Lebanon Fears Being Dragged to War as US-Iran Tensions Spike
Concern is mounting in Lebanon as tensions between the United States and Iran intensify, stoking fears that any direct military clash could spill onto Lebanese soil. The evacuation of non-essential staff from the US embassy in Beirut has deepened unease, especially as it coincided with official Leb»»»
Orbán: Brussels and Kyiv have joined forces to pressure Hungary
Opening the 2026 spring parliamentary season, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán placed Hungary’s energy security and the war in Ukraine at the center of his address, warning that Brussels and Kyiv are applying coordinated political pressure on Hungary just weeks before national elections. Prime Minister »»»
Dubai gold rises again as global risks lift safe-haven demand
Dubai: Dubai gold prices edged higher on Wednesday morning, extending a volatile month shaped by global trade tensions, geopolitical risks and shifting expectations around US interest rates, all of which continue to steer investor appetite toward safe-haven assets. (Check latest UAE gold prices her»»»
Trump issues patriotic rallying cry as he faces tough political headwinds
Donald Trump delivered a combative State of the Union address on Tuesday night that trumpeted what he said was an American "turnaround for the ages". At a time when polls suggest many in the US continue to be dissatisfied with the current state of the nation – and with Trump's leadership of it - th»»»
Europe Offers Ukraine Guarantees as Long as It Stays Enemy of Russia — UN Envoy
Europe is ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees, but only as long as Kiev remains an enemy of Russia, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said. “Europe clearly is willing to provide security assurances to Ukraine only as long as the Kiev regime remain»»»
Trump on Iran: "I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror ... to have a nuclear weapon."
In an escalation of one of the most fraught foreign‑policy standoffs of his second presidency to date, Donald Trump has directly addressed the stand-off with Iran. Speaking at his first State of the Union from Washington since being re-elected, Trump said "our enemies are scared...and Ame»»»
Trump on Iran: "I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror ... to have a nuclear weapon."
In an escalation of one of the most fraught foreign‑policy standoffs of his second presidency to date, Donald Trump has directly addressed the stand-off with Iran. Speaking at his first State of the Union from Washington since being re-elected, Trump said "our enemies are scared...and Ame»»»
Trump delivers State of the Union address: WATCH LIVE
President Donald Trump is delivering his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, using the primetime speech to highlight his administration’s record over the past 13 months and outline priorities for the year ahead. The address – the first official State of the Union of Trump’s s»»»
Inside the Pentagon’s Iran warning
Dubai: As the Trump administration debates whether to launch a military operation against Iran, America’s top military officer has cautioned that depleted weapons stockpiles and limited allied backing could significantly raise the risks of any sustained campaign, according to a Washington Post repo»»»
UAE: Nation-building is vision, not experimentation
Many nations have embarked on the journey of state and society building, yet only a few have successfully charted a path forward and articulated the strategic vision necessary to realise the philosophy of development and growth. It is, therefore, unsurprising that scholarly debate on state-building»»»
Bangladesh election reduces political uncertainty but forthcoming reform execution remains critical
Bangladesh’s general election on February 12 has eased near-term political and policy uncertainty, potentially supporting macroeconomic stability, according to Fitch Ratings. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured an overwhelming parliamentary supermajority in a referendum that should now pave th»»»
US official confident China shook Kazakhstan with underground nuclear weapons test
China almost certainly shook neighbouring Kazakhstan with an underground nuclear weapons test, according to a senior American official. Seismic activity detected in Kazakhstan on June 22, 2020 appeared to stem from such a »»»
Brazil stands to gain most from Trump's revised tariffs
Brazil is poised to be the biggest beneficiary of the new global tariff regime announced by US President Donald Trump in response to a landmark Supreme Court ruling which voided his blanket levies unveiled last year on "Liberation Day." But relief among Brazilian businesses remains guarded as »»»
Cuban fuel crisis: a Russian tanker is on route. Will Trump let it through?
A tanker widely believed to be carrying Russian fuel is heading towards Cuba, potentially setting the stage for a fresh confrontation between Moscow and Washington as the island struggles under a de facto US fuel embargo that has crippled power generation, transport and basic services. »»»
Cuban fuel crisis: a Russian tanker is on route. Will Trump let it through?
A tanker widely believed to be carrying Russian fuel is heading towards Cuba, potentially setting the stage for a fresh confrontation between Moscow and Washington as the island struggles under a de facto US fuel embargo that has crippled power generation, transport and basic services. »»»
States sue Trump administration over changes to childhood vaccine recommendations
SACRAMENTO, California (AP): More than a dozen states sued the Trump administration Tuesday over its rollback of vaccine recommendations for children, calling the move an illegal threat to public health. The states argue that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put children's lives at ri»»»
Who is Abigail Spanberger, the Democrat set to give State of the Union response
Abigail Spanberger, the first female governor in Virginia's history, will give the Democrats' response to US President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address since returning to the White House. Trump is set to deliver the speech on Tuesday night, and after his remarks Americans will hear f»»»
What to know about US President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address
US President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) (6am Wednesday, February 26 in the UAE) is likely to be a familiar exercise: highlighting their achievements and berating political foes. That’s true of most presidents, but especially so now, as Trump faces mount»»»
US threatens Anthropic with deadline in dispute on AI safeguards
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to remove Anthropic from his agency's supply chain if the company declined to allow its artificial intelligence (AI) technology to be used across military applications. The threat was issued on Tuesday at a Pentagon meeting that Hegseth had demanded with A»»»
US soldiers risk ‘hell’ if nuclear talks fail – Iranian MP
Upcoming talks on Tehran’s nuclear program will decide whether US soldiers “go to hell or return to America,” Ebrahim Rezaei, an Iranian MP and spokesman for parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has warned. The remark came as US President Donald Trump ramped up threats of mi»»»
From prison to Paris: Ambassador Charles Kushner at the centre of a Franco-American rift
US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner – a former felon and real-estate magnate aligned with US President Donald Trump – is at the centre of a diplomatic spat after failing to obey a foreign ministry summons, prompting France to restrict his access to government officials. Pardoned by Donald Trump»»»
EU’s Kallas returns to idea of stealing Russian assets
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has suggested resurrecting the previously rejected plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, after Hungary vetoed a €90 billion ($106 billion) loan for Kiev on Monday. Kiev’s Western backers froze $300 billion in Russian central bank assets after the escalat»»»
Texas lawmaker urged to resign over alleged affair with staffer
A Texas lawmaker is facing growing calls from within his own party to resign and end his re-election bid after details emerged about his alleged affair with an aide. Republican Representative Tony Gonzales, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, is facing a challenge from gun rights activ»»»
US Ambassador Kushner pledges not to 'interfere' in French affairs, diplomatic source says
US ambassador to France Charles Kushner pledged not to "interfere" in France's affairs in an "amicable" call with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. Kushner failed to respond on Monday to a summons related to comments concerning the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque. The US ambassador to»»»
Tribute Event Honouring Heroism of Ukrainian People Held in Sofia
A tribute event honouring the heroism of the Ukrainian people was held at St Alexander Nevsky Square in Sofia on Tuesday to mark four years since the start of the war in Ukraine. Among those attending were caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev and Ukraine’s Ambassador to»»»
US government drops case against Democrats in 'illegal orders' video
Federal prosecutors in Washington have dropped their case against six Democratic lawmakers who released a video urging military servicemembers to refuse illegal orders. The decision - confirmed by the BBC's media partner CBS News - follows US Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office failing to secure a gran»»»
EU pledges Kyiv aid despite Orbán threats on war anniversary
Hungary’s pro-Russian veto is being seen by diplomats as a temporary glitch, while other states passed a law anyway to loan money to Ukraine. Ukraine would get a €90bn EU loan and Russia would face more sanctions despite Hungary’s opposition, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen pledged in »»»
Internet (un)chained: Why cyber-censorship is here to stay
A few years after the beginning of the French Revolution, France underwent the ‘thermidorian reaction’. Policies became more moderate, the bourgeoisie came back to power. But nowadays, most historians use the expression to describe the moment when a radical revolutionary regime is replaced by a mor»»»
Trump threatens ‘very bad day’ for Iran if no deal
US President Donald Trump has renewed his threats of military action against Iran, claiming that the Islamic Republic will face a “very bad day” unless it agrees to a nuclear deal. Trump issued the threat in a Truth Social post on Monday, responding to reports that US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman»»»
Uganda wildlife authority seizes 154 kg of ivory
Kampala: The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a state-run conservation agency, has seized 10 pieces of raw elephant ivory weighing 154 kg after arresting a suspected trafficker in the northern district of Nwoya. In a statement issued late Monday, the UWA said the suspect, identified as Francis Opir»»»
California governor compares himself to black voters because he ‘cannot read’
California Governor Gavin Newsom has drawn sharp backlash after telling an Atlanta audience, “I’m like you,” while describing his low SAT score and reading difficulties, remarks critics have interpreted as an ill-judged attempt to connect with black voters. Newsom, widely discussed as a potential c»»»
KYIV BLOG: Ukraine, too little, too late
Today we go into the fifth year of the Ukraine war which has now been going on longer than the Second World War ( 3 years and 11 months). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy just gave an address to the European Parliam»»»
U.S. accuses Chile of risking regional sovereignty over China project - UPI.com
China Mobile's former president and CEO, He Biao, delivers a speech in March at Mobile World Congress Fira Barcelona convention center in L'Hospitalet del Llobregat, in Barcelona, Spain. He stepped down two weeks ago. File Photo by Alejandro Garci/EPA SANTIAGO, Chile, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- The United St»»»
Bulgarian Municipalities Focus on Unity, Investment, Waste Reform, Digital Transformation at Association's General Assembly
Mayors and municipal officials from across Bulgaria gathered in Sofia on Tuesday for the 39th General Assembly of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB), discussing the key priorities for local government, including financial stability, accelerated European i»»»
What’s Behind France and UK’s Plot to Provide Ukraine With Nuclear Weapon?
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service said in a statement on Tuesday that "London and Paris are preparing to arm Kiev with a nuclear bomb.” It is nothing but “an attempt to exert pressure on the upcoming Russia–Ukraine–US peace talks,” Russian political analyst Yulia Semke told Sputnik.The UK an»»»
Caretaker Education Minister Ignatov Seeks to Keep Schools Free of Political Campaigning
Caretaker Minister of Education and Science Sergei Ignatov met with the heads of the Regional Departments of Education (RDE) on Tuesday to discuss current priorities in the sector and how to keep schools and other education institutions politically neutral during the upcoming election campaign. Ign»»»
Fifth session of Tunisian-Brazilian Political consultations held in Brazil
Tunis, Feb. 24 (TAP) – The fifth session of Tunisian-Brazilian political consultations took place Monday in Brasília, with the participation of delegations from both countries.The Tunisian delegation was headed by Riadh Dridi, Director General of...»»»
Opinion | China at the Heart of the Iranian Crisis
Venezuela and Iran are the countries most affected by the “peace through strength” doctrine inaugurated by U.S. President Donald Trump. The former faced maritime and aerial blockades, the kidnapping of its president, and the initiation of his trial in Miami, all without any effective global respons»»»
Moscow will respond if NATO gives nukes to ‘Nazi regime in Kiev’ – Medvedev
Russia would launch a nuclear response if NATO countries supplied atomic weapons to Ukraine, former President Dmitry Medvedev has warned. Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, was commenting to RT on Tuesday on claims by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR»»»
U.S. seizes third oil tanker in Indian Ocean - UPI.com
The U.S. military seized a third oil tanker moving from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Photo by Department of War/X Feb. 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. military seized a third oil tanker moving from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon said Tuesday. The Berth»»»
GERB-UDF MP Toma Bikov: Replacing Regional Governors Does Not Guarantee Fair Elections, Government Impartiality
Commenting on Monday's appointment of new regional governors by the caretaker government, Toma Bikov MP of GERB-UDF said this approach did not guarantee the government's impartiality. He told reporters: "We have no issue with the replacement of regional governors. What we said is that all 28 out of»»»
‘Israel’ Lacks Clear Strategy in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon: Haaretz
Israeli Middle East affairs writer Zvi Bar’el examined what he described as the contours—and gaps—of Israel’s emerging security strategy under Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that ‘Israel’ could soon face a coherent US approach in Syria and Lebanon without a clear strategy of its own. Writing in Haaret»»»
China targets Japan's defense sector with ban on 'dual-use' exports - UPI.com
Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2s perform a fly past during the 70th International Fleet Review at Sagami Bay southwest of Tokyo in November 2022. Mitsubishi was among 20 companies blacklisted by China on Tuesday amid rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UP»»»
Bulgaria: Legal Committee Rejects President’s Veto on Cap for Polling Stations Abroad
The parliamentary committee on constitutional and legal affairs has rejected President Iliana Yotova’s veto on amendments to the Electoral Code that cap the number of polling stations in non-EU countries at 20. The committee reapproved the contested provisions with 11 votes in favor, eight against »»»
Charles Kushner barred from French officials after summons no-show - UPI.com
President Donald Trump, alongside Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, right, walk to the raising of the US flag on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., in June. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo Feb. 24 (UPI) -- The French government has barred Ambassador Charles Kush»»»
Four years into Russia's invasion, four young Ukrainians look to the future
Their names are Oleksandr, Sofiia, Bohdan, and Angelina. They are between 18 and 28 years old and live in Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, their lives and plans for the future were turned upside down by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. FRANCE 24 sp»»»
Central Asian Foreign Ministers to meet in the UK - | 24.KG
Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Jeenbek Kulubaev will participate in the first meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Central Asia and the United Kingdom, the ministry’s press service announced. The minister will visit the United Kingdom on February 25-26, 2026. Bilateral meetings with UK Secretary of »»»
Israel threatens to hit Lebanon infrastructure if Hezbollah backs Iran
Foreign minister Youssef Rajji said Tuesday that Lebanon fears its infrastructure could be hit by Israeli strikes if the situation with Iran escalates. Rajji said Lebanese authorities had appealed to Hezbollah, which has fought several wars with Israel, most recently in 2024, not to respond in any »»»
Plot to assassinate Serbia’s Vucic thwarted – Interior Ministry
The Serbian authorities have arrested two people suspected of plotting to assassinate President Aleksandar Vucic and his wife and children, the Interior Ministry has said. The arrests come as Serbia grapples with anti-government protests which Vucic says are driven by foreign interference. In a sta»»»
France curbs US envoy’s government access
France has blocked US Ambassador Charles Kushner from direct government access after he ignored a summons to the Foreign Ministry to explain American comments on the death of right-wing activist Quentin Deranque. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot summoned Kushner to the Quai d’Orsay after Wa»»»