of Kyrgyzstan detained - | 24.KG
Deputy Health Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Ryspek Sydygaliev, has been detained. Media reported citing sources. According to them, Ryspek Sydygaliev was detained by the Investigative Service of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) on suspicion of corruption. He has been placed in the tempora»»»
Nine foreigners fined in Batken region as part of Illegal Migrant operation - | 24.KG
Nine foreign citizens were fined in Batken region of Kyrgyzstan as part of the Illegal Migrant operation. The regional Department of Internal Affairs reported. According to police, the raid took place on February 17-19 in Batken district. During the inspection, the foreigners working in Kyrgyzstan »»»
Organization of Turkic States moves to new level of economic cooperation - | 24.KG
The 14th meeting of the Ministers of Economy and Trade of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Turkestan. According to the organization’s press service, ministerial-level delegations from member states took part in the meeting to advance economic cooperation, deepen trade ties, and p»»»
Mirlan Ryskeldiev appointed Head of Internal Investigations Service - | 24.KG
A personnel appointment has been made at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. According to the ministry’s press service, Police Colonel Mirlan Ryskeldiev has been appointed Head of the Internal Investigations Service by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs. Prior to this ap»»»
Rita Karasartova files lawsuit against management of State Penitentiary Service - | 24.KG
Human rights activist Rita Karasartova filed a lawsuit in the Bishkek Administrative Court against the management of the State Penitentiary Service and pretrial detention center No. 1. She posted on Facebook. According to Rita Karasartova, a law passed in 2006 stipulates that individuals held in pr»»»
Couple gets death for sexually assaulting 33 children
A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district has sentenced two people — Rambhawan and his wife Durgawati — to death for the sexual abuse and exploitation of dozens of children. The verdict was delivered on Friday after the court»»»
Trump Announces Introduction of Global 10% Trade Tariff on All Countries
US President Donald Trump announced that he signed an executive order imposing a 10% trade tariff on all countries. President Donald Trump announced the signing of a 10% import duty on goods from all countries, which will take effect on February 24 and last 150 days."It is my Great Honor to have ju»»»
Hungary Blocks €90B EU Loan for Ukraine in Response to Energy Blockade – FM
Hungary is blocking an EU loan to Ukraine in the amount of 90 billion euros ($106 billion) while it is blocking Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday. "As long as Ukraine blocks the Druzhba pipeline and until Ukraine resumes oil supp»»»
How will Trump's new 10% global tariffs work and what's next?
The US Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump overstepped his powers when he imposed sweeping global tariffs last year. In its 6-3 decision, the court ruled that Trump could not use a 1977 law - the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) - to levy taxes on imports from nea»»»
Anna Murdoch-Mann, mother of News Corp heir, dies aged 81
Anna Murdoch-Mann, writer and ex-wife of media baron Rupert Murdoch, has died aged 81, his media outlets have announced. Married to the mogul for 31 years, she was described by the New York Post as an "active partner" in building News Corp. She was mother to three of Murdoch's children, Elisabeth, »»»
UAE weather: Fog expected in coming days as temperatures fluctuate
Dubai: The UAE is set to experience generally fair weather over the coming days, with periods of fog expected during early mornings, as temperatures fluctuate slightly before rising again midweek. According to the latest forecast from the National Center of Meteorology, conditions on Saturday will »»»
12 killed including a Hezbollah commander in Israeli strikes on eastern and southern Lebanon – Ya Libnan
Share: Israel also hits underground depots and a bunker on the border with Syria BEIRUT, February 20. /TASS/. 12 Hezbollah militants were killed and dozens more were wounded after Israeli raids on Hezbollah targets in eastern Lebanon, Lebanese media reported, citing medical sources. The strikes wer»»»
At least 10 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon - state media
At least 10 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes on eastern Lebanon, according to state media. A senior Hezbollah official was among those killed, the Iranian-backed militant group said in a statement. Israel's military said it was targeting sites that belonged to the group in the Bekaa V»»»
Pakistan: a fragile economic calm after crisis
Pakistan has stepped back from the brink of economic collapse a note from Capital Economics suggests. Foreign exchange reserves have been rebuilt, inflation has eased, the current account is broadly balanced and the fiscal position has strengthened markedly. Yet weak growth and fractious domestic p»»»
Indonesia’s GDP puzzle raises fresh data integrity questions
The acceleration in Indonesia’s GDP growth in Q4 sits uneasily with other activity indicators, which suggest the economy lost momentum towards the end of last year, a note from Capital Economics says. With the government intent on lifting growth to 8% and signs that the national accounts may have b»»»
Turkmen leader’s visit to United States remains shrouded in mystery
Turkmenistan’s paramount leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was back in Ashgabat on February 20 following a below-the-radar visit to the United States that may have included a visit to Mar-a-Lago, US President Donald Trump’s compound-cum-private club in Palm Beach, Florida. »»»
Turkmen leader’s visit to United States remains shrouded in mystery
Turkmenistan’s paramount leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was back in Ashgabat on February 20 following a below-the-radar visit to the United States that may have included a visit to Mar-a-Lago, US President Donald Trump’s compound-cum-private club in Palm Beach, Florida. »»»
Iran's motorcycling midwife and rights campaigner is star of Oscar-tipped film
Growing up in the Iranian capital Tehran, filmmaker Sara Khaki recalls seeing many examples of strong women in a male-dominated society. These were women "fighting for their independence and demanding space for their lives", she says. She later decided to research female entrepreneurs and activists»»»
It's not just a prediction anymore: See the 8 companies already using AI to replace staff
Dubai: Artificial intelligence (AI) replacing human workers is no longer a thought experiment, it's corporate strategy and it's playing out right now at some of the world's largest companies. The people building the technology aren't mincing their words either. In 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated»»»
Canada looks to trade talks after US Supreme Court tosses Trump's tariffs
Celebrations in Canada over the decision by the US Supreme Court to strike down President Donald Trump's global tariffs were both brief and muted. The high court's decision, which included the "fentanyl" tariffs Trump imposed on Canada, China and Mexico, reinforced Canada's position that the levies»»»