South Africa’s finance minister has said about $15.7 billion has been allocated for army deployment and to intensify law enforcement Read Full Article at RT.com

A record 129 journalists were killed worldwide in 2025, with Israel responsible for two-thirds of the deaths, according to a CPJ report Read Full Article at RT.com

Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the cruelty and inhumanity exhibited by Vladimir Zelensky’s government

«Supplying weapons to a country at war is a violation of international law, and selling weapons for this purpose is illegal,» a member of the Finnish national-conservative party «Freedom Alliance» said

Currency funds increased by $1.2 bln in the ruble equivalent

The growth rate of the debts under mortgage loans of households slowed down to 0.9% in January 2026 and totaled $311.7 bln, the Bank of Russia added

By 2035, volumes are projected to increase to 10-12 mln TEU

Brothers Aman, 36, and Gavin Deshi, 33, won the 38th iteration of the UK's official fish and chip competition.

Alvi Choudhury, 26, was working from home in Southampton at the house he shares with his parents when officers arrested him and held him in custody for 10 hours.

Piers Morgan has weighed in on the BAFTAs controvery surrounding Tourette's sufferer John Davidson - hitting out at critic Jamie Foxx. 

Child murderer Ian Huntley has been attacked in his prison cell.

A sound system blasts out a ­hideous recording of howling wolves as a terrified lamb tries to jump a steel barrier to escape a slaughterman who is about to slit its throat in an English abattoir.

Moscow has returned the bodies of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers and received remains of 35 Russian troops Read Full Article at RT.com

 Iran doesn’t find it appropriate to deal with a “genocidal regime,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Zimbabwe’s government has backed out of a five-year health deal with the US, citing unequal exchange of biological data Read Full Article at RT.com

Currently, more than 10,000 foreign volunteers from 75 countries serve in the Ukrainian Ground Forces

Naftogaz CEO Sergey Koretsky specified that the 90 mln cubic meter shipment was carried out in partnership with Lithuania’s state-owned energy holding Ignitis

According to Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the foreign minister and head of the Iranian delegation at the talks with the United States in Geneva «has sufficient support and authority to sign this agreement»

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 16-year-old Nurul Ashwiny Abdullah and 19-year-old Chloe Lim Jia Xuan.In a news release on Thursday (Feb 26) evening, the police said Nurul Ashwiny and Chloe Lim were last seen at about 6am on Feb 13, in the vicinity of Defu Avenue 1 in Hougang. Defu Avenue 1 is flanked by flatted factories on both sides of the road. Those along Defu Lane 7 and 9 are currently being demolished. IMAGE: Google Maps Checks by AsiaOne indicate that the road is flanked by flatted factories on both sides.Anyone with information is urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.All information will be kept strictly confidential, said the police.

But the GOP’s edge on immigration has narrowed as Trump’s mass deportations face backlash.

US national debt will surge to 140% of GDP by 2031, the IMF has warned, urging Washington to slash its fiscal deficit   Read Full Article at RT.com

Gunmen have killed at least 25 people in raids on two villages in northeast Nigeria Read Full Article at RT.com

EU officials are scrambling to tackle Hungary’s veto on a loan required to fund the Ukrainian government, according to Politico Read Full Article at RT.com

State Duma deputies call on the parliaments of France and Great Britain, the European parliament, and also specialized organizations and agencies within the system of the United Nations Organization to take urgent measures to avert a potential nuclear conflict

Kees van der Pijl emphasizes that the continent's future hinges largely on the outcome of the Ukrainian crisis

The projects include the Severskaya solar power plant in the Krasnodar Region, the Kurchaloyevskaya SPP in the Chechen Republic, and the Derbentskaya SPP in the Republic of Dagestan

The parties confirmed their intention to continue developing constructive bilateral dialogue between Russia and Hungary

The decision is adopted unanimously

If you're an iPhone user under the age of 18, you might find the range of apps on the Apple App Store a little more restrictive.Apple's app store has begun blocking users in Singapore from downloading apps rated 18+ should they not be verified as adults, according to an Apple blog post to app developers on Tuesday (Feb 24).«Starting February 24, 2026, Apple will block users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore from downloading apps rated 18+ unless they have been confirmed to be adults through reasonable methods,» the post reads.«The App Store will perform this confirmation automatically.»This comes ahead of the March 31 deadline for app stores to block underage users from downloading apps not meant for their age group, as per the new Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services.According to the Info-communications Media Development Authority, the Code aims to enhance online user safety, particularly for children, and curb the spread of harmful content on their service.This includes the distribution or online storage of harmful content on apps, including sexual, violent, suicide and self-harm content.

[Namibian] Health minister Esperance Luvindao has told parliamentarians who do not want to use public hospitals that they are not going to be forced to do so.

The number of traffic accidents resulting in fatalities and accidents resulting in injuries have continued to rise, said the Traffic Police (TP) in their annual Road Traffic Situation report on Thursday (Feb 26). There were 147 traffic accidents resulting in fatalities in 2025 compared with 139 such cases in 2024 — a 5.8 per cent increase. Of these accidents, there were 149 deaths in 2025 compared with 142 deaths in 2024 - a 4.9 per cent rise.Meanwhile, there were 7,560 traffic accidents resulting in injuries in 2025 compared with 7,053 such cases in 2024 — a 7.2 per cent increase. Of these accidents, there were 9,955 victims in 2025 compared with 9,342 victims in 2024 — a 6.6 per cent rise. «This persistent upward trend over the last few years is worrying,» said TP. Motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians continue to be the most vulnerable road user groups, added TP.Elderly pedestrians«Accidents involving elderly pedestrians continue to be a significant concern,» said TP.

Singapore's resident total fertility rate (TFR) reached a new low of 0.87 in 2025, revealed Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament on Thursday (Feb 26).Speaking at the committee of supply debate for the Prime Minister's Office, DPM Gan said that low birth rates and population will «profoundly» affect Singapore.«Low birth rates and population will profoundly shape our nation, our society and our economy in the years ahead of us. Even with immigration, the growth of our citizen population has slowed over the decade.» Singapore's birth rates fell from 0.9 per cent per annum between 2015 and 2019, to 0.8 per cent between 2020 and 2024, and falling further to 0.7 per cent in 2025.DPM Gan also cautioned that Singapore's citizen population will start to shrink by the early part of the 2040s if no new measures are taken.Echoing what PM Lawrence Wong said during the earlier Budget debate wrap-up, DPM Gan said that Singapore «cannot give up» on improving its birth rates.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers called the bluff on the driver of a Malaysia-registered lorry during checks at Tuas Checkpoint on Feb 13.In a post on its Facebook on Thursday (Feb 26), ICA said the lorry, driven by a 38-year-old Malaysian man, declared its consignment of goods as machine and mechanical appliances.The lorry was directed for further checks where search and examination officers uncovered more than 2,400 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes.The driver was arrested and the case referred to the Singapore Customs for further investigation.Buying, selling, conveying, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both. Vehicles used in these offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid goods may also be forfeited. [[nid:730465]]editor@asiaone.com

Ni-Vanuatu rapper Mantis (Ethan-Xavier Hakwa) has arrived in Australia this week ahead of his performance at WOMADelaide, the country’s largest international music, arts, and dance festival.

A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison for rape on Tanna in 2020.