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Thu, Feb 19, 2026 07:17 AM All times are UTC

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Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Farmers and Journalists During Olive Harvest in West Bank

| Politics

Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinian villagers, activists, and journalists on Saturday as they attempted to harvest olives near a settler outpost in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, witnesses reported. Among...

Federal election feel like ages ago? Parliament is now back. Here’s your political refresher

| Insights & Views Politics

Despite many pre-election predictions, the 48th Australian parliament looks quite similar to the 47th. The Labor Party has greater representation than before: 94 Members of the House of Representatives (up from 77) and 29...

Fed Faces Fresh Scrutiny After Ex-Governor Adriana Kugler’s Ethics Violations Spark Investigation

| Politics

Former Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler is under heightened scrutiny after government filings revealed multiple violations of the Feds strict ethics and investing rules. Kugler, who resigned abruptly on August 1,...

Syrian FM Shibani Visits Washington for Historic Talks on Sanctions and Israel Deal

| Politics

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani is set to meet U.S. lawmakers in Washington this week to push for the lifting of remaining American sanctions, including those imposed under the Caesar Act. Senator Lindsey Graham...

Trump Warns Netanyahu Over Hamas Strikes in Qatar

| Politics

U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching strikes on Hamas targets inside Qatar, calling the move unwise, according to the Wall Street Journal. Citing...

Indonesia Markets Rattle as Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Removed Amid Fiscal Concerns

| Politics Economy

Indonesias financial markets were shaken after President Prabowo Subianto abruptly removed Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, raising fears over the nations fiscal stability. Investors have long regarded Mulyaniwho...

Democrats Release Alleged Trump Letter to Jeffrey Epstein, White House Denies Authenticity

| Politics Law

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have released a letter allegedly written by Donald Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sparking fresh controversy. The letter, part of Epsteins 2003 birthday book...

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Economy

Asian Currencies Slide as Strong US Dollar and Hawkish Fed Pressure Regional FX Markets

Asian currencies weakened on Thursday as a stronger US dollar and hawkish signals from Federal Reserve officials weighed on regional foreign exchange markets. The South Korean won and Indian rupee led losses, while the...

BOJ Rate Hike to 1% by June in Focus as Inflation and Weak Yen Pressure Mount

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is increasingly expected to raise its key interest rate to 1% by the end of June, according to a recent Reuters poll of economists. The shift in forecasts reflects growing concerns about rising...

Sanae Takaichi Seeks Market Trust as Japan Weighs Spending and Tax Cuts

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is preparing to defend her proactive fiscal policies as parliament begins deliberations on her flagship spending and tax cut plans next week. While Takaichi has pledged to boost...

RBNZ Signals Potential Interest Rate Hike as Inflation Outlook Remains Uncertain

New Zealands central bank has indicated that the next move in interest rates is likely to be upward, although economic uncertainty continues to cloud the timing. Karen Silk, Assistant Governor of the Reserve Bank of New...

Oil Prices Ease After 4% Surge as U.S.-Iran Tensions and Supply Risks Remain in Focus

Oil prices edged lower during early Asian trading on Thursday, retreating slightly after a sharp 4% rally in the previous session. Investors are closely monitoring rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and...

Politics

Bill Gates Pulls Out of India’s AI Impact Summit Amid Controversy and Event Mismanagement

Bill Gates withdrew from Indias AI Impact Summit just hours before his scheduled keynote address, dealing a major setback to the high-profile artificial intelligence event in New Delhi. The Gates Foundation confirmed that...

Trump Convenes Board of Peace as $5 Billion Gaza Reconstruction Fund Announced

U.S. President Donald Trump will chair the first meeting of his newly formed Board of Peace on Thursday, placing the future of Gaza reconstruction and regional stability at the center of global attention. The high-profile...

Peru Elects Jose Balcazar as Interim President Ahead of April General Elections

Peruvian lawmakers have elected veteran left-wing legislator Jose Balcazar as the countrys new interim president, marking Perus eighth president in just eight years and underscoring the nations ongoing political...

Trump Says U.S. Trade Deficit Shrinking Sharply as 2026 Trade Surplus Looms

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Americas trade deficit has narrowed significantly due to his 2025 trade tariffs, adding that the country could post its first trade surplus in decades as early as this year....

Lavrov Warns of Serious Consequences if U.S. Launches New Strike on Iran

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that any new U.S. strike on Iran would trigger serious consequences and further destabilize the Middle East. In an interview aired by Saudi Arabias Al-Arabiya television...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

OpenAI Nears $100 Billion Funding Round at $850 Billion Valuation: Bloomberg Report

OpenAI is reportedly close to completing the first phase of a massive new funding round expected to raise more than $100 billion, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter. The deal could push...

Microsoft Responds to ICE Surveillance Concerns Amid Azure Cloud Expansion

Microsoft said Wednesday it does not believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is using its technology for mass surveillance of civilians, following a report that the agency significantly expanded its use of...

Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Youth Social Media Addiction Trial Over Instagram Policies

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark Los Angeles trial addressing allegations that Instagram and YouTube contributed to youth social media addiction and harmed a young users mental health. The...

European IT Hardware Stocks to Watch as Gaming Demand Outpaces Smartphones, Says BofA

BofA Researchs February report highlights a clear split in European IT hardware demand trends, with gaming spending significantly outperforming other consumer technology categories while smartphone sales remain under...

Microsoft Plans $50 Billion AI Investment to Accelerate Growth in the Global South

Microsoft has announced plans to invest up to $50 billion by the end of the decade to expand artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and digital capabilities across countries in the Global South. The announcement was...