Pristina court re-convicts Kosovo-Metohija Serb for alleged war crime
PRISTINA - A basic court in Pristina on Monday re-convicted Kosovo-Metohija Serb Dusko Arsic to 13 years in prison for an alleged war crime against civilians during the 1999 conflict in Kosovo-Metohija. Arsic, who is from the Maticane village near Pristina, was sentenced in second-instance proceedi»»»
Report: Polls may be delayed as part of deal involving Taif implementation
U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa and Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari have openly raised the issue of postponing the parliamentary elections with Speaker Nabih Berri but he did not show cooperation, al-Akhbar newspaper reported. “It is currently being discussed that any potential postponement of the elect»»»
Registration now open for Old Doha Port Fishing Competition 2026
Doha, Qatar: Old Doha Port has announced that registration is now open for the third edition of the Old Doha Port Fishing Competition, taking place alongside the second edition of the Fishing Exhibition in March 2026. The competition is organized in collaboration with Doha Marina Sports Club. Regis»»»
Grok scandal prompts MEP move to ban non-consensual AI porn in new omnibus
A new draft report by Green MEP Sergey Lagodinsky suggests amending the EU’s AI Omnibus proposal to prohibit artificial intelligence apps that can generate nonconsensual sensualised content. The draft was published on Monday (2 February), with the German MEP leading the file for the legal affairs c»»»
EU Parliament set to adopt tougher asylum laws amid far-right pressure
New anti-asylum laws are likely to be rubber-stamped by the European Parliament amid further alarm over the far-right influence on migration. The Strasbourg assembly on Tuesday (10 February) will most likely adopt two new laws that will make it legally easier to deport asylum-seeker hopefuls to cou»»»
France, Sweden and UK worsen in annual global corruption index
Global corruption is worse than it was a decade ago, with democracies particularly slipping, according to the new 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index published on Tuesday (10 February) by the Berlin-based NGO Transparency International. Governmental corruption has increasingly been a concern across t»»»
Watchdogs say €650bn EU fund still ripe for fraud
The EU’s €650bn pandemic era fund remains wide open to fraud with weak accountability and oversight, according to financial watchdogs. “This vast sum of money offers huge potential scope for fraudulent activity,” says Katarína Kaszasová of the Luxembourg-based European Court of Auditors (ECA). Spea»»»
59 days to election: Hungary accused of cover-up at toxic Samsung battery plant, as sex-video smear targets opposition leader
In our ongoing weekly digest, award-winning journalist Veronika Munk summarises and explains the most important political developments in Hungary. We guide readers on the route to the key April 2026 election — a poll without precedent in the region over the past 15 years. This week, we cover: An in»»»
‘Deregulation’ tops leaders’ retreat, but critics point to investment gap and corporate lobbying
Europe’s national leaders are meeting in a medieval castle in Belgium on Thursday (12 February) to discuss how to modernise. Europe’s economic and political system is predicated on openness and rules, built over decades, that are meant to ensure companies compete on a ‘level playing field’. But wit»»»
Greece moves to arrest Nordic aid worker supporting migrants
Greek authorities have issued a European arrest warrant against Norwegian human rights activist Tommy Olsen, who leads an organisation supporting migrants. Olsen runs the Aegean Boat Report, a Norwegian non-governmental organisation (NGO) set up in 2018 to monitor and share data on people seeking r»»»
MEPs warn of democratic backsliding in Fico’s Slovakia
MEPs raised concerns about the weakening of democratic standards in Slovakia at a plenary debate on Wednesday (11 February) — while representatives of Slovak governing coalition parties called it a deliberate humiliation of the country. “No corruption, no problems with the rule of law. These are yo»»»
Why is the EU struggling to scale artificial intelligence?
When EU leaders met at a medieval castle this week to discuss how to ramp up Europe’s economic power, they were confronting a stark reality: Europe is lagging behind the innovation race with China and the US. In its 2026 competitiveness report, the European Commission admitted that Europe “risks lo»»»
Spain seeks probe into AI-generated child sexual abuse on TikTok, X and Meta
The Spanish government asked its public prosecutor on Tuesday (17 February) to investigate TikTok, X, and Meta for potentially spreading AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on their platforms.The move is an escalation in tension after the EU and national regulators stepped up scrutiny o»»»
EU top court new search tool dubbed a ‘disaster’ by lawyers
Hailed as a “new gateway to European justice”, the redesign of the main portal to access EU case law, InfoCuria, has drawn the ire of legal scholars from around Europe. “It’s a disaster,” one law professor wrote to EUobserver. A letter seen by EUobserver, dated 9 February, and signed by law practit»»»
MEPs delay vote on deportation bill to March amid return hubs dispute
Negotiations and divisions on the EU’s deportation bill remain entrenched among European lawmakers, ahead of a committee-level vote scheduled for 9 March. Malik Azmani, a Dutch liberal from the Renew Europe faction, is the lead MEP on the so-called returns regulation that seeks to make it easier to»»»
From a digital Wild West to strict age limits: do social-media bans actually protect teens?
Teenagers’ access to social media has emerged as a topic of concern among politicians, not just parents, as more and more countries in Europe (and beyond) consider social media bans. Spain, France, Denmark, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Austria, and others have either initiated or announced plans, or »»»
Orbán bashes Ukraine on Nord Stream, as Trump tells Hungarians how to vote
Sensational claims that Ukraine blew up a German gas pipeline are being thrown around by Hungary’s populist prime minister Viktor Orbán ahead of upcoming elections. “Ukraine is trying to ensure that Russian energy reaches Europe only on its terms. Nord Stream bypassed Ukraine, so it was destroyed,”»»»
Food trade balance posts surplus of TND 429.9 million by end January (ONAGRI)
Tunis, Feb. 23 (TAP) – Tunisia’s food trade balance recorded a surplus of TND 424.9 million by the end of January 2026, compared to a surplus of TND 175.1 million in the same month last year. This represents a coverage rate of 190.3%, up from 125.1%...»»»
Third Round of Iran-US Talks Set for February 26 in Geneva - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Third Round of Iran-US Talks Set for February 26 in Geneva 23-02-2026 15:40 PM The third round of indirect Inuclear negotiations between Ir»»»
Caretaker PM and Ambassador of Germany to Bulgaria Conduct Bilateral Meeting
Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Bulgaria Irene Maria Plank, the Council of Ministers reported on Monday on its Facebook page. During the conversation, Gurov presented the government's main priorities, which include holding fa»»»
The Caretaker Republic: How Bulgaria Learned to Govern Without Governing
Bulgaria has a constitution, a parliament, and a president. What it has struggled to maintain, with remarkable consistency over the past decade, is an actual functioning government. Since 2021 alone, the country has cycled through five caretaker cabinets, two of them led by the same man. By the tim»»»
Sheikh Qassem Says Path of Hezbollah’s Resistance is Clear: Defending the Land Our Rightful Duty
On the first anniversary of the solemn funeral of former Hezbollah secretary generals Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the Lebanese group leader Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed that the “resistance endures, through its leadership, its fighters, and its people.” Sheikh Qassem’s remar»»»
Dubai: Indian expat lost friend, $60K to fake job – now his AI transforms hiring in UAE
It began with a tragedy that no amount of money could fix. For Indian expat Avinav Nigam, the journey into AI-driven recruitment didn't start in a boardroom, but in a hospital ward. It was born from the grief of losing a close friend to healthcare workforce shortages and the outrage of seeing his n»»»
Minister of Finance Urges Government Institutions to Apply Salary Indexation by 5%
Caretaker Minister of Finance Georgi Klisurski urged government institutions, ministries and municipalities to apply the 5% salary indexation as stipulated in the budget extension, during the regular briefing of the Coordination Centre under the Euro Mechanism in Parliament on Monday. According to »»»
Vucic, Likhachev discuss nuclear energy use in pharmaceuticals and health care sectors
BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the director-general of Russia's state-owned nuclear power corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev in Belgrade on Monday to discuss possibilities for using nuclear power in the pharmaceuticals, health care and energy sectors. "Also, we discussed t»»»
Tudor says Tottenham can still beat the drop despite Arsenal loss
London: Igor Tudor believes there is still enough time for his Tottenham Hotspur side to avoid relegation from the Premier League provided they "stay humble". Spurs were overwhelmed 4-1 at home to league leaders and arch-rivals Arsenal in a lopsided north London derby, with Sunday's defeat leaving »»»
Electric vehicles account for less than 1 percent of Kyrgyzstan's vehicle fleet - | 24.KG
By the end of 2025, at least 15,278 electric vehicles were registered in Kyrgyzstan, accounting for 0.8 percent of the total number of vehicles. The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision reported. However, according to the ministry, the dynamics of recent years have demo»»»
Awqaf Abu Dhabi pledges Dh100 Million to ‘Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans’ initiative
Dubai: The Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority – Awqaf Abu Dhabi has contributed Dh100 million to support the ‘Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans’ initiative, as it remains committed to long-term social development and economic resilience in the UAE. Launched under the patronage of the P»»»
Hungary blocks latest EU sanctions on Russia, $105B loan to Ukraine - UPI.com
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas arrives for a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday. She vowed to find a solution to a threat by Hungary to veto the bloc's latest round of sanctions against Russia. Photo by Olivier Matthys/EPA F»»»
Jetten becomes Netherlands' youngest and first gay PM
Rob Jetten has become the youngest and first gay prime minister of the Netherlands, after his minority government was sworn in. The 38-year-old claimed victory in October's general election with his Democrats 66 party (D66) in a nail-biting election, narrowly beating anti-Islam populist Geert Wilde»»»
Memorial rally held at Ata-Beyit in honor of fallen border guards - | 24.KG
A memorial rally was held at Ata-Beyit complex to honor Border Service members who died while carrying out combat and service duties to protect the state border of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Border Service of Kyrgyzstan reported. The event was attended by the head of the Border Service, veterans of t»»»
Philippines boosts diaspora engagement amid shifting migration patterns in Europe
Dubai: As more Filipinos move to Europe for work and permanent residence, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has stepped up its efforts to deepen engagement with the diaspora, not just as remittance senders, but as long-term partners in nation-building. During a recent forum titled “The Eur»»»
Minister of Agriculture and Food Introduces New Ministry Cabinet
Caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov presented the Ministry’s new political team at a meeting with directors of the Ministry’s directorates and heads of its executive agencies and other bodies under the Ministry, the Ministry press service said here Monday. Ivana Murdzheva, Nik»»»
Brnabic calls regular local elections in nine local self-government units
BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic on Monday called regular local elections in nine local self-government units in Serbia for March 29. Brnabic signed a decision to call the elections in the central hall of the National Assembly building at noon. The elections will be held in the cit»»»
UAE issues electronic invoicing guidelines ahead of national rollout
Dubai: The Ministry of Finance has issued the UAE’s official Electronic Invoicing Guidelines, providing businesses with a detailed framework to prepare for the country’s upcoming national e-invoicing system. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The guidelines serve as a com»»»
Pakistan eases path for Spain-based citizens to secure one-year residency cards
Islamabad: Pakistan has approved measures to simplify documentation requirements for thousands of its citizens residing in Spain, enabling eligible applicants to obtain one-year Spanish residency cards, according to Geo News. The policy direction was finalised during a high-level meeting jointly ch»»»
UAE: Former Indian expat journalist and literary giant dies
Abu Dhabi: Members of the Indian expat community from Kerala have paid rich tributes to a former journalist and author in the UAE who died in the south Indian state on Monday at the age of 70. Born Erayath Jaleel, the veteran writer, known widely by his pen name Jaleel Ramanthaly, complained of che»»»
Victor Stoyanov Appointed Deputy Culture Minister
By order of Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, effective February 23, 2026, Victor Stoyanov has been appointed Deputy Minister of Culture. He is taking up the post for the third time, having previously served in 2014 and again in 2023 and 2024, the press centre of the Ministry of Culture said here on Mon»»»
MRF Central Council Decides on Party's Independent Run in Snap Parliamentary Elections
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) will run independently in the upcoming early parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19, party leader Delyan Peevski said on Monday. He was speaking at the opening of the MRF Central Council meeting, which appointed a central campaign headquarters and »»»
President of Balkan Federation of Apicultural Associations: Lack of Pasture, High Bee Mortality Among Main Problems of Beekeepers
Diseases, lack of natural pasture and high mortality among bees are among the main problems facing beekeepers, Assoc. Prof. Julian Stanchev, President of the Balkan Federation of Apicultural Associations (BFAA), told BTA on Monday. Stanchev, who is also the chair of the Regional Beekeepers' Union i»»»
Zelensky's Push for Extended Conflict Tied to ‘Personal Survival’ – Report
Media reports earlier said that Zelensky is poised to continue fighting despite the Ukrainian military’s huge losses and the Russian army’s ongoing advance on all front lines. Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly announced Ukraine’s readiness to fight Russia “for another three years" just as “the repercus»»»
Qassem: Our right to defend and resist is legitimate
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has emphasized that the 2025 funeral ceremony of slain Hezbollah leaders Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine was “a pledge and renewal of the covenant to continue the resistance, a reclaiming of the initiative in rebuilding the resistance’s capabi»»»
Angel Mavrovski Appointed Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Executive Director
Dr Angel Mavrovski has been appointed Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA). Presenting him to the Agency’s staff, caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov said he expects the new management to ensure transparency, efficiency and uncompromising control in th»»»
Chevron, Iraq Agree to Exclusive Talks Over West Qurna 2 Oilfield
Chevron has entered into exclusive talks with Iraq over the giant West Qurna 2 oilfield, moving closer to acquiring the field from sanctioned Russian oil firm Lukoil. The talks, which Chevron said will include the exchange of confidential data, could expand the US oil major's footprint in Iraq aft»»»
EU diplomats scramble to overcome Hungary's threat to derail new sanctions on Russia
European Union diplomats scrambled Monday to overcome Hungary's veto threats as they seek to finalize new sanctions on Russia and a massive new loan for Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc's 27 foreign ministers gathering in Brussels would likely not agree on the 20th package»»»
GERB Leader Borissov Names Three Sources of Influence in Caretaker Government
The caretaker government of Bulgaria, which took office on February 19, is a government of Assen Vassilev and his Continue the Change party, Ahmed Dogan and his Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, and former President Rumen Radev, said GERB leader Boyko Borissov on Monday in Stara Zagora, where he me»»»
US tariff policy 'hasn't changed', says Trump's trade representative
Donald Trump's tariff policy "hasn't changed", the US president's trade representative has insisted, despite the Supreme Court moving on Friday to strike down a legal justification used by Trump to impose many such tariffs. "The legal tool to implement it - that might change, but the policy hasn't »»»
Nenad Stojakovic dismissed as Partizan head coach, succeeded by Damir Cakar
BELGRADE - Serbian football club Partizan Belgrade announced on Monday the contract with head coach Nenad Stojakovic had been terminated by mutual agreement. Stojakovic will be succeeded by Damir Cakar, with Djordjije Cetkovic as assistant coach. After taking charge on November 13, Stojakovic regis»»»
More Israeli Violations of Lebanon’s Sovereignty
In the context of the Israeli enemy’s continued violations of the ceasefire agreement and Lebanese sovereignty, Al-Manar’s correspondent reported Monday that “a newly established enemy position inside Lebanese territory in Al-Labouneh area fired bursts of machine gun fire towards the forests of the»»»
Iraq Says Ankara Agrees to Take Back Turkish Citizens Among ISIS Detainees Transferred from Syria
Iraq's foreign minister said on Monday Türkiye had agreed to take back Turkish citizens from among thousands of ISIS detainees transferred to Iraq from Syria when camps and prisons there were shut in recent weeks. Iraq took in the detainees in an operation arranged with the United States after Kurd»»»