NASA Artemis II rests on Launch Complex 39B at sunset at Kennedy Space Center, Florida on Feb. 10. NASA is planning for a second wet dress rehearsal for its Artemis II test flight on Thursday in preparation for a full launch as early as next month. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo Feb. 17 (UP»»»

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) Regional Office in Sofia filed an indictment on Tuesday against four suspects, accused of fraudulently obtaining employment benefits for people with disabilities, the institution reported in a press release. According to the investigation, two companie»»»

The Council of Ministers on Tuesday adopted a decree amending Council of Ministers Decree No. 263 of 2021 on secondary budget administrators under the Ministry of Culture, increasing the staff of Bulgaria’s Cultural and Information Centre in Skopje by one position. The measure is aimed at strengthe»»»

The outgoing Government has approved a plan to promote collective bargaining for the period 2026–2030, prioritizing the expansion of collective bargaining coverage by 2030 through coordinated efforts between the Government and social partners, the Government Information Service said on Tuesday. The»»»

Dubai: The UAE’s Presidential Court has announced that Wednesday, February 18, will mark the first day of Ramadan, following a confirmation by the official moon-sighting committee. (Click here for the Ramadan prayer timings) Also Read: Ramadan 2026 in UAE: Crescent moon sighting and announcements w»»»

Doha, Qatar: Tomorrow, February 18, 2026 will be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Qatar. The Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs announced this after the Maghrib prayers today, Tuesday. The crescent moon marking the beginning of the holy month of Ra»»»

Saudi Arabia announced the sighting of the crescent moon. Thus, tomorrow will be the first day of Ramadan. Earlier, it was announced that the moon-sighting would take place in Hawtat Sudair and Tumair in Al-Majma’ah Governorate. Abdulaziz Al-Muainaa, from Al Hareeq Observatory, had added: "The sun »»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has conducted intensive inspection campaigns on retail outlets and consumer complexes across the country as part of its preparations for the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement, the ministry said that these campaigns aim to ensure the availabilit»»»

Ukraine must swiftly give up its uncompromising stance in the negotiations to settle the conflict with Russia, US President Donald Trump has warned. He made the comments ahead of talks between Russia, the US, and Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday and Wednesday. The parties previously held t»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Public Works Authority, Ashghal, announced a partial nighttime closure for five hours at Nasser Bin Khaled Intersection, during which the free right turn for traffic coming from Al Diwan Street toward Wadi Mushaireb Street will be closed. The closure will take place on the morning »»»

Dubai: French President Emmanuel Macron surprised onlookers in Mumbai with an early morning jog along the iconic Marine Drive during his visit to India, drawing crowds and sparking buzz on social media. Dressed in athletic gear and accompanied by security personnel, Macron was seen jogging along th»»»

DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has announced revised school hours for kindergartens and government schools during the holy month of Ramadan. According to the ministry, school hours for kindergarten and students from Grades 1 to 12 will run from 9am to 12.30pm throughou»»»

For decades, the path of Hezbollah’s resistance has been written not only in victories, but in sacrifice. Leaders rose from among the people, carrying the weight of their homeland, Lebanon, on their shoulders, and when the moment demanded it, they offered their lives so that the nation might stand.»»»

1 of 3 | Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said the company will engage with Paramount Skydance on its offer to buy the company, but still believes Netflix is a better choice. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Netflix has grante»»»

Three 13-year-old boys have been arrested in the western Peloponnese for allegedly assaulting another two teenagers, police said Tuesday. A police statement said the parents of the under-age suspects were also arrested Monday and faced charges of neglecting their children. The attack allegedly took»»»

A senior imam of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem said Tuesday that Israeli authorities have barred him from entering the compound, just days before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "I have been barred from the mosque for a week, and the order can be renewed," Sheikh Muhammad al‑A»»»

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday the latest talks with the United States saw them agree on "a set of guiding principles" that would pave the way for a deal. "Ultimately, we were able to reach broad agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will move forward and »»»

Dubai: The UAE will host around 20 Muslim scholars during the holy month of Ramadan at the expense of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to lead nationwide religious programmes. Dr Omar Al Darei, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, sai»»»

The British ‘nuclear umbrella’ will not provide extra security to other NATO members in Europe, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin has said. Discussions about the continent developing its own nuclear deterrent have accelerated following White House announcements that the US would be scaling »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Araghchi: General Agreement Reached on Guiding Principles in Iran-US Talks 17-02-2026 16:16 PM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi: We’ve reached an understanding on the main principles with the United States 17-02-2026 16:06 PM Late»»»

A motorcade carrying Russia's negotiating delegation arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva on Tuesday ahead of U.S.-mediated talks with Ukraine on ending the war. Photo by Cyril Zingaro/EPA Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A third round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were »»»

France says it has released an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's sanctions-busting "shadow fleet!" after its owner paid a fine. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the vessel, named Grinch, was "leaving French waters" on Tuesday having paid a penalty of "several million euros»»»

If parliamentary elections were held in mid-February, five political formations could feel secure about winning seats in the newly formed National Assembly, according to data from the independent monthly face-to-face programme of the Myarа polling agency. Two more have realistic chances of crossing»»»

Dubai: The Philippine National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) has officially announced that Ramadan in the country will begin on February 19. In a statement, the NCMF has confirmed that the crescent moon was not sighted, leading to the declaration that the first day of Ramadan will fall on T»»»

Dubai: The American University in Dubai (AUD) has partnered with the IE University to offer a new international business degree called the Global Bachelor in Business Administration (Global BBA). The four-year Global BBA will allow students to study in different parts of the world while they pursue»»»

Israeli NGOs have raised the alarm over a settlement plan signed by the government which they say would mark the first expansion of Jerusalem's borders into the occupied West Bank since 1967. Israel has occupied east Jerusalem since 1967 and later annexed it in a move not recognized by the internat»»»

TUNIS, Feb. 17 (TAP) – The Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy has granted 187 authorisations to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to generate electricity from solar photovoltaic energy, with a total capacity of 287 megawatts, under the...»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran and the United States held serious talks in a constructive atmosphere and exchanged ideas on the Iranian nuclear issue, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday. "I can say that at this round, compared to the last one, we brought up absolutely serious issues f»»»

Russian and Ukrainian delegations are meeting in Geneva for the latest round of US-brokered talks, a week before the fourth anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Expectations for a breakthrough remain low, as Moscow has not wavered from its maximalist demands for Ukrainian territo»»»

At the initiative of the Kazakh side, a telephone conversation took place between President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to the presidential press service, the leaders discussed current issues of Kyrgyzstan — Kazakhstan cooperation in all »»»

Washington: The American aerospace company SpaceX has launched 29 new satellites into space as part of its Starlink constellation. The company stated that a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying the satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO), and successfu»»»

Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor of matchless versatility and dedication whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two "Godfather" movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in "Tender Mercies," has died at age 95. Duvall died “peacefully” at his home Sunday in»»»

Authorities investigating this month’s deadly migrant shipwreck off the eastern Aegean Sea island of Chios have ordered that divers raise the victims’ small boat, which sank after colliding with a coast guard patrol vessel, so that it can be examined as evidence. The decision by the Chios prosecuto»»»

Dubai: When comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare visitor from beyond our solar system, made its closest pass to the sun last October, every telescope on Earth went blind. The comet had slipped behind the sun, out of reach. But the UAE's Hope Probe, orbiting Mars on the same side of the solar system, had a front-»»»

Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed Tuesday's trading lower by 64 points, or 0.56 percent, to settle at 11,362.59 points. During the session, a total of 115,628,368 shares were traded, with a value of QAR 377,231,317.105, through 22,178 transactions across all sectors. Shares of 21 co»»»

STOCKHOLM: Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Sweden HE Nadia bint Ahmed Al Shaibi took part in the meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden HE Maria Malmer Stenergard, with the ambassadors accredited to Sweden. The meeting discussed a range of issues related »»»

Bulgaria has formally raised concerns about violence and hate speech targeting the Bulgarian ethnic community in the Republic of North Macedonia before the Council of Europe. A written question on the issue has been submitted to the Committee of Ministers and registered as written question No. 806 »»»

The Russian Northern Fleet starts live-fire exercise in the Varanger fjord, a few nautical miles from Grense Jakobselv where the Norwegian military is observing. Russia has issued warnings to both seafarers and pilots to stay away from waters close to the coast between Pechenga fjord and Grense Jak»»»

Syria began evacuating remaining residents of Al-Hol camp, which long housed relatives of suspected Islamic State group fighters, as it empties the formerly Kurdish-controlled facility, two officials told AFP. Al-Hol, located in a desert region of Hasakeh province, had been Syria's largest camp hou»»»

Iran's supreme leader warned on Tuesday that the country had the ability to sink a U.S. warship deployed to the Gulf, as fresh talks between the two sides concluded in Switzerland. The threat by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei follows a military build-up by the United States in the region as President Donal»»»

Dubai: The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the world’s leading professional body for marketing, has officially launched its new regional hub in Dubai Knowledge Park, marking a significant milestone in its expansion across the Middle East. The launch event brought together senior leaders, in»»»

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would be involved "indirectly" in high-stakes talks between Iran and the US over Tehran's nuclear program set for Tuesday in Geneva, adding he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal. His comments came as Iran held a military drill on Monday in the Str»»»

NATO personnel operating Western military hardware in the Ukrainian conflict zone has long been an open secret, Russian military analyst Viktor Litovkin tells Sputnik. Ukraine, Litovkin explains, ended up relying on foreign personnel because it:Lacks the necessary number of skilled pilots and speci»»»

In tonight's edition: The 39th African Union summit came to an end on Sunday, after two days dominated by the crises affecting the continent. Also, student action continues in Senegal, following the deadly protest against unpaid financial aid last week. Plus the African continent sees increasing re»»»

Political negotiations are underway, led by regional actors, with the aim of reaching a "security agreement with Lebanon," the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper quoted informed sources as saying. The Americans are saying that they are interested in arranging this agreement and Hezbollah is not show»»»

The Arab World Institute is set to elect a new leader Tuesday after Jack Lang, a former culture minister, resigned over a week ago following revelations of his links to Jeffrey Epstein. Potential candidates to succeed Lang includes Anne-Claire Legendre, a diplomat and close adviser to President Emm»»»

The west and southwest of France remain on high alert Tuesday, despite the national weather agency announcing a “slow” but “temporary” drop in water levels in the River Garonne, which has burst its banks and flooded villages and towns. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes since l»»»

The deportation of an Irish man who is being held in an US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in El Paso, Texas, has been temporarily halted. Seamus Culleton, who is originally from Glenmore, County Kilkenny, was detained by ICE in September 2025 while he was in the proces»»»