Russia has agreed to release nearly 100 whales which have been held for months in cramped pens by firms hoping to sell them in China.
A petition signed by nearly 1.5 million people helped to raise awareness of the plight of the whales, which will now be freed with the help of international scientists.
Lucy Taylor reports from Moscow:
Turkey to host Gaza meeting amid ceasefire concerns
Foreign ministers of some Muslim countries will meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and next steps there, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday, voicing concern over whether the ceasefire will continue.
Tanzania opposition says hundreds killed in vote protests
Tanzania's main opposition party said on Friday hundreds of people had been killed in protests over elections across the country this week, as the government said it was restoring order after "isolated incidents".
Turkey sentences 11 people to life in prison over ski resort hotel fire
A Turkish court sentenced 11 people to life in prison on Friday over a fire that killed 78 people at a ski resort in northwest Turkey's Bolu mountains in January, state media reported.
China sends its youngest astronaut to 'Heavenly Palace' space station
China's Shenzhou-21 space rocket and its crew including the youngest member of its astronaut corps blasted off on Friday atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, Chinese state media reported.
Israel launches more strikes on Gaza overnight, testing fragile truce
The Israeli military attacked the Gaza Strip for a third day on Thursday night, killing two people, the Palestinian Authority's official news agency said, in another test of a fragile ceasefire agreement.
1:00am - 3:00am
The legendary Craig David joins The Kris Fade Show for an unforgettable chat!
Every weekend Kris Fade plays the biggest tracks in the Middle East. Check out this weeks chart...
Hear Maz & James chatting to the featured artists every month with Flash Entertainment.
It arrived: The UAE's First Mega Music Festival at Expo City Dubai!
