If you've noticed a burning smell in the air after you woke up on Friday (Feb 13) morning, and throughout the day, here's why.In a Facebook post at about 6.20pm on Friday evening, the National Environment Agency (NEA) explained that smoke from peatland and vegetation fires in recent weeks can release «a complex mixture of gases».«These gases may give rise to a noticeable burning smell, even when present at low concentrations,» the agency said. Last week, Johor firefighters battled a 121.41ha forest fire in Kota Tinggi's Bio Desaru, which took several days to bring under control due to strong and windy conditions.Following a spate of vegetation fires in end-January, Johor fire and rescue department chief Siti Rohani Nadir also urged the public not to engage in open burning, particularly under the present hot, dry and windy conditions.

Former head of Ofsted Baroness Amanda Spielman said today the guidance gives 'too much leeway' for schools 'to permit a child to transition while keeping it secret from their parents'.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is already being probed by police amid claims he passed on official documents to Epstein. Now it appears he gave a Treasury briefing to another banker friend

Actor-turned-politician Vijay of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) criticized the DMK government's Rs 2,000 cash payout to women, calling it an attempt to buy votes. He also highlighted his earlier promise of power-sharing with allies as a «political bomb» unsettling Chief Minister MK Stalin, who recently dismissed the idea of a coalition government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's decisive election victory, reaffirming India's commitment to close bilateral ties. Rahman, son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, is expected to become prime minister following the party's significant win, ushering in potential political stability.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath countered the Samajwadi Party in the assembly, attributing the state's past image of fear and disorder to previous political cultures. He quoted Mirza Ghalib to criticize attempts to shift blame, emphasizing that governance failures cannot be erased by merely pointing fingers.

Ukraine could receive 35 interceptor missiles for US-made Patriot systems from its Western backers soon, Boris Pistorius has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Nigerian troops have rescued hostages and killed 16 Islamic State militants during a counter offensive Read Full Article at RT.com

Russia, the US, and Ukraine will hold new peace talks in Geneva next week, the Kremlin has said Read Full Article at RT.com

The man I walked with in the desert just weeks ago was not the ‘war criminal’ described in The Hague’s warrants Read Full Article at RT.com

Venezuela’s interim president has declared that Nicolas Maduro remains the country’s legitimate leader despite his abduction by US forces Read Full Article at RT.com

In her new docuseries, Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, which released February 13 on Prime Video, Jesy, 34, bravely discussed her mental health troubles.

At 40, Rachael was close to 100kg and exhausted. Now, at 46, she's lost 30kg, gained strength and confidence. She shares the 11 simple, sustainable steps that transformed her body and life.

As Prince William walked through in Saudi Arabian oasis city on Wednesday, it looked like a scene straight from the BBC's smash hit spy thriller The Night Manager.

Speaking at a summit on the night-time economy in Liverpool, Ms Rayner - wearing Superman logo socks - said 'more needs to be done' to rescue the struggling sector.

Long-awaited trans guidance for schools finally arrived, having been watered down from previous Tory proposals.

A social media post claiming that a local childcare centre has reported a case of measles is untrue, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Friday (Feb 13).An anonymous parent said in a Facebook group on Feb 11 that she was informed by her daughter's childcare centre of a measles case, and asked if any other centres have an «outbreak».«We wish to clarify that as of Feb 12, 2026, 12pm, there are no confirmed measles cases at childcare centres or pre-schools in Singapore,» CDA said.It added that while doctors have referred a few cases of suspected measles to the CDA, all of them tested negative.«We advise members of the public not to speculate and/or spread unfounded rumours, and to rely on official sources for health information.»

Animal smuggling cases in Singapore fell 33 per cent in 2025 with 28 cases detected, compared with 42 in 2024, said the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a joint statement on Friday (Feb 13). NParks said the cases it detected last year in coordination with partner agencies such as ICA involved pets as well as wildlife for the pet trade, including dogs, cats, fish, birds, and species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). There were 35 cases reported in 2023 and 34 in 2022. Out of the 28 cases detected last year, eight led to court charges while 20 resulted in composition fines issued to offenders, including buyers. NParks emphasised that animal smuggling not only harms the animals involved but also poses broader risks to public health and safety, as smuggled animals may carry infectious and contagious diseases that can threaten native wildlife, resident pets and even humans. 

On Friday (Feb 13) afternoon, a car pulled up at the National University of Singapore (NUS) @ UTown and three gunmen got out and started shooting at students.Chaos reigned as students suffered «gunshot wounds».One of the gunmen then went to a dustbin nearby to place an improvised explosive device (IED) in it. Three «gunmen» attempted to wreak havoc at NUS @ UTown on Friday (Feb 13) afternoon. They shot at students and passers-by after getting out of a vehicle and even placed an IED in one of the dustbins. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Shafiq Apandi Then, it fell eerily quiet again, as the «gunmen» disappeared into the building, leaving their victims groaning in pain.

The effort to indict six Democratic lawmakers marks the first time DOJ has attempted to classify critical speech from prominent Trump detractors as a crime.

Among other things, the UK has pledged to allocate an additional $500 mln pounds for Ukraine’s air defenses

According to the publication, the steps taken by Washington point to «a significant shift in its nuclear policy» and could «threaten to reignite a nuclear arms race that the world can ill afford»

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov emphasized that, while there is no immediate prospect of coordinated action within the BRICS alliance, various options remain on the table depending on how the situation evolves

The group’s press service emphasized that Russian specialists have consistently demonstrated the tanks’ ease of maintenance and serviceability

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, February 13th

Singapore’s plans to tap into the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) by encouraging its timely adoption, several firms told AsiaOne on Friday (Feb 13).It comes after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced a slew of initiatives in his Budget 2026 speech on Thursday (Feb 12) — part of a nationwide push for businesses, workers and students to harness AI as a strategic advantage.PM Wong, who unveiled a record $154.7 billion budget, said: «AI will change how we work. The pace of change can be unsettling, especially when livelihoods are at stake. »We will press ahead with AI because we must. At the same time, we will put in place strong support to help our workers adapt and progress, because we will take care of our own."Adeline Liew, country business leader of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise in Singapore, said that the immediate challenge for businesses is ensuring that there are resources in place to adopt AI in their operations.

SINGAPORE – Blind boxes offered in Singapore will soon be regulated, following a review by the authorities.In a written reply to a parliamentary question on Feb 12, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) have studied the issue and have decided to introduce regulations.The regulations, which are currently being drafted, will stipulate conditions under which blind boxes may be offered here, to better manage gambling inducement risks, he added.He was responding to a question from Mr Dennis Tan (Hougang) about whether the Government intends to legislate mandatory and standardised disclosure of odds and probability ranges for blind box or “gacha” products.Mr Shanmugam said Mr Tan’s suggestion will be among the points considered for the regulations.Blind boxes are sealed boxes that contain a random collectible, such as a figurine, toy or accessory.Buyers purchase blind boxes not knowing what collectible they will get, with the odds of getting specific collectibles not always disclosed explicitly by manufacturers.

The movement of between 6,000 and 7,000 detainees to Iraqi government control, underway for weeks, could be complete as soon as Friday.

Standard Bank is facing a growing backlash from angry customers who say the bank has been quietly bleeding their accounts through endless, unexplained deductions — and only speaking up after the outrage exploded on social media. Across platforms, customers are sharing screenshots and complaints of repeated charges hitting their accounts without warning. One customer reported […] The post Standard Bank in the Dock: Customers Slam “Secret” Deductions as Bank Hides Behind Taxes appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

In a firm response to mounting public criticism, the Malawi Judiciary has issued a hard-hitting statement defending the Supreme Court of Appeal’s controversial ruling in favor of Finance Bank of Malawi. The statement, released on February 13, 2026, by Chief Registrar Innocent Nebi, comes after a wave of speculation and social media frenzy over alleged […] The post Malawi Judiciary Strikes Back: Defends Supreme Court Ruling on Finance Bank Case Amid Public Outcry appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.