Dubai: US President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that Iran must reach a “meaningful deal” with Washington within 10 days or face consequences, as American forces continued building up across the Middle East amid rising tensions. “It’s proven over the years not easy to make a meaningful deal with»»»

The British government has not given permission for the US to use UK military bases to support potential US strikes on Iran, the BBC understands. The US has in the past used RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, and the UK overseas territory of Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean, to carry out strikes in»»»

A massive blackout left nearly five million people without electricity in Paraguay amid a heat wave that pushed temperatures above 108 degrees Fahrenheit. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A massive blackout left nearly five million people without electricity in Paraguay »»»

Canada has launched a new program to attract highly skilled immigrants, including specialized military recruits, as it moves to overhaul a system the government says had become unsustainable. Canada has for decades been a top destination for economic migrants from the developing world, but in 2024 »»»

NEW DELHI — The world urgently needs to regulate artificial intelligence, OpenAI head Sam Altman said on Thursday at a summit in New Delhi on the risks and opportunities posed by the fast-evolving technology.Frenzied demand for generative AI has turbocharged profits for companies while fuelling anx»»»

TASHKENT - Serbian Deputy PM and Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarovic met on Thursday in Tashkent with Uzbek Minister of Digital Technology Sherzod Shermatov to discuss strengthening of bilateral cooperation in industry and innovation, digital transformation and the ICT sector. The meeting confir»»»

Israel was humiliated in the 12 day war with Iran and is seeking a return similar humiliation for its rival, retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former Pentagon analyst, tells Sputnik. "Israeli demands for no nuclear capability, no enrichment, and no ballistic missiles for Iran is ov»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The current objective of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is to create conditions for a possible agreement between Iran and the United States in a bid to avoid the use of force, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Thursday. "Of course, the IAEA cannot be part»»»

Spain’s national police chief has resigned after being accused of raping a subordinate at an official residence, El Pais has reported. Jose Angel Gonzalez, the force’s top operational commander and second most senior officer, resigned on Tuesday after a Madrid judge accepted a criminal complaint ag»»»

When part of a SpaceX rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere exactly a year ago, it created a spectacular fireball that streaked across Europe's skies, delighting stargazers and sending a team of scientists rushing towards their instruments. The German team managed to measure the pollution the rocket»»»

Kindness should extend beyond the boundaries of Ramadan, because people must support one another throughout the entire year, Mehmed Alya, the regional mufti of Razgrad, told BTA on the occasion of the start of the holy month for Muslims. He stressed that Ramadan is not only a time of fasting, but a»»»

Bill Gates has canceled his keynote address at the AI Impact Summit in India at the last minute as his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has garnered increased scrutiny. File Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Bill Gates canceled his keynote address at the AI Impact Summit in»»»

1 of 5 | Republicans stand to applaud, and Democrats sit as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address in 2020. This year, several Democratic lawmakers will boycott the State of the Union. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- At least 12 Democrat members »»»

Doha, Qatar: The formation of the Board of Directors of Mada Assistive Technology Center - Qatar was announced, chaired by the Minister of Social Development and Family, HE Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, underscoring high-level support for the Center’s role in empowering persons with disabili»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday there would be no reconstruction of war-shattered Gaza before the disarmament of Hamas, as the "Board of Peace" convened for its inaugural meeting in Washington. Around two dozen world leaders and senior officials met for the first meeting »»»

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 19, 2026 (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Thursday promised $10 billion for a new "Board of Peace," an amorphous new institution focused first on Gaza that is being launched just as he threatens Iran with war. While US warplanes and aircraft carriers headed toward Ir»»»

Following the swearing-in ceremony of caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and his cabinet before the National Assembly on Thursday, political reactions from the parliamentary forces ensued. President Iliana Iotova, who attended the ceremony, also commented to the media. “I have no way of raising »»»

TASHKENT - Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (PKS) Vice President Igor Popovic and Deputy President of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce Suhrob Abdurahmonov signed on Thursday in Tashkent an agreement on forming a joint business council of the two chambers of commerce. The agreement establishe»»»

Ivan Hristanov took over the post of Agriculture Minister, stating clearly his priorities: providing adequate support for the sector, ensuring proper conditions for fair elections, combating corruption and theft, closing all channels for the misuse of public resources, and building sustainable poli»»»

New Delhi: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit, taking place in New Delhi until February 20, 2026. At the outset of the meeting, Sheikh Khaled conveyed»»»

Handing over his post to his successor on Thursday, Health Minister Silvi Kirilov said: "Over this past year, my team and I worked with the confidence that everything we achieved together was for the sake of Bulgarian citizens." He expressed satisfaction with the implemented projects but admitted t»»»

1 of 3 | The United States has put military forces in place in the Middle East for a potential strike on Iran but President Donald Trump has not decided whether to attack or continue negotiations on Thursday. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- The United States has put milit»»»

Gaza: Amid the rubble of destroyed homes and between worn-out tents, residents of the Gaza Strip are welcoming the holy month of Ramadan for the third consecutive time since the outbreak of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023. This year, however, they hold onto hope that goodness and peace wi»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States will likely be getting more clarity around the negotiations on Iran's nuclear program in the next ten days, President Donald Trump said on Thursday. "Maybe we're going to make a deal [with Iran] ... you're going to be finding out over the next, probably 10 d»»»

A notable presence of US military aircraft has been observed at Terminal 1 of Sofia Airport in Bulgaria, according to former Deputy Foreign Minister and security analyst Milen Keremedchiev. In a post on Facebook, he reported that seven US Air Force tanker aircraft, used for aerial refueling of comb»»»

As he stepped in office Thursday, the caretaker Minister of Health, Michail Okoliyski, highlighted prevention and better communication of health risks as his priorities. "I will focus my efforts on prevention, early diagnosis, prophylaxis and better communication of health risks," Okoliyski said as»»»

1 of 5 | President Donald Trump shook hands with attending leaders at the Board of Peace meeting during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in January. File Photo by World Economic Forum/Benedikt von Loebell/UPI | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump's Bo»»»

An Israeli surveillance firm inadvertently laid bare the operational architecture of a global spyware apparatus after publishing what appeared to be an ordinary photo on LinkedIn—only to hastily delete it once the damaging implications became clear. Paragon Solutions failed to realize that an image»»»

UK police on Thursday arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince who was stripped of his royal titles because of his links to Jeffrey Epstein, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. King Charles III expressed "deepest concern" over his younger brother's arrest, adding that "the la»»»

GERB leader Boyko Borissov met with ministers from the outgoing “Zhelyazkov” cabinet after they formally handed over power to the caretaker government, using the gathering to review the work of the administration and outline the party’s next political steps. At GERB headquarters, Borissov was joine»»»

The handover of duties to Bulgaria’s new acting Foreign Minister, Nadezhda Neynsky, took place in the absence of her predecessor, Georg Georgiev, who was abroad. Neynsky stated that Georgiev did not specify his location, but the two are expected to discuss the formal transfer of responsibilities on»»»

The interior minister in Bulgaria's new caretaker government has vowed to do his best to ensure that the early parliamentary elections on April 19 are fair. “We, as the leadership of the Ministry of Interior, will do everything to give the ministry’s staff the opportunity to fulfil their share of t»»»

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has launched the practical phase of preparations for Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections, scheduled for April 19, 2026 under Presidential Decree No. 58. The process is moving forward in line with the timelines and responsibilities set out in the Electoral »»»

An emergency landing and evacuation of a JetBlue flight Wednesday evening after it was forced to turn back closed Newark Airport for more than an hour. File Photo by Todd Bomser/UPI | License Photo Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Newark Liberty International Airport was temporarily closed after the evacuation of »»»

Beja, Feb. 19 (TAP) - Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, made a field visit to the Beja governorate on Thursday, focusing on the supply of ammonium nitrate and the upcoming restart of the Tunisian Sugar Company (Beja),...»»»

Ukraine’s decision to block the delivery of Russian oil to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline is “blatant political blackmail,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. The transit of oil via the pipeline has remained on hold since late January, with Kiev blaming Russia and accusing it of dama»»»

The U.S. trade deficit slipped modestly in 2025, a year in which President Donald Trump upended global commerce by slapping double digit tariffs on imports from most countries. The gap the between the goods and services the U.S. sells other countries and what it buys from them narrowed to just over»»»

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday expressed hopes of deepening her relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump and strengthen cooperation between the two countries in rare earths development and other areas of economic security when she visits Washington next month. Takaichi, at»»»

Eileen Gu and all the other freestyle skiers wait for their scores by a large Powerade-branded cooler, then glide away without taking a drink. Bottles of the blue sports drink are stacked in hockey penalty boxes. Even the tissues in figure skating's drama-packed "Kiss and Cry" area are branded. One»»»

Clashes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank killed a 19-year-old Palestinian-American man late Wednesday night, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The ministry said Nasrallah Muhammad Jamal Abu Siyam was shot by settlers in the village of Mukhmas, north of Jerusalem. The Israeli military said sold»»»

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the company’s policies on children and platform design during a landmark US trial examining whether social media firms knowingly harmed young users, as internal documents and testimony highlighted tensions between safety claims and growth s»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The administration of US President Donald Trump plans to establish a military base in the Gaza Strip for 5,000 personnel, the Guardian reported on Thursday, citing Board of Peace contracting documents. The base would serve as headquarters for the International Stabilization F»»»

Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned British Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to proceed with plans that could place Diego Garcia under a 100-year lease arrangement with Mauritius, declaring bluntly: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!” In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged the UK leader to»»»

Dubai: Under the guidance of Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE Food Bank has launched its ‘Bank of Goodness in the Month of Giving’ campaign. The initiat»»»

Protecting the national interest and developing a stable, competitive and sustainable energy sector will be the main priorities of caretaker Energy Minister Traicho Traikov. The newly appointed minister took over from his predecessor, Zhecho Stankov, at a ceremony at the Energy Ministry on Thursday»»»

Gold prices extended gains on Thursday after rising more than 2% in the previous session, as lingering tensions between the United States and Iran prompted a flight to safety, while investors evaluated the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path. Spot gold rose 0.2% to $4,989.09 per ounce by 1227 GM»»»

Handing over his post to his successor on Thursday, Innovation and Growth Minister Tomislav Donchev said: "Behind every reform that was launched, there were people and efforts. Continuity would imply respect for their work and an assurance that results will be achieved." Donchev, who was also deput»»»

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett denounced US talk show host Tucker Carlson for his brief visit to Israel, calling him “a chickens**t” and “a phony.” Carlson, a conservative commentator who questions Israel’s influence on US foreign policy, traveled to the country to interview Mike Huc»»»

Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal has discussed, in a meeting in Yarze with the ambassadors of the Five-Nations Group - the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and France, a preparatory meeting that will be held next week in Egypt before the Lebanese Army support conference that will be held in »»»