A UN human rights spokesperson said on Friday she was very worried about attacks on independent UN experts after European governments criticized the organization's special rapporteur for Palestine Francesca Albanese. This follows condemnation from Germany and other states this week of Albanese's al»»»

Cape Canaveral: NASA launched four astronauts to the International Space Station on Friday to carry out the latest research expedition at the orbiting laboratory. The US space agency's Crew-12 lifted off at approximately 5:15 am local time (1015 GMT) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Ca»»»

DP World has appointed Essa Kazim as chairman of its board of directors, the Dubai Media Office said on Friday. Also, Yuvraj Narayan has been appointed as the new group CEO. The announcement comes soon after His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of th»»»

Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar, in a Facebook video on February 12, acknowledged the existence of a sex tape recorded secretly in August 2024, which allegedly shows him with his girlfriend at the time. According to analysts, Magyar is taking some political risk by going public preemptivel»»»

Bulgarian drone developer Dronamics has unveiled a new defense platform built around its cargo drone, the Black Swan, aiming to fill a major gap in European airspace security. The initiative, announced on Thursday, focuses on continuous airborne early warning and target acquisition to detect potent»»»

Russia's central bank cut its key interest rate by 50 basis points to 15.5% on Friday and signaled that rates could fall further in a bid to shore up the slowing wartime economy, which is struggling with high borrowing costs. Of ‌the 24 ‌analysts surveyed by Reuters ahead of ‌the decision, ⁠just ei»»»

Things are always bigger, faster and better in Dubai. It's a city built on ambition and scale. That's why the Dubai Moon story has had me intrigued since I moved here last year. Is there anything more 'Dubai' than building a giant, spherical tourist attraction that aims to give guests an out-of-thi»»»

Dubai: Apple is gearing up to unveil its latest affordable smartphone, the iPhone 17e, with industry insiders suggesting an announcement could come as early as next week. If the rumours prove accurate, this marks the second iteration of Apple's "e" series, following last year's iPhone 16e launch. W»»»

According to several Chinese news sites, China has appointed Ma Xueliang as its new ambassador to Libya. This follows the reopening of its Tripoli embassy in November 2026, after more than a decade of closure due to security concerns. China had closed its embassy in Tripoli in 2014 and moved its di»»»

Modern warfare is evolving fast — most notably, and potentially, in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Drones now form a central part of what's called "asymmetric war". When two sides have unequal military power, instead of matching ships with ships, or missile with missile, the weaker side uses un»»»

POLITICS Trud writes that President Iliana Iotova hands the exploratory mandate to Caretaker PM designate Andrey Gurov and sets priorities for the incoming caretaker cabinet: honest elections, immediate measures to control prices, stabilizing public finances, electricity price regulation, rapid sup»»»

Abu Dhabi: Al Ain Zoo, one of the largest in the Middle East, is rolling out a special lineup of activities for the Ramadan, including family-friendly experiences, musical evenings, and the return of the annual Ramadan Zoo Night Run. Click here for the Ramadan prayer timings Also Read: Ramadan 2026»»»

As Ramadan approaches, technology is helping residents fast smarter and safer. In 2026, AI-powered wearables and smart apps are changing the way people monitor their health during the holy month, offering personalised insights into everything from glucose levels to hydration and physical activity. »»»

A SpaceX rocket lifted off from Florida early on Friday with a crew of two US NASA astronauts, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut headed to the International Space Station for an eight-month science mission in Earth orbit. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket, topped with an autonomously operated »»»

Almost one year after he was jailed, Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has told Reuters that Tayyip Erdogan should call elections "now" and predicted that the president would lose if he ran again. Imamoglu has emerged in recent years as Erdogan’s main rival, with polls suggesting he could indeed defeat»»»

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri kicked off his political activity in Lebanon by meeting U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa at the Center House. Hariri had arrived Thursday in Lebanon and will on Saturday deliver a speech marking the 21st anniversary of the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Harir»»»

It's been billed by the White House as the "largest deregulatory action in US history". US President Donald Trump has formally revoked a landmark scientific finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health by driving climate change – a determination that underpins regulations aimed at curb»»»

NASA and SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station on Friday, replacing a crew that left early in the first medical evacuation in the station's history. Sophie Adenot is only the second French woman to travel into space. Watch the launch live on FRANCE 24. The pre-dawn laun»»»

Sophie Adenot is preparing for a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station, aiming to set a new record for a French astronaut in orbit. She will carry out more than 200 scientific and medical experiments in microgravity while completing intensive training and maintenance work in spa»»»

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s hitherto refusal to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “shameful.” “You have a president who refuses to give him a pardon. I think that man should be ashamed of himself, a pardon over this trial that’s going on. »»»

Dubai: Each year, the start of Ramadan in the UAE is determined not by a fixed calendar date, but by the sighting of the crescent moon. But how does the process work and what is expected for 2026? The UAE’s moon-sighting committee is expected to meet on Tuesday evening, February 17, 2026, which cor»»»

BELGRADE- The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.3815 dinars for one euro on Friday, which is a slight change relative to Thursday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is down by 0.1 pct against the euro m-o-m, down by 0.2 pct y-o-y and down by 0.1 pct rel»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The next round of negotiations on Ukraine is scheduled to take place next week, and Moscow will inform about the exact date and timing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. "There is an agreement that it [the round of negotiations] will indeed take place next week. We »»»

As one of the biggest events in the global wine scene wraps up in Paris, Georja is joined by Nigerian vine virtuoso, Chinedu Rita Rosa. The French industry is struggling but Africa's growing young, cosmopolitan middle class is the perfect terroir for producers hoping to cultivate new markets.»»»

North Korea on Friday warned of a “terrible response” if more drones cross its border from the South, escalating tensions despite Seoul’s efforts to improve ties. Pyongyang said it shot down a surveillance drone last month. Kim Yo Jong cautioned that further incursions would trigger severe conseque»»»

The British government's ban on pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization is unlawful, London's High Court ‌ruled on Friday ‌after a ‌legal ⁠challenge by the ⁠group's co-founder. Palestine Action was proscribed in July, having increasingly targeted Israel-linked ⁠d»»»

The Iranian government announced on Friday the establishment of a commission of enquiry to look into protests against the high cost of living that turned into anti-government rallies that left thousands dead. "A fact-finding committee has been formed with representatives from relevant institutions »»»

The FBI has released the first physical description of the man believed to have kidnapped Nancy Guthrie, the mother of US news anchor Savannah Guthrie. Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared in the middle of night from her Tucson, Arizona, home and was last seen two weeks ago. The authorities believe she w»»»

Can Europe man the ramparts on its own? As the US war secretary snubbed a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels, EU leaders converged on the 16th-century Alden Biesen castle in Belgium's Limburg province to answer former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi's call for a "big baz»»»

The Commissioner for Children’s Rights of the Kyrgyz Republic, Asel Chynbaeva, took part in events marking the launch of the second stage of an information caravan aimed at preventing violence against children. According to the Cabinet’s press service, the events were held in four secondary schools»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken of a defining moment and a "new era" as he travels to Europe for a major speech to the Munich Security Conference. Rubio will lead the US delegation at the first major global event since President Donald Trump threatened Danish sovereignty with a pledge »»»

The aftermath of a deadly storm continued to disrupt parts of France on Friday, with flooding concerns persisting in the southwest even as wind alerts were lifted, according to weather service Météo-France. Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said on TF1 that France had recorded two deaths linked »»»

On Friday, the National Assembly adopted at first and second reading in a single sitting, the bill for the ratification of the Agreement on the preparation, construction, and operation of a cross-border railway tunnel between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Repu»»»

Skopje, 12 February 2026 (MIA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, met Thursday with Nicole Varnes, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Skopje, and discussed the implementation of capital projects, with a special focus on the construction of the Bitola-Prilep»»»

The city of St. Paul, Minn., has joined more than a dozen other state and local jurisdictions in seeking to enact legislation banning the wearing of masks by law enforcement agencies such as the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo S»»»

Paris, France: Around 450,000 households in southern France were without power on Friday, operator Enedis said, a day after a storm tore through the region, ripping up trees and flooding roads. High winds and hard rain brought chaos across southern France, northern Spain and parts of Portugal on Th»»»

Digital WorldGlobal issuesAI-fueled chip shortage drives up smartphone pricesAstrid Prange de OliveiraThe era of cheap data storage is ending. Artificial intelligence is pushing chip prices higher and exacerbating supply shortages. Anyone buying a new smartphone in 2026 should brace for higher pric»»»

Munich, Feb. 13 (SANA) Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani arrived in Munich on Friday to participate in the 62nd session of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) . On Thursday, Minister al-Shaibani inaugurated the Syrian consulate in Bonn, Germany, in a ceremony attended by German gove»»»

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A North Atlantic right whale washed ashore on a Virginia barrier island, according to federal scientists, marking the second whale of the endangered species to be found dead off the U.S. East Coast this year and the 43rd confirmed death under an ongoing unusual mortality event. The»»»

The involvement of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) and the reasons why the Interior Ministry did not report a signal submitted in 2022, as well as what action was taken on it, must be established, said Bozhidar Bozhanov, Co-Chair of Yes, Bulgaria, speaking to journalists in Parliament»»»

A recent Eurobarometer survey indicates that Bulgarians show relatively low confidence in the European Union’s ability to strengthen security and defense. Conducted between January 5 and 12, 2026, the survey collected responses from 27,292 citizens across EU member states. In Bulgaria, only 44% of »»»

KUWAIT, Feb 13 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's embassies in Japan, Consulate General in Milan, along with its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, celebrated the 65th National Day and 35th Liberation Day with official receptions attended by senior officials, diplomats and public figures.In Tokyo»»»

NEW DELHI, Feb 13 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Embassy in India held celebrations on Thursday evening to mark Kuwait's 65th National Day and 35th Liberation Day.The ceremony was attended by Indian Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, heads of Arab and foreign missions accredited in New Delhi, apart fr»»»

AQABA: A flying Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and British rider Alex McInnes topped the times in the car and motorcycle categories on the 12.78km Aseza Prologue stage that kickstarted the weekend’s off-road action at the Jordan Baja yesterday. The short desert stage was held near the village of Rahmeh to»»»

There Is Such a People (TISP) MP Aleksandar Rashev said here on Friday his party's will be tabling a bill to supplement the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act. "It became unequivocally clear from the horrifying Petrohan-Okolchitsa case that in 2022 the government had delegated its control and public fun»»»

President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov today, February 13, received Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda as part of his working visit to the country. The parties discussed issues related to the comprehensive development of bilateral relations. Welcoming the high-lev»»»

A metal detectorist has uncovered a coin that may have been used to pay a soldier who fought at the Battle of Culloden, 280 years ago. Ian Deveney uncovered the French 4 sols coin earlier this month on land between Inverness and the battlefield on the outskirts of the city. Deveney, a tour guide wh»»»

Anthropic has injected $20 million into a political advocacy group that backs candidates favoring AI regulation, thrusting the safety-focused company into the center of a high-stakes election spending war with its archrival OpenAI. The donation to Public First Action – a ‘dark money’ nonprofit that»»»

France has said it will call for the resignation of UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese over her comments regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza. Albanese, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March 2022, has repeatedly labeled Israel»»»

Lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill have demanded answers from the US Department of Justice over its monitoring of congressional investigators’ search activity while they reviewed sensitive, unredacted documents connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy erupted af»»»