French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Tuesday, as he begins a three-day visit to India focused on artificial intelligence cooperation and a potential multibillion dollar fighter jet deal. France is seeking to expand its military partnership with»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli gliders drop three stun grenades in the southern Lebanese border town of Ayta Al-Shaab: Al-Manar correspondent 17-02-2026 10:57 AM »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese PM Nawaf Salam tours Tripoli along with Social Affairs Minister Hanin Al-Sayed 17-02-2026 11:19 AM Latest News Urgent News Lebanes»»»

BusinessIndiaFrance's Macron in India to boost Rafale deal talks, AI tiesMahima Kapoor with AFP, APEmmanuel Macron arrives in India at a time the country is looking to upgrade its air force, with the Indian government having given preliminary approval to buy more than 100 additional Rafale jets las»»»

As Ramadan coincides with the cooler months, doctors are advising residents to pay extra attention to their immune health while observing the fast. Seasonal flu, colds and other respiratory infections tend to rise during winter – and changes in sleep, hydration and eating patterns can make the body»»»

New Delhi, India: India is discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies, following Australia's move to ban under-16s from popular platforms, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Tuesday. "This is something which has now been accepted by many countries that age-based regulation has to »»»

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said Israel is ahead of the US in developing cutting-edge weapons. Graham made the remarks in Tel Aviv after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid on Monday. The senator said Washington should invest in Israel’s defe»»»

The Ukraine conflict is “one of the few wars” that some in the international community have been cheering and condemning efforts to bring to an end, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said. The top US diplomat made the remarks on Monday during a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minist»»»

Kyiv, Feb. 17 (SANA) Ukraine’s chief of staff said on Tuesday that the country’s delegation had departed for Geneva for a new round of negotiations with Russia under U.S. mediation. Kyrylo Budanov wrote on Telegram: “On the way to Geneva. The next round of talks is ahead.” President Volodymyr Zelen»»»

Financier Levon Hampartzumyan has forecast a gradual rise in loan interest rates in Bulgaria, noting that current levels are historically very low and cannot be sustained indefinitely. Speaking on bTV, he stressed that such an increase is a natural development rather than a cause for alarm. Hampart»»»

President Iliana Iotova will receive caretaker prime minister Andrey Gurov at the President's Administration on Wednesday, the President’s press secretariat said on Tuesday. On February 12, Iotova appointed Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov as caretaker prime minister and t»»»

Israeli occupation forces carried out a new wave of bombing and demolition operations early Tuesday, targeting multiple areas across the Gaza Strip in what marked a renewed field escalation in both the north and south. Israeli artillery shelled eastern areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while w»»»

New Mexico lawmakers on Monday passed legislation to launch what they said was the first full investigation into what happened at Zorro Ranch, where the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting girls and women. A bipartisan committee will seek testimony»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani led well-wishers to welcome HRH Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, upon his arrival at Doha International Airport on Tuesday morning, along with his accompanying deleg»»»

The Tripoli based Ministry of Health announced yesterday that after a 10-year hiatus, the CT scan service at Tripoli Children’s Teaching Hospital has resumed operations. This comes following the completion of maintenance, upgrades, and the installation of necessary technical equipment. The service »»»

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. "I'll be involved in those talks, indirectly. And they'll be very im»»»

Dubai: The UAE on Tuesday announced a three-year extension of the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) until 2028, as the country's landmark Hope Probe marked five years since its historic launch. The milestone that has redefined the Arab world's place in space exploration was announced by Ahmad Belhoul Al »»»

The emerging outlines of Andrey Gyurov’s caretaker cabinet suggest a strong emphasis on technical expertise rather than political weight, according to sociologist Elena Darieva, speaking on bTV. She said the approach appears focused on bringing in professionals capable of stepping into ministries i»»»

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections, calling his leadership vital to America’s national interests. Orban’s personal relationship with US President Donald Trump has translated into a “golden era” of relations »»»

Doha, Qatar: As the holy month of Ramadan approaches and heralds a time for prayer and reflection, expat families in Doha have begun preparations that binds mindfulness with flavours of home. In hospitable homes and warm kitchens of these families, meal preparations for the holy month of Ramadan ha»»»

In May 2007, three-year-old Madeleine McCann vanished while on holiday with her parents and twin siblings in Praia da Luz, Portugal. On the night she disappeared, her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were dining with friends at a tapas restaurant approximately 55 meters from their ground-floor apart»»»

Dubai: Gulf News’ brand new video podcast Dine With The Stars with Manjusha Radhakrishnan returns for another banger following our inaugural emotionally charged debut with Malayalam actress and survivor Bhavana Menon. In our second episode of DWTS, we break bread with Bollywood actor Ahaan Shetty, »»»

A day after an unprecedented Israeli decision allowing the seizure of land in the occupied West Bank, Hebrew-language reports revealed a settlement plan that would, in effect, extend Jerusalem’s boundaries beyond the pre–1967 lines. According to a report published by Yedioth Ahronoth, a housing pla»»»

The Australian government will not repatriate from Syria a group of 34 women and children with alleged ties to the ISIS group, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday. The women and children from 11 families were supposed to fly from the Syrian capital Damascus to Australia but Syrian authorit»»»

457 km of roads to be repaired, 22 bridges to be built in Kyrgyzstan in 2026 The Ministry of Transport and Communications’ budget for 2026 is planned to be 39,100 billion soms. Deputy Minister Beknazar Bazaraliev announced at a meeting of the Committee on Industrial Policy, Transport, Fuel and Ener»»»

An unofficial outline of the expected caretaker cabinet headed by Andrey Gyurov has begun to circulate, with multiple familiar political figures likely to return to government. According to information reported by bTV, the proposed lineup must be formally submitted to President Iliana Yotova no lat»»»

The US should reap economic benefits from any potential agreement with Iran for it to be enduring, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Ghanbari has said. Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent weeks, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatening military action agains»»»

Dubai: Dubai: With a new travel pilot between the UAE and Bahrain underway, short-haul regional travel is witnessing a shift. While the immediate focus is on faster airport processing, the initiative forms part of a longer-term effort to rethink how border procedures are coordinated across GCC stat»»»

Senate Chairman Mircea Abrudean said on Monday that the technical recession is a "temporary" issue, "collateral to the reforms that have been carried out so far", which will be overcome, adding that in 2024 there was also a technical recession and "there was not so much fuss.""The current governing»»»

The Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare, will participate between February 16-17, 2026, at the meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), organized in Brussels, where he will take part in debates, as well as in a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from member stat»»»

Romania will remain firmly committed to deepening its cooperation with Japan, both bilaterally and at NATO level, in the context of shared security risks, was the message conveyed by National Defense Minister Radu Miruta during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, on the sidel»»»

The minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Toiu met on Friday with the vice-president Google for Europe, Annette Kroeber-Riel, on the margin of the Conference for Security in Munich. ‘In a world which is more interconnected, digital infrastructure and IA innovation, but as well secured cloud solutions a»»»

The Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, said on Sunday, following a meeting held during the Munich Security Conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, that "the world is changing rapidly, and Romania must be among those shaping this change, not among those watching from the sidelines»»»

Minister of Foreign Affairs Oana Toiu highlighted at the Munich Security Conference, among other key points, the need to use EU funding for NATO defense needs."Today, at the Munich Security Conference, I opened the working session 'Implications of Warfare with Autonomous Systems, Including Drones' »»»

Maritime security in the Black Sea was the main topic of discussions between Romania, Canada, the Philippines, Norway, Iceland, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs at the 2026 Munich Security Conference.The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Toiu, participated on Sunday in th»»»

Dubai: Ramadan television is a tradition in its own right, and this year Viu along with other streaming platforms is keeping things focused with a carefully chosen slate of premium Arabic dramas. From intense thrillers to light family comedies, the 2026 line-up brings together major regional stars »»»

Dubai: The Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administrative Court has ordered a woman to pay Dh150,000 to another woman after failing to transfer the full value of her share in a privately organised rotating savings scheme, locally known as a “jamiyah”. The court ruled that the defendant must pay Dh140,»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian navy is the best guarantor of safety of Russian merchant vessels amid Western attacks, Russian presidential aide and chairman of the Russian Marine Board Nikolai Patrushev said. By implementing plans for a naval blockade of Russia, the Europeans are explore the limits»»»

Senior Egyptian officials have been flocking to eastern Libya, the stronghold of the Libyan National Army (LNA), in what observers have said was increasing alarm in Cairo over the LNA’s support to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The officials have sought to persuade LNA commander K»»»

Damascus, Feb. 17 (SANA) Officials at the Damascus Chamber of Commerce met a Jordanian economic delegation on Monday to discuss potential investment in Syria’s cement industry. The talks, held at the chamber’s headquarters, brought together board members and a delegation led by Mohammad Ali Bdeir, »»»

TradeIndiaFrance's Macron in India to boost Rafale deal talks, AI tiesMahima Kapoor with AFP and APEmmanuel Macron arrives in India at a time the country is looking to upgrade its air force, with the Indian government having given preliminary approval to buy more than 100 additional Rafale jets las»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of potential consequences should it fail to strike a deal with the United States, as negotiators prepare for the latest round of talks in Geneva on Tuesday. Mediated by Oman, the recently resumed discussions are aimed at averting the possibility of U.S. milit»»»

Dubai: This Ramadan, the night sky offers something truly extraordinary. On Saturday, 21 February 2026, Al Thuraya Astronomy Center invites you to witness a rare planetary parade from the serene Al Qudra Desert in Dubai. Also Read: Scorpion season brings weather changes to UAE: What to expect this »»»

North Korea completed a five-year project to build 50,000 apartments in Pyongyang, state-run media reported Tuesday. Leader Kim Jong Un, seen here at a Feb. 8 event, attended the inauguration ceremony and touted his regime's domestic accomplishments. Photo by KCNA/EPA SEOUL, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- North »»»

London, Feb. 17 (SANA) King Abdullah II of Jordan stressed the importance of supporting Syria’s efforts to preserve its security, stability and sovereignty during talks on Monday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. According to Jordan’s state news agency Petra, Abdullah expressed Jo»»»

Dubai: One of the most beloved singer-songwriters of the past four decades is finally making his Middle East debut in Dubai. A legend comes to the UAEGrammy Award-winning artist Richard Marx will perform live at Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday October 3, 2026, marking his first ever concert in the Midd»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe New Round of Indirect Iran-US Talks to Begin in Geneva 17-02-2026 08:39 AM A new round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United»»»

Donald Trump has said he will be "indirectly" involved in the talks between Iran and the United States which are due to begin in Geneva later on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the US president added that he believed Iran wanted to make a deal over its nuclear programme. The se»»»

Russian Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin and Arzybek Kozhoshev, member of the Eurasian Economic Commission’s Board for Energy and Infrastructure, discussed the progress of cooperation within the Council of Heads of Authorized Transport Bodies of the EAEU Member States. The Eurasian Economic Com»»»

Doha, Qatar: Doha Film Institute (DFI) yesterday announced globally celebrated visionaries—Faouzi Bensaïdi, Gael García Bernal, Alice Diop, Diego Luna and Gustavo Santaolalla as Qumra Masters for its 12th annual talent incubator event, taking place from March 27 to April 1, 2026. Reinforcing Qumra’»»»