Britain is to develop new air defence weapons alongside the EU's four biggest military powers, deepening ties with the European defence sector. The project will invite manufacturers in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Poland to submit plans to build low-cost missiles and autonomous drones. The al»»»

February 19, 2026, will undoubtedly enter British history. Whether it will also come to be seen as a marker of the British Empire’s final unraveling remains an open question. That discussion can wait. For now, the facts themselves are striking enough. At eight o’clock on Thursday morning, Andrew Mo»»»

Several fires continue burning on Friday in the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, forcing local evacuations and placing more than a million people in the area under a fire watch. File Photo by Toru Kawana/UPI | License Photo Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Wildfires have burned more than 300,000 acres in the Oklahom»»»

Hamas condemned Friday an Israeli strike on the country's largest Palestinian refugee camp that killed two people. In a statement, Hamas said the attack led to "civilian" casualties. The NNA said "an Israeli drone" targeted a neighbourhood of the Ain al-Helweh camp, which is located on the outskirt»»»

Doha: The Katara International Ramadan Open Classical Chess Championship, organized by the Qatar Chess Association, kicked off Friday and will continue until March 1. Eighty-six players of various age groups are participating. Deputy General Manager of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Saif Sa»»»

The estate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay up to $35 million to settle a class-action lawsuit, according to a court filing from Thursday. The suit accused two of the financier’s advisers of aiding and abetting his sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls. The laws»»»

The US is in “active negotiations” with India, which it hopes to persuade to import oil from Venezuela instead of Russia, the American ambassador in New Delhi has said. The US issued licenses to two trading houses to distribute oil produced in Venezuela after kidnapping the Latin American nation’s »»»

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has enacted an amnesty law meant to grant immediate clemency to individuals jailed for participating in political unrest. The law, signed on Thursday, had been formally proposed by Rodriguez in January, weeks after she was appointed interim president.»»»

Tens of thousands of people march through downtown Minneapolis as they protest the federal government's immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis on Jan. 30. A new poll shows that most Americans believe President Donald Trump has gone too far in his immigration efforts. Photo by Craig Lassig/UPI»»»

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday that telling people the truth is not a choice but a must, as he defended new taxes approved earlier this week by his government. "The financial situation we inherited is very difficult and the trust between the state and the people was damaged in the past," he»»»

At the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington, President Donald Trump spoke of billions of dollars pledged to rebuild the Gaza Strip and a "new and harmonious" Middle East rising from the ashes of war. Videos aired at the meeting showed a future of gleaming high-rises and new soccer »»»

Sofia International Airport will suspend all civil flights during two short nighttime windows on February 23 and 24, allowing only military aircraft to operate, according to data published on Flightradar24 and an official notice to airmen (NOTAM). The restrictions will apply from 01:15 to 02:50 on »»»

US and Chinese fighter jets faced off not far off the South Korean coast this week, according to local media outlets. Approximately ten US Forces Korea (USFK) F-16 warplanes took off from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek – about 60km south of Seoul – and flew over international waters in the Yellow Sea,»»»

Washington, Feb. 20 (SANA) The US trade deficit reached a new record level last year, totaling $1.24 trillion, despite broad tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. According to CNN, US Commerce Department data showed the goods and services trade gap widened in December to $70.3 billion. The »»»

An Austrian court on Thursday fined a man and suspended his five-month sentence after finding him guilty of negligence in his climber girlfriend's death amid wintry conditions while climbing Grossglockner Mountain in January 2025. Photo by Helmut Fohringer/EPA Feb. 20 (UPI) -- An Austrian man recei»»»

Albania’s Interior Minister Albana Koçiu issued an urgent call to opposition leaders to immediately halt acts of violence and remove minors from the protests, warning that their safety is at risk. Molotov cocktails caught police officers stationed outside the prime minister’s office, media personne»»»

Heavy snowfall has complicated the meteorological situation in Austria, the Situation Centre of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry reported on its website on Friday. The Ministry advised Bulgarian citizens to travel to Austria only if necessary. Traffic on main roads in the provinces of Upper Austria, »»»

As soon as she heard the US Supreme Court had struck down President Donald Trump's authority to impose sweeping global tariffs, Jenelle Peterson's mind raced to the possibilities for her toy business. She might import more toys to the US and invest in designing new ones - things she had put on hold»»»

By UPI Staff A Catholic priest distributes ashes during Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Catherine’s Church in Bethlehem, West Bank, on Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting, prayer and repentance leading up to Easter. A Catholic priest places ashes on the forehead of a»»»

An Israeli strike on Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp killed two people on Friday, with Israel's army saying it had targeted the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The official National News Agency (NNA) later reported "heavy strikes" in the country's east, as Israel's army said it hit "He»»»

At least six people were killed in Israeli strikes in the country's east on Friday, as the Israeli army said it had targeted sites belonging to the militant group Hezbollah. Israeli strikes on the Bekaa Valley "led to an initial toll of six dead and more than 25 wounded, distributed across the regi»»»

In the latest repatriation of stolen artefacts, France on Friday handed over the Djidji Ayokwe or "talking" drum back to Ivory Coast after it was looted by colonial troops in 1916. The drum, which was used by the Ebrie tribe to transmit messages, is one of hundreds of objects France is prepari»»»

A 16-year-old boy was arrested Thursday in Thessaloniki following allegations that he pushed a 17-year-old pregnant girl, causing her to fall and sustain injuries. He was also charged with revenge pornography after a 16-year-old girl accused him of posting a private video of them on social media a »»»

Tunis, Feb. 20 (TAP) – Minister of Trade and Export Development Samir Abid paid a visit on Friday to the Tunis Central Market, accompanied by the Governor of Tunis, senior officials from the ministry, economic control teams and security officers.He...»»»

By Wade SheridanFebruary is a month marked by milestones -- moments of courage, change, celebration and loss. From Nelson Mandela being released from prison in Africa to the World Trade Center bombing, here's a look at historic moments from February that continue to shape the world we know today. F»»»

Newspaper front pages feature Peru's new interim president Jose Maria Balcazar in Lima on Thursday. Congress elected Balcazar as the new interim president during an extraordinary session. But he is also on trial for financial irregularities. Photo by Paolo Aguilar/EPA Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Peru's interi»»»

London: Michael Carrick praised Manchester United's "diversity" after the club's co-owner Jim Ratcliffe caused controversy by claiming the United Kingdom has been "colonised by immigrants". Ratcliffe was widely criticised for his outburst last week and later apologised if his remarks had "offended »»»

Damascus Feb. 20 (SANA) — Canada’s decision to lift major economic sanctions on Syria—announced Wednesday by Foreign Minister Anita Anand, ending a blanket ban imposed since 2011—marks a positive shift that will empower legitimate trade and fuel rebuilding efforts, the Syrian Export and Local Produ»»»

Dubai: An Egyptian man has been arrested for allegedly beating his wife, who was battling cancer, to death after repeated arguments in which she urged him to stop taking drugs and find work to support their five children, authorities said. The incident came to light after police in Alexandria recei»»»

1 of 5 | Artemis II moon rocket sits on Launch Complex 39B at sunset at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on February 6. On Thursday, the mission had a successful dress rehearsal and is planning to launch as soon as March 6. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The NASA Artemis II seco»»»

People walk past sargassum clumps on the sand in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in July. File Photo by Orlando Barria/EPA Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Dominican Republic opened the year with 1.22 million tourists in January, a 5.5% increase compared with the same month last year. The increase was driven b»»»

TradeUnited States of AmericaTrump tariffs struck down: What's his plan now? Timothy RooksThe US Supreme Court has ruled that most of the president's tariffs are unconstitutional because of how he implemented them. But the administration is prepared to reinstate them, starting with a 10% temporary »»»

A 38-year-old inmate told a Lamia investigating magistrate Friday that he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot fellow prisoner Antonis Papadatos at Domokos Prison, as authorities investigate the killing as a possible contract hit. The suspect spent three hours defending himself against charge»»»

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was imposing an extra global tariff of 10 percent on US trade partners. Speaking to reporters after the Supreme Court ruled his sweeping global tariffs illegal, Trump said he would impose tariffs using alternative authori»»»

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was imposing an extra global tariff of 10 percent on US trade partners. Speaking to reporters after the Supreme Court ruled his sweeping global tariffs illegal, Trump said he would impose tariffs using alternative authorities. "The Supreme Court's »»»

Budapest has imposed a veto on a €90 billion ($106 billion) EU loan for Ukraine agreed in December, Financial Times has reported. Hungary, along with several other EU members, had previously opted out of the scheme, which was expected to be covered through joint EU borrowing. The Hungarian represen»»»

1 of 4 | Chair of the House Democratic Women's Caucus Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., speaks during a press conference with advocates and survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including the family of Virginia Giuffre, at the U.S. Capitol on February 10. Two executors of Epstein'»»»

As part of the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanese areas and Palestinian camps, an Israeli drone launched an attack this afternoon on the Cinema neighborhood in the Hittin neighborhood of the Ain al-Hilweh camp, south of Sidon. The drone fired two missiles at a building formerly occupied by»»»

The FBI is planning to make it easier for existing employees to become special agents by eliminating two long-standing vetting steps, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources. The change comes as Director Kash Patel seeks to reshape the bureau amid an agent shortage. According to the report, Pa»»»

NASA chief Jared Isaacman has slammed Boeing for failures that plagued the botched debut mission of its first crewed spaceship, Starliner, which left two astronauts stranded for nine months last year.A billionaire private astronaut and close associate of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Isaacman, who was »»»

Washington: The US dollar fell on Friday, heading towards ending a four-session winning streak, following a US Supreme Court decision to overturn the sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under a law intended for use in national emergencies. The dollar had risen earlier in the day, dri»»»

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has allocated the seats to the multi-member constituencies for the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19, 2026, the Commission said on Friday. The CEC determines the number of seats for each multi-member constituency according to a uniform national rep»»»

President Iliana Iotova hosted a traditional iftar dinner in Sofia on Friday marking the onset of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. Addressing the guests at the fast-breaking evening meal, she said that the aspirations of the human heart are the same - both in joy and in worries, regardless of»»»

BELGRADE - The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury has extended an operating licence issued to the Serbian oil company NIS for 30 more days, until March 20. NIS is under US sanctions due to its Russian-majority ownership. "Good news for Serbian citizens - th»»»

French police will be out in force at a weekend rally for a slain far-right activist, the interior minister said Friday, as the country seeks to contain anger over the fatal beating blamed on the hard left.»»»

US President Donald Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2 for a highly anticipated meeting between the world's two biggest economies, following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Trump's sweeping tariffs against imported goods. A White House official confirmed the trip on Friday»»»

Lebanon said an Israeli strike on the country's largest Palestinian refugee camp killed two people on Friday, with Israel's army saying it had targeted the Palestinian group Hamas. The official National News Agency said "an Israeli drone" targeted a neighborhood of the Ain al-Hilweh camp, which is »»»

BELGRADE - State Secretary at the Serbian MFA Damjan Jovic and Angolan State Secretary for International Cooperation Domingos Lopes led political consultations between the Serbian and Angolan MFAs on Friday, confirming the friendly relations between the two countries and expressing readiness to adv»»»