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: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced updated working hours for the government health sector during the holy month of Ramadan, taking into account its special nature. The MoPH has stated that all emergency and inpatient services at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) hospitals»»»

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»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States will return to nuclear testing on an equal basis without massive atmospheric explosions, Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher Yeaw said on Tuesday. “As the President has said, the United States will return to testing»»»

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 »»»

Abu Dhabi: Leaders of the UAE have extended their congratulations to citizens, residents and Muslims around the world as Ramadan begins on Thursday, marking the start of a month of fasting, reflection and community. UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “With the arriv»»»

The General Command of Fujairah Police has completed preparations to fire the traditional Ramadan iftar cannon throughout the holy month, with the main launch taking place at Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah, alongside several key locations across the emirate. The initiative aims to revive one of Ra»»»

Riyadh: For Muslims in Saudi Arabia the first day of Ramadan will fall on Wednesday, the kingdom's royal court announced. The holy month, during which hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world observe a fast from sunrise to sunset, traditionally begins with the sighting of the crescent moon.»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) announced the working hours for its 31 health centers during the holy month of Ramadan. These centers will be open continuously from Sunday to Thursday. The PHCC indicated that 27 health centers namely, Al Wakra, South Wakra, Al Mashaf, Al Thu»»»

DOHA: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) announced the working hours for its 31 health centres during the holy month of Ramadan. These centres will be open continuously from Sunday to Thursday. The PHCC indicated that 27 health centres namely, Al Wakra, South Wakra, Al Mashaf, Al Thumama, A»»»

Tunis, Feb 17 (TAP) - Speaker of the Assembly of the People's Representatives (ARP) Brahim Bouderbala on Tuesday received Sudan’s Ambassador to Tunisia Bukhari Ghanem Mohamed Effendi, underscoring the strength of relations binding the two...»»»

In the halls of the Bayerischer Hof in Munich, where the 62nd session of the Munich Security Conference convened in February 2026, the atmosphere transcended that of a routine diplomatic gathering addressing scattered global crises. Instead, it felt like a direct confrontation with a profound histo»»»

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»»»

He emerged from our screens. He’d be nothing without social media, without its ability to transform an absolute nothing into a famous nothing. His improvised videos were considered provocative at first. Provocation then brought attention, and attention brought voter interest. Who is this? Donald Tr»»»

Volodymyr Zelensky's reluctance to hold elections in Ukraine is multi-faced, according to Marco Marsili, geopolitical analyst at CESRAN International and former OSCE election observer. The Ukrainian politician is on thin ice despite optimistic polling numbers: "The reported approval ratings reflect»»»

Doha The Amiri Diwan has announced that His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will receive well-wishers on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan at Lusail Palace on Wednesday evening, the first day of the blessed month, immediately after Taraweeh prayers. M»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amiri Diwan announced on Wednesday that the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will receive well-wishers on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan at Lusail Palace on Wednesday evening, the first day of the blessed month, immediately after Taraweeh prayers. The Amiri Diwan »»»

While UAE and Saudi Arabia spotted the crescent marking the start of Ramadan on Tuesday (Sha’ban 29), several countries in the east such as Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia were unable to sight the moon. Accordingly, UAE and Saudi Arabia will mark Wednesday, February 18 as the first day of Ramadan, w»»»

Even as the UAE and Saudi Arabia gear up to begin observing Ramadan on Wednesday, Feb 18, several other countries announced that they would consider Thursday, Feb 19, as day one of the holy month. Ramadan is decided by the lunar calendar – so it tends to move each year, which is where the moon-sigh»»»

Police have identified the suspect in a shooting at a high school ice hockey game in Rhode Island that killed two people and injured three others. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said Robert Dorgan, who also used the name Roberta and the surname Esposito, died of an apparent self-inflicted gu»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani exchanged congratulatory messages on Tuesday with his brothers, Their Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses, the leaders of the brotherly Arab and Islamic countries, on the occasion of the advent of the holy month of Ramadan.»»»

Hezbollah’s International and Arab Relations Department strongly condemned the US economic blockade on Cuba and Washington’s move to cut off Venezuelan oil, threatening to halt the country’s economy and disrupt essential services. “The US President’s move is a reckless step, part of a pattern of ac»»»

The Council of Ministers allocated additional expenditures for 2026 under its own budget that will cover the Sofia regional administration's activities of providing security for the dismantled bronze figures and bas-reliefs from the Monument to the Soviet Army, including the rental of scaffolding a»»»

Muslims across the world are preparing to welcome Ramadan 1447, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar officially confirming that the holy month will begin on Wednesday, February 18. The announcements follow verified crescent moon sightings in each country, signalling the start of a month of fasting»»»

Doha The State of Qatar has announced that Wednesday (February 18) will mark the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan, following the sighting of the crescent moon. In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs said its Moon Sighting Committee had confirm»»»

The government has okayed draft amendments to the Criminal Code introducing harsher penalties for offences committed against minors and underage persons. The amendments also extend the limitation periods for prosecuting perpetrators of this category of offences, the Council of Ministers said in a p»»»

The Council of Ministers adopted an amendment to Council of Ministers Decision No. 144 of March 10, 2022, on granting temporary protection to displaced persons from Ukraine, extending the temporary protection of displaced persons from Ukraine on the territory of Bulgaria by one year, effective from»»»

The Council of Ministers allocated additional expenditures for 2026 under its own budget that will cover the Sofia regional administration's activities of providing security for the dismantled bronze figures and bas-reliefs from the Monument to the Soviet Army, including the rental of scaffolding a»»»

Dubai: More than one billion Muslims around the world are preparing to observe Ramadan 2026, with forecasts indicating that fasting hours this year will be slightly shorter than in 2025. The length of the fast varies significantly from one country to another, depending on geography and latitude, as»»»

The European Union is bracing itself for a fight over a proposed ban on Russian steel imports, as lawmakers attempt to push the restrictions through a legislative backdoor, according to Euronews. Members of the European Parliament and EU member states will begin negotiations next week on whether to»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Holy Month of Ramadan in Qatar starts tomorrow, February 18, 2026. For the benefit of our readers in Qatar, we have made the calendar with the prayer timings for the whole month which can be downloaded here.»»»

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 »»»

Dubai: Dubai’s public parking operator Parkin has announced that mosque parking spaces across Dubai will be free throughout the day during Ramadan. In a post on its official social media channels, the operator confirmed that parking zones marked for mosques (M and MP) will remain free to use for th»»»

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.»»»