Diplomacy or Conflict? US and Iran hold fresh talks as military pressure builds.
Dubai: Iran and the United States held another round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday, as rising military tensions and a significant American force buildup in the Middle East cast a long shadow over diplomatic efforts. The Oman-mediated discussions, hosted at the Omani ambassador’s r»»»
Crimes Against Humanity Complaint Filed in Switzerland against Iran Deputy Minister
A complaint has been filed in Switzerland accusing Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi of crimes against humanity linked to anti-government protests in his country in recent years, lawyers said Thursday. The complaint, filed by an Iranian-Swiss citizen, said Gharibabadi "may have comm»»»
How Long Will US Planes Stay at Sofia Airport?
The US military planes currently stationed at Sofia’s civil airport “Vasil Levski” are not assigned to participate in any ongoing or planned combat operations, officials clarified during a parliamentary hearing. Acting Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Acting Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski, and»»»
Could DHL deliveries soon be made by UAE-built drones?
Abu Dhabi: Global logistics firm DHL Express has signed a deal to explore using delivery aircraft built by an Abu Dhabi-based drone manufacturer in its regional operations. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.DHL Express and LODD Autonomous have signed a Memorandum of Unde»»»
Soaring cost of food and other staples squeezes Iranians as threat of US attack looms
Every day, Iranians go to stores and find prices rising. Some post photos on social media of the shrinking contents of their shopping carts as they struggle to buy enough basic staples for their families. The mounting cost of living is an extra weight bearing down as Iranians prepare for a possible»»»
Tunisia Court Blocks Closure of Factory Blamed for Pollution
A Tunisian court on Thursday rejected demands to suspend operations at a fertilizer factory, a lawyer told AFP, after thousands of protesters blamed the plant for a rise in health problems. The facility in the city of Gabes emits sulphur gases, nitrogen and fluorine, according to an audit last July»»»
Berlin Film Festival Director's Future in Spotlight after Gaza Furore
Germany's government convened an emergency meeting of the organizers of the Berlin Film Festival on Thursday, saying it wanted to discuss the event's "direction" after debate and protests over Gaza dominated the programme. The Bild newspaper reported on Wednesday that the government's Commissioner »»»
Russia accuses Washington of 'irresponsible escalation'
Russia has accused the United States of irresponsibly stoking regional tensions over Iran, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying Moscow continues to see "unceasing threats" against Tehran on February 26. »»»
Russia accuses Washington of 'irresponsible escalation'
Russia has accused the United States of irresponsibly stoking regional tensions over Iran, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying Moscow continues to see "unceasing threats" against Tehran on February 26. »»»
Danish PM calls snap election with Greenland issue centre-stage
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced early elections - hailing the next four years as "decisive" for her country. "We as Danes and as Europeans will really have to stand on our own feet," Frederiksen told parliament. "We need to define our relationship with the United States," she »»»
Two arrested after attempting to bring knives into Athens courthouse
Two people were arrested on Thursday after allegedly attempting to bring large knives into the courthouse complex at Evelpidon in Athens, authorities said. Security guards discovered the weapons during routine screening at the entrance to the Evelpidon court facilities. According to sources, the kn»»»
Al-Khanbashi to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Warn Against Incitement, Hadramout Has Room for All
Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) member and Governor of Yemen's eastern Hadramout province Salem al-Khanbashi says he believes that “Hadramout triumphed for itself,” and that what took place there in December 2025 and early January 2026 marked a decisive moment in which Hadhramis reclaimed the»»»
Russia’s finance ministry to tighten budget rule as oil revenues sink
Oil and gas revenues will account for less than 20% of Russia's budget this year, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told the Duma on February 26, as oil prices tumble and sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet become more effective. »»»
Overwhelming US Airpower vs Iran: Outgunned — Yet Still a Threat
Dubai: As US forces mass across the Middle East, Iran is staring at the threat of major American strikes that could target its leadership, military command structure, nuclear sites and critical infrastructure — a showdown Tehran would almost certainly lose in conventional terms, but one that could »»»
Hillary Clinton to appear before US House panel investigating Epstein
Hillary Clinton will on Thursday appear before a panel of the US House of Representatives that is investigating the crimes of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The former Democratic secretary of state and presidential candidate recently agreed, along with her husband, former President Bill Clinton»»»
Press Review - Is the Berlin Film Festival's leadership in trouble over anti-Israel speech?
PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, February 26: We look at reactions from the Indian and Israeli press after Narendra Modi's speech to the Israeli parliament. His visit is controversial back home. Also: the Berlin Film Festival's future leadership is in jeopardy after a film director's anti-Israel speec»»»
Singer D4vd confirmed as 'target' of investigation into murder of teen
Newly unsealed court filings have revealed that US singer D4vd - real name David Anthony Burke - is the target of a grand jury investigation into the apparent murder of a 14-year-old girl, whose remains were found in his car in September. The filings were released after D4vd's family were summoned »»»
Great American Exodus: Citizens Flee High Costs & Chaos For Safer Shores
In 2025, for the first time since the Great Depression, the US experienced negative net migration, according to analysis by The Wall Street Journal and a Brookings Institution report. There was a significant drop-off in entries to the US in 2025 relative to 2024.2025 net migration was estimated bet»»»
Parliament Postpones Second Reading Vote on Introduction of Multi-Funds in Supplementary Pension Insurance
The National Assembly postponed the second-reading vote on amendments to the Social Security Code introducing multi-funds in the supplementary pension insurance system. The proposal for postponement was made by Denitsa Sacheva (GERB-UDF) after the provisions were presented and debated in the plenar»»»
Hong Kong court quashes fraud conviction of Jimmy Lai on appeal - UPI.com
Jailed Hong Kong democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai (C), seen here in February 2021, won an appeal against a conviction for fraud on Thursday but remains in prison serving a 20 year sentence for endangering "national security." File photo by Jerome Favre/EPA-EFE Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Imprison»»»
US justice department accused of withholding Trump-related Epstein files
The top Democrat on the congressional committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein has accused the US justice department of withholding files containing allegations of sexual abuse of a minor made against President Donald Trump. Robert Garcia, who sits on the House Oversight Committee, said he had perso»»»
Britain and France Plot a Nuclear False Flag Strike Against Russia - Analyst
The UK-French nuclear weapon plot in Ukraine may be aimed at achieving several objectives, Bureau of Military-Political Analysis’ head Alexander Mikhailov tells Sputnik. The EU elites are not happy with them being sidelined in the Ukraine peace talks so Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron may be tryin»»»
Demonstrations continue in Zawia for the second day in a row against all incumbent political entities as standards of living continue to diminish
With the background of the continuation of the political split between Libya’s western and eastern based regimes with elections seemingly a world away, the black-market foreign exchange rate of the Libyan dinar plunging to over the LD 10.50 rate per dollar causing prices to spike, and the CBL and H»»»
Dubai Police strengthens crackdown on money laundering crimes
Dubai Police launches specialised career tracks to strengthen fight against money laundering New framework integrates investigative, legal and analytical expertise to enhance financial crime detection and align with global compliance standards. Dubai Police has introduced advanced specialised caree»»»
Medvedev sweeps past Brooksby to reach Dubai semis
Dubai: Daniil Medvedev produced a clinical 6-2, 6-1 performance against Jenson Brooksby on Thursday to advance to his third Dubai semi-final. The former world number one boasts 22 career titles but has never won the same tournament twice. He is trying to change that this week in Dubai, where he lif»»»
'People are getting poorer': How Iran's struggling economy is changing how families live
"We used to eat out twice a month," says Marjan, who lives in Iran's second largest city, Isfahan. "Now we just can't. We have to save that money to pay the rent." For the last six years, she had been selling wooden crafts and keyrings through a page on Instagram - one of hundreds of thousands of I»»»
Local Referendum Against Construction of Gunpowder Factory in Karlovo Fails First Hurdle
Nearly a third of the entries in a signature petition for holding a local referendum to block the construction of a gunpowder factory in the village of Iganovo are flawed, Karlovo Municipal Council chair Donyo Todorov said on Thursday. He noted that he had received a letter from the Plovdiv unit of»»»
Bulgaria Faces Serious Rule of Law Crisis over Acting Prosecutor General's Tenure, Says Justice Minister
Bulgaria is facing a serious rule of law crisis stemming from the fact that the acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov is effectively holding office in violation of the law, caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov said on Thursday. He was speaking at the opening of a sitting of the Supreme J»»»
Trump Raises Global Tariff to 15% After Supreme Court Rebuke
Washington – President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping increase in the baseline tariff on imports into the United States to 15 percent, escalating trade tensions a day after the U.S. Supreme Court curtailed key elements of his tariff authority. In a statement published on his Truth Social pla»»»
EU Sanctions Envoy in Bishkek: What European Union expects from Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
Preventing sanctions circumvention will not cause economic losses for Kyrgyzstan. EU Special Envoy for Sanctions David O’Sullivan said at a briefing in Bishkek. Brussels is concerned about a sharp increase in exports of machine tools and radio equipment over the past year. «They are not produced in»»»
Kecmanovic beats Zverev to advance to Acapulco quarter-finals
ACAPULCO - Serbian tennis player Miomir Kecmanovic is through to the quarter-finals of the Acapulco ATP tournament after a 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4) second-round victory over world number four Alexander Zverev of Germany. Kecmanovic, who is placed 84th in the ATP rankings, won after two hours and 3»»»
Lukoil Threatens Bulgaria with International Lawsuit Over Asset Seizure
Russian oil company Lukoil has formally accused Bulgaria of unlawfully seizing its assets in the country, signaling its intention to pursue legal action. On February 19, the Swiss-based Litasco, part of the Lukoil group and a shareholder in Lukoil Neftochim Burgas AD and Lukoil Bulgaria EOOD, submi»»»
Qatar University urges public to rely on official channels for accurate information
DOHA: Qatar University has urged the public to verify information sources and avoid engaging with unverified links or advertisements to safeguard the accuracy of information and the security of personal data. In a post on its official social media platforms, the university emphasized that its websi»»»
Dinar-to-euro exchange rate at RSD 117.4098
BELGRADE - The Serbian dinar's official median exchange rate against the euro is 117.4098 dinars for one euro on Thursday, which is a slight change relative to Wednesday, the National Bank of Serbia said. The dinar is steady against the euro m-o-m, down by 0.2 pct y-o-y and down by 0.1 pct relative»»»
Veranda Mall secures EUR 36 million loan from CEC Bank
CEC Bank has granted EUR 36 million in financing to Veranda Obor SA, the owner of Veranda Mall. The facility will be used to refinance existing exposure, support the project’s development plans and, for the first time, enable capital distributions to shareholders. The new financing follows a solid »»»
Merz Says Germany, China Must Overcome Trade Gaps 'Together'
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ended his two-day visit to China on Thursday in the tech hub of Hangzhou, identifying "challenges that we must overcome together" after meeting President Xi Jinping and announcing an Airbus deal. Merz's first official visit to China came as Berlin and Beijing seek t»»»
Tesla’s self-driving tech is now being tested in Abu Dhabi
Dubai: US electric vehicle maker Tesla’s Advanced Self-Driving technology is now being tested on roads in Abu Dhabi, under driver supervision, marking a first for the emirate. With the support of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) is overs»»»
Energy Minister Traikov, US Deputy Energy Secretary Discuss Vertical Gas Corridor, LNG Supplies
Caretaker Energy Minister Traicho Traikov discussed Bulgaria’s key energy priorities with United States Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly at the US Department of Energy, the Energy Ministry said here on Thursday. Danly praised Bulgaria’s active role and timely progress in building the Vertical»»»
Hezbollah official says will not intervene in event of 'limited' US strikes on Iran
A Hezbollah official told AFP on Wednesday that the Lebanese movement would not intervene militarily in the event of "limited" U.S. strikes on its backer Iran, but would consider any attack against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a "red line". The U.S. has repeatedly threatened Iran over its »»»
Syria reaffirms human rights commitment before U.N. council
Geneva, Feb. 26 (SANA) Syria told the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday that its commitment to human rights is a “genuine national obligation” shaped by decades of hardship, pledging to strengthen institutions and prevent a return to past abuses. Addressing the Council during its hig»»»
Tehran’s ‘3 red lines’: Deal 'attainable' in fresh Iran-US nuclear talks?
Also In This Package Iran-US talks begin in Oman: What’s at stake? Iran-US talks in Geneva advance on 'guiding principles' Iran draws red line on enrichment; shrugs off US threat Iran open to compromise in US nuclear talks: Report Iranian negotiators have reportedly travelled to Geneva on Thursday »»»
Tehran’s ‘3 red lines’: Deal 'attainable' in fresh Iran-US nuclear talks?
Also In This Package Iran draws red line on enrichment; shrugs off US threat Iran open to compromise in US nuclear talks: Report Iran-US talks begin in Oman: What’s at stake? Iran-US talks in Geneva advance on 'guiding principles' Iranian negotiators have reportedly travelled to Geneva on Thursday »»»
Russia's FSB Prevents Terrorist Attack Against Senior Military Officer in St. Petersburg
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A terrorist attack against a high-ranking military officer of the Russian Defense Ministry was prevented in St. Petersburg, and two Russians who acted in the interests of the special services of Ukraine were detained, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) told Sputnik. "The Rus»»»
EPPO Ruling Against Bulgarian European Prosecutor Deals Another Severe Blow to Justice System, Caretaker Minister Yankulov Says
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council, caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov said that the case of Bulgarian European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva, who was found guilty of serious misconduct by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), represents yet a»»»
Bulgarian European Prosecutor Georgieva Found Guilty of Serious Misconduct by EPPO
On February 25, the College of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) found the Bulgarian European Prosecutor, Teodora Georgieva, guilty of serious misconduct, as detailed in the opinion of the Disciplinary Board, composed of high-ranking officials, or former officials, of the European inst»»»
Technical Project Marketplace on Tasklink — A structured model for managing projects
Doha, Qatar: In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the challenge facing companies is no longer limited to finding technical talent. The real challenge lies in managing technical projects within a clear, structured framework that ensures quality, commitment, and risk reduction. As organisat»»»
You can fly to India from the UAE for under Dh300 during Eid, but there’s a catch
Dubai: Travellers flying between the UAE and India can book one-way ‘lite’ fares starting from Dh323, India’s Air India Express announced as it launched its monthly ‘PayDay Sale’ across domestic and international routes. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The limited-time»»»
Qatar renews commitment to principles of disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation
Geneva: Qatar participated in the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament held in Geneva. Qatar was represented at the event by Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva Jawhara bint Abdulaziz Al Suwaidi. Al Suwaidi affi»»»
Suspected assassin of ex-Ukrainian presidential adviser detained in Germany (VIDEO)
Spanish police have arrested the alleged gunman in the 2025 assassination of Andrey Portnov, a former senior aide to ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, in a joint operation with German authorities in the town of Heinsberg. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was detained by Sp»»»
Democrats call missing Trump documents in Epstein files ‘largest cover-up in modern history’
Documents related to a woman’s sexual assault complaint against US President Donald Trump in the Jeffrey Epstein files were not released by the FBI, according to investigative reports. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee called it the "largest government cover-up in modern history". The US J»»»