Dubai: As US and Iranian negotiators cautiously sustain indirect talks in Geneva, diplomacy is unfolding against one of the most heavily militarised backdrops in recent US–Iran history. American carrier strike groups sit within operational reach of Iran, while Tehran conducts missile exercises near»»»

Skopje, 17 February 2026 (MIA) - Wizz Air is set to introduce two new direct flights from Skopje to Italy’s Palermo and Alghero in July, the company announced Tuesday. Towards the end of March, flights to Budapest and Naples will also be launched at the Skopje International Airport, as well as to M»»»

Dubai: When the alarm doesn’t go off (or you hit snooze one too many times) suhoor can quickly turn into a rushed glass of water and a promise to 'eat better tomorrow'. But skipping suhoor during Ramadan isn’t just uncomfortable, it can mean low energy, headaches and serious brain fog by mid-mornin»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister-designate Andrey Gurov presented his proposal for a cabinet lineup to President Iliana Iotova on Wednesday. Here are the caretaker Cabinet members: Andrey Gurov - Prime Minister Andrey Yankulov - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Maria Nedin - Deputy Prime Minis»»»

In a declaration delivered on behalf of the parliamentary group of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, MP Yavor Haytov said from the parliamentary rostrum on Wednesday that the day marked 153 years since the snowy February day of 1873, when on the outskirts of Sofia, amid the shouts of a crowd ga»»»

New Delhi: An Indian professor has sparked ridicule after falsely suggesting a Chinese-made robot dog displayed at a major AI summit in New Delhi was developed by her university. The silver mechanical dog -- a model sold by Chinese startup Unitree -- appeared at a booth run by the private Galgotias»»»

H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, will participate in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace to be held in Washington, D.C. on 19 February 2026, on behalf of President Erdoğan.»»»

The narrative pushed by Zelensky and European leaders that Ukraine is "defending" Europe, is nothing but a big lie, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. The conflict in Ukraine is not Europe's issue, and therefore he considers assertions touted by both Ukrainian and European leaders tha»»»

Long known for its olives and seaside charm, the southern Greek city of Kalamata has found itself in the spotlight thanks to a towering mural that reimagines legendary soprano Maria Callas as an allegory for the city itself. The massive artwork on the side of a prominent building in the city center»»»

Dubai: Dubai South has opened a new aviation support facility designed to help airlines repair and service aircraft equipment more quickly. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The new centre, launched at the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH), will be operated by RH»»»

Dubai: Emirates NBD has approved a draft plan to merge its Indian branches with RBL Bank, subject to the acquisition of a majority stake, marking a key regulatory step in what would be the UAE lender’s largest international banking expansion. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Bal»»»

“One of the most cherished and sacred dates in our national history is the date on which Vasil Levski passed into immortality. And that date is February 19,” said in a statement from the parliamentary rostrum Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov, on the occasion of the 153rd anniversary of Vasil »»»

British ‌Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to US President Donald Trump on Tuesday night about US-mediated Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Geneva, as well as talks between the US and Iran on ‌their nuclear ‌dispute, a Downing Street ‌spokesperson ⁠said. Starmer also discussed ⁠Gaza with Trump and str»»»

The Polish Defense Ministry has withdrawn a supplementary training course on “gender perspectives in military operations” after it drew sharp criticism from right-wing politicians. The ministry said on Monday the program had been scrapped by Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, who appeared »»»

PoliticsGermanyGermany news: Merz open to social media ban for under-16sRichard Connor with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, KNA, SID, epaGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he would consider a ban on social media for under-16s. Meanwhile, Berlin's ambassador to Iran is summoned for a reprimand over "a»»»

Retail schemes are maintaining a strong pace of expansion, with more than 750,000 sqm of projects currently under construction or in planning across Romania, with delivery by 2029. If all planned projects are completed, the country’s total retail stock will exceed 5.6 million sqm by the end of 2029»»»

Saudi Arabia has launched its first endowment fund dedicated to advancing environmental, water and agricultural sustainability, reinforcing efforts to strengthen the Kingdom’s non-profit sector and long-term development. Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli on T»»»

US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington had made “meaningful progress” in negotiations on a potential Ukrainian settlement after a first day of trilateral talks in Geneva on February 17 involving US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. »»»

Manila: At a raucous 2022 campaign rally, the two most formidable names in Philippine politics stood side by side, sealing an alliance that seemed unstoppable. Before a sea of roaring supporters, then–vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte turned to her running mate, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and dec»»»

In a declaration delivered on behalf of the parliamentary group Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, MP Elisaveta Belobradova said from the parliamentary rostrum on Wednesday that February 18, 2026 marks 153 years since the hanging of Vasil Levski, one of the most powerful symbols of Bulgaria»»»

US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington had made “meaningful progress” in negotiations on a potential Ukrainian settlement after a first day of trilateral talks in Geneva on February 17 involving US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. »»»

A luminous outline of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores loomed over Caracas against the night sky in January. The steady light of hundreds of drones in a show put on by the government in Venezuela, suspended their image in front of the clouds, before rearranging to call for their return: "El»»»

It was May 1999, and US Army sergeant Andrew Ramirez had been held captive for over a month by Yugoslav forces, enduring days of dark confinement and interrogations. Just a few weeks earlier, Ramirez and two other soldiers had been on a routine patrol near the Macedonian-Yugoslav border during the »»»

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has raised the readiness of Makkah’s hospitality sector to its highest level ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, stressing that serving pilgrims and visitors remains a top national priority. Makkah is preparing to receive worshippers and visitors amid a marked exp»»»

Damascus, Feb.18 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh discussed priorities for technical support to public finances with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission on Tuesday, alongside talks with the UN Resident Coordinator on strengthening cooperation in recovery and development initia»»»

Dubai: After 20 years of discovering singing talent across India, Indian Idol, the iconic music reality show has finally packed its bags and gone international, and Gulf News was given exclusive access to it. The reality show cast and crew landed in Abu Dhabi earlier this week to film special episo»»»

Parliament will hear on February 19 representatives of Kozloduy NPP and the competent authorities regarding the emergency shutdowns of Unit 6 at the nuclear power plant, MPs decided on Wednesday with 107 votes in favour, 86 against and 14 abstentions. The proposal was put forward by MP Yordan Todor»»»

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he would pursue a policy of "encouraging the migration" of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported Wednesday. "We will eliminate the idea of an Arab terror state," said Smotrich, speaking at an event o»»»

School bus driver Ali al-Dorr averts his gaze every time he passes the rubble of his son's home -- destroyed by an Israeli strike in south Lebanon despite a year-old ceasefire. Though his son managed to evacuate in time, the attack left notebooks, papers and furniture strewn among the debris of the»»»

Dubai: The UAE is set to add around 390,000 new homes by 2030, marking one of the largest residential expansion cycles in recent years, according to a new industry report. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The first-ever Alpen GCC Real Estate 2026 report by Alpen Capital»»»

Iraqi Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declined at the last minute to attend a meeting of the pro-Iran Coordination Framework on Monday night that was aimed at settling the crisis over his nomination as prime minister. Instead of declaring that he was pulling out as candidate, as had been expe»»»

The state must encourage people to save for the retirement age and, therefore, I supported the European Commission's project on occupational and pan-European personal pension products (PEPP) at the ECOFIN meeting, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare said on Tuesday."The future of Romanians' pensions »»»

The minister of defense, Radu Miruta, received on Monday a delegation of the Congress of the United States of America led by senator Jeanne Shaheen with whom he visited the Training Centre for F’16.’The main moment of the meeting was the visit to the F-16 Training Centre, inaugurated in 2023 at the»»»

Defense minister Radu Miruta, announced on Tuesday, that unless individual purchase programs proposed to be financed through SAFE Program are not signed before May 31 the money will be lost. “You should know those who inquire about SAFE are not very interested in supplying the Romanian Army, but in»»»

Deputy Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu, Minister of Internal Affairs, had a bilateral meeting in Washington on Tuesday with a delegation of the FBI leadership, consisting of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, the Deputy Director of the FBI, Christopher Raia, and the Ass»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Next Generation School (TNG) marked its “Efforts for Excellence” team appreciation event, honouring the dedication and impact of educators, researchers, and team members who bring the school’s vision to life each day. The evening brought together distinguished guests from the Minis»»»

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde plans to leave her job before next year's French presidential election to allow Emmanuel Macron to have an input into picking her successor, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Lagarde's term is due to end in October 2027 but some fear that t»»»

The EU is facing the deepest crisis in its history, with economic problems compounded by a lack of leadership and long-term vision in Brussels, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned. Fico made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking at a conference on affordable rental housing in country’s cap»»»

The 2026 SABIS STEAM Competition brought together the largest gathering of young innovators from across the SABIS Network, transforming an ordinary weekend into a vibrant showcase of creativity and future‑ready skills. With record participation, the event welcomed over 500 students from 21 schools »»»

The European Commission said it is closely following a proposed amendment to Albania’s Criminal Procedure Code that would bar courts from suspending senior government officials from office. The draft changes, presented Feb. 16 by the ruling majority led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, seek to amend Art»»»

US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington had made “meaningful progress” in negotiations on a potential Ukrainian settlement after a first day of trilateral talks in Geneva on February 17 involving US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. »»»

A message recently circulated among members of Albania’s opposition Democratic Party in the city of Berat describes lawmaker Ervin Salianji as “self-excluded” from the party and accuses him of cooperating with segments of organized crime. The message, shared within internal party groups, calls on l»»»

Ambassador of Qatar to Sweden H E Nadia bint Ahmed Al Shaibi, took part in the meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden H E Maria Malmer Stenergard, with Their Excellencies the Ambassadors accredited to Sweden. The meeting discussed challenges facing women’s rights on the global stage, amid»»»

US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington had made “meaningful progress” in negotiations on a potential Ukrainian settlement after a first day of trilateral talks in Geneva on February 17 involving US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. »»»

Minister of Public Health H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud met with Ambassador of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the State of Qatar H R H Prince Saad bin Mansour bin Saad bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The meeting reviewed cooperations between the two countries and ways to support and e»»»

Japan's lower house formally reappointed Sanae Takaichi as prime minister on Wednesday, 10 days after her historic landslide election victory. Takaichi, 64, became Japan's first woman premier in October and won a two-thirds majority for her party in the snap lower house elections on February 8. She»»»

The Tripoli based Libyan Ministry of Economy and Trade reported last Monday (16 February) that its Minister, Mohamed Al-Hwej, met with the Ambassador of Serbia to Libya, Dragan Todorovic, to discuss arrangements for the participation of Serbian companies in the. The fair will commemorate its Centen»»»

The Ministry of Interior has published a report detailing its investigation into the activities of the association linked to Ivaylo Kalushev. The document is now publicly available on the Ministry’s website. The publication follows an order from Interior Minister Daniel Mitov dated February 5, 2026»»»

Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan agreed to establish a Saudi-Kazakh Coordination Council, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday. Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz received in Riyadh Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev. Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan »»»

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday. Photo by Yonhap South Korea will seek to reinstate a no-fly zone over the border with North Korea under the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military pact aimed at easing tensions, Unification Minister Chung Dong»»»