Evanan Romero, who was detained for four days, is part of a committee of about 400 former state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela technicians and executives dedicated to developing proposals for rebuilding the energy sector under a future government. File Photo by Henry Chirinos/EPA Feb. 17 »»»

Spanish officials on Tuesday announced they are launching an inquiry into potential criminal violations by X, Meta and TikTok over respective users' creation and distribution of AI-generated child sex abuse materials. Photo by Fazry Ismail/EPA Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Spanish authorities plan to investigat»»»

An Ohio man who stuck with the same set of lottery numbers for 22 years found his persistence rewarded with a $3.5 million Classic Lotto jackpot. Feb. 16 (UPI) -- An Ohio man who stuck with the same set of lottery numbers for 22 years found his persistence rewarded with a $3.5 million jackpot. The »»»

A protester holds a sign during a demonstration against the election process led by the state university and the candidacy of Guatemalan Attorney General Consuelo Porras for a Constitutional Court magistrate position in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala, on Monday. The University of San Carlos, the stat»»»

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during an Assumption of Command Ceremony for Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday in January. Noem's spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is leaving her position next week. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Tric»»»

Civil protection authorities have warned residents in areas near the Acheloos river in central Greece to stay away from the banks due to a planned release of overflow from a dam in the region. A text message sent to phones in the area warned that the release of excess water would occur at the Strat»»»

Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has announced changes to the operating hours of a number of services during the Holy Month of Ramadan. All emergency and inpatient services across HMC’s network of hospitals, including Pediatric Emergency Centers, will continue to operate as normal, 24 h»»»

A glove discovered as part of the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping has produced no DNA matches, authorities in Pima County, Arizona, say. Found approximately two miles from Guthrie's home, the glove appeared to match one that can be seen on the hand of a suspect in doorbell-camera foot»»»

Egypt will implement its largest-ever gas drilling programme in the Mediterranean in 2026, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi said on Tuesday during an inspection of Shell’s new offshore operations. The minister visited the STENA ICEMAX drillship to monitor the start of drilli»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The shutdown of Starlink terminals did not affect the command and control system for Russian troops in the special military operation zone, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said on Tuesday. "The shutdown of Starlink terminals did not affect the command and contr»»»

Peru's interim president, Jose Jeri, appears before the Congressional Oversight and Accountability Committee in Lima, Peru, in January. Jeri denounced a plot against him and a clear intention to destabilize the country, after a series of videos were revealed showing semi-clandestine meetings and en»»»

Doha, Qatar: Souq Waqif will host the second edition of the Asian Nuts and Dried Fruits Exhibition for the year 2026, offering visitors a distinctive shopping experience and a wide selection of premium nuts and dried fruits in a special Ramadan atmosphere. The exhibition will run from February 20 t»»»

Iran and the United States reached an understanding on Tuesday on main "guiding principles" in talks aimed at resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute, but that does not mean a deal is imminent, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said. Oil futures fell and the benchmark Brent crude contract»»»

The European Commission has announced an investigation into online retailer Shein. File Photo by Hannibal Hanschke/EPA Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The European Commission announced Tuesday that it has opened formal proceedings against online retailer Shein "for its addictive design, the lack of transparency o»»»

Madrid: FC Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Raphinha has strongly criticized officials following his side's 2-1 defeat in Girona on Monday night, which saw them surrender leadership of La Liga to Real Madrid. Although Pau Cubarsi put Barcelona ahead just before the hour, Girona fought back with goa»»»

Moscow: Scientists in Saint Petersburg, Russia, have developed a new high-precision device capable of rapidly detecting cellular damage associated with accelerated aging, cancer, and other diseases. According to the Russian Science Foundation, the device demonstrates accuracy 1.5 to 2 times greater»»»

The Fujairah Federal Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling requiring a company and its partners to pay Dh4,943,018 to an individual after failing to settle the remaining value of an agreement involving the transfer of a commercial licence and the right to use an industrial land plot in the emirate. T»»»

Greece’s independent corruption watchdog said Tuesday it has discovered irregular state welfare payments worth a total €1.86 million made between 2020 and 2022, and urged authorities to recoup the money. The National Transparency Authority said its audit followed an internal investigation by OPEKA,»»»

Doha, Qatar; Doha Metro and Lusail Tram announced revised operating hours for the holy month of Ramadan, with the new schedules taking effect from the first day of Ramadan, February 18, 2026, to accommodate changes in travel patterns during the fasting period. Under the updated timetable, Doha Metr»»»

The deterioration in Bitcoin’s market price is feeding directly into El Salvador’s sovereign risk profile, exposing the fiscal and institutional trade-offs embedded in President Nayib Bukele’s flagship digital asset strategy.  »»»

A second round of US-Iran negotiations in Geneva concluded after approximately three hours, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that the parties reached an understanding on several key principles.  »»»

After the first meeting in Oman this month, about which very little is known, the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi are meeting in Geneva on February 17. »»»

1 of 3 | Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he will not allow Australians who moved to Syria to join an ISIS caliphate repatriate to Australia, even though they are mostly women and children and didn't choose to travel there. File Photo by Bianca De Marchi/EPA Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A group »»»

Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar has issued a ministerial decree replacing the schedules attached to the country’s anti-drug law, implementing a recent constitutional court ruling on the legality of previous amendments. The Health Ministry said Decree No. 44 of 2026 follows a Feb. 16 ru»»»

A container ship sails on the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, on June 23, 2025. Iran partially closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping path, to conduct military drills on Monday. File Photo by Ali Haider/EPA-EFE Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Oil prices climbed on Tu»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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-»»»

The Fyli landfill, northwest of Athens, Greece’s largest waste disposal site, is expected to continue to expand for as long as it can, as efforts to increase recycling and reduce waste production stall. Last week, the Environment Ministry approved another expansion to increase its capacity by 2 mil»»»

A 71-year-old man under house arrest since last year for attempting to bribe a Supreme Court judge was taken back into custody Monday night after allegedly firing a shotgun outside his home in eastern Attica, police said. Christos Mavrikis, known for his role in a high-profile political wiretapping»»»

University of Maryland researchers designed "Smart Underwear" to track and measure the wearer's flatulence. Photo courtesy of the University of Maryland Feb. 16 (UPI) -- University of Maryland researchers designed "Smart Underwear" to track and measure flatulence -- and they are seeking volunteers »»»

A toddler in Italy remains in critical condition after undergoing a transplant with a damaged heart. The organ, which was transported south from the from the city of Bolzano to Naples in December, was reportedly placed in an unsuitable container and in direct contact with dry ice, leading to severe»»»

Police in Arizona say family members of Nancy Guthrie have been cleared as possible suspects, as speculation grows on social media about the whereabouts of the missing 84-year-old mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie. "The family has been nothing but co-operative and gracious and are victims in th»»»

Dubai: Steel and mining giant ArcelorMittal Projects - a part of the ArcelorMittal Group - is set to open a third plant in Hamriyah Free Zone, expanding its industrial presence in Sharjah to around 5 million square feet by 2026. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The new »»»

Kuwait has unveiled a draft budget for the 2026–2027 fiscal year projecting capital expenditure of approximately KWD 3.1 billion ($10 billion), underscoring the government’s continued commitment to strategic infrastructure development despite mounting fiscal pressures. The Ministry of Finance prese»»»

Speaking on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday night, President Donald Trump said he would be involved in nuclear talks with Iran that get underway Tuesday but reiterated warnings to Tehran that it may face further U.S. military strikes if it doesn't make a deal. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UP»»»

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson died on Tuesday morning, his family said. He was 84 years old. File Photo by Matt Marton/UPI | License Photo Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a Baptist minister and civil rights leader who twice sought to be the Democratic Party's nominee for U.S. pres»»»

The Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic has concluded that the mandate of the president elected in January 2021 under the 2010 Constitution must be completed within the originally established six-year term. The five-year term introduced by the 2021 Constitution does not apply to the already»»»

South Asia is one of the great paradoxes of the global economy. Home to nearly a quarter of the world’s population, including three of the ten most populous countries, it should logically be among the most interconnected regions on earth. Instead, it remains one of the least integrated — economical»»»

China has long ago overtaken the US when it comes to the navy, but now Beijing has also overhauled the US in submarines. China has rapidly expanded its nuclear-powered submarine production, surpassing US launch numbers and»»»

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited (CATL) has unveiled a new electric vehicle battery that it says can fully charge in 12 minutes and retain 80% of its capacity after 1.5mn miles, marking a potential breakthrough in durability and charging speed in the global EV market. »»»

A Harvard University study ranked Kuwait 30th out of 145 countries in GDP per capita, recording $31,971 nominally and $51,322 adjusted for purchasing power parity under 2024 standards. The Atlas of Economic Complexity Ran»»»

Slovenia’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.1% in 2025 (chart), according to a first estimate published by the statistics office on February 16. Growth was primarily supported by domestic consumption, which rose»»»

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The European Union could withhold part of a €1.6bn allocation of loans and grants to Serbia after Belgrade passed judicial reforms that are “eroding trust” in its commitment to the rule of law, the bloc’s enlargement commissioner told Reuters on February 12. »»»

Truck drivers from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina are considering new blockades of cargo border crossings after the European Union rejected all proposals aimed at easing restrictions on their stay in the Schengen area, local media reported on February 16. »»»

Truck drivers from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina are considering new blockades of cargo border crossings after the European Union rejected all proposals aimed at easing restrictions on their stay in the Schengen area, local media reported on February 16. »»»