Japan's lower house formally reappointed Sanae Takaichi as prime minister on Wednesday, 10 days after her historic landslide election victory. Takaichi, 64, became Japan's first woman premier in October and won a two-thirds majority for her party in the snap lower house elections on February 8. She»»»

The Ministry of Interior has published a report detailing its investigation into the activities of the association linked to Ivaylo Kalushev. The document is now publicly available on the Ministry’s website. The publication follows an order from Interior Minister Daniel Mitov dated February 5, 2026»»»

A rare inherited disorder affecting brain development and muscle strength has been officially named after an Abu Dhabi-based specialist at Burjeel Medical City, marking a milestone for the UAE’s medical research community. The condition, now known as El-Hattab-Schmidts syndrome, was identified thro»»»

Taxi drivers are on strike across Greece over government timelines for their obligatory transition to using electric vehicles and against competition from other chauffeuring services. Athens taxi drivers launched a three-day strike Tuesday — which ends at 6 a.m. Friday — while cabbies all over Gree»»»

Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan agreed to establish a Saudi-Kazakh Coordination Council, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday. Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz received in Riyadh Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev. Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan »»»

North Korea was designated a "high-risk jurisdiction" for money laundering and terrorism financing for the 16th consecutive year, Seoul's Financial Action Task Force said Wednesday. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo North Korea has been designated a "high-risk jurisdiction" for money»»»

At a meeting of the Ecological Council in Bishkek, urban ecologist Dmitry Pereyaslavsky called for daily publication of emissions data from the new waste-to-energy plant located at the sanitary landfill near Altyn-Kazyk residential area. He noted that the facility is located in a district that has »»»

Ermek Omuraliev has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to Italy. The decree was signed by the President of Kyrgyzstan. He will also serve as Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), t»»»

Monaco: Paris Saint-Germain recovered from a shambolic start as Desire Doue inspired a comeback from two goals down to beat Monaco 3-2 in the principality in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie yesterday. United States star Folarin Balogun opened the scoring after ju»»»

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Qatar Ports Management Company signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at boosting maritime and logistics cooperation between the two sides. The agreement will contribute to the development of the ports sector, raising operational efficienc»»»

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday. Photo by Yonhap South Korea will seek to reinstate a no-fly zone over the border with North Korea under the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military pact aimed at easing tensions, Unification Minister Chung Dong»»»

With the background of price rises in basic commodities, shortages of cooking oil, LC fraud and attempts to preserve Libya’s hard currency reserves, the Minister of Planning, Mohamed Al-Zaidani, met last Monday (16 February) with the Executive Director of the Libyan Industry Union (LIU) to discuss »»»

Doha, Qatar: The 18th Qatar Robotics & AI Competition 2026 concluded at Lusail Hall in Doha yesterday. The three-day tournament was organized by the Ministry of Sports and Youth (MSY), represented by the Qatar Scientific Club (QSC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Educati»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan yesterday claimed the top spot in Group B at the AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League (GCCL) after a 3-1 victory over Oman’s Al Nahda in a match held at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, concluding the group stage fixtures. The win lifted Al Rayyan’s tally to 12 points, confirm»»»

Doha, Qatar: The 14th Arabian Women Exhibition continues to draw strong visitor interest at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), Hall 5, and remains open until today, (February 18). The event, which began on February 13, serves as a significant regional platform for women in business, »»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai moved higher on Wednesday morning, though they remained below the closely watched Dh600 mark that continues to shape buying decisions across the local market. At 9:50 am, 24K gold stood at Dh594.50 a gram compared with Dh590.75 on Tuesday, while 22K rose to Dh550.50 from»»»

Commercial "air taxi" service has been pushed back. Again. Reason: It's not because the technology doesn't work or is unproven. It's because US certification timeline for the next-generation electric vertical-landing-and-takeoff (eVTOL) aircraft — a new mode for human flight — poses complex challen»»»

The Indonesian government, through the Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia, has officially declared that 1 Ramadan 1447 AH will fall on February 19, after the isbat (confirmation) session concluded that the crescent moon did not satisfy the agreed visibility standards, Jakarta Globe reports. »»»

The Indonesian government, through the Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia, has officially declared that 1 Ramadan 1447 AH will fall on February 19, after the isbat (confirmation) session concluded that the crescent moon did not satisfy the agreed visibility standards, Jakarta Globe reports. »»»

The Indonesian government, through the Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia, has officially declared that 1 Ramadan 1447 AH will fall on February 19, after the isbat (confirmation) session concluded that the crescent moon did not satisfy the agreed visibility standards, Jakarta Globe reports. »»»

The Indonesian government, through the Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia, has officially declared that 1 Ramadan 1447 AH will fall on February 19, after the isbat (confirmation) session concluded that the crescent moon did not satisfy the agreed visibility standards, Jakarta Globe reports. »»»

Persistent severe weather swept across large parts of the country on Tuesday, causing significant disruption, particularly in western Greece, as a third consecutive wave of rainfall battered already strained areas. Two hillside settlements on Mount Taygetos were evacuated after buildings and roads »»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Ahli SC will aim to capitalise on home advantage today in the second leg of the AFC Champions League (ACL)Two Round of 16 against Iran’s Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC at Al Thumama Stadium. The Qatari side heads into the match on level terms after a dramatic 2-2 draw in the first leg,»»»

Doha, Qatar: United Development Company (UDC), the master developer of The Pearl and Gewan Islands, has announced the launch of the fourth edition of The Pearl Ramadan Bazaar, taking place throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan along the waterfront at Porto Arabia (1 to 5 La Croisette) and Qanat Quar»»»

Doha, Qatar: Mwani Qatar and Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday to strengthen maritime and logistics cooperation, aiming to develop the ports sector, boost operational efficiency, and support regional and international trade flows. The MoU was signed»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, hosted a special farewell reception in honour of Abdulrahman Ahmad Al-Shaibi, the retiring Executive Vice President for Finance and Planning at QatarEnergy. In remarks at the rece»»»

The Makkah Halal Forum 2026, which concluded on Monday, marked a pivotal milestone in the development of Saudi Arabia's halal industry, ushering in a new phase of structured institutional action. This shift moves the sector beyond theoretical discourse toward a fully integrated implementation frame»»»

The jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, Abdullah Ocalan, has said that the Ankara-PKK peace process has entered its “second phase,” as the Turkish parliament sets the stage to vote on a draft report proposing legal reforms tied to peace efforts. A delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar correspondent: Enemy forces infiltrated the town of Yaroun at dawn, detonating explosives inside a residential house 18-02-2026 08»»»

Doha: Al Sadd SC secured a place in the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 despite a 4-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad Club at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. The big victory for Al Ittihad still allowed Al Sadd to claim the final Round of 16 spot from the West Zone, edging out fe»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Katara Cultural Village Foundation has announced the opening of nominations for the fifth edition of the Katara Prize for Arabic Poetry, dedicated to the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them). Participation in the competition is open to interested individuals fr»»»

Doha, Qatar: Barzan University College (BUC), in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology, hosted a senior delegation from the State of Victoria, Australia, on February 8, 2026, reinforcing the growing strategic partnership between Qatar and Australia in higher education, innovation, and»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has unveiled its new sonic identity, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture represented by the Music Affairs Center, during the official ceremony held in celebration of the corporation’s silver jubilee. The sonic identity »»»

A new round of negotiations between Russia, the United States and Ukraine on the Ukrainian settlement is taking place in Geneva on February 17-18 at the InterContinental Geneva Hotel. US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff shared the outcome of the first day of talks, involving Rus»»»

A new round of negotiations between Russia, the United States and Ukraine on the Ukrainian settlement is taking place in Geneva on February 17-18 at the InterContinental Geneva Hotel. Russia has proved many times that it wants peace, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wedn»»»

1 of 2 | U.S. Capitol Police on Tuesday arrested an 18-year-old accused of running toward the Capitol with a loaded shotgun. Photo courtesy of U.S Capitol Police/Release Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Police have arrested an armed teenager who was running toward the U.S. Capitol building, authorities said. The s»»»

Geneva: Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva H E Dr. Hend bint Abdalrahman Al Muftah participated in a meeting of the Support Group of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in Geneva. In her remarks, Her Excellency affirmed th»»»

Doha, Qatar: Carlos Alcaraz made a victorious start to his Qatar ExxonMobil Open campaign at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha yesterday, withstanding a challenge from Arthur Rinderknech to advance with a 6-4, 7-6(5) win. Playing his first match since lifting the Australia»»»

Doha, Qatar: The launch of the 2026 Qatar Nationalisation Award for the Private Sector marks the culmination of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani’s vision that humans are the lynchpin of the development engine and its advancement, Assistant Undersecretary for Manpower Affairs in the Private »»»

With Ramadan starting today, residents will fast from dawn to dusk – putting the body on reserve and making iftar and suhoor choices crucial for sustaining energy, focus and hydration. Nutritionists told Gulf News that balanced and well-timed meals can mean the difference between steady stamina and»»»

Doha, Qatar: The National Planning Council (NPC) has launched ‘Al Tanmiya’ (Development) podcast series, a new dialogue-based platform designed to foster ongoing and structured community dialogue on the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). The platform also aims to highlight key milestones a»»»

Doha, Qatar: Registration has officially opened for the Senyar Festival 2026, offering marine enthusiasts and traditional fishing communities an opportunity to participate in one of Qatar’s most distinctive heritage-inspired sporting events. According to a post on the official X account of Katara C»»»

UNDP Libya reported yesterday that, as part of a series of introductory workshops, national Libyan institutions explored how emerging technologies can strengthen education and scientific research. In partnership with the Ministry of Planning and the Institute of Planning discussions held at the Ins»»»

US special envoy Steve Witkoff said talks between Ukraine and Russia had "brought about meaningful progress" to end the war, as both sides prepared for a second day of negotiations in Geneva on Wednesday. "President Trump's success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meani»»»

Kyrgyzstan is preparing for the possible importation of various infectious diseases into the country, Deputy Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor, Ryspek Sydygaliev, said on Birinchi Radio. According to Sydygaliev, the Republican Center for the Prevention and Control of Especially Dan»»»

Doha, Qatar: Gut health plays a vital role in overall wellbeing, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan when dietary patterns and meal timings change significantly. By offering practical advice on diet and lifestyle, expert insights aim to help people maintain healthy gut function during the»»»

President Iliana Iotova will receive caretaker prime minister designate Andrey Gurov at the President's Administration on Wednesday, the President’s press secretariat said. He is expected to propose a caretaker cabinet lineup. On February 12, Iotova designated Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy G»»»

Doha, Qatar: Under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs H E Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, the Minist»»»

Nissan Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa has singled out Saudi Arabia as a cornerstone of the automaker’s global ambitions, calling the kingdom and the wider Middle East a “golden jewel” in the company’s international portfolio, driven by strong brand equity, steady profitability, and a deep, loyal cus»»»

Electricity has returned to Yemen’s Socotra archipelago after urgent Saudi intervention ended days of outages that disrupted daily life and crippled vital institutions, including the general hospital, the university and the technical institute. The breakthrough followed a sudden shutdown of the pow»»»