Sheikh Ali Khatib, Deputy Head of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, delivered a message marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, emphasizing unity, resilience, and strategic awareness. “We are approaching the blessed month of Ramadan, a month of mercy, goodness, and blessing. On this o»»»

Jos Plateau: Thirty-eight lead miners were killed when gas exploded at a pit in central Nigeria's Plateau state, local sources told AFP. Twenty-seven others were injured in the blast at the Kampanin Zurak mining site in Plateau state's Bashar district, the acting traditional ruler told AFP. "So far»»»

Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic organisations to include a direct feed of official Vatican news on their websites as the Holy See battles a flood of AI-generated content. Vatican News, the Holy See's official news outlet, reported Wednesday that the pontiff had written to bishops invi»»»

DOHA: As the holy month of Ramadan began, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) initiated the activities of its annual Ramadan Campaign under the theme 'Keep Your Balance of Good Deeds Alive', the drive involves numerous humanitarian projects and charitable initiatives to be implemented in Qatar and 17»»»

Israel announced that it will cap the number of Palestinian worshippers from the occupied West Bank attending weekly Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem at 10,000 during the holy month of Ramadan, which began Wednesday. Israeli authorities also imposed age restrictions on West Ba»»»

1 of 2 | Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., is facing calls for his resignation from Congress after making an anti-Muslim comment on social media last weekend. Photo courtesy of the U.S. House of Representatives Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., is facing calls for his resignation from Congress after»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Head of IRGC Intelligence Brigadier Gen. Majid Khadami: 10 foreign intelligence agencies were directly involved in the armed unrest in Iran»»»

Two more people have been detained by French authorities investigating the killing of a far-right student activist by suspected radical left militants in Lyon, bringing the total in custody to 11. Quentin Deranque, 23, suffered a fatal brain injury when he was beaten and kicked during a demonstrati»»»

Doha, Qatar: As the holy month of Ramadan began, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) initiated the activities of its annual Ramadan Campaign under the theme "Keep Your Balance of Good Deeds Alive," the drive involves numerous humanitarian projects and charitable initiatives to be implemented in Qatar»»»

Colombo: Shadab Khan said Pakistan believed they could go on and win the T20 World Cup after their best performance of the tournament secured the last Super Eights berth on Wednesday. Pakistan bowled out Namibia for 97 to win by a colossal 102 runs in Colombo and bounce back in style after a defeat»»»

Protesters in New York demand the release of Mohsen Mahdawi after his arrest in April amid an effort by the government to deport him on grounds his acitivism regarding Palestinians and the Gaza war threatened U.S. foreign policy. A federal judge has now thrown out the case. File Photo by Sarah Yene»»»

Alex Soros, heir to his father’s empire, met with some of US President Donald Trump’s leading opponents at the Munich Security Conference. Looking behind the hugs and handshakes, it’s clear that the eye of Soros is fixed on the 2028 election. Soros’ weekend in Munich was a whirlwind of photo opport»»»

TechnologyIndiaIndia AI summit: Brazil's Lula lands, US giants tout plansMark Hallam with AFP, AP, ReutersBrazil's President Lula da Silva has arrived in New Delhi, joining Emmanuel Macron, Pedro Sanchez and other leaders. Meanwhile, Google and Nvidia touted their Indian expansion plans at the AI I»»»

Ivaylo Ivanov, one of the six people who lost their lives in the Petrohan–Okolchitsa case, killed himself with two shots to the head. One gunshot wound had an entry point under the chin, and the other had an entry point at the left temple and an exit at the right, said Ivan Madzharov, Deputy Direct»»»

“I conducted the talks independently and I take full responsibility for all the ministers in this cabinet,” said Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, speaking to journalists after presenting the lineup of the caretaker government to President Iliana Iotova. “With Andrey Yankulov as caretaker depu»»»

SARAJEVO - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Wednesday his visits to Banjaluka and Sarajevo had been aimed at tangible and concrete progress in regional cooperation, as well as at looking after the position of Republika Srpska and the Serbs and at discussions on mutual support on the EU path. "I can »»»

The European Union is exploring possible support for a new committee established to take over the civil administration of Gaza, according to a document produced by the bloc's diplomatic arm and seen by Reuters. "The EU is engaging with the newly established transitional governance structures for Ga»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli Occupation Forces Escalate Incursions into Southern Syria, Raiding Villages and Detaining Civilians 18-02-2026 15:51 PM QUNAITRA, S»»»

Ivaylo Ivanov, one of the six people who lost their lives in the Petrohan–Okolchitsa case, killed himself with two shots to the head. One gunshot wound had an entry point under the chin, and the other had an entry point at the left temple and an exit at the right, said Ivan Madzharov, Deputy Direct»»»

Before Pakistan commits to sending troops to Gaza as part of the International Stabilization Force it wants assurances from the United States that it will be a peacekeeping mission rather than tasked with disarming Hamas, three sources told Reuters. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set t»»»

TradeIsraelWhy a German shipping deal alarms Israel's governmentNik MartinHapag‑Lloyd's deal to buy a major Israeli shipping company is colliding with national-security red lines. Critics say the purchase could expose critical infrastructure at a volatile moment in the Middle East. https://p.dw.com»»»

Iran says it temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. The move came as semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported live fire exercises in the vital waterway, through which 20% of the world's oil passes. The move is a rare, perhaps unprecedented shutdow»»»

The Israeli government has scrapped a longstanding rule preventing Israeli citizens from buying land directly from Palestinians, in a bid to establish facts on the ground that would prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. The previous rules—in place since 1967—served as a legal obstacle t»»»

Indonesia is tightening state control over the world's largest nickel supply after years of betting the metal would anchor a homegrown electric-vehicle industry, and just as global demand begins shifting away from heavy reliance on nickel. The move could still ripple through global EV supply chains»»»

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he is pleased to see steps taken in neighbouring Syria to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state structures, after a US-backed ceasefire deal late last month between the sides. In a readout on Wednesday of his comments to reporters »»»

1 of 5 | White House crypto czar David Sacks and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (R) attend a dinner hosted by President Donald Trump with tech leaders at the White House in September. Zuckerberg is expected to testify today in a trial that will decide if his platforms intentionally addict kids. File Phot»»»

The Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented additional findings on the cases at Petrohan and Okolchitsa during a joint briefing, attended by Deputy Appellate Prosecutor Natalia Nikolova, senior officials from the Interior Ministry, and Criminal Police representatives. Aut»»»

The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize. It could begin very soon, U.S. news portal Axios reported on Wednesday. A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weeks-long campaign that would look more like full-fledged war than »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Vatican Says Won’t Participate in Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ in Gaza 18-02-2026 15:16 PM Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City (image from January 202»»»

Unannounced, U.S.-brokered negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have made major progress, a senior source said. “These negotiations, led by a high-ranking Lebanese figure, are based on a mutually agreed-upon framework of concessions,” the source told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper. The source adde»»»

Dubai: In a major leadership change at one of the world’s largest hotel groups, Hyatt has appointed its President and CEO, Mark S. Hoplamazian, as Chairman of the Board with immediate effect. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The leadership shakeup comes after Thomas J. »»»

DUBAI - The Serbian-Kazakh duo of Aleksandra Krunic and Anna Danilina is through to the women's doubles quarter-finals at the Dubai WTA tennis tournament after defeating the Indian-Thai pair of Rutuja Bhosale and Peangtarn Plipuech 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) on Wednesday. Krunic and Danilina, who won after an »»»

Dubai: Carrefour is pulling back from more countries as it tries to rebuild profits and simplify its sprawling global business, even as its stores remain a familiar sight for shoppers across the Gulf. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The French supermarket group said on»»»

Russian delegation in Geneva has clear instructions to act within the Anchorage guidelines, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing. The results of the Geneva talks will be announced by authorized officials, she added. Key statements: UN Secretary-General António Gut»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov said the nomination of Andrey Yankulov sends a clear message about the importance placed on judicial reform. According to Gyurov, Yankulov’s role in investigating the “Eight Dwarfs” case provides strong moral grounds to demand accountability from the Prosecuto»»»

Day one of three-way peace negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States yielded noteworthy progress, according to the man moderating the talks, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Photo by Al Drago/UPI | License Photo Feb. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff early Wednesday rep»»»

In the wake of last week's mass shooting in the remote Canadian community of Tumbler Ridge, some online have been claiming that transgender people are more likely to commit violence than the rest of the population. In this edition of Truth or Fake, FRANCE 24's Charlotte Hughes explains why those al»»»

“We are not just presenting a rocket here, we are presenting the future,” said Mihai Filip, CEO of OVES Enterprise, who explained that the rocket is scalable and can be built on site using 3D printers, at a rate of 30 rockets in 24 hours. Announced in November 2025, the Sahara project is at an adva»»»

Economic news, the latest developments in the Petrohan criminal case, and the caretaker government's lineup dominate Wednesday's news media. POLITICS On bTV's morning show, Anton Kutev commented on former president Rumen Radev's upcoming political project. Kutev, former caretaker government spokesp»»»

Bulgarian tourism experienced a strong rebound in 2025, with notable increases in visitor numbers, overnight stays, and tourism revenues, according to outgoing Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh. The minister described 2025 as a successful year for the sector, attributing the growth to targeted »»»

A Thessaloniki court has sentenced a 55-year-old woman to 10 months in prison without suspension for stalking a radio journalist-producer over more than a decade. The court found her guilty of threatening behavior through persistent surveillance, acknowledging diminished culpability due to psychiat»»»

British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell has been spotted at the scene of crucial peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US in Geneva. The UK has scuppered a peace deal before, and is not due to take part in the latest negotiations. Video footage captured by Ruptly shows Powell in th»»»

French authorities on Tuesday arrested nine people over the fatal beating of a 23-year-old far-right activist on the sidelines of a protest in Lyon last week. The attack has heightened political tensions ahead of key elections. French authorities on Tuesday arrested nine suspects over the killing l»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron's Middle East and North Africa adviser Anne-Claire Legendre has been named as head of the Arab World Institute in Paris, following the resignation of longtime chair Jack Lang over his links to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Legendre is the first woman to lead t»»»

French authorities on Wednesday arrested two more suspects over the fatal beating of 23-year-old far-right activist Quentin Deranque on the sidelines of a protest in Lyon last week, bringing the total number of those detained to 11. The killing has heightened political tensions ahead of municipal e»»»

Gaborone, Botswana – Egypt’s rising badminton star Adham Hatem Elgamal delivered a commanding performance to secure the men’s singles gold medal at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championships 2026, held from February 9 to 15 in Botswana’s capital. Hatem clinched the continental title after a hard»»»

Dubai: After a morning that already tested the patience of commuters across the emirate, Dubai's roads are now entering what is arguably the most critical window of the entire Ramadan driving calendar, the pre-Iftar rush. With the first fast breaking at approximately 6:18 pm this evening, the next »»»

A teenager has been arrested at Athens International Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 15.5 kilograms of marijuana into the country on behalf of an international ring, police said Wednesday. A police statement said the 19-year-old was taken into custody after he arrived on an international fl»»»

NEW DELHI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday in New Delhi opportunities were emerging for Serbian companies to come to India, as well as for Indian companies to invest in Serbia, and added that he hoped Indian PM Narendra Modi would visit Serbia soon. Speaking to reporters after»»»

‌Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Washington in lieu of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" on Thursday, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. A Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters ‌that Fidan, during the ‌»»»